My Publishing Diary

Kim Jong Un dead from dying after assassin kill!

2012-02-11T09:14:00.016-07:00

Is Kim Jong Un really dead from dying??? (Or is that Un dead from dying?) I don't know, but if you want to read the funniest Google translation in the history of botched Google translations... plus the funniest article I've read in, well, hyeonjiryohaebukchanghwary
eokbaljeonryeonhapgieopso -- as Google translate puts it, check out this classic Un article by William Schmalfeldt:

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/319418 (Do to pleeze come back if you have something Un nice to say to me.)

(Don't you think this whole topic fits in well with my book's title?)

Okay, back to the blogging ether for me.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T07:42:00.002-07:00

Wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year!

Doralynn

Controversy and Charity

2011-10-24T19:48:00.015-06:00

Sorry to be gone so long. I've been sick and have had a hard time bouncing back. I'm also dealing with an ongoing family emergency. My father is in home hospice. We now have a nurse helping us occasionally. Before it was mostly my mom and me. But my dad's health has been deteriorating for years. He has End Stage COPD and less than 2% lung function. I'm going to do my best to get back to blogging, but I do want you to know that if I stop blogging, there are several things going on.

I wanted to cover a couple of things today. I posted a video at the bottom of my blog. It is one of the most thought provoking things I've seen in a while, but it's VERY controversial and disturbing. If you watch it, I'd love your opinion about it.

Also, I've wanted to re-publish an old post. This is a list of charities that are funded by advertising dollars. They're a great way to give. All it takes is one click a day at the site or sites of your choice. No matter what your "cause" is, there is a way to help that doesn't involve your checkbook or credit card. There are several charities.

All this involves is clicking on a banner. This may seem too good to be true. Many people ask how can they give to charities just by clicking on banners, but the answer is advertising sponsors. Every day when you click on the site of your choice, you will be taken to a confirmation page. The sponsors will be listed there. It's an ingenious idea. Not only have they found a unique way to advertise their business, but they are helping others at the same time. They pay for clicks, just like advertisers at Google or Yahoo pay for clicks. The difference is that these advertisers are sponsoring charities with those clicks - and hoping to gain new customers in the process.

Here are some of the sites that raise money for charities through advertising dollars. These sites are safe and they're legit. The first one wasn't in my original list, but it's one of my favorite sites now because it's fun. It tests your knowledge of words - great for us writers - but it also tests your knowledge of many other subjects. (Also good for us writers.)

http://www.freerice.com/
Each correct answer increases your donation of rice. If you look at the top of the page, you'll see the other subjects.

http://www.ripple.org/buttons.html
There are four buttons at Ripple. They provide water, food, education, and money.

At Ripple you can click to give 6 days access to clean water. "When Wateraid provides a community with ongoing and sustainable access to clean water and sanitation the net cost per person is $30. Over twenty five years (WaterAid projects will continue for the life of a community) the average cost to provide water per day is $0.0033. For 2c (the lowest amount raised per click) this equates to 6 days access to clean water and sanitation."

At Ripple you can also click to help a village feed itself.

Another project at Ripple is access to education. "The Oaktree Foundation is currently raising money to help build schools in East Timor, one of the poorest nations in the world. $25 will cover the cost of opening up a full 7 years of primary school education for a child at one of the schools built by Oaktree and its partners in East Timor. This equates to $3.55 for one year of primary education for a child and 2c (the lowest amount raised per click) equates to 2 days of primary education."

And at Ripple you can click to finance a $100 loan for a day. "10 cents represents the daily interest that Grameen pays to finance $400 that it then lends to a poor borrower. Thus 10 cents a day can maintain a $400 loan for someone to start their own business and lift themselves out of poverty. Your click will raise at least 2c, enough to finance approximately $100 of that loan today."

http://www.bhookh.com/
7000 people die of starvation everyday in India. One click will donate a cup of staple food to a hungry Indian through the UN.

http://www.care2.com/click-to-donate/children/
Your free click generates donations from their sponsors. You may click once a day, every day. 100% of the donations raised go directly to Children International to help children and families overcome poverty through child sponsorship. At the time that this post was originally written, free clicks had provided 595 months of Children International child sponsorship. The amount is much higher now.

After you click that link, look to the left. You can also click to donate to a variety of different charities. These charities fund the preservation of rainforest, big cats, pets, seals, oceans, primates, and wolves; or you can click to fight violence against women and breast cancer. Click on whichever cause you're interested in helping.

http://www.thehungersite.com/
One click every day will provide 1.1 cups of staple food to the hungry, without costing you a single cent. This website also has similar free charity programs to raise money for mammograms, veteran's, children's health, autism, literacy, conservation and animal rescue. It's easy to click on all of these. You can also play games to raise money for charity as well. Some of the games are addictive, so word of warning there. You can also send free e-cards. Some are really cool. They don't add anyone to a mailing list, but they do let the recipient know about their site.

http://www.thebiblesite.org/
One click every day will provide 1 book of the Bible to persecuted Christians, without costing you a penny.

http://donate1click.com/index.html
several charities. Just navigate through the different tabs at the top of the page.

http://www.hungrychildren.com/
Their sponsors donate $25.00 to feed hungry children for every 1000 visitors.

http://www.solvepoverty.com/
One click donates 0.05 Euro towards the cost of resources and activities supporting the development of education projects in poor areas of the world.

http://www.landcareniagara.com/
Click here to plant a tree in the Niagara area.

http://www.theenvironmentsite.org/donate.php
Clicking here helps protect the enviornment. All money raised goes to the Surrey Wildlife Trust.

http://www.tchforegon.org/
One click provides one minute of healthcare. Sometimes, all it takes to save a life is one minute.

http://www.ecologyfund.com/
Many different ecology charities.

http://www.chintai.net/contribution/
1 yen donated to Medicins Sans Frontieres for each click on the ‘cup’

http://www.craigresearchlabs.com/cancer.html
Click on the "I Fight Cancer" button to make a donation to fund cancer research. You may click once per day.

http://www.cancerdemama.com.br/5index.htm
Click to sponsor free breast cancer scans - Click the image on left that says “ajude com seu clique” This one is in Brazil.

http://www.hungerfighters.com/
Daily clicks donate one cup of free food to fight hunger.

http://www.pajacyk.pl/
Click the puppet that says “Kliknig Tu!” to feed children in schools in Poland.

http://www.habitat.pl/aktualnosci.aspx
Habitat for Humanity in Poland. At the top left of the site is a moving green banner, click that. Clicking here helps Habitat for Humanity build homes in Poland.

http://clicktogive.com/Sponsor-Children.aspx
there are several charities at this site. If you look at the menu on the left, you will see more charities. Some of the charities are animal rescue, ending homelessness and child abuse, and helping in the fight against childhood cancer. It's a great site.

http://www.porloschicos.com/
feeds kids in Argentina.

http://www.okruszek.org.pl/
click on the loaf to give bread.

http://www.cliquesemiarido.org.br/
give water

http://www.goodsearch.com/
Good search is another way to give. You choose a charity to support with your searches.

http://www.fandonation.com/
This is a fun way to provide shelter for abused and homeless children. A few seconds of music from a sponsoring musician will play when you click on the buttons. You can make donations by clicking once per day; however, there are 5 buttons and each button is a separate donation. Therefore, you can click on all 5 buttons and donate 5 times -- and, at the same time, you can listen to some great artists who need the exposure.

http://www.freepoverty.com/
You will need to locate places on the globe. Each correct flag you place will give between one and ten cups of water. However, check out their FAQ.

http://www.oneclickatatime.org/ and
http://www.thenonprofits.com/ - these last two are directories of numerous charities where you can click free to give. There is crossover to my list, but there are many more charities that I haven't covered. Some of their links no longer work though, and a couple of the broken links have caused my computer to freeze. I thought I'd post them so you're aware of them, but the links I provided are all safe. I've been visiting them for years and can vouch for them, so you might want to stick with them.

Consistently giving a little time every day, and telling others about these sites, does make a difference. It's certainly better than doing nothing at all.

Health Tip

2011-10-03T08:11:00.000-06:00

Not feeling well, so I'm just sticking me head out of the covers long enough to post this. Hope everybody has a happy Monday!

2011 SO5 Impact?

2011-09-28T22:08:00.027-06:00

We have a near earth object, 2011 SO5, heading our way. According to NASA's website, it is a Condition Code 8, which means it has an uncertain orbit. Many online are reporting that it is an 8 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, but that is incorrect. They're NOT the same thing. IF that were correct, then Earth would be hit some time between the 29th and 30th of September. Asteroid 2011 SO5 is 40 meters wide, or approximately 131 feet wide. A 10-meter asteroid will explode in earth's atmosphere with the force of a small nuclear bomb, and this is 4 times larger. (About the size of three train cars.)

NASA will be holding a near earth object news conference on the 29th at 1 PM eastern time. The event will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website at http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html. I believe you can re-watch it here: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/main/index.html

We've had quite a few NEO's lately. We had a nearby visit from asteroid SE58 on September 27 when President Obama was in Denver -- the home of the infamous Denver International Airport -- with its "alleged" underground bunkers. Many speculated this visit was not coincidental. On Oct. 17, 2011 TM8 2.4 M comes within .09 LD. On Nov. 8, 2011 YU55 1.6 KM comes within 0.8 LD.

If you're unfamiliar with the 2011 SO5 asteroid, you can find out more about it at NASA's website:

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2011%20SO5;orb=1

As I said, NASA has this listed as a Condition Code 8. That's NOT the same thing as an 8 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, though many online are reporting that it is. Here is the meaning of a Condition Code:

"Definition/Description for SBDB Parameter/Field
Title: condition code

Description: MPC "U" parameter: orbit uncertainty estimate 0-9, with 0 being good, and 9 being highly uncertain."

http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/info/UValue.html

Here is the meaning of an 8 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale.

"A collision is certain, capable of causing localized destruction for an impact over land or possibly a tsunami if close offshore. Such events occur on average between once per 50 years and once per several 1000 years."

You can read that here: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/torino_scale.html

If you have followed this blog for a while, then you know I posted about having an emergency kit on hand. If you'd like to take a look at the supplies FEMA recommends, here is that post:

http://dlynnkennedy.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-you-55.html

Even if this did hit, which is highly doubtful, the good news is that since our planet is 2/3 water, it would most likely hit water. If it is far offshore, it won't pose much risk from a tsunami. Despite the fact that we have 7 billion people on our planet, much of the earth is still uninhabited. It doesn't look like this will hit, though initially I worried it might since it took a while to wade through all the usual Internet hype and misinformation. Just the same, I think it's a good idea to always have an emergency kit on hand. Hopefully you have one.

A New Publisher

2011-09-26T08:11:00.004-06:00

I was contacted through my website's contact form by a new ePub today. Not sure what to think about it. They are obviously working to find authors and promote themselves... which is a good thing. On the other hand, it smacks of SPAM. Of course, new ePubs are iffy. I certainly wish them luck though. Here's the e-mail they sent.

Dear Doralynn, (although originally they sent an e-mail addressed to Anne!)

Have you heard? Inspired Publishing is a brand new ePublisher looking for romance submissions!

Currently, Inspired Publishing is hosting a writing contest. The author of the winning manuscript will receive a $50 Visa gift card as well as a publishing contract featuring a one-time 60 % royalty! Runners-up will also benefit from a contract offer featuring a one-time 60 % royalty rate!

Inspired Publishing is looking to acquire sweet, heartfelt romances across various genres, including Christian titles. We are looking for books that pack an emotional punch and leave the reader feeling satisfied.

Escapes are our line of short novellas, 10-20K into length, designed to give the reader a brief "escape" into a book. We are currently acquiring Escapes in our Weathering the Storm and Seasons lines.

We are dedicated to growing our company and our authors. As sales in eBooks continue to grow, we are currently exploring numerous distribution venues.

We hope you will consider submitting to us!

Best,

www.inspiredromancenovels.com

Has anyone else heard from them? What would you think if you'd gotten this 'e-mail'?

Has Netflix Shot Itself in the Foot?

2011-09-23T10:35:00.009-06:00

Netflix will no longer offer movies at home. In about three weeks, they will only offer a streaming service. If you still want to receive movies at home, you will need to join another site. It's called Quickster. Your preferences and your DVD queue will not transfer to the new site. A new account will automatically be created for you at Quickster. You will be billed separately, and you will need to go to two separate sites for streaming and DVD's. There are other changes as well. CEO Reed Hastings sent out an e-mail detailing the changes a few days ago. He had 10's of thousands of complaints at the Netflix blog within hours. The stock has plummeted, and the story is one of the biggest online right now

Before this latest move, Netflix was my favorite company. Their stock plummeted after a price increase. I didn't have a problem with the price, although I understood those who did. It angered many people that Netflix increased its price after losing the Starz contract. It seemed unfair to many that they were being charged more money and being given less (30% less) in return. I didn't let the price change bother me, but I have a big problem with the decision to split into two companies.

One of the things I liked about Netflix was the simplicity. I could watch movies online or have them delivered to my home. Now, apparently, their CEO, Reed Hastings, has decided he's too incompetent to do that from one centralized company, so he has decided to split one of the most successful companies of all time into two companies. There goes the good will of his customers and his brand name in one fell swoop. Now customers will have to maintain two separate accounts, with two separate companies, to receive the same service. That is if they decide to continue with the company/s after their current bill cycles are complete. The decision was so foolish it left me wondering who Reed Hastings is working for? Perhaps he has struck a deal with Blockbuster? They seem to be the biggest beneficiary of this decision. (That last bit is sarcasm in case anyone thinks I'm serious.)

Now Netflix will have to market two separate companies, which is a huge expense. I think it is foolish in this economy for a company to increase its cost of doing business. It's also foolish to alienate their customers and create a vacuum that their competitors will be more than happy to fill.

One site has summed up the move very well. I hesitantly recommend this take on the Netflix debacle; it's pretty offensive and there is some strong language. Click Here. I hope you'll come back if you read that and let me know what you think about Netflix's latest decision.

UPDATE: Looks like Dish Network is the first to take advantage of Netflix's decision. They're going to do what Netflix used to do, and it's only going to be $10! Yay! Netflix's old price. Click Here for Details.

Worst Movies Ever Blogfest!

2011-09-19T00:01:00.018-06:00

Here's my list for Alex J. Cavanaugh's Worst-Movies-Ever Blogfest. They are without a doubt the worst movies, as Alex would put it, I’ve "ever had the misfortune to watch. Films that truly oozed awfulness and featured plot holes so big I could drive a bus through them."

These are not in any particular order, just listing them as I think of them.

HOT FUZZ. It may boast about its trailer; unfortunately, the movie disgusts. The plot was truly terrible, and the movie was poorly acted and campy -- and not in a good way. Critic Dennis Schwartz said it best: "overlong, filled with too many unfunny geek gags and pointless. It soon becomes tiresome, with at least two too many climaxes, and starts looking exactly like the films it's parodying."

BATTLEFIELD EARTH: One more reason to avoid Scientology. Disgusting, jaw-droppingly bad, laughable makeup, and the worst costumes ever created. The only positive thing I can say about this movie is it has John Travolta -- and it made for some great jokes. Unfortunately, it was the worst movie Travolta ever made -- and considering some of his movies, that's saying quite a lot.

THE ISLAND with Michael Caine. I never did figure out what this folly of a movie was about, but it had something to do with pirates. Unfortunately, none of them had the charm of Johnny Depp. I passed out from boredom and apparently drove home in my sleep.

Kevin Costner made one of my favorite movies, DANCES WITH WOLVES, but he also made two of the worst movies in cinematic history: THE POSTMAN and WATERWORLD. WATERWORLD was the last movie shown at the last drive-in theater in my city. It was so bad I was almost glad they closed the drive-in.

As a Christian, I waited two years for the release of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. I bought tickets the day they went on sale. I really wanted to love this movie. I knew it was going to be difficult to watch, but I still expected it to be uplifting. Instead, it was just depressing.

THE 9TH GATE and THE ASTRONAUT'S WIFE come next. I love Johnny Depp, but I felt like I'd been dipped in a bidet after watching THE 9TH GATE. THE ASTRONAUT'S WIFE just ticked me off and made me want to dip Johnny Depp in a bidet.

I hesitate to list THE NEIGHBORS with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. John Belushi lapsed back into drug abuse while making this movie and died four months later. I loved a lot of Belushi's work, and I wish this had been a classic, since it was his last movie. But it was terrible. In a way, I can understand why he relapsed while filming this.

STRAIGHT TALK with Dolly Parton and James Woods is my final pick, though it really should be in first place. This may be one of the most poorly cast movies of all time. I don't know who did the casting, but I can't help wonder if they ever worked again.

So, out of curiosity, which of my picks do you most agree with? And which one do you most disagree with?

Quick Update

2011-09-16T09:01:00.003-06:00

My computer is having 'issues'. I'm not sure what I've done, but whatever it is seems to be fatal. Don't know how much longer I'll have a computer. I can use my dad's old thing, but it's been rebuilt even more than my ankle. It's on DSL and is frustratingly slow -- especially compared to Comcast. Makes me want to scream, cry, and throw things. Plus the thing won't let me reply to comments or post on Blogger. Keeps telling me cookies aren't enabled -- which they are. Must have something to do with Vista -- which I've never figured out. Not because I can't, but because I don't want to. Whoever programmed that mess, should be sent to Antarctica.

Now for the good news. I recently interviewed Molly Ringle on my blog. (Click here to check out that post.) Molly's book RELATIVELY HONEST was released yesterday, and it is now available at Amazon for $3.99. You can read the first chapter at her site. (Click here for that.) You'll also find a link to Amazon there. If you love a good romance, then you should enjoy this. Molly has a great sense of humor, and it really shows in her work.

I plan to visit blogs today. Hopefully, my computer will cooperate. I'm going to scale back my blog posts. I will post on Mondays and Fridays. (Computer permitting.) In the meantime, I'm looking for a new computer. (Budget permitting.)

More News from Amazon

2011-09-12T00:05:00.016-06:00

Amazon is in talks with book publishers. The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Amazon hopes to launch a virtual library service similar to Netflix for tablets and other digital books. The venture would allow customers to pay an annual fee to access library content. An Amazon spokesperson was not available for comment, but the Journal cited people familiar with the matter.

According to the article, "It is unclear how much traction the talks have received", so time will tell if it actually happens. "Several unnamed publishing executives said they are not enthusiastic about the idea because it could lower the value of books and could strain their relationships with other retailers that sell their books."

Personally, I doubt publishers are happy with anything Amazon is doing. But this is interesting news.

In other news, some of us have already advanced to the second round of Rachael Harrie's current campaign challenge! Congrats on that! Now, in keeping with the opening challenge, I thought I'd mention a couple of short story contests.

First, there is the 'Bartleby Snopes Third Annual Dialogue Only Contest' – Compose a short story entirely of dialogue; under 2000 words. As of 9/11 the grand prize is $540. But see the site for full details. Monetary awards plus publication. Entry fee: $10. But you'll need to hurry, the deadline is today! See: www.bartlebysnopes.com/contests.htm

Next there is the 'HOOT flash fiction, poetry, and memoir monthly contest' - fewer than 150 words. Award: 30% of the entry fees they receive. Entry fee: $2 for every two entries, unlimited entries. Deadline: The 20th of every month (next is September 20, 2011). Info: http://hootreview.com

Also, a reminder that there are still some open contests at Writer's Digest, but they have yet to fix their ever-so frustrating website. If they can't keep their website from crashing, I see no reason to believe they can keep their business from crashing as well. With all the websites offering the same information as Writer's Digest, and all the other changes in the writing world, do you think Writer's Digest is in danger of becoming a relic too? And what do you think of Amazon's latest idea? Do you think this digital library will happen? I'm not a betting woman, but if I were, I'd bet on Amazon. Much as I love traditional publishing, it's rapidly becoming obsolete. Publishers might need to get over their aversion to doing business with Amazon. It may be their best chance of survival.

The Labor Day Blog Fest

2011-09-06T10:00:00.001-06:00

What is your favorite historical site?

Cynthia at Random Thoughts ran a Labor Day Blog Fest this year.

Here were the rules in a nutshell:

1) Follow this blog.

2) Spread the word.

3) Sign up.

4) And On Tuesday September 6th post on your blog the American Flag and your State Flag with five American Historical sites you have been to or wish to see.

For those not in the United States, they were asked to post their country flag and five American Historical sites they have visited or wish to visit.

