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Monday, November 25, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving

We have a holiday in The United States this week. Thanksgiving.  The name pretty much says it all. It's a day for us to remember our blessings and give thanks for all we have. Each year, the week before Thanksgiving, the engineer and I like to make a Thanksgiving tree.






We put a paper tree up on the wall. It doesn't cost much, some years we've used those brown paper grocery bags. The structure doesn't matter too much because ideally by Thanksgiving it will be covered by leaves.  Each leaf has one thing that we are grateful for. As you can see we still have a little ways to go, but there's still three full days till thanksgiving. And we have a lot to be thankful for.


It's a great way for us to really remember and visualize all our blessings and it's a great way to help the kids learn about being grateful.  I love this tradition. It helps make our week more than just the stress and hustle of preparing a huge meal.

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you. Wherever you are, and whether or not you celebrate this holiday, I hope you can find something to be thankful for this week.  If you'd like, go ahead and share it in the comments. 

I'd like to say I'm thankful for all of you.  My friends, and somedays the only adult interaction I get.  Thanks for being here, for your inspiration, and for being you! 

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Make an Impression



Do you ever come across an author, maybe in something unassuming, a blog post, an article in an online publication, that touches you so much, that even though they don’t speak about their work, you need to check it out? I’ve found a few authors that way. People I wouldn’t have come across otherwise, but that I’m so glad I got to know. This article did it for me. It’s an amazing post, and should be required reading for all authors. It really shows how books can save people.

The post is well written, the language engaging, the flow smooth, but that’s not what got me to check out his work. If you’ve read the article (if you haven’t go do it now) you’ll notice he hardly references his books at all.  He doesn’t spout log lines or back covers. He doesn’t use a hook or describe them in tantalizing ways. He doesn’t even offer sage writing advice. He wrote about himself, and others like him. He wrote about those who yearn. He wrote his heart.  And his heart touched mine.  That’s what makes me connect to a book. And having that connection in an online post makes me believe it will be in his novels too. 

This is the way to get people to read your books. Care. Help others. Have something to say and stand behind it. When people find you, they will find your books on their own. Even better, you just might help someone else who is struggling.

Monday, November 18, 2013

So True


I think we've all been here. If not with sales rank than with queries, or hearing back on an important crit.