Book Expo America – Quite the inspiration for aspiring Authors

Book Expo America

I know that I speak for several aspiring authors out there, that is is such an inspiration to meet a published author.  Especially one that has written several books and is making money at it. But that does not mean that writing should or is all about making money. I came across the following article on USAToday.com – Octavia Spencer kicks off day two of BookExpo America. 

The headline seduced me into reading the article, because I was wondering why Octavia Spencer was at the Book Expo, which led me to read the subheadline – Jim Carrey, Giada DeLaurentiis, Octavia Spencer and more celebs celebrated books at BookExpo. I was intrigued, so I read more of the article and was inspired.

The article was more of an overview and a name dropper of who’s who in the world of famous authors. But it did have a great snippet of the following inspirational nuggets from some of my favorite authors. Four leading crime novelists were asked the question by Author Marcia Clark, “What would you tell an aspiring novelist NOT to do?” I just love the answers that followed:

  •  Don’t “stop,” barked Scott Turow (Identical, out Oct. 15). In writing, “the race doesn’t go to the swiftest, but to those who keep going.”
  • “Never lick your finger to test where go the winds of commercial fiction,” said Michael Connelly (The Gods of Guilt, Nov. 21). The material “has got to come from inside you.”
  •  ”Leave the business stuff to the professionals,” counseled George Pelecanos (The Double, Oct. 8). “Write what you’re passionate about.”
  • “In our nano-second world…take your time,” advised David Baldacci (King and Maxwell, Nov. 19).
  • “Don’t start with a preconceived timetable. Get up each day and write, whether it takes a year, or two years, or six years.” – Minzesheimer

Several of my friends and colleagues know that I have been working on a novel for awhile, on-and off. It is my goal to complete the novel this year and self-publish the book.  I would like to say there is a story that has been burning inside me for years that I have been grappling with, on paper (several journals  in fact).  It is one that does not have an ending that I am satisfied with, so i keep re-writing chapters.  I plan on getting this book finished this year, because the story must be told…

USA Today, Thanks for the inspiration in your article and video

Thanks 365daysofreading.com for keeping me inspired to read more books and to write all year long.

Click on the following to read more:

 

Editing Tips to Help Improve Your Writing

proofreading
Serious writers are are always looking for ways to improve their written work. Seeking out advice from experienced writers, hire a professional copy editor and attend writing groups are few things things that serious writers enlist to help improve their craft.  I have found several tips along the way and here are a few that I think can prove beneficial to writers at all levels.

1 – Utilize a professional proof reading service  

The most common mistakes are things such as misspellings, incorrect use of punctuation, and improper  word use. Commonly used words that trip up writers are : their, they’re and  there.  When you have a professional proofreader that reads your text, it will help your writing immensely.  I know that software programs have spellcheckers that catch spelling and “grammatical errors” but trust me it is not the same as a professional proofreader.  As a writer, we are very familiar with our work and sometimes get sensitive about making changes, because we love what we wrote so much. Having someone else read the work, will help you catch glaring mistakes. They will also help make suggestions that will help improve your writing style. There are several services out there. One service that I have used and find very affordable is Proofreadnow.  The company has proofreaders that can read any language and can edit any level of text. [Read more...]

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss – Still Inspiring Lives after 109 years

Dr Seuss - Happy Birthday
Dr. Seuss would have turned 109 years old today. He was born Theodor Seuss Geisel on March 2, 1904. He was one of the greatest American writers of children’s books.  I will never forget my first Dr. Seuss book, which was the Cat in the Hat. In his lifetime, Theodor Seuss Geisel published 46 remarkable children’s books with imaginative characters and memorable rhymes. It is important to note that Theodor Seuss Geisel had many pen names, including: Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and Rosetta Stone. Some well known children’s favorites by Dr. Seuss includes:

  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas
  • Green Eggs and Ham
  • One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
  • The Lorax
  • Horton Hatches the Egg
  • Horton Hears a Who! [Read more...]

My Last Sunday Morning Jog for 2012…

exercise on beach

Well, I must say that I really enjoyed my last Sunday Jog for 2012 this morning… I am happy to say that I successfully completed 5 miles today.  It is amazing how great my body feels… I am sure that I will be feeling it  tomorrow, but I am going to try a do a quickie tonight on the beach… just 3 miles one last time for a Sunday in this glorious year.