Here are my historical sites:

NORAD deep in the heart of Cheyenne Mountain. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a United States and Canada bi-national organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America. Unfortunately, it no longer offers tours. It was built to withstand a direct hit from a nuclear bomb.

Air Force Academy - near Colorado Springs. The elite college that trains officer candidates for the United States Air Force.

Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA - the building where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

American Police Hall of Fame in Miami, Florida - This is the first memorial ever built to honor police officers who were killed in the line of duty.

And beautiful Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.

I'm still trying to get the hang of blogging. I wanted to add images, but it kept screwing up the post. In the end, I was lucky to be able to post the flags!

So, what about you, do you have a favorite historical site -- or one you'd like to visit someday? And which site would you most like to showcase in a future book?

Colorado State Flag

The Door Swung Open

2011-09-05T14:11:00.016-06:00

The first challenge is underway in the Platform Building Campaign, and it's a doozy! I loved this particular challenge. It's to write a short story in 200 words. It needs to begin with 'The door swung open". There is the option of making it even more challenging by ending with "The door swung shut." Here's my entry. It's exactly 200 words (and that really was a challenge):

The door swung open. He was barely visible through the smoke, but I recognized a Corelli when I saw one. Gino? Yeah. Gino. He was the worst. He was looking for someone.

I could guess who.

My partner, John, was in the hospital, not expected to survive the round from Vince Corelli’s D’Eagle. Vince lay in the morgue, and I’d put him there. Now Gino wanted justice, but a cop bar was a stupid place to extract it.

His gaze found me and he smiled; it wasn’t a ‘glad to see you’ sort of smile. He weaved around off-duty cops. They were too drunk to know a storm brewed. I pushed away from the bar.

I wasn’t that drunk.

His hand came up and I stared down the barrel of a .45.

Damn. I was drunker than I thought.

I grasped the barrel, deflected it, and struck him over his jugular—not hard enough to kill, but it buckled his knees. The other officers swarmed. Gino was handcuffed before I picked up my barstool. I sat and Mickey brought another beer.

“You okay, Maggie?”

“Yeah. Fine.” But John wasn't. Vince wasn't.

I turned and watched as the door swung shut.

Here's the link to the challenge: http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/2011/09/first-campaigner-challenge.html

Writer's Digest Thriller Competition

2011-09-05T00:53:00.002-06:00

If you've followed me very long, you've probably guessed that thrillers are one of my favorite genres. If I can go by the number of writers in the Platform-Building Campaign, there don't appear to be many thriller writers with blogs. What about you, what's you're favorite genre, and do you find many blogs in that particular genre?

A bit of news. The Writer's Digest Thriller Competition closes September 15, 2011. So if you want to enter, you'll need to do that soon. Here's the information: (Taken from: http://www.writersdigest.com)

Prizes:

•First Prize: The First Place-Winner receives $1,000 cash, promotion in Writer’s Digest, $100 worth of Writer’s Digest Books and the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market.

•Second Prize: The Second Place-Winner receives $500 cash, promotion in Writer’s Digest, $100 worth of Writer’s Digest Books and the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market.

•Honorable Mention: Honorable Mentions will receive promotion in Writer’s Digest and the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market.

Entry Deadline: September 15, 2011

How to Enter

•Submit using the online entry form by clicking here:

https://www.wizehive.com/apps/display/WDThriller

•To enter via regular mail, use the Thriller competition printable entry form:

http://www.writersdigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Printable-Entry-Form-Thriller1.pdf and send it with your manuscript(s) and entry fee to:

WD Thriller Competition
4700 East Galbraith Road
Cincinnati, OH 45236

Entry Fee: All entries are $20.00. You may pay with a check or money order, Visa, Mastercard or American Express when you enter online or via regular mail.

Crime, romance, and horror are still open -- I believe until some time in October. I had trouble with their website. It kept crashing. I wanted to check the other genres as well, such as YA, but I gave up. Good luck if you decide to enter any of their competitions.

Because I kept getting thrown off the site, I was never able to determine if these competitions are for short stories, novels, or both.

Cat's Eyes

2011-09-01T20:40:00.017-06:00

First, for my American followers, you might want to fuel up those cars today if you can. Gas prices are expected to rise sharply in the coming days. The factors playing into our economy are so complex that it's almost impossible to understand them unless you are an economist. But, apparently, the intelligence community is spooked -- pardon the pun -- by all the threats related to 9/11 this year. As you know, it's the 10th anniversary of that tragedy, and we certainly have more than our share of enemies who wish us harm. So if you can, I think it may be a good idea to fuel up your cars before the holiday weekend -- and perhaps keep them fueled as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches. (Of course, if gas prices go down, please don't throw things at me.)

I thought I'd drag out a post I did a while back when I was a guest at another blog. It has never been posted on my site before, but some of my original followers may recognize it from that guest appearance. I hope you enjoy the information.

***

You're running late, and in your panic you take the wrong exit off the highway. Now you're lost. The road is narrow, and there are no easy places to turn around. You're trapped on a strange road and going the wrong direction -- traveling at night into unfamiliar territory. The minutes are stacking up, and there is still no exit in sight. You glance repeatedly at your wristwatch and fumble for your cell phone, but it's not where you normally keep it. You check your pockets. It's not there either! Now you're really frantic. Did you leave it on the kitchen counter in your mad rush to be out the door?

The road narrows even more and drops abruptly. Now you're driving over loose gravel, surrounded by abandoned cornfields, and storm clouds are moving in. This is not someplace you want to break down, and it's definitely not someplace you want to get stuck either. The first fat splashes of rain hit your windshield and lightning streaks the sky. A sudden thuderous crash nearly sends your head through the roof as you jump, and the storm lets loose with a torrential downpour. Your heart is hammering in your chest like the work of a deranged blacksmith.

You round a sharp bend and two green eyes peer at you from the side of the road. You brake abruptly, fearing the worst, but there is no cat in sight.

There never was a cat. You just stumbled upon a pickup location.

A reflection of cat's eyes is commonplace at night. I'm sure your headlights have illuminated them at some point in your life. Two glowing eyes in the dark. But sometimes, they're not quite what they appear to be. Cat's Eyes is a device used in espionage. It makes for a great 'pick up' or 'drop off' signal.

Let's say an operative wants to be picked up at an undisclosed location for security purposes, but she is deep in the country, and there are no local shops or restaurants available. She has told her desk operator that she will be somewhere between spot code orange 7 and blue 13, but that stretch of road is long and lonely. This is where the Cat's Eyes come in. The operator takes a sheet of plywood or thick cardboard and paints it black. She then glues on bits of glass backed with tinfoil for the Cat's Eyes. When she's finished, she plants it next to the road, hides out of sight, and waits for her pickup. Her pickup will know what those two glowing eyes mean, but anyone else will merely pass them by without a second glance.

Next time you're traveling along a deserted highway at night, and you see two glowing eyes on the side of the road, don't assume it's a cat.

My novel, SLEEPING WITH SKELETONS, revolves around espionage, but there are no Cat's Eyes in the book. For more info on SWS, please see my website: http://www.doralynn.net Thanks!

Excerpt from SWS and Platform-Building Campaign

2011-08-30T20:45:00.016-06:00

I thought I'd post an excerpt from my novel Sleeping with Skeletons today, but first I have an announcement. I finally decided to sign up as a Platform Building Campaigner! I've wanted to do this for quite some time but just couldn't make the leap. Well, I have jumped in with both feet -- just in the nick of time. The Campaign closes August 31st. You'll find all the details at Rachael Harrie's Blog, but it's a Campaign to "link writers, aspiring authors, beginner bloggers, industry people, and published authors together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms." So, if you haven't joined yet, hurry over to Rach's blog and sign up! Time is running out! Here's the link. There is also a badge farther down on the page that links to Rach's blog. http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com

Now a little about the excerpt from my novel Sleeping with Skeletons. It's not one I've posted before. Sleeping with Skeletons was originally a thriller centering around espionage, but in order to get it published, I needed to bring it into the romance genre. I think I got halfway there. By that I mean at least 50% of the book has my hero and heroine together on the page. This excerpt fits solely into the thriller aspect of the story. Sorry, no romance here.

Do you read romance? How about thrillers?

Excerpt from Sleeping with Skeletons:

The house was silent. The only sound came from the steady ticking of a lopsided clock on the wall. Shadows draped thickly, enshrouding the room. A light crept along the sleeping figures on the bed and then blinked out. Darkness settled in once more, hanging heavily against the walls and furnishings.

Another flash pierced the room, illuminating the naked couple. Their skin glowed against the glare. It followed the man. His arms and chest rippled with muscles. Tattoos snaked up both arms and continued along his thick neck, ending just below a small, closely shaved head. The light abruptly blinked out and darkness settled in once more.

The couple stirred, stretched, then relaxed back into sleep.

The light came again, finding the woman. It moved across her lean, athletic build, shone against the long black hair that curled over her shoulders, then moved to her eyes and lingered. She moaned softly, brought her hand to her head and turned, burying her face deeper into the pillow. The light followed, fixating on her closed eyelids, finally forcing her to wake. The beacon winked out as she turned to her husband.

“Dammit, Pol, stop fookin’ with the light.”

He shifted, stirring, and turned his head to look at her in the gloom. The only illumination now was a solitary nightlight by the door.

“Wha’?”

“Will ya please stop fookin’ around with the lights. Ya know I canna sleep with ‘em on!”

He propped himself up on his elbows. “And what d’ya mean, girl?”

The woman slapped his bare chest, the smack filling the quiet room. “The lights! Stop playin’ around.”

He turned away and rubbed the skin where she struck him. “Don’t be daft, Kane. I’m not playin’ with anythin’.”

Margaret switched her flashlight on again, played the beam across their startled faces, then snapped it off.

There was a sharp inhalation of breath. The man rammed a hand beneath the bed, only to return empty-handed. “The fook!” he barked.

“Looking for this?” Margaret asked and held up his rifle.

The man moved toward the edge of the bed. “Who the fook are—?”

Margaret darted out of her chair, connecting the butt of the weapon with his mouth. There was a crack and his head flew back.

“I didn’t tell you to get up.”

“Jaysus, Pol!” The woman scrambled across the bed and held a sheet to her husband’s bloodied face. He spat out several teeth. “What do you want?”

Margaret’s left hand reached over the top of the receiver and sharply drew the bolt of the Russian rifle back and let it snap forward with a clack. The rifle now held a chambered cartridge.

“And I didn’t tell you to speak,” she said.

---

I know the ending was a bit violent, but I still hope you enjoyed the excerpt. Feedback appreciated, but since it's published, I can't really change anything. :-)

Miss Marple's Lost Mystery

2011-08-27T08:09:00.004-06:00

John Curran, longtime literary adviser to Agatha Christie's estate, has discovered a previously unseen story in Agatha Christie's notebooks. It is entitled "The Case of the Caretaker's Wife", and it has been published online. It seems that a version of this story appeared in the short story collection, "Miss Marple's Final Cases and Two Other Stories." The name of that story was simply "The Case of the Caretaker." But the plot of "The Case of the Caretaker's Wife" is also similar to the one in "Endless Night", a full length novel by Agatha Christie. The exciting thing for me is that this particular story has been lost for fifty years and is just now being seen for the first time.

Click here to read it at Daily Mail.

As a lifelong Agatha Christie fan, this is big news for me. I know some of my followers, Clarissa Draper in particular, are also fans of Christie.

The story is flawed in some ways. The POV is not well controlled. It was fairly obvious where the story was going, yet, when it got there, it felt contrived and far fetched. It was easy for me to overlook these issues. After all, it's Agatha Christie. And this is obviously something she wrote and then put aside -- most likely weaving it into two other stories that were more fully worked out. I doubt she ever intended for anyone to read this. It's as much of an inside look into her writing process as it is anything else. But with that said, I thoroughly enjoyed this lost story from the Queen of Cozy -- despite its flaws.

The story in the Daily Mail is extracted from John Curran's upcoming book: "Agatha Christie’s Murder In The Making" which will be published by HarperCollins on September 1, for £20. However, Amazon lists it as being available on November 22, 2011. It can be preordered.

What author would you like to discover an unseen manuscript for? By the way, I had planned to post this on Monday, but I'm so excited about the Agatha Christie news that I couldn't wait. So, technically, this is Monday's post. Barring any emergencies, my next post will be Wednesday the 31st. Thanks.

And now for something completely different.

I know it's scary but try to watch the whole thing.
And is that Gene Hackman at the table?

Print versus E-pubs

2011-08-26T02:00:00.068-06:00

The Writer's Relief staff wrote an article at Huffington Post for Writer Wednesday. It discussed print publication versus digital publication. The article itself wasn't that enlightening to me. It was the comments that came after it that were interesting.

As we know, many writers want that print book. I know I did. Do. I want to hold a real book in my hands—one that has my name on it. It's like a badge of courage. It shows I wrote. Got rejected. Broke into print. The traditional publishers sneer at my badge because I got it from a POD publisher—and they are traditional publishers' worst nightmare.

In fact, the bias is so bad that when querying agents about the manuscript I'm currently shopping, I have to omit the fact that I'm published. Some agents and publishers won't accept your submission if you dared go to a POD publisher. It doesn't matter that they weren't willing to look at it. You still should have forgone publication altogether rather than have committed the sin of publishing outside the traditional avenues. Now those "avenues" are scrambling for cover because POD publishing has been dropping some major bombs on them. And those bombs are book sales. Digital books are BIG sellers.

Print - Article's Pros (Condensed/Paraphrased):

1. People take you more seriously if you’re in print. And your mom will be proud. (Okay. But my mom is already proud of me. I agree that people take you more seriously, though, if you're in print.)

2. You can get on the shelves of libraries and bookstores. You can't do that with an e-book. (That's true for now, but with technology who knows what will happen in the future.)

3. When you have a real, physical book, you can hold book signings.

Print - Article's Cons (Condensed/Paraphrased):

1. Print runs are generally low.

2. You can't be "Googled". Your print stories (or poems) will not generally appear online. (Which smacks of potential piracy to me, so I'm not sure why that's in the cons category. It's more of a gray area to me.)

3. Print books cost more and can't compete with the prices of e-books.

E-Pubs - Article's Pros (Condensed/Paraphrased):

1. "Viral-ity." They say that when you're published online, it can be emailed, shared on social media sites, etc. (Which, once again, smacks of piracy to me—something many E-Pubs have serious problems with. Personally, I think I'd also put this one in the "gray" category.)

2. Because of low overhead for the publisher, E-book sales and online journal subscribers are unlimited. (That's a definite plus.)

3. Next they claim if you're published online you will show up on Google as a writer. (You also show up as a writer with print books, so I don't see how this is any different.) They claim that this is important and will help you with agents and editors. (Again, I disagree. It's not so important to agents and publishers if your credentials are from a POD publisher. They are getting a little more respect nowadays, but they still aren't credits agents take seriously. And, most often, your query letter is going no farther with the agent if they know you've been published with an E-Pub. It may not be fair, but it's a fact.)

E-Pubs - Article's Cons (Condensed/Paraphrased):

1. To quote the article: "Some people—and we’re not going to name names—have yet to acknowledge that e-publishing is, right now, a tremendous literary force. Which means that some e-journals and online presses are still fighting for literary legitimacy." (Which echoes what I just said. But it is more extensive than just "some people". It is almost the entire industry. Which is probably why they didn't name names. They didn't have enough space.)

2. "Your gram can’t bring a copy of your new book or poem publication to bingo night unless she prints it out. Poor gram! She wants bragging rights!"

3. Lower prices may not be such a great thing after all if you're not selling any books.

The articles goes on to discuss gray areas, but I think much of what they discussed already were gray areas. I also think they give the impression that it's strictly either/or. Either you go for print or you go for digital. That's a faulty starting point. Most E-Pubs also do print. You get both worlds, and that to me is best. I have my print book. My mom has my print book. My family has my print book. Complete strangers have my print book. But for those who prefer digital, that's certainly available. After all, my publisher is first and foremost an E-Pub.

Link to Article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/10/digital-publishing-print-_n_923307.html

It wasn't really a substantive article. I thought it focused more on humor than substance. Not that it lacked substance entirely, it was just more focused on being entertaining—which it certainly was. And it solicited discussion—which it got. It's the comments where you'll find the real substance.

But what I'd like even more are YOUR comments. What are some of the pros and cons you would have listed if you'd written the article?

I Lieb Ya. I Lieb Ya.

2011-08-24T01:42:00.011-06:00

While many were focused on the earthquake in Virginia yesterday, our little M5.2 -- and highly unusual -- earthquake in Colorado escaped notice. My son and niece felt it. I slept through it -- which I'm really bummed out about -- especially since it was one of the few times in my life I was actually sleeping. I'd just blogged about the importance of having an emergency supply kit, and that just drove home the necessity even more.

I want to thank three awesome people who have really inspired me! I had a mental block about blogging for the longest time, but it has finally been conquered. And the three who got me over that hurdle are Clarissa Draper, J.L. Campbell, and Alex J. Cavanaugh. So a HUGE Thank You to these three amazing bloggers!

Also a BIG thank you to Brent Wescott for becoming my 100th follower! Woo Hoo!

And I'd like to make you aware of a Labor Day Blogfest that Cynthia at Random Thoughts is hosting. Here's the link for more information on that:

http://randomthoughts-myblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/labor-day-blogfest.html

I received a "Liebster" award from Ashley Nixon and Laila Knight recently. They're both lovely ladies, so if you aren't following them yet, or if you haven't met them, I hope you'll check out their blogs. Here are their links:

http://ashley-nixon.blogspot.com/

http://untroubledkingdomoflailaknight.blogspot.com/

Here's my "Liebster" award.

"Liebster" means friend!

Many of you already know about this wonderful award. Now that I've received it, I get to share it with five people who have under 200 followers! Here are the rules:

1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the internet — other writers.
5. And best of all – have fun and spread the love.

Here are my picks!

1. http://randomthoughts-myblog.blogspot.com/ Cynthia
2. http://authorsincognito.blogspot.com/ C.K. Bryant at Authors Incognito
3. http://kylieblanche.blogspot.com/ - Kylie at Chasing Rabbits Through Orchards (love that title)
4. http://teachermoloneyking.com/ Michelle
5. http://shanonawriter.blogspot.com/ Shanon

These are some great blogs, so I hope you'll check them out. There's a lot of talent in these people! :) Follow them and see what I mean!

I'd also like to thank all the wonderful people who have decided to follow this blog. I'm really grateful to each and every one of you!

And finally, Alex is hosting another blog hop! Yay! I love these! (I took the code off my site because it was really hanging up my blog.) Here's the link to his site if you want to participate in it or his Insecure Writers Support Group:
http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/2011/08/insecure-writers-support-group-and.html

Why You 55?

2011-08-22T09:08:00.021-06:00

I am finishing up my work in progress and have three stories waiting in the wings. One is a post-apocalyptic thriller about the aftermath of an asteroid strike. (Since it's me, it has strong romantic elements and a happily ever after -- well, for everyone left.)

But I am researching the aftereffects of a direct hit, which brings me to all the space junk headed our way. I doubt any of these known asteroids or comets will hit earth -- although I am a little nervous about 2005 YU55. NASA has confirmed that this asteroid will pass between Earth and the moon in November of this year. It is 400 meters (1300 feet) in size and has been classified as a “potentially hazardous object.” Fortunately, NASA says it poses no threat of an Earth collision over the next 100 years. Since secrets are impossible to keep, and there are too many amateur astronomers to spill the beans if they're lying, I think we can trust them. Of course, they may have miscalculated. But, Comet Elenin is also out there, lurking about our solar system. The hype around it has reached a fevered pitch at YouTube. If you believe all that nonsense, this one is really a brown dwarf -- or maybe it's Nibiru -- and it's followed by a fleet of UFO's. (Is anyone else thinking of the Heaven's Gate tragedy?)

All of the online apocalyptic rhetoric brought up a question: "Would I be prepared in the event of a disaster -- any disaster?" The answer was "No!", so I went to FEMA and checked out what it recommends for an emergency kit. I thought I'd post that here. So, what about all that hype? Do you believe any of it? Have you even heard of it? And, do you have a favorite post-apocalyptic movie? Mine is Book of Eli.

Here's the information from FEMA:
http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/assemble_disaster_supplies_kit.shtm

Are You Ready?

Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit

You may need to survive on your own after a disaster. This means having your own food, water, and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it might take days.

Basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer. Or, you may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You probably will not have the opportunity to shop or search for the supplies you need.

