A Sane Woman by Anthony Lee Collins

I am so happy to introduce, Anthony Lee Collins, as today’s guest blogger!  He’s a great friend and talented author, and I was so happy that he accepted my offer to become a guest blogger! 

Welcome, Anthony!

First of all, a big thanks you to Emerald for hosting this guest post. I’ve been thinking of writing about this subject for a while, and it seemed right for it to be here because it was Emerald who gave me the idea. Then, right before I could ask if she’d be interested in a guest post, she asked if I’d like to write one. (Of course, I said yes. )

I’ve been self-publishing since 1990, and I’ve always called it “self-publishing.” And a lot of people still talk about “self-publishing,” but I’ve noticed that Emerald calls it “Indie” (for “independent”), as in this post. I started to wonder if they were two different things, or if the terms had just changed. For example, if you published a novel by yourself when I was young it was called “vanity publishing,” a term you don’t hear much anymore.

When I started self-publishing, there weren’t a lot of people self-publishing prose fiction. A lot of people were doing self-published “mini-comics” (black and white, photocopied, in various sizes: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini-comics), and I believe it was quite common for poets to put together small volumes like this as well. But you can’t self-publish a whole novel by printing it on letter-size paper, folding it over and stapling it.

Well, you can if you do it one chapter at a time. So, that’s what I did, creating little monthly chapbooks of A Sane Woman. That project was not finished at that time for two reasons: 1) Even charging a dollar a book, I was losing money, and 2) I discovered the possibility of getting my writing to people online (on dialup BBSs – the web didn’t exist yet). So, I switched over to that new medium.

I’ve continued to use the term “self-publishing,” both because I’ve always used it and because so many other people seem to. But I don’t think it’s really accurate for what’s going on now. When I was publishing A Sane Woman back then, I was writing, editing, proofing, laying out, copying, folding, stapling, and mailing. I did everything but draw the covers. That’s self-publishing, obviously.

But today, if you’re writing, getting assistance (professional or otherwise) with editing and proofing, hiring a cover artist, having books manufactured by Lulu or CreateSpace, and getting them sold in some form by Amazon or Smashwords or whatever, that’s not really DIY (for “do it yourself,” as we used to say).

At that point, you’re really doing the exact same thing that the major publishers do, in competition with them, and that’s “independent.” For example, that’s what “independent” meant for small movie studios in the 1990s when they became a major force in Hollywood, including the “The Year of the Independents” in 1996 when four out of the five Best Picture nominees at the Academy Awards (including the eventual winner) were from independent studios.

The big-time “self-publishers” today have much more in common with Miramax and Fine Line than they do with the way I was publishing A Sane Woman all by myself in 1990.

Bio: Anthony Lee Collins has been writing fiction for over forty years, and he has been self-publishing in various forms for over twenty years. His first novel, A Sane Woman, is a mystery story. His second novel, U-town, is a gritty, urban, magical realist story. His blog (at www.u-town.com) has been up for six and a half years and is updated once a week. The posts are focused on writing, movies, Robert Altman, and Thomas Pynchon, among other subjects.

Here’s your answer!  Author Lori Moore hosted me in an interview today!  How fun!

I answer questions like the “about me” one, what place I’d most like to visit, my upcoming works, etc.  She’s a great author, and I’m proud to have met her through the WLC Tweet teams forum, so if you have a minute, head on over to her page and check it out!  Thanks!

Finally, I just sat down and said, “Okay.  How am I going to face my work today?”

And here’s what happened.  I took a deep breath and convinced myself that I really didn’t hate writing, and that the evil thoughts circling my brain telling me to give up, were in fact, just my stress talking.

And when Wendy Young asked for guest bloggers, I thought about how I wasn’t the only one fighting the frustration over writing.  So, I shared my thoughts on finding inspiration with her, here.  Please, stop by and have a looksie.  I hope you can agree with that I’ve said, or that it even helps you find inspiration when you’ve seemed to have lost it.

Lady Gaga

Yes, I’m quoting a Lady Gaga song.

A week ago, I did a guest post for the lovely Laura Stanfill about what to expect as a writer.   Well, while listening to the radio and when Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” came on, I thought about those expectations and the fact that although some writers hit it big, some don’t unfortunately.

I know that I would love to be signed by a huge publishing house and sell millions of books making me a millionaire, and although money isn’t everything, I have to admit, I’d love to have a little more than I do now, and I want to make it all by being a writer alone!

