Gifts for the Holidays

Are you at a loss of what to give that someone special in your life? Do you need some ideas? Here are few from my friend, Batya, and her websites to include soul mates, gifts, sayings, and indoor gardening.

Something everyone uses - Calendars.

Soul mate calendar

Indoor Gardening

BatyaSez calendar

If you would like something a bit out of the ordinary and don't want to give a calendar, how about checking out her store.

For unique and well-chosen gifts for all occasions, her Best Meaningful Gift page is the place to be.



Of course, we all know that books from indie authors also make great gifts for the readers in your life.

If you like a little romantic suspense, my friend Faye Tollison has her first story, To Tell The Truth, available here.

My illustrator, Heather, also has a book available and is working on publishing more books.

The Writers on the Move group has just published a holiday list on the blog of what's available from indie authors. Please check out what is out there.

There are many of my friends who have books available but they are too numerous to list here, so if you have friends who like to read, try finding out who their favorite author(s) is(are) and think about gifting them with a book.

My books are available through Amazon or can be ordered directly from me. Check out both my state series and my other books. I also have some bookworms on my state series website under the Gifts tab. Remember if you order any book, not just ebooks, from any source other than a direct sale from me and would like them personalized and signed, please visit my kindlegraph page and make your request. I love personalizing my books as that is part of the fun of being an author. Hope you enjoy this short list of gift giving ideas for the special people in your life. E :)

Five Must Have Books for Writing Books for Writers

5 Must-Have Writing Books for Authors

By: Joy Paley who also writes on the best social work schools and for various other websites like this site.

There must be thousands of how-to books on writing out there. It makes sense, right? If you’re a writer who is good at writing, clearly you’ll want to share your knowledge with others through your favored medium. Have you ever heard an expert trying to explain their field, though?  Just like listening to a nuclear scientist tell a layperson about their latest research, writers aren’t always the best at explaining the tricks of the trade to a broad audience. There are some good ones out there—you just have to persevere. I’ve sifted through the chaff and found five books on writing that won’t leave you groaning or scratching your head.

The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction

By: Stephen Koch

For the beginning writer, reading about craft can be, well, mysterious. It doesn’t seem so much a craft as some mystical process which happens in a writer’s head under a full moon on the winter solstice. Koch taught at Columbia University’s creative writing program for decades, and he’s clearly used to explaining the mechanics of fiction to those who are new to writing. His tone is that of a kind mentor, and he offers practical tips and interesting quotes from some of the most well-known authors out there.

• Good for: the new short story writer or novelist

Zen in the Art of Writing

By: Ray Bradbury

Sci fi legend Ray Bradbury serves up inspiring writing advice in these ten short essays. Here you won’t find tips like how to outline or pace a story. The book is more about getting outside one’s head and tapping the creativity inside of them; consider this the zealous antidote to Koch’s sage, practical advice. While some might dismiss this as the same vague mysticism that comes with lots of writing advice, it’s more empowering than that—it can get me excited about writing, even when I’m sure I’m ready to give the whole thing up and become an accountant.

• Good for: the depressed writer

Women Writers At Work: The Paris Review Interviews

Edited by: George Plimpton and Margaret Atwood

I would recommend all three volumes of this set, even though I’ve only linked to one. These Paris Review interviews are by far some of the most intimate and candid ones out there: instead of the standard Time magazine softball questions, you find the writers in a relaxed atmosphere actually sharing how they work and think about their writing. As fiction writing is still largely a man’s game, this set can be inspiring for any experienced or amateur lady writers out there.

• Good for: women writers

The Believer Book of Writers Talking to Writers

Edited by: Vendela Vida

You can consider this the antidote to the Paris Review interviews. If you’re familiar with the literary magazine The Believer, you’ll recognize its funny, slightly off tone in the interviews of this book. Writers as diverse as Grace Paley and Haruki Murakami are interviewed by fellow writers. The questions aren’t only casual and funny, but also revealing—you’ll get a glimpse into their personal life, which, as a neurotic writer myself, I am always interested to see.

• Good for: the seasoned writer

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

By: Anne Lamott

It’s only the truly masochistic person that decides to pursue writing seriously. Because of this, most writers have a pretty close relationship with self-deprecation. As you watch a new work unfold from its choppy, undeveloped self into something more readable, it’s always tempting to abandon it midstream and call yourself a failure. Lamott’s book offers valuable advice on getting over your own perfectionism and self-esteem hang-ups—something that all writers deal with. It’s personal and well-written, and I often turn to certain chapters for an inspiring pick-me-up.

