"Learn as much as you can while you are young, since life becomes too busy later." - Dana Stewart Scott
The evening I returned home from the Florida Writers Association Conference my sister asked if I got anything out of it. I replied, “I think so, but I’m not sure.”
The reason for that answer was not because there wasn’t anything of value offered; the reason was because there was too much. The older I grow, the slower my brain seems to absorb information.
Creative writing classes beginning at 7:00am were offered. I heard they were quite good and fun but chose to take other people’s word for it. At that time of morning I want coffee—not writing prompts. Beginning the day an hour later still afforded me the opportunity to take a four-hour workshop Friday morning and two ninety-minute afternoon workshops, four ninety-minute workshops on Saturday and one on Sunday.
Not counting the 7am classes, I had a choice of 31 workshops. Though many people hopped from one session to another, once committed I was there for the duration so I could only physically attend eight. Making the selections was no easy task. Sometimes I decided by the speaker and other times by the course description. I was a “room monitor” for several sessions so I was assigned to a particular speaker, saving me the anguish of having to make up my mind.
Besides one book signing stint, the time in-between sessions was spent chatting and eating as all meals and snacks were included. By time I returned to the room at night, I only had enough energy left to fall into bed in an exhausted heap. I never had the opportunity to review what I had “learned” each day.
Knowing that many people would want to attend every session, the clever conference organizers made the handouts from each workshop available to anyone wishing a copy. I think I picked up every single handout. When I returned home Sunday, I not only had a notebook filled with ideas and tips, but I also had an enormous stack of material from classes I didn’t attend. Simply thinking about the amount of information I had to wade through caused me to worry about brain overload.
Yesterday I had lunch with a friend and fellow author. As we tend to do each time we get together, we talked for several hours nonstop about many writing related topics. I still haven’t had the opportunity to review my notes or read through the handouts so I was surprised at the number of times I found myself saying, “Oh, and in this workshop so and so said…”
I felt good knowing I actually retained valuable information. Maybe my brain is in better condition than I thought. Now, if asked the question of whether or not I got anything out of the conference, I can honestly say, “I sure did!”
Does anyone else suffer ever from information overload? Do you have any tips on how to organize notes and handouts to maximize their usefulness?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Dana Stewart Scott, Florida Writers Conference, creative writing, book signing, workshops,
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Book Clubs
“And we talk about the chosen book for a few obligatory minutes before we move on to the part of the club I think most of us really look forward to, which is not talking about the book.” – Adam Sternbergh
I’m all in favor of book clubs, especially if they’re discussing my book. If asked, I’d even be happy to be a guest at such meetings. However, I have never belonged to a book club. I tell myself and those who have asked me to join one that it’s a time issue.
After reading, “Between the Sheets, Why you should resist the lure of book clubs,” by Adam Sternbergh at WalrusMagazine.com, I’m thinking the time factor may not be my only reason for not participating in one of these groups; an intimacy issue may enter into the equation as well.
Mr. Sternbergh starts off by saying:
"Reading is arguably the second-most intimate human activity, and, as with the first-most intimate human activity, there are people who will try to convince you that it’s better done in groups. These groups are called book clubs. I am in one. Maybe you are, too. If so, here’s why we’ve both made a terrible mistake."
He writes about the good side of clubs:
"In theory, there’s much to recommend book clubs. They encourage reading. They enrich authors who, as you may have heard, are not particularly in the business of being enriched these days. They spur socializing, usually face to face, another valuable and endangered activity. Public book clubs — most notably Oprah’s, or CBC’s Canada Reads — have become an essential economic engine for the publishing industry. And the book club remains appealing to anyone who, like me, romanticizes long arguments over sonnets in smoky coffee houses, or who occasionally longs for the womb of the lecture hall — where, as eager students, we were convinced that each new unread novel held the power to shape our lives."
Then he goes on to say:
"…But to suggest that the experience of reading The House of Mirth (a recent well-received selection by my own book club) is intrinsically enhanced by subsequently talking about reading The House of Mirth is to imply that reading The House of Mirth is an experience that can be, and needs to be, enhanced. And I think most anyone who’s ever read a book and loved it understands that’s simply not true. If you read Moby Dick while sailing the world alone, you would not enjoy it less. In fact, I think you’d enjoy it more."
He ends on this note, after comparing reading to a sexual type experience.
"And, as we all learn eventually, certain experiences are better when you don’t go blabbing about them afterward. Was it good for you? Then that should be more than enough."
I couldn’t agree with him more.
This is a funny, well-written article and I’d recommend reading the entire piece if you have the time.
Do you belong to book clubs? Do book discussions add to your enjoyment of reading?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Adam Sternbergh, Book Clubs, Walrus Magazine, House of Mirth, Moby Dick, Oprah, Canada Reads,
I’m all in favor of book clubs, especially if they’re discussing my book. If asked, I’d even be happy to be a guest at such meetings. However, I have never belonged to a book club. I tell myself and those who have asked me to join one that it’s a time issue.
After reading, “Between the Sheets, Why you should resist the lure of book clubs,” by Adam Sternbergh at WalrusMagazine.com, I’m thinking the time factor may not be my only reason for not participating in one of these groups; an intimacy issue may enter into the equation as well.
Mr. Sternbergh starts off by saying:
"Reading is arguably the second-most intimate human activity, and, as with the first-most intimate human activity, there are people who will try to convince you that it’s better done in groups. These groups are called book clubs. I am in one. Maybe you are, too. If so, here’s why we’ve both made a terrible mistake."
He writes about the good side of clubs:
"In theory, there’s much to recommend book clubs. They encourage reading. They enrich authors who, as you may have heard, are not particularly in the business of being enriched these days. They spur socializing, usually face to face, another valuable and endangered activity. Public book clubs — most notably Oprah’s, or CBC’s Canada Reads — have become an essential economic engine for the publishing industry. And the book club remains appealing to anyone who, like me, romanticizes long arguments over sonnets in smoky coffee houses, or who occasionally longs for the womb of the lecture hall — where, as eager students, we were convinced that each new unread novel held the power to shape our lives."
