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Monday, January 30, 2012
474 Things To Do If You're Bored
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
An Interview in Great Britain
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| Our Interview with Robert T Spiller
Name Robert T Spiller
Age 60 Where are you from Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA A little about yourself `ie your education Family life ect I am a writer. For the longest time I had the dual careers of writer and math teacher
(taught college, high and middle school) but last May I retired after 35 years of teaching. My children
(Nikki 40, Laura 34, and Jenny 22) and grandchildren (Jacki 17, Quentin 14, Cameron 13, Liam 2)
all live nearby. My wife Barbara and I now spend our days hiking and delighting in our new freedom.
I write the Bonnie Pinkwater mystery series. My math teacher/sleuth uses mathematics and
her knowledge of math history to solve murders in the small Colorado town of East Plains.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news? Radical Equations, the fourth in the Bonnie Pinkwater series was released in e-book form in
mid-December. The print version will be out in mid-Feb. I am very jazzed about this.
The first three were released traditionally, by Medallion Press but this is my first foray into
managed self-publishing. Right now there is a giveaway at Goodreads.com for signed copies of
Radical Equations. Please go there and sign up. I would love to mail a copy out of the US.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing? I’ve been writing all my life. It’s always felt as if I’ve had no choice. Even though I was a
Mathematics major in college, I started off as a creative writing student. My first completed novel,
The Children of Yei in 1998 won the Paul Gillette Writing contest (actually second prize, $50).
And even though it won this award I couldn’t sell it. It wasn’t until I started writing mysteries that
I was published – in 2006 – The Witch of Agnesi. Subsequent Bonnie Pinkwater mysteries,
A Calculated Demise, and Irrational Numbers came after.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer? In the Air Force out of high school I wrote poetry (had two published in a local paper, 1980) and
a few pieces for the base newspaper. I also wrote songs and short stories but nothing published or
picked up by other songwriters. I guess I always considered myself a writer even when I was just
noodling around.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book? When my first marriage evaporated, I took off on a three week bicycle ride across Colorado into
New Mexico. I brought along five spiral notebooks and an idea for a sci-fi story. This kernel of an
idea eventually became The Children of Yei, the novel which won the award but still hasn’t seen the
light of day. As for the first mystery, I have an extraordinary friend (a female math teacher),
brilliant, with an exceptional memory, who I thought would make a wonderful sleuth, thus came
The Witch of Agnesi (which by the way is a famous math curve).
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? I wish I could say I did, that like Stephen King I write from say 6:00 to 12:00 every day.
The truth is I write in spurts but try every day. I envy those disciplined writers who put their butts
to their chairs at a given time daily. One day I’ll grow up and be like them.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title? The Witch of Agnesi is actually the name of a mistranslated (from Italian) math curve. The story of
how it was mistranslated is actually used in the novel to solve a series of murders. The rest,
A Calculated Demise, Irrational Numbers, and Radical Equations just reference mathematics in some,
and hopefully clever, way.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? Truth is, I mainly try to entertain. I’m a storyteller in the tradition of folks who used to sit around
fires and tell ghost stories. It’s like Bob Dylan once said when asked what he was trying to accomplish
with his songs, “Nothing much. I’m just a song and dance man.”
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic? Although fiction, everything in my mysteries is real. The historic bits are factual; the small town in
Colorado is modeled after another small town where I taught school for almost twenty years.
Even though one of the characters in the first book (and brought back in Radical Equations) is the
matriarch of a Wiccan coven, she is realistically portrayed and modeled after another Wiccan woman
I was honored to know.
Fiona: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? As I mentioned above, many of my characters and settings are based on actual places and people.
As for plot lines, some of them are partially based on events which I experienced. However, all are
fiction in the long run. I alter situations to make them more entertaining or so as to not invade
another’s privacy.
Fiona: What books have most influenced your life most? Agatha Christy is the model for all cozy mysteries (those without a lot of violence or sex) and so
Poirot and Marple will always be an influence. Sherlock Holmes of course. In Sci-fi there is Asimov,
Bradbury. In modern mystery Crais, Connelly, Deaver (none of which are cozy). My favorite books
are the Tolkien trilogy, The Count of Monte Cristo, several of the Poe short stories.
Fiona: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? Ray Bradbury. He wrote as if he were speaking directly to me. Fantastic settings that spoke to
universal truths that I still see reflected in writing today (and to no small part in my own).