I took some time out today and went to see the movie Jack Reacher.  As always, Tom Cruise did a fabulous job.  The entire cast did too, but in all honesty Tom Cruise was the reason why I went to see this movie. He is in amazing shape and never ceases to please me when I see him act. [Read more...]

Classics: Free Digital Books Online for Book Lovers

Amazon Kindle and Digital Books Photo credit: Amazon


I must say that I wish that I could spend more time reading some of the great classics. I am amazed at how timeless these pieces are, such as:

  • The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Little Women – Louis May Alcott
  • Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
  • Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
  • Jayne Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
  • Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
  • The Last of The Mohicans – James Fenimore Cooper
  • Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll

I must confess that I have read these books several times thoughout my lifetime.  When movies are made on these great classics, I am one of the first to go and see how the director and screenwriters have adapted my favorite reads. PBS is one of my all time favorite channels that shows movies based on several of my facorite Classics.  I think that it is safe to say, despite having seen most of them, I can see them over and over again. This is a true testament to magnificent plots that were crafted by the original authors.

[Read more...]

Shine Book Club: A one stop resource for book lovers

Shine Book Club by Yahoo

Photo Credit: Shine Book Club – Yahoo

I don’t know if you are familiar with Shine Book Book Club from Yahoo. If not, consider yourself advised, you should definitely check this out. It is a culmination of all things books from varied sources around the web.

They do a great job of bringing everything in and keeping it at your fingertips.

Today I came across a great article 5 Great Apps for Readers by from Good Housekeeping in the Shine Book Club. If you are a fanatic about Readers, this is a must read review of a few super cool apps.

Here is the list:

1. Book Crawler (Apple iOS, $1.99) – This app’s core function is to serve as a personal librarian, organizing and sorting titles for you.

2. Goodreads (Android and Apple iOS, free) – This app that will scan books into a digital library and provide excellent reviews and ratings. Goodreads is a must-have app, if you love to discuss and write about books. [Read more...]

Fitness Ball is great for Core Strength

I just completed a 45 minute routine using my Fitness Ball. My body feels great after my cool down with a few dynamic  yoga stretches.

It is super fun and easy doing exercises with my Fitness Ball using my beautiful hardcover book “Swiss Ball for Core Strength” by Declan Condron.  One of the primary reasons I love this book is the design and spiral coil binding that is hidden within the hardcover. This makes it easy to keep the book flat while I am doing my Fitness Ball exercises. Kudo’s to author Declan Condron for using this type of bindery. It helps readers stay engaged while exercising and reading  the  “Swiss Ball for Core Strength” book. [Read more...]

The Power of Habits: Harnessing Your Willpower

Today I came across an article the brilliant David Brooks in the New York Times on “The Machiavellian Temptation”. The article discussed how our habits influences our behavior, even unconsciously.  This discussion was brought on by a new book “The Power of Habit  by New York Times Reporter, Charles Duhigg.  I strongly agree that our habits shape who we are and what we accomplish. It is nice to learn about reasearch on the subject matter.

A few interesting points that David Brooks shared in his article include the following:

  • Researchers at Duke University calculated that over 40 percent of the actions we take are governed by habit, not decisions.
  • Researchers have come to understand the structure of habits — cue, routine, reward.
  • To be an effective person, appraise your own unconscious habits and the habits of those around you.
  • Every relationship becomes slightly manipulative, including your relationship with yourself.
  • We apply self marketing to ourselves with implanting certain cues to try and arouse certain responses.

[Read more...]

Apple Logo Featuring Steve Jobs – becomes a sensation

I was deeply moved when I first saw the Apple logo with Steve Jobs’ silhouette. It was designed by teenage college student Jonathan Mak in Hong Kong.  I had to share it on the blog. This teen is really talented and will have a great career after creating a logo that is so iconic. There are so many applications for this logo.  I can’t wait to see it in a campaign. If it is ever used on a t-shirt,  I would definitely buy it. [Read more...]

A few of my favorite Books

reading is fun

Reading helps to stimulate the mind body and soul. One of my favorites is The Abs Diet – Get Fit, Stay Fit Plan by David Zinczenko. David is the Editor-In-Chief of Men’s Health.

This is a great book if you want a good workout strategy for the perfect abs.. As an aspiring author, I have a voracious appetite for books.

A few of my favorite authors include: John Grisham, David Balducci, Danielle Steele, Mary Higgins Clark, Catherine Coulter, Steig Larson and so many others. I look forward to sharing my recent book finds with you on this My View Point.