Double M's Take on Books, Blogs, Dogs, Networking & Life

Forever Young: Blessing or Curse Now In Print, Plus More Blog Book Tour Stops

2012-02-01T14:16:00.002-06:00

I'm excited to report that I did conquer CreateSpace and now Forever Young: Blessing or Curse is also available In Print. For those who like the feel of paper in their hands, you can order a copy by going to this link. Now, my new release is on Kindle, Nook, iTunes, Kobo, Diesel, Smashwords, Sony, and even in the UK!

I'm still plugging along on my Blog Book Tour. Listed below are some recent stops, and upcoming ones. As usual, I include the blog link, then later the permalinks after they become available, so feel free to click any of the old posts if a topic interests you. You'll find the entire list on the right sidebar, also more easily read details here in the main section. Hope some of you can stop by.

Heidi M. Thomas Blog - Monday, Jan. 30, 2012
http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/
Permalink: http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/what-was-life-like-before-an-iphone/
Topic: What Was Life Like Before an iPhone?

Jenny Milchman's Suspense Your Disbelief - Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012
http://www.jennymilchman.com/
Permalink: http://www.jennymilchman.com/blog/?p=2116
Topic: My Made It Moment

Acme Authors Link - Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2012/02/name-one-method-to-promote-book.html
Topic: Name One Method to Promote A Book

Austin S. Camacho's Another Writer's Life - Monday, Feb. 6, 2012
http://ascamacho.blogspot.com/
Topic: How Long Did It Take to Write This Book?

Helen Ginger, My Editor, Interviews Me At The Blood-Red Pencil - Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/
Topic: How Love Plays a Role in My Book & Other Questions

Blog Book Tour Stops This Week & Special Kindle & Smashwords Price For Tour

2012-01-22T15:55:00.013-06:00

The Blog Book Tour Continues For Forever Young: Blessing or Curse
Blog Book Tour Special at Amazon on Kindle & Smashwords - Now $1.99 (Other venues will take longer for the new amount to kick in)

See http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com/ for all venues

If you missed the beginning of my continuing Blog Book Tour for Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, you can find all the permalinks, plus the entire schedule to date in the righthand column.

Here are some immediate stops:

FRIDAY, January 20, 2012

http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/2012/01/am-i-old-yet.html
Am I old yet?

SUNDAY, January 22, 2012
http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-review-forever-young-blessing-or.html
Review by Maryann Miller

MONDAY, January 23, 2012
http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2012/01/monday-morning-musings_23.html
Intro by Maryann Miller

WEDNESDAY, January 25, 2012
http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2012/01/wednesdays-guest-morgan-mandel.html
Topic: Except & Topic: Fountain of Youth Myth

FRIDAY, January 27, 2012
http://candidcanine.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://candidcanine.blogspot.com/2012/01/welcome-morgan-mandel-author-of-forever.html
Interview, including a shocking happening, Plus an excerpt to show how it was included in the book

New Year, New Book, New Tour

2012-01-04T00:01:00.028-06:00

Forever Young: Blessing or Curse -
Thriller on Kindle & Smashwords.

To start the New Year out right for my brand new book, Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, I'm plunging into a Blog Book Tour. Most, if not all of the spots are lined up, with a few testing-the-waters visits already concluded.

If you wish to follow along, and I hope you do for at least a few, you'll find the entire list at the top of the sidebar to your right. Click any of them on the day of, or even after the date they appear, and you can see what's going on.

In case you're wondering what the posts will be about, I've listed some of the topics I'm covering below:

THURSDAY, January 5, 2012,
http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/

Permalink:
http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/2012/01/spunky-morgan-mandel-tours-about.html
Topic: Kickoff of Official Blog Book Tour.

See a pic of what I looked like when I had a figure,
and learn a little about the book and tour.

MONDAY, January 9, 2012
http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/
Permalink:
http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2012/01/guest-blogger-morgan-mandel-author-of.html
Topic: Them Bones, Them Bones...

TUESDAY, January 10, 2012
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/
Permalink:
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-would-anyone-do-such-thing.html
Why Would Anyone Do Such a Thing?

THURSDAY, January 12, 2012
http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/
Permalink:
http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/do-looks-matter-with-morgan-mandel.html
Do Looks Matter?

TUESDAY, January 17, 2012
Double Header - Same Post
http://albertaross.wordpress.com/
Permalink: http://albertaross.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/red-carpet-dayforever-young/

http://sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com/2012/01/red-carpet-day-forever-young.html
Wrinkles, Weight, Grey Hair, Spider and Varicose Veins - What Fun!

FRIDAY, January 20, 2012
http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/
Permalink: http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com/2012/01/am-i-old-yet.html
Am I old yet?

Christmas Decorations & People Gone, But Not Forgotten

2011-12-23T16:16:00.002-06:00

These two wreaths are gone now

By now, you may have heard of the Great Flood of July 23, the one which blessed us with about seven inches of water in our basement. I spent a goodly amount of time cleaning up the mess, throwing ruined items away, drying others, washing others, sorting countless photos which got wet.

I thought I was through.

This wreath is also gone

Little did I know when I went downstairs (late to start decorating because I'd been finishing Forever Young: Blessing or Curse) to my horror I discovered I'd missed two containers of carefully packed away Christmas decorations, which had tipped over in the flood, and somehow trapped water inside. As soon as I opened the cartons, I had to shut them fast, then go outside with garbage bags, and wearing gloves, removed what was inside for the garbage.

I only managed to salvage two items, which were ceramic and could be sanitized. Fortunately, I do have photos from prior years to remember my decorations by. Still, they're not the same as the real thing.

It reminds me of other losses that can't be replaced, which have occurred in my family, and everyone's. Those are the people near and dear to us. Only memories and photos are left, instead of the real thing. I'm grateful for those who are still with me -- my husband and family, my friends, both off and online, and my little buddy, Rascal.

A Great Big Thanks to everyone who has enriched my life!

Forever Young: Blessing or Curse is Now on Kindle

2011-12-16T11:57:00.000-06:00

It took me a while, but I've finally done it! Forever Young: Blessing or Curse just got released today on Kindle! Smashwords will follow.

Buy Link: http://tinyurl.com/6tsntn6

This is the story of the 55 year old widow whose husband had been killed in a hit and run accident. In desperation, she takes a pill to be 24 forever, then finds out the pill isn't all it's cracked up to be. Her husband knew that. Was his death really an accident?

FIRST CHAPTER EXCERPT:
A limp object lay sprawled in the parking lot where Dorrie was to meet her husband. It looked like, no it couldn’t be...

Pulse pounding, she hit the brakes and flung open the door. A few steps, and she stood staring in disbelief at her husband’s still form. That red streak didn’t belong in Larry’s salt and pepper hair, nor should it mar his olive skinned cheeks, and trickle onto his white cotton shirt.

She groped in her purse for the smartphone. Fingers shaking, she dialed 911. “There’s been an accident at the Life is for Living Institute. I need an ambulance. Hurry, please.”

A helpless feeling engulfed her. If only she knew first aid, but in all her fifty-five years, she’d never bothered to learn. She had to do something, but what? Bending down, knees scraping the asphalt, she touched her husband’s hand. “Larry, it’s all right. I’m here.” She wanted to be brave for him, but couldn’t keep her voice from quavering.

He whispered something she couldn’t catch, something about his iPhone.

“I found it on the nightstand, Larry. It’s right here in my purse.”

“Dorrie, I want you to keep it. Something’s…on it,” he gasped.

She bent closer. “I know honey, all those songs and photos. They mean a lot to me, too. Don’t worry, when we get home tonight, we’ll share them together.”

“No, more…Life is for Living isn’t…Forever Young isn’t…”

He struggled to speak, but his voice faded in and out. He probably shouldn’t talk. Where was that ambulance? Her husband needed help.

Larry flashed a weak smile and looked straight into her eyes. “Love ya,” he whispered.

Stifling a sob, she completed the ritual. “Love ya, back.” In their thirty years of marriage, how often had they said those words to each other?

His lips stilled. His hand slackened. His brown eyes stared unseeingly, as his face froze into a smile.

This can’t be happening. Larry, you can’t leave me. It’s too soon.

Blood rushed to her head. Roaring filled her ears. Larry couldn’t be gone. She’d prove it. Dorrie bent to kiss his lips. They felt warm and soft. He must be alive. Soon the ambulance would come, the paramedics would fix him, and he’d be all right.

She glanced again at Larry’s still form. The truth hit, sucking her breath away. She didn’t need a medical examiner to tell her what she could see with her own eyes. Larry had left and would never return. Her stomach convulsed, her chest heaved with sobs.

It shouldn’t end like this, not in the middle of a parking lot. Larry deserved better. So did she.

FOR MORE, ORDER FROM http://tinyurl.com/6tsntn6

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel

Two Wrongs is Now on Kindle & Smashwords for 99 cents

2011-12-14T11:04:00.001-06:00

Two Wrongs by Morgan Mandel

Finally, Two Wrongs has been re-released on Kindle & Smashwords for 99 cents each.

This is my debut mystery set in Chicago, with the climax happening in the Christmas Season.

For more, and an excerpt, please hop over to
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2011/12/two-wrongs-now-on-kindle-and-smashwords.html

Or follow these links for Kindle
And Smashwords

Soon, Very Soon

2011-12-07T08:21:00.000-06:00

I've ignored this blog for a while in favor of getting my books ready. Soon, Very Soon, my debut mystery, Two Wrongs, will be out again in Kindle and Smashwords for 99 cents.

Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, my new thriller,

will also be out on Kindle and Smashwords, at

the slightly higher price of $2.99,

since it's a brand new baby!

In the meantime, for romantic comedy fans, my re-release of Girl of My Dreams is still available for 99 cents in Kindle and Smashwords.

Still available on Kindle and Smashwords for 99 cents is my romantic suspense, Killer Career.
Also in print at Amazon for $13.95.

Girl of My Dreams is Now on Kindle and Smashwords!

2011-11-13T16:35:00.000-06:00

My re-release of Girl of My Dreams is now finally on Kindle and Smashwords, both at the very low price of 99 cents.

It took me a while to figure everything out, but I did it!

Before I get too smug with myself, I have to remember I still have more work to do. Forever Young: Blessing or Curse is in the very final editing stage. Maybe I can have it ready to go up before Thanksgiving. (fingers crossed)

My re-release of Two Wrongs is also waiting in the wings. I'm hoping that will go smoothly, since it was already published before. Also, I did take notes this time around about things I really need to remember, so I'm hoping that will help.

Of course, my work won't be over after that, because I do have a sequel to Forever Young: Blessing or Curse which needs finishing. It's about one-third done. This one will probably be called Blessing or Curse: A Forever Young Anthology, and it tells what happens to some of the other test market subjects who take the young pill.

My editor has also suggested another sequel starring my original heroine. I'll have to see if I can rustle up enough dire happenings to make another book worthwhile about her.

Now that I'm psyched up, I think I'll hop over and try to update my website. That will be a project and a half. (g)

Kindle Buy Link, For only 99 cents - http://tinyurl.com/84rhje7

Smashwords Buy Link, For only 99 cents - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/104525

What's Going On

2011-11-08T12:03:00.000-06:00

I haven't spent too much time on this blog. That's because I've been enormously busy getting ready my thriller, Forever Young-Blessing or Curse. Right now it's with my editor, Helen Ginger, but I'm not sitting around in the meantime.

Since I received the rights back to my debut mystery, Two Wrongs, and my romantic comedy, Girl of My Dreams, with the aid of Stephen Walker of S.R. Walker Designs, I have some great, new covers. I'm almost through getting Girl of My Dreams ready for its second chance in the sun, with only a few tweaks to go, before tackling the electronic formatting for Kindle and Smashwords. I chose Girl of My Dreams to work on first, because it's shorter, and I wanted the good feeling of a job accomplished.

It's all a giant puzzle, which I hope will come together very soon!

Please Welcome My Guest, Anne Kelleher, Author of How David Met Sarah

2011-11-04T05:00:00.001-05:00

Anne Kelleher is sixteen years older than her brother, and is the author of 11 previously published novels in addition to How David Met Sarah. Anne holds a degree from Johns Hopkins University and has studied English literature at the University of Connecticut. A gifted intuitive medium, Anne helps others connect to inner guidance and deceased loved ones. The mother of four and grandmother of two, Anne lives and writes in Connecticut, surrounded by a large circle of family and friends.

And now, something about her latest book...

Reading specialists, special education teachers and librarians agree that there are no other titles like this available. How David Met Sarah, the first in a series of five books written for intellectually or developmentally disabled individuals, uses vocabulary appropriate for a third-grade reading level.

David is a young man who works in a mailroom and lives at home with his parents. When a young woman named Sarah moves to his neighborhood and begins to attend his church, David believes she’s the girl of his dreams. First, however, he has to figure out to meet her.

David’s carefully structured world seems to contain all sorts of roadblocks, but David is determined to get to know the girl with the long red hair. Through a series of adventures (and a few misadventures) that illustrate the challenges and rewards of life as a differently-abled person, David indeed gets his wish at the end of this first installment in the series: David and Sarah are well on their way to becoming good friends.

And What Anne has to say about it...

How David Met Sarah is totally different from any of my other previously published eleven novels. I wrote the story for my 36 year old brother who has Down Syndrome. He reads at a third grade level but doesn't enjoy stories for third graders. How David Met Sarah is both content and reading level appropriate for someone with my brother's limited reading skills. However, what has truly delighted me is the way the story offers insights into the world of the developmentally disabled to the average-level reader.

I was inspired to write the story because I wanted my brother to have the experience of something that has always been an important part of my life: a good story well told. In order that my brother identify with the main character, I used the broad outlines of my brother's life as the starting point: like the main character David, the real David does work in a mailroom, he lives at home with my parents, and he did fall in love with a girl with long beautiful hair.