Then he goes on to say:
"…But to suggest that the experience of reading The House of Mirth (a recent well-received selection by my own book club) is intrinsically enhanced by subsequently talking about reading The House of Mirth is to imply that reading The House of Mirth is an experience that can be, and needs to be, enhanced. And I think most anyone who’s ever read a book and loved it understands that’s simply not true. If you read Moby Dick while sailing the world alone, you would not enjoy it less. In fact, I think you’d enjoy it more."
He ends on this note, after comparing reading to a sexual type experience.
"And, as we all learn eventually, certain experiences are better when you don’t go blabbing about them afterward. Was it good for you? Then that should be more than enough."
I couldn’t agree with him more.
This is a funny, well-written article and I’d recommend reading the entire piece if you have the time.
Do you belong to book clubs? Do book discussions add to your enjoyment of reading?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Adam Sternbergh, Book Clubs, Walrus Magazine, House of Mirth, Moby Dick, Oprah, Canada Reads,
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Literary Tattoos
“A quote is just a tattoo on the tongue.” - William F. DeVault
I’m excited and in a lighthearted mood because I leave for the Florida Writers Association Conference at Lake Mary today. I thought I’d do a fun post to match my mood.
Although I’m not quite sure what the above quote really means, I’m confident that it is the only type of tattoo I’ll have in this lifetime. I have nothing against tattoos, I simply try to avoid any sort of pain at all costs. However, when I ran across Kimbooktu's blog (I swear I don’t know how I found it) on Bookish Tattoos, I couldn’t resist. I had to stop and take a peek.
Stop by Kimbooktu to see other examples. Even if you are not interested in tattoos, you may enjoy the site because it features bookish gadgets, such as bookholders, adorable Library Dogs, or great looking book ends.
That’s not the only site for literary tattoos.
At yuppiepunk.org. you'll find "A (Not So) Complete History of Literary Tattoos," including excerpts from Dickens and Plath and pictures of Alice in Wonderland and the Little Prince. Drop by contrariwise.org for some incredible, colorful tattoos of s
cenes from Where the Wild Things Are.
I’m excited and in a lighthearted mood because I leave for the Florida Writers Association Conference at Lake Mary today. I thought I’d do a fun post to match my mood.
Although I’m not quite sure what the above quote really means, I’m confident that it is the only type of tattoo I’ll have in this lifetime. I have nothing against tattoos, I simply try to avoid any sort of pain at all costs. However, when I ran across Kimbooktu's blog (I swear I don’t know how I found it) on Bookish Tattoos, I couldn’t resist. I had to stop and take a peek.
Stop by Kimbooktu to see other examples. Even if you are not interested in tattoos, you may enjoy the site because it features bookish gadgets, such as bookholders, adorable Library Dogs, or great looking book ends.
That’s not the only site for literary tattoos.
At yuppiepunk.org. you'll find "A (Not So) Complete History of Literary Tattoos," including excerpts from Dickens and Plath and pictures of Alice in Wonderland and the Little Prince. Drop by contrariwise.org for some incredible, colorful tattoos of s
cenes from Where the Wild Things Are. I enjoy a lot of things in life, but I don’t need to be reminded of what they are by having their imprint on some body part. Evidently, however, lots of people are into this type of thing.
Do you have a literary tattoo? If not, would you consider getting one? What literary tattoo would you want?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: DeVault, tattoos, literary tattoos, Dickens, The Little Prince, Alice in Wonderlandt, Where the Wild Things Are, Plath,
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: DeVault, tattoos, literary tattoos, Dickens, The Little Prince, Alice in Wonderlandt, Where the Wild Things Are, Plath,
Monday, October 19, 2009
The First Published Book in America
“I'm always trolling for trivia.” – Lynn Abbey
I am happy to report that I survived my totally-unconnected-to-the-internet trip quite easily. I had such a fun time that I didn’t have the opportunity to even think about logging on, much less miss it. However, now that I’m home, I’m faced with the decision of either catching up with email messages or hitting the delete button and starting over again. Just kidding, I will read them all—I promise.
Horizon Books is a wonderful bookstore. If you’re ever in the area, I’d recommend adding a visit to your itinerary. I’m not saying this simply because my signing went well and Michael Kroes and the other staff were super friendly. It’s simply one of those book stores that has ambience along with a great selection of books. By the way, if you live in Traverse City but missed my big event, there are a few signed copies of The Ride still available at Horizon Books.
Since I haven’t had much time to work on a blog lately, I’ll pass along a little trivia about the first book published in America so you can dazzle your friends with your knowledge.
The book was The Whole Booke of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre, by John Eliot. Commonly known as the Bay Psalm Book, it was printed in Cambridge in 1640. According to A History of the book in America, 1700 copies were printed. That sounds like a lot to me for that time, but I suppose every Puritan family was required to own one. (That last sentence was my opinion and should not be included in the dazzle-your-friends trivia.)
According to Wikipedia eleven copies still exist. The discovery of a twelfth complete copy was one of the plot points in David Baldacci's 2006 thriller novel, The Collectors.The same entry states that the translations are not particularly polished or poetic, and none have remained in use.
An interesting article at the Library of Congress follows the life of the last copy in private hands. This book was donated to the Library of Congress by Annie Jean White in 1967.
According to Southern Review of Books, on September 29,the independent Harvard Book Store inaugurated its new Espresso instant book machine, which can print a library-quality paperback book in just four minutes, by ordering it to spit out a copy of the first book published in America.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Lynn Abbey, Library of Congress, Horizon Books, Traverse City, Baldacci, Bay Psalm Book, Espresso,
I am happy to report that I survived my totally-unconnected-to-the-internet trip quite easily. I had such a fun time that I didn’t have the opportunity to even think about logging on, much less miss it. However, now that I’m home, I’m faced with the decision of either catching up with email messages or hitting the delete button and starting over again. Just kidding, I will read them all—I promise.
Horizon Books is a wonderful bookstore. If you’re ever in the area, I’d recommend adding a visit to your itinerary. I’m not saying this simply because my signing went well and Michael Kroes and the other staff were super friendly. It’s simply one of those book stores that has ambience along with a great selection of books. By the way, if you live in Traverse City but missed my big event, there are a few signed copies of The Ride still available at Horizon Books.
Since I haven’t had much time to work on a blog lately, I’ll pass along a little trivia about the first book published in America so you can dazzle your friends with your knowledge.
