Rejection

If you’re a writer and want to be published, you need to be able to accept rejection–it’s part of the process.

Recently I spoke to a short-story writer who once visited a critique group I belong to and I asked him what he was doing with his writing. He said he no longer sent it out because he didn’t like being rejected–so he only shares his stories with friends. This man is an excellent writer–though his stories had some flaws. As I look back, I remember that he didn’t like having his work critiqued either and that’s why he didn’t continue on with our group. I think what he’s decided is sad, because eventually he’d probably have found a market for his work and more than just his friends could’ve enjoyed it.

I knew another excellent writer who sent her manuscript to about three publishers or agents, was rejected and that was the end of her sending out her work. Oh, she still writes–but she doesn’t ever submit her work. She is able to take criticism in a writer’s group and make suggested changes or rewrites.

When I taught a weekly writing group, at times I’d get a new student who would read their few pages and be horrified when I pointed out problems. Made me wonder why they bothered to come. Believe me, when I’m critiquing anyone’s work I always talk about what is good first before giving any suggestions.

Frankly, I don’t understand the mind-set that can’t take criticism or rejection. My first book was rejected nearly 30 times before it was accepted by a publisher. Each time it was rejected, I worked on it some more. At the time I didn’t know nearly as much about editing and rewriting as I do now.

Even though I now have over twenty published books, I still attend a weekly critique group. I would be disappointed if they didn’t find something to help make the book better. I use my fellow authors as a first editor.

Rejection is part of getting published. Never take it personally. It can mean many things, the publisher or agent was having a bad day, they are interested in a similar book already, it isn’t the kind of book that they like. Always pay attention to what is in the rejection letter, especially if it’s handwritten and has some actual comments about your writing. No matter what happens, work to fix that book or move onto another. Never, ever give up.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com

Interview with author Joal Ryan on Share-a-Vision Radio

In you case you missed it, our Nov. 18 program is now available on the archives page at www.tvconfidential.net. Our guest that night was Joal Ryan, correspondent for E! Online, editor and publisher of FSNCentral.com and author of Former Child Stars: The Story of America’s Least Wanted; together we discussed the careers of Gary Coleman (Diff’rent Strokes), Jackie Coogan (The Kid), Ron Howard (The Andy Griffith Show), Paul Peterson (The Donna Reed Show), Anissa “Buffy” Jones (Family Affair) and other former child stars from film and television.

Ed Robertson
Co-Host, TV CONFIDENTIAL
Every other Tuesday at 10:30pm ET, 7:30pm PT
Share-a-Vision Radio, KSAV.org
www.edrobertson.com
www.tvconfidential.net
blog.tvconfidential.net
Also available as a podcast via iTunes

Writing Workshops and a Great Review

As usual, as it becomes time to write my blog, I wonder what I’ll write about.

Today, I’ll be talking about something only vaguely related to writing.

Recently, I presented two workshops with a writing partner at a writers conference. Both presentations were exactly what was advertised. In the morning we gave a talk on marketing, what that meant and ways of doing it, and the fact that most publishers today want a marketing plan submitted along with a query. Our afternoon workshop was about alternate means of getting published–and that’s exactly what we presented.

A fellow presenter who is also a friend was promoted as writing a book based on a screen play. And yes, he did speak about that, but then he gave an impassioned plea about being against the death penalty and coming up with some way to rehabilitate young people who have committed crimes. His theme was that anyone can be rehabilitated–something I don’t feel is true–but no one was given the opportunity to rebut.

I certainly agree we should have a better plan for rehabilitating any one who crimes and I don’t like the death penalty–but I don’t think that was the forum for that particular presentation. That topic certainly wasn’t presented on the writing workshop schedule. I know the author is passionate about this cause–but not only did he make many uncomfortable, but he also made a few in the audience angry.

