Rainy Days

When it's raining outside during your vacation, what should you do with your time? Read, of course. Unless you're like me. Then you split your time between reading, writing, and that craft project you never have time for.

Today is the perfect reading day, but I have a manuscript I'm revising in preparation for submission. So, I'll be working on that with brief breaks for that craft project I mentioned. I can only take so much of the printed word before going cross-eyed. Rest assured, I will be reading another book this week. It's not often I can find the time to read something I don't have to think about (meaning I don't have to edit, critique, or revise). I plan to take full advantage of the free time.

So, all of you dealing with a rainy day, go find a good book to read. Preferably something set in a tropical paradise where the sun always shines and the temperature is always perfect. Ah, the wonders of the imagination.

All you Americans have a great July 4th! For the international readers, have a great weekend!

"On the Run" is back!

Some of you may remember I mentioned a romantic suspense novel titled On the Run a few months ago. Well, there was a glitch with the charity all the proceeds were supposed to go to, and the book was pulled from publication.

Here's the good news. On the Run by Judith Rochelle has been revised and a new charity will receive all the proceeds. The book was re-released on Sunday by The Wild Rose Press and can be purchased in either e-book or print format. Every cent that would normally go to the author, editor, cover artist, etc. will instead go to the Victims Advocacy Office of the San Antonio Police Department.

From the official release announcement for On the Run:

This charity is located in San Antonio, Texas where "On the Run" is
set.  It is also a charity that compliments the book perfectly as it
deals with the worst kind of violence today - domestic violence.  The
Victims Advocacy Office of the San Antonio Police Department
(http://www.ci.sat.tx.us/sapd/Victim.asp?res=800&ver=true)
is thrilled to be a part of this project with us.

"On the Run" will sell as an ebook for the usual $6.00 and is also
available in print.  Please help us help this wonderful organization
do the kind of work that is so desperately needed for women and
children of this horrible violence.

As part of this project, The Wild Rose Press will be donating books
to the shelter that is funded by this office.  Judith Rochelle will
also be doing a book signing for the shelter.

For more information you may visit Judith Rochelle's web site www.judithrochelle.com or contact Rhonda Penders at
rpenders@thewildrosepress.com.  

So, if you're looking for a good romantic suspense novel and want to support a good cause, stop by The Wild Rose Press website and order a copy of On the Run!

Book Trailers

What is a book trailer? Well it's kind of like a movie trailer, only instead of getting people excited for movies, they get people stoked for books. If you go to YouTube and search for "book trailers" you get about 17,000 results. You can narrow your search however. When I changed the search to "YA book trailers" I got 158 results.

Now, not all of the trailers are something I like. I watched one for The White Gates by Bonnie Ramthun (which comes out in November 2008). If you like three minutes of watching snowboarders crash, it's great. For a book trailer, I think it just dragged out a little too long. Then I found another one for the same book that's about a minute long and much more interesting.



I also found a book trailer I love for Wake by Lisa McMann. It's also about a minute long. The only drawback is the ad banner that pops up across the bottom, but the rest of the trailer makes up for it.



And here's one more example of a book trailer. This one is for Airhead by Meg Cabot. It's a little different from the other two.



As you can see, I prefer book trailers that are around a minute or less. It could be that I just have a short attention span, but a lot of the videos seem to run less than a minute and a half. So, if you have a book that needs a trailer, make it interesting. Keep it short. And give it good music if that's the way you want to go. Basically, keep it professional and make it something to pique curiosity in your book. I know, easier said than done, right? The best advice I can give is study the book trailers that are out there for your genre, focusing most of your attention on the videos with the most views, and don't be afraid to try it again if your first attempt falls flat. Remember, I found two videos for The White Gates by Bonnie Ramthun. I would suggest that if you do make more than one trailer because that first just wasn't doing it, take down the one you didn't like. You never know if that's going to be the only trailer a potential reader will see.

More on Manga...