A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items that members of a household may need in the event of a disaster.

Kit Locations

Since you do not know where you will be when an emergency occurs, prepare supplies for home, work, and vehicles.

Home	Work	Car
Your disaster supplies kit should contain essential food, water, and supplies for at least three days. Keep this kit in a designated place and have it ready in case you have to leave your home quickly. Make sure all family members know where the kit is kept. Additionally, you may want to consider having supplies for sheltering for up to two weeks.	This kit should be in one container, and ready to "grab and go" in case you are evacuated from your workplace. Make sure you have food and water in the kit. Also, be sure to have comfortable walking shoes at your workplace in case an evacuation requires walking long distances.	In case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car. This kit should contain food, water, first aid supplies, flares, jumper cables, and seasonal supplies.

Water

How Much Water do I Need?

You should store at least one gallon of water per person per day. A normally active person needs at least one-half gallon of water daily just for drinking.

Additionally, in determining adequate quantities, take the following into account:

Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate.
Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more water.
Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed.
A medical emergency might require additional water.

How Should I Store Water?

To prepare safest and most reliable emergency supply of water, it is recommended you purchase commercially bottled water. Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it.

Observe the expiration or “use by” date.

If you are preparing your own containers of water

It is recommended you purchase food-grade water storage containers from surplus or camping supplies stores to use for water storage. Before filling with water, thoroughly clean the containers with dishwashing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap. Follow directions below on filling the container with water.

If you choose to use your own storage containers, choose two-liter plastic soft drink bottles – not plastic jugs or cardboard containers that have had milk or fruit juice in them. Milk protein and fruit sugars cannot be adequately removed from these containers and provide an environment for bacterial growth when water is stored in them. Cardboard containers also leak easily and are not designed for long-term storage of liquids. Also, do not use glass containers, because they can break and are heavy.

If storing water in plastic soda bottles, follow these steps

Thoroughly clean the bottles with dishwashing soap and water, and rinse completely so there is no residual soap.Sanitize the bottles by adding a solution of 1 teaspoon of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to a quart of water. Swish the sanitizing solution in the bottle so that it touches all surfaces. After sanitizing the bottle, thoroughly rinse out the sanitizing solution with clean water.

Filling water containers

Fill the bottle to the top with regular tap water. If the tap water has been commercially treated from a water utility with chlorine, you do not need to add anything else to the water to keep it clean. If the water you are using comes from a well or water source that is not treated with chlorine, add two drops of non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to the water.Tightly close the container using the original cap. Be careful not to contaminate the cap by touching the inside of it with your finger. Place a date on the outside of the container so that you know when you filled it. Store in a cool, dark place.Replace the water every six months if not using commercially bottled water.

Food

The following are things to consider when putting together your food supplies:

Avoid foods that will make you thirsty. Choose salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals, and canned foods with high liquid content.
Stock canned foods, dry mixes, and other staples that do not require refrigeration, cooking, water, or special preparation. You may already have many of these on hand. (Note: Be sure to include a manual can opener.)
Include special dietary needs.

Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

The following items are recommended for inclusion in your basic disaster supplies kit:

Three-day supply of non-perishable food.
Three-day supply of water - one gallon of water per person, per day.
Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries.
Flashlight and extra batteries.
First aid kit and manual.
Sanitation and hygiene items (moist towelettes and toilet paper).
Matches and waterproof container.
Whistle.
Extra clothing.
Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils, including a can opener.
Photocopies of credit and identification cards.
Cash and coins.
Special needs items, such as prescription medications, eye glasses, contact lens solutions, and hearing aid batteries.
Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers.
Other items to meet your unique family needs.

If you live in a cold climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that you will not have heat. Think about your clothing and bedding supplies. Be sure to include one complete change of clothing and shoes per person, including:

Jacket or coat.
Long pants.
Long sleeve shirt.
Sturdy shoes.
Hat, mittens, and scarf.
Sleeping bag or warm blanket (per person).

Be sure to account for growing children and other family changes. See Appendix B for a detailed checklist of disaster supplies. http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/appendix_b.shtm You may want to add some of the items listed to your basic disaster supplies kit depending on the specific needs of your family.

Maintaining Your Disaster Supplies Kit

Just as important as putting your supplies together is maintaining them so they are safe to use when needed. Here are some tips to keep your supplies ready and in good condition:

Keep canned foods in a dry place where the temperature is cool.
Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers to protect from pests and to extend its shelf life.
Throw out any canned good that becomes swollen, dented, or corroded.
Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies.
Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in the front.
Change stored food and water supplies every six months. Be sure to write the date you store it on all containers.
Re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your family needs change.
Keep items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers, such as an unused trashcan, camping backpack, or duffel bag.

Jane Error

2011-08-18T21:02:00.016-06:00

First, I'm a die hard Jane Eyre fan. I feel the same way about Jane Eyre that hordes of teenagers (and adults) feel about Harry Potter. I own five movie versions of Jane Eyre, and I watch all of them. Often. I read the book every few years and have since I was eleven. It's pretty safe to say this is my favorite fiction book of all time. In my novel, Sleeping With Skeletons, I made my hero an actor just so he could play Edward Rochester and I could throw in the library scene from Jane Eyre -- which is rarely done in movies (to my great disappointment). I have Aidan, from SWS, drive a Veyron because it sounds like Varens -- the little girls name in Jane Eyre. So, basically, I'm a Jane Eyre groupie. If Jane Eyre were a rock group, I'd stalk them. They'd probably have a restraining order on me.

I first heard there was going to be another Jane Eyre movie about two years ago. The director was Cary Fukunaga. I didn't recognize the name. However, in retrospect, I should have interpreted the first three letters of his last name as a bad omen. Fuk. I've waited for this since I heard that first bit of movie news. It did not play locally, so I had to wait for the DVD. I pre-ordered it, and it arrived today. I was so excited, I immediately brought out the popcorn and Mild Duds (another bad omen), and slipped this baby into the player. I pulled up an overstuffed chair and sat in breathless anticipation.

This retelling of Jane Eyre has dark, moody shots; beautiful cinematography; compelling, immensely-watchable actors, (Mia Wasikowska as Jane Eyre and Michael Fassbender as Edward Rochester) yet the word that comes to mind when I think of it is... stingy. If you've ever read a Reader's Digest condensed version of a classic, then you'll know what this was like. It's as if the director got to a scene, began it, then stopped in his haste to get to the next one. I envision an old sergeant of mine. "Okay people. Okay. Hurry up. You don't need to eat that. We ain't got all day. You can taste it later. We've got places to go, things to do."

The director repeatedly yanked me out of one scene and then dropped me into the next before finishing the previous one. Just. Splat. This went on from scene to scene. I felt utterly cheated. "Hey, Fuk, why'd you stop? You were just getting started?" I wanted to yell. (I think I actually did at one point, but I was in such shock, I'm not sure.) Fuk did this through almost the entire movie. Other scenes he just left out entirely. It was so chopped up, so lightning fast -- like a Ginsu Knife commercial -- that I wondered how these two fell in love. I've never wondered that about any previous version of Jane Eyre in my life! But this went so fast it left me wishing there were commercials -- so it would at least feel like the relationship was drawn out.

The scene of their first meeting fell as flat as Rochester's horse. (Especially when compared to the Masterpiece version.) The only thing scorching in the burning bed scene were the sheets. (Especially compared to the versions from A&E and Masterpiece.) Bringing two people so close together it looks like they're going to kiss does not equal heat. There was just one evening party scene with Jane present, and like every other scene up to that point, if fell short. Mason arrived on the first night of the party for crying out loud! I didn't even see a library. There was no real sense of mystery about what was going on in the house. Grace Poole was a non-entity and didn't show up until after the 'wedding'. Rochester's purpose for bringing Blanche Ingram to Thornfield was never developed, nor was Blanche Ingram for that matter.

The director finally started getting the movie together toward the end. The one scene that captured the essence of Jane Eyre was the scene between Jane and Rochester after the truth came out. I wish that, and the scenes that followed, could have redeemed this movie. Unfortunately, they just didn't quite pull it off. There was too much lacking in the first half of the movie.

In the end, it was the cinematic equivalent of coitus interruptus. How frustrating. I'm going to dust off my Masterpiece, BBC, and A&E copies -- maybe even that mess with William Hurt (which no longer seems like such a mess after watching this) just so I don't feel quite so cheated. I wanted to watch a new Jane Eyre and fall in love with it! This could have been so great. It had wonderful actors. Beautiful scenery. Brilliant camera work. Marvelous costumes. Atmospheric lighting. Intelligent dialog. But the direction and editing were so bad that my mouth has been hanging open for two hours, and I can't get it to shut. How can someone so utterly screw up a masterpiece?

I hope this will be like sushi, and I'll develop a taste for it after I've had it a few times.

The Writing on the Wall?

2011-08-17T04:26:00.026-06:00

According to the New York Times, Amazon announced Tuesday that it has signed popular self-help author Timothy Ferriss. One more bit of news from Amazon to upset the publishing world. Amazon is rattling nerves in the offices of traditional publishers. Apparently, they are not convinced that Amazon's successes are going to help the rest of the industry as Amazon claims. According to the article in the Times, "Some independent bookstores have already said they do not intend to carry an(y) books from the retailer, not wanting to give a dollar to a company they feel is putting them out of business." I doubt Amazon is too worried about that threat.

Are those bookstores crazy? They're setting themselves up for the same fate that Borders just met. Why would they want to deliberately cost themselves sales just when they need them most? I understand principles, but this is self defeating. I think their attitude just hurries the process along. Rather than fighting the future, as Borders did, and aiding in their own demise, they need to get ready for it. It's going to arrive whether they like it or not. If they aren't adapting, they're going to be as extinct as -- well -- Borders. They could learn a thing or two from Barnes and Noble. They get it. Or maybe independents need to envision a different kind of bookshop in the future, perhaps small store fronts where customers browse on computer screens, place their orders, and then have the choice of receiving certain print books in the mail or picking them up at the stores when they arrive.

I think booksellers and traditional publishers might need to adapt to the POD (print on demand) or PTO (print to order) model. Its economic feasibility alone should drive that. Why continue to solely do business as usual when it is losing money and there is a better economic model? Some publishers, such as Harlequin, already get that -- as attested by Carina Press. More of them need to model Amazon if they want to survive. And maybe they could take a page or two out of Ellora's playbook as well. They don't need to change completely. Just adapt more than they currently appear to be.

I don't like these trends, but that doesn't change them. I love print books and always want them to be available. I don't like e-books or e-readers, but they're here, and they're not going away. Publishers and booksellers need to develop strategies to save print books while adapting to the changing industry.

Do you think publishers and bookstores are going to adapt in time to save their industries? As a writer and a reader, I sure hope so. What models do you think they should adopt to survive? Do you worry all major bookstores will eventually close?

A sign of the economy or the digital age?

2011-08-14T20:52:00.008-06:00

As most of you know, Borders Group filed for bankruptcy in February of this year in an attempt to reorganize its business. On July 18, Borders asked a bankruptcy judge for permission to sell off its remaining stores. Eight years ago, Borders was at its peak and operated 1,249 bookstores, under the Borders and Waldenbooks names, and employed 19,500 people. In July it was down to 399 stores and 10,700 employees.

I just drove by my local Borders. Even though I didn't particularly like Borders, it was sad to see the Going Out of Business banner draped over its doors, especially when considering the employees who are losing their jobs. But with the rise of digital publishing, several missteps by Borders, and the growing popularity of e-readers and online buying, its understandable. I've seen several bookstores close in my city over the years, but this particular one seems a bad sign for books. As a writer and reader, that troubles me. I still prefer print books to electronic, but they may not always be available.

How do you feel about this bankruptcy? Do you think it's the economy, the rise in electronic books, or a combination? And what about the trends in general? Are you excited by the growing popularity of e-books? And are you still excited by it if it means fewer and fewer print books in the future?

I Know I'm Going to Miss Her. A Tomato Ate My Sister!

2011-08-13T18:43:00.029-06:00

Alex J. Cavanaugh is running a "Worst Movies Ever" blogfest. When I think of a bad movie, "The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" immediately leaps to mind. Although, it's SUPPOSED to be bad. And it succeeded!! In fact, it's so bad it's good -- good enough to become a campy cult classic. It was filmed in 1978, and is a spoof of the much beloved B movie genre. If you've never seen it, check it out. It may be the funniest spoof ever made. It was directed by John De Bello and starred David Miller. Surprisingly, this wasn't the end of Mr. Miller's acting career. He went on to have bit parts in seven more bad movies; although none of them made as big a splat as "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" did.

The story is about a bunch of rotten tomatoes who have issues with being eaten. (Selfish louts). If you don't want to watch the movie, at least take a peek at the opening and listen to the theme song. It's unforgettable. Really. It's unforgettable. Even if you want to forget it you won't be able to. I mean, who can forget lyrics like, "I know I'm going to miss her. A tomato ate my sister"?

Do you have any favorite 'bad' movies? How about favorite 'bad' theme songs? And can you think of any other movies that feature man-eating vegetables? (Oh, well, tomatoes are fruits, but you know what I mean).

The Ethics of Autobiographies

2011-08-12T13:45:00.012-06:00

Molly Ringle and I recently discussed the ethics of autobiographies, and I thought I'd blog about that. I think as people we want to "be known." I'm not sure anyone really wants to go through life and not be known intimately by at least one person. Some of us might guard our privacy as fiercely as a Doberman guarding a junkyard, but there are still people we open the locked gates for. We want to let people in. We want to be known. Even if we don't ever offer a complete tour.

There is a large market for biographies and autobiographies. Over the past year we've seen President George Bush's biography, and we've seen Snooki's. I don't think you can get any different as people or life stories. The only thing they had in common was a place on The New York Times Best Sellers list.

One issue with writing a biography or an autobiography is that we always drag other people into the mess. And I say mess because life is messy. If we're completely honest, we're going to hurt people. That's where the ethics come in. I wrote bits and pieces of my biography, but I have since destroyed it. It was impossible to write it without hurting other people -- people I love. Being known is less important to me than protecting them.

If you had publishers beating down your doors asking for your life story, would you give it to them? Would it be 100% honest, or would you withhold things that made you look bad or hurt others?

With that said, I admit that I still want to be known. I shared a story with Molly from my past. It will never make it into an autobiography, but it is going to make it into this blog. Just because, as I said, I want to be known. At least to a degree. And life is short.

When I first arrived in Europe in the mid-eighties, I was drawn into an incident that made international news. On March 23 of 1985, Major Arthur D. Nicholson became the last American casualty of the Cold War. He was shot by a Soviet soldier and was the only Military Liaison officer to die in the line of duty. This quickly escalated into an international incident, and Major Nicholson was promoted posthumously. The image at the top of this blog post is a photo of Major Nicholson's casket being placed on a U.S. aircraft at Rhein-Main Air Base in Germany. (A few years later, assassinated CIA Station Chief, William Buckley, who had been kidnapped by the Iranian backed Islamic Jihad, tortured and executed, came home through this same airport. He's known as the spy who never came out of the cold.)

As a result of the incident with Major Nicholson, I was assigned to a patrol at the Soviet Military Liaison Mission (SMLM). We had two cars. One was a stationary car and the other was a chase car. Our stationary car remained at the mission on a more-or-less permanent stake out, monitoring and logging all of the activity taking place at the mission. The comings and goings at the mission, and any observed activity, was documented. That was the job of our stationary car.

The chase car's job was to follow the Soviet officers whenever they left the mission and report on everything they did. It was pretty pointless really. They knew we followed them, and we were limited in what we could do. So whenever they didn't want us to follow, they would just "go beyond our boundaries" so to speak. The chase would break off at that point and we would return to SMLM.

So, back to my earlier question. If you had publishing houses knocking down your door begging for your autobiography, would you give it to them? And how important is it for you to be known?

Winner Announced in Molly's Book Giveaway!

2011-08-12T10:50:00.002-06:00

Here are the results of the drawing at Random.org. I used their third-party service to conduct the drawing. I used the blogger names you posted your comments under. Here are the entrants and the winner. You can verify the results of the drawing at the below url.

From Random.org:

"The winner of your drawing is…

1st	Maeve Frazier

Congratulations on the drawing! It was completed on Friday, 12 August 2011 at 16:57:50 UTC The winner was drawn from a list of 8 entrants using true randomness, which for many purposes is better than the pseudo-random number algorithms typically used in computer programs. You will find the permanent record of the drawing here:

http://www.random.org/draws/details/?draw=7155

Since this drawing is entrant-accessible, you must be logged into your account to view the full record. Anyone else (e.g., your entrants) can query the drawing to see if a particular entrant identifier was included and whether it won or not."

In case you'd like to confirm that you were actually entered, or if you'd like to verify the winner, here are the identifiers used in the drawing:

Madison Ready
Maeve Frazier
Clarissa Draper
Michael Di Gesu
J.L. Campbell
Cynthia Chapman Willis
Dezmond
Mary

Thanks to everyone who participated! There should be more contests in the future, so I hope you'll watch for those.

Doralynn

Interview with Molly Ringle and Book Contest! Plus a mistake and an apology!!

2011-08-10T00:13:00.008-06:00

My mistake was to list WHAT SCOTLAND TAUGHT ME as a print giveaway. It is available as a download if the winner wishes. The signed print books available for the contest are THE GHOST DOWNSTAIRS and SUMMER TERM. My sincere apologies to Molly and to those who have entered the contest so far.

Now, once again, I'm pleased to have Molly Ringle with me this week! Molly has published five books to date, though some have yet to be released. Her titles include: THE GHOST DOWNSTAIRS, SUMMER TERM, WHAT SCOTLAND TAUGHT ME, RELATIVELY HONEST, and the novella OF GHOSTS AND GEEKS. She told me she has finished at least three other novels, but they need a lot of revision before they're ready for the world.

First, Molly's official bio: "Fiction on the side has sustained Molly Ringle through an anthropology degree, a linguistics degree, and several office jobs. She especially enjoys writing (and reading, and watching) stories featuring love, laughter, culture, travel, the arts, and the paranormal. She lives in Seattle with her husband and two highly active sons, and may someday be brave enough to get a dog." Visit her at http://www.mollyringle.com

Molly told me she has been writing since she was a little kid, but she first got excited about putting stories together when she was around twelve years old. She says that "the unfairness and cruelty of other middle-school kids had something to do with it." She discovered she could "take refuge in an imaginary world where she controlled everything, which was reassuring." Plus she felt like she might actually become good at writing if she kept at it. And since I've read several of her novels, I can vouch for that last part. She has become very good at it indeed.

I asked what comes first for her, the plot or the characters. She told me that usually depends on whether she's writing paranormal or non-paranormal (real world) fiction. For her paranormal stories, plot tends to arrive first. In THE GHOST DOWNSTAIRS she first thought up the haunted former sorority house, then worked out the identities of the ghosts and the living residents. In OF GHOSTS AND GEEKS, the premise of the ghost occupying an old book and irritating each of its successive owners came first, with character details coming later.

I've read THE GHOST DOWNSTAIRS, and it is one of my favorite ghost stories. I highly recommend it. Now I'm just counting the days until OF GHOSTS AND GEEKS is released. I'm very excited by the premise.

For her real-world fiction, she says it's often the characters she thinks of first, with only a hazy idea of what their story is going to be. In WHAT SCOTLAND TAUGHT ME, she wanted to write about a young woman (somewhere around age 20) figuring herself out during a romantically rocky trip to Edinburgh. She knew her character's passions and flaws before she knew what exactly happened to her there. And in RELATIVELY HONEST, she created a handsome young Casanova from London, who she knew was going to fall in love and change his ways, but it took her years to form the plot and twist it in the most effective directions.

I wondered how she came up with her great titles, and she admitted that she arrived at them by getting them wrong the first time around. She worries that she's proven bad at choosing her own titles. Fortunately, other people are there to point out any problems and force some brainstorming sessions. THE GHOST DOWNSTAIRS was originally HOUSEBOYS, until she realized that people who don't know the inner workings of sororities don't understand what a houseboy is, and they tend to think it's something much dirtier than she intended. Her husband suggested the new title, which she liked right away. OF GHOSTS AND GEEKS had the boring title ONE WEIRD GHOST, which her editor tactfully suggested rethinking. Again, she likes the new title much better. WHAT SCOTLAND TAUGHT ME has had at least three previous titles, as has RELATIVELY HONEST. Maybe the lesson here is that "there's no single ideal title for a story." Or, she says, "Maybe you shouldn't give *me* the job of choosing it."

