As far as I know, I don’t have a Greek bone in my body. My mom’s and dad’s families are both tied to the Pilgrim Fathers about as closely as you can get. For most of my life, all I knew about Greeks was that they like to dance; eat lamb, feta, and olives; and,… Continue reading It’s All Greek To Me
Tag: Maine romance drama
If not much else, I’ve got a head full of tunes.
What would life be like without music? It’s arguably the highest form of human expression that exists. From the time I started taking piano lessons during the summer before I started kindergarten, I’ve always considered myself to be a musician. Reading music came before reading words, which seemed to be a source of pride for… Continue reading If not much else, I’ve got a head full of tunes.
When is good enough perfect?
I just returned my second edited review of “I Knew Men” to Newman Springs Publishing for the next go ’round of edits. Thinking this was the final review (it doesn’t have to be), I found myself evaluating every sentence like never before. It seems I’m on a quest for perfection, but should I be? Recently,… Continue reading When is good enough perfect?
The story that’s in you? Write it down.
According to my publisher, Newman Springs Publishing, 80% of people want to be an author, but less than one-half of a percent actually accomplish that dream. Since the time my dream was shared about “I Knew Men” getting published, I’ve encountered friends who shared that they also have stories to tell. They just haven’t taken… Continue reading The story that’s in you? Write it down.
My favorite word I love and hate
Much like the two fictional families in my novel “I Knew Men,” the Fraziers and the Newmans, my own family enjoys hanging out, especially when food is involved. Recently, when I was with my two daughters and a good friend, playing cribbage and sharing a pina colada bowl, our conversation turned to guessing which words… Continue reading My favorite word I love and hate
The colorful world that’s now black & white.
On January 6 I returned my first edited review to Newman Springs Publishing. The entire process has progressed from the colorful world of writing to the black & white vastness of editing. It was painful to scrutinize every sentence. I also found the experience to be exhilarating. Line by line, I reviewed the suggestions my… Continue reading The colorful world that’s now black & white.
Am I a serious writer now?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. Most often it’s been for someone else, whether a homework assignment, newsletter, grant proposal, sales piece, amusing letters from Santa for Facebook friends … I enjoy the parts of any circumstance that involve writing. “Writer” is not a stand out in my resumes, however. It… Continue reading Am I a serious writer now?
“The first draft review can be a bit overwhelming.”
On December 1st, I received the first draft edits of “I Knew Men” for my review. My double-spaced manuscript of 341 pages had been reduced to 170 pages, sized to fit a 6″ by 9″ paperback. I realize that text styling to make things look pretty is coming further down the road, but to see… Continue reading “The first draft review can be a bit overwhelming.”
The Unexpected and Fateful Publisher Search
I remember taking a deep breath when “I Knew Men” counted out to 99,700 words. It was time to pursue the big dream of publishing! Backing up a little, I first dared to look into publishing a few years ago, when I announced at Rotary that I wrote an unpublished novel. For the first time,… Continue reading The Unexpected and Fateful Publisher Search
12 years is a long time to complete a novel — or is it?
In his book, “On Writing,” Stephen King said, “I believe the first draft of a book — even a long one — should take no more than 3 months.” Given that it took me 2 years to complete mine, does it come as a surprise that it took me 12 years to complete the editing… Continue reading 12 years is a long time to complete a novel — or is it?