Blue Otter Editing

I'm back, refreshed and psyched for Nationals this week! I'll do my best to post pics next Monday. I also promised more interviews and I have three fantastic authors lined up in August: Kathy Altman, Robin Covington and Kaily Hart.

I know. I know. None of them are otters...or blue otters for that matter :) So what gives with the post title? Whether you're self-publishing and looking to hire a great copy editor, or simply looking to bring your traditional proposal to a polish before submitting, Blue Otter Editing is a resource worth keeping on your go-to list. I personally know its founder, Amy Knupp. Not only does she have journalism and editing experience, she's also an exceptional writer. She knows the business from all angles. Like I said, check it out!


And I'm off! See you after Nationals!

July?

I can't believe it's already here, and it's already shaping up to be the busiest month of my summer. June was a bit crazy in and of itself, rounding out nicely with a kid with a 105 degree fever (he's totally fine now) and a deadly storm with hurricane force winds that hit 85mph sweeping through our area a few days ago. We lucked out and didn't lose power (though many just minutes away did). My heart goes out to the lives that were lost. In any case, you can see why I've been scarce.

As for July, here's a list of just some of the things going on:

Canada Day - Happy yesterday to all my Canadian friends :)
Independence Day - Happy 4th of July (ahead of time) to all in the states!
A full moon tomorrow - Like I can take my kids acting any crazier lol.
RWA Nationals...just three weeks away!!!
Multiple doctor's appointments for school and sports physicals
Eye exams before school starts
Orthodontist appointments
School sports tryouts, music classes and all the other summer kid stuff
The Olympics!!! Do you watch?
Battling Japanese beetles organically. From the looks of two fruit trees, they're winning.
Family visits
And there's so much more...

Although I'll try to visit blogs as time permits (I'd miss you all if I didn't), I won't be posting for the next two weeks. I'll try to make up for it with RWA news/pictures and future interviews.

Anyone else bending under the weight of the 'sagging middle' of summer? What crazy things are on your schedule? Are you going to Nationals?

What would you do?

Seriously. What would you do if faced with a moral, ethical or otherwise emotional dilemma? How would you react in a crisis? Would you step out of your comfort zone or interrupt your hectic schedule to come to the aid of a complete stranger? An individual's reaction in situations like these shows their true character. It separates courageous heroes and heroines from...well, from others.

 I'm not going to come down on anyone. There are many reasons why a person might not come to the aid of another. Perhaps the situation is dangerous. Perhaps they're afraid it's a criminal set up...one person distracts and another comes in for the steal. It happens. That's why those who do come to the rescue are courageous. But what if there isn't any imminent danger? Take, for example, the situations John Quinones of ABC News sets up in his Primetime show 'What would you do?'. Check out the link if you haven't seen the show before. I love watching it with my kids (yes, I'm hoping they'll learn that it's good to stand up for what's right).

These aren't simple situations. Each one involves a dilemma where actors set up a 'situation' and hidden cameras (and John Quinones) capture who walks by and who steps up to the plate. I've seen episodes that involved students cheating, non-disabled individuals parking in a handicapped space and refusing to move for a person in need, a man at the beach telling his wife she's fat and should cover up etc... In fact, they even flipped the scenario in that one to see how strangers would react if the wife said abusive things to the husband. Funny how people react differently depending on if women or men are the victims. John doesn't take it easy on folks. He ups the ante in each situation. It's an excellent show to watch if you're interested in human behavior. What writer isn't? The folks who step in, take action and do what's right are heroes and heroines. The show is full of inspiration for the types of characters we like to read and/or write about. I personally love stories/movies where the hero ends up being the shy/insecure guy who no one would expect bravery from. Neville Longbottom in Harry Potter comes to mind :)

So have you been faced with a moral dilemma that you'd like to share? Maybe there's one you witnessed or where you were the victim? What happened and who stepped in to help?

Hero Gifts

It's less than a week before Father's Day and, once again, I'm feeling rather clueless. It doesn't matter if it's Christmas, birthdays or any other gift giving occasion, shopping for guy gifts stresses me out. Not because of lack of appreciation or desire to give them something, mind you. It's because I don't like giving generic gifts to someone special. I want them to love the gift and use it...not smile politely and slip it in a drawer.