The book was The Whole Booke of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre, by John Eliot. Commonly known as the Bay Psalm Book, it was printed in Cambridge in 1640. According to A History of the book in America, 1700 copies were printed. That sounds like a lot to me for that time, but I suppose every Puritan family was required to own one. (That last sentence was my opinion and should not be included in the dazzle-your-friends trivia.)
According to Wikipedia eleven copies still exist. The discovery of a twelfth complete copy was one of the plot points in David Baldacci's 2006 thriller novel, The Collectors.The same entry states that the translations are not particularly polished or poetic, and none have remained in use.
An interesting article at the Library of Congress follows the life of the last copy in private hands. This book was donated to the Library of Congress by Annie Jean White in 1967.
According to Southern Review of Books, on September 29,the independent Harvard Book Store inaugurated its new Espresso instant book machine, which can print a library-quality paperback book in just four minutes, by ordering it to spit out a copy of the first book published in America.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Lynn Abbey, Library of Congress, Horizon Books, Traverse City, Baldacci, Bay Psalm Book, Espresso,
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Writing About History by Jay Luke
“If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.” ~Pearl Buck
I’d like to welcome guest blogger Jay Luke, author of When Coal was Queen. Jay is a musician and artist from Throop, Pa. A graduate from Marywood University, Jay is very active in all things art, whether it be through painting, performing with his band, or through his day job as a graphic designer. As a project engineer of the Olyphant Coal Miner Memorial Association, he has delved deeply into the origins of the area and the forgotten histories of the towns around him. Passionate about not letting future generations forget their local origins, he took on this project to reconnect readers to the past.
So without further ado, I turn you over to Jay.
I would like to discuss the topic of writing about History. While some can argue any genre of writing has its pros and cons, I have delved a bit into many of them and found that in writing about history I found my greatest challenge.
Many times with history you face a lot of things that are untrue slipping in through time as people tend to get a bit more of an imaginative recollection of things gone by.
For my writing and research I found many errors and mistakes in previous publications regarding the topic of my book, which is about Olyphant, PA and its history. Dates clashed, names were misspelled. My biggest pet peeve was getting accurate information, as I felt the entire concept of writing history is to let future generations know about their past. As more time passes us by, the youth lose the connection with their roots because when buildings and historical places get knocked down and built over they become forgotten memories for many. So, as with most things, the best way to keep a memory alive is to tell the real story and get as much information as you can that goes back to the target time period.
In my instance I did my library work but was blessed to have been fortunate enough to get firsthand accounts from some surviving coal miners in the area. For those of you that are not familiar with Olyphant, PA, it was basically built upon the anthracite mining industry and flourished through the booming business. The best stories I heard were from the mouths of the men who were there and lived it. They helped me to correct previous errors and misconceptions I had initially written.
So to make a long story short, when writing about anything, be it history or whatever, know your material because if you publicize something you're not sure about it might be passed along through time as an absolute certainty. In other words, don't take the risk of spreading lies. The source of truth is not always easy to find but when you do it's like discovering treasure and can be passed to the future generations knowing they have the facts straight to learn from.
So get out there, get the information and get writing.
Thank you, Jay. You made some excellent points about the importance of getting it right.
Now here’s a little bit about Jay’s book, When Coal was Queen:
Journey into the history of what was once called the "Jewel of the Mid Valley" — Olyphant, Pennsylvania, "The Queen City." This journey takes the reader through the earliest days of the township and notable events of the past. Included are some famous residents and visitors who passed through over the years, and of course the storied Anthracite Empire that built the town. Check out a wealth of photographic documentation as well as many interesting facts about Olyphant, such as:
A mine disaster occurred at the location of Olyphant’s mining memorial statue in 1903 that swallowed an entire hotel into the ground below.
The first woman ever enlisted in the U.S. Navy was from Olyphant.
Patricia Crowley of Olyphant once graced a Life magazine cover in the 1950s.
Nestor Chylak of Olyphant is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame for his work in the major leagues as an umpire.
President Theodore Roosevelt came to Olyphant to try to find a solution to mining relations in 1910.
The book is available on Amazon. You can also find Jay on Facebook.
A quick reminder for anyone in the Traverse City, Michigan, area. I’ll be signing copies of The Ride on Friday, October 16, from 3 to 5 PM at Horizon Books, 243 E. Front St. Please stop by, if you can.
Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave your questions or comments for Jay.
Tags: Pearl Buck, Jay Luke, When Coal was Queen, Olyphant, Theodore Roosevelt, Traverse City, Horizon Books, >, The Ride,
I’d like to welcome guest blogger Jay Luke, author of When Coal was Queen. Jay is a musician and artist from Throop, Pa. A graduate from Marywood University, Jay is very active in all things art, whether it be through painting, performing with his band, or through his day job as a graphic designer. As a project engineer of the Olyphant Coal Miner Memorial Association, he has delved deeply into the origins of the area and the forgotten histories of the towns around him. Passionate about not letting future generations forget their local origins, he took on this project to reconnect readers to the past.So without further ado, I turn you over to Jay.
I would like to discuss the topic of writing about History. While some can argue any genre of writing has its pros and cons, I have delved a bit into many of them and found that in writing about history I found my greatest challenge.
Many times with history you face a lot of things that are untrue slipping in through time as people tend to get a bit more of an imaginative recollection of things gone by.
For my writing and research I found many errors and mistakes in previous publications regarding the topic of my book, which is about Olyphant, PA and its history. Dates clashed, names were misspelled. My biggest pet peeve was getting accurate information, as I felt the entire concept of writing history is to let future generations know about their past. As more time passes us by, the youth lose the connection with their roots because when buildings and historical places get knocked down and built over they become forgotten memories for many. So, as with most things, the best way to keep a memory alive is to tell the real story and get as much information as you can that goes back to the target time period.
In my instance I did my library work but was blessed to have been fortunate enough to get firsthand accounts from some surviving coal miners in the area. For those of you that are not familiar with Olyphant, PA, it was basically built upon the anthracite mining industry and flourished through the booming business. The best stories I heard were from the mouths of the men who were there and lived it. They helped me to correct previous errors and misconceptions I had initially written.
So to make a long story short, when writing about anything, be it history or whatever, know your material because if you publicize something you're not sure about it might be passed along through time as an absolute certainty. In other words, don't take the risk of spreading lies. The source of truth is not always easy to find but when you do it's like discovering treasure and can be passed to the future generations knowing they have the facts straight to learn from.