Fiona: What book are you reading now? I just finished one from a local author, Donnell Bell and I really liked it. On my Kindle I’m reading the
first Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child and I’m really enjoying the intelligence of it.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? I am lucky to get to judge some local writing contests and I just read ten pieces in the YA and Sci-Fi
arena. One I actually gave 100 out of 100 to (unfortunately I don’t know any names). A local author
Cindi Madsen has two YA books being released in the next six months. She is in my critique group and
I have watched her grow as an author. Keep an eye out for her. She’s going to be huge.
Fiona: What are your current projects? I am writing a horror novel about a love affair between two psychopaths. Fiona: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members. Pikes Peak Writers is a writing organization that I’ve been a member of since 1998. Centered in my
home town and 500 strong it is peopled with writers of all levels of the profession. I am usually on
their teaching staff (they hold monthly classes in the craft and a yearly conference that is
widely respected, look it up on their website Pikes Peak Writers). In addition, I am a member of two
critique groups and have been for years. These folks perform an invaluable service: they tell me the
truth. I am fully capable of dispensing complete drek and they let me know when something I’ve
written isn’t up to snuff.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career? It’s now my only career. What remains to be seen is how successful a career it will be. Actually,
I already consider myself successful. I make money doing what I love.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? Always, the moment a book is in my hand I find things that I would do to improve it, but I don’t
allow myself to dwell too long on those. What’s done is done. Now, there was one embarrassing thing
which happened in Irrational Numbers, the third Bonnie Pinkwater novel. I had a church that was
featured in the story called The Saved By the Blood Pentecostal Temple. I thought it would read
better as The Saved By The Blood Pentecostal Tabernacle. I did something which no author should
ever do. I did a REPLACE ALL. After the book was on the shelves (this was after an extensive edit by
my publisher) I picked up a copy. At the end of the book, my killer takes a hostage and is seen
holding a gun to his head. The scene reads “he held a gun to his tabernacle”. I had completely
forgotten this name of a body part.
Fiona: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? Truth is I can’t put my finger on what drew me to writing. This I do know. There are doctors,
lawyers, cops, and people in government who want to be writers. I have yet to see a writer who
fantasizes about being a lawyer. I’m lucky. I’m already a writer.
Fiona: Can you share a little of your current work with us? Quote:Radical Equations, the fourth Pinkwater mystery starts with Bonnie and her friend Wiccan matriarch Rhiannon Griffith hiking in a wonderful spot in Colorado called the Paint Mines (the rocks are naturally splashed with a rainbow of colors). They stumble across the dead body of Bonnie’s boss, Vice-principal Clarence Murphy. When they bring back the police (Former student of Bonnie’s Deputy Sheriff Byron Hickman) the body is gone. It resurfaces later that day seated at his desk, in a tornado ravaged high school. Naturally nosy Bonnie Pinkwater starts nosing around. What she finds are homicidal motorcyclists, tyrannical dwarves, land-grabbing CEO’s, high stakes poker games, and a teenaged math genius desperately needing her help. She also attracts the attention of the killer who decides it’s time to put an end to one meddlesome math teacher. Fiona: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? As in all mysteries, there is a balancing act that needs performing between the revelation of clues
and not letting too much out of the bag too soon. To be fair, readers have to have as much
information (and misinformation) as the sleuth. Ideally, the reader should have an ‘Aha Moment’
just a moment too late. They should realize ‘of course, I should have seen that all along’.
That’s the challenge of all mystery writers. It’s always my biggest headache and biggest joy.
Fiona: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? My favorite author is whoever I’m reading at the moment. It has changed from Robert Crais,
to Jeffrey Deaver, to Michael Connelly and now has setteled on Lee Child.
All these mystery/suspense authors have one thing in common. They keep me turning pages and they
don’t insult my intelligence.
Fiona: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)? Mostly with booksignings, classes I teach, book groups/clubs, writing and reader conventions and
the like. I have traveled extensively throughout the southern United States because my mother
lives in Alabama and I can promote books and visit her. I also go to the Midwest
(Chicago and that area) because my wife’s folks are there. I don’t travel much for research,
but now that I’m retired I might.
Fiona: Who designed the covers? When I was with Medallion Press, they were designed by a wonderful artist named Adam Mauch.
For Radical Equations I used two Colorado artists, who are given dual credit in my acknowledgments.
Since the print copy isn’t out for a month, I can’t name them here.