As a writer, what was interesting to me was that the story and its sequels are no easier to write than any of my other novels. Initially I had no plan to share the story with anyone other than my brother. When I shared it on a whim with a critique group, because I had nothing else to bring, I was amazed by the positive response. My brother loves his story. We both hope everyone else will, too.

That is fascinating, Anne.

Blog Followers, if you'd like to read her book, or know someone who might benefit from reading it, here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/How-David-Met-Sarah-ebook/dp/B005SMBFHM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319115196&sr=1-1

For more from Anne, visit:

http://howdavidmetsarah.blogspot.com/

Please leave a comment to welcome Anne today.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T07:51:00.008-05:00

Good Paul

Morgan Mandel

Some pics of me and Good Paul with our costumes at the Festival Committee recognition dinner, plus some other members with their costumes. I don't know all their names.

Nemo James Reveals the Hidden Music World in His New Book

2011-10-28T06:29:00.000-05:00

Book Spotlight - Just a Few Seconds, A Story From the Hidden World of Music and Beyond

Nemo James dreamt of becoming a professional musician from the first time he picked up a guitar following a talent content disaster. Thought of by his friends as being the person most likely to make the big time he turned professional but was continually side tracked by the need to earn a living from music.

His journey takes him all over the world from private gigs for the rich and famous to the roughest pubs. Starting in the late sixties when heavy rock was born, through to the 1980’s and 90’s when discos and electronics decimated live music dance halls.

Just a Few Seconds is an amusing and heartrending story of perseverance showing how the road to success can lead us down the strangest of paths. Just A Few Seconds is a story of one man’s experience in the music business. It is an amusing and true story of a successful freelance musician whose gigs ranged from private parties to the very rich and famous to the roughest London pubs where playing the wrong song at the wrong time meant the difference between life and death. He takes more twists, turns and knocks than a mouse trapped in a pinball machine but the ending shows how the road to success can lead us down the strangest and most desolate of paths. If you are looking for the usual rock star memoirs full of sex drugs and rock and roll then this book is not for you, but if you are interested in a unique insight into the music business that reads like a thriller then this book won’t disappoint.

Here's what Nemo has to say about the inspiration for his book:

Although I was a successful musician, composing was my real love and after 30 years of being unable to a make a living from my compositions I had dug myself into such a huge rut that I knew I had to change my life drastically. Before deciding on what direction my new life should take I had a strong compulsion to write everything down that had happened to me in my old one. I suppose it was a kind of closure from the past and avoidance of the future. This happened twelve years ago during a tour of Switzerland when I had to drive hundreds of miles between gigs and it was during those long drives I practically wrote the whole book in my head. Having spend so many years memorizing everything from thousands of song lyrics to complicated classical guitar solos I was fortunate in being able to remember everything vividly. A year later I finished the final draft and tried to find a publisher but although a couple of them called to say how much they liked it they said it was impossible to sell autobiographies written by unknown musicians and to get back to them when I became famous. I was well aware of how slim were the chances of getting published but it was my last resort so that rejection forced me to look for a new life. It seemed extraordinary to me that the requirement for getting an autobiography published was not good writing and an interesting life but having a record in the charts.

In Just A Few Seconds I wanted to write about what life is like for the 99% of musicians that don’t become rich and famous but still earn a good living often working for the rich and famous. The most interesting stories I have to tell are not about backing artists like Tom Jones and Cliff Richards or playing at private parties for Sheik Yamani or the Aga Khan but stories about holiday camp epidemics, strippers with flatulence and being the cause of US military personnel being Court Martialed. It is amazing how music is such a huge part of everyone’s life and yet so little is known about the ordinary working musicians who supply that music.

12 years later I finally got my big break and so came to live in this beautiful seaside village near Dubrovnik in Croatia. I had the time to return to my book and was determined to publish it even if I had to do it myself. I contacted one of the many publishers that published my music and he advised me not to bother with traditional publishing but to go down the self publishing route. This made sense as for years it has been necessary for bands and songwriters to produce their own albums. Record companies love it because it removes a lot of the risk of signing unknown bands as the band has already produced an album and shown there is a market for their music. I needed to publish my own book and prove there was a market for it and then hopefully a mainstream publisher would offer a solid deal as opposed to small publishers whose only real commitment is to get the book in print.

The more I looked into self publishing the more surprised I was at how sophisticated it had become. I was fortunate in having the I.T. skills to physically produce the book and some loyal fans of my music who offered professional editing and advice so the whole process was plain sailing. I released Just A Few Seconds in February this year and have already been approached by a publisher although it was a small company who were unable to make a firm commitment on promotion so I had the luxury of turning them down. All I have to do now is sit back and dream while I wait for the bidding war. The longer I wait, the longer I get to enjoy the dream.

Amazon Paperback Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Just-Few-Seconds-James-Nemo/dp/0956798608/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319654177&sr=8-2

Kindle Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Just-A-Few-Seconds-ebook/dp/B004T3FCAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319654177&sr=8-1

Other Ebook Versions can be purchased from Nemo’s store at

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nemojames

Born and based in England, Nemo James worked as a professional musician and singer/songwriter for more than 30 years. He now lives in Croatia with his wife Federika and their cat Jutko who is becoming intolerable following his rise to fame on Youtube.

Visit Nemo James at his website http://www.nemojames.com/
Find Nemo James at his tour page at Pump Up Your Book
Watch his videos at You Tube

Please welcome Nemo James to Double M by leaving a comment for him.

Who Has 99 Cents Books?

2011-10-23T11:00:00.000-05:00

I've been busy getting my work in progress edited, and have neglected my blog here lately. Still, today I saw a question on the Book Spa Friends egroup which I thought could use some attention.

It was Who Has 99 Cents Books?

I invite anyone with a book selling for 99 cents to let us know and leave a link.

Mine is Killer Career, about the lawyer whose career change could be deadly for her and the man she's come to love. Here's the Amazon kindle link:

http://www.amazon.com/Killer-Career-ebook/dp/B002PDOPPG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318883582&sr=8-1

It's also at Smashwords for 99 cents at

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21007

Do you have a 99 cents book or know someone who does?

My Guest, Mystery Author, Marilyn Meredith, Tells Us About Changes in the Writing World

2011-10-18T05:29:00.038-05:00

THINGS KEEP CHANGING IN THE WRITING WORLD, according to my guest today, Mystery Author, Marilyn Meredith. Here's what she has to say:

Marilyn Meredith

I’ve been at this longer than most and I’ve seen a lot of changes in the writing world, enough to know that nothing ever stays the same.

When I first started writing, I did it in long hand then transcribed it on a typewriter. So I would have copies when I began with a new page, it was paper, carbon paper (had to be sure to put it facing the right direction), and another piece of paper. It was awhile before copying machines came along.

When sending out a manuscript, I had to have two boxes, one with my return address and postage to put inside the larger box so that my manuscript would come back to me if it was rejected. After all, I didn’t want to type all 500 words over again.

Eventually, I would have to retype the manuscript, though, because after being sent out and returned from about five different publishers, it would become rather shop-worn: bent pages, coffee stains, and smelling like cigarette smoke. When I retyped I often also rewrote. (By the way, my first book was rejected nearly 30 times before it found a home.)

Electronic typewriters came along, ones with a correction ribbon. Oh, what a wonderful discovery. By this time, there were also outfits that had copying machines, so for about 5 cents a page, I could get a copy of my manuscript.

Personal computers were the biggest gift to a writer yet. My first one had two places for floppy disks—and these were big and really floppy—one was for the program being used, the other for your story. Neither held very many words. To learn how to use it, the fellow who sold it to me had to come to my house—he also received a lot of phone calls from me.

I have no idea how many other computers I’ve had since then—each one far better than the one before it. You could even have your own printer, copier and fax included.

The next great change was the Internet and email. Sending a whole manuscript via an attachment to e-mail was wonderful! Think of all the paper I saved. Wow!

The first notion of e-books came along about then—10 years or so ago. I had an e-book published before there was such a thing as an e-reader. Not only did that mean anyone buying the book had to read it on a computer, but purchasing it was not easy. The Rocket e-Reader came along and it was great. Ebooks were easily purchased and downloaded. And of course everyone knows how the ebook revolution has taken over with all sorts of eReaders available. Not only that, people can publish their trade paperbacks and their own e-books in various ways

I recently heard that for 150 ebooks are being purchased for every 100 paper books.

Change is coming faster than ever before and it makes me wonder what’s next.

Bears With Us by
Marilyn Meredith

My latest book is Bears With Us and Deputy Tempe Crabtree has her hands full when bears turn up in and around Bear Creek, a young teen commits suicide and his parents’ actions are suspicious, a prominent woman files a complaint against Tempe and her preacher husband Hutch, a love affair from long ago comes to light, and a woman suffering from dementia disappears.

Available from the publisher as a trade paperback and most e-book formats at: http://mundania.com/book.php?title=Bears+With+Us/

The link at Amazon is

http://www.amazon.com/Bears-Us-Marilyn-Meredith/dp/1606592645/

All my books are available as trade paperback and e-books. You can see what I have on my website: http://fictionforyou.com/

My books are also available at Barnes and Noble, and can be ordered through your favorite independent bookstores.

Marilyn Meredith is the author of over thirty published novels, many award winning, including the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series. Writing as F. M. Meredith, her latest Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel is Angel Lost, the third from Oak Tree Press. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, Four chapters of Sisters in Crime, including the Central Coast chapter, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She’s also a been an instructor at many writing conferences including the Maui Writers Retreat, Central Coast Writing Conference and many others.

Visit Marilyn online at http://fictionforyou.com/
and her blog at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/.

Please leave a comment for Marilyn. Maybe you'd like to mention if you've noticed any changes yourself.

Really Roughing It

2011-10-04T10:17:00.002-05:00

I'm sitting on the deck of my cottage in the Northwoods. Inside, along with electricity and running water, I have basic cable TV with remote control, VCR and DVD players, a laptop computer, an iPhone from which I can get email and connect to the Internet, or in the alternative, connect the iPhone to the computer and read it all there. On the end table by the bed sit my hands-free landline phone and clock radio. The kitchen contains a small stove and refrigerator, and running water. The bathroom boasts a toilet and shower.

Coming Soon
Forever Young-
Blessing or Curse

My husband fishes from the pier or takes his motorboat out when weather is permitting. So far on this trip, weather is very much cooperating.

From the campground further down the road, I can see a Fed Ex truck coming out.

Did I mention all the great restaurants nearby, and the casino a little too close for my pocketbook?

It's a wonder in the midst of all this hardship I can actually find the strength to sit down and get any editing done on my thriller, Forever Young-Blessing or Curse. Despite the enormous odds, somehow I'll have to manage.

Tell Us How It Got There

2011-09-19T09:43:00.000-05:00

On one of my many walks, I happened to notice a hole in the window of a new house that was for sale. I had a few ideas of how it could have gotten there, but I thought I'd ask you to tell me and everyone how you think a hole in a window could have happened.

Please give a short scenario of how the hole got there - a sentence or two, or if you wish, 1-2 paragraphs.
Later, I'll tell you my theories.

If you like romantic suspense,
Killer Career is 99 cents on
Kindle and Smashwords,
$13.95 in print

Thriller - Forever Young-Blessing
or Curse - almost ready!

Mystery - Two Wrongs coming out
again soon!

This Week's Lineup

2011-09-15T07:17:00.000-05:00

I'm still working on Forever Young-Blessing or Curse, so I'm not blogging as much. I still managed to get a few posts in, if you'd like to check any of them out.

My 2nd monthly post at The Blood-Red Pencil -
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2011/09/leave-tip-today-on-blood-red-pencil.html

My blog at Acme Authors Link inspired by a Sold sign -
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2011/09/sold.html

My guest, RJ McDonnell, rock & roll series mystery author. That's not all he does -
http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/2011/09/rj-mcdonnell-senior-tweener-fulfills.html

Morgan Mandel

Killer Career is 99 cents on
Kindle & Smashwords.
Also in print at Amazon.

Forever Young-Blessing
or Curse Coming Soon

Two Wrongs to be re-
released soon.

Where I Am Lately

2011-09-07T11:44:00.000-05:00

You're welcome to make comments at any of these blogs, even if not on the date I originally posted -

At the Acme Authors Link, tell us what your favorite social network is -
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2011/09/whats-your-favorite-social-network.html

On Monday I did a blog about Mishaps and how to use them to advantage in manuscripts. I asked people to mention theirs, and got some unusual responses at
http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com/2011/09/mishaps-by-morgan-mandel.html

Here's a fun blog called Save the Goober, where you get to show how to fix a mangled manuscript excerpt -http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2011/09/save-goober.html

At Spunky Seniors, you can see a blog about me and my pit bull at
http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/2011/09/spunky-senior-morgan-mandel-owns-pit.html,
among other blogs from seniors. Thursday, Sept. 8, will be a post where I feature one of my favorites, The DanZman. If you sign up for emails, you won't miss any of the posts there or you can just drop by http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/ at any given time to see what seniors are up to.

Thanks,

Morgan Mandel

Killer Career still
99 cents on Kindle
and Smashwords.
Also in print for 13.95

Two Wrongs to be
re-released soon.

Forever Young-
Blessing or Curse
also coming soon.

Spring Fling 2012 Conference

2011-08-29T20:56:00.000-05:00

Get in on the great early registration discount for Spring Fling 2012 conference.
I will be one of the presenters at this conference, speaking about Blog Book Tours!
Here is the information:
2012 SPRING FLING WRITERS' CONFERENCE
Chicago-North Romance Writers of America
April 27-28, 2012
Hoffman Estates, IL

Early Registration opens September 1, 2011
FEATURED SPEAKERS
New York Times best-selling authors:
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Mary Balogh
Simone Elkeles

*Over 30 workshops, many presented by NY Times bestsellers, RITA award winners and multi-published authors. http://www.chicagospringfling.com/workshops.php
*5 Publisher spotlights

EDITORS
Martin Biro-Kensington Publishing
Tera Kleinfelter-Samhain Publishing
Megan Long-Harlequin
Shauna Summers-Ballantine Bantam Dell
Tessa Woodward-Avon Publishing

AGENTS
Ginger Clark-Curtis Brown LTD
Cori Deyoe-3 Seas Literary Agency
Scott Eagan-Greyhaus Literary Agency
Sara Megibow-Nelson Literary Agency
Paige Wheeler-Folio Literary Management, LLC.