She says she has spells where pushing the story forward feels hard, but she doesn't like to call it "writer's block." Sometimes "big ol' plot holes" crop up. Usually when that happens, she obsesses over it while she's awake, and sleeps on it for a few nights (or weeks). Eventually the problem unravels, and she can get chugging again. It also helps her to switch gears and work on something else for a while -- like a short story, or revisions for a different novel. And she says it never hurts to read books by other people, or watch movies. She's interested in how those writers handled plot and characters. She never knows what little detail may end up shaking the answer loose in her brain.

She says her reading is rather eclectic and all over the map. The classics have influenced her since her teens: the Bronte sisters, Victor Hugo (Les Miserables in particular), George Eliot, E.M. Forster, J.R.R. Tolkien, Daphne du Maurier. Those are probably her biggest influences when it comes to sweeping romance and beautiful literary prose. But she also loves modern writers who have taught her quirky humor and wildly creative (sometimes paranormal) story ideas, such as John Irving, Susanna Clarke, and Neil Gaiman. She says that it's possible she could credit Robert Louis Stevenson with the story idea for OF GHOSTS AND GEEKS, since he had a similar theme (a purchased object haunted by a supernatural being) in his short story "The Bottle Imp," which she first read in high school. She said she has never been able to pick a single favorite writer, and to decide her favorite book would be almost as hard. She craves variety too much.

She says that when she's not writing she would *like* to sleep, but her two little kids don't allow a lot of that. Sampling perfumes and teas are two of her recently active non-writing interests. She's accumulating what you could almost call collections of those substances. Also, though she's not a hardcore gardener, she likes tending the family garden. She finds it soothing and uplifting to have thriving, fragrant plants around her home.

I was curious to know what she hears from her readers. She told me that brief comments come in every few weeks or so on average; more if she counts the reader reviews she finds on sites like Goodreads. So far the comments have usually been friendly and delightful, and sometimes even say the things she most wants to hear, like: 1) I made them laugh, and 2) I made them fall in love (or infatuation) along with the characters. Best recent example is a woman saying she "squealed in unhinged delight" at certain romantic twists in WHAT SCOTLAND TAUGHT ME. Molly says she feels she's done her work if she's temporarily unhinged a reader.

On a more personal note I asked Molly, "What is the strangest thing you've ever eaten?" She supposed that would be haggis, which she ate in Scotland. However, she said it really wasn't that weird. It was like a mild meatloaf. She actually liked it and said it's good with mashed potatoes. She's had bison, too; which is also pretty good. On the flora side, she's interested in edible garden plants. She said, "Some folk might think it strange that I've picked and eaten nasturtiums, rose petals, blackberry leaves, and grapevine tendrils."

She describes herself as an introvert and a "night person." But she wouldn't go so far as to request a graveyard shift -- she still basically wants to sleep at night. She likes evening stargazing, when weather allows. She says you can stargaze before dawn too, but she wants to be sleeping then.

I asked if she could wish for anything what it would be. She observed that those wishes always come with a devious curse in stories. So perhaps she'd wish for something minor that the Fates wouldn't feel threatened by, like getting a magical 90% discount every time she bought chocolate. Or, to be a bit more ambitious: plane tickets to Europe for her whole family (including the grandparents, so they could help watch the kids), along with paid reservations in charming hotels, and a guarantee of minimal jet lag. "Yeah, I could live with that," she said.

She also wishes science would invent a medical scanning device (like on Star Trek) that figures out what's wrong with you by a simple, quick test, and creates an antidote on the spot. "Okay, that's a tall order," she says, "but I'm sure someone in bioengineering is working on it. On a smaller scale, a pit-less cherry would be nice."

She admits to being afraid of thunder and lightning. She told me a distant, charismatic rumble during a cozy rainstorm was okay -- maybe. But the kind of storms where lightning shakes the windows and splits trees in the neighborhood scares the hell out of her. She likes the Pacific Northwest because "we get very little lightning at all, just nice, quiet, well-behaved rain."

Personally, I think Molly's books are perfect for those nice rainy days. And I highly recommend checking out one or two of her books the next time you have some rain running down your window pane. Actually, don't wait for rain. Go pick up one of her books today. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

I asked Molly to share a recipe with us today, and she passed on a healthy, flavorful recipe for Lime Cilantro Coleslaw. It serves six. You'll need:

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (juice of one large lime)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons sugar

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 (12-oz or 16-oz) package coleslaw mix (cabbage and carrots)

***
1. In small bowl mix together lime juice, olive oil, sugar, and jalapeno.

2. Combine green onions, cilantro, and coleslaw mix in large bowl.

3. Drizzle juice mix over coleslaw mix; toss well to coat.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to Molly for being my guest today. Here is the link to her website again. http://www.mollyringle.com

Molly is offering a signed copy of either THE GHOST DOWNSTAIRS or SUMMER TERM or a download of WHAT SCOTLAND TAUGHT ME -- winner's choice. (Her cool book covers are just above and below). So be sure to leave a comment to be entered in the contest. The winner will be announced in a few days and will be selected at random.org. Leave your e-mail in the comment box -- if you feel comfortable doing that -- or check back in a few days to see if you've won! I'll post instructions when I announce the winner.

Good Luck!

The Perils of P.O.V.

2011-08-07T15:27:00.011-06:00

My publisher revealed a list of reasons for rejections recently. The blog post is a catalog of editor comments. A clear pattern emerged. It included all the usual suspects: poor writing, telling (not showing), lack of focus, two-dimensional characters, passive writing, pacing problems. But one of the biggest reasons for rejection was the writer's inability to control P.O.V. Here is the link to the article. It's an interesting read.

http://behindthegardengate.blogspot.com/2011/08/top-reasons-for-rejections-from-twrp.html

Do you struggle with P.O.V.? There are some good books on the subject, such as: The Power Of Point Of View: Make Your Story Come To Life or Elements of Fiction Writing - Characters & Viewpoint.

Do you have any favorite books on the subject? Please share them if you do.

So, if you're struggling to place a manuscript with an agent or publisher, consider your use of P.O.V. If you think that's an issue, study books that you enjoy and ask yourself how the writer brings that character to life. Sometimes the best way to learn is by studying writers whom you admire. And, of course, writing consistently. Like everything else, practice makes perfect.

Victoria Holt by Any Other Name

2011-08-03T09:59:00.008-06:00

Victoria Holt, the pen name of Eleanor Hibbert, has been credited as the inventor (and Queen) of romantic suspense, but she wrote under at least eight other names as well -- and some sources say over fifteen. She dominated the historical romance genre as Philippa Carr. She wrote royal intrigue as Jean Plaidy. Hibbert was incredibly prolific; she wrote over 30 books under the pen name Victoria Holt alone and sold more than 100 million books during her lifetime. Most writers will never equal her success.

I'm most familiar with her work as Victoria Holt. Her books are considered to be somewhat mindless escapes, but that's nice once in a while. There is a certain sameness to her plots, yet they never fail to captivate me and keep me reading. Her heroines are often naive, intelligent young women left alone in the world and in desperate straits. Often, all they have are principles and good sense. The heroes are usually rich, powerful men who can have any woman they want, yet they want the sweet, innocent girl they can't have. Usually the thing that stands between them is class distinction.

One thing I don't like about Victoria Holt books is that they often start in early childhood and linger there for the first one hundred pages. She also spent too little time with the great male characters she created. There are things she did as a writer that would never be allowed today. In The Demon Lover, (spoiler alert), the "hero" actually kidnaps the heroine, drugs her, rapes her repeatedly, sets her free, and then horror of all horrors -- she marries him at the end of the book!! Can you imagine a publisher touching that today?

Have you ever read Victoria Holt? If so, what's your favorite book? If you're not a Victoria Holt fan, what is it you don't like about her books? And, if you've never read her, do you plan to?

Here is a snippet from one of my favorite reviews of a Victoria Holt story. This one is for The Legend of the Seventh Virgin and it is posted at All Readers. I think you'll be able to spot the items I find amusing. Naturally, a woman would want to be the one woman that man can't live without -- the woman he'd give up all others for.

Main Male Character
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King - wealthy
Age/status: - 20's-30's
Eccentric/mental: Yes
Eccentric: - deluded - wild
How sexual is this person? - over 1,000,000 served
How romantic is this person? - as romantic as a root canal
Sex makes him - more demanding
Sex has good effect on him Yes
Sex makes him - confident
Sex has bad effect on him Yes
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

http://www.allreaders.com/topics/info_5027.asp

Describing a Fight Scene

2011-07-31T09:10:00.010-06:00

Fortunately, not everyone has been in an actual fight. That doesn't mean you can't write a believable fight scene. Do you have gun-wielding attackers in any of your stories -- or plan to? Many police departments offer self-defense classes for the public. Of course, YouTube can also help. It's filled with great self-defense videos. I've included one at the end of this post. I've also included an excerpt from my novel THE JADED GEISHA. It's about a CIA operative, Dan Webb, who has been asked to guard a colleague's sister. The sister is legally blind, but she does have periodic tunnel vision. Danny and Eleanor are on their way home from a restaurant when the attack happens. This is one of the most well-known ways to defend against a gun attack. Here is the excerpt:

A Caucasian man emerged from the passenger’s side door of the luxury SUV, bundled in a leather jacket. Heated puffs of breath became visible in the cold air, punctuating his walk, reminding Danny of a bull snorting before a fight. The man wore a sweater underneath his coat and had the black hood pulled low over his head. It hid most of his face. He walked with the deliberate, swaggering limp of a thug and glanced cautiously at his surroundings as he approached. He seemed to be expecting trouble and didn’t want to be seen too closely. The stranger’s hands were buried deep in his pockets, bunched up into tight fists. The sharp outline of the thick knuckles was visible against the leather. The material of his hoody swayed as he walked, and Danny caught a glimpse of a jagged scar across his cheek.

Danny felt his eyes narrow and his adrenaline surge. Eleanor had described her knife-wielding attacker on the stairs as a white man with a scar on his cheek. Was this the man who had stabbed Eleanor and murdered the building’s superintendent?

The man passed them, bumping against Eleanor as he did. She fell against Danny’s side with a startled cry, briefly throwing him off balance. Then the man turned, as if to apologize; but as he did, his right hand emerged from his jacket pocket, and Danny found himself staring down the barrel of a Desert Eagle.

"Get your hands up!” he ordered. “Give me the girl, now!" The voice rumbled from the man's throat like thunder.

“Danny, what’s happening?”

He heard the frantic question, but his attention was focused on the gun. "Okay, man," Danny said, stepping forward, blocking Eleanor more with his body. As he did, he swept his left hand up in a blur, grasping the barrel of the weapon in a tight grip. The man grunted, and Danny directed the weapon down and right, moving it farther away from Eleanor and himself.

Startled pedestrians back pedaled across the sidewalk, scrambling out of the way, their screams alerting other walkers to the trouble. Danny was grateful they had moved to a safer distance and given him more room to fight. He brought his right hand up, striking the man in the neck over his jugular, not hard enough to kill him—he had questions for this idiot—but it was a hard enough blow that the man should have trouble going anywhere without help. Danny maintained control of the gun as he struck, then moved his right hand down to the D’Eagle, brought his hand under the weapon and grasped it—twisting it until he heard the man's trigger finger break with a sharp crack.

His assailant howled in pain. "You broke my finger!"

Danny twisted the weapon back a quarter of a turn and pulled the gun out of the man's wounded hand. Then he stepped away, weapon pointed at his assailant, “On the ground,” he ordered. He turned his head slightly, looking for Eleanor, but before he could spot her, a second man came up behind him, wrapping his arm around Danny's neck, and shoved the barrel of a gun to his head.

“Drop it!”

Danny fought a groan as he let the weapon fall to the sidewalk. He couldn’t let the other man get his hands on that again. As the first man reached for his weapon, Danny kicked it, sending it skidding and spinning under a parked car. The second man tightened his grip around Danny’s neck at the movement.

“That was a stupid move. You tryin' to get yourself shot?”

Danny raised his hands, bringing them closer to the man’s arms. “I hear you, man. No problem.” With his hands now in position, he abruptly grabbed the barrel of the weapon with his right hand and shoved it to the side, moving it away from his head, carefully keeping it from pointing at anyone else. Danny brought his right hand up, palm flat against the back of the weapon. Then bent forward, extending his arm to move the weapon farther away from his assailant and gain control of it. He flattened out the weapon, making sure the barrel was pointed down, and delivered an elbow strike to his second attacker—one to the man's solar plexus, one to the side of the neck, and then he stepped off and delivered a punishing back kick that doubled the man over and left him gasping for air.

He raised the weapon, pointing it between the two men. “Get down,” he ordered. But the men scrambled away from him, shoving bystanders into the line of fire, and eyed him warily as they retreated to the Audi.

Danny held the weapon low and followed them into the street, making note of their license plate, then he bent down to retrieve the D’Eagle. When he straightened to check on Eleanor, he found an empty sidewalk where she had once been standing. He ran along the concrete, frantically searching the gawking crowd, ignoring the claps and cheers. He had nothing to celebrate.

Eleanor’s face wasn’t among the crowd.

She was gone.

The Writer and Their Informants

2011-07-29T09:34:00.003-06:00

There is an old police saying: "Good informant, good case. Bad informant, bad case. No informant, no case."

In a criminal investigation, the police need to be resourceful when gathering information. Often police are faced with the fact that they don't have much to go on. They have no eyewitnesses and they don't have much in the way of evidence. One of the things they do in a case like this is rely on informants. If you have ever seen Starsky and Hutch, you know those fictional officers often turned to their informant, Huggy Bear. He consistently gave them some crucial piece of information that helped them solve the case. That's TV, but the principle is true in the real world. Informants are critical in law enforcement, but they're actually more of a last resort than a first one.

Now with the Internet, we see a new type of informant. And often, the person doing the 'informing' is the subject of the investigation. Many cases have been solved because the person who committed a crime actually posted a video of it on YouTube or bragged about it on his or her Facebook page. Virtual informants. This 'crowd sourcing' is being used more and more by police -- both state and federal -- and also by a wide variety of other agencies looking for information. You've used it yourself if you've ever 'googled' anyone on the Internet.

In my novel, Sleeping with Skeletons, spies are my informants. (Trailer above).

Do you use informants in your stories? If you're writing a crime story or even a romance, you probably have some kind of informant. Who is yours? If you don't have an informant in your story, do you think your story would benefit from adding one?

Having trouble leaving comments on your own blog?

2011-06-14T10:34:00.003-06:00

I was unable to respond to comments. I've since found out what the problem was. If you are having trouble replying to comments left on your blog, here are two suggestions: When you login, uncheck 'remember me', then try to leave a comment.

If that doesn't work, and it didn't work for me, then try this: If you have the embedded below the post comment form in your comment settings, CHANGE TEMPORARILY to either the pop-up form or the whole page form. When the underlying problem has been resolved, you will be able to change back. That is what worked for me. If you are experiencing the same problem, I know how frustrating it is. Good luck with the issue.

What Not to do When You Get a Bad Review

2011-04-09T12:59:00.006-06:00

We've all heard the adage that "all publicity is good publicity." The controversy at Big Al's blog leaves that up for debate. I recommend reading the below post just so you'll know the absolute worst way to respond to a bad review. It's always better to learn from someone else's mistakes than it is to learn from our own.

http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html

I will say this, Ms. Jacqueline Howett's public meltdown has certainly helped her book sales. Her ranking at Amazon for The Greek Seaman isn't that bad. It's certainly better than her writing or her grammar. I'm sure the rank would be much worse if she hadn't shot herself in both feet and become a public byword on Twitter and Facebook. At present there are 95 reviews of her book at Amazon, and the only positive ones are either satirical or no doubt left by her.

I hope Ms. Howett is doing okay, though. I'm actually concerned about her. She's had an incredibly rough two weeks. She brought it on herself, but she is still a person with feelings and deserves at least some compassion. We don't know what was going on in her life to have caused such a reaction. Whatever it was, I hope she recovers from it sooner rather than later.

Also, on a completely different note, I was recently interviewed at The Character Depot. If you'd like to read that, you can find it here:

http://thecharacterdepot.blogspot.com/2011/03/take-five-withdoralynn-kennedy.html

Thanks for visiting!

Calling Good Writers Who Love to Write Bad

2011-02-16T08:48:00.018-07:00

Today, I'm going over my favorite contest in the whole, wide world... well, next to Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Awards competition. I'm talking about the infamous Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest -- which was actually won by my friend Molly Ringle recently -- the lovely and talented author of The Ghost Downstairs.

Bulwer-Lytton is for anyone who can turn out a bad sentence, and I mean a really bad sentence. So, if you can't get anyone to recognize you for your great writing talent, try getting them to recognize you for your awful writing talent. Here are the rules according to their website http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/:

Each entry must consist of a single sentence but you may submit as many entries as you wish. Sentences may be of any length but they strongly recommend that entries not go beyond 50 or 60 words. Entries must be "original" and previously unpublished. Mailed-in entries should be submitted on index cards, the sentence on one side and the entrant's name, address, and phone number on the other.

E-mail entries should be in the body of the message, NOT IN AN ATTACHMENT (and they say it would be really swell if you submitted your entries in Arial 12 point font). One e-mail may contain multiple entries. E-mail address: srice (the at thingy) pacbell (and the dot thingy) net

Entries will be judged by categories, from "general" to detective, western, science fiction, romance, and so on. There will be overall winners as well as category winners. The official deadline is April 15th, but the deadline may be extended as late as early June. The contest accepts submissions every day of the year.

Wild Card Rule: "Resist the temptation to work with puns like "It was a stark and dormy night.""

And as they say at their site, "Finally, in keeping with the gravitas, high seriousness, and general bignitude of the contest, the grand prize winner will receive . . . a pittance." (Plus LOTS of media exposure.) So, send in those entries:

Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest Department of English San Jose State University San Jose, CA 95192-0090,

or If you send you entries electronically, don't do like me and forget to include your name, phone number, and addresses--(both home and e-mail). And they do mention that it is merely for contacting you and not passing on for public consumption). And though it might not seem like it, winning this is actually quite prestigious. Winners usually go on to be interviewed on TV, radio, and in newspapers. So, have fun and good luck in the competition.

Doralynn Kennedy

Contests and Conferences

2011-02-12T09:55:00.002-07:00

I've decided that I really need to dust this blog off and put the space to good use. I thought concentrating on writing contests and conferences for a while might be a good reentry into the blogging world. Hopefully, someone is still following this blog, but I certainly understand if they aren't. I haven't exactly been following them. If anyone does comment, I promise to reciprocate... just tell me where to find your blog -- in case I don't know.

The Annual Writer's Digest Competition is open. They are giving away more than $30,000 in cash and prizes, including a trip to the Writer's Digest Conference in New York City. Their Grand Prize is $3,000 cash and the aforementioned trip. Writer's Digest will fly you and a guest if you win. They'll also arrange a meeting with four editors or agents.

Deadline: May 2, 2011.
Late Deadline: May 20, 2011.
Add $5 per manuscript or poem to Entry Fee(s) on all entries submitted between May 3 and May 20.

Poems are $15 for the first entry, $10 for each additional poem. All other entries are $25 for the first manuscript; $15 for each additional manuscript.

For more information, see their website:

http://www.writersdigest.com/annual

Writer's Digest is also running another contest. It's the 19th Annual Self-Published Book Awards which is Co-sponsored by Book Marketing Works, LLC

More than $17,000 in prizes.

DEADLINE: April 15, 2011

You could win $3,000 in cash, gain international exposure for your book, and catch the attention of prospective editors and publishers.

Writer's Digest is searching for the best self-published books of the past few years, so here's your chance to enter the only competition exclusively for self-published books.

If you're looking for a good conference, the 19th annual Pikes Peak Writers Conference will be held Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 1, 2011 at the Marriott Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

This year’s theme is “Blaze the Write Trail!”

You can workshop, hear motivational speeches, and gain networking opportunities. There will be Read & Critique sessions, and you will get the chance to pitch your manuscript to some of the most sought-after editors and agents in the business.

2011 Pikes Peak Writers Conference is also affordable and high caliber.

Location:

Colorado Springs Marriott
5580 Tech Center Drive
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80919
(719) 260-1800

Cost:

$395 - PPW Conference

$50 - Thursday Add-on (In addition to regular paid Conference)

$90 - Thursday ONLY (No Friday-Sunday Conference)

Late registration (after April 1) is $435

http://www.pikespeakwriters.com/html/ppwc.html

You can also find more contests here:
http://www.writers-editors.com/Writers/Contests/contests.htm

Including one for America's Got Stories. They are running a national short story contest with a "supernatural" theme. Your work can be fiction or nonfiction, 2,500 – 5,000 words. Awards: The top twenty or so stories will be published in print and for online download on a Kindle or iPad (with full royalties for the writers), and the author of the best story will also win an Apple iPad.

