DON'T BE A CHICKEN By Morgan Mandel

I played tic-tac-toe against a chicken at Lake of the Torches Casino on vacation. The chicken won!

Anyway, chickens usually denote fear and not taking chances.

Some writers spend a lot of time working on their manuscripts and getting them just right. Then, afraid to find out if their work qualifies to get published, they never submit it. They're too afraid. The manuscript just sits in a box or under the bed or somewhere else collecting dust, when it could be enjoyed by readers.

Don't be a chicken. Take the chance and submit your manuscript. You'll never know unless you try.

Morgan Mandel
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://www.morganmandel.com

TIME FRAMES By Morgan Mandel

While I was at the Apple Fest in Eagle River, Wisconsin, I had to ask the vendor what date it was before I could write out a check for the earrings I wanted to buy.

A few times I had to think twice about what day of the week it was, since this vacation started on a Wednesday, instead of the usual Friday.

Then, after trying to dodge the raindrops on the way to work, when I got there it seemed like a Monday, though it was Thursday.

It's easy to get mixed up about time. That's why when you're writing your manuscript you need to insert subtle hints here and there about the time of day, season, day of the week and year.

Here are a few easy ways to do this:

Time of day - Describe the sun coming up, or going down. What does the moon look like?

Season - Raking up leaves, throwing snowballs, watching new buds come up, feeling the hot sun on your feet at the beach.

Day of the week - Monday blues, Tuesday settling down to work day, Wednesday hump day, Thursday can hardly wait to go out Friday night, Friday pizza night, Saturday cleaning house day, Sunday church day.

Year - This will depend on when you set your novel. If it's during a bygone time, you'll need to insert hints about happenings then. The main thing is to keep track of when the novel starts, how many years it spans. You may need to show the change of seasons or the aging of your characters.

Hope this helps you keep track of time. If you remember to drop these hints in your manuscripts from the start, you won't have to go back later and try to figure out the time line. Believe me, it's not easy to figure it out later. I know from experience.

Morgan Mandel
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://morgansmultimedia.blogspot.com

BE PREPARED By Morgan Mandel

As I rushed to get ready for work,I was glad I listened to the weather forecast last night - rain and lots of it was predicted. I already had a rain coat, umbrella, cap, and extra plastic cover for my computer case ready. My grubby, ugly gym shoes were also ready instead of the nice, clean white ones.

It turned out it wasn't raining as much as I thought it would, except under the trees where the accumulated water spouted out.

The catch is the heavy rain hasn't started yet. Remnants of the hurricane are predicted to hit Illinois. At least I'll be protected on the trip home.

When you're a writer, you also need to be prepared. Producing a grammatically correct, unique and spellbinding manuscript is not enough. You need to be ready for the future. That means starting another one right away and working extra hard to get it done.

Why? Because if a publisher or agent likes your manuscript, the next question will probably be, "What else to you have?"

If you have another one or two ready, especially if they're part of a series, you may be lucky enough to clinch a multi-book contract.

So, your book is finished. Don't just sit back, relax and congratulate yourself. Get back on the treadmill and do another.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://morgansmultimedia.blogspot.com

Be a Turkey - Stand Out From The Crowd by Morgan Mandel

I could have saved these vacation photos for around Thanksgiving, but couldn't resist posting them now. My good friend, Jeanne, in Wisconsin, has a backyard that's like a wildlife reserve. Not only do deer, rabbits, squirrels, birds, chipmunks, raccoons and sometimes a bear visit, but lately she's had a mother turkey and her nine offspring coming over for freebies.

Note the one turkey on the railing scooping up the best of the food, while the others stay below.

Authors also need to stand out from the crowd. Though many of us find it against our nature, we need to get out in the spotlight and be noticed. The more we do, the more we'll stand out.

Today I'll just cover how to improve on the basics to stand out. Some other time I'll give examples on more far-out things to do. (Maybe around Thanksgiving, so I can put up another turkey photo.)

You should at least:

1. Set up a website
2. Do blogs
3. Distribute bookmarks
4. Distribute business cards
5. Do book signings
6. Belong to a writing group and attend meetings
7. Go to conferences
8. Join listservs and other online groups

Turkeys do all the above, but better.