*Agent/editor appointments provided on a first registered first served basis.
*Agents and editors subject to change.

Early registration from September 1-October 31, 2011.
RWA members: $164
Non-RWA members: $174

Regular Registration opens November 1, 2011
RWA members: $184
Non-RWA members: $184

For more information about Spring Fling 2012 and to register for the conference please visit:
http://www.chicagospringfling.com/
Questions? Contact us at: conference@chicagonorthrwa.org

It would be great to meet you there!

I Have A Cover For Two Wrongs!

2011-08-18T14:26:00.001-05:00

After collaborating with my cover artist, Stephen Walker of S.R. Designs, http://www.srwalkerdesigns.com/ ,
he constructed a great cover for the re-release of my reverted rights debut mystery, Two Wrongs by Morgan Mandel.

A boy's sister is murdered and he knows who did it, or does he?
Prison can turn the most innocent man into a killer. What happens when the person testified against is free?

This novel is set in Chicago when Marshall Field's was still Field's, with references to the Big Tree, Walnut Room and Frango mints during an era when basketball was king.
Lots of Chicago references, including my alma mater,
DePaul University.

As soon as I change the introduction, do a read through and insert a teaser at the back, I'll tackle downloading it onto Kindle and Smashwords. Hopefully, this can be done sometime in September, by October at the lastest. It may also coincide with the release of my new thriller, Forever Young-Blessing or Curse, which is in the editing stages.

I'll let everyone know!

Authors, Be Aware!

2011-08-14T11:22:00.001-05:00

Money's tight, so we all need to be alert. I noticed an email ad from Kohl's about free shipping, with no purchase limit, along with 15% off. I then remembered I'd also received a mailer ad containing a 20% off code. I knew what I wanted to buy, so I went online and completed the transaction. What would have been a $51.00 charge became $35.36.

Many readers are out of jobs, or making less money than before. They're looking for deals also. Authors need to be aware of this trend. If you're publishing a book on Amazon Kindle or Smashwords, don't overcharge. Unless you're super-popular, you won't make many sales.

Or, maybe you're entering into a contract with a publisher. If so, think about that publisher's record with ebooks. Are they usually overpriced? What percentage of the sales will you get? Would it be worth it to keep the electronic rights if the publisher will allow it?

The majority of readers still want print, but the tide is still turning. While it does, and probably afterwards, overpriced ebooks don't sell as well. People still want to read, but they're looking for bargains. I know I am.

My current romantic suspense, Killer Career, is priced at 99 cents on Amazon Kindle and at Smashwords. I plan to put Forever Young-Blessing or Curse up at $2.99 at first. I have two backlist books I'm getting ready to also transfer over, and don't plan to go higher than $2.99 for any of them.

What are your thoughts about ebook pricing and book trends?

You can also find Morgan Mandel at
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel
http://twitter.com/morganmandel
and other online spots.

In the Mood

2011-08-09T11:15:00.000-05:00

My friend, Debra St. John, and I were discussing writing and editing our manuscripts. We both agreed we get a lot more accomplished if we're in the right mood.

Some people may consider it a copout, but if I'm too tired or too rushed, I can't give my manuscript the focus it deserves.

But what if I'm never in the mood?

Sometimes it's not easy to psych myself up to get back into the mood once I'm out of it.This started to happen after putting aside my work in progress to clear the basement after the recent flooding.

I wanted to get the editing of Forever Young-Blessing or Curse started again, but part of me said I didn't, mainly because I'd gotten out of the habit of being in the mood.

After setting aside a block of time with no interruptions, I went to the manuscript and began editing and kept at it. Soon I was back in the mood, getting into the flow where I wanted to be.

I'm not done yet, but I'm getting there. I used some trickery to get back into the mood, but it worked.

What about you? Do you have to be in the mood to write or edit? Do you sometimes trick yourself into getting back into the mood?

My glam shot

2011-08-01T20:40:00.001-05:00

Lots of laundromat visits since the basement flooded over a week ago. I'm still cleaning up the mess of waterlogged items amassed from living in the same place over thirty years.

The good news is I finally had time to do more editing on Forever Young- Blessing or Curse today. Also, soon the basement will look better than it has in years!

Morgan Mandel

RAIN is a four-letter word

2011-07-28T10:57:00.000-05:00

I know lots of four-letter words that I won't list here. During the winter, SNOW is one of them.
These days, I've added RAIN to my list.

All week it has kept me from doing the edits on Forever Young-Blessing or Curse.

After what might be described as a drought, rain came down in buckets last Friday night and more is predicted. That's not good news because our basement took in 6 inches of water while we lay in bed unaware of the floodgates being opened. Lots of throwing out of Christmas items where the dye ran, plus other wet items, some that should have been discarded years ago. A horrible way to clean out the basement which needed cleaning!

Treasures found were photos in a waterlogged Rubbermaid container, which I rescued after many tedious hours of separating them to dry. It was worth the effort to bring back such memories.

I'm very disappointed that the Rubbermaid containers turned into flotation devices and tipped over with lids coming undone. I'd thought they would be more secure.

I keep telling myself it could have been worse, since many people threw out carpeting and other items that got ruined, and we don't keep anything really fancy down there.

With the forecast of more RAIN this afternoon and tonight, the DH and I are hoping it won't be visiting our basement! If it does, it won't find too much left to get wet.

My Post Tip - Please Plus

2011-07-19T11:30:00.000-05:00

Morgan Mandel

Google + (Google Plus) is still in its infancy, yet already has millions of members. This network may have a huge impact on SEO, if it doesn't already. Since that may be the case, if you like a blogpost somewhere, and happen to see a plus sign in the tray at the bottom of that post, please click the plus sign. I believe pluses will have the effect of bringing it to the attention of the millions of Google Plus members,

Plus your post yourself first. Never lose an opportunity.

My Google Plus address is morgansplus@gmail.com if you belong also and want to connect.

Everywhere

2011-07-14T14:06:00.001-05:00

Forever Young
Blessing or Curse

I've been everywhere lately, and not here as much. I'm still working on my edits for Forever Young-Blessing or Curse and am amazed how much can still be changed. when I thought before it was right. (g)

Also, I've been pushing the new Spunky Seniors blog at http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/ for the 50 and over crowd, or those who are just curious to see how our minds work.

Then, to top it off, I've also created a new Facebook Group, called, guess what? Spunky Seniors, also for the 50 and overs and wannabees (yes, there are some), at https://www.facebook.com/morgan.mandel#!/groups/spunkyseniors

So, I've been busy, and now must get back to my editing so I can get my book out!

A New Blog Called Spunky Seniors

2011-07-06T20:01:00.002-05:00

I'm excited to announce my new blog especially for and about seniors. It's about all kinds of fun things seniors are doing these days.

I've got some great pictures from these bloggers to go with their posts as well.

July 7 - Maggie Toussaint goes kayaking.

Here's the link for Maggie's post -
http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com/2011/07/spunky-maggie-toussaint-kayaks-in-rice.html

July 14 - Pat Bean goes skydiving.

If you're 50 or over and are spunky in some way, I'd be very interested in what you do, and would love some jpegs about it also. Or, maybe a family member or friend, or famous figure strikes you as a spunky senior. I'd welcome a post and pic or two on that also.

I'm keeping the posts short, 3-4 paragraphs are ideal.

Email me at morgan@morganmandel.com with Spunky Seniors in the subject line if you're interested. In the meantime, no matter what age you are, you may wish to come over and see what our spunky seniors are all about. I've also got a button on the blog for you to follow by email, which is handy for reminders. So far, Thursdays will be the only day a new blog will appear, so people can appreciate the contents all week.

Morgan Mandel

Blessing or Curse

2011-06-28T13:29:00.001-05:00

I've finished one of the stories in Blessing or Curse - A Forever Young Anthology. This one is the tale of Consuela who caretakes her husband, Diego, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease. This tale strikes home to me since my own dear mother suffered from this debilitating disease before she passed on.

In Blessing or Curse you'll learn whether the Forever Young pill was a good or bad thing for this couple.
I'm off now to work on another of the anthology stories.

In Capable Hands

2011-06-21T17:01:00.000-05:00

Forever Young- Blessing or Curse

Forever Young - Blessing or Curse is now in the very capable hands of my editor, Helen Ginger. Hopefully, she won't find too many things wrong with it, but I'll find out. (g)

In the meantime, I'm getting some blog posts ready ahead of time for when I do my Blog Book Tour, and also blurbs to describe the book. It's a busy, fun time!

Will Today be the Day?

2011-06-16T07:43:00.000-05:00

I'm wondering if today will be the day I finish editing Forever Young-Blessing or Curse. I'm getting very close.

However, the DH is also home today. He's already got plans for grocery shopping, going to lunch and a few other projects, so maybe it won't be the day.

I'll let you know when it happens.

It's Worth the Bother

2011-06-14T08:33:00.000-05:00

I'm on my second personal edit of Forever Young - Blessing or Curse. I'm finding the experience very intense because not only am I reliving what happens in the story, but I'm also checking every little detail to make sure it's filled in and done in the best way possible.

Editing can be fun, and editing can be drudgery. From minute to minute, my feelings change on which it is for me.

I typed it all out single spaced so I could catch the mistakes and mark them in pen. That works fine, except for then having to go back to the manuscript itself and make the changes. I discovered it's way too easy to go through about ten typed pages and mark the corrections. Trouble is then it's a real pain to go to the manuscript itself and make the changes permanent. For my peace of mind, I'm doing only a few pages at a time now instead. I despise the minutiae!

After this, my manuscript is going over to my real editor, Helen Ginger for an even more intense going-over.

Fingers crossed that the Kindle and Smashwords editions will be ready some time this summer. Then I'll tackle Create Space, another project. I'm glad the front cover is already done, but the back is laying in wait for me. I'll need that before Create Space can publish it. So many details, but I'm chugging along. It's worth the bother.

Updated Website

2011-06-05T17:10:00.000-05:00

Come on over and check out my updated website at http://morganmandel.com/ when you get a chance.

Fly Like an Eagle?

2011-05-31T14:26:00.001-05:00

I saw many eagles while I was on vacation in Wisconsin. They're graceful birds, but also puzzling.

While I walked Rascal one day, I noticed an eagle being chased by a smaller bird. You'd think the eagle, being so much bigger, would have turned on the smaller bird and attacked it. Instead, it put up with the harassment.

The incident reminds me of what's happening now in the publishing world. The smaller birds, i.e., indie publishers and small publishers, are chasing the eagles, i.e., traditional publishers.

The smaller birds are gaining. The big birds are only starting to realize they are threatened. For the most part, they're still going about their usual business, as if no threat is involved. Maybe they don't think there is one. Or, maybe they can't find a way to get rid of the pesky little birds, the ones they thought wasn't so important but really are.

And what about the authors published by the traditional publishers? Some are having second thoughts about going the same route as before. They're not sure if flying like an eagle is the best choice.

I'm one of the small birds right now, but each author needs to decide what's the best flight path. The great thing about this whole phenomenon is there is a choice.

On the Road Again by Morgan Mandel

2011-05-20T05:39:00.001-05:00

Good Paul wasn't so successful last time in the fishing department, so we're off again to Wisconsin so he can try again!

Here are a few pics from last time:

My friend, Jeanne's backyard deer.

Rascal sunning herself on a good day.The tee shirt is so she won't get sunburnt.

The frog pond

The Lake

I'll have more for you from the next trip!

Morgan Mandel At the Mexican Restaurant - We'll probably go back there.
Great food and Great prices!

Mona Risk, Contemporary Romance Author, Shares Editing Tips

2011-05-17T08:46:00.001-05:00

Mona Risk

I'm very happy to welcome my guest and Internet friend, Mona Risk, today.
Mona never thought chemistry would lead her to publishing romance novels! Her Ph.D. in Chemistry trained her to prepare medicinal products, allowed her to analyze water and soil samples, and landed her contracts to refurbish laboratories in foreign countries. As a director of an analytical laboratory, she traveled to more than fifty countries on business or vacation. To relax from her hectic schedule, she avidly read romance novels and mentally plotted her own books. Eventually she left a successful scientific career to dedicate herself to her passion and share the many stories brewing in her head. Mona likes to set stories in the fascinating places she visited and throw conflict at her heroes and heroines.

"Mona Risk writes heroes with heart, heroines with spunk in stories and settings that are simply unforgettable!" -- Roxanne St. Claire, Killer Curves, National Bestseller.

You can reach Mona at
http://www.monarisk.com/ and
http://www.monarisk.blogspot.com/

Mona says, "If you like to travel and love to read, come and enjoy my international romances. I will take you around the world through stories that simmer with emotion and sizzle with heat."

Her current release is Rx IN RUSSIAN. Here's a little bit about it -

Fyodor Vassilov is a Russian widower, surgeon and officer. Duty demands he provide a mother to his four little boys and marry a woman who loves children and a big family.
Jillian Burton is an American pediatrician on a mission to improve medical conditions in Belarus. She blames herself and her ex-husband for their son’s death, and has lost her illusions about men and marriage. When they work together for six months in his hospital, their fascination with one another shocks them both. Can attraction and love overcome guilt, duty, and a clash of cultures?
For more, see http://tinyurl.com/3ulvcxp

AND NOW - Mona has some great tips today she'd like to share with you about editing
Edit your Manuscript

By Mona Risk

Someone said that creating a good book is ten percent writing and ninety-percent editing. Although I believe this statistics to be exaggerated, I certainly spend a lot of time polishing my manuscripts before sending them off to an editor.