• Good for: the unsure writer

Support your local library update #5

Finihsed Death at Devil's Bridge by Cynthia DeFelice, I think Sunday night. Returned those four libary books and checked out The Day the Music Died A Mystery by Ed Gorman. Started reading it last night but the writing seems very passive. (Yes my publisher will get me on that for my passive writing - lol). Of course the book was published in 1999 and a lot has changed in those 11 years. Maybe the further I read, the more I can connect with the characters and get into the mystery (we have a dead body, an apparent admission to killing her and a suicide so far - these incidents coincide to the timing of the news that Buddy Holly and Richie Valenz were killed in a plane crash but are totally unrelated incidents).

I hope the 6th graders are keeping up with their reading info and logging in books so they can get their prizes. More updates later - E :)

Support your local library update #4

First some sad news - J. D. Salinger, author of The Catcher in the Rye passed away today. Apparently his death has made all the headlines and there is speculation as to whether or not a vault with unpublished manuscripts will be found (he liked his privacy and felt that publishing was an invasion of his privacy per a quote by him (can find the full quote on Carol Baldwin's blog). Thanks for passing this on Carol.

Now for the library update. I finished Princess, for a Week Wednesday night and am still deciding if it is a recommended read. I think for the grade level it is targeted to it would be a recommended read; of course reading it as an adult, I felt that it was a bit unbelievable in parts. It's hard to read children's books with the same mindset that they would read because I've been through my childhood and the books I vaguely remember reading at this age group (the review says it is geared for 3rd through 5th grade, but I'd read it more like it was geared towards 1st and 2nd graders. The writing seemed simplistic and like an early reader, learning to read type book) were nothing like this (of course I was that young about 40 years ago).

The book was enjoyable but just a little basic for me. I guess it's time to start reading some more adult books to shake my mind up a bit - lol. Started Death at Devil's Bridge and apparently there is a book prior to this but I couldn't find it in the library system or didn't look to see that there was one before. I don't think I'll really have trouble catching up with the characters though (so far not). Will keep you all posted - E :)

Support your local library update #3

I forgot to post this here but did post in the wiki for the class to see my updates. I finished reading The Ghost of Fossil Glen by Cynthia DeFelice Saturday. I read the second "ghost" story by the same author, The Ghost and Mrs. Hobbs, and for some reason found the first one to be a bit better. They were both good but the first seemed fresh and good for the targeted age group but I felt almost like everything in the second book was expected to be there. Still some plots and twists.

Speaking of checking out books from the library, on my previous posting, I talked a little bit about Flygirl by Sheri L. Smith. Well, my friend Carol Baldwin is going to interview her for the newsletter she and Joyce Moyer Hostetter have, TalkingStory. To sign up for the newsletter, go here. It is a 3-step process to sign up for the newsletter but well worth it. If you need some inspiration or want to follow Carol's research, go to Carol's blog and check out the postings of all the information she is gathering for upcoming YA novel about a young mixed racial girl growing up in the mid 1900s. If you are a teacher or homeschooler who is into writing and teaching writing, check out Carol's book - Teaching the Story. It is full of activities and lesson plans to get the ball rolling so to speak.

Will report on my next book soon. I have two more to read from my check out a week ago and then it will be time to get some more books. I hope Mr. Hughes' class is reading like crazy too so they can get these cool prizes I have for them. Until next time, keep reading and see you all in the postings - E :)

Support your local library update #2

As in my previous post, I put four books on hold and picked them up this past Friday. I started Princess for a week while I was in the car Friday night but felt a little bored with it. I will finish it but I decided when I got home that night or maybe it was Saturday night when I started reading again, I picked up Flygirl and I just finished it last night. I stayed up until about 4:30 finishing what I had to finish (read about 2 -1/2 hours to finish it). I'm not the fastest reader but I hold my own.

I would recommend this book to all young people thinking about becoming a pilot or even joining the military, especially young minority women. With all the advances we have had over the last 50 or so years in the military equipment and even allowing women to participate as soldiers, pilots and other areas of interest, it is still rough for a woman, no matter where you come from. I remember when women were allowed at West Point (my father retired from the Army there) and the big deal then was how to cut their hair, what style would work best for keeping with the short, Army standards and still look good on women and be acceptable. I was in need of a haircut at the time (my hair was getting very scraggly), so went to the barbershop on base. At the time, Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hammill had been big on TV (not sure if it was about the time of the Olympics or not), so anyway, when I sat down in the chair, the barber asked me if I could be a guinea pig for a free haircut. I agreed and they did one style, felt it wasn't short enough and then decided that would go with something like how Dorothy Hammill wore her hair. I walked out of there a couple of hours later with a "Dorothy Hammill" bob, which was what used at first. Short and cute. Now, some 30 odd years later, the styles for women's hair seem to not be so short but still has to be neat and kept out of the way. Hair can be a killer, especially if you work on machinery or fly planes or just about anything that is done nowadays.