So get out there, get the information and get writing.
Thank you, Jay. You made some excellent points about the importance of getting it right.
Now here’s a little bit about Jay’s book, When Coal was Queen:
Journey into the history of what was once called the "Jewel of the Mid Valley" — Olyphant, Pennsylvania, "The Queen City." This journey takes the reader through the earliest days of the township and notable events of the past. Included are some famous residents and visitors who passed through over the years, and of course the storied Anthracite Empire that built the town. Check out a wealth of photographic documentation as well as many interesting facts about Olyphant, such as:A mine disaster occurred at the location of Olyphant’s mining memorial statue in 1903 that swallowed an entire hotel into the ground below.
The first woman ever enlisted in the U.S. Navy was from Olyphant.
Patricia Crowley of Olyphant once graced a Life magazine cover in the 1950s.
Nestor Chylak of Olyphant is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame for his work in the major leagues as an umpire.
President Theodore Roosevelt came to Olyphant to try to find a solution to mining relations in 1910.
The book is available on Amazon. You can also find Jay on Facebook.
A quick reminder for anyone in the Traverse City, Michigan, area. I’ll be signing copies of The Ride on Friday, October 16, from 3 to 5 PM at Horizon Books, 243 E. Front St. Please stop by, if you can.
Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave your questions or comments for Jay.
Tags: Pearl Buck, Jay Luke, When Coal was Queen, Olyphant, Theodore Roosevelt, Traverse City, Horizon Books, >, The Ride,
Monday, October 12, 2009
Internet Addiction
“We are becoming the servants in thought, as in action, of the machine we have created to serve us.” - John Kenneth Galbraith
All the writers I meet seem to spend a lot of time on the internet. I am no exception. Between researching, emailing, visiting other blogs and socializing on Facebook or Twitter, the hours of the day zoom by. Many times I admonish myself in hopes that I’ll get up and do something a bit more productive such as grocery shopping, housework or actually working on a manuscript. I, however, am quite adept at ignoring my own warnings.
I bring this up because next week I am taking a trip and leaving my computer behind. Since I do not have an iPhone or some other way of accessing the internet, I will be going cold turkey. The closer the date looms, the more often I find myself breaking out in a cold sweat wondering if I can do it.
Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) is serious problem for many people. Marriages have been destroyed by it and people have lost their jobs over it. There is an in-depth site call netaddiction.com that’s dedicated to helping those with major internet issues. On this site there’s a test to help determine whether or not you have a problem. I took the test. My results show that though I may sometimes spend a little too much time on the internet, I’m actually an average online user and have control over my usage. Whew!
That means I can go ahead with my trip instead of checking myself into the Internet Addiction Center that recently opened near Seattle. There’s an interesting article on Breibart.com which talks about ReStart. ReStart claims to be the first such center in America. It is suitably located near the Redmond headquarters of Microsoft. Open since July, their 45-day, $14,000.00 program is intended to help people wean themselves from pathological computer use, including obsessive use of video games, texting, Facebook, eBay, Twitter and other time-killers. (I can’t help but wonder if the price tag is a big part of the cure—like a type of shock treatment.)
So on Wednesday I’ll leave this 90 degree sunny paradise I call home to travel to Traverse City, Michigan. I’m cold just thinking about it. However, it should be fun. It’s a reunion with a group of ladies I played Mah Jongg with when I lived in Illinois. That was over five years ago so we have a lot of catching up to do.
However, I will be taking time out on Friday, October 16 to do a book signing at Horizon Books at 243 E. Front Street, Traverse City from 3 to 5 PM. I hope if any of you are in the area, you’ll stop by. Or, if you know someone in the area, I’d appreciate you passing the word along.
COMING ATTRACTION:
On Thursday (Oct. 15), guest blogger Jay Luke will be stopping by to discuss the topic of writing about history. He is the author of When Coal Was Queen: The History of the Queen City - Olyphant, Pennsylvania. Jay is a multi-talented painter, musician and writer. As a project engineer of the Olyphant Coal Miner Memorial Association, he has delved deeply into the origins of the area and the forgotten histories of the towns around him. I hope you’ll make plans to visit.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Galbraith, internet addiction, IAD, ReStart, Horizon Books, Traverse City, Mah Jongg,
Jay Luke,
All the writers I meet seem to spend a lot of time on the internet. I am no exception. Between researching, emailing, visiting other blogs and socializing on Facebook or Twitter, the hours of the day zoom by. Many times I admonish myself in hopes that I’ll get up and do something a bit more productive such as grocery shopping, housework or actually working on a manuscript. I, however, am quite adept at ignoring my own warnings.
I bring this up because next week I am taking a trip and leaving my computer behind. Since I do not have an iPhone or some other way of accessing the internet, I will be going cold turkey. The closer the date looms, the more often I find myself breaking out in a cold sweat wondering if I can do it.
Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) is serious problem for many people. Marriages have been destroyed by it and people have lost their jobs over it. There is an in-depth site call netaddiction.com that’s dedicated to helping those with major internet issues. On this site there’s a test to help determine whether or not you have a problem. I took the test. My results show that though I may sometimes spend a little too much time on the internet, I’m actually an average online user and have control over my usage. Whew!
That means I can go ahead with my trip instead of checking myself into the Internet Addiction Center that recently opened near Seattle. There’s an interesting article on Breibart.com which talks about ReStart. ReStart claims to be the first such center in America. It is suitably located near the Redmond headquarters of Microsoft. Open since July, their 45-day, $14,000.00 program is intended to help people wean themselves from pathological computer use, including obsessive use of video games, texting, Facebook, eBay, Twitter and other time-killers. (I can’t help but wonder if the price tag is a big part of the cure—like a type of shock treatment.)
So on Wednesday I’ll leave this 90 degree sunny paradise I call home to travel to Traverse City, Michigan. I’m cold just thinking about it. However, it should be fun. It’s a reunion with a group of ladies I played Mah Jongg with when I lived in Illinois. That was over five years ago so we have a lot of catching up to do.
However, I will be taking time out on Friday, October 16 to do a book signing at Horizon Books at 243 E. Front Street, Traverse City from 3 to 5 PM. I hope if any of you are in the area, you’ll stop by. Or, if you know someone in the area, I’d appreciate you passing the word along.