For me, editing starts while I am writing. As soon as I type my first chapter, I read it again and again, first to check the story flows well, then for typos, spelling and grammar and finally to make sure that the hook is grabbing enough. By hook I mean, the first line, the first paragraph and the first page. These should be intriguing enough to catch a reader’s—or editor’s—interest. As a result, I keep revising the first line and first paragraph while I continue to write my story. By the time the book is finished, I have at least twenty versions of first paragraphs, all saved. I compare them, send them to my critique partners, and sometimes combine some of them, until I am satisfied with my hook.

While revising my first book for ever—more precisely for three years— I realized that an outline could save a lot of time. Now before starting a new story, I do my homework: an outline for the first three chapters, a summary of the back story, a few lines about the hero, heroine and villain’s characters and one paragraph to summarize the storyline. Only then, do I allow myself to start typing the actual story.

By the time my partial is polished, I am well acquainted with my characters and I have a pretty good idea of where the plot is going.

An outline for the whole book completes my preparations and helps my story to flow. Now I can write without interruption for days and weeks.

To edit the whole book, I tabulate the chapters and scenes, and then check the following items.

Setting: avoid having several scenes in the same setting. It’s boring.

POV: Heroine’s or hero’s. If you have a long book you can add, the villain’s POV.

Hook: strong enough to grab the reader.

GMC: what is the goal in that scene, what is the conflict?

Emotional development: show how the Hero/heroine’s attraction to each other escalates and their romance progresses. You should see a definite increase of tension and emotion from scene to scene.

Action: it’s important to show some stage direction.

Sensual Tension: any eye contact, hand touching, kiss,… Like the emotional development, the sexual tension should increase from chapter to chapter.

Sensorial: smell, sounds and color in the scene. It helps the reader be grounded in the scene.

End hook: Make sure it generates suspense, a question to be answered in the next scene or some emotion that keeps the reader panting.

Pace: how do you evaluate the pace in this scene, fast, medium slow? It should be fast if you have action or dialogue, and slow to emphasize emotion.

In addition to self-editing, I can’t stress enough the importance of sharing your work with critique partners.

You manuscript is ready to go. You need one last reading. I suggest you save the file in Adobe, click on VIEW, and then READ OUT LOUD. It’s an amazing feature I discovered a few years ago. The computer will read your story while you look at the pages on the monitor screen and note on a paper the repetitions, missing words, lack of transition. I prefer this method to printing and reading on paper. But you need one these two methods of final reading to catch the mistakes your eyes have stopped seeing on the screen.

Babies in the Bargain

Rx for Trust

BABIES IN THE BARGAIN winner of 2009 Best Romance Novel at Preditors & Editors and winner of 2009 Best Contemporary Romance at Readers Favorite.

Rx FOR TRUST, winner of 2010 Best Contemporary Romance at Readers Favorite and 2011 EPICON.

Mona’s books are all available at amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_9?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mona+risk&sprefix=mona+risk

Mona's website: http://www.monarisk.com/

Mona's blogspot: http://www.monarisk.blogspot.com/

Please leave a comment below to welcome Mona.

I Have A Cover for My Almost Done Book, Forever Young-Blessing or Curse!

2011-05-02T18:35:00.008-05:00

I now have a bright new beautiful cover for my almost done paranormal thriller, Forever Young - Blessing or Curse.

Thank you, Stephen Walker, of S.R. Designs at http://www.srwalkerdesigns.com/ for doing such a great job!
Stephen was very patient, easy to work with, and open to suggestions.

Now that I have my cover and my editor, I better finish my initial edits and get the ball rolling!

For more details about Forever Young - Blessing or Curse, come on over to http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

I Have An Editor!

2011-04-28T17:22:00.000-05:00

I emailed my former editor, Helen Ginger, who did such a great job editing Killer Career. She has graciously agreed to be my editor again for Forever Young - Blessing or Curse.

Now, I just need to finish going through Forever Young first so I can catch all the glaring errors before she sees them!

Almost a Cover

2011-04-26T13:51:00.000-05:00

Excitement is building, as my cover for Forever Young - Blessing or Curse takes shape. I'll be sure to share it when it's complete, even before the book goes up!

It's been a while since Killer Career came out. Above, on the blog header, I'm sharing my joy as I visited bookstores, found my book, and signed stock copies. I'm not too sure how many bookstores will still be around soon, which is a shame.

Anyway, with regard to Forever Young, right now I'm doing my own editing process, which will then be followed by professional editing. After that will be when I buckle down and figure out how to put it all up on Amazon as a kindle, then later into print.

Stay tuned for further developments.

Killer Career available for 99 cents
on Kindle and Smashwords.
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

Happy Easter Egg!

2011-04-23T14:10:00.000-05:00

A chocolate Easter Egg from a Bakery.
I don't do real ones any more.

Silly things stay with a person forever. When I was a kid half a century ago, the pastor at our church said, "Happy Easter Egg" to me. That I remember, though lots of other stuff I've forgotten through the years.

Do you remember something from long ago? Tell us, no matter how sillly it is.

Oh, and by the way, Happy Easter Egg!

Morgan Mandel

At Acme Today

2011-04-20T19:09:00.000-05:00

My blog today is over at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/ where I offer examples of how what characters eat offers clue to their makeup. A good way to show, not tell. If you get a chance, go over and check out the examples, and if you have your own, please add to them.

Morgan

Never Enough Organized

2011-04-18T10:01:00.000-05:00

No matter how much I try, I'll never be enough organized. Still, I do have to make some efforts. I relish every small success along the way.

On my group blog today at Make Mine Mystery, I show some ways for Writers and Readers to remove clutter. Maybe you know more. Please share at

http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com/2011/04/spring-cleaning-for-writers-andreaders.html

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel

Back with Pictures and Lots of Housework to Do

2011-04-11T22:25:00.000-05:00

One of the Amtrak stops on the way there was Galesburg.

I had a great time doing research coming and going and while in Arizona. I came back with loads of pictures, also loads of wash and bills to take care of. I'm hoping to once again work on Forever Young this week, but some things need straightening out before I can think straight.

Morgan Mandel in the observation car. Lots to observe.

Every time I put my camera away I had to take it out again. There was so much to observe out there, and I wanted to keep as many memories as possible.

More pics on later posts, still have many more to upload onto the computer.

Taking in the local flavor

2011-04-05T13:02:00.000-05:00

I'm in Scottsdale right now researching for my work in progress, Forever Young - Blessing or Curse. I can hardly wait to include some of what I'm learning in my manuscript to round it all out.

When I get home, I'll put up some pictures here and on Facebook. In the meantime, if you wish, please stop over at Acme Authors Link on Wednesday to read my blog about some of the differences between Arizona and Illinois, and feel free to mention about those in your home state and others.

Tag if you wish

2011-03-28T10:09:00.001-05:00

I've been busy doing some neglected housecleaning the last few weeks, and unfortunately have much more on my plate to accomplish. It doesn't come easy, since I neglected the home over 38 1/2 years while working full time. This project needs doing before I find another full time job. In the meantime, I'm also doing research on Forever Young - Blessing or Curse.

One of the egroups mentioned about how tags are important on Amazon. If you've read Killer Career, I'd appreciate your going to Amazon and agreeing with the tags there or adding your own tags at

http://tinyurl.com/48bunxg

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel
Killer Career 99 cents on
Kindle and Smashwords

St. Joseph's Day and the St. Joseph's Day Table - a Repeat Blog from March 19, 2009

2011-03-18T21:20:00.000-05:00

Since I've made some new friends since last year, and also since some of the friends I did know at this time last year have a short memory, here's my post about a St. Joseph's Day table from two years ago.
Okay, here's a post from two years ago, complete with comments from friends. You're always welcome to add more.

You'd have to live in a cave not to be aware of March 17, St. Patrick's Day, a day for wearing of the green, when even people who aren't Irish pretend to be.

In passing, I just happened to mention to a few people about St. Joseph's Day, an Italian feast day, celebrated on March 19, a day for wearing of the red. They'd never heard of it before. Also, they'd never heard of a St. Joseph's Day Table.

If you belong to the category of people who have never heard of or participated in a St. Joseph's Day Table, you've missed out on a wonderful event.

The St. Joseph's Day Table is said to have originated in the Middle Ages when a drought struck Sicily and families prayed to God and also to St. Joseph. To stay alive, many of them resorted to eating fava beans. When their prayers were answered and the rains came, the Italians named March 19 as a special feast day dedicated to St. Joseph. They set up a grand table of food to share and celebrate. Since it was Lent, the food was meatless, but plentiful. Flowers and other decorations added to the festivities.

From such roots the present St. Joseph's Day Table was born, traditionally celebrated sometime near March 19, consisting of a massive buffet of meatless dishes, usually with more than one variety of pasta, along with salads, breads, plus almost any kind of pastry you can think of, with lots of flowers and other decorations.

The St. Joseph's Day Table not only provides a grand feast, but also lucky fava beans, a talisman purported to prevent pantries from going bare.

I've posted a few photos of the St. Joseph's Day Table held last Sunday at our church hall.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has heard of St. Joseph's Day or a St. Joseph's Day Table. Also, have you been to one? Please share.

I'm a Guest at Mike Manno's Blog

2011-03-14T08:34:00.000-05:00

I'm usually the one interviewing, but today I'm answering interview questions at Mike Manno's blog -

We'd both be happy if you'd stop by at

http://mikemanno.blogspot.com/2011/03/mondays-with-mike-author-morgan-mandel.html

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel

Seven Things You May Not Know About Me - Or Maybe You Do

2011-03-08T13:43:00.006-06:00

Stylish Blogger Award

Jean Henry Mead has presented me with a Stylish Blogger Award. I've received other awards before, and have been lax about responding, since they required posting a bunch of links, and I just didn't have time at the time, then my senior mind forgot about them.

This time, I decided to respond right away before I forgot. Also, I only need offer one link, and that's hers above.

The main requirement for accepting the Stylish Blogger Award is to list seven things about myself, so here goes:

1. I'm currently unemployed, after working as an administrative assistant for 38 1/2 years.

2. I love my kindle and read it while eating breakfast and lunch, or when nothing's good on TV.

3. I hardly every make phone calls. I prefer to e-mail instead. That's why my Iphone doesn't get used much as a phone, but the other features get lots of use, like the camera and Internet.

4. I'm addicted to Facebook and visit often during the day. I also like Twitter, but am not on there as much.

5. I've written mysteries and romances, and am almost through writing a paranormal thriller.

6. This is not my only blog. I'm also at Acme Authors Link on Wednesdays, at Make Mine Mystery on the first and 3rd Mondays of the month, and on The Blood-Red Pencil the first and second Tuesdays of the month.

7. I love country music, slots, chocolate, ice cream and pizza.

8. I dye my hair to keep the grey away.

9. I hate arithmetic. I guess that means I'll never be rich.

Rascal

10. My dog, Rascal, is a pit bull, yet is more popular than I will ever be. She's also on Facebook and has many followers.

TOLD YOU I HATE ARITHMETIC! AS ONE OF YOU POINTED OUT, I CAN'T COUNT. I PUT DOWN 10 THINGS, NOT SEVEN. (LOL)

If You Don't See Me Here

2011-03-06T22:17:00.000-06:00

Just to let you know, I've been quite busy on my work-in-progress, Forever Young. Because of that I haven't been posting as many blogs.

If you don't see me here, stop on over at http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel or
http://facebook.com/foreveryoungbook and you'll most likely see me there.

Morgan Mandel

Killer Career now 99 cents
on Kindle and Smashwords

Back in the Groove

2011-03-04T17:11:00.001-06:00

After struggling with the income taxes since February 25, my brain was wasted. When I sat down to pick up where I left off on my paranormal thriller, Forever Young, I wasn't sure if I could do it.

I took baby steps, cheating and going back to the first chapter, fixing and condensing sentences. Then, I got brave enough to hit Control, End, and skip to the bottom to pick up where the story had left off. I kept at it and the flow began.

I'm happy to say I made my daily goal of 1,000 words, actually 3 words more!

Now, I'll relax, maybe play on the Internet or read the book I tore myself away from at lunch. It's good to be back in the groove again. Once I slip out if it, I'm always afraid I can't make it back in. This time I did, and I intend to stay there!

Morgan Mandel

Come visit on Facebook as well at -
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

It's Done! It's Done!

2011-03-03T18:48:00.000-06:00

I can now reclaim my normal life. My income tax stuff is all ready to go the accountant! Maybe next year I'll be more organized and it won't take me as long --- Big Maybe!!

Will Today Be the Day?

2011-03-02T13:47:00.000-06:00

Will today be the day I finish getting the income tax stuff in order? I hope so, because it's a real time waster. I haven't been able to do any more work on Forever Young since February 25, when the dreaded income tax junk took priority. I'm under the gun because once it's in order, then it goes to the accountant. If it's not in order, that would be tons of extra money to pay him, and it's money I can't afford.

So, I'm hoping today will be the day. Maybe you're more organized and yours is already done. Hope so for your sake.

Morgan Mandel

http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel
Killer Career is 99 cents on
Kindle and Smashwords

Can You Spot the True Optimist?

2011-02-24T05:06:00.000-06:00

A True Optimist

Can you spot the true optimist in this photo?

I'll give you a hint - it's yellow.

Yes, one of my daffodils dares to believe it can survive, despite the cold temperatures and recent deluge of snow. Somehow, this optimist believes Spring is coming and it can hang on until then.

Maybe it will. I'm hoping it does, because I admire such optimism.

That's the kind of attitude I'd like to cultivate. Every book I write I want to be the best I've ever written, and I want to convince everyone else it's true.

If a daffodil can do it, so can I!

To Promote or Self-Promote? Which is Easier?

