I Write - Therefore I Am

Ah...School is done for the semester. Now I have a two month break before I go at it again. What to do...what to do.

Well, I guess I will get back into my writing. Poetry - never left. But my children's books have been shelved for the past 4 months. I actually have 4 stories that need to be completed. Two months, plenty of time.

In another area of my writing. I have been struggling to put lyrics to my guitar songs. It's like I can write and I can play...I just can't put them together! Oh, how frustrating. But, I don't give up and I think I have one down. Just need some tweaking and we'll see if it is any good.

I guess 1 is a good start. And I guess I should not try so hard for perfection.

Book Signings

Well this weekend is book signing weekend. I have 3 schedule.

Whew....

I just hope I have enough books.

This kids are really cute, especially when they are engaged into conversation and into the story. They have such insight and curiosity, it amazes me.

Tomorrow will be early to rise and on my way to Exton, PA for a signing/story time and the Wellington Square Bookshoppe. It is a really cool place, even has a coffee shop inside.

Sunday will be at the Ridley Library, I know a lot of my friends will be there. Oh boy...it is easy to perform in front of kids, but when the parents are watching I tend to get a little shy.

Monday will be just a book signing if I have any books left at the Helen Kate Furness Library in Wallingford. The kids will be reading books to the PALS therapy animals. How cute is that?

Next weekend will be the last book signing for the season. Over in Salem County, hope to see all my PGHS classmates there. And again, hope I have enough books.

So off I go to sign a bunch of books and see some sweet smiles.

A Query Letter

I've just done some research on how to write a query letter. Whew!!! A lot of pressure to perfect a 1 page letter to an editor. If you don't get their attention in the first line, your letter will go directly to the reject pile.

I should know, I sent out 94 and received 94 rejections.

My query letter was not professional.

So back to the drawing board.

I have a great story that I believe could be a great seller, but how do I convey this in 1 small page?

Also, what about experience, awards, etc. I don't have much in the writing realm with awards, but I suppose that personal and professional experience and awards will work.

There is a ton of samples out there, if you are struggling to write a query letter.

I have some samples as well as dos and don'ts.

I will post my query letter as a sample if it becomes successful enough to get a literary agent to want to work with me.

Wish me luck!

The Halloween Mystery!

What is Halloween without Brutus and Baby?

What could be more adorable than doggie PI's? Nothing, that's for sure! How could anyone resist these cute, little, curly sleuth hounds?

Brutus and Baby are back in action and not a ten-foot, red haired monster can stop them from solving the Haunted Halloween Mystery!!!

Come share in the exciting "whodunit" story that includes all kinds of Halloween fun with spooky and scary themes.

This book will tantalize children of all ages. If that special child in your life loves Halloween and doggies, then they will just be head over heels for Brutus and Baby!

Get your copy of The Adventures of Brutus and Baby, A Haunted Halloween.
A children's color illustrated story book.

Available at a discounted price with Amazon.com

The Switch Up

Well, been typing, brainstorming and rethinking this new manuscript I'm working on. Funny how some stories start out small, but then turn into so much more.

I think I'm going to switch this to a chapter book. About 5 - 7 chapters. This way nothing is shorted and nothing is over written.

When writing a children's story, you have to take into account that kids are way smart. They have imaginations and are professional questioners.

Yours stuff has to make sense and not leave the reader wondering something that was omitted and skipped over to save words or time.

This new book has really taken on a life of its own. I think if I go into little more detail about somethings it will be better for me and the reader.

Okay, back to the drawing board. Will take a little longer, but I think it will pay off in the long run.

Let's start with Chapter 1. Place and characters, everyone wants a good idea of characters and their personalities. That way the reader can relate and have an emotional pull to read on.

Sometimes writing is like cleaning a house. The mind gets lazy and doesn't want to do the details. Just wants to do the light dusting.

So off I go into the imagination room to fill in the chapters.

More to come.....

Writing A Children's Book

Well I have been hard a work writing my new manuscript. Or should I say, my imagination has been hard at work. I'm leaving the poodles behind for this book. I think I need to get a little more creative. I hope that this book will capture the interest of an Agent. I need to find a good publisher and real publisher.

But back to the writing part. Once you have the character names and an idea about what you want your story to be about, you will be amazed at how it just takes off.

Like a child that fantasizes about magical kingdoms and far away lands of all kinds of creatures, your mind....my mind just goes on a tangent.

Some things you may tweak along the way, like names, settings, maybe even story lines; but you get on that roll.

Sometime I amaze myself and thank God for this amazing talent and very vivid imagination.

If you're not sure how to get started and what to say once you start, my advice is to start with creating the characters. Writing their names down, what they look like, what are their personalities. Write down what the setting is; is it a town, city, farm, space, maybe a magical forest.

Then start with, "Once upon a time, in a far away land....." Let the imagination roll. Then when you are done, read through it. This is when the tweaking happens.

Love to write, you are a writer and will be a published writer. Just keep at it; it will happen for you and me.