Fiona: What was the hardest part of writing your book? Sitting down and actually doing the writing. I’m also a bit cranky with my critique mates
when I disagree with some part of my story they insist doesn’t work for them (they’re usually right).
Fiona: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it? Wouldn’t it be great if I could say I did? Truth is every book is like visiting a country for the first time.
Things I’ve learned: promotion is both the biggest headache and a great big kick in the butt.
Writing is a Zen practice equal to any amount of meditation. Holding your book in your hand is
one of the greatest joys in the world. I love what I do.
Fiona: Do you have any advice for other writers? Do what I say not what I do. Try to write something every day, even if it’s crappola. Fiona: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? For all you Bonnie Pinkwater fans, get your hands on Radical Equations. I believe it is the tastiest
of the lot. For all of you have yet to cast your eyes upon a Bonnie Pinkwater mystery – by hook or
by crook, get your hands on The Witch of Agnesi. I promise it will put a smile on your kissers.
Fiona: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done ? I already did it. For thirty five years I got to hang out with teenagers and teach mathematics.
I am one of the luckiest people I know. I never worked at a job I didn’t love.
Fiona: Do you have a blog/website? if so what is it? Website: http://rspiller.com/ Blog: Spillerwrites.blogspot.com Please, please, please, follow my blog. I am new to this and have
about ten followers. Here I am pouring out my life’s blood onto the keyboard twice a week and
less than .00000006% of the earth’s population know about it. Fiona, my dear, check out
Spiller Writes.
And thank you for this chance to share some thoughts. I had the best time. ![[Image: 143189v.jpg]](http://i56.tinypic.com/143189v.jpg) |
Donnell Bell Interview
One of the sweetest and most talented people I know agreed to let me interview her concerning her career and her new release, The Past Came Hunting.
1. What inspired you to write The Past Came Hunting?
Hi, Bob, thank you for the interview and your lovely questions J.
THE PAST CAME HUNTING came from TriciaYearwood’s and Don Henley’s hit country song WALK AWAY JOE. The lyrics in the song revolve around a 17-year-old girl, who fails to listen to her mother, and takes off with her bad news boyfriend. The boyfriend robs a Texaco station while the girl unwittingly sits outside in the car.
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| Donnell Bell, Author |
During a ridealong with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, I asked a deputy what would happen to her. He said at 17, she’s almost an adult, and as a sidekick to a person committing a felony, an intolerant D.A. might very well try her as an adult and even send her to prison.
That didn’t sit well with me. I had kids around that age, and my maternal instinct took over. I had to write the ending to that song, e.g. make sure this poor kid in the wrong place at the wrong time survived (after a few rough spots, of course) and got her happily ever after.
2. Tell us a little about each of your main characters: Mel, Joe, and Drake. Which one was your favorite? Why?
Oh, wow, that’s like asking which kid I like best. ;) I really admire Joe for trying to fit everything into his stressful career, handle a divorce, and the weight he feels in raising a teenage son alone, as well as the guilt he feels over an adolescent daughter who chose to live with her mother. I love his reactions to Melanie. I also love how this big tough cop came around and proved what he was made of.
Without Drake Maxwell, I wouldn’t have a story, so even though he’s my evil bad guy, I owe him so much. I had to put aside a lot of my “what will people think?” tendencies and write the most realistic character I was capable of writing.
But THE PAST CAME HUNTING is definitely Melanie’s story and after all I put her through, and the way she stood up to Joe and Maxwell, she’s definitely my favorite character in the book. After all I pitted her against, not one but two, of her deepest, darkest nemeses.
3. Please tell us about yourself and how your background has influenced your writing.
I’m originally from Texas, but grew up in Farmington, New Mexico. I attended New Mexico State University and Denver Academy of Court Reporting. I’ve been married to the same great guy forever, and I’m the proud mother of two wonderful grown kids. A hand injury cut my court reporting career short, so after that I went to work for a weekly business publication and a parenting magazine. From there I fell in love with writing on a grand scale. I’ve always been an avid, avid reader. My legal background has been a real blessing in writing fiction.
4. How much of yourself is hidden in your characters?
Oh, gosh, I’m all over the place in this novel. Joe’s clock collection comes from my love of grandfather clocks, Drake Maxwell’s hatred of technology from my husband who says – read a map, to Melanie’s love for her son and the myriad sporting events we’ve attended over the years. The Italian restaurant I talk about is loosely based on Paninos. And I have to credit Attorney General John Suthers for his generosity in talking to Sisters in Crime, and sparking an idea to have a D.A. running for Attorney General.