Entry fee: $25.
Students, military, and seniors: $20.
E-mail for lower group/class rate.

Deadline: February 28, 2011. Info: http://www.AmericasGotStories.com.

Check back soon for more contests and conferences. Let me know if you have location preferences for the conferences if you leave comments. I'll do my best to find something close to you that you can attend.

Thanks! I hope you enjoy the post.

CTR Contest - $15 Amazon Gift Certificate

2010-09-14T15:52:00.005-06:00

I forgot to post this.

I'm the Cover Time Author at Coffee Time Romance this month. If you go to http://www.coffeetimeromance.com, you'll see my book cover for SLEEPING WITH SKELETONS at the top, left of the page.

My cover is also available as an e-card in the 'ecard' section.

I'm also running a contest there. Here's the link for that: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/ContestPage.html

I hope you'll go check that out and enter the contest. You can find the answers to their questions at my website: http://www.doralynn.net -- you'll also need to look at the About Me page once you get there.

Good luck in the contest.
Doralynn

Reasons for Rejection

2010-08-30T16:07:00.005-06:00

First, Molly interviewed me at her blog recently. Here's that link for anyone who's interested. http://lemonlye.livejournal.com/226123.html

Also, I found a fascinating post by Angela James at the blog for Carina Press. It's entitled, "Reasons for Rejection." She gives permission to pass it on, so I thought I'd do that in case you haven't seen this. I found it really helpful, and I'm sure these reasons apply to other publishers--and to agents as well.

Here's her article. There is a link at the bottom so you can go to her blog and read some of her other posts.

Reasons for rejection

Angela James February 12th, 2010

Yesterday I blogged about why we are unable to do personalized rejections, so I thought it would be helpful to follow up with ten main reasons that manuscripts are rejected. What I’ve done is sorted through the reports editors have sent me over the past few months and grabbed clips from them to highlight various reasons manuscripts are rejected. The names of the editors are withheld to protect the (mostly) innocent. What I’m showing here is the ten themes repeated over and over in the rejection reports I received and I selected only a sampling of quotes to share, to give you insight into the editors’ thought process. Also, I think it should be noted that often rejection is for a combination of these reasons, and indeed, some of these clips came from the same report. The exception to that is probably number four, as unsophisticated writing is often a standalone reason for rejection.

1. The manuscript doesn’t catch the reader’s attention from the start.

“I kept turning pages wondering when the author would stop telling me things and let the action actually start.”
“…major info dumps in the first few chapters that slowed the pacing to a crawl.”
“…There is way too much irrelevant backstory at the beginning that slows down the pacing and does not directly affect the immediate plot.”
“…I’m also not sure where the story is going—it seems like it wanders leisurely through the narrative, rather than having a focused plot.”
“Nothing happens in the prologue or chapter one except the heroine thinking and establishing the backstory…”

2. The story doesn’t stand out as fresh or unique.

“No matter how good a story, starting with a [common urban fantasy theme] starts you at the disadvantage of being utterly derivative. In an overcrowded genre, there needs to be something really unique to the writing or world-building to make that scenario stand out, and nothing here does.”

3. The author has included too many unimportant details and not enough important details

“…the narrative was too focused on the superficial chicklit aspects (her hair, her clothes, her dating) at the expense of pacing and plotting.”
“The story gets bogged down by backstory, dream sequences, repetition…”

4. The writing just isn’t there (I could have divided this up, as it’s so broad)

“This is the author’s first novel and it shows, with many new-writer problems: too much narrative, thought & flashbacks vs. present action, POV problems, cliché situations and characters, and odd switches between past/present tenses.”
“…the writing was clumsy—especially in the overuse of adjectives.”
“…had a bunch of awkward dialogue and lacked characterization. The author has a problem with telling instead of showing.”
“…This manuscript has very confusing changes in POV, character identity, time and place; and I could barely follow it even with the synopsis.”
“…her writing is very tell-ish with constant play by play by play and jarring word choices. Also, the hero and heroine’s internal thoughts are cheesy and unrealistic.”
“…the descriptions and dialogue are full of clichés.”
“The writing here is capable but not engaging. It can also be a bit repetitive…”
“…it’s riddled with grammatical errors, misspellings, and choppy scenes…”
“The writing lacks energy and doesn’t flow smoothly, with overlong sentences interrupted with many appositives…”
“The writing lacks subtlety and there’s too much telling, a lot of redundancies/repetition, with the first-person narrator thinking something before expressing the same thing in dialogue…”
“…some of the language took me right out of the moment and made me laugh…”
“It’s riddled with clichés and repetition, including portions where the same actions are repeated from different characters’ POV with no added depth or insight into their importance. In fact, it could probably be cut in half with the elimination of all the repetition and not lose anything in the way of story.”
“…tendency toward overnaming, wherein several characters who we meet once are named, but the numerous names aren’t unique enough to prevent confusion when some other new, insignificant character appears later. Not every character needs a name, and to have so many takes up space in my brain that should be left for the story’s main conflict.”

5. The voice of the manuscript/characters doesn’t work

“The first person voice in this manuscript feels off—too young and casual—and not particularly likable.”
“My biggest problem with this contemporary romance is that it is meant to by funny, but the humor feels forced. The voice just didn’t win me over…”
“…problematic because the heroine is carrying the story, and I just don’t like her voice. She comes across as snotty and shallow instead of strong, and she assumes a level of friendship with me as the reader that I can’t reciprocate”

6. The reader can’t connect to the characters, they’re not fully realized or believable

“The characters do not inspire caring; they’re rather like cardboard cutouts doing what the plot says to do.”
“I never warmed up to the heroine as a reader (she’s so shrill!).”
“…the flat characterization is the real deal breaker.”
“…the characters almost come off as two-dimensional. And the character development lacks skillful handling…”
“…despite the wittiness, the heroine was unlikable, and she never really grew or learned anything.”
“The characterizations devolve into caricatures: the gay friend, boss’s evil wife and even more evil mother.”
“…secondary characters feel like they act almost cartoonish at times…”
“The lack of emotional engagement in the story, either with page-turning action or relating closely to the characters, makes it hard for me to feel passionately about a ms.”

7. The story requires too much suspension of disbelief

“…the historical accuracy of some major plot points made me question how likely they were to happen…”
“This one was tough for me, and the reason for the rejection comes down to my inability to suspend disbelief to believe in the premise that joins hero/heroine and provides the driving conflict for the story.”
“In addition to these plot issues, the hero often speaks in romance novel narrative e.g. ‘I’ve been wanting to bury myself in your heat since I met you.’ And he thinks gooey thoughts too soon, too often and too gooey”

8. The manuscript starts well but doesn’t follow through

“…one of those books that begins with a really intriguing premise…”
“The set up promised…but, in the end, failed to deliver.”
“The ending lacks oomph.”
“So the whole motivation/stakes that initially propelled the story collapses…”

9. Unnecessary subplots

“The subplot…didn’t really add much to the story. They didn’t make me care any more about the heroine and actually made me like her less. I was left wondering what their purpose in the story was supposed to be, since her actions surrounding them actually weakened her characterization”
“…this is a plot element in the story I feel is completely unnecessary.”

10. The conflict wasn’t sustainable

“I like this author’s voice very much, it’s fresh and has good energy and is written cleanly. I like the h/h and their backstories and I love the snappy dialogue and vivid descriptions. But…the story itself didn’t sustain my interest.”
“There’s no hook, no compelling conflict or plot or page-turning tension…”
“The story bogs down, with scenes that feel too similar to what came before. It lacks set-backs and the sense of escalating conflict.”
“The ending also lacks the emotional punch I’m looking for…”
“While I like the story, I don’t love it, it didn’t build to a big enough climax, and it didn’t wow me.”
“In terms of the internal conflict and characterizations, it’s all out there at the outset, there is nothing much else that the reader discovers about them as events unfold…”
“H/h meet…fall into insta lust… It has no compelling conflict…”
“…conflict don’t grab me, and the story doesn’t feel suspenseful…”

Next week, I’ll follow up with clips from acquisition recommendation reports. What worked for the editors? I’ll give you an idea next week!

Well, I hope you found her article as useful as I did. Here's her link:

http://carinapress.com/blog/2010/02/reasons-for-rejection/

Retired, Extremely Dangerous

2010-08-21T13:37:00.006-06:00

My publisher sent out a letter not long ago. They were contacted by Hollywood a few months back asking them to provide romantic suspense novels to be used as props in their upcoming Bruce Willis movie, RED. The movie has a great cast, including Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Richard Dreyfuss, Ernest Borgnine. So The Wild Rose Press sent out their entire Crimson Rose line — what they had in stock, anyway. And since my novel is a Crimson Rose, and was most likely in stock, it is quite possible that Sleeping With Skeletons has been on the set of a Bruce Willis movie for the last few months.

In the movie, Bruce Willis’s girlfriend likes to read romantic suspense novels. And if you watch trailer #1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMCh4etBbkU, you’ll see Sarah reading one of our books in the scene where Bruce Willis calls her at work. Unfortunately, the title can't be seen, so I have no way of knowing if it's my book, but the odds are only 1 in 160 that it is.

It looks like a great movie. I intend to go see it when it comes out, which will be October 15th. If you go see it, I hope you’ll help me look for my title, Sleeping with Skeletons.

You can read more about this and see another one of their trailers at my publisher’s website. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

A Big House with an Open Door

2010-07-12T15:05:00.002-06:00

Not many large publishing houses accept queries directly from writers. Most big houses won't read a manuscript unless it comes through an agent, but there are times that it seems easier to get a rocket to the moon than to get a manuscript to an agent.

Not a problem with Kensington Books. If you check out their submission guidelines, you'll discover that they accept queries for fiction and non-fiction, but they no not publish science fiction, fantasy, or poetry.

If you want to send them a query for fiction, they ask for the first three chapters and a synopsis no longer than five pages.

For non-fiction, they require a cover letter, query, and summary -- along with the writer's qualifications and connections as they pertain to the book's content.

You may query only by e-mail -- no attachments, and if an editor is interested, he or she will respond based on the material you sent in your query.

They state to allow at least three months for a response. If you wait a long time without hearing from them, it generally means they are not interested.

If you're interested in finding out more about Kensington Books, here is the link for their submission guidelines. http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/finditem.cfm?itemid=14298

Happy Submitting.

Doralynn

The Wild Rose Press

2010-07-07T20:02:00.006-06:00

I'm working on a new novella for my publisher since they are actively seeking short stories. The Wild Rose Press is a romance publisher, but there are several categories within the genre.

My novel, Sleeping With Skeletons, was published in their Crimson Rose line -- which is their Mystery & Suspense or their Romantic Suspense line. But they also publish other types of romances, including: Paranormal, American and Non-American Historical, Classic Romance, Western Historicals and Contemporary Cowboys -- among others. Their e-books range from 7,500 words to 65,000 words. Manuscripts that are over 65,000 words are also published as print books. They have a free reads section at their website, so you might want to drop in and read a few of those. Also, some of their short stories are as little as .99 cents to download.

If you go to their site index at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/, you'll find a variety of links, one of which outlines their submission guidelines. They have some entertaining articles, including one on what constitutes a romance -- in case you don't know. One of the nice things about this publisher is that it is becoming a pretty big fish in the Print on Demand market. Another thing I like about them is that they accept manuscript submissions from unagented authors. So, if you don't have an agent, and you're looking for a home for your romance manuscript, this is a good choice. I can tell you from experience that this house has the welcome mat out.

While you're there, I hope you will visit my author page. You can look for my name, Doralynn, in the drop down author's menu, or just Click Here. You might also want to bookmark that page so you can keep an eye out for any new stories from me. Or you can follow my blog or visit my main website to find out more information. If you go to my main website, you can read the reviews for Sleeping With Skeletons or watch the novel's video trailer. Here's that link: http://www.doralynn.net/.

I'll write about more publishers in future posts, as well as agents, so I hope you'll check back soon for those updates.

Thanks for reading.
Doralynn

How to Give to Charities with Free Clicks

2010-06-22T18:21:00.008-06:00

Many of us want to give more to charity. We want to do more to make a difference in the world and in the lives of others. Quite often the thing that keeps us from giving more than we do is our wallet, but there are ways to give that don't cost anything -- except a little bit of time.

The below charities are great ways to give. All it takes is one click a day at the site or sites of your choice. No matter what your "cause" is, there is a way to help that doesn't involve your checkbook or credit card.

This may seem too good to be true. How can you give to a charity by clicking on a banner? The answer is advertising sponsors. Every day when you click on the site of your choice, you will be taken to a confirmation page. The sponsors will be listed there. It's an ingenious idea. Not only have they found a unique way to advertise their business, but they are helping others at the same time. They pay for clicks, just like advertisers at Google or Yahoo pay for clicks. The difference is that these advertisers are sponsoring charities with those clicks - and hoping to gain new customers in the process.

Here are some of the sites that raise money for charities through advertising dollars.

http://www.ripple.org/buttons.html
There are four buttons at Ripple. They provide water, food, education, and money.

At Ripple you can click to give 6 days access to clean water. "When Wateraid provides a community with ongoing and sustainable access to clean water and sanitation the net cost per person is $30. Over twenty five years (WaterAid projects will continue for the life of a community) the average cost to provide water per day is $0.0033. For 2c (the lowest amount raised per click) this equates to 6 days access to clean water and sanitation."

At Ripple you can also click to help a village feed itself.

Another project at Ripple is access to education. "The Oaktree Foundation is currently raising money to help build schools in East Timor, one of the poorest nations in the world. $25 will cover the cost of opening up a full 7 years of primary school education for a child at one of the schools built by Oaktree and its partners in East Timor. This equates to $3.55 for one year of primary education for a child and 2c (the lowest amount raised per click) equates to 2 days of primary education."

And at Ripple you can click to finance a $100 loan for a day. "10 cents represents the daily interest that Grameen pays to finance $400 that it then lends to a poor borrower. Thus 10 cents a day can maintain a $400 loan for someone to start their own business and lift themselves out of poverty. Your click will raise at least 2c, enough to finance approximately $100 of that loan today."

http://www.bhookh.com/
7000 people die of starvation everday in India. One click will donate a cup of staple food to a hungry Indian through the UN.

http://www.care2.com/click-to-donate/children/
Your free click generates donations from their sponsors. You may click once a day, every day. 100% of the donations raised go directly to Children International to help children and families overcome poverty through child sponsorship. At the time that this post was written, free clicks had provided 595 months of Children International child sponsorship.

After you click that link, look to the left. You can also click to donate to a variety of different charities. These charities fund the preservation of rainforest, big cats, pets, seals, oceans, primates, and wolves; or you can click to fight violence against women and breast cancer. Click on whichever cause you're interested in helping.

http://www.thehungersite.com/
One click every day will provide 1.1 cups of staple food to the hungry, without costing you a single cent. This website also has similar free charity programs to raise money for mammograms, children's health, literacy, conservation and animal rescue. It's easy to click on all of these. You can also play games to raise money for charity as well. Some of the games are addictive, so word of warning there. You can also send free e-cards. Some are really cool. They don't add anyone to a mailing list, but they do let the recipient know about their site.

http://www.thebiblesite.org/
One click every day will provide 1 book of the Bible to persecuted Christians, without costing you a penny.

http://www.hungrychildren.com/
Their sponsors donate $25.00 to feed hungry children for every 1000 visitors.

http://www.solvepoverty.com/
One click donates 0.05 Euro towards the cost of resources and activities supporting the development of education projects in poor areas of the world.

http://www.landcareniagara.com/
Click here to plant a tree in the Niagara area.

http://www.giveusahome.co.uk/banners/banner1.htm
Clicking here donates a bag of pet food to a shelter. This page doesn't always load properly, but if you mouse over the "missing banners" you can tell where to click.

http://www.theenvironmentsite.org/donate.php
Clicking here helps protect the enviornment. All money raised goes to the Surrey Wildlife Trust.

http://www.giveaminute.org/
One click provides one minute of healthcare. Sometimes, all it takes to save a life is one minute.

http://www.ecologyfund.com/
Many different ecology charities.

http://www.chintai.net/contribution/
1 yen donated to Medicins Sans Frontieres for each click on the ‘cup’

http://www.craigresearchlabs.com/cancer.html
Click on the "I Fight Cancer" button to make a donation to fund cancer research. You may click once per day.

http://www.cancerdemama.com.br/5index.htm
Click to sponsor free breast cancer scans - Click the image on left that says “ajude com seu clique” This one is in Brazil.

http://www.hungerfighters.com/
Daily clicks donate one cup of free food to fight hunger.

http://www.porloschicos.com/PorLosChicos.NET/index_english.htm
Feed kids in Argentina.

http://www.pajacyk.pl/
Click the puppet that says “Kliknig Tu!” to feed children in schools in Poland.

http://www.nippn.co.jp/csr/unicef/oneclick.html
UNICEF - Click the globe to help a poor child in Japan.

http://www.habitat.pl/aktualnosci.aspx
Habitat for Humanity in Poland. At the top left of the site is a moving green banner, click that. Clicking here helps Habitat for Humanity build homes in Poland.

http://www.fandonation.com/
This is a fun way to provide shelter for abused and homeless children. A few seconds of music from a sponsoring musician will play when you click on the buttons. You can make donations by clicking once per day; however, there are 5 buttons and each button is a separate donation. Therefore, you can click on all 5 buttons and donate 5 times -- and, at the same time, you can listen to some great artists who need the exposure.

http://youthnoise.com/playcity/page/j1c
Currently, Open Road is trying to get 100,000 clicks in the month of June. If they do, they will earn $500 to help children in New York City. You can click multiple times per day here.

http://www.oneclickatatime.org/
Click the different categories in the menu on the left of the page. This is a directory of numerous charities where you can click free to give. There is crossover to the above list, but there are many charities not covered above. Some of their links no longer work though, and a couple of the broken links have caused my computer to freeze.

The categories listed at the above site are: Animal Charities, Environmental Charities, Health Charities, Hunger Charities, Children Charities, Womens Charities, Homeless Charities, and many other charities.

Consistently giving a little time every day, and telling others about these sites, does make a difference. It's certainly better than doing nothing at all.

Words Spilled White Paper

2010-06-21T22:00:00.006-06:00

I consider this written Rorschach.

Most of my poetry was lost when my basement flooded ... this was before I decided I liked computers. After that I started saving all my poetry online. Then my computer crashed. Once again ... no more poetry. That was when I decided I hated computers. Now I save everything I write in half a dozen places. I've learned my lesson.

Most of the poetry I write now is a version of Chaiku and is for my travelogue. This is one of the few poems that is not Chaiku or based on my travels. Like my poem Swan Stone, it has been very well received by several reviewers.

Words Spilled White Paper

watered down whiskey
ice chinks
chipped glass
smoke circling
eyes squinted
desk papered
rolled back
stuttered music drifts forward
then dims moves back
light filtered
dusty remnants
earths orbit moons pass
nonsense written
scribbled tilted
mass erased
sticky morass
graphite lines meander slowly
poet unlaureate drips drab
words spilled white paper
countless versions
visionless past

Swan Stone

2010-05-08T13:14:00.007-06:00

I imagine that, like you, there is never enough time. I've been very busy, and it has gotten in the way of making regular posts to my blog. I decided to do something about that. It seemed the easiest way was to post some of my poems.

This first poem is inspired by King Ludwig II who was declared insane without being examined and later drowned under mysterious circumstances. He was found dead -- along with the psychiatrist who declared him insane. Many believe he was murdered for his sexual preference and his extravagant penchant for building beautiful castles. The castle in this poem is Neuschwanstein Castle - New Swan Stone Palace, or the castle of the Swan Knight. This poem is a version of Chaiku, and it's one of the poems from my travelogue. It has actually been well received by several critics.