This got me thinking...(stop laughing) wouldn't it be easier to shop for a fictional father? Hell yeah! Better yet, what if you didn't have to do the shopping? Think about the manuscript you're currently writing. If your hero is a dad (mine's a single dad widower), what would his kid or the heroine buy him for Father's Day? If he's not a dad, think ahead to after the HEA. Based on his character, job, hobbies etc...what would make a great gift? If your hero never plans on becoming a dad, feel free to come up with what your hero or heroine would buy their fathers/father figures in the story. From fiction to reality...to this Sunday. Let the ideas begin!

Have you heard?

You know that handy dandy 'replace all' feature in Word? Well, here's a story that'll take replace all to a whole new level...and put a grin on your face. I found the link at The Passive Voice, a blog that keeps everyone up to date on what's going on in the publishing world. Check the story out here. Let's just say it involves a little Nook-y. LOL. What'll they do next?

Also, if you're interested in reading through pitches, then seeing which ones ended up catching the interest of editors (and getting full requests), check out this link to the Entangled Publishing pitch fest that was held a few days ago at Romance University. The pitch is over, but being able to compare pitches and see which ones stand out is a worthwhile exercise.

Lastly, I turned off my word verification today (thanks to a post at Seeing Creative). I had no idea it was on, but I think my settings defaulted to it when Blogger's format changed. If it's still popping up, please let me know! And if you'd prefer not to have yours on, check out your settings. Word verification could be on without you realizing it.

It's the last week of school for my kids, so I have to run a pick up class party snack substitutes (the whole food allergy thing). I'll be sure to make time for blog visits though! See you around :)

Happy Memorial Day!

My deepest thanks and appreciation goes out to all who have fought to protect our country and preserve our freedom. Wishing you peace.

I hope everyone has a great day of fun and relaxation! I made a pitcher of icy mint and cucumber water to keep me cool while on grill duty. Any plans? What's your favorite thing to eat or do on Memorial Day?

Curing Diabetes

I apologize for being MIA and not visiting blogs last week. I'd lost a dear, dear friend to diabetes. The type of friend who is more like family. He was a big brother to me, and I'm sure I'll hear his advice and wisdom in my head forever. He believed in raising kids with love, respect and patience. He was genuine, kind and hated seeing anyone suffering or being treated unfairly. He was a hero in my book.

It so happens that he passed away the same month that Brenda Novak's Annual On-Line Auction for the Cure of Diabetes is being held. I know that my friend would want nothing more than to see others win the battle against diabetes. He'd want to prevent others from suffering.

Please check out the auction. My bid last year resulted in invaluable feedback from an editor. Not a writer? There are auction items for everyone, including kids. Hurry though. The auction closes May 31st.

Peace and good health.

My latest craft book must have!

Cliches have met their match!

The Virgin Widow's Heart Stopped When She Saw the Book That Would Change Her Life Forever by Ellen Hartman and Sophie Gunn just released on Amazon (Kindle) last week, and I promise it really will change your life. Well, okay, your writing life, although it could inspire people everywhere to discover their individuality and revamp their social skills :). I mean, who likes a cliched pick-up line. Right? Seriously though, I rank this book up there with Debra Dixon's famous Goal, Motivation, and Conflict as a staple for all writers.

The book is based on Ellen and Sophie's popular workshop, which I attended at last year's RWA Nationals meeting. The room was packed with not only published and unpublished writers, but editors as well. You know the workshop where everyone laughs, takes notes like crazy, then they push and shove to get to the speakers and ask more questions at the end? Alright. Romance writers are more civilized than that, but yes, it's that great and this is your chance to find out their anti-cliche secrets, as well as their fail-proof way on how to find your voice. Whew, that was a long sentence! It's because my heart's racing with excitement! (Okay, that was bad ;)

This isn't just about killing cliched phrases. It's about fixing cliched characters, plots, situations, and even promo. I hate it when people point out problems but don't provide solutions. This book tells you how to un-cliche a cliche. It's full of examples and step by step approaches to making your writing unique. It's a fast-paced, funny read loaded with a phenomenal amount of information. Definitely a craft reference must have.

Buy it or find out more on Amazon.

Note: I'm aware that the word cliche has an accent, but I couldn't figure out how to make it happen. Let's just pretend that I'm wildly clever, and I left it off to symbolize ripping apart cliches :)