Ambitious?  Probably not.  I think deep down most of us want that, but I know there are some lovely writers who write for the simple fact of loving the craft and wanting to share it with people for free.  And, I by no means want to discourage that or make anyone feel as if I’m putting them down for that.  In fact, I have given away my novella and enjoyed sharing it with people for free, but I want this to be my sole career.

But that isn’t to say that I’m going to quit writing because I’m not famous.  Quite the contrary.  I’m going to be ambitious and say that I am going to write until I am famous and have people following me around saying they’re my biggest fans!

Okay, say maybe I don’t even expect that, but I’m not going to lie – I think it’d be nice having a fan or two.

I have dreamed of being famous before.  I think we all have at some point and time whether in our childhood or last night in our dreams.  (That is, of course, complete speculation.)

But the reality is, not all of us will be followed around by the paparazzi because of our writing.

So, I’m not an expert or anything, but I’m here to show the unglamorous lifestyle of a writer.

First of all, we’ll probably spend more money than we make.  At the beginning at least.  You’ve heard the phrase, it takes money to make money.   Well, that’s why I’m a “starving artist.”

Most of us will have coffee-filled veins.  How else are we going to survive the continuous staring of a blank document or the edits of our latest garbage – um – novel?

We suffer from headaches, stress, murder – only in books of course!!

We’re crazy!  We have all these characters talking to us.  We live out fictional tales thinking they’re real!  We’re nuts.  Plain and simple.

But, here’s the glamorous part of an unglamorous lifestyle.  We have fans who tell us they love our work.  We may not sell millions of books a month, but there’s always that ONE FAN who can makes us feel like our work is really worth something.  It’s what keeps us going.

You meet fellow writers who become friends and are just as unglamorous as you are!  You forge incredible friendships, and you have found yourself in part of a community of writers that are super supportive and helpful.

We may not be glamorous, but some of us can be unglamorous together!

So, if you go to THIS LINK.  You will see my book and what you have to do to win an autographed copy!  (If you click on the January giveaway link you will see all the books being gifted.)

Welcome, Tim! 

Can you tell us about yourself?

I have been married for 25 years and have three children.  I am retired from the U.S. Navy, where I served aboard submarines.  I have a master’s degree in human relations and a doctorate in Christian counseling.  My passion is finding a better way to do things and then writing about it.

What is “Be Bold Now” about? 

BBN is a succint and easy to remember design for interpersonal communications.  I believe the design is contained in the book is the cure for any communication problem.

What led you to write about being bold and confident in communication?  Was this something you had to learn yourself, or do you feel as if you needed to share how you felt about this with others?  

Personally I was always a decent orator but not a good communicator when it came to uncomfortable situations.  As I became a stronger communicator I began to notice that problem relationships tended to have a foundation of poor communication.  It became apparent to me that relationship problems could not be corrected until the dysfunctional communication was altered.

How did getting a Ph.D. in Christian Counseling and a Master’s in Human Relations help with the writing of “Be Bold Now?” 

First and foremost it taught me the value of research and thinking outside the box.  And certainly the knowledged attained and the practical experience contributed to the undertaking of writing such a book.

Did you set out to write self-help books or did the idea just come to you?  Do you ever think you’ll dabble in fiction later on? 

I have always been an avid reader.  I read fiction from an early age starting with the “Hardy Boys.”  About 15 years ago I picked up my first self-help type book.  I enjoyed reading them and continue to do so.  However, I just felt there was too much fluff and and “fiction” in the non-fiction.  I wanted to try and write something more succint and practical…something that could really change lives.  As  far as your question about writing fiction; at this point I don’t believe I have that skill set.  I would like to try some day though.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer? 

When I first joined the Navy I took an English comp class.  I wrote an analysis of one of Shakespeare’s sonnets and the professor told me that I should become a writer.  A few years ago I came across the note he had written me and suddenly the passion was there.

Not only are you a writer, you are a speaker.  Do you think the two are interconnected at times for you? 

Most definitely for me.  Self-help and speaking seem to go hand-in-hand.

Will you share a paragraph or two from “Be Bold Now” with us?  

Communication requires not the delivery, but the exchange

of a message. It involves not only someone to receive the message

but to receive the message you are sending. The message can

be perplexed by the sender or receiver, thus the importance of

communication strategies that increase the likelihood of success.

Communication requires information to be sent and received.

Most of us believe we are at least sufficient communicators. In

reality, most of us are deeply lacking in communication skills

and a great number of us are very dysfunctional communicators.

It’s not just a matter of what we say, but how we say it. It’s not

just a matter of what we hear, but how we hear it.