Castle looms, forests rise
winding through the countryside
Branches snap, leaves crunch
Vivid scent, wood's rust

Ground fog and evergreens
horses hooves, fall scene
Lower gate, broad embrace
Come within and contemplate

White and dreamy fairytale
madman's doomed dark spell
Demons locked, did escape
leading to Ludwig's fate

Genius of fallen king
soared upon castle wings
Wicked stories, foolish stance
Death awaits his extravagance

Pass down your sentence
and then stand alone
It's history's long record
writes the ultimate tome

I hope you enjoyed the poem. One more thing before I wrap up today. I've updated my website. If you haven't visited in a while, drop in and check out the changes. http://www.doralynn.net/

Thanks for reading.
Doralynn

And the winner is...

2010-04-01T08:03:00.006-06:00

The winner of this month's prize -- a $25 gift certificate to Red Lobster and an e-book copy of Sleeping with Skeletons -- is David Kelly. So, congratulations to David! Please e-mail me through the contact page of my website at: http://www.doralynn.net. If there isn't a Red Lobster where you live, I can also send a money order or pay that through PayPal. I believe you have read the book, so if you don't want the e-book copy of SWS, let me know, and I'll have my son draw another winner for that.

That ends this particular contest; however, I will be running more contests in the future. There should be one coming up at LASR in May -- unless I missed the deadline for my essays.

If you need more information about all contests that I run, be sure to check the contest page of my web site at:
http://www.doralynn.net/contest.html.

Check that page periodically to see if I am running any new contests. And be sure to check back here later to find out if David wants to give his e-book copy of SWS to someone else.

Thank you to everyone who participated!

Doralynn

Five Hearts Review from The Romance Studio!

2010-03-02T11:34:00.004-07:00

The reviews are slowly trickling in. So far I've had a 'Best Book' review at LASR, and Sleeping With Skeletons was also voted 'Best Book of the Week' there. I was given a 'You Gotta Read' review at You Gotta Read. Both of those are the highest ratings those sites give. Romantic Times Magazine even gave SWS a good review, which is like getting gold out of a coal mine. And now I have a Five Heart Review from The Romance Studio, which is their highest rating. Tastes differ, of course, and so I'm really thrilled by all these great reviews to date. Here's what The Romance Studio wrote about Sleeping With Skeletons:

~

Margret is in hiding. She needs a place to recover and put herself back together. There are rules you need to follow to stay alive when hiding. Margret knows them all intimately and yet finds herself unable to maintain those rules. She has moved to a new country and found a secluded place to lay low and lick her wounds. A verbal sparring with Aiden Grimes, a local boy turned famous actor, was maybe not the way to remain unnoticed. Aiden had become a distant memory, someone she met the night her life went to hell. Now Margret finds herself attracted to him and has to work at staying out of his limelight. Threats are coming at her from all angles and from unexpected foes. Getting involved with Aiden, or any of the towns’ people for that matter, could put them at risk. Can Margret build a new life or will her nightmares take shape and ruin all plans for her new life?

What a great read! Kennedy writes with a pulsating rhythm that drives the reader deeper into the story. Margret is a heroine with such a strong persona you can see her in real life. The twists and turns make this story a page turner. The surprises that pop up make it both heart wrenching and finger twisting at the same time. When Margret takes on the town bad guys you stand up and cheer it is about time; while secretly you marvel at the craftiness of her revenge and wish you had thought of it. Each character adds new dimension to the plot. There are times you are unsure from where the threat is coming. Is it the tormentor of Margret’s nightmares, Aiden’s scorned lover or someone one who should have been her ally? This book is a definite recommend.

~

If you'd like to read that at their site, here is the link: TRS.

And if you'd like to view the trailer for SWS, I've included it below.

Thanks.

Doralynn

This Month's Winner is Cathryn

2010-03-01T18:21:00.005-07:00

The winner of this month's e-book copy of Sleeping with Skeletons is Cathryn. So, congratulations to Cathryn. Please e-mail me through the contact page of my website at: http://www.doralynn.net/.

The contest I am currently running through my web site runs for one more month. The drawing at the end of this month is for a $25 gift card to Red Lobster. If there is no Red Lobster in your area, I can either send a payment through PayPal or money order. I have been collecting all the entries from the last several months and will continue collecting entries through this month. The winner will be drawn from those entries.

If you need more information about the contest, and all contest that I run, be sure to check the contest page at my web site at: http://www.doralynn.net/contest.html.

Check that page periodically to see if I am running any new contests. I have a new one coming up in May, so be sure to check for the details on that one in April or May.

Good luck to everyone!

Doralynn

Win a $25 Gift Certificate for Amazon

2010-02-23T12:29:00.004-07:00

I just did an interview at The Long and Short of It. I am also running a contest there. The winner receives is a $25 gift certificate for Amazon, so check out the link to enter: LASR

I am also hosting a chat there tomorrow, Wednesday, February 24th, so check out the link for more information about that.

Here is my interview:

The Long and the Short of It is pleased to have Doralynn Kennedy with us today. Doralynn’s debut novel, Sleeping With Skeletons, was released by The Wild Rose Press last fall.

She’s currently working on a crime book she’s absolutely in love with called Spiders and she thinks it’s the best manuscript she’s ever written. “I consider it a cross between Tami Hoag and Stephen King,” she told me. “I don’t want to give anything away, but I can tell you that the crime my villain commits in this book has never been done before.”

She admits her favorite author changes frequently, but said that, currently, her favorite is Tami Hoag.

“I have a law enforcement background and many of her books center around characters who are in law enforcement. She has a great grasp on how cops think and act. Her characters are completely convincing,” she explained. “I swear they’re in the room with me. It takes a real talent to bring characters to life in such a vivid way. She also writes an engaging mystery that keeps me turning the page. But mainly, I think I just love the leading men in her books.”

Mr. McIntyre, her 8th and 9th grade English teacher, started Doralynn writing. He gave his students contracts at the beginning of the year, and the students could choose which grade they wanted to earn. The options were A, B, or C and each option required a different commitment. One of the things Doralynn had to do to earn the A she wanted was to write several short stories.

“That’s when I discovered I could write,” she said. “Mr. McIntyre started reading those stories to the class. It was exciting for me to hear my fellow students laughing at all of my jokes and cheering my characters on. One day I turned in a story, and he shook his head and gave it back. ‘I know what you’re capable of, and you can do better than that. Never do anything less than your best.’ It was the best piece of advice any teacher ever gave me.”

By the time she finished his class, she knew she was a writer and has been writing ever since.

“I’ve never been very practical, I’m afraid. Very few people actually succeed in this profession. There are so many hurdles to overcome. Not just the hurdle of writing something that’s good enough to be published. In some ways, that’s the easy part. It’s the hurdles you face after you’ve written the book. It’s so difficult to find an agent. And, the way things are now days, you can’t find a publisher unless you can find an agent first. But agents, if writers can get them to respond at all, typically turn away most queries with a form rejection letter. ‘It doesn’t meet our needs at present.’ Really? How would you know? You haven’t read it! It’s so frustrating. I just want to scream. It’s why so many writers are turning to small, print-on-demand publishing house—or just self-publishing. I’ve read some self-published work recently that was 10 times better than some of the books coming out of the big publishing houses by well-known authors.”

Doralynn is very much a “pantser.” She told me she doesn’t really develop her characters or plots—they develop themselves.

“With me, a first sentence pops into my head, and then I start writing,” she told me. “Within a few paragraphs, I have a general idea of what is going on, who my characters are, and what the plot is. But the story mostly writes itself. I just jot down the action as it plays out in my head. It’s almost like watching a movie and then telling others what I saw.”

She sees writer’s block as not really, in her case, a problem, but more just a natural rhythm in her writing life. “I don’t really do anything,” she said. “I enter into a long ice age where I just can’t write. Eventually the ice starts to thaw, and I start to write again—fast and furious.”

“What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?” I wondered.

“I think that’s a blend of the writer’s voice and the characters. If the characters don’t leap to life and jump off the page, then the book doesn’t work for me. But it doesn’t work if the writer’s voice doesn’t have a certain magic to it either. Some writers just have a writing style that pulls me into their world. A successful writer is almost like a snake charmer. They draw you into their story, and all you can hear is their music until you close the book. And if they’re really good, you still hear the music after the book is closed.”

Agatha Christie is the writer who most influenced Doralynn. She would walk to the library almost every day after class when she was in middle school and check out books. Usually, it was an Agatha Christie mystery she picked out.

“Her books gave me a love for mysteries that has lasted my whole life. They have also influenced my own writing. Generally, when I sit down to write, I’m sitting down to write a mystery,” she shared.

On a personal note, I asked Doralynn, “Do you really, really want a dog?”

“Well, I’m getting one—whether I really, really want it or not. My niece can’t take care of her dog anymore, and since my last cat just died, I’ve agreed to take Tequila. (Tequila. What kind of name is that for a dog? I’m not sure why, but all young girls nowadays name their pets after alcoholic beverages.) But I don’t really consider Tequila a dog. She’s a Chihuahua. She shakes constantly, weighs less than a pound, and reminds me of a terrified mouse. She’s incredibly sweet though, and she loves me. It’s hard to resist something that loves you—even if it is one of the strangest things you’ve ever seen.”

She hates how she looks in pictures. “I used to steal cameras from my friends and remove the film if I was on it,” she admitted. “I curse the invention of cell phones because someone is always taking my picture.”

“Do you have any strange handwriting habits, like capitalizing all your R’s or dotting your I’s with heart (or anything like that)?” I asked.

“Maybe, but it’s hard to tell. I can’t read my handwriting. I often look at it and think Who on earth wrote that?”

She claimed to be completely normal and without any strange habits, but when she was young (before the invention of Skittles and Starburst) she thought anything with a pretty color belonged in her mouth.

However, the strangest thing (besides crayons) she’s eaten would have to be octopus.

“That was an accident. I was traveling in Italy and stopped at a cafeteria. I thought I was getting some kind of chicken noodle dish,” she explained. “When I got to my table, I stuck my fork in, lifted the first bite, and stopped in mid-motion. Long, dangly legs like rubber bounced off my fork. There were little hairs and suction cups on my noodles. I turned to my traveling companion and asked what kind of noodle it was, and she informed me that it wasn’t a noodle. It was a squid. I decided to be very brave and try a nibble—which turned out to be a mistake. I gave it to my friend. Fortunately, she liked squid. I can honestly say that I prefer crayons to squid.”

“Have you ever made a crank phone call?”

“I grew up before caller ID, so yes. But they were silly little pranks that never terrorized anyone. We’d call, giggling, and ask stupid questions, like, ‘Say, is your refrigerator running?’ If they said ‘yes,’ we’d laugh hysterically and say, ‘Better go catch it!’ Then we’d hang up and our neighbor would call our mother and tell on us.”

Finally, I wanted to know what advice Doralynn would give to a writer just starting out.

“Not to give up and not to stop believing in themselves,” she said.” I think it’s important to study the craft—take classes, read books, join groups. Writing is like any other profession. It requires study and serious work. All of us, no matter how much innate talent we possess, can always improve. I know there are a lot of people who dream of being published, and many times they give up their dreams. Don’t do that. We miss out on so much because of that. I think the best advice I can give to aspiring authors is, ‘Don’t give up. Keep everlastingly at it.’ And remember what Mr. McIntyre told me, ‘Never do anything less than your best.’”

You can keep up with Doralynn on her blog, http://www.dlynnkennedy.blogspot.com/, and she will be visiting with us tomorrow at our Long and Short Romance Yahoo group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LongAndShortRomanceReviews/

I am running other contests as well. You can find out more information on them here: http://www.doralynn.net/contest.html.

Good luck in the contests!

Podcasting Gives Voice to Your Writing

2010-02-17T21:59:00.005-07:00

I’ve recently begun podcasting. It’s not writing related, but I do think podcasting is a great way to promote your writing projects. The different ways podcasting can be used by writers is only limited by their imagination. I’ve been listening to different podcasts. Some writers are broadcasting their poems or reading excerpts from their novels -- and even their entire novels in some cases. They may be selling songs, e-books, or audio books to go along with their podcast. Some writers have collaborative podcasts, and use their podcast to announce writing related news and conduct interviews. Others are using podcasts to teach the mechanics of writing or promoting.

It’s fairly easy to start podcasting. You just need a sound card and a microphone. If you have sound on your computer, then you should be fine. If you don’t have a microphone, you can pick one up at Office Depot or Best Buy for under $30. I purchased a great headset at Best Buy for $24, but I saw one online at Office Depot for under $5.

I signed up for an account with podbean.com. Originally, I was using Sound Recorder on my computer, but I didn’t care for it. For one thing, it only allows for sixty seconds of recording time. There is a way around that, and it wasn’t difficult to figure out. However, I didn’t like the sound quality that I ended up with. Even though it was a blank tape, I kept getting some static in the final recording.

Even though I write secular novels, I am a Christian, and my podcasts are mostly related to Bible Prophecy. After recording a few podcasts, I decided to switch over to mypodcast.com and give them a try. They have a great recorder that can be downloaded for free when you sign up with them. You can also earn money through commercials that are embedded in your podcast. Unfortunately, their website is confusing — to put it mildly — and not well thought out. I believe it is still in the beta stage, and it shows. I ended up going back to podbean.com.

There are many other podcasting sites, and a quick google search will help you track them down. I believe Blog Talk Radio is considered to be the best, but I found it confusing. However, it has many advantages that I like. They have a revenue sharing plan. You can earn commissions from commercials that air during your podcast. You can also earn revenue from clicks to advertisements placed on your web page. They have an elaborate switchboard. Their podcasts are live. You call into the switchboard and talk. So, that's pretty simple. There is a line for guests to call in, and there are also lines for callers to call in on. So, it's a sophisticated set-up and very close to an actual radio program.

If you do decide to start podcasting, there is quite a bit of information online about how to get started. I lack the patience to wade through all of that, so I just jumped in and started podcasting. I found it to be straight forward. Podbean is very user friendly, and I had no trouble getting started. The site is very slow at times, so be sure to save your work frequently or you’ll lose it — especially if it takes several minutes to write out your post.

Your podcasts can even be subscribed to through iTunes. Which I think is pretty cool. You can also share them on Facebook, My Space, and at blogs.

Podcasting is a great way to promote your books and your self, but I find it to be somewhat addictive. I’m not very good at it, but I’m hoping I’ll improve with time. The episodes where I ad lib are by far the best, so it’s probably best to be prepared but still be flexible.

I believe most podcasting sites are free to join. However, if you plan to do quite a few podcasts, you’ll run out of disk and archive usage, so you will probably need to upgrade in order to continue podcasting. It’s inexpensive though, and it might be worth the small investment. I think it could help readers connect to you in ways that your written word might never achieve. It gives voice to your writing.

Sleeping with Skeletons Nominated for LASR's Best Book of 2009 and a New Contest

2010-02-01T10:19:00.006-07:00

First, the winner for January's contest is Susan L. You can contact me through the contact section of my website: http://www.doralynn.net/. And I will send you your e-book copy of Sleeping with Skeletons.

Also, for those interested in voting for Sleeping with Skeletons at Long and Short Reviews, here's the link:

http://www.longandshortreviews.com/promo.htm

The voting is active until February 14th. I hope some of you can vote for Sleeping With Skeletons.

Also, I have a contest running at Coffee Time Romance, and the prize is a $20 gift certificate for Amazon. Here's the link to the contest page. You have to scroll down to find mine.

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/ContestPage.html

I also have another contest coming up at Long and Short Reviews in May. I will be giving away another $20 gift certificate for Amazon. My other contest is still running as well. If you're not familiar with that, you can find out the details here:

http://www.doralynn.net/contest.html

I have an interview and chat at Long and Short Reviews coming up. Here are the dates for those: My interview and chat is scheduled for Tuesday, February 23, and Wednesday, February 24. I hope to see you there!

thanks, and good luck in the contests,
Doralynn

My Article at The Examiner

2010-01-17T21:55:00.007-07:00

Hello, I was contacted by The Seattle Examiner a few weeks ago and asked to write an article. That's been published now. You can see it at this link: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-31460-Seattle-Writing-Careers-Examiner~y2010m1d17-Doralynn-Kennedy-talks-about-novel-sentences-and-her-own-writing-skeletons#

I hope you'll take a look.

Also, I have some additional upcoming contests to announce. I'm running a contest at Coffee Time Romance during the month of February. I also have a contest coming up at LASR in February. I'll post more about those shortly. The gifts will be pretty good ones, so check back soon to find out more details.

One more thing, I changed my template, and I lost a lot of my information. I had backed up my old template, but when I reverted to it, some of the information was still gone. Breaks my heart. My apologies to those blogs I was following. The blog roll at the bottom of my home page was one of the casualties of my experiment. I'll work on getting that back up shortly.

Thanks,
Doralynn

December's Winner

2010-01-03T10:46:00.008-07:00

Hello, it's been a long time since my last post, but my computer crashed. I've been without a computer for weeks now, and I still don't have one, but I think I'll get mine back this week. It's creating a few problems. For one, I've been on duty for the past week, and that's 24 hour call, and because of the holidays, it's been very busy. I've been lucky to get on a computer that I could actually use for personal business. Because of that, I'm late announcing the winner of December's contest. Those congratulations go out to Jayda, who has won an e-book copy of Sleeping With Skeletons. I will be e-mailing her that copy shortly. Another problem is this blog. I am unable to remove Merry Christmas because Blogger wants to know what image I want to have removed. That image was on my computer, and, of course, that crashed. Most of that is backed up, but right now, I don't have access to it. So, it looks like it's going to be Christmas around here for a while.

I hope everyone enjoyed the Holidays. And I wish all of you (all 15 of you) the Best New Year Ever!

Doralynn

Print on Demand Publishing - The Underdog With a Big Bark.

2009-12-13T10:45:00.007-07:00

How accepted is Print on Demand publishing?

A quick check indicates not only a bias against Print on Demand (POD) publishing, there may even be active attempts to undermine it -- and from some pretty big challengers -- namely Borders, Baker and Taylor, some traditional publishers, and maybe even Romance Writers of America (RWA). Although to the latter, I have to say, "Please say it ain't so."

Traditional publishing is hurting. Fewer people read, and of those who do, there is a steady trend toward electronic formats. It seems to me that big publishers and many bookstores may have reason to fear POD publishers who primarily release e-books.

I think Ellora's Cave made enemies in high places with its impressive sales and unexpected successes. Ellora's Cave hit the big time in 2004 with over 2 million dollars in sales. It was featured on the cover of Romantic Times Magazine and has close ties with the magazine according to several online sources. According to a post at Absolute Write, Ellora's Cave had the distinction of being the first e-book publisher to be listed by RWA as a RITA eligible publisher. At the time, a RITA eligible publisher was defined as a "non-subsidy, non-vanity publisher that has released books on a regular basis via national distribution for a minimum of one year and has sold a minimum of 1,500 hardcover/trade paperback copies or 5,000 copies of any other format of a single fiction book or a novella or collection of novellas in book form."

RWA has since changed its guidelines, and the changes appear suspicious to me. It may not be accurate or fair, but I can't help but wonder if they were deliberately designed to make it harder for POD and e-book publishers to succeed and thereby challenge the traditional publishing model.

These are the current definitions of a RWA Eligible Publisher, Subsidy Publisher, and Vanity Publisher according to their website:

“Eligible Publisher” means a romance publisher that has verified to RWA in a form acceptable to RWA, that it: (1) is not a Subsidy Publisher or Vanity Publisher; (2) has been releasing romance novels via national distribution for no fewer than three years, with no fewer than two full-length romance novels or novel-length romance anthologies published in each of three consecutive years; (3) provides advances of at least $1,000 for all books; and (4) pays all authors participating in an anthology an advance of at least $500.

“Subsidy Publisher” means any publisher that publishes books in which the author participates in the costs of production in any manner, including publisher assessment of a fee or other costs for editing and/or distribution. This definition includes publishers who withhold or seek full or partial payment or reimbursement of publication or distribution costs before paying royalties, including payment of paper, printing, binding, production, sales or marketing costs.

“Vanity Publisher” means any publisher whose authors exclusively promote and/or sell their own books and publishers whose business model and methods of publishing and distribution are primarily directed toward sales to the author, his/her relatives and/or associates.

According to elements within the last definition, most POD publishers could be considered a 'vanity publisher' and not a RWA eligible publisher. Also, because these are small publishing houses, most are not able to pay those types of advances.

It's obvious that the industry equates POD with self-publishing, and that's simply inaccurate. It certainly shows a bias, mixed with an agenda -- namely an attempt to dissuade readers from turning away from big publishing houses and struggling bookstores like Borders to these upstart POD publishers. We've seen that big money is involved. Tiny little Ellora's Cave carved off a $2 million chunk of change in one year alone. Money that most likely would have gone to the big publishing houses and traditional bookstores. I don't imagine that went over well behind closed doors inside the industry.