5. What are you working on right now?
I am writing a contracted suspense for Bell Bridge Books as part of a two-book deal. They recently bought Deadly Recall, my 2010 Golden Heart finaling manuscript, and I’m awaiting revisions. All three of these books are single title romantic suspense, but atypical of most RS out there, in that they take place in settings where I’ve lived and include far different plotlines. THE PAST CAME HUNTING takes place in Colorado Springs, Deadly Recall is in Albuquerque, and Betrayed (my working title for book 3) is set in Denver.
6. Is there anything that surprised you about post-publication that you'd like to share with other writers?
That uncertainty never lets up. When you become published you take on new issues and new worries. Your job as a professional is to push through that insecurity, and keep stretching your writing skills. Finally, thanks for the opportunity to talk about THE PAST CAME HUNTING. I heard a wonderful quote that I think applies to everyone, no matter what stage of writing he’s at. The author of the quote is Carol Towarnicky. “When I stopped trying to be perfect, I got better.”
7. I noticed in your acknowledgments that your mentor shares a name with your evil mastermind. How did your mentor feel about this?
Drake Maxwell is the name of my antagonist. When I started writing THE PAST CAME HUNTING, the character I developed was a sociopathic personality who came from a wealthy family. He had everything and still self-destructed. I wanted a name that in my mind depicted the socioeconomic environment he grew up in. To name him Bubba, Jim or Billy Bob would have given readers a different impression in my opinion. Further the name Drake means “snake” or “dragon.” I couldn’t resist ;)
As for my mentor, there were actually two with the last name of Drake. They were so gracious and gave me their blessing. They’ve also been huge proponents of this book.
By the way, don’t know when this will run, but if it’s on or before January 31st. I’d appreciate you spreading the word. Kobo and Kindle have deeply discounted THE PAST CAME HUNTING from $8.99 to $1.99. Kobo came to my publisher and asked if they could promote it. It’s now currently rated #21 out of the top 100 of KOBOs GREAT Reads under $4.99. The info is on my homepage of my website in red. www.donnellannbell.com
All best,
Donnell
Okay folks, if you got a Kindle for Christmas and are wondering what the heck to download, check out THE PAST CAME HUNTING.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Hint for this Weeks Puzzler
This is not going to seem like much of a hint but here goes.
Remember that time is a factor in all averages involving distance and speed. D=RT. Therefore also remember that even though the distance is the same to the New Mexico border whether you're going or coming, the time spent going the slower speed will be a lot longer, in fact seven times as long. This fact will skew your average toward the smaller speed.
Remember that time is a factor in all averages involving distance and speed. D=RT. Therefore also remember that even though the distance is the same to the New Mexico border whether you're going or coming, the time spent going the slower speed will be a lot longer, in fact seven times as long. This fact will skew your average toward the smaller speed.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
The Christmas Idiot
Yesterday I got into my car and realized, here it was the 17th of January and my selection of music hadn't changed in a over a month. Truth was, I still wasn't ready to let go of Christmas tunes. As I started up my car, George Winston regaled me with the Holly and the Ivy, this was followed up with TSA going nuts on one Christmas standard after another (Plus my favorite An Old City Bar). Before long I was whistling along with Phil Volan and Joleen Bell (who by the way sings like an angel) singing O Holy Night.
That's right, people, I'm still listening to Christmas music and might even do it for a bit longer. And why not?
As November rolls around and radio stations break into the carols I hear the litany of complainers every year.
"It's too soon."
"I'll be sick of this stuff by the time Christmas shows up. And it gets worse every year."
Let me just state my position up front. I never grow sick of Christmas. I never tire of the trapping of this holiday: the lights, the commercials, the Santa in the mall, the tree, the presents, and especially the music.
I grew up in Philadelphia where, like a lot of back east big cities, downtown was transformed at Christmas time. The windows of the monster stores were wonderlands of elves, and reindeer...and toys. There were actual vendors of roasted chestnuts on the street corners. Strangers would pass you by and say "Merry Christmas" and smile. My whole family would go out and it was a big production to pick out the best tree from the Christmas tree lot in our neighborhood. The pine smell of those places still lingers in my memory.
I was an altar boy and on Christmas Eve. Often I had to preside over the midnight mass. If I wasn't serving at the mass, I still went, because in the hours before the mass my friends and I would gather outside the pool hall up the street from the church and sing Christmas carols.