COMING ATTRACTION:
On Thursday (Oct. 15), guest blogger Jay Luke will be stopping by to discuss the topic of writing about history. He is the author of When Coal Was Queen: The History of the Queen City - Olyphant, Pennsylvania. Jay is a multi-talented painter, musician and writer. As a project engineer of the Olyphant Coal Miner Memorial Association, he has delved deeply into the origins of the area and the forgotten histories of the towns around him. I hope you’ll make plans to visit.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Galbraith, internet addiction, IAD, ReStart, Horizon Books, Traverse City, Mah Jongg,
Jay Luke,
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Brain Activity and Public Speaking
"The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public." – George Jessel
I define public speaking as talking to one or more people I don’t know. Therefore, I classify an interview as a public speaking engagement. Though I haven’t had anything too traumatic happen during an interview, I still find them a little nerve wracking. I’m also frustrated that by time I think of the perfect response the interview has been over for hours—sometimes days. Often the great, “if only I’d said…” epiphanies come to me in the middle of the night when they do absolutely no good at all.
Recently, I ran across an article in nytimes.com by Arthur Krystal, “When Writers Speak,” that made me feel much better about my speaking skills, or lack of them. In the article he talks about watching a 1950s interview with Vladimir Nabokov on YouTube. Discussing Lolita, Nabokov came up with a response that at first impressed Krystal as a clever off the cuff remark. Then he realized that Nabokov was reading off of note cards. Krystal goes on to say:
“Fluent in three languages, he relies on prefabricated responses to talk about his work. Am I disappointed? I am at first, but then I think: writers don’t have to be brilliant conversationalists; it’s not their job to be smart except, of course, when they write.”
But it’s these thoughts that really caught my attention:
"There seems to be a rhythm to writing that catches notes that ordinarily stay out of earshot. At some point between formulating a thought and writing it down falls a nanosecond when the thought becomes a sentence that would, in all likelihood, have a different shape if we were to speak it. This rhythm, not so much heard as felt, occurs only when one is composing; it can’t be simulated in speech, since speaking takes place in real time and depends in part on the person or persons we’re speaking to. Wonderful writers might therefore turn out to be only so-so conversationalists, and people capable of telling great stories waddle like ducks out of water when they attempt to write.
So the next time you hear a writer on the radio or catch him on the tube or watch him on the monitor or find yourself sitting next to him at dinner, remember he isn’t the author of the books you admire; he’s just someone visiting the world outside his study or office or wherever the hell he writes."
And later on in the article:
There’s something about writing, when we regard ourselves as writers, that affects how we think and, inevitably, how we express ourselves. There may be no empirical basis for this, but if, as some scientists claim, different parts of the brain are switched on by our using a pen instead of a computer — and the cognitive differences are greater than what might be expected by the application of different motor skills — then why shouldn’t there be significant differences in brain activity when writing and speaking?
He ends the article with this funny little story:
Speaking of dinner, when the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt told a friend, a Parisian doctor, that he wanted to meet a certifiable lunatic, he was invited to the doctor’s home for supper. A few days later, Humboldt found himself placed at the dinner table between two men. One was polite, somewhat reserved, and didn’t go in for small talk. The other, dressed in ill-matched clothes, chattered away on every subject under the sun, gesticulating wildly, while making horrible faces. When the meal was over, Humboldt turned to his host. “I like your lunatic,” he whispered, indicating the talkative man. The host frowned. “But it’s the other one who’s the lunatic. The man you’re pointing to is Monsieur Honoré de Balzac.”
I found the entire article fascinating and well worth reading if you have a few extra minutes. Also, here is the YouTube interview with Vladimir Nabokov that Arthur Krystal wrote about.
Are there significant differences in your brain activity between when you’re writing and when you’re speaking?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: George Jessel, brain activity, public speaking, Lolita, Nabokov , YouTube, Balzac,
I define public speaking as talking to one or more people I don’t know. Therefore, I classify an interview as a public speaking engagement. Though I haven’t had anything too traumatic happen during an interview, I still find them a little nerve wracking. I’m also frustrated that by time I think of the perfect response the interview has been over for hours—sometimes days. Often the great, “if only I’d said…” epiphanies come to me in the middle of the night when they do absolutely no good at all.
Recently, I ran across an article in nytimes.com by Arthur Krystal, “When Writers Speak,” that made me feel much better about my speaking skills, or lack of them. In the article he talks about watching a 1950s interview with Vladimir Nabokov on YouTube. Discussing Lolita, Nabokov came up with a response that at first impressed Krystal as a clever off the cuff remark. Then he realized that Nabokov was reading off of note cards. Krystal goes on to say:
“Fluent in three languages, he relies on prefabricated responses to talk about his work. Am I disappointed? I am at first, but then I think: writers don’t have to be brilliant conversationalists; it’s not their job to be smart except, of course, when they write.”
But it’s these thoughts that really caught my attention:
"There seems to be a rhythm to writing that catches notes that ordinarily stay out of earshot. At some point between formulating a thought and writing it down falls a nanosecond when the thought becomes a sentence that would, in all likelihood, have a different shape if we were to speak it. This rhythm, not so much heard as felt, occurs only when one is composing; it can’t be simulated in speech, since speaking takes place in real time and depends in part on the person or persons we’re speaking to. Wonderful writers might therefore turn out to be only so-so conversationalists, and people capable of telling great stories waddle like ducks out of water when they attempt to write.
So the next time you hear a writer on the radio or catch him on the tube or watch him on the monitor or find yourself sitting next to him at dinner, remember he isn’t the author of the books you admire; he’s just someone visiting the world outside his study or office or wherever the hell he writes."
And later on in the article:
There’s something about writing, when we regard ourselves as writers, that affects how we think and, inevitably, how we express ourselves. There may be no empirical basis for this, but if, as some scientists claim, different parts of the brain are switched on by our using a pen instead of a computer — and the cognitive differences are greater than what might be expected by the application of different motor skills — then why shouldn’t there be significant differences in brain activity when writing and speaking?