When he began going over time, I finally spoke up and told him he needed to return to his topic and tie things up as he was infringing on the next speakers’ time. (Granted, the one in charge should have done this, but she was rather overwhelmed by him.) No, I don’t like stepping in like this, but I’m old and seem to be able to get away with being bossy.

My point, I suppose is, if you are asked to give a workshop or a speech on a certain topic, stick to that topic–whatever it was you were supposed to do.

If you have a particular movement or political passion, find the proper venue to present it. Don’t embarrass yourself or the group that invited you to talk about one thing and then go on and on about something completely different.

Once again, I’ll step off my soap box–at least until my next turn on this blog.

Oh, and by the way, I got a wonderful review for my latest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery, Kindred Spirits, on Reviewing the Evidence. Here’s the last paragraph:

http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com/
“This is the seventh title in Meredith‛s well-received Tempe Crabtree series. As in all of her books, Meredith explores Native American culture, in this case, the history of the Tolowa tribe. She addresses the difficulty Tempe faces while trying to be true to both her Native American side and her white heritage. As the wife of a Christian minister, Tempe must also deal with her husband‛s own views on Indian culture and spirituality. Hutch and Tempe don‛t always agree on these matters. But in this novel, Hutch becomes more supportive of Tempe‛s work while shedding some of his opposition to Tempe‛s views on life. The two make an unusual couple, but their very uniqueness lends reality to the mystery. As people, they can‛t be pigeonholed into one group or another and thus bring a feeling of freshness to the protagonist‛ s role. Any story featuring these two is a welcome addition to the mystery fan‛ s library.”
Reviewed by Mary V. Welk, November 2008

Marilyn Meredith
http://fictionforyou.com

Literary Detectives and America’s Top Sleuths: This week on TV Confidential

In case you missed it, last week’s edition of TV CONFIDENTIAL is now available on the archives page at Share-a-Vision Radio, KSAV.org, as well as our own website, www.tvconfidential.net. The program features an encore segments from October 2006 in which we discuss the Top 25 film and TV detectives, as chosen by viewers of The Sleuth Channel, plus a conversation from May 2006 about “literary detectives”—TV shows like Ellery Queen and Spenser: For Hire that were based on best-selling mystery novels, as well as shows like Rockford Files and Harry O that have literary elements to them..

Speaking of Rockford, Gigi Garner, daughter of James Garner, will joins us to discuss her new book, Girl Talk. Plus we have some of our regular features, including reviews two new DVD releases: Season Two of Adam-12 and the long awaited release of The Donna Reed Show. It’s a lively mix of old and new, and we’ll certainly hope you’ll join us

Ed Robertson
Co-Host, TV CONFIDENTIAL
Every other Tuesday at 10:30pm ET, 7:30pm PT
Share-a-Vision Radio, KSAV.org
www.tvconfidential.net
blog.tvconfidential.net
Also available as a podcast via iTunes

Helping the Humane Society

If you love animals like I do, you will love this calendar. This is my way to contribute to something I believe in, the Humane Society. If I had a farm I would take a few animals and care for them but since I don’t I raise money for them instead.

Please consider the new Baby’s Calendar on your Christmas list, one for you and one for a loved one. All the profits goes to the Humane Society of Manatee County. You can preview the whole calendar here.

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Clary Lopez
Website
Blog

Climbing on My Soap Box

I’m back on my soap box once again. On DorothyL, the premiere list for mystery fans and authors, they’ve been discussing the fact that Bouchercon has voted against discriminating against small press as far as allowing their authors to serve on panels. (They won’t let self-pubbed or those who paid to be published unless they’ve won a prestigious prize.)

Left Coast Crime on the other hand will not allow any author published by a non-MWA approved publisher be on a panel. (To add to the insult, they talk about real writers as opposed to the other kind. Real writers meaning those published by New York publishers.)

To be an MWA approved publisher, the publisher must print at least 500 books at once (something most small presses who use print on demand technology don’t do) and give an advance, two things my publishers don’t do though they meet all the other criteria.