Angels We Have Heard on High. Jingle Bells. Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Silent Night. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire).
For weeks I looked forward to that night, showed up early and sang heartily with my breath showing all white in the December chilly night. I can close my eyes and still see my friends shouting "Jingle Bell Rock" like their lives depended on it.
So here I am forty five years later. In a few minutes I will climb into my car to go grocery shopping. It's been almost a month since December 25, but I think I'm in the mood for Bruce Springsteen and the late Clarence Clemens howling "Santa Claus is coming to Town."
And he is. Just not for another eleven months.
That's right, people, I'm still listening to Christmas music and might even do it for a bit longer. And why not?
As November rolls around and radio stations break into the carols I hear the litany of complainers every year.
"It's too soon."
"I'll be sick of this stuff by the time Christmas shows up. And it gets worse every year."
Let me just state my position up front. I never grow sick of Christmas. I never tire of the trapping of this holiday: the lights, the commercials, the Santa in the mall, the tree, the presents, and especially the music.
I grew up in Philadelphia where, like a lot of back east big cities, downtown was transformed at Christmas time. The windows of the monster stores were wonderlands of elves, and reindeer...and toys. There were actual vendors of roasted chestnuts on the street corners. Strangers would pass you by and say "Merry Christmas" and smile. My whole family would go out and it was a big production to pick out the best tree from the Christmas tree lot in our neighborhood. The pine smell of those places still lingers in my memory.
I was an altar boy and on Christmas Eve. Often I had to preside over the midnight mass. If I wasn't serving at the mass, I still went, because in the hours before the mass my friends and I would gather outside the pool hall up the street from the church and sing Christmas carols.
Angels We Have Heard on High. Jingle Bells. Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Silent Night. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire).
For weeks I looked forward to that night, showed up early and sang heartily with my breath showing all white in the December chilly night. I can close my eyes and still see my friends shouting "Jingle Bell Rock" like their lives depended on it.
So here I am forty five years later. In a few minutes I will climb into my car to go grocery shopping. It's been almost a month since December 25, but I think I'm in the mood for Bruce Springsteen and the late Clarence Clemens howling "Santa Claus is coming to Town."
And he is. Just not for another eleven months.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Tebow Crazies Unite
I just want to take a moment to express my gratitude to the Tim Tebows of the world, in particular to Tim himself. Not for the Christian faith he espouses; although I'm not a Christian, I'm totally okay with the fact that he is not only a Christian but overtly so. And not for his prowess on the football field. Like a significant fraction of the folks in Colorado I thoroughly enjoyed watching last week's playoff win against the Steelers. So, although I'm not necessarily a Bronco fan, and I don't believe they will win the Superbowl this year he's sure fun to watch. But once again this is not the foundation of my gratitude. I'm not even grateful for the fact that the guy seems to be the real deal, a genuinely nice son-of-a-gun. The world is full of nice guys that don't get my gratitude meter running.
I'm grateful for the entertainment coefficient that he is generating in my world. I just took a quick glances at a few discussion groups I visit on a rotating basis. Tebow was the topic of no less than eighty posts. There were Tebow haters and Tebow lovers. Several folks said it was all an act. These were countered by others who said he walks the walk and talks the talk--in other words they disagreed. In a few of these posts (translated tirades) you could almost see the writer, with steam pouring out his (or in this case her) ears, curling fingers through hair and yanking out painful strand after painful strand. And then there were the equally vocal and possibly equally bald defenders of the man espousing Voltaire's assertion "I don't agree with what you say and do but I will defend to the death your right to say and do it."
Okay I took a little liberty with the quote but you get the picture.
So, there I was reading these jokers' posts and it dawned on me. I love this crap. I love the fact that people are losing their minds over the antics of a man playing a child's game (don't get me wrong I'm a fan of this particular child's game). Every time Tim Tebow performs some new gesture, I hold my breath thinking maybe this time folks will just ignore him and that will be the end of the wonder circus. But Noooooooo, not yet! Out come the incensed, the outraged, the loyalists, the thumpers...the crazies.
Lately, I've been thinking there is a whole legion of folks like me who are lurking in the chat rooms, and on-line sites, reading Yahoo and Facebook and giggling. I know this sounds smug, and it probably is, so sue me. I find these folks hilarious.