We are defensive and practice communication

as if it were a game we must win. Communication is vital to

healthy relationships, yet we spend very little time focusing on or

training ourselves to communicate effectively. Complicating the

problem is the fact that most of us communicate not only from a

defensive posture but also from an apprehensive attitude. We are afraid of confrontation. We are afraid of hurting someone’s feelings

or being ridiculed. To correct these problems, communication

must become bold. Boldness requires confidence and forthrightness

tempered by grace. This not only applies to our speech

but to our listening. Being confident in spirit and demeanor is

conducive to and essential for listening for understanding without

defensiveness. Boldness is not arrogant and demanding.

Now, for some fun!

Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla? 

Vanilla with a touch of chocolate mixed in

Hardback, paperback, or ebook format? 

This is the one area that I have not boarded the technology bus in.  I still prefer holding a a hardback while I am reading.  Paperback will suffice also.  I just like to mark passages and write notes in the pages.

Would you rather fight zombies or vampires in a post-apocalyptic world? 

Definitely vampires…would rather have one bite than be torn to shreds.

You can buy Be Bold Now through Tate Publishing or Amazon. 

And now, for the fun part!!  Tim has generously offered up THREE paperback copies of his book, Be Bold Now!!  All you have to do is leave a comment telling me how you plan to be more bold in the 2012, leave your email so I can get in touch with you, and a subscription or two won’t hurt anyone’s chances of winning.   Seriously though, if you subscribe, leave me your wordpress name and/or email so I will know you have.  Your name will go into the drawing twice.  I will randomly pick three winners Friday and contact you.  If you don’t respond within a week, I will then forfeit your name and pick a new winner. 

So, join me as I discuss what I think expectations of a writer might be.  I know they vary for each person, so please, sound off in the comments on Laura’s blog.  And, a huge thanks goes to Mrs. Stanfill for asking me to join her!

Don’t forget to follow them for more daily Kindle deals!

Sourced from goodreads.com

I’m pleased to introduce to you, Janelle Stalder.  Back in August, I posted a review of her debut novel, Eden.  She is a talented author, mom, and overall wonderful person!  I’m so glad she’s dropping by to talk with us about how she never gave up with her writing! 

Welcome, Janelle!

When the lovely Emerald Barnes asked me to do a blog for her site, I was honoured. She has been so wonderful and supportive of me since my first book was released, so I want to say a big THANK YOU to her! As excited as I was for this, I must admit I found it a bit daunting. I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to write about, and found myself putting it off. It finally occurred to me that the only thing I really have to talk about is writing, and procrastinating any longer wasn’t doing me any good! Thus, I’ve started my blog, in hopes to help those new writers out there who are looking for someone else to relate to, as I begin my journey into this crazy world of literature.

My first novel was written in grade six. I wish I had a copy of it, because it would probably be a riot to read now. I can’t even remember the name, but I do remember some of the premise. I also remember it being handwritten and bound in a blue duo-tang. Ah, back in the days when not everything was typed on the computer. Those were horrible days. My next novel was in grade twelve. We had been given a writing assignment for writer’s craft, and were told to write a short story. Well, if this blog isn’t obvious enough, I can tell you I’m not good at writing short anything! Instead I asked if I could hand in one chapter of a novel. I’ll never forget when my teacher handed it back, and on the assignment he had written, and this is a true story, “I can’t wait to see your name on the New York Times best-sellers list!”. That one comment made me want to write even more than I had before.

After high school, at the age of 19, I had my first child, my son Aiden, and unfortunately life took off. It wasn’t until he was in his toddler years that I finally sat down and started writing again. My first full-length novel, at just over 162,000 words, was called The Fallen. I thought it was so good, and original, until I was at the bookstore one day and noticed another book, with a similar name and premise. (I’m sure most of you know what series I’m referring to!) Needless to say, after that I was pretty bummed, but sent it out to publishers anyway. What sort of feedback did I get? None really, except resounding “No’s” across the board. You’ll find, if you’re a new writer, rejection is something common in this industry. Feeling deflated, I didn’t write for over a year.

It wasn’t until I had my second child, my daughter Elora, that I sat down again. Throughout my pregnancy I continuously thought about this story. My original idea focused on two boys that lived in a fantasy world, and they were preparing for a war. I thought about it for over a year, playing with the main premise for the book, and who the characters would be. Until I could answer all the who, what, when, where, and why’s. Finally, when I had it all basically written in my head, I sat down and wrote it, over one really hot summer; in a house with no AC I might add! It didn’t take me long to get the first book on paper. I was so excited about it, and couldn’t wait to start on the second, except I needed a bit of a mental break. Instead, I started the whole process of sending it out to agents and publishers. As the rejections began to filter in again, I began doubting myself once more, and wasn’t sure if the story and my characters, whom I had grown to love, were good enough. The problem was I couldn’t actually get anyone to read the entire thing. I just needed to get the story out there, but found that most publishers weren’t interested beyond that first inquiry letter.