According to Publishers Weekly and numerous online articles, Jasmine-Jade Enterprises, which is the parent company of Ellora’s Cave, filed a $1 million lawsuit against Borders and Baker & Taylor approximately one year ago, alleging that “churning,” or “ordering more books than one plans to sell in order to create a credit balance when those books are returned” is crippling not only them but the publishing industry as a whole. The lawsuit alleges breach of contract and fraud. Jasmine-Jade Enterprises had complained to Borders that the number of returns they were receiving was overwhelming them. Borders said it would no longer receive returns from them after the complaint, and Border's promised to only order enough of Jasmine's titles to meet demand. The suit maintains that Borders misled them. According to the lawsuit, Borders then “conspired” with the wholesaler, Baker and Taylor, to defraud Jasmine by routing returns through them instead. Jasmine no longer does business with Borders or B&T and claims that both companies owe them money.

Jasmine's claims may seem conspiratorial to some, but they seem credible to me in light of what happened at Triskelion. Triskelion, a POD and e-book publisher, cited Borders as one of the main reasons they filed for bankruptcy and closed their doors. Rumor has it they were never paid money owed them by Borders for sales. I can imagine the nightmare that closure created for the writers.

Even though Border's stocked Ellora's Cave paperbacks on their shelves at one time. Now, according to the clerks I spoke with, they won't even order a book if it's from a POD publisher -- any POD publisher. It appears that this fiasco with Borders is responsible for Ellora's cave severely cutting back their print section. Even if it does sound a bit conspiratorial, I'm on EC's side in this matter, and I wish them luck with their lawsuit. I know Borders motioned to have the suit dismissed, but I have not seen if that motion was successful. I certainly hope it wasn't.

This lawsuit is not new, but it only came to my attention recently after I visited my nearby Borders to order my novel, Sleeping With Skeletons. The clerks informed me that they don't carry POD books. They weren't even able to order it for me. There were some sellers who were offering it on Border's website, but those independent sellers were asking outrageous prices for it -- around $32.00. I can't imagine anyone paying that, especially since it's available at Amazon or Barnes and Noble for under $12.00.

After leaving Borders, I traveled across town to Barnes and Noble -- which is my favorite bookstore -- especially since I'm boycotting Borders -- and they were able to order the book. However, the clerk made a point of informing me that it was a Print on Demand book -- as if I should be aware of that in case I wanted to change my mind about ordering it. So, even though they carried it -- thankfully -- I couldn't help but notice the obvious bias the clerk had for my POD title.

Everyone who has attempted to find a publisher knows how difficult it is. Most big publishing houses won't accept queries from unagented writers, and most agents I've contacted haven't even answered my queries. As a result, many writers are turning to POD publishers because they accept queries from writers without agents. There are a lot of great books that never would have been published without the independent publishers. But this leads to a new problem for these writers. I have been looking for a publisher for my mystery and crime novel, SPIDERS. One of the publishers who accepted queries from unagented writers stated in their submission guidelines that they would not consider anyone who has self-published or been published by a POD publisher.

It seems to me that industry insiders have successfully cast POD in a disreputable light. The wagons are circling, trying to protect their territory. But to be fair and honest, I think many POD publishers are partly to blame for this. Many of them have published writers who never should have been published in the first place. Early on, I read some books from POD publishers that I couldn't even finish because they were so poorly written and edited. The cringe factor on those novels was so high it was staggering. But many POD publishers have become more selective. They certainly have a talented pool to fish from. As POD publishers continue improving the quality of their product, that should help remove some of the stigma. (At this point, since I am being forthcoming, many large publishing houses are guilty of this as well. I've read some atrocious books from big publishing houses. It seems the only reason those books were published was because the writer was well known and could produce sales.)

But publishing is changing, whether anyone likes it or not, and I think the ones who get in front of these changes will be the ones who survive and thrive. The ones who have been doing that are the POD publishers, but, so far, they've been getting slapped down pretty hard. Even if I weren't published by a POD publisher, I would still be rooting for the underdog. I hope they continue to rise up and take big bites out of all their pretentious detractors and underhanded insiders. I want big publishers and bookstores to do well, but not by destroying POD publishers and their writers.

This Month's Winner

2009-12-01T00:01:00.015-07:00

Congratulations to this month's winner of the Sleeping With Skeleton's contest, Lauri Coates. Lauri has won an e-book copy of Sleeping With Skeletons, and that has been e-mailed to her.

If you didn't win the drawing for the month of November, you still have a shot for December! All you need to do to enter is leave a comment on my blog. For more information about the contest, see this page of my website: http://www.doralynn.net/contest.html

Best wishes!

Doralynn

Excerpt from The Jaded Geisha

2009-11-12T15:23:00.010-07:00

Today is November 12th, and we're well into National Novel Writing Month. I am feverishly working on my novel entitled The Jaded Geisha, hoping to finish it by month's end.

I am posting a rough blurb and excerpt for today's post. I hope you enjoy it.

****

Original title: A Dark Road Back

An old friend calls in a favor, dragging CIA operative Dan Webb out of isolation and into the strange case of a terrorized blind woman. A cryptic message left by a dying man leads to a set of eighteen Lohan which once stood guard in the Chief Hall of Buddha's Temple. But do these mystical guardians really hold the answer to a series of murders? Or does the Jaded Geisha guard that secret?

Eleanor Gray, an avid collector, lives in a world of flickering lights and darkness. But this determined advocate for the blind has crossed paths with a killer. Now her life is at stake. Does the killer fear she can identify him by his shadow, or is he after something else? Now a fierce Lohan with flesh and blood stands guard over her day and night—following her as she runs away to Japan. But Danny is not the only one in pursuit, and Eleanor Gray soon discovers that not only is her life in danger, but her heart is as well.

****

A low growl stopped her. Eleanor Gray wavered over the next step, clinging to the rail. She could see a shape outlined against a patch of light. She knew the light came from the round orb at the top of the staircase. She cursed the building’s superintendent. He should have fixed that elevator by now. She hated climbing the twelve floors to her apartment. She turned her head slightly, trying to bring the shadow into sharper detail, but he hung back as if hiding.

"Hush," she snapped, and tightened her grip on the bridge handle of Max's harness.

Her guide dog strained forward, and his low growl turned into a menacing bark, sending a shiver through her. She did a quick harness check, bringing Max up short, and slowly moved her head.

If she could catch the right angle, fix her eyes at just the right spot, she still had a narrow tunnel of vision. It was her only lifeline with the outside world. But that shifting corridor had narrowed over the years, and now it was as thin as a child's finger. Eventually it would be little more than a thread, and then it would blink out entirely, leaving nothing but shadows.

Max leapt forward suddenly, tripping her and sending her to the floor. Her knees crashed against the sharp edge of a stair and then scraped over the rough carpet. Max continued up the stairs, barking incessantly, and dragged her with him, pulling her arm until it felt as if her muscles and ligaments would rip. "Max, steady," she screamed, but he struggled forward.

Something popped in her shoulder, and she let go of the harness with a cry of pain. "Damn it, Max. Come," she commanded.

She pushed herself up with her right arm, fighting off the panic that threatened to overtake her. But she was floundering, immobilized with fear and pain. Max had never acted this way before; something must be terribly wrong. She struggled once again to find her window into the outside world, but her movements were too jerky, controlled by a nauseating fear that swept through her in hot waves. She needed to slow down, or she would never find it. She took a deep breath, willing herself to ignore the pain, the fear, and looked into the shadows and light at the top of the staircase.

Max’s barking ended abruptly in a painful whelp and she heard a thump. She pushed herself to her feet, anger replacing her fear. “You bastard,” she screamed. “You hurt my dog!”

Indignation seared her. Max was more than her guide dog. He was her family. And since the death of her brother, he was her only family. She grabbed the stair rail and got to her feet, pulling herself toward the shadow that stood in the wavering light. She swept her head slowly, back and forth, back and forth, looking for that spot of vision. Desperate to see. Desperate to know what had happened to Max. She could still hear him whimpering. His claws pawed at the carpet as he struggled to get back up.

Then she found her opening. Light and shadows gave way to sight, and she looked into the outside world. A strip of white wall. The outer edge of a fire alarm. An arm. A shoulder. The curve of a neck. The outer edges of a bearded face. A scarred cheekbone.

A gleam caught her eye, and she slowly trailed her gaze along the narrow field of vision—her attention moving past the chin, down the chest, moving slowly over the tensed arm to the fingers, then stopping.

She inhaled sharply.

Long white fingers were wrapped around the silver handle of a knife; blood dripped from its tip. She followed the relentless drops to the floor, and watched them land on an outstretched hand. Someone lay sprawled across the floor.

Fear choked her. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Oh God, had she stumbled on a murder?

The black shape flew toward her with an audible whoosh and collided into her. She felt a sharp pain in her side, then tumbled away from him, falling down the stairs backwards. Her body tossed uncontrollably from stair to stair until she stopped on the landing, her breath caught in her lungs. Shadows engulfed her once more, and the world returned to a formless void. But now it was filled with pain.

She listened as the footsteps continued down the stairs, the sound gradually diminishing and then fading completely.

“Max,” she whispered, and pushed herself up, screaming at the agony that stabbed at her side. Max’s soft whimpers sounded from overhead. She leaned against the wall, resting briefly, struggling to catch a breath through the howling pain that seized her lungs. She reached forward, her hand finding the first stair, and crawled toward it; moving slowly, inching toward Max and the motionless figure she had seen on the bloody carpet.

A Late Night Patrol. Writing Justice for the Dead - One Veteran's Story.

2009-11-10T16:17:00.022-07:00

It was foggy that night, impossible to see beyond the beams of our patrol car. I began the shift with a lie of omission -- and a new partner in a bad mood. Confessing that I was the source of Beheng's anger wasn't an option at that moment, and I decided to save the necessary moment of truth for later, preferably as much later as possible.

I was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany with the Army's 284th Military Police Company. The 284th was one of those assignments that everyone wanted, and I was one of the lucky ones to get it. We handled military-related law enforcement for Frankfurt and all of the surrounding cities. It was like being a cop in New York City -- only we covered more territory. I listened quietly as Beheng ranted about his pre-shift detail, which had been the laundry room of our barracks.

We all had pre-shift details. We worked twelve-hour shifts, but before and after each shift, we had Army-related duties. Our twelve-hour shifts usually worked out to be about eighteen. After that, we did our personal chores: laundry, ironing, cleaning, and whatever else we needed to do to get ready for our next shift. It left us with no time, and we were usually functioning on two to three hours of sleep a night. There were times when we worked up to three months without days off. We were all on the verge of snapping. That night, Beheng had snapped.

And it was my fault.

He just didn't know it yet.

I was running late and needed to get the trash out of my room before inspection. I shared the room with Janelle Bebo. Janelle was off duty, but she was gone. Since I couldn't ask her for help, I decided to put our trash in the can in the laundry room. I was too tired to think about the consequences for whoever was responsible for the laundry room. I was just thinking about getting the trash out of my room and still making it to guard mount on time.

As I settled into the patrol car with Beheng, he began his rant. Bebo had left her trash in the laundry room. There had been a pizza box with her name on it, and he was going to let her have it next time he saw her. Literally. He had saved the trash and was going to bury her in it. Since I was her roommate, he was taking it out on me. I debated telling him the truth right then, but I ended up deciding to save the confession for later. After all, we were both armed, and I didn't want to get shot.

Like I said, Beheng had snapped.

It wasn't a very busy midnight shift, so we met up with other MPs throughout the course of the night. Each time we did, the 'trash' subject was brought up by Beheng. He would rage on about what he was going to do to Bebo next time he saw her, and I just stood by in guilty silence, waiting for the best time to tell him. I decided that would be at the end of the shift after we'd turned in our weapons to the arms' room.

Since we weren't busy, we were able to do all of our security checks. There had been several terrorist bombings on military bases in the area, so we did frequent checks of those compounds to watch for suspicious activity. But we also patrolled civilian apartment complexes that housed large numbers of military personnel. We were patrolling a German apartment complex around two A.M.. Beheng was driving, and I was watching our surroundings. However, it was so foggy I couldn't even see the sidewalks or the grass -- much less the buildings.

After we finished, I called in our check and Beheng pulled out of the complex.

Immediately after I called it in, dispatch radioed back. A soldier, who was walking his dog, had discovered a dead body lying in the grass beside one of the buildings of the apartment complex. We had just driven by it but hadn't even seen it because of the fog. We turned around, drove a few hundred feet, and parked -- quickly finding the man, his dog, and the deceased.

At first, I thought I was looking at a dead child -- a boy of about twelve. Here was someone's baby. I bent down and checked the child's neck for a pulse. There was no pulse, and the skin was still warm and supple. The death had recently occurred. The child's head was completely caved in on the right side. It looked like someone had taken a baseball bat to him. There was no blood on the scene, so it was obvious that the death had occurred someplace else, and this was a secondary crime scene. The boy had been laid flat, and his body was neatly arranged. His hands were in his pockets. He wore clean white socks. The ground was soaked from earlier rains, but those socks were pristine. They had not even touched a clean floor -- much less the wet grass.

I stood and moved back. We secured the area and started talking to apartment residents. We soon discovered that the 12-year-old boy was actually an adult woman. She was so small and boyish looking that her appearance had been deceptive. We also discovered she was a German national, so we called in the German police.

While we waited for them, we continued speaking with her neighbors. She was a lesbian and a prostitute. She worked in the red-light district in Frankfurt. She and her girlfriend shared the apartment, and apparently they were involved in a lovers' triangle. There had been a loud argument in the apartment shortly before she was found murdered. We had a general idea of what had happened, and when the polizei arrived, we attempted to tell them what we had discovered. They brushed us off and told us it was obviously a suicide.

The woman, according to them, had jumped.

I'd been with the 284th for over a year, and I had worked with many German police officers during that time. These were the first German police officers who had not impressed me.

The woman's body was removed without any investigation, and Beheng and I were left with our mouths hanging open. We could barely believe what had just taken place. Apparently, the murder of a lesbian prostitute was not high on the priority list of these particular police officers.

Beheng had forgotten about the trash.

We were both devastated by what had just happened. The story soon spread like the flu. Everyone on duty with the 284th that night was sickened by the lack of justice for this murdered woman. Though Beheng and I had primarily been just acquaintances when our shift began, we were now bonded by this experience.

We ended up our shift completely somber.

After we returned to the police station, I told Beheng the truth about the trash. He barely commented on it. A few minutes later, he asked if I could do him a favor. Would I go out to the patrol car and get his briefcase while he took care of some things inside? He needed some paperwork from it. I went out, but when I came back in, he told me he didn't have the right paperwork afterall and asked if I'd check my briefcase. Perhaps I had the right paperwork. At this point, all of the MPs who had been on duty that night had returned, and many of the MPs who were coming on duty were present.

I went to my briefcase, opened it

... and it was filled with trash.

I almost fell down laughing. Dozens of people were there when I opened that briefcase -- the MPs coming on duty, and the MPs going off, the desk sergeants, and the patrol supervisors -- and every one of them was laughing.

And we really needed that laugh.

I dreamed about her several times after that -- the woman discarded like trash. In my dreams she always had my sister's face. It still bothers me when I think about it. Very few people cared. Those who should have sought justice, didn't. A murderer walked free.

My writing changed after that.

I always make sure justice is served in my stories.

It's so often lacking in reality.
Doralynn Kennedy

Today is Veteran's Day, November 11, 2009. So thank you to all vets and all active duty military personnel and their families.

You Gotta Read Review for Sleeping With Skeletons

2009-11-06T19:43:00.010-07:00

I've received another great review for my debut novel, Sleeping With Skeletons. This one is from Roberta at You Gotta Read Reviews. It was given the highest review they give. It was given a 'You Gotta Read' review, and here is the definition for that particular review:

You Gotta Read - Our highest rating - very few books will earn this award.

Review: This is one of the best romantic suspense books I've read in a while. You not only have the romance of two wonderful characters, Margaret and Aidan. There is enough action and suspense to fill two books instead of just one. It is so fast paced you won't even realize you are at the end of the book. Plus, it has short chapters which most people know I love.

What impressed me the most were the depth of the characters. Margaret is a fascinating heroine who learns to show her true self through this story. She is one remarkable lady. Aidan is a hero I'd like to meet in real life. He showed Margaret what true love is all about. However, the one character who stole my heart is Katie. She is a feisty and stubborn little girl who had me in tears in one section of the book.

I can't say enough about this book, except, it is definitely staying in my ebook keeper file. I can't wait to read more of Doralynn Kennedys' work in the future. She is an extremely talented author. Go pick up this book, you will not be disappointed.

Here's the link for the review:

http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/2009/11/review-sleeping-with-skeletons-by.html?showComment=1257554447115#c8205571500965373388

My first review was at Long and Short Reviews (LASR). They gave Skeletons a Best Book review. It was also voted Best Book of the Week by LASR readers. Here's that review as well:

http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/sleeping-with-skeletons-by-doralynn.html

Thanks,

Doralynn

Let The Contests Begin

2009-11-01T10:34:00.005-07:00

The Sleeping With Skeletons Contest.

The contest actually began October 25, 2009, but the monthly competitions begin today, November 1, 2009. They will run through March 31, 2010.

Prizes:

I will be giving away one e-book copy of Sleeping With Skeletons each month from November 2009 through March 2010.

To enter, leave a comment on any of the posts at my blog for that particular month.

At approximately 11:59 PM, on the last day of each month, I will announce the winner at my blog. If you did not win that particular month, you may enter again the next month.

In March, I will pool all of the names entered and draw. The winner that month will receive a $25 gift certificate to Red Lobster. If there isn't a Red Lobster in your location, and you win, you will be mailed a $25 money order instead. If you have a PayPal account, I can also pay you through that.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks for visiting. Good luck in the contests.

Doralynn

The Art of Spycraft

2009-10-31T11:18:00.003-06:00

Hello again,

Recently I was a featured author at Coffee Time Romance. I am listing the links to the blog posts I did while I basted in their Latte Limelight. I'm going to be posting some new articles on spycraft shortly, so I hope you'll check back for those in the coming days. In the meantime, here are the links to my previous articles:

Espionage, Shark Repellent, and Invisible ink. (This post is also here at my blog.) http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/espionage-shark-repellent-and-invisible-ink

Meeting of Two Spies

http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/a-meeting-of-two-spies

Skullduggery Amidst the Ruins

http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/skullduggery-amidst-the-ruins

Spycraft and Strange Spy Gadgets, Part 1

http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/spycraft-and-strange-spy-gadgets-part-1

Spycraft and Strange Spy Gadgets, Part 2

http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/spycraft-and-strange-spy-gadgets-part-2

Spycraft and Strange Spy Gadgets, Part 3

http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/spycraft-and-strange-spy-gadgets-part-3

My interview at Coffee Time Romance

http://coffeetimeromance.com/LatteLimelight/DoralynnKennedy.html

Thanks! I appreciate everyone who is following this blog. If you enjoy it, please let your friends know about it.

Doralynn

Sleeping With Skeletons up for Book of the Week at LASR

2009-10-30T18:55:00.002-06:00

As I blogged yesterday, I received my first review for Sleeping With Skeletons this week. It received a Best Book Review... which is the highest praise they give... so I'm really pleased about that. They offer a weekend poll at LASR, and they want to know which book or story sounds like the best read based on their reviews. The winning author gets the privilege of having their book or story featured at the top of that page the entire next week! So it's a great promotion for the winner... and free publicity. Voting runs from Saturday, 10/31, through Sunday, 11/1. If you think my review sounds best, then your vote would sure be appreciated!

http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/recentrev.htm

Thanks.
Doralynn

Best Book Review by LASR

2009-10-29T10:57:00.011-06:00

Sleeping With Skeletons has received its first professional review. I've been dreading this.

As many of you know, it's a long road to getting published, and there's a lot of anxiety once you do. For me, my two biggest fears have been poor sales and bad reviews. I don't know anything about sales yet, but at least for now, one fear has been lessened.

As you can see from the title of this post, Sleeping With Skeletons received a Best Book Review at LASR (Long and Short Reviews). Here's what a Best Book Review means:

LASR Best Book - For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you're not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise - and reserved for only a few.

Here's the review in its entirety.