2011-02-18T08:47:00.003-06:00

After all these years as an author and blogger, self-promotion still doesn't come naturally to me. I find it much easier to promote other people, books and places rather than to extol my own virtues.

You may find this strange, since I'm in so many social media groups, and I seem to be all over the place. Yes, I am, but once the basics are down, you don't find out much more. Once in a while I'll slip in a reference to one of my books, but I have a feeling I could have done so a lot more often, but haven't bothered.

I've passed over many opportunities for promotion because it seems so much more difficult to convince others of my own capabilities than to convince them how wonderful my friends, fellow bloggers, or even strangers are.

One of the reasons is something I learned long ago, which is nobody likes a braggart. Another reason, I'm afraid, is laziness. It's a lot simpler to let others answer my questions, than to be the one on the receiving end and have to think up what to say about myself. Another reason is probably disorganizaition. I need to keep a FAQ list with answers to frequent questions handy, so I can answer them easily.

As part of my new disciplined attitude toward being an author, part of which involves my setting the 1,000 word goal each day, I've decided to be more aggressive toward self-promotion. I've already set up a new Facebook page specifically to detail my progress on my work in progress, Forever Young, to keep me on the right path to finishing my goal in that respect. I've also accepted requests for interviews by two bloggers, April Pohren and Mike Manno, and will be appearing on their blogs. First, I have to finish their interview questions. Then I'll let you know when I'll be there.(G)

What about you? Is it easier for you to promote or self-promote? You don't have to be an author to answer this question. It can apply to other areas of your life as well.

Morgan Mandel
http://facebook.com/foreveryoungbook
Killer Career now 99 cents on
Kindle and Smashwords

Forever Young - My New Facebook Page

2011-02-06T15:37:00.000-06:00

Even with extra time at my disposal due to my recent state of unemployment, it's not always easy to discipline myself to write a certain amount of words on my manuscript each day. Although I love writing, inspiration doesn't strike as often as I'd wish.

To keep myself motivated and encouraged, I've set up a Facebook page for my work in progress, a paranormal thriller, tentatively titled Forever Young, which seems to fit. Also, I've put up a stock photo profile pic, which is an accurate depiction of the heroine. The cover may be changed if needs be, but this will suffice for now.

I'd appreciate your coming over and do the Like thing at my new page. Once I get a certain amount of followers, I can then get a fancy url to make it easier to get there. Here's the link for now:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Forever-Young/187944944561645

Come on over when you can and share the progress of my book.

Time Flies

2011-01-30T11:42:00.000-06:00

I've learned that time flies even when I'm not working, per se. I still don't have a day job, but it's amazing how fast the days are going by. I expected to be bored at least some of the time, but actually I'm too busy to be bored. I also expected to get more of the house cleaning projects done, but I'm lucky to get something small done each day.

I've discovered it takes me a while to reach my self-made quota of 1,000 words per day on my Forever Young manuscript. I wish I were a faster writer, but that doesn't seem to be happening either. Still, I am accomplishing something, but won't feel fully accomplished until writing The End on the last page of my manuscript.

Morgan Mandel
Killer Career 99 cents on
Kindle and Smashwords

My Brain is Toast

2011-01-27T18:54:00.000-06:00

My brain is toast lately. That's because I can't keep too many things in it at one time. So, since I've been concentrating a lot on writing my thriller, Forever Young, other stuff kind of slips through.

What about you? Do you have trouble concentrating on other things when you've been trying to get a manuscript written?

Morgan Mandel
Killer Career 99 cents on
Kindle and Smashwords

Working on Forever Young Again

2011-01-24T08:20:00.000-06:00

Working on Forever Young again today. Accomplished 1038 words yesterday, despite the hoopla of the Bears/Packers game.

In the meantime, you're welcome to tell us how you're feeling today at Spill It Here:
http://spillithere.blogspot.com/2011/01/monday-mix.html

Morgan

Spill It Here Is Now Open

2011-01-23T17:31:00.000-06:00

Just opened a new blogspot, kind of a catchall, where you can report whether you're Sad, Mad or Glad, and why - Here's a link if you want to check it out.

http://spillithere.blogspot.com/2011/01/glad.html?showComment=1295825289805#c8153056327960744404

In The Flow

2011-01-22T16:51:00.002-06:00

Since I decided to go forward again with Forever Young, I've been creeping up with the page count. It's now up to 33,862, from 31,815 yesterday, making 2,047 up, but who's counting? (G)

At first I wasn't sure I could think of things to say. Once I got started, magic happened. The other night I'd just pulled the covers over me in bed when inspiration struck, gifting me with plot leads and twists. I was so excited, I jumped up, turned on the light. grabbed a pen and scrap of paper from my purse, and wrote down what had sprung into my mind before I could forget it all. (Good thing the DH was still downstairs, having fallen asleep on the easy chair, while watching TV, or that light turning on wouldn't have gone over too well.)

Today, I experienced something which hadn't happened in a while. I finally got into the flow. The words came out as fast as I could type them. They even made sense.

Right now, I'm tired from inhabiting my character's mind and body for a few hours. It's almost like physical labor.

Am I the only one who gets worn out from a good day of writing?

Morgan Mandel
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel
Killer Career on Kindle for 99 cents

Winter Weather Stories

2011-01-20T07:24:00.007-06:00

We've got below zero and dangerous wind chill in the forecast for the Chicago area Thursday night going into Friday. Already there's a mix of snow and ice on sidewalks, streets and parking lots. It's difficult navigating around even if you're in a car. Good time to stay home, keep warm and read a book, but not everyone can do that.

Those who experience winter weather in states like Illinois and tons of other places know all too well how can impact their lives.

Killer Career

Along with other winter scenes, my romantic suspense, Killer Career, shows two of the main characters looking for a missing dog in a snow covered backyard. Their shocking discovery heightens the feeling that something is amiss.

Have you written a book where winter weather plays a part in the setting or plot?

Or, maybe you'd like to recommend someone else's.

Please Welcome Romance Author & Animal Lover, Celia Yeary

2011-01-17T18:57:00.019-06:00

I'm very happy to welcome romance author, Celia Yeary, a member of the wonderfully supportive egroup, Book Spa Friends. Celia is not only a talented author, but also goes out of her way to share her time and talent with others.

Celia Yeary

Celia Yeary is a seventh-generation Texan, and her life revolves around family, friends, and writing. San Marcos has been her home for thirty-five years. She has five published romance novels, five “coming soon” novels, short stories in anthologies, articles, and essays with a local magazine. The author is a former science teacher, graduate of Texas Tech University and Texas State University, mother of two, grandmother of three, and wife of a wonderful, supportive Texan. Celia and her husband enjoy traveling, and both are involved in their church, the community, and the university.

http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com/

http://www.celiayeary.com/

http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/

Buy Link for Celia's Latest Release,

Texas Promise,

an historical, sensual e-book presented by

Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc.

Book One of The Cameron Sisters Series

What it's about:

After two years, Jo King’s life as a widow abruptly ends when her husband returns home to Austin. Unable to understand her angry and bitter husband, she accepts a call from the New Mexico Territory to meet her dying birth father whom she knows nothing about. Her plan to escape her husband goes awry when he demands to travel with her.

Dalton King, believing lies his Texas Ranger partner tells him about Jo, seethes with hatred toward his wife. Now he must protect Jo from his partner’s twisted mind, while sorting out the truth. Jo’s bravery and loyalty convince him she’s innocent. But can they regain the love and respect they once shared?

Since Celia is a fellow animal lover like I am, and the dog part of this blog has been neglected for a while, Celia has agreed to pitch in and share memories of her precious dog, Poco. You may want to grab a handkerchief before reading.

Poor, Pitiful, Puppy by Celia Yeary

Poco

In the seventies, my husband took a temporary teaching position as a professor at New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Our daughter began fourth grade and our son entered first. The elementary school was only about ten blocks away, but my husband drove them to school in the mornings. Since he arrived home in the afternoons before I did, he left the car at home, walked to the school, collected the kids, and the three of them took a shortcut home through an alley.

One day, they came home with a very cold wet puppy.

"Look what we have, Mommy!" The kids were jumping around while my husband stood there, looking sheepish, with the puppy shivering in his arms.

A dog? Oh, no, I thought. We'd lost two back in Texas due to unfortunate circumstances, and I did not want to cope with that again. Plus, this puppy had…something odd about it.

"Wherever you got that puppy, take it back right now," I said. "She's filthy. And what's wrong with her left eye and her right ear? I don't want a dog. Most of the training would fall to me."

A chorus of pleas went up from the three.

"Look, Mommy," Daughter said, "she has pretty white fur, and when we give her a bath, she'll be white as snow. Isn't she cute.?"

Son joined in, "I like her. But she's shaking so hard she can't stop. I think she's cold."

I studied the puppy. "Or maybe she's frightened. Okay, honey," I said to my husband, "where did you get her?"

He said the puppy lived in an unkempt fenced yard. Every day when they walked down the alley past the house, the puppy toddled to the fence, jumped up on it, whining and crying just like a baby. There was no doghouse, no shelter for her, and part of the yard was muddy--cold, freezing mud, at that. Bottom line, the owner was guilty of neglect. Her right ear looked permanently bent backwards. Her right eye had no pigment around it, and it appeared infected, all red and oozing…something.

On this day, as they walked past, a man stood in the yard. My three heroes stopped and my husband called to him, asking what was wrong with the puppy's eye. The man said he had no idea, that the puppy belonged to his wife who had left, and he had no reason to keep a pet.

So they asked for her. The man gave her up in a flash.

We named her Poco, since we lived in New Mexico and we thought that meant "little" or something close. We rejected the name Princess, as well as Snowball, and Snowflake.

Two cats joined Poco in the near future, and now we had three pets when I wanted none. Even though all three were great pets, little Poco--she never grew very big--was the most precious dog in the world. We ended up back in Texas, and everyone's pets ran free--and so did ours. They came in and out of the house whenever they wanted. We took good care of them, because each one lived to the age of sixteen or seventeen. For years, our veterinarian costs were greater than our pediatrician's.

Everyone in the neighborhood loved Poco. She loved to be petted, adored attention, but never approached a human unless coaxed. Any little noise or sharp voice terrified her and she would shake her little self silly. During thunderstorms and fireworks, I'd get her quilt, wrap her up tightly, and hold her in my lap, because she could not stop trembling.

The veterinarian said she had cancer in her eye, but thought it would be best to leave it alone. I bathed it and tried to keep it dry, and it never seemed to bother her. The bent ear turned straight as she grew. She turned out to be a pretty little thing.

She died at age seventeen. Just laid down in the yard, closed her eyes, and stopped breathing. Bless her sweet heart, our little Poco.

Thank you, Morgan.

Celia Yeary - Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas

http://celiayeary.blogspot.com

http://www.celiayeary.com/

http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/

New Releases
Texas Promise - eBook - Desert Breeze Publishing
Making the Turn - Print & Ebook - Wings ePress

Please make Celia feel welcome by leaving a comment.

What Day Is It?

2011-01-15T17:05:00.002-06:00

Now that I've been unemployed since the beginning of the year, I've found it hard to remember what day it is. This would sometimes happen to me when I had a day job, but it was easier to keep track then. For one thing, on Sundays I always thought with distaste about the upcoming Mondays. Fridays were spent in anticipation of the weekend. Because of that, they tended to go slower than all the other weekdays combined.

What I find very strange now is my unemployed days are passing much more quickly than I'd thought they would.

What about you? Do you sometimes lose track of days?

Holiday Party Pics

2011-01-12T14:12:00.001-06:00

June Sproat, Recent President, on right with Hubby, Mark

Some party pics from the Chicago-North RWA Holiday Party Monday night. Fantastic food and fabulous company!

Left to Right - Margaret Watson, Lindsay Longford

Bernadette Cynchner and Hubby, Russell

Bonnie Hoffman and Mark Sproat, June Sproat's Hubby

Margot Justes, New President, and Hubby, Victor, taking my pic while I took theirs.

Holiday Celebrations Not Over

2011-01-10T11:30:00.000-06:00

From time to time, I'll be posting more updates concerning my unemployment, but don't want this blog to be only about that.

I finished taking down the very last of our Christmas decorations this morning. It's amazing how I every year I get so used to seeing them up, and every time I take them down the house looks bare.

Fortunately, the Holiday celebrations are not over. Tonight is the annual holiday party with my Chicago-North Romance Writers of America writing buddies. This celebration used to take place before Christmas, but one year a snowstorm got in the way, and we had to delay the party. Turns out everyone liked the idea of having the party at a less busy time, so we've kept it at January.

I'll post some pictures from the event soon.

Day 6 of Unemployment - A Saturday

2011-01-08T08:17:00.002-06:00

Since I didn't have to work on Saturdays when I had a job, today is, yet isn't, my Day 6 of Unemployment.

As far as my goals went for yesterday, as I mentioned yesterday, I did get the hall closet floor cleaned and straightened, but did no more on the closet.

I also went for a few walks with Rascal, but not as far as before, since we were blessed with a dusting of snow and blasts of cold air.

I never got a chance to get anything done on my works in progress, so hope I can find some time this weekend to get something done in that regard. If not, there's always Monday, since I don't have a day job any more.

On that job score, I've been checking the papers daily, but the pickings are slim. Also, online is not much better. I'm keeping my eye open and hope to get something that's a perfect fit by year's end, hopefully much sooner.

Day 5 of Unemployment

2011-01-07T12:19:00.003-06:00

Day 5 Goals:

Clean the hall closet.

This, you'll notice, has been a recurring goal. (g)

Actually, this morning, I cleaned the whole bottom of the closet!!! Yay!!!! Here's what it looks like. I can even close the door now.

Too exhausted from that chore to attempt the upper shelves today, but at least now I can get the door closed. That has not happened in many months.