But the entertainment factor isn't the sole reason I'm grateful to the Tim Tebows of planet earth. Oh no, there is a much more comforting element to the hubbub that I'm thankful for, and it's connected to a belief that I've long harbored. I may possibly be the only one who worships at this particular altar, but so be it. My belief is that anything that pushes people's buttons, gets their bloodpressure perculating, makes their eyes bug out...and lets say it, turns them into loonie tunes is good for the culture, and for individual mental health. It reveals truths about ourselves that maybe just maybe we would not have realized otherwise. If something can get that far under your skin it tells you something about yourself, and your particular brand of humanity. If instead of saying "This guy drives me crazy." or "This guy is God's gift to football." we ask "What is happening to me when I lose it in this fashion?" and just wait for the answer, I think therein we might all find enlightenment.
Or it may be that I'm just full of camel manure.
I'm grateful for the entertainment coefficient that he is generating in my world. I just took a quick glances at a few discussion groups I visit on a rotating basis. Tebow was the topic of no less than eighty posts. There were Tebow haters and Tebow lovers. Several folks said it was all an act. These were countered by others who said he walks the walk and talks the talk--in other words they disagreed. In a few of these posts (translated tirades) you could almost see the writer, with steam pouring out his (or in this case her) ears, curling fingers through hair and yanking out painful strand after painful strand. And then there were the equally vocal and possibly equally bald defenders of the man espousing Voltaire's assertion "I don't agree with what you say and do but I will defend to the death your right to say and do it."
Okay I took a little liberty with the quote but you get the picture.
So, there I was reading these jokers' posts and it dawned on me. I love this crap. I love the fact that people are losing their minds over the antics of a man playing a child's game (don't get me wrong I'm a fan of this particular child's game). Every time Tim Tebow performs some new gesture, I hold my breath thinking maybe this time folks will just ignore him and that will be the end of the wonder circus. But Noooooooo, not yet! Out come the incensed, the outraged, the loyalists, the thumpers...the crazies.
Lately, I've been thinking there is a whole legion of folks like me who are lurking in the chat rooms, and on-line sites, reading Yahoo and Facebook and giggling. I know this sounds smug, and it probably is, so sue me. I find these folks hilarious.
But the entertainment factor isn't the sole reason I'm grateful to the Tim Tebows of planet earth. Oh no, there is a much more comforting element to the hubbub that I'm thankful for, and it's connected to a belief that I've long harbored. I may possibly be the only one who worships at this particular altar, but so be it. My belief is that anything that pushes people's buttons, gets their bloodpressure perculating, makes their eyes bug out...and lets say it, turns them into loonie tunes is good for the culture, and for individual mental health. It reveals truths about ourselves that maybe just maybe we would not have realized otherwise. If something can get that far under your skin it tells you something about yourself, and your particular brand of humanity. If instead of saying "This guy drives me crazy." or "This guy is God's gift to football." we ask "What is happening to me when I lose it in this fashion?" and just wait for the answer, I think therein we might all find enlightenment.
Or it may be that I'm just full of camel manure.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
A New Years Wish
For those of you old enough to remember Richard Bach's book Illusions (yes, the same guy who wrote Jonathan Livingston Seagull), the god-like main character said that there is only two reasons ever to do anything. One is to have fun. The other is to learn something. When you can do both at the same time, then you're onto something.
Lately, I have been spending a large amount of time outside my comfort zone (which is usually a sure sign of learning). Strangely enough I've also been having an inordinately large amount of fun.
First of all, there's this blog thing. Who would have thought that anyone would spend a moment of their precious time reading my thoughts? Who would have thought I HAD any thoughts (sounds like I'm lisping; doesn't it)? Yet here I am sharing giggles and random musings with folks who also from time to time comment, comfort, and applaud these same random musings. Life is good.
Earlier in the week, I had my first interview, with children's indie author Robert Stanek. Was that ever a kick in the butt. I got to know another author, ask questions, and learn something (Richard Bach would be proud). I hope to do a bunch more of these, so stay tuned.
I now Tweet!! Not very often, and not as effectively as I would like but what the heck, I'm a tweeter. I remember a time when I said, "Nobody cares if I'm heading into Starbucks." This is still probably true, but that that's not all people tweet about. Strangely enough, some of it is interesting. Go figure.
I am hip deep into promoting Radical Equations, my newest installment of the Bonnie Pinkwater mystery series. And I am doing so many new things--most under the guidance of Deb Courtney of Courtney Literary. Is she ever Da Bomb (that's right, people, I can talk the talk)!!