Though going to mystery cons is an enjoyable experience, they are very expensive. If you can’t be on a panel, your books will not be in the book room. If you’re not on a panel of course no one will be able to purchase your book. For an author, part of the reason to go to a con is to let people know about your book.

I’ve decided to only attend mystery cons and writers conferences where I can be on a panel or be a speaker, for several reasons. I want the most for my promotion dollar. I also want to be able to take the trip off my income tax. And most of all, I’m really tired of this discrimination against authors who aren’t published by MWA approved publishers.

Another big decision I’ve made is not to pay my next year’s dues to MWA even though I’m a full member–something I’ll never be again once I quit paying my dues. I’ve been a member for years–but they haven’t really done anything for me except to discriminate against me. I get far more out of other organization I belong to such as Epic and the Public Safety Writers Association, and the San Joaquin chapter of Sisters and Crime as well as the Internet chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Now I’ll climb off my soap box.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com

Remembering Rod Serling’s Night Gallery

Set in a shadowy museum of the outré, Night Gallery (NBC, 1970-1973) was a highly diverse anthology television series featuring tales in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction vein—all of which were introduced by a dark and disturbing collection of canvases unveiled by the museum’s “curator,” series host and creator Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone). The show blended thoughtful original dramas written by Serling himself with adaptations of classic genre material, including short stories by the likes of H.P. Lovecraft, Fritz Leiber, Conrad Aiken and Richard Matheson. The variety of material in Night Gallery brought with it a variety of tone, from the deadly serious to the tongue-in-cheek, stretching the television anthology concept to its very limits. Like The Twilight Zone, each segment of Night Gallery featured a dazzling array of guest stars from the worlds of film and television, as well as contributions from such promising young directors as John Badham and Steven Spielberg. Unlike Twilight Zone, the series was fraught with tension behind the scenes, including an ongoing conflict between creator Serling and producer Jack Laird over the direction of Night Gallery that would ultimately find Serling on the outside looking in.

Frankie and I paid tribute to Night Gallery along with Jim Benson, co-author of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery: An After-Hours Tour, a comprehensive look at this classic series that also serves as an abject reminder of how network television sometimes works. Jim was also a consultant on the upcoming Night Gallery: Season Two DVD package, which features commentary by Oscar nominated director Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labrynth). If you’re a fan of Rod Serling, but missed our conversation, we invite you to listen to our archive, which is now available on our archives page at www.tvconfidential.net.

 

Ed Robertson
Co-Host, TV CONFIDENTIAL
Every other Tuesday at 10:30pm ET, 7:30pm PT
Share-a-Vision Radio, KSAV.org
www.tvconfidential.net
blog.tvconfidential.net
Also available as a podcast via iTunes

Hangin’ Out

Book Lovers’ Fairs or Expos are great opportunities for networking in ‘author world,’ showcasing your  writing talents and generally, having a lot of fun.  Meeting fellow authors is a marvelous trip.  Most writer’s are unique in so many ways I truly appreciate.  Although I look forward to meeting and hanging out with a crazy, diverse bunch of writers, some of the moments I anticipate the most at a multiple-author, book event are spying the adorable, animated characters milling around and rushing to hang out with them.  They’re there to bolster the childrens’ books or advertise something out in town.  Either way, I’m thrilled to see them.  I’ve grown very respectful of mascots over the years.  They don’t talk, have a pleasant demeanor, a delighted, if not goofy, look on their face, transmit infectious energy and throw out happy waves to everyone.  They’re big and have even bigger heads, with shoes to match.  I get so excited to see them, I want to be them.  Yes, my mind has gone there.  The thought of becoming a big head with big shoes bounces in my brain quite often, but the dilemma is what head would I choose.  I’ve envisioned a Bluebird because they’re happy, have wings and uncommon as a mascot.  Bees are disappearing, so maybe I should be a honeybee to bring attention to their plight.  I’d still have wings, but I’d also be adorned with antennae and yellow is a good color for me.  I’ll think on that a while.  I guess my message to everyone with this little bloggie blurb is stay positive, have fun in whatever you do and respect the ‘clean’ fun others are having even if it’s not your cup of tea.   Book signings,  Literary Symposiums and Writer’s Workshops are on the schedule for me over the next six months, and I plan to have a huge amount of fun teaching or learning at all of them.  I just hope some big-headed mascots will be close by to hang out with.  Bye, Bye, now!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Linda Bergman-Althouse