To go beyond the basics:

1. Website - Get a designer to do your website, such as Diane Whiddon-Brown at http://novelwebsitedesign.com
or, if you'd prefer to do your own, either vary the template's colors, fonts and structure, or make up your own design.

2. Blogs - Change the layout from the normal template, use a catchy title, add links, a blogroll, photos, a sitemeter, a bookmark, guest appearances, to your blog. Check out other blogs for appearance and content. There's always room for improvement. Leave comments on other people's blogs. They'll remember.

3. Business cards &
4. Bookmarks - Don't just distribute these at normal places, like book signings, book stores, goody tables at conferences. Give them to waitresses when you pay your bill, leave them at rest stops when you travel, leave them on bulletin boards, do a co-op with authors in other states.

5. Book signings - Don't sit at the table next to your books, waiting for browsers to notice you. Get up and approach people. Enter into conversation with them. If possible, put your book in their hands for them to look over.

6. Belong to a writing book and attend meetings - Contribute to your chapter by being an officer or being in charge of the Christmas party or some other event. Join in aloud in the critiques. Let chapter members know about your book signings and what else is happening in your writing life.

7. Go to conferences - Not only attend conferences, but participate in panels. Also, help in some other way, such as registration, timing editor appointments, setting up the goody table, etc.

8. Join listservs and other online groups - Be active online by contributing what you've learned. Respond to posts by others, congratulate them on their successes.

So, be a turkey. I dare you.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com

The Blood-Red Pencil - Morgan Mandel

I'm excited to announce that I'm one of the participants in a brand new blogspot called The Blood-Red Pencil. I invite everyone to come on over to http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com. The Intros are up for you to read about our bloggers who will share their perspectives on the various aspects of editing manuscripts.

Also, please read my post about Backstory and leave a comment.

See you over there,
Morgan Mandel
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com
www.morganmandel.com

Let Your Light Shine By Morgan Mandel

They say a pregnant woman has a glow about her. So should an author. To get people hooked on you and your books, be sure to let your light shine.

How?
Be enthusiastic.
Be friendly.
Be caring.
Be outgoing.
Be prepared.
Be everywhere.
Be smart.
Be everything.

Not easy, but only the uninitiated think it is!

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com

I'M SO SPOILED By Morgan Mandel

I'm so spoiled. I can type my manuscripts on a computer. If I make mistakes I can fix them. If I want to move sentences, paragraphs or pages, I can do that. If I want to print, I just connect a USB cord to a printer, press a button and get as many copies as I want.

Whatever did authors do before? Good grief, they had to write with pen or pencil on paper. Or type on a typewriter that didn't have the auto correct when spaced backwards. Then, if it was before the copy machines, they had to use carbons to make copies, or worse yet, type extra ones and hope they didn't make mistakes.

I've been complaining because lately on vacation I've had a hard time connecting with my network card to the Internet. Thank goodness, I finally got mine working right today. But whatever did authors do before the Internet? How did they ever get their names out there?

I'm so spoiled.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com

Tweets for Today

• 20:10 After dinner went to Hoggie Doggie's in Woodruff, WI. for chocolate covered soft serve ice cream.Why can't I eat like this all the time? #
• 21:32 New author? Need promo ideas? Read my blog today at morganmandel.blogspot.com #

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HABIT By Morgan Mandel

I'm a creature of habit. I've worked at the same law firm for over 36 years. I've been married to my husband for almost the same amount of time. I eat the same things for breakfast each day. I watch the same things on TV. Need I go on?

Readers are also creatures of habit. At stores, they gravitate toward books by authors they're familiar with, usually the ones on the NY Times Bestseller Lists. They've either read books by these authors or have seen so much advance publicity, the authors seem familiar to them.

How does an author not on the Bestseller List get sales? It's not easy, unless you're incredibly lucky. Most of us aren't.

So, to get those readers to buy your book, a fledgling author needs to follow through on a serious publicity campaign. You want your name known not only in book circles, but also with the general public.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started. There are many more out there.

First get a website and blog. Be sure to keep them updated. If you're not on the Internet these days, you're not considered a sourced to be reckoned with.