Sleeping with Skeletons by Doralynn Kennedy
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Full (257 pages)
Heat: Sensual
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Larkspur

Synopsis:
Former CIA operative Margaret Garrison is not the woman she appears to be when she arrives in rural Ireland, hoping to find a quiet respite from running for her life. The last thing she needs is to catch the eye of Aidan Grimes, the wildly popular Irish actor filming the movie Jane Eyre in Ballyrick.

Rumored to have broken a thousand hearts, Aidan is also a man of many surprises. The very secrecy that shrouds Margaret compels him to want to know more about her, which inadvertently alerts her enemies to her location and threatens not only Margaret’s life, but those of the people around her.

Between Aidan, his father, and a little girl desperately in need of a mother, Margaret discovers a life she has always dreamed of but never dared hoped for. But with the skeletons from her past drawing nearer each day, can love triumph over evil, or is it all just a myth?

Review:
I have to start off this review by saying that this was the most excitement I’ve experienced in a novel in a long time. Ms Kennedy gives us an unlikely pair as our hero and heroine in this wonderful read, Margaret a former CIA black ops agent and Aiden a popular Irish actor. Can they find love? Is happiness possible? The author takes us on a frightening journey deep into the psyche of a trained killer in this dramatic psychological thriller as we learn about the skeletons she sleeps with. But who can she trust? Will they survive?

Ms. Kennedy’s plot/storyline takes us page by chilling page through one woman’s incredible life from loss to torture and betrayal to revenge and finally to redemption and joy. Set in the majestic backdrop of Ireland she works magic with her amazing descriptive dialogue showing her readers with her words dramatic Atlantic seascapes and breathtaking landscapes as she takes us through the wild beauty of Ireland. While in other scenes across the sea we’re shown glimpses of Margaret’s once captor as he tracks her and of her life before. She shows us all her secrets, her disappointments, her failures and her hopes. She is an incredible storyteller. Her characters are unforgettable from the sweet Katie to the enigmatic Aiden and the complex Margaret. Her supporting characters are no less memorable from the pure evil of the villain to the exciting operatives and even her cameo characters are well defined and interesting. The romance between Margaret and Aiden is spicy and sensual yet sweet and heartwarming, and as the bond between them forms the past is revealed and all her secrets come back to haunt her. And it’s not just a love story between a man and a woman, but the birth of a family too.

Doralynn Kennedy gives us page after page of an edge of your seat, nail biting, heart racing read. It’s a roller coaster ride of emotions that doesn’t forget that it’s foremost and absolutely a romance novel. So if you like the feel of your heart thumping erratically and you enjoy crying one minute, laughing the next and then cringing with your next breath and if you like your romance on the sizzle burner then this is definitely the read for you! Kudos to Ms Kennedy for this amazing can’t put it down must read!

Here's the link to the review.

http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/sleeping-with-skeletons-by-doralynn.html

Thanks. I hope you can take a minute to check it out.

Doralynn

$1,165.53 ... huh?

2009-10-27T16:16:00.015-06:00

The Internet is the wackiest place on the planet. I'm so happy Al Gore invented it. I just discovered that someone is selling my novel at Amazon for $1,165.53!

Good luck with that, buddy! Heck, he couldn't get that even if I came with it.

(I've included the screen shot for proof, but you'll need a magnifying glass to see it.)

I know someone paid a couple thousand dollars for a cornflake that looked like the Virgin Mary a few years ago, but as far as I know, there have been no divine sightings in any of my novels.

I have a much better deal at my site. Even though Sleeping With Skeletons is being sold for $1,165.53 at Amazon, you can buy it from me today for a measly $996.69. And at that price, it's a steal. Of course, I'm not saying which one of us is the thief. :-)

.... What? no deal?

Well, okay, Skinflint. Maybe you could try one of the other sellers at Amazon. Some of them are selling it for as low as $11.69. Or you can instantly download an E-book from my publisher for just $6.00. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/doralynn-kennedy-m-693.html?zenid=786b0d25959f7e6fa39604600db2b0af

Did You Know Julia Child Was a Spy?

2009-10-25T11:00:00.001-06:00

I've been blogging on Spycraft at Coffee Time Romance. You might find some interesting tidbits for cocktail conversations or some intriguing ideas for any WIP featuring espionage, but even if you aren't going to any dinner parties or writing anything about spies, you might find something of interest. Did you know that Julia Child, the famous chef, was once a spy? Do you know what she cooked up for sharks during WWII? You can read my post on that, and several other articles written by me, at the Coffee Time Romance blog, Coffee Thoughts:

http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/

Just look for blog posts with my name.

Or you can read about Julia, and other women in espionage here, in my post entitled: Espionage, Shark Repellent, and Invisible Ink.

Leave a comment here, or on any of those articles at CTR, and you could win a free e-book of Sleeping With Skeletons. Only posts with today's date, 10/25/09, or later, will be entered in the competition. The winner will be announced on December 1, 2009.

If you'd like to watch my trailer for Sleeping With Skeletons, it's posted below.

Thanks.

Doralynn

http://www.doralynn.net/

Espionage, Shark Repellent, and Invisible Ink

2009-10-22T22:08:00.002-06:00

In my debut novel, Sleeping With Skeletons, Margaret Garrison is a CIA honeypot... on the run and in hiding. She has as many men in her life as she has names. Leigh has Danny. Virginia has Riyad. And Margaret has Aidan.

But she's just one woman, and only one man will get her.

Let's hope he's the right one.

Women have long played an important role in the clandestine activities of groups of all sizes, from small factions to large super powers.

In the Bible, "Rahab the Harlot", hid twelve Jewish spies and has been forever memorialized in the best-selling book of all time.

Virginia Hall was a clerk with the Department of State. She was turned down for a position in foreign service, partly due to her gender, but also because she had a wooden leg and walked with a limp. But neither her sex nor her disability could hold back this indomitable lady. She traveled to Europe and joined the French underground, where she became a field officer. She became fluent in German and French and had knowledge of morse code and could work a wireless radio. Because of these skills, she became a valuable asset to the OSS, the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor of the CIA.

During the D-Day invasion, Virginia Hall worked with the French underground to cut electrical lines to telegraph offices, disrupting German communications. She also worked as a milkmaid, delivering milk to German soldiers. But that was a cover used to collect intelligence. During this time, she became known as the "limping lady of the OSS." Later, after the war, she became one of the CIA's first female operations officers. She received the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest U.S. military award for bravery.

In my novel, one of my main character's aliases is in honor of this incredible woman.

Josephine Baker, an American expatriate, was a well-known entertainer and actress. She was a popular singer who became a French citizen in 1937. She was known as the "Bronze Venus" and the "Black Pearl", as well as the "Créole Goddess" and "La Baker". Josephine Baker was the first African-American woman to star in a major motion picture, and she made significant contributions to the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. She was even offered the leadership of the Civil Rights Movement by Coretta Scott King following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Josephine Baker was also a spy.

She served in the French Resistance during World War II and was the first American-born woman to receive the French military honor, the Croix de Guerre. During the war, Josephine Baker smuggled secret information written in invisible ink on her sheet music. In spite of her fame, she was able to complete her missions unnoticed. Passport checkers were so stage struck, that they gave her free access to all of Europe, never suspecting that she was, in fact, a spy.

Perhaps one of the most unlikely spies of all time was the famous chef, Julia Child.

Long before she became a household name and a flamboyant TV personality, she worked for the OSS. She started her service in the OSS Headquarters shortly after the United States entered World War II. One of her most famous assignments was to solve a problem that faced the U.S. naval forces during World War II. Sharks were bumping into explosives placed underwater, setting them off before they could sink German U-boats as intended. Julia Child, along with several male associates, invented a shark repellent that was used to coat the explosives. They literally cooked up an ingenious recipe that stopped a deadly problem, saving an unknown number of lives.

She served in Ceylon and in China, where she was the head of the Registry of the OSS Secretariat. She was awarded the Emblem of Meritorious Civilian Service for her leadership in that post.

During America's Revolutionary War, General George Washington was aided by information provided by the mysterious "355," a female member of the Culper spy ring. The number "355" was code for "lady". This unknown woman helped expose Benedict Arnold as a traitor. To this day, no one knows who she was. Like so many brave women who have served, and continue to serve as spies, she simply did what had to be done and then faded into obscurity, taking her secrets with her to the grave.

If you would like to spend more time in the company of spies, I hope you will consider my romantic-suspense novel, Sleeping With Skeletons. For more information on that, please visit my website at: http://www.doralynn.net/

Thank you!

Blogging at Coffee Time Romance

2009-10-20T22:55:00.001-06:00

Hi, I hope some of you can join me over at Coffee Time Romance over the next few days -- through the 23rd of October. I'll be blogging about spies, spycraft, tricks of the trade, and my debut novel, Sleeping With Skeletons... which, as you may know, came out October 2nd.

Here's the link: http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/

Please stop in and say hi. I don't want to get lonely.

Doralynn

Deleted Chapter from Sleeping With Skeletons

2009-10-08T21:26:00.004-06:00

When I first wrote Sleeping With Skeletons, it was a thriller with strong romantic elements. The only sex scenes in the novel were two short paragraphs, and most of the 'action' was left to the reader's imagination. In order to get it published, changes were made to bring it into the romantic-suspense genre. Originally, the story began with the incident that is now chapter twenty-two in the book, but even that chapter is not as I originally penned it. Initially, there was a second scene in chapter one that took place in a hospital. It was the scene that introduced Danny and showed how Margaret was recruited by the CIA. The next chapter was deleted entirely because it is too violent for a romance. Several other chapters were deleted as well. Those chapters focused on the points of view of other characters. Carter and Sheridan's POV's were cut entirely. For today's post, I've decided to post the deleted chapter two. It takes place in Virginia four years after Margaret is recruited by Danny for the CIA. I think my editor's call was a good one. The chapter is too violent for a romance.

Sleeping With Skeletons

Deleted Scene

Original Chapter Two

Memories surfaced at the oddest moments. She thought of Danny again. What had he said? Your life will never be the same again? That was one promise he’d kept. She moved out of the living room and took the stairs to the second floor, glancing over her shoulder as she ran. The strobed flashes from her security lights provided the only illumination. In the half-light, she could see the first dark shape as it kicked through the door. The rest of the team followed.

They had finally come — come to kill one of their own.

Leigh stepped inside her bedroom and shut the door. She stood directly over the living room now. Their voices could clearly be heard through the floor.

"Break out. Room by room. Go! Go!" The hesitation, fear, and frustration in the voice told her they didn't expect her to simply roll over and die meekly. "God damn it, go! It's just a girl!"

She cocked her head at hearing this, knowing they were in for a rude surprise. Her pistol trained on the closed door, she pulled her large hiker's pack from the walk-in closet. Her Bug-Out bag was ready. She wished she’d been allowed more time before needing it. She regretted what she had to do to her hiding place.

It was such a lovely old house, what should have been a real home — a place for a loving husband and children — but she could never again have a home or children. She could have none of that. Revenge was all she had now, and she would take all she could. She pushed the thoughts away. She didn’t have time to think or feel—not if she wanted to survive. She’d do that later. If she could stand it.

Short bursts of gunfire erupted and grew silent as they moved from room to room.

She listened to them clear the house, relentless and methodical, searching for her. They were determined she would die. She was determined she would live.

Boots pounded the stairs and advanced along the hallway.

They were close now. She could smell their fear. Could they smell hers?

The door sprayed splinters across her bed as several controlled rounds fractured it. She trained her sights on the door, finger tense on the trigger. Two men burst into the room — firing — one ducked right, the other left. She aimed and squeezed the trigger, shooting the first man in the head. Rounds from the second shooter blasted through the wall, drawing nearer, showering her with plaster. Leigh swung toward him and shot. As he fell, she stepped out of the shadows and lowered her weapon. There was a time when killing a man was almost impossible for her.

Not anymore.

A voice roared from beneath the upper walkway. "Taking fire! Taking fire! She's upstairs. I can't see her!"

There were more gunshots at the end of the hall. Leigh glanced toward the sound and crossed the room. She ducked as more rounds exploded through the walls. The door swung back on its broken hinges. She raised her weapon and fired, the bullet striking the man at the top of his sternum as he entered. He wore body armor over a casual suit, making for a strange combination. The next round caught him in the head, causing his blond hair to flair outward as he collapsed into the arms of the man behind him. Before the second man could turn to see her, she shot him through the temple, and they both tumbled back into the darkness.

Leigh scrambled across the carpet and bent over the first man, rifling through his kit, her hands shaking. She seized one of his fragmentation grenades, pulled the pin, and lobbed it down the hallway. There were shouts and thuds on the stairs as the surviving team members retreated. The explosion rocked the corridor; broken wood clattered to the floor and down the stairwell. Then she heard the screams of pain, cries for help. Their suffering would be over soon enough. She couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before hers ended.

She had to pin them down here, so she could ready her escape through the window.

She turned back to the man, pulling magazines and cramming them into the cargo pockets of her pants, then she snatched his MP7 from his limp fingers and unclipped it from its sling. Leigh slid the long curved magazine from the grip, tossed it, reloaded, and stood. There were no more sounds in the corridor. She made her way to the window, tossing the Bug-Out bag onto the porch roof and followed it with the MP7 in hand.

She spied the tree she had planned to use with this escape route and dropped the pack off the roof. She slung the machine pistol and descended the tree, staying in the shadows. She looked back up — God, she loved this house. It really was a shame she had to blow it up.

There were several black Suburban SUVs out front, the typical government response vehicle, just what she’d expect. Men were dashing into the house, carrying combat medic field bags: two remained outside, one talking on a satellite cell phone in an excited voice. She shot the talker's security man first. The man on the phone was only halfway facing her when she killed him. No one inside would be able to hear the shots in all the commotion.

She fired several rounds into each truck's front grill before taking off into the dark, down the route she had rehearsed many times. Only now it was for real. Moving along the hedgerow of stone, she quickly arrived at the old barn where she kept her car — and the final part of her escape plan.

Once inside, she threw open a chest — pulling out a detonator and several wires. Connecting them, she twisted hard on the hand crank and watched as the house went up in a cluster of explosions.

They never should have taught her how to fight and survive so well.

After placing the hiker's pack inside the Volvo, and checking that her computer was safe in its hard case, she reloaded the machine pistol again and drove off into the night, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake.

#

A two-hour drive from Leesburg to Richmond led her to the old man’s shop. He had been expecting her. She entered the store through the back entrance, blinking at the harsh, unfriendly light. The man looked up from his newspaper and nodded toward a chair. Leigh didn’t move at first, watching him as he rose. He carefully folded the paper, dropped it on the seat, and stared at her, shaking his head.

“I miss that long, red hair of yours, Leigh. It complemented those green eyes. God never meant for you to be a brunette.” He turned and shuffled away.

Leigh rubbed her face. She had more important things to think about than how her hair looked. Memories of the screams were already haunting her. How many children had she orphaned tonight? She crossed the room and sat, thinking of her mother and how it had felt when she’d lost her.

It was wrong, but for the first time in her life, she was glad her mother was dead, grateful she’d never known what a monster her little girl had become. Even to herself, Leigh didn’t look quite human anymore, and with the spiky cut, she felt like some tall anime villain from a deranged war game. She shuddered and stood. She needed to keep moving.

She peered through a crack in the door, glimpsing the man as he bent over his workbench. Leigh wished he would hurry. The dogs were snapping at her heels. Right now, this man was her savior. When he reemerged, he would finalize her metamorphosis into Margaret with a new passport and a new identity. Soon, her old life would be gone and Margaret Garrison’s would begin.

At least for a few months.

Murphy and Me

2009-10-03T15:11:00.001-06:00

The last few weeks have been a struggle, and Murphy's Law has been working overtime. In fact, Murphy seems to have moved in... the wanker. I think an eviction notice is in order. Maybe a restraining order while I'm at it.

I wonder how many people are experiencing the same thing. Do you feel like you're hiking uphill on sifting sand? Every step forward sends me backwards. I lost my beloved cat, Zorro, and now my cat Mew is sick too. I've had a cold, a flat tire, countless setbacks, two schedule changes, and a jury summons. (Has nothing to do with Murphy's restraining order.)

The good news is, my book came out! YAY! Not only on schedule, but three weeks early. It was an early-bird special at The Wild Rose Press in September. Now October 2nd has come and gone, and Sleeping With Skeletons is available in Print and in three different electronic formats. I have complete strangers selling it on Amazon, which is a shock to me. Plus there's a site in Russia that's selling it. The only English on the page is written on the book covers. I'm the only unknown author on the website. Everyone else is a New York Times bestselling author, so I'm wondering how I got there.

I'm also wondering how the sellers at Amazon figure out their pricing. They are selling my book below cost. How on earth can they afford to do that? The only thing I can figure out is that they bought enough books that they didn't have to pay for shipping. Now, when they sell through Amazon, they must be charging enough in shipping that they can make a small profit. Either that or they're in business to lose money. (Russian mafia.)

I wondered how they even knew the book existed, but then I decided that these sellers probably follow publishers new titles and release dates.

I'm this month's Cover Time Author at Coffee Time Romance. Plus my video is featured on the homepage there, and I'm also the new Latte Limelight author for October. I hope you'll come read my interview with Coffee Time Romance in the Latte Limelight section. The site looks great with its Halloween theme! Here are those links:

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/LatteLimelight/DoralynnKennedy.html

Hope to see you there.

Doralynn

and p.s. I promise not to neglect this lonely little blog in the future; so come visit and leave a comment or two. There really will be more posts.

I'm Covered

2009-06-01T14:52:00.001-06:00

My book cover for Sleeping With Skeletons came in on May 26, 2009 at five minutes past eleven o'clock! Which was a Tuesday... one day after Memorial Day. I immediately went to every Web site I could think of and announced my good news. The modern-day equivalent of standing on top of your roof and shouting loud enough to wake the neighbors. And much safer. I've never fallen off the roof while sitting in my living room. I have fallen out of my chair once or twice, but the distance to the ground... or carpet in this case... wasn't enough to break my neck.

I couldn't be happier with the cover. Take a look and you'll see why. You can view it online at my Web site: http://www.doralynn.net/skeletons.html. To see a larger image, just click on the book cover in the upper, right-hand corner. Kimberlee Mendoza is the cover artist and Rae Monet is the Administrative Cover Coordinator.

While you're at the site, I hope you'll look around. There are some pre-release reviews, excerpts, a blurb, some trailers, and a few short stories that I've written.

I did the trailers using Windows Movie Maker. I didn't even know that was on my computer until my dad told me about it. Now I'm addicted to it. Just one more addiction to add to my growing list. I doubt it will rival my addiction to the Internet, or writing, but time will tell.

Genesis

2009-05-21T12:24:00.001-06:00

In the beginning was a sentence, and that sentence began a paragraph, and that paragraph began a novel.

I remember sitting in front of my computer as I typed The End. Those two little words didn't remain in my manuscript. They were there strictly for me. I had tears streaming down my face, and I found myself quoting Kathleen Turner's character in Romancing the Stone, "Oh, God, that's good."

Or, at least, I thought it was, and amazingly enough so did The Wild Rose Press.

I contacted them on a Wednesday, late in March, and two weeks later, I had a publishing contract. I felt as if a giant hand had reached into my study and spun my office chair. I was reeling, and it felt great. Marvelous. Unbelievable. Even now, I can scarcely believe it.

The next two weeks were a whirlwind for me... emails fired off between my editor and myself. Every time a new email would come in, I'd look at it and think, "I have an editor. I can't believe that I have an editor." It was an exciting time working with Laura Kelly, getting my manuscript into shape, honing it, fine tuning it, changing the title from Skeletons to Sleeping With Skeletons. Once that process was finished, I was sent my galley. Now I could see how my novel would be formatted. Once again, I looked down and thought. "I have a galley." Just like Jessica Fletcher. That woman was always working on a galley for some mythical editor. Now I was doing the same, and it was a dream come true.

Now I'm waiting for the returned galley to be reformatted, then I'll take one last look at it. My last chance to make it the best it can be before it goes into production.

But it's only the beginning. I'm still in the beginning. There are still things to be learned and tasks to complete. There is still a book cover to be seen--which I plan to hang on my wall like a prized trophy. I check everyday to see if that's arrived. (I'll let you know when it does.)

My advice to any struggling writers out there, who have yet to be published, is don't give up. I almost did several times. I'm so happy I didn't, or I'd never have had this experience, and I can honestly say it's been one of the best of my life. It's something I've worked for since I was thirteen. Now it's happened.

I know one thing I've learned from this -- Don't despise those small beginnings. They are what make for happy endings.

Doralynn