He ends the article with this funny little story:
Speaking of dinner, when the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt told a friend, a Parisian doctor, that he wanted to meet a certifiable lunatic, he was invited to the doctor’s home for supper. A few days later, Humboldt found himself placed at the dinner table between two men. One was polite, somewhat reserved, and didn’t go in for small talk. The other, dressed in ill-matched clothes, chattered away on every subject under the sun, gesticulating wildly, while making horrible faces. When the meal was over, Humboldt turned to his host. “I like your lunatic,” he whispered, indicating the talkative man. The host frowned. “But it’s the other one who’s the lunatic. The man you’re pointing to is Monsieur Honoré de Balzac.”
I found the entire article fascinating and well worth reading if you have a few extra minutes. Also, here is the YouTube interview with Vladimir Nabokov that Arthur Krystal wrote about.
Are there significant differences in your brain activity between when you’re writing and when you’re speaking?
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: George Jessel, brain activity, public speaking, Lolita, Nabokov , YouTube, Balzac,
Monday, October 5, 2009
More on Banned Books
“Don't think you are going to conceal thoughts by concealing evidence that they ever existed." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
Though Banned Books Week ended on the 3rd, I thought it was never too late to talk about the subject. My sentiments from last year’s post haven’t changed. It’s still distressing to me to know there are groups and individuals who want to censor our reading material. It seems so easy and logical that if a book’s topic offends you, read something else, much like switching channels on TV. If you don’t want your children to read certain books, monitor them, not everyone else.
This year’s most challenged titles according to bannedbooksweek.com are:
And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group
The age group is preschool to 3rd grade and the book is based on a true story about a charming penguin family living in New York City's Central Park Zoo.
His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman
Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence
The age group on this fantasy series is 13 and older.
TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
These are four grades 10 and up and I saw a review that mentioned TTYL is also a good choice for adults who want to know what's happening in teenagers' lives.
Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence
This series is for 9 to 12 year olds. Who didn’t like sitting around at that age seeing who could scare who the most?
Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence I’m not sure what age this is intended for but it sounds to me like it’s been around since 1973 and that it is an interesting story written from a Hispanic prospective.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group
It sounds to me that this was written for the Young Adult audience who probably knows more about each of the topics mentioned than I ever will.
Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group (Same comment as The Perks of Being a Wallflower)
Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen
Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group
This is geared toward kids from four to eight and guinea pigs dressed in humans are the characters.
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
I thought this was an adult book so I’m not sure what age group they’re talking about, but I thought it was beautifully written, entertaining, and illuminating.
Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper
Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group
This is for ages from nine to twelve.
I’m for letting children read whatever interests them as long as they feel free to ask questions and talk about what they read. To me, the above books provide the perfect platform for parents to sit down with their kids to have discussions about the various issues each book addresses. You simply cannot keep kids from discovering the facts of life.
However, if you are against your children reading certain material, that’s fine, too. I’m not about to tell anyone how to parent. You are perfectly free to censor what goes into your home but please don’t try to limit the books I can bring into mine.
In closing, I couldn’t put it better than this quote from bannedbooksweek.com website: “Exercise Your First Amendment Rights - Read a Banned Book!”
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Eisenhower, banned books, And Tango Makes Three, The Kite Runner,
Though Banned Books Week ended on the 3rd, I thought it was never too late to talk about the subject. My sentiments from last year’s post haven’t changed. It’s still distressing to me to know there are groups and individuals who want to censor our reading material. It seems so easy and logical that if a book’s topic offends you, read something else, much like switching channels on TV. If you don’t want your children to read certain books, monitor them, not everyone else.
This year’s most challenged titles according to bannedbooksweek.com are:
And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group
The age group is preschool to 3rd grade and the book is based on a true story about a charming penguin family living in New York City's Central Park Zoo.
His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman
Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence
The age group on this fantasy series is 13 and older.
TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
These are four grades 10 and up and I saw a review that mentioned TTYL is also a good choice for adults who want to know what's happening in teenagers' lives.
Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence
This series is for 9 to 12 year olds. Who didn’t like sitting around at that age seeing who could scare who the most?
Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence I’m not sure what age this is intended for but it sounds to me like it’s been around since 1973 and that it is an interesting story written from a Hispanic prospective.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group
It sounds to me that this was written for the Young Adult audience who probably knows more about each of the topics mentioned than I ever will.
Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group (Same comment as The Perks of Being a Wallflower)
Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen
Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group
This is geared toward kids from four to eight and guinea pigs dressed in humans are the characters.
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
I thought this was an adult book so I’m not sure what age group they’re talking about, but I thought it was beautifully written, entertaining, and illuminating.
Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper
Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group
This is for ages from nine to twelve.
I’m for letting children read whatever interests them as long as they feel free to ask questions and talk about what they read. To me, the above books provide the perfect platform for parents to sit down with their kids to have discussions about the various issues each book addresses. You simply cannot keep kids from discovering the facts of life.
However, if you are against your children reading certain material, that’s fine, too. I’m not about to tell anyone how to parent. You are perfectly free to censor what goes into your home but please don’t try to limit the books I can bring into mine.
In closing, I couldn’t put it better than this quote from bannedbooksweek.com website: “Exercise Your First Amendment Rights - Read a Banned Book!”
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Eisenhower, banned books, And Tango Makes Three, The Kite Runner,
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Three Ways to Improve your Website by Karen Cioffi
“Continual improvement is an unending journey.” – Lloyd Dobens
I’m sharing the lessons I learned from a toddler at Educationtipster: Kathy Stemke, Author/Educator today. I hope you’ll stop by if you have a few extra minutes.
Now I am very happy to welcome back Karen Cioffi . She has some helpful tips for improving
websites. In case you missed the last post which tells all about Karen and her book, Day’s End Lullaby, you can catch up here.
Here is Karen’s post:
If you are like most people, your primary purpose for having a website is to promote your book, work, service or product. You want a site that will motivate visitors to purchase what you have to offer. Listening to marketing teleclasses and reading marketing articles, I’ve learned there are a number of factors that help create an effective website. Three key factors are color, imagery and font.
Colors
Colors are a key component in having an engaging site. Action colors are yellow, red and orange. Blue evokes trust and green is soothing. Depending on what you are selling or what image you are trying to present, you should use colors accordingly.
Colors should also be web safe. Colors are like fonts, not all computers will read it the way it appears on your computer. If you want to make sure your ‘soft green’ background looks the same on every computer you need to use web safe colors. There are a number of sites that offer a fixed color palette that you can use. If you’d rather not Google for it, here’s one: Web Safe Color Palette to view these colors.