Flygirl is a must read for anyone who wants a glimpse in the life of a young light skinned, black woman trying to make it in a "whites only" organization. Thanks go to Carol Baldwin for using this as a research book for her upcoming novel and recommended it. Check out your copy from the library and read today. See you in the postings - Mrs. E :)

Support your local library update #1

I've checked out four books and have started reading the first one. Our library is now on a state-wide lending program where when we place a hold on a book it can come from one of ten library systems. Since I placed a hold on the four books over the weekend, I couldn't get them until yesterday.

I checked out the following four books with plans to read them probably by the end of the next week:

Princess For a Week by Betty Wright
Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith (thanks to Carol Baldwin for recommending this as a must read)
The Ghost at Fossil Glen by Cynthia DeFelice (just finished reading The Ghost and Mrs. Hobbs by her and this is apparently the first in the series of "ghost" stories)
Death at Devil's Bridge by Cynthia DeFelice (figured I would throw in another by the same author just to see how the writing compares; don't think this is part of her series)

I'll do reviews of all the books I read for Novelspot.com so when I've finished reading and the reviews are posted, I'll let you know. Keep reading and see you all in the postings. Mrs. E :)

Support Your Local Library challenge

What a wonderful way to support your local library and accomplish that reading goal you have set for the new year. Follow the link of the title to sign up for the challenge. The challenge runs all year long. Here are the guidelines for the challenge:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post. To learn how to sign up without having a blog, click on the link on the original webpage (J. Kaye's Book Blog).

2. There are four levels:

--The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.

--Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.

--Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books.

--Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

(Aim high. As long as you read 25 by the end of 2010, you are a winner.)

3. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader – any book as long as it is checked out from the library count. Checked out like with a library card, not purchased at a library sale.

4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

5. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

6. Challenge begins January 1st and ends December 31, 2010.

Since Mr. Hughes' sixth grade class all signed up for and received a library card back during Library card month, I think I will challenge them to participate and post their readings on the group wiki we have for our writing challenges. A book a week would be great to see everyone reading. See you all in the postings - E ;)

More CPSIA info

Seriously. This is to the point that every reader needs to listen and act upon. We have 18 days until this law becomes effective and the number of people it will affect is in the millions. We need all those millions of people to contact their representatives in Washington and make it known that CPSIA is more harmful to the children than it is protecting them.

My friend Holly Jahangiri posted her letter on her site. It's an excellent posting. I encourage you all to read her reply to Vivian's comment and understand that this is way deeper than just toys. It will hit everyone in the pockets in the long run.

Don't be a naysayer and say this doesn't affect you. This affects everyone. Please make those phone calls today. At this point, letters may not get there in time, and it seems the only way we can be heard is to be vocal. I would love to take a trip to Washington right now and sit on the front steps of the White House and in front of my representatives' offices and tell them what I think of CPSIA.

I hope the letter I sent to President Obama with a copy of my book inscribed to his daughters will get the message through. Someone has to have a light bulb go off soon and have one of those V-8 moments. If the libraries close their doors to children and/or even remove all the children's books, the schools will have to follow suit in that they won't be able to have textbooks. If all the toys and children's clothing and everything geared for that age group is removed from the places we shop most (like Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart and the thrift stores and other places), what are all the families with kids going to do? Shrug and say, it doesn't affect me? If you can't even buy a pair of jeans for your kids, what then? Please don't say it doesn't affect you even if you have no kids in the home. If you are an aunt or uncle or a grandparent, it affects you. If you are a single person with no kid-ties in your family, it affects you because over time, you will find that the piece of jewelry you like so much and waiting for the right time to buy it will no longer be affordable to you. Those nice clothes you wear to work or to go out with your friends will be so costly, it won't be affordable to dress for work.

I know I sound like a broken record, but with only 18 days until doomsday, we need to be acting, not sitting back on our hunches and saying it doesn't affect me at all; I have no children in that age group. Call your representatives, remind them that they work for you and not the other way around. They have to listen to the voice of the people. They have to repeal CPSIA before it is too late.

T-minus 18 days and counting - E :)

Good News - I won (another book - yay!!!!)

A few weeks ago, I stopped by Helen Ginger's blog to leave a comment on Sylvia Dickey Smith's interview and had forgotten about it and this morning when I opened my email, there was a notice saying I had won Deadly Sins Deadly Secrets. I had totally forgotten about that drawing.

I had entered in another drawing but didn't win that one but hey, I love getting surprise emails saying I had won something. You can find Sylvia's books on amazon.com and here if interested in purchasing a copy. I love mysteries andthis sounds like so much fun. Check them out and see what piques your interest - see you all in the postings - E :)

Read a good book lately?