Last night, one of my ex-bosses came over with boxes of stuff I'd accumulated in my desk over the 38+ years of service. We met in the driveway. He handed over the boxes, and the DH and I brought them into the house. I had no idea it was so much!

I guess they figured it was too hard to ship. Here's the picture.
In the bag was my elderly plant of maybe 20 years old, which seems to have come back safe and sound, in one piece, and is now on the kitchen table, ironically next to a plant I got about three years ago from the current regime on Administrative Assistant's Day. I'll have to take a picture of that one of these days.

He mentioned that also in an envelope in the bag, was my severance check. When I opened it I was surprised to learn I'd gotten 4 weeks instead of the original 2 weeks pay promised. Yay!

Work on at least one manuscript.
Yesterday I got 351 words done on Diary of a Nervous Baby Boomer.

Get exercise, preferably by walking Rascal.
The DH and I took Rascal for a long walk to the library so he could return some DVDs, so that goal was accomplished. So far today, I took Rascal on a short walk, but we plan to do more later after the DH watches a few uneducational TV programs.

Obstructions:
Yesterday, on the way to the library we stopped at the barber shop to talk to our friend, Dan, so we were delayed for a while. Later, we stopped at an aunt's house. Both were enjoyable things to do, but delayed work on the manuscript, resulting in a lower page count than the previous days.

Time on the phone was also spent discussing what items needed returned to me from the drawers of my old desk.

Day Four of Unemployment

2011-01-06T07:32:00.000-06:00

Unemployment Day Four:

GOALS:
Clean the hallway closet - I relegated this chore to later in the day, but a setback arrived in the form of a letter from Illinois Department of Employment Security saying they wanted a telephone interview with me next week because I listed on my form that I had been discharged from employment. Waited over an hour for a human to come on the phone to let me know if I'd been singled out or if this was a normal event. Turned out anyone who gives the same answer, meaning lots and lots of people, are interviewed. That reassured me.

Get more words done on one of my manuscripts - Got 763 words done on A Bad End yesterday before the letter came from I.D.E.S. Hope to do as much on at least one of my manuscripts today.

Along with Good Paul, I took Rascal on a long walk into town. By now, she must be confused by all the attention she's been getting lately. I plan on giving her another long walk today, despite the obstruction of a dropping tempoerature. At least, there's no snow on the ground.

Obstructions:
Distractions from the DH watching TV, even if it's in the other room, but yesterday I did manage to mainly ignore the programs.

Reward cards to redeem from Menard's and Staples from Black Friday before I forget about them. Also have one from Sears, but can't remember how much it is, so not sure if I should bother, since it's pretty far.

Day 3 of Unemployment

2011-01-05T05:06:00.002-06:00

Goals:
Clean the hallway closet I didn't get around to doing yesterday.

Get more words done on my manuscripts.

Walk Rascal and get some exercise. (I forgot to add this one yesterday, but I remembered in time for us to get a great afternoon walk for half an hour. It's essential I don't skimp on exercise, so Rascal may as well also get some) Good Paul may even join us, since he's off today.

Obstructions:
Seing as the DH works two days a week, which means the rest of the week he'll be home at the same time as I am, this could present a problem in getting projects accomplished. For one thing, he's very much allergic to dust, so how can I clean the closet without his having sneezing fits?

He also has favorite TV shows which he may lure me into watching.

I have a feeling I'll have to set ground rules if I'm to succeed in my goals, or resign myself to not getting as much done.

After being married as long as we have, I'm sure we can work something out.

Day Two of Unemployment

2011-01-04T09:03:00.003-06:00

Day Two Goals:

Get some pages done either on Diary of a Nervous Baby Boomer or A Bad End - maybe both.

Temporary Setback - I got an email from Farmville saying my crops were ready to harvest, so I had to go over there, harvest and plant. Talk about setting priorities!

Okay, now I'm getting down to business. After the writing, my other project will be -----

Clean the hall closet.
It's so bad, I can't close the door.

Here's the before picture. This project may take longer than one day!

Wish me Luck!

Day One

2011-01-03T12:06:00.000-06:00

Day One of Unemployment -

I had thought I'd start a project around the house, then work on one of my WIPs. However, I underestimated how long it would take to fill out my unemployment form online today.

I had a few questions which I couldn't find answers to online, so I called. It took half an hour the first time to get through, got my answers, and thought I was home free. Turns out I had another few questions toward the end of the form. I wanted to make sure I did it right the first time, or my benefits would be even more delayed, so I called again. The next time it took about 1 1/2 hours to get through. I kept getting cut off after around 12 minutes and having to redial, only to get cut off again. That was with the paying number. The toll-free number I couldn't even get through to, though I did make a valiant effort by using my landline. I checked my email while I was waiting to be connected, and finally I was surprised to hear a human voice. I got the answer to my other questions, which I had guessed correctly before, and was able to complete the form.

I also filled out a form for direct deposit, printed everything out I'd filled out, and filled out some other stuff at Illinois Skills Match, since it's a requirement to be looking for work. Nothing was available for me yet.

It was past 11 am when I was all done with it, after starting around 8am

After all that aggravation, I'm not sure if I'm in the mood to tackle any projects now. It's kind of like a regular day at work already.

The Title of My Next Book - A Bad End

2011-01-01T14:08:00.000-06:00

I'm one of those people who tries not to be wasteful. With that in mind, and prompted by the advice of many of my wonderful online friends, A Bad End will become more than a bad experience. Some, but not all, of what happened will be incorporated in a new manuscript of that name, a combination non-fiction, fiction book.

In case you're wondering which is which, the demise of the much hated character will be fictional and not based on an actual occurrence. (g)

Morgan

A Bad End

2010-12-30T15:01:00.003-06:00

My job of 38 years came to a bad end Wednesday, December 29, 2010, at 4:30. My boss called me in and said this would hurt both of us. Then he said we knew this day would happen.

Oh, we did? I always thought it would be the other way around, and I'd be the one leaving to retire in a few years.

He went on to tell me they're restructuring the firm and hiring paralegals. Interesting concept - these paralegals will be doing all the s**t work I was doing as an assistant (fancy word for secretary). Well, maybe they'll be part-time with no insurance, or a lot younger with a smaller salary. That way the boss and his cronies can keep even more money for themselves. Whatever the case, since my old boss retired 6 years ago, the firm has not been the same.

So, my many years of dedication, coming to work sick and working hard to keep the clients apparently meant nothing in the long run. It has all come to a Bad End. To add insult to injury, the present boss followed me to my desk and watched me pack up my stuff, as if I were some crazed criminal who'd grab a stapler or something silly as a souvenir. Not likely. I guess I sound bitter, but I have to tell it like it is.

Actually I'm looking forward to a new beginning. How fitting, to start a new adventure in the New Year!
I plan on getting some projects done while on unemployment, also plenty of writing. Now I have no excuse to let my WIPS languish. I'll pretend I'm going to work, but instead to into the other room and sit myself down at my desk and write on, and on, and on...

PS Some of my Facebook friends have recommended killing him off in one of my manuscripts - tempting idea. I wonder if it will fit in somewhere or if I can make room for it somehow. http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

The Christmas Card List by Morgan Mandel

2010-12-21T21:40:00.001-06:00

I made up this short story last year for my friend, Hagelrat's blog at Un:Bound, but since it's one of my favorites, I'd like to share it again here. Although this is a work of fiction, some of the aspects of this story ring true for me and many others who send out Christmas cards each year. I hope you enjoy it.

Ruth frowned, as she set the box of Christmas cards on the kitchen counter and reached for her pen in the junk drawer. What used to give her joy now filled her with sadness. Once she’d groaned at the money she’d spent on cards and stamps. She wished that were still true.

Time marches on. Many of the people who’d touched her life were gone. Some had moved and left no forwarding addresses, but the majority resided where no mail could reach them.

“I miss you,” she said aloud to the empty kitchen.

A wintry afternoon snow/sleet mix pelted the windows. The wind howled, reinforcing her feelings of abandonment.

Christmastime was supposed to be a happy season, but she couldn’t shake off her melancholy. She should be grateful for those who were left, and she was. Still, she longed for the one’s she’d never see again. Mom and Dad, sis, her niece, Nancy, her good friends, Judy and Maureen, and so many others were not around anymore. At times like this, she regretted not finding someone to share her life. Then again, maybe he’d have gone the way of the others.

She padded on her fuzzy slippers to the wooden table, pulled out the matching chair and began penning notes inside the cards. It was hard to make her stiff fingers move right, with the arthritis taking over, not to mention she was more used to typing than writing in cursive. Forty years as an administrative assistant, first on a typewriter, then a computer, did that to a person. Five years after retirement, she still hardly wrote, choosing to use a keyboard instead.

That reminded her. She hadn’t checked her e-mail and blogs. She’d do it after she finished the cards. Her heart lifted at the thought.

Soon she’d stamped the few cards, placed Christmas seals on their backs, and secured them with a rubber band. She’d mail them tomorrow. For now, she’d switch on the laptop computer on her kitchen desk and see what everybody was up to.

The usual mass of e-mails awaited her from e-groups she’d joined over the years. Also, she hadn’t gone through her blog roll yet today. Smiling, she entered the worlds of her cyber friends, commiserated and/or cheered them, according to what was appropriate. Janet had had a baby girl and both were doing fine, Sue’s dog was eating chair legs, John wanted suggestions for an inexpensive, caring Christmas gift for his girlfriend.

When she started to get hungry, a glance at the computer clock showed two hours had passed. It was time well spent. Though she’d only met one or two of them in person, her online friends were real and important to her. Every day they shared secrets, triumphs and sorrows with each other. Wasn’t that what friendship was about?

She wasn’t so alone after all. A feeling of warmth stole over her, kind of like when she drank a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. Her snail mail list may have diminished, but not her e-mail list.

She was truly blessed. Smile widening, she got up to fix dinner.

Merry Christmas, Cyber Friends!

From Morgan Mandel

Please Welcome My Guest, Chris Redding

2010-12-15T23:03:00.005-06:00

Chris will give away a cute purple tote of goodies to one lucky commenter, so be sure to comment and leave your e-mail address.

Chris Redding lives in New Jersey with her husband, two kids and various animals. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in journalism. When she isn’t writing, she works part time for her local hospital.

INCENDIARY By Chris Redding

A firefighter and an EMT must stop an arsonist before they go up in flames. Someone is burning buildings in Biggin Hill, NJ, and framing Jake Sweeney. He enlists the aid of his old flame. Too bad their fiery past may get in the way of bringing someone to justice.

Buy Link: http://www.sinfulmomentspress.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Incendiary

The following is an excerpt from Chris's workshop, Show Up Naked: Writing the Male POV, which she will be giving in February at http://www.romance-ffp.com/.

Communication is about independence and intimacy.

Men tend to focus on independence. They give orders and tell people what to do. Women crave intimacy. For instance. a man will make plans without consulting his wife. (Not all men) He will see no reason to “ask permission” of his wife. He actually views it that way. He would see it as not being able to act independently of her. He sees at as being the underling if he has to ask permission. Even though is isn't really asking permission, but consulting the wife about her plans. (Which is how she would see it.)

Here you can add conflict. The hero makes a unilateral decision be it about a social event or in the heat of running from the bad guys. He doesn’t see why he needs to clear it with the heroine. Of course she wants to be in on the decision-making process so we have conflict between the two. He doesn’t understand why she needs to be part of making the decision.

It is the same mindset when men go out and spend money. They don't feel they need to “ask permission.” My husband once bought a car without any input from me. He was going through a rough time and I think he needed to assert his independence not so much from me, but from his job. I didn't make a big deal about it, but the next time he bought I car I mentioned it. And of course he had no idea that I would feel that way. Until I told him.

Intimacy says we're close and connected. Women bond with each other, especially through talking. In feeling connected, two women feel symmetry. They are equals.

Independence is connected to status. Men like independence and their lives are about status. So status and independence are asymmetrical. Both people in a contest cannot have the upper hand.

Imagine someone other than the hero interested in the heroine. There would be an automatic competition between the two men. Conflict! Not huge conflict, but enough to show another side of your hero.

In ancient societies, men protected women. It is still in their biology to do that. There aren't man-eating animals that women face on a daily basis so they do it other ways. (Quick story: In a bar recently with a mixed group. Someone else we knew asked one of the guys in the groups to help her get this guy off of her. Now he doesn’t even like her, but she was clearly scared of this other guy hanging on her. So my friend asked the guy to leave. Twice, nicely. The guy, of course, gave him a hard time, and they almost came to blows. My friend was willing to protect this woman merely because she was a woman.)

A mother naturally protects her children. But when a woman extends her protection to a man he bristles at it. He sees himself as a lower rank, a child. Since I was a kid in the age before widespread seatbelt use, if my father had to brake suddenly he would put his hand out to protect whoever was in the front passenger seat. I developed the same habit driving.

Fast forward a few years. I begin delivering pizza and using a seatbelt on a regular basis. I'm driving with my boyfriend (the one who convinced me to wear a seatbelt.) and I have to break suddenly. My arm goes out. He thought that was the most ridiculous thing. He made fun of me for it for awhile. Looking back, it wasn't about me. It was about him feeling as if I'd lowered him in the hierarchy of our relationship.

Here's Where You Can Find Chris Redding:

http://www.chrisreddingauthor.com/

http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/chrisreddingauthor

www.twitter.com/chrisredding

Please leave a comment to welcome, Chris. You may be lucky enough to get that cute purple tote!

How to Get a Bestseller

2010-12-08T21:34:00.002-06:00

One way to get a bestseller is to write about what everyone's thinking. The trick is to figure what that is. What is everyone thinking?

Another way to get a bestseller is to make everyone think about what you've written.

Another way is to think up something new and different and get the word out before someone else thinks about it.

Yet another way to get a bestseller is to write something shocking.

One more way to get a bestseller is to do lots of promotion.

Another way is to have a really great cover.

Don't forget great reviews and back cover blurbs.