Get advertising material. Some suggestions are: bookmarks and business cards to leave everywhere you can think of; postcards to mail to libraries, bookstores and the people on your Christmas list; rack cards for bookstores; tee shirts, tote bags, caps with your cover art on them; pens with your name, website and book name; flyers and brochures containing your cover art and blurbs.

Whenever possible, get interviews so your name and book information appear in the newspaper. Also, get interviews online.

Arrange book signings. Participate in conference and library panels.

Join listservs and book sites where you can network with other authors or readers.

These are just a few ways to get noticed. I've done them all. Also, I've done far-fetched things like riding in a 4th of July parade hawking my book. You do whatever you feel comfortable with and more. Stretch the limits each time until you get more comfortable promoting your book. Don't just sit at a book signing. Get up and put your book in a person's hands and talk about it, or whatever else the reader wants to discuss.

By now, you've got the idea. Do everything you can to get noticed. It's the only hope you have to get readers to spend their dollars on your books instead of those on the NY Times Bestseller List.

What are you waiting for? Get to work.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com

Tweets for Today

• 16:15 Fish Fry blog at morganmandel.blogspot.com #

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FISH FRY SPOT By Morgan Mandel

Tonight we're heading out for a fish fry at Tula's, a small local restaurant. It's one of the places that's so popular if you don't get there early you have a long wait.

Something to think about when I'm writing. Make sure to include some special spot, not necessarily a real place, but an amalgam of actual places, like pieces in a puzzle that fit together. Sort of like the bar at Friends, where everyone knows your face. Including such a special spot can ground the reader in the story.

Gotta get ready for the fish fry!
Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com

Tweets for Today

• 23:39 Lost at the casino tonight. Got my blog up before I turned into a pumpkin. It was close this tme. - morganmandel.blogspot.com #

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A Vacation From Writing? By Morgan Mandel

I'll be posting more while I'm on vacation, as time permits, but wanted to leave you with a few thoughts to ponder.

Writing is not always typing onto the computer or putting something down on paper. It's also gathering ideas and deciding which ones you wnat to accept in your manuscript or blog.

So, I may be on vacation right now, but here's no rest from my being a writer.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com

ON THE ROAD AGAIN - Morgan Mandel

It's about 12:30 early Wednesday morning. We're leaving in about 4 hours for Wisconsin. I may be able to post something later today, but if not, that means I'm having too good a time eating and hopefully winning at Lake of the Torches Casino.

If you haven't done so, don't forget to check out the Rascal video on youtube. The link is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNDXV-zu-YM

You'll find some others of mine there as well.

Until later,

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com

Tweets for Today

• 07:44 On train trying to think up something for blog. See Rascal if you haven't yet at tinyurl.com/5mech8 #

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LAST ONE OUT IS A ROTTEN EGG By Morgan Mandel

Being last out isn't fun.

My husband used to be the last one out the door in the morning. His work hours changed. Now I'm it and I hate it.

There are all sorts of things I need to do before leaving. I have to make sure all the lights are off. I need to check the stove and other appliances and make sure Rascal is put in her room. Lastly, I need to lock the door behind me. So being last one out, though a minor inconvenience, is irritating.

I don't like being the last one out of the train either. What if the door closes while I'm trying to leave or just before? It's never happened yet, but I still get uneasy.

I don't like being the last one out of an elevator either because sometimes the doors want to close right before or while I'm trying to get out.

So, being last out is no fun.

Same thing with books. I had a title all picked out for my debut mystery. I was going to call it Dead Wrong, but that name was already taken. It took me a while, but I figured out a new title and settled on Two Wrongs, which I like. Still, I wasn't happy at the time.

Then there's popular trends in books. I could go with what's hot now. Maybe I will, but I'm not sure. It could be the trends will change by the time my book is published and I'll be last out or maybe not.

Anyway, I'll just write what I want and take a chance. Whether it's first or last out, I'll deal with it like I always do.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com

Tweets for Today

• 17:25 Or go straight to youtube for your Rascal fix. tinyurl.com/5mech8 #
• 17:26 Cute photo of Rascal at morganmandel.blogspot.com & link to youtube video - OK, I'm her Mom, but it's the truth! #

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RASCAL VIDEO UP AT YOUTUBE By Morgan Mandel

I intend to finish my book about Rascal, our Amstaff/Dalmatian mix who was