It wasn’t until I was on the Chapters website, and saw an ad for self-publishing that I seriously started to consider that route. A lot of people will tell you pros and cons of self-publishing and traditional publishing. I’m not going to get into the whole debate, because it would just make this post even more unbearably long. For me, it boiled down to two things; 1. Money and 2. Marketing. The fact was, I didn’t know how to market a book myself, and I didn’t have a heck of a lot of money to get it published. My friends and family all rallied around me, and encouraged me to take the risk, and see what happens, so I did! I published my first book, Eden, through iUniverse, and I don’t regret it one bit. iUniverse was extremely supportive and made the whole process easy and enjoyable. As for the marketing part, well I’m still taking that day by day. It’s a learning process, but I’m finding it quite an enjoyable one. Although I have to do all the work, and search for new ways to get my name and story out there, it has all been worth it. I’ve been able to meet wonderful new people, who are so supportive and kind. It’s also made me realize that it doesn’t matter what publishers and editors say, what matters is what the readers say. It’s because of those who have read Eden, and who send me their comments and feedback, that have made writing worth it, and help me forget all those silly rejection letters. Anytime someone asks me when the second one will be out, I know I’m doing something right!

The moral of my long, babbling story is this, don’t let anyone who tells you “no” stop you from doing what you love. Not everyone will love what you write, but there are so many out there that are willing to give you a chance, and who will lend you the support you need. Focus on the positive and keep writing! Here’s to new friends, new adventures, and new stories to entertain us in the New Year!

Thanks, Janelle!  It was great having you!  I look forward to the next installment of your Eden series! 

You can follow Janelle on Goodreads here.  You can like her facebook page, follow her on twitter, and read her blog as well.

Relatively small word, huge meaning.  Criticism can be hurtful but if given in the correct manner, helpful.

As an author, I opened myself up to criticism.  It was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do before.  I don’t have a thick skin.  I get hurt easily, and when someone downs something I love doing, I’m not going to lie, it hurts.

But, as it turns out, I’ve learned a lot over the past year based on some criticism I’ve received about Piercing Through the Darkness.  I’ve listened and learned about some habits of mine that might exactly not work in a novel.  I’ve learned that sometimes you have to ignore what things people say because they are too hurtful and not constructive at all.  (Luckily, I haven’t had to deal with this directly but a few of my friends have.)

I remember the first time I sat in a writing class.  I poured my heart into a short story, the short story that Piercing Through the Darkness was based on.  I turned it in and waited for my other classmates to read it and criticize it.

When that day came, I was a bundle of nerves.  (Note: There were only 6 of us in our creative writing class.)  Some of the feedback was very helpful; some of it not.  When I made it to university and was taking the courses required to get my emphasis on Creative Writing, I was even more nervous.  There were about 20 people who were reading my short stories.

I got the work back with ‘X’s on two or three pages not to mention countless other paragraphs marked out.  My heart sank.  I had marks on there that said, “NECESSARY!!!!!”  “SERIOUSLY!!”  I wanted to crawl under my desk and pretend that I wasn’t even there and that they weren’t talking to me.

In edits though, I realized they were right.  What they had marked out wasn’t necessary.  So, I edited and came out with a completely different story than when I began.  A much better story.

As an author, we all know that edits are IMPORTANT.  If you’re a regular follower of my blog, you’ll also know that I HATE editing.  I’m getting a headache just thinking about it.  I mean you can only read your own novel so many times without going crazy.  That’s why I haven’t re-read Piercing Through the Darkness.

Okay… I digress.

Criticism may hit hard, and when they (whoever they are) say, you have to have a thick skin being a writer, they weren’t wrong.

I’m quickly growing a thick skin.  Rejection letters, people who don’t like my novella – well, I can’t take it personally.  People are going to hate what I write just as some will like or hopefully love it.

So, I take these not-so-good reviews and use them to my advantage.  I’ll use them to make my writing better, and I’ll use them as a tool to keep myself humble when I hit it big.  Okay, just kidding about that last part.  But I will use them in order to make this year a better writing year than I did last year.  I may not write three novels this year like last, but by gosh, I’ll write a dang good one!

So, take that criticism and turn it upside down.  Wait that’s a smile.  Take that criticism and make your writing better!  It can’t hurt, right?

What do you think?