I HAVE A MARKETING PLAN. Who'd of thought it. For the first three books in the series, I pretty much shot from the hip with mixed results: signings, conferences, book clubs, classes. Some things worked better than others. Now there is a science to what I'm doing. I have to admit, it's scary and keeps me busy, but there again scary can be translated into learning something.
Anyway, I could go on and on about this current experience of running hard with this indie book thing--and probably will in the future, but for now, I am learning stuff (at 60 no less) and having the time of my life.
So my New Year's wish for all of you, especially my fellow authors, may you increase the density of your dendrites, while giggling like a four-year old.
Lately, I have been spending a large amount of time outside my comfort zone (which is usually a sure sign of learning). Strangely enough I've also been having an inordinately large amount of fun.
First of all, there's this blog thing. Who would have thought that anyone would spend a moment of their precious time reading my thoughts? Who would have thought I HAD any thoughts (sounds like I'm lisping; doesn't it)? Yet here I am sharing giggles and random musings with folks who also from time to time comment, comfort, and applaud these same random musings. Life is good.
Earlier in the week, I had my first interview, with children's indie author Robert Stanek. Was that ever a kick in the butt. I got to know another author, ask questions, and learn something (Richard Bach would be proud). I hope to do a bunch more of these, so stay tuned.
I now Tweet!! Not very often, and not as effectively as I would like but what the heck, I'm a tweeter. I remember a time when I said, "Nobody cares if I'm heading into Starbucks." This is still probably true, but that that's not all people tweet about. Strangely enough, some of it is interesting. Go figure.
I am hip deep into promoting Radical Equations, my newest installment of the Bonnie Pinkwater mystery series. And I am doing so many new things--most under the guidance of Deb Courtney of Courtney Literary. Is she ever Da Bomb (that's right, people, I can talk the talk)!!
I HAVE A MARKETING PLAN. Who'd of thought it. For the first three books in the series, I pretty much shot from the hip with mixed results: signings, conferences, book clubs, classes. Some things worked better than others. Now there is a science to what I'm doing. I have to admit, it's scary and keeps me busy, but there again scary can be translated into learning something.
Anyway, I could go on and on about this current experience of running hard with this indie book thing--and probably will in the future, but for now, I am learning stuff (at 60 no less) and having the time of my life.
So my New Year's wish for all of you, especially my fellow authors, may you increase the density of your dendrites, while giggling like a four-year old.
Today's post will be short and sweet. Please visit Goodreads.com - the online site for readers and authors to share their views and reviews on books they have read or intend to read. For the next month (until Feb 18) I will be giving away signed copies of Radical Equations, the fourth book in the Bonnie Pinkwater mystery series. For those of you who aren't familiar with Bonnie, she is a high school mathematics teacher in the small Colorao town of East Plains. She uses mathematics and her knowledge of historic mathematicians to solve murders. All you have to do is go to Goodreads, register to win, and the drawing will be on or around Feb 18. No strings, no hassle. That's it.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Interview with Author Robert Stanek
Today, I'll be interviewing Author Robert Stanek. Robert is an Indie author out of Washington.
Hi, Robert Stanek, please tell me a bit about yourself.
I’ve been writing stories for nearly 30 years. Though I’ve always been a writer at heart, I never set out to be a writer. What I wanted to be, I didn’t know when I said goodbye to high school. What I wanted to do though, I knew that: I wanted to see the world—and so I did while serving my country in distant lands.
I wrote novels for more than ten years before I ever tried to get published. My big break came with a book about publishing—only a different sort of publishing than you may be thinking. The book was about web publishing and so my career in writing began. While I wrote those other books, I write many, many stories and books for my kids, and I collected them for a few decades, until at my children’s urging I set out to get them published for others to enjoy.
And how about your latest books? What projects are you most excited about?
I’m most excited about my new picture books. I have four new picture books for December/January:
+ Pirates Stole My Booty (A Silly Pirates Picture Book)
+ Mamma Sea Turtle Lost Her Babies (A Silly Colors and Shapes Picture Book)
+ Twelve Dresses, One Star (A Silly Picture Book About Being Who You Are)
+ How Many Fish? (A Silly Counting Picture Book) (Silly Picture Books)
The books are available at Amazon and have been well received. I’m already hearing from happy readers and some are already asking for me to do more along the same themes. That’s really a great change from the past where I didn’t hear from readers so often.