Or, if you're a celebrity, you could write just about anything, or hire a ghostwriter, and you'd get a bestseller.

These are some ways, which can be done alone or in combination.

Any other ideas about how to get a bestseller? Or, maybe you can tell us of some instances where one of these methods worked for yourself or someone else. If so, I and the rest of us would like to hear about it.

Here's hoping at least one of these ideas will work. (g)

Check Out These Books

2010-12-03T13:07:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday at Acme Authors Link I asked for Elevator Pitches, and I sure got them. Lots of wonderful descriptions of great books. We have no shortage of great authors on the web. With so many choices, there's no excuse for not finding something to read.

If you haven't gone over there yet, here's the link to read and/or add yours:

http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2010/12/elevator-pitch-time-by-morgan-mandel.html

Morgan

How Was Your Black Friday? What about Cyber Monday?

2010-11-27T18:03:00.003-06:00

My brother and I went for our annual excursion hitting area stores on Black Friday, while my husband relaxed at home. He hates such doings, but I enjoy joining in the excitement. The worst line was at Kohl's, but I stayed in it, because I really liked the 40% off tablecloth I got for $8.99.

I picked up some other nice bargains, but didn't go overboard. Besides our last stop at Kohl's, we hit Radio Shack, Meijer, Walmart, KMart, Staples, Pep Boys, my brother's choice which was surprisingly popular, Office Depot, Menards. I was too late for the $9.99 comforters and the $9.99 frying pan sets at Menards, but I did pretty well otherwise. For photos of my bargains, including a stainless steel stock pot, come on over to http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

I couldn't get up any enthusiasm for Saturday sales, but by Monday, I'll be checking the Web. I've been tempted for a while to get a projector for when I do presentations. I wonder if there will be a good one I can find on Cyber Monday. If so, I'll let you know.

What about you? Did you do any Black Friday buying? What about Cyber Monday? Will you be checking the Internet for bargains?

Sharing Christmas Story Results

2010-11-24T18:10:00.000-06:00

Just want to point you to the results from Wednesday's post at Acme Authors List, where I made a call out for Christmas stories. I got a tremendous response recommending stories by the authors themselves and also for recommendations about books by other authors.

Whether you like print or ebook, you may discover some great finds from this list. If you want to get into the Christmas spirit, why not check one or more of these out. They'd also make a great present.

http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2010/11/do-you-have-christmas-story-coming-out.html

Thanks, Morgan

PS This is an old picture, but snow always reminds me of Christmas. So far we don't have any this year, but that could change any day here in Illinois.

Tips and Excerpt Today From My Guest, Light Gore Author, C.A. Verstraete

2010-11-22T22:14:00.000-06:00

A good writer never stops learning. Here are some tips from one of the best of them, C.A. (Christine) Verstraete. After that, you'll learn about her latest releasem what she calls a light gore.

10 Tips to Better Writing By C.A. (Christine) Verstraete

1. Start Small

Big projects can sometimes be overwhelming. Break them into bite-size pieces. I'm guilty of stressing over not writing the 20 pages a week I'd planned. Setting goals smaller, say three pages a day, will get almost the same results, with less stress. And if you don't get the exact amount done, don't beat yourself up. Even one paragraph or page is one more than you had before, and 500 or so words closer to your final word count.

2. Believe in Yourself
A bad review can hurt, but the pain is temporary. But that inner critic that tries to hold you back and tear down your efforts (you're a lousy writer, you'll never get anywhere, why are you wasting your time?...) can be worse. Believe in you. Think on what you've accomplished and move forward. One rejection is just that. It's not the end. Don't let rejection stalk you. Send that story or project to another publication and move on to the next one. Having at least a few stories circulating (some say 10 or 12 if you can) will prevent you from obsessing over one.

3. Learn From Others
Success comes from listening to others who have already been there. Check out the experiences of other writers in your genre. Study the works of writers you admire to see how they did it. No matter how many years you've been writing, there is always something new to learn.

4. Review Yourself
A little self-evaluation can be good to gauge where you are in your writing goals and progress. Be honest; don't be afraid to point out your shortcomings, but also decide on how to improve them. Maybe you've only been published in lower paying markets and are afraid to move to the next level. Pick a market you haven't written for; study the content, and work on a story to submit. Becoming a better writer doesn't mean treading water; test the waters in new markets.

5. Make Goals
Goals keep you from stagnating, but make them reasonable. Start with one goal, like planning to get published in a new magazine in your genre, or working on a story in a different genre or field. When that goal is accomplished, make a new goal. Keep moving forward and don't stress over how long achieving that goal may take. It isn't a race. Work at the pace you feel comfortable with.

6. Seize the Day!
Swallow your fears. Some opportunities only come once. Don't be afraid to take a chance. You never know where it will lead.

7. Don't Fear Mistakes
You'll make mistakes; you'll write less than stellar stories. We all have. It's one mistake. Even if you make the same mistake, it's not the end of the world. Learn from them. Every mistake only makes you stronger.

8. Don't Be a Victim
Self-pity leads to depression, which leads to inactivity, self-doubt and can be a vicious spiral that robs you of your energy and happiness. No matter your circumstances, there is no reason to sit still and be unproductive. Don't make excuses, do something. There are tons of free resources available. Use the Internet and computers at the library. See if there is a niche in your community where you can volunteer or provide a service. See #5.

9. Be Happy
We all can't be Rockefellers or live like them. Always thinking the grass is greener on the other side will never make you satisfied. Look closer and you'll find crabgrass and weeds there, too. Enjoy your faith, friends, family, pets, and hobbies. Shut off the computer and make time to exercise and have some fun. You'll feel better and be more productive.

10. Think Positive
It takes less energy to think positive and will add more to your life and your writing.

And now, let's see find out how C.A. managed to put her tips to work in her latest release:

A party at a day camp; a blind date on Valentine's Day. Can you say loser?, Jess thinks. But this is no ordinary party. The Killer Valentine Ball has more thrills than Jess ever expected--or will ever forget.

Excerpt:
As they walked into the shadows, Jess noticed that things weren't quite as they appeared. Sections of the room lightened for a moment before being cast again in deep shadow. What Jess thought she saw in that split second made her heart race. On the dance floor, the same three couples stood, clasped to each other. Jess stared. She swore they never moved.

The music played quietly in the background. When the shadows brightened, Jess caught a quick glimpse of one of the couples. The young man's mouth gaped open. His partner's gown glistened with streams of dark ribbons. The light flashed again and Jess gasped. Those weren't ribbons! The girl's dress shone with dark glimmers. Like-like blood, she thought. No, it can't be! She looked back at Dylan, who shook his head and urged her on.

"Light tricks," he whispered. "It's not real. It's Halloween stuff, like the movie. Don't worry."

Want to find out what happens next? You can for $.99, if you Click the link above.

The Killer Valentine Ball

Author: C. A. Verstraete
Cover Artist: Delilah K. Stephans
Word Count: 3,094; Pages: 15
ISBN: 978-0-9865875-6-6
Price: $0.99
Release date: October 1, 2010
Warning: Light gore

To connect with C.A. (Christine), you can find her online at these links:
Website: http://cverstraete.com/

Blog: http://candidcanine.blogspot.com/
Book page: http://museituppublishing.com/musepub/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=82

Please leave a comment or question below for C.A. (Christine). I know she'd like to hear from you.

Meet C.A. aka Christine Verstraete, Tuesday's Guest Blogger

2010-11-22T05:35:00.006-06:00

Tuesday the 23rd, is the scheduled day for C.A. (Christine) Verstraete's blog stop here, but since she provided me with such a wealth of material, I'm starting early. Today, meet C.A. as she reveals how she became a writer and frankly answers interview questions.

Here's what Christine says about getting hooked on writing:

C.A. Verstraete

I grew up with my nose always in a book, so it seemed a natural progression that I wanted to be a writer. A prophetic wish, it seems, judging from my favorite baby photo as seen on my website of me with a newspaper and a pencil behind my ear. I studied journalism and continue to do freelance writing for newspapers.

I also enjoy writing all kinds of fiction, with stories appearing in several anthologies including the recent Steampunk'd from DAW Books (coming out Nov. 2).

My kid's mystery, Searching for a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery, was #1 on Kindle for Miniatures books and was a 2009 EPPIE Award finalist for best YA/children's ebook by the Epic Foundation.

Interview:

1. How long have you been writing?

C.A. Forever? Ha! For years. Being trained in newspapers, I'm used to writing every day so the real question is probably when am I not writing?

2. What is your favorite genre?

C.A. I confess to split personality writing. I'm drawn to mysteries, horror and kid's books, so I seem to write about the same as what I like to read. I love a good scare.

3. What's been the hardest thing you've written so far?

C.A. I'd have to say that learning more about science fiction-type writing has been interesting and a great challenge. I learned about a whole new category when writing my story for the Steampunk'd anthology and had a lot of fun doing it. Some of my stories had some magical and supernatural elements already, so I hope to try my hand at more of that.

4. If someone walked into your office, what would they see?

C.A. Stuff! (Or what others call junk! :>)) Being a collector and crafter, as well as a writer, you tend to collect a lot of supplies, projects and materials, besides the books and other "writerly" items.

5. Is there a particular author who influenced you?

C.A. I have several favorite authors, though I think Stephen King and Dean Koontz rank at the top. I also enjoy reading mystery authors like Margaret Grace, Elaine Viets, and others.

6. What made you decide to sign with Muse It Up Publishing as people are generally leery of new houses?

C.A. It sounded like an interesting venture and I have to admit I am impressed with how thorough and professionally it's being run. The openness is also refreshing. Publisher Lea Schizas has a good reputation and runs a tight ship.

7. What has been your worst experience since you became an author?

C.A. I'm sure just about every author has horror stories and bad experiences to share. A few things I learned along the way are the value of openness, open accounting, especially where fundraising and royalties are concerned, and the importance of checks and balances.

8. What has been your most positive experience?

C.A. Growing as a writer. Seeing my work published in new anthologies and working with new publishers has been a fun experience for me.

9. What constitutes a good book, in your opinion?

C.A. A good story. Nothing is more enjoyable than spending time with characters you like (or sometimes even hate!) and want to know better.

10. Which of your books is your favorite?

C.A. I've learned something different with each book or story I've written, so in that respect, they all are special. I've enjoyed writing, and trying new things with each one, whether it was delving into past history and fantasy as I did in my story, The Dream Child (Dragons Composed), developing a friendship (and conflict) between pals Sam and Lita (Searching for a Starry Night), learning about time travel (Timeshares), or writing horror with a macabre sense of humor (The Killer Valentine Ball).

11. If you were asked by a new author for advice, what would you tell that person?

C.A. Write every day. Writer's block is an excuse. If one story isn't working, write something else.

12. What do you like to do when you're not writing?

C.A. I enjoy crafting and working in miniature. I collect dollhouse miniatures and like to make many things myself. (Click miniatures on my website for some samples.)

12. What can we expect from you in the future?

C.A. More! Haa! I'm continually working on new projects. See my website and blog for updates.

Book page: http://museituppublishing.com/musepub/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=82

Tomorrow, be sure to come back to learn Christine's 10 Tips to Better Writing, and also read an excerpt from her light gore, The Killer Valentine Ball.

The Killer Valentine Ball

Author: C. A. Verstraete

Cover Artist: Delilah K. Stephans

Word Count: 3,094

Pages: 15
ISBN: 978-0-9865875-6-6
Price: $0.99
Release date: October 1, 2010

Warning: Light gore

Please welcome C.A. with a comment below. It would be much appreciated.

Holidays Are Opportunities

2010-11-18T22:00:00.000-06:00

Holidays are a great opportunity to enrich your manuscript. The trick is to not gloss over the holliday, but to add vivid descriptions as to how the holiday is celebrated by your characters.

You can draw on this by your own experience. Think of a holiday, such as Thanksgiving. What's the weather like outside? That will depend on where you live and/or the climate vagaries of the fictional year you create. Such descriptions can add greatly to the setting of your story.

Who is invited to your character's house to celebrate the holiday? Is someone missing? Why? A rift in the family, illness, death? Who prepares the meal? The mother, the wife, the son, the daughter, one, some, or all? Who helps? Children, spouse, friend? How is the table set? Disposable plates, glasses, silverware or fine china and silver? Such details are a good way to show the station in life of your characters, whether they're well-off, just-married, college students, maybe, or members of a large family.

What's on the menu? Does it reflect a character's ethnicity, a quirk, or maybe an effort to please someone who's held dear or who's domineering? Many people eat turkey for Thanksgiving, but maybe your character is alone and eating spam. Why?

What about guilt? There are lots of possibilities for that, such as a dinner guest who forgot to bring a hostess gift. Then there's the working wife or mother or single who feels bad because she uses canned gravy and ready-made dressing instead of making them from scratch. Why does she work? Is it because she needs the money, wants to get away from home for a while, or has a high profile position? I'm using the female gender here, because it's the women who usually cook the holiday meals, but there are exceptions. If so, that's another good difference to emphasize in your book.

Or what about the eternal ying and yang of invitations to the husband's and wife's houses on the same day, at the same time? Where to go? Who to please? That's a tough one.

What other holiday descriptions can you think of, either from your own novel or someone else's?

Hibernation by Morgan Mandel

2010-11-15T19:18:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you, but I find it hard to keep my eyes open lately in the evenings. I get myself all comfy on the couch, with my comforter over me, start watching something good on TV, and I miss most of it.I wake up and then stumble upstairs to bed.

In the morning, it's harder than hell to get up. I'd much rather stay in my cozy waterbed. If I don't get up, though, and start moving around, my energy is sapped for the day. Once I get moving, I'm okay. It's just the getting up process that's hard.

I blame it on the change of seasons. It's dark so early at night and darkness is a conducive atmosphere for sleep. So, it's very easy to hibernate these days.