Shortly after writing last Thursday's post, I talked to my little sister about manga since she loves the stuff. She loaned me the first volume of Suikoden III. Boy, was that a fast read. I finished it in an hour to an hour and a half. When I discussed it with my sister, I learned she and I have different views on manga.

I thought it seemed a little shallow with no real depth given to either the characters or the story. Yes, the plot was interesting, but there were so many places where the story skipped from one thing to another with no transition. I prefer stories that go into the character development and make them 3D through description and thoughts. Manga doesn't really do that, at least not the one I read. It gives enough to give you an idea of the character, but there isn't enough development for me to form a bond with the characters and actually care what happens to them. That's what I mean when I say shallow. It just isn't for me.

My sister, on the other hand, didn't think it was shallow. I explained to her everything I've said here about it, but she still doesn't see it the same way I do. I guess I'll stick with novels, and she'll stick with a combination of novels and manga.

I don't guarantee I'll never read another manga. In fact, I'm considering finding a copy of the first volume of Serenity series manga published by Thomas Nelson. I've read a few things about the series, and I'm curious to see how they handle it. If I ever read a copy, I'll post my thoughts on it here.

In the meantime, leave me a comment with your thoughts on the whole manga vs. novel debate.

Are Comics Taking Over?

Recently, I've noticed a trend toward comic books. Stephen King has several novels either already adapted or being adapted into comics. Ted Dekker has some novel to comic books adaptations going on. Then there's the boom in the manga (graphic novel) market. Not to mention all the movies and TV shows with comic book-type superheroes and the movies based on comics.

Is this an indication that adults don't want to grow up? Or an attempt to interest kids and teens in reading? Or is it just a new way to make money?

Thinking back to when I was a kid, I don't think I ever read a comic book. My friends didn't either. We all read novels that we pulled off the library shelves or sometimes each other's book shelves. Before you think my childhood coincided with the Dark Ages, let me assure you I'm not that old. I grew up in the eighties and nineties. Comic books were around and superheroes were popular, but they didn't seem to take over the way they are today. My friends and I read a wide variety of books, but the highly illustrated books we read were picture books and we all outgrew those at a fairly young age. By high school, I was reading books from the adult section of the library because I'd already gone through most of the young adult section.

Kids who were born six or seven years after me can't seem to get enough of the comic-type books, shows, movies, etc. These kids are now old enough to vote, yet they still gravitate to manga and movies with characters who have superpowers. There's also this strange fascination with zombies, but that could just be a weird quirk of the people I know.

Perhaps the influx of comics is a means of escaping reality. If the story's told with pictures and short snippets of text, it's easier to handle than the real world. I'm just guessing here, and I admit I'm probably way off. Most likely it's just the latest fad in entertainment, one that seems to be lasting an awful long time and growing more popular as time goes on. I just wonder if the wide availability of comics and graphic novels, as well as the encouragement to read them, will prevent kids and teens from discovering all of the wonderful non-illustrated literature out there.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against comic books, manga, or superheroes. I think they're great, but I also think that like video games and sitcoms, they should be taken in small doses. If you read only graphic novels, try picking up a regular novel. You might be surprised at how much you like imagining the scene and the characters rather than looking at them on the page. If you read only traditional novels (no illustrations), check out a manga. Some of those artists are really talented, and the stories can be very entertaining.

Personally, I will always be drawn to the written word rather than the illustrated page. But broadening one's horizons leads to a well-rounded individual. So perhaps I'll borrow a manga or two and see if I can figure out what seems to draw teens more to graphic novels than regular novels. At the very least, reading a graphic novel will entertain me for a weekend.

Remembering Russert

I'm sure you've all heard by now that journalist and Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert died Friday at the age of 58. My heart goes out to his family and friends. From all reports, he was well-loved by everyone who knew him, and he was a great family man. My personal experience with him is like the experience of most people: I knew him from watching Meet the Press.