author of “Save Them All“

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THIS YEAR’S AUTHOR’S HOLIDAY GIVE-AWAY BASKET AND GET ENTERED BY DECEMBER 10TH!

Virtual Book Tour

I’m on a virtual book tour for Kindred Spirits all month, and these are the places I’ll be until I post on this blog again:

Oct 15 http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/
Oct 16 http://savvyverseandwit.blogspot.com/
Oct 17 http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com/
Oct 20 http://www.zensanity.blogspot.com/
Oct 21 http://thebookczar.blogspot.com/ and http://valleygirlmusings.blogspot.com/
Oct 22 http://valleygirlmusings.blogspot.com/
Oct 23 http://blogcritics.org/books/
Oct 24 http://reviewyourbook.com/recent_reviews.cfm
Oct 27 http://www.popsyndicate.com/books
Oct 28 http://www.popsyndicate.com/books

If you visit any of these blogs, please leave a comment.

I also have a book video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3e9JoREt_M

This has been a hectic time beginning with the first of September. I’ve done more promotion for this book than any of my others.

It began with a preview when I spoke to the San Joaquin chapter of Sisters in Crime, The following week I had the official book launch in Crescent City CA where much of the story takes place. We flew to Illinois where I spoke to the Prose in the Park Writing Conference–and also signed a contract with my new publisher for the next in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series.

I attended the Wizards of Words conference in Scottsdale AZ where I gave two presentations.

The coming weekend is the Apple Festival in Springville (where I live) CA and I’ll have a booth on Saturday and Sunday. The weekend after that, on October 25th at 2 p.m., I’ll be in Henderson NV (next to Las Vegas) at Cheescake and Crime, a wonderful bookstore giving a talk about what kind of research I do for the Native American information in my mysteries.

Whew! And it’s not over yet! I’m already filling my calendar with events for next year too.
And sometime, I need to find time to write two more books–yes, that’s what I said, two more books.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com

Backyard Fatality

As much as I love nature and nature loves me, I can’t seem to escape the occasional backyard fatality.
Their hunt is aggressive but manners demure, it wasn’t a cat, that’s for sure.
Feline free roamers with pure criminal intent are not nature to me.
Wildlife has little defense against efficient sport killers as these.
With cats, death is usually quick and quietly carried away.
They leave no trace, there is nothing to know, no guilt to pay.
No . . . this was a hawk, Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s variety,
Who must also eat, so I reluctantly accept occasional loss and know it must be.
Nature circles where I live; my grounds, my mind, soul and in my heart.
Disjoined bed of feathers, tragic scenes such as these give way to guilt’s start.
Which to save . . . not for me nor others to say, it’s always nature’s way.
I try to keep them all safe with cover and food; the doves, cardinals, flickers, squirrels,
Wrens, bluejays, titmouse, robin, thrasher, chickadee, opossum and sparrows.
But there’ll come a day when one is not alert or fast enough to out sway,
And I shall gather up all that is left of one I encouraged to stay.
I’ll always love nature and nature will love me,
Just wish I could escape the tormenting backyard fatality.

 

by Linda Bergman-Althouse, author of “Save Them All“

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THIS YEAR’S “AUTHORS HOLIDAY GIVE-AWAY BASKET” AND GET ENTERED BY DECEMBER 10TH!