Yes, I do have this inclination to stay in la-la land, mostly in the evening after a hard and confusing day at work. Because of that, it's almost impossible for me to do anything then on my WIP.

I have made a schedule which I'm doing my best to adhere to. If I want to send out emails in the morning, I try to do them from my home computer before leaving for work. When I'm on the train going to work, I devote that time to my WIP. On breaks I catch a few blogs and emails. At lunch and on the way home, I read my Kindle. When I get home, if I feel up to it, I try to finish a blog, then relax, go back and do some emails, and perhaps zonk out.

What about you? Are you feeling more like hibernating these days also? Does your schedule change with the seasons?

Please Welcome Children's Book Author, Cheryl C. Malandrinos

2010-11-08T23:05:00.000-06:00

Please welcome Cheryl C. Malandrinos -

I'm so happy to welcome Cheryl C. Malandrinos to my blog today. I've known Cheryl for some time now through the Internet, and feel like I know her in person. She's very giving and very professional.
Cheryl is a Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book, a book reviewer, and blogger. Little Shepherd is her first children’s book. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband and two young daughters. She also has a son who is married.

Cheryl Malandrinos is also a freelance writer and editor. A regular contributor for Writer2Writer, her articles focus on increasing productivity through time management and organization. A founding member of Musing Our Children, Cheryl is also Editor in Chief of the group’s quarterly newsletter, Pages & Pens.

As you can tell, she's a very busy lady. Here's what she has to say about how she performs her juggling act -

Juggling It All by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

There are days I feel like I belong in the circus. Not because my family is a bunch of freaks—okay, maybe we are, but that’s a story for another day—but because I am constantly juggling a menagerie of items, some of which are dangerously sharp or laden with fire.

When I left the corporate world to stay home with my children, it was as thrilling as flying through the air on a trapeze. Here was my chance to enjoy motherhood, be a good wife, and focus on my writing.

Six years later, I’m wondering how the heck I got all the necessary stuff done when I was working outside my home.

In case no one has ever mentioned it before, writers don’t make a ton of money. Well, Stephen King does, but how many of those did God make?

The average writer—especially those newer ones like me—supplement their income in some way. For me, it’s been as a virtual book tour coordinator for Pump Up Your Book. I love my job, which is a darn good thing because my family is convinced some days I am married to my laptop.

Then when I started promoting my first children’s book, Little Shepherd, it was like adding an elephant into the mix. Have you ever tried juggling an elephant?

Luckily, I’ve always been an organized person who manages her time wisely. I couldn’t cope otherwise. Here are a few tips that can help:

• Track your time to see where time is wasted. We all do it: surf the Net instead of write; get lost in research; allow distractions to steal your writing time. By tracking your time, you’ll be able to identify those areas and develop a plan on how to use your time more wisely.

• Use timed writing sessions. Set a timer for 10 minutes and do nothing but write. You can do this throughout the day to keep you focused.

• Set deadlines—even if they are fictitious ones—so that you have a goal to strive for. I used this strategy and was able to complete a first draft of a manuscript in three months.

• Cut out trade journal articles and keep them in a folder so you can tuck them in your briefcase. You can read them on your lunch hour or while you are in the waiting room at the doctor’s office.

• Don’t be afraid to say no.

• Try to create a schedule that takes advantage of your most creative time. I’m not a morning person, so I tend to write in the afternoon or after the girls are in bed.

• Leave room in your day for the unexpected.

I don’t believe there is ever a perfect balance. One hand will often be handling a heavier load than the other. I’ve put together a schedule that I can live with 8 days out of 10. Some days my family needs the majority of my attention, other days it has to be work and writing. Some days I feel fortunate to blend the two well.

Finding a balance you can live with the majority of the time will help you achieve your goals. You might even find that you can become a master juggler. Just watch out for those elephants!

You can visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com/ or the Little Shepherd blog at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com//.

You can purchase Little Shepherd at:

http://www.amazon.com/Little-Shepherd-Cheryl-C-Malandrinos/dp/1616330856

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/e/9781616330859

http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/little-shepherd.htm

http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781616330859

I've already got my copy. It's a very cute, sweet book, perfect for a Christmas present.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Cheryl.

What about you? Are you a juggler too? Please leave a comment for Cheryl about her post, her book, or whatever else you wish.

For Bargain Hunters - Price Reduction for Killer Career

2010-11-04T16:24:00.000-05:00

My husband and I received our property tax assessment this week from the Cook County Assessor's Office and were happy to see the value was less. If we were selling our house, it would be a blow. However, we plan to stay there for a while and have been struggling to pay outrageous taxes, so it was good news.

Houses have been selling for less these days, so in a way it wasn't surprising. We're just hoping the places that need our money won't come up with some new formulas to raise our taxes anyway.

Prices are going down all over the place. I for one am always looking for a good sale and confess to clipping coupons from the paper.

In light of the present economy, I've just reduced the ebook prices of my romantic suspense, Killer Career. If you like bargains, the kindle and other ebook versions are now 99 cents. You'll find the links below, if you care to bargain hunt on my book. (g)

Amazon.com or Smashwords.

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel

Friday Fright for Halloween

2010-10-28T20:42:00.000-05:00

How would you like to see this on your doorstep?
Pretty scary looking.

Oh, Rats - Halloween Outside Decoration for Today

2010-10-28T11:17:00.000-05:00

Rats spotted on someone's front lawn. At least they're civilized enough to be sitting on a chair!

They're cute in a grim kind of way.

Halloween Outdoor Decorations - Today's Choice

2010-10-26T19:01:00.001-05:00

Here's my Halloween Outdoor Decoration Pic for today from my Sunday walk with Rascal. She wasn't too happy I kept stopping to take pictures.

Today's Halloween Home Decoration Photo

2010-10-25T22:27:00.000-05:00

Another of the cute Halloween decorations I saw while walking Rascal on Sunday. Later on this week I'll try to remember to put up a few of the more scary ones. I'm hoping our power doesn't go out. The prediction is strong winds through Wednesday night.

Halloween Home Decorations

2010-10-24T23:49:00.000-05:00

I saw some cute Halloween home decorations when I was walking Rascal Sunday morning. I'll be posting more of them during this week leading up to Halloween. I don't have any myself, since I'm not as creative, not to mention no time.

New Name for My Work In Progress - I may keep this one

2010-10-23T08:28:00.000-05:00

I thought up a new name for my WIP, and this one I may actually keep!

I know I've said this before, but so far I'm really excited about the new title, which is -

DIARY OF A NERVOUS BABY BOOMER -
How I Got the Way I Am

Okay, I'm not so sure about the second line yet. I know lots of books have an added line, but it can come or go.

It always helps to get feedback, so I'm asking for your opinion.
So far the choices are:

MY FEAR LIST

HOW I GOT THIS WAY

DIARY OF A NERVOUS BABY BOOMER - How I Got The Way I Am

Which do you like? If you like the new one, what about that second line? Do you like it in or would you prefer it out?

Videos of The Blessing of the Animals on St. Francis Day, Oct. 4, 2010 Starring Rascal and Other Cute Animals

2010-10-20T19:25:00.000-05:00

Well, one of the topics of this blog is Dogs, so I'm sharing the links to three videos I made on vacation from The Blessing of the Animals on St. Francis Day, Oct 4, 2010, in Arbor Vitae, WI. I finally had enough time to get them up on Youtube.com. In case you don't know, Our Little Rascal is the one with the black eye patch.

Hope you like them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgCmk3NBo9w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGtIiQYw-gQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQP9D9s2j8E

Morgan

What's in a Name?

2010-10-18T20:13:00.000-05:00

What's in a name? Lots, when it's the title of your book. After I got some feedback about my WIP, tentatively titled My Fear List, I discovered the name wasn't exactly setting the world on fire. A book title is one of the first stepping stones to hooking a reader.

So, now I'm trying to decide on a different title. Another one I thought up is
How I Got This Way.

Which do you like better - My Fear List or How I Got This Way?

Are You Fast or Slow?

2010-10-11T11:26:00.000-05:00

It seems to take me more and more time for me to finish writing books lately. I'm distracted by marketing, including Facebook, blogs and other ways of networking. Also, I've decided I absolutely need to read, which I had pretty much abandoned for a while in favor of writing. On my last vacation, I was in relaxation mode, so along with going to the casino, shopping and other vices, I read one book, am almost got through another, and only spent one afternoon writing. It was great to be able to read, but that didn't help me get my WIP done. Should I have spent more time writing instead of reading?

I know there are speed reading classes. Maybe I should take one. But what about speed writing?
Or, maybe I just need to resign myself to being a slow writer.

What about you? Are you fast or slow?

Do You Read Non-Fiction?

2010-09-26T12:52:00.000-05:00

Since I got my Kindle, I've been reading more non-fiction. I've found lots of books about marketing and self-image and other do-it-yourself stuff I find fascinating. Before my Kindle, I acquired several non-fiction books about writing from Writer's Digest Book Club, but they're mostly for reference, so they sit on my bookshelf waiting for me to grab them when needed.

What about you? Do you read non-fiction?

BTW, there is a motive behind this question. Right now I'm working on a non-fiction book, with the working title, My Fear List. Here I am below trying to look scared and serious, in keeping with the book's topic. (g)
For more about My Fear List, and a very short blog post about Facing Up to Fears, come on over to
http://myfearlist.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-fear-list-facing-up-to-fears.html

Does an Author's Age Matter to You?

2010-09-21T05:24:00.001-05:00

On Monday, I asked the question on Make Mine Mystery,
Does What an Author Looks Like Make a Difference? I got quite a few answers, but the general consensus seemed to be that looks didn't matter as long as the book seemed interesting and the photo fit the tone of the book.

Today, I'm wondering about a similar question. Does An Author's Age Matter to You?

If you're young and you learn an author is pretty old, maybe my age, would that have a bearing on your decision? And vice versa. If you're a senior, or almost one, would you read books by a younger author, say in the 20's or 30's?

If age is a factor, what are your cutoff dates?

Open Promo Day - Give Us your Elevator Pitches

2010-09-13T07:27:00.000-05:00

Since I'm busy on my WIP again, I thought up an easy blog for today, which may be of interest to many of you. Instead of my writing a bunch of stuff, here's your chance to provide an elevator pitch of one of your books, either already out or to be released. Pretend you're talking to an editor or agent, so make it short, and don't cheat and talk about more than one. Embed your buy link and leave your blog and/or website, so people know where to find out more about you and maybe buy your book!

I'll go first - Killer Career - A career change from lawyer to writer could be a killer for Julie who doesn't realize her mentor participates in his own murder mysteries.

Facebook, Blogs, Egroups - How do you divvy up your time?

2010-09-07T11:51:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I wonder which should come first - Facebook, Blogs or Egroups. They all seem important to me, yet I can't spend as much time on each of them as I'd like. With a full time day job, a husband and dog to come home to, plus a work in progress that's inching ever so slowly along, it's a struggle to divvy up the free moments.

Many people I've met in person, plus online friends and/or potential readers send comments or messages to me on Facebook, a place I love to visit. The possibilities for making friends, learning and sharing seem endless. I resisted for a while, but gave in to Farmville, because its cute, plus it's another way to connect on the Internet. I have to admit I'm not the best farmer there, with my crops withering often, and a fictitious dog I somehow got there which ran away because I forgot to feed it every day. I must assure you the same thing doesn't happen to my real dog, Rascal. She gets plenty of food and treats from me, actually more than she should have, because she has me twisted around her little paws.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand -.

Blogs are great and I love them. I wish I could read and comment on all the blogs of all the friends - the ones I've met online and in person, but it's impossible. I try to visit the group blogs I belong to first to support my fellow members, then branch out to a few others, but it's usually a hit or miss process.

I also love the egroups to which I belong. I've never met many of the other members face to face, yet they've shared so much with me I feel I know them quite well. I like knowing what's going on in their lives and sharing what' happening in mine. It would be a great loss to lose my connection with them.

So, I love Facebook, Blogs and Egroups, but some days I can't get to them all, though I wish I could. Sometimes it's a matter of whatever catches my eye that gets first choice. What about you? How do you divvy up your time?

A Matter of Taste

2010-08-31T12:48:00.002-05:00

The pasta salad that came with my lunch today was seasoned with cilantro. I didn't know that until I started eating. Now, cilantro is one of those seasonings you either love or hate.
I despise cilantro, but I finished the pasta salad anyway, since I was hungry and besides I'd paid for it.

The incident kind of reminds me about books. I find that if I've paid for a book or perhaps one of my friends wrote it, I'll give it a longer stretch to see if I really don't like it. Also, if I have nothing else to read, I'll keep reading. If I still don't care for it after a while, I'll put it aside and go on to another one or do something else. Library books or ones lent to me are more easily put aside or returned.

What about you? What do you do if you've bought a book and later discover it's not what you'd anticipated? Do keep reading a while, or just give up?

My Kindle 3 Is Calling Me

2010-08-28T18:33:00.000-05:00

I'm having a hard time resisting my Kindle 3. It's calling me to open it up again and read. I really shouldn't. The DH is gone for a few hours and it's a perfect time to concentrate on my WIP - also a perfect time to read.

My Kindle 3 Arrived!

2010-08-26T23:06:00.002-05:00

Much jubilation when I saw my Kindle 3 arrive at work today! And, it did have all the books on it that I'd ordered on Amazon while I was waiting for it to arrive. That seemed like a miracle to me. How could it do that?

I'm using this cool Collections feature where I can organize my books (strange for me to be actually organized about something, I know). Anyway, I've got some books in Romance, others in Mystery, Non-Fiction, and Amazon info. Makes it much neater and easier to just click on a collection and browse through that bunch, instead of getting a giant mishmash going.

I'm not sure how long this spirt of organization will last. I don't expect it to carry over too far into other aspects of my life. It's not exactly in my nature.

I think I'll read a little now. Just have to decide which book to read first.