Going for the E

It's my palm and I'll read if I want to...wherever I want to...

And I want to! You should read an ebook too!

I've been all over the internet lately about how much fun I'm having and how many great new reading opportunities open up when I can just turn on the palm and be right back in the story. But I've since discovered other advantages - most of them related to reading in bed.

My husband is no longer blinded by my book light when I read in bed.

The palm shuts itself off if I'm idle too long - the book light doesn't have this nifty feature. (yes there have been nights when I've woken up shocked, blinded, and fearing abduction because of that glaring light in my eye)

I save money on the newest hardcover releases and - free bonus - I don't have to worry about wrist strain, breaking my nose, or blacking an eye if I doze off while reading in bed.

Hop on the eBook bandwagon this week!


In the name of shameless promotion, if you follow my blog I'll send you a FREE pdf of Famous Last Words! (yes I took a followers head count before this post went live!)

Happy E-Reading

Regan

Read an eBook!

With all the kindle talk, you might think ebooks mean an expensive outlay - at least at first. How many bestsellers at $10 would it take to make the investment worth it?

That was my concern, too, until I realized I was underestimating my palm. I knew there was software out there to let me read on it, but would I like it?

Turns out the answer is yes! At a friend's encouragement, (thanks Karen Syed) I downloaded the FREE software at eReader and picked out a few books. Within minutes I was engrossed in a totally new genre (horror) I never would've shopped for in a library or at the bookstore. (J.R. Turner's D.F.F. and I highly recommend it on Kindle or Fictionwise or Quake).

So now I'm totally hooked on the ebook concept and will post my adventures throughout the week.

Now it's your turn to discover some eBook joy of your own!

Happy E-Reading!

Regan



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Caught Ya, Captcha!

Captcha Of The Week! Welcome to a brand new traveling blog series!

You know those handy (or annoying) warpy words you have to type in to prove you're human and not a bot trolling the internet for techno secrets? When you don your 3-d glasses so you can actually read them, they're kinda cool almost-words and some of them are worthy of creative almost-definitions.

For instance: TERSLOR

Maybe it's a writer thing, but I automatically want to give it a meaning. But is it a verb or a noun? Or maybe an adjective? (If you're uncertain about nouns, verb, and/or adjectives check out Self-Editing for Fiction Writers)

Let's apply Terslor to a limerick and see what we get:
There once was a girl with a Terslor, who got herself stuck in the barn door...
Hmm, not much in the way of clarification there.

Say it aloud and I picture a northeastern-accented grandma trying to recall the name of Tesla Motors.

Maybe it's a mountain in Nepal! Is Terslor the name of the sculptor who created the statuary portals in Pixie Chicks?

So jump in here and tell me how you would define this week's captcha: TERSLOR

Happy Defining!
Regan

Find the next installment of this traveling blog at Serendipitous Times!

Write Stuff Wednesday

So you've been writing, write - I mean - right? Wonderful! There are all kinds of books, articles, blogs and authors who can give you advice on getting the words down on paper. Here are a few suggestions for presenting your work for publication. It's a process, one that takes time, and it makes all the difference to do it right!

Complete the manuscript. You learn so much in the process between 'Once upon a time' and 'The end'. Don't give up, finish it so YOU know the whole story. It makes it easier to submit when you feel confident about the total package.

Do the research. Research publishers to know if they publish your type of story. Research agents to know if they represent your type of story. Research the reading market to know who will read your story. Research your topic looking for connections between your story and current events and interests.

Present your best work and your best self. Getting to 'The End' doesn't mean you're ready for publication. Make sure before that manuscript goes out, it's as free of mistakes as you can make it. Check spelling, grammar, typos, and eliminate weak verbs. Find a guide like Self Editing for Fiction Writers. Enlist a friend who loves your genre to read through your story. When you have a meeting, dress the part of the professional. A sloppy, starving-artist look implies a sloppy manuscript.

Create the 25 word pitch. This is vital. It's the crux of the story. And it takes more than a couple minutes to develop. When you're selling your work to an agent or editor, this is the focused pitch line that sparks enough interest to get the request. The Novel Writer's Toolkit does an excellent job of teaching this important skill.

Happy Writing!
Regan

South Carolina Book Fest

The past weekend was one of my favorites - the South Carolina Book Festival in Columbia, SC. I always have fun with Echelon authors like Sam Morton and Jackie Sylvan and the readers, as well as the other vendors and staff we've come to know over the years.

It was great to finally put names and faces together after blogging and twittering with Mary Cunningham, author of the Cynthia's Attic series and W.O.O.F, along with her W.O.O.F. co-author Diana Black who also writes a lively series for younger children starring Wendel.

This year it was my great pleasure to meet Austin Camacho, author of the Hannibal Jones mysteries. The latest release is Blood and Bone.

Austin is one of the best examples I've seen in venues like book fairs and it was wonderful to watch him interact with readers and aspiring writers alike. A consummate professional and talented author, this is a man to emulate. If you aspire to success in publishing, purchase Austin's non-fiction title, Successfully Marketing Your Novel in the 21st Century!

Regan

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