Imagery
Imagery is another tool that can be used to create a desired affect. For example, I have a children’s bedtime picture book. I could use a picture of me holding my grandson while reading the book to him. Include pictures that create the image you want to convey. My first website that I created for promoting my children’s book had a home page that immediately let the visitor know the site was for children. It was full of crayon colors such as red, yellow, green, and orange. It also had images that immediately let the reader know what the site was about. Putting the extra effort into using the right imagery will help sell your work, service, or product.
Another facet of using imagery to promote you and/or your product is 3D imagery – this is an important aspect of creating a desired affect. In the myriad of research and studies that are done, it’s been determined that a 3D image is more effective for selling. The flat imagery is just that, flat. To see if there was any validity to this determination, I did my own test. I have been promoting my book with a flat image, but after learning about this new information I stood my book up, opened it slightly and took a picture. I angled the shot so the book appeared slightly open. Well, this new data is correct; the 3D image is much more appealing than the flat image. It shows depth and shadows – this gives the affect of looking at an actual book rather than a flat stamp. So, when able, use 3D imagery.
Fonts
The third topic I’ll touch on to help improve your website is fonts. Fonts need to be web safe as I mentioned above. It would be a waste of time if you create an enticing website only to find the font you’ve used isn’t readable on some of your visitors’ computers. A few web safe fonts are: Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, Century Gothic, and Cambria. There are other fonts you can use, just type in ‘web safe fonts’ in your search box and click GO – it’s that easy.
It seems each year your reader’s attention span shortens. You have about a second to engage a reader, maybe less; your imagery, including colors and font style, needs to be on the mark.
Thanks for this helpful information, Karen. Please feel free to leaves comments or questions for Karen in the comment section.
Karen’s book, Day’s End Lullaby, is available for sale at Amazon, BookSurge, Alibris and Abebooks. It is also available through additional wholesale and retail channels worldwide such as Books in Print, Global Books in Print and Baker and Taylor. Her's a direct Link to Amazon:
You can learn more about Karen at Day’s End Lullaby, Karen and Robyn - Writing for Children, DKV Writing, VBT-Writers on the Move. You can also follow Karen on Twitter.
I’m sharing the lessons I learned from a toddler at Educationtipster: Kathy Stemke, Author/Educator today. I hope you’ll stop by if you have a few extra minutes.
Now I am very happy to welcome back Karen Cioffi . She has some helpful tips for improving
websites. In case you missed the last post which tells all about Karen and her book, Day’s End Lullaby, you can catch up here.Here is Karen’s post:
If you are like most people, your primary purpose for having a website is to promote your book, work, service or product. You want a site that will motivate visitors to purchase what you have to offer. Listening to marketing teleclasses and reading marketing articles, I’ve learned there are a number of factors that help create an effective website. Three key factors are color, imagery and font.
Colors
Colors are a key component in having an engaging site. Action colors are yellow, red and orange. Blue evokes trust and green is soothing. Depending on what you are selling or what image you are trying to present, you should use colors accordingly.
Colors should also be web safe. Colors are like fonts, not all computers will read it the way it appears on your computer. If you want to make sure your ‘soft green’ background looks the same on every computer you need to use web safe colors. There are a number of sites that offer a fixed color palette that you can use. If you’d rather not Google for it, here’s one: Web Safe Color Palette to view these colors.
Imagery
Imagery is another tool that can be used to create a desired affect. For example, I have a children’s bedtime picture book. I could use a picture of me holding my grandson while reading the book to him. Include pictures that create the image you want to convey. My first website that I created for promoting my children’s book had a home page that immediately let the visitor know the site was for children. It was full of crayon colors such as red, yellow, green, and orange. It also had images that immediately let the reader know what the site was about. Putting the extra effort into using the right imagery will help sell your work, service, or product.
Another facet of using imagery to promote you and/or your product is 3D imagery – this is an important aspect of creating a desired affect. In the myriad of research and studies that are done, it’s been determined that a 3D image is more effective for selling. The flat imagery is just that, flat. To see if there was any validity to this determination, I did my own test. I have been promoting my book with a flat image, but after learning about this new information I stood my book up, opened it slightly and took a picture. I angled the shot so the book appeared slightly open. Well, this new data is correct; the 3D image is much more appealing than the flat image. It shows depth and shadows – this gives the affect of looking at an actual book rather than a flat stamp. So, when able, use 3D imagery.
Fonts
The third topic I’ll touch on to help improve your website is fonts. Fonts need to be web safe as I mentioned above. It would be a waste of time if you create an enticing website only to find the font you’ve used isn’t readable on some of your visitors’ computers. A few web safe fonts are: Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, Century Gothic, and Cambria. There are other fonts you can use, just type in ‘web safe fonts’ in your search box and click GO – it’s that easy.
It seems each year your reader’s attention span shortens. You have about a second to engage a reader, maybe less; your imagery, including colors and font style, needs to be on the mark.
Thanks for this helpful information, Karen. Please feel free to leaves comments or questions for Karen in the comment section.
Karen’s book, Day’s End Lullaby, is available for sale at Amazon, BookSurge, Alibris and Abebooks. It is also available through additional wholesale and retail channels worldwide such as Books in Print, Global Books in Print and Baker and Taylor. Her's a direct Link to Amazon:You can learn more about Karen at Day’s End Lullaby, Karen and Robyn - Writing for Children, DKV Writing, VBT-Writers on the Move. You can also follow Karen on Twitter.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Karen Cioffi and the Day's End Lullaby
“The ornaments of your house will be the guests who frequent it.” - Author Unknown
I joined a terrific online group - VBT- Writers on the Move. One of the things we do is take turns hosting each other. This month I am fortunate to have Karen Cioffi as my guest blogger. Today I’m going to tell you a little bit about Karen and her book. Then on Saturday (I know it’s not a usual post day for me, but I’m making an exception), Karen will be back with advice on Three Ways to Improve your Website. Don’t miss it.
By the way, I’m a guest blogger on Educationtipster: Kathy Stemke, Author/Educator today. I hope you’ll stop by if you have a few extra minutes. I'm sharing a few of my favorite books for children.