No, I'm not a devoted viewer, faithfully watching week after week. But I did watch often enough to learn about politics and the state of our country. Mr. Russert presented the facts and asked questions to make his guests explain their views fully. He also had a way of talking about politics that made his enthusiasm contagious. Until I started watching him, I had no interest whatsoever in politics. I thought it was just a bunch of boring people in suits. Through his love of politics, he showed me that there is so much more to it. I learned that things I care about are also things politicians care about. Mr. Russert made the world of government real to me.

Even though I never met him, Tim Russert impacted my life and prompted an interest in the way the country is run. The current Presidential election really brought out his enthusiasm for politics in a way I'd never seen before. Whether discussing the primaries with political analysts on Meet the Press, interviewing the candidates, or acting as an analyst himself on the evening news, you could see his excitement. He had a way of making even the most boring facts of the election interesting.

He will be missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and viewers. Personally, I will miss the contagious excitement he brought to the world of politics.

Timothy John Russert, Jr.
May 7, 1950 - June 13, 2008

Writing Challenges

For once, I'm not talking about the challenges of being a writer. These writing challenges are the kind that crop up everywhere on the internet. You stop by your favorite blog or website and see the announcement of a writing contest. You have three days to write 200 words involving some random object, like a crooked barn. Of course you want to enter! With a prize like a free query critique, who could pass it up? Now you just have to come up with a fantastic entry that's sure to come out on top...

You enter your masterpiece, then scroll through the other entries and sob. How on earth could you possibly have thought your entry was great? You're certain you have no chance of winning.

Before you go and delete your entry, keep one thing in mind: all those other writers probably feel the exact same way you do. Very few people look at their work next to the work of others and think, "Hey, this contest is a cinch! I am a way better writer than any of these hacks." To be perfectly honest, I've never come across any writer who thought this way, but I've met people with that attitude about other things.

Did you catch the word I used? Attitude. That's what it's all about. If you have a positive attitude, not only will you feel better, it will come through in your writing and interactions with others. What does attitude have to do with writing challenges, you ask? Everything. If you take the attitude of, "Well, I could enter, but I know I'm not going to win. So, what's the point?" you're probably right about not winning. Not because your writing is as bad as you think it is, but because you probably won't enter. The whole point of these challenges is to take the plunge and enter just to get your writing out there and join the community of whatever blog or website you submitted to. It's also a great way to get used to working on a deadline, a useful skill once you have an editor who wants revisions on your 300-page manuscript in a month.

Another thing these challenges provide (other than the opportunity to have fun) is the chance to get your creativity going. Last night, I entered A Teensy Weensy Story Challenge on agent Rachelle Gardner's blog. I found out about it an hour and a half before the deadline. Normally, that would have stopped me dead in my tracks and left me lamenting a missed opportunity. But the twist with this challenge is that you had to write a complete story in 100 words or less and use the posted photo as a prompt. That photo got my creative juices flowing with the force of an adrenaline rush. Planning, writing, and revising took half an hour. I posted my story with just under an hour left in the contest. Unless you thrive on pressure like that, I don't recommend pushing the deadline that much. If it hadn't been for a busy schedule eating my blog reading time, I would have known about that contest much sooner. Would I have written a different 100-word entry? Beats me, but I sure had fun trying to beat the deadline last night.

"How do I find these entertaining writing challenges?" you ask. If you use my method, it's pretty hit or miss. I have a few agent blogs I try to read regularly (although I seldom achieve that goal), and I find out about most of their contests a day or so before the deadline for entry. I've also learned about challenges through writer message boards and e-groups. One challenge that happens on a weekly basis during most of the year is the FaithWriters Writing Challenge. Unfortunately, when I went to the site this morning, I discovered they won't have a new challenge until July 3.

Do you know of any writing challenges that happen regularly? Or that have deadlines closing in? Post a link in the comments section and I'll list it in a post even if it's not my day to blog. We can't let these great opportunities for writing fun pass, now can we?