How do you like being an indie author now that you’ve published so many books?
For me, being an indie author has been a long hard road. My first indie-published book came out in 2001 in ebook and 2002 in print. Over those many years, the indie income hasn’t been steady enough for me to be able to write indie books full time. That’s the dream though, true independence from the machine.
I like being an indie more now than in the past. The past wasn’t so good for me. It’s not easy breaking new ground. Now that the greater indie movement has taken flight, things are getting better and I’m liking being an indie more.
Who are your favorite characters from your books?
Recently, the critters are my favorites. Buster, Lass, Cat, Barry, Dag and the other critters have always been my kids favorites. My son dressed up as Buster Bee for Halloween many times and would wear the costume to school for character day too. Fun for me, as the critters and their stories developed from my exeperiences with my kids and the world around them as they grew up. Parents and kids seem to really connect with the the stories and their lessons because of the characters too.
What are your favorite authors or books of all time?
The library was a refuge for me as a child and it’s there I developed a love for the classics—classics like Treasure Island, The Swiss Family Robinson, Kidnapped, Robinson Crusoe, and The Three Musketeers. I spent so many hours reading Jules Verne, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ray Bradbury, Herman Melville, Jack London, and Charles Dickens. I also love the works of W. B. Yeats, J. R. R. Tolkien, Anne McCaffrey, Poe, H. G. Wells, L. M. Montgomery, and Frank Herbert.
Any advice for new writers?
Since I’ve been a writer so long, many would-be writers have asked me for advice about breaking in, and I've helped more than a few people get their first works published (Amy, Butch, Charlie, Dan, Mike, Tim, Paul, Lisa, ...) Recently, more and more people have asked me about self-publishing and indie. As my experiences with being indie haven’t been all roses, my frank reply and advice wasn’t always well received, but it was well meant. Being an indie can be a tough road. It can be a lonely road. It can make you feel like the proverbial falling tree in the forest or the cat in Schrödinger's box.
It is a changing truth, but a truth none-the-less, that few people support indies the way they would support a commercially published author of equivalent status, and even fewer organizations. Indie writers need to support each other, because many others won’t. And increasingly, indie writers are supporting each other—and that’s good news for everyone.
What’s next for you?
Success I hope ;-) It’s the dream, right?
Friday, January 6, 2012
A Disturbing Revelation
I went to a critique meeting last night, where gracious and diligent fellow writers took time out of their busy social and writing scedules to give me insight into what I could do to improve the quality of roughly twenty pages of a novel I am currently working on. A few of these wonderful people had trouble with several aspects of the submission and were also making suggestions as to how I might improve logic and/or a few contradictions in character behavior. These were well thought out suggestions, given in the spirit of improving my work. What I should have done was to thank these spendid fellow writers for their efforts. My attitude should have been one of humble gratitude. What these folks got instead was crankiness--an old guy scowling and showing off his bad manners.
Truth is, these people were doing me a favor. They, first of all, they took time before coming to meet up by perusing my manuscript. They considered where I was trying to take my novel and using their God-given skills, went about trying to improve it. Then with pages in hand, they drove across town to enlighten me. Their intentions were pure, their reward should have been as well. I don't know when I lost sight of the fact that I'm lucky to have such folks in my life.
Heretofore, I resolve--at least until I figure out who this rude avatar is who keeps showing up--to listen with my mouth shut and my heart open. To consider that if these folks had trouble with the read, maybe just maybe they're on to something. And lastly to remember that the untimate decision as to what to leave in and what to take out will always be mine.
So for all you who have labored in the fileds of my writings both past and present--and even in the future if you'll have me--Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Truth is, these people were doing me a favor. They, first of all, they took time before coming to meet up by perusing my manuscript. They considered where I was trying to take my novel and using their God-given skills, went about trying to improve it. Then with pages in hand, they drove across town to enlighten me. Their intentions were pure, their reward should have been as well. I don't know when I lost sight of the fact that I'm lucky to have such folks in my life.
Heretofore, I resolve--at least until I figure out who this rude avatar is who keeps showing up--to listen with my mouth shut and my heart open. To consider that if these folks had trouble with the read, maybe just maybe they're on to something. And lastly to remember that the untimate decision as to what to leave in and what to take out will always be mine.
So for all you who have labored in the fileds of my writings both past and present--and even in the future if you'll have me--Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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