Now, ABOUT KAREN:
She is a former accountant. Having to leave the accounting profession due to Multiple Sclerosis,
she turned author and freelance writer. She is the co-author of Day’s End Lullaby, a children’s bedtime picture book.
As a hardworking writer, Karen is on the team of DKV Writing 4 U which provides writing services, and she is the creator and manager of the Yahoo group Writers on the Move. This is a marketing group of authors who use a number of promotional strategies and tools to cross-promote. She is also the co- moderator of a children’s writing critique group. Along with this Karen is a member of SCBWI, Children’s Writing Coaching Club, The Muse Conference Board, Linkedin, JacketFlap, AuthorsDen, and Goodreads. And, she recently joined BookPleasures as a reviewer.
Karen has a number of articles published through Ezinearticles.com and is currently revising a middle grade fantasy chapter book and working on a picture book along with writing articles for children’s magazines. She is also working on a non-fiction ghostwriting project and recently finished a copywriting project.
Living in New York City all her life, Karen looks forward to one day moving to another state. She is married and has two grown daughters and two very young grandsons. She spends much of each day writing, learning her craft, researching and reading, managing her groups, and following up on things.
ABOUT DAY'S END LULLABY
Day’s End Lullaby is a tender and charming illustrated children’s book. From a reminder that the sun has set and all beloved toys are awaiting tomorrow’s play, Day’s End Lullaby soothes and quiets even those children who struggle against sleep. The authors’ artistry is found in their understanding of the sense of security needed by children at bedtime.
“Your day’s been long and full of fun. But, now you’re much too tired to run,” sings the parent to the child in the lullaby. Day’s End Lullaby has rhyming phrases along with a rhythmic flow.
Author Cioffi composed the poem and music over 30 years ago to help her first born fall asleep and then used it again for her second child. She saw positive results in singing it and now sings it to her two young grandsons. She reassures them, “The sun has set, it’s out of view. The moon’s now shining bright for you.”
Authors Cioffi and Feltman wrote and illustrated Day’s End Lullaby as a loving book to comfort little ones and provide a sense of security at bedtime. The simple and colorful illustrations are intended to hold the child’s attention while the parent’s soothing voice helps the child gently drift off into a peaceful slumber.
Day’s End Lullaby, ISBN 13: 9781419691577, ISBN 1-4196-9157-0, is available for sale at Amazon, BookSurge, Alibris and Abebooks. It is also available through additional wholesale and retail channels worldwide such as Books in Print, Global Books in Print and Baker and Taylor. Direct Link to Amazon.
You can learn more about Karen at Day’s End Lullaby, Karen and Robyn - Writing for Children, DKV Writing, VBT-Writers on the Move. You can also follow Karen on Twitter.
To me, Day’s End Lullaby sounds like the perfect baby gift that all parents would cherish.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Karen Cioffi, Days End Lullaby, baby gift, lullaby,
I joined a terrific online group - VBT- Writers on the Move. One of the things we do is take turns hosting each other. This month I am fortunate to have Karen Cioffi as my guest blogger. Today I’m going to tell you a little bit about Karen and her book. Then on Saturday (I know it’s not a usual post day for me, but I’m making an exception), Karen will be back with advice on Three Ways to Improve your Website. Don’t miss it.
By the way, I’m a guest blogger on Educationtipster: Kathy Stemke, Author/Educator today. I hope you’ll stop by if you have a few extra minutes. I'm sharing a few of my favorite books for children.
Now, ABOUT KAREN:
She is a former accountant. Having to leave the accounting profession due to Multiple Sclerosis,
she turned author and freelance writer. She is the co-author of Day’s End Lullaby, a children’s bedtime picture book.As a hardworking writer, Karen is on the team of DKV Writing 4 U which provides writing services, and she is the creator and manager of the Yahoo group Writers on the Move. This is a marketing group of authors who use a number of promotional strategies and tools to cross-promote. She is also the co- moderator of a children’s writing critique group. Along with this Karen is a member of SCBWI, Children’s Writing Coaching Club, The Muse Conference Board, Linkedin, JacketFlap, AuthorsDen, and Goodreads. And, she recently joined BookPleasures as a reviewer.
Karen has a number of articles published through Ezinearticles.com and is currently revising a middle grade fantasy chapter book and working on a picture book along with writing articles for children’s magazines. She is also working on a non-fiction ghostwriting project and recently finished a copywriting project.
Living in New York City all her life, Karen looks forward to one day moving to another state. She is married and has two grown daughters and two very young grandsons. She spends much of each day writing, learning her craft, researching and reading, managing her groups, and following up on things.
ABOUT DAY'S END LULLABY
Day’s End Lullaby is a tender and charming illustrated children’s book. From a reminder that the sun has set and all beloved toys are awaiting tomorrow’s play, Day’s End Lullaby soothes and quiets even those children who struggle against sleep. The authors’ artistry is found in their understanding of the sense of security needed by children at bedtime.“Your day’s been long and full of fun. But, now you’re much too tired to run,” sings the parent to the child in the lullaby. Day’s End Lullaby has rhyming phrases along with a rhythmic flow.
Author Cioffi composed the poem and music over 30 years ago to help her first born fall asleep and then used it again for her second child. She saw positive results in singing it and now sings it to her two young grandsons. She reassures them, “The sun has set, it’s out of view. The moon’s now shining bright for you.”
Authors Cioffi and Feltman wrote and illustrated Day’s End Lullaby as a loving book to comfort little ones and provide a sense of security at bedtime. The simple and colorful illustrations are intended to hold the child’s attention while the parent’s soothing voice helps the child gently drift off into a peaceful slumber.
Day’s End Lullaby, ISBN 13: 9781419691577, ISBN 1-4196-9157-0, is available for sale at Amazon, BookSurge, Alibris and Abebooks. It is also available through additional wholesale and retail channels worldwide such as Books in Print, Global Books in Print and Baker and Taylor. Direct Link to Amazon.
You can learn more about Karen at Day’s End Lullaby, Karen and Robyn - Writing for Children, DKV Writing, VBT-Writers on the Move. You can also follow Karen on Twitter.
To me, Day’s End Lullaby sounds like the perfect baby gift that all parents would cherish.
Thanks for stopping by.
Tags: Karen Cioffi, Days End Lullaby, baby gift, lullaby,
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