Here's a novel idea - release good books to be found and read by others. The concept sounds interesting and fun. So if you like to read and want to share a good book with someone, check out the following site - BookCrossing http://www.bookcrossing.com/ - you read a book, register it, get a BookCrossing ID and a url so that others who read the book can post where it's been caught or released, et cetera -

I've got some books I can release maybe - lol - hope to see you all in the postings - E :)

Top rankings for stories on fictionwise.com

I've been asked that since this was good news on the Echelon Authors forum on yahoo - to post the info here.

Fictionwise is a pretty neat place for our short stories and other ebooks. They update their website every Monday and so by chance I was looking through the short stories (I did all, then by individual categories) and then browsed through all the fiction posted there and these were the results I came up with -

For just browsing the short stoies there are 5175 items posted in all the short stories, The Tulip Kiss was 469 (I think that's the right spot or maybe it was 439 - it seems I remember it being in the top 500 - which equates to the top 10%) out of those.

Breaking it down to mainstream (the category that The Tulip Kiss falls in) - there are 154 items listed and The Tulip Kiss was 3rd - that's pretty impressive if I do say so myself.

For the overall fiction category - of 2744 items under the mainstream category, The Tulip Kiss is 56th - again - right up there a good bit.

When I checked Echelon Press's books - I ranked 12th out of 151 items -

Tells me that The Tulip Kiss is selling some but not a lot. I'd like to see sales pick up but not sure how to really market that one story - I've tried several things and am gearing up a display for the Printer's Row in Chicago June 9-10 (Karen will allow us authors to pay a small fee and will set up a display for us to get our stuff advertised). I'm doing up some bookmarks, some tulips with some information (going to be really cute because the tulips will be in little flower pots) and a few other things since by this time my young adult fantasy story, Butterfly Halves, should be out.

I checked out Janelle's rankings and the following is true for her:

For overall fantasy stories - of 1845 items, Hear the Wind Blow ranks 6th - way to go Janelle - keep up the good work

For short stories - overall - no category - of the 5175 items, she is 31st (again this is pretty awesome).

For short stories - fantasy category - 2nd of 506 items (now her story just went up on fictionwise on April 30th, so basically in two weeks she has maintained some high spots on fictionwise)

On Echelon Press's listings of the 151 items, she is ranked #2 - I think she deserves a round of applause for doing such a great job - onl being on fictionwise for 2 weeks and already ranking in top 10 of her category and on our publisher's listing as well.

For everyone who has purchased any story from fictionwise or Echelon Press, please make sure after you read to rate the stories or go to the Echelon site and post a review - with ebooks, I think reviews and covers really do help sales a lot. We appreciate everyone who has already purchased our stories and for those of you haven't, what are you waiting for - they are good, quality short stories (or we wouldn't be published) - so I encourage you all to download a quick read and check back and drop us a note when you have purchased a story and let us know what you think of them - For a $1 - you can't go wrong - see you all in the postings - E :)

Cover, fictionwise bestselling list, and some general news

It's been a couple of weeks since I updated my blog, so figured I'd share with you a few things.


Last night, my friend Janelle (see book cover Hear the Wind Blow) posted about her bestselling figures, so I figured I needed to post mine as well. On fictionwise, in the mainstream short stories, The Tulip Kiss is ranked #3 out of 153 short stories. Fictionwise updates the rankings and ratings and all every Monday. So this is in large part due to the fact that two copies (Janelle purchased a copy and another Jane from down under did as well) sold in one week. Out of all the short stories, 5167 of them, The Tulip Kiss ranked 439th. Top 500 isn't bad. Janelle's story ranked 40th out of those 5167, because she had 14 copies sell in one week (her story was just posted to fictionwise on Monday, April 30) - way to go Janelle.


General news - I have to go back for another sleep study the end of this month - not fun - but they are going to put me on CPAP this time and see if I sleep better, although I'm not so sure I will even with a breather to help me breath better. I'll still be hooked up to trodes on my head, chest, legs, and a belt around my waist and chest to monitor my breathing, my eye movements, my heart rate and my leg movements. The problem with studies like this is that the person being tested doesn't sleep well as it is and then to throw all the other stuff in makes one more likely not to sleep. I can't sleep in other people's beds and can't sleep hooked up to monitors, so maybe the CPAP will help, maybe not - guess we'll find out in the next few weeks.



And now - my cover for Butterfly Halves is here. I can't wait to see the book published. So here you go -


It's so pretty - and I think it will have sell appeal - drop me a line and let me know what you think of this cover.

See you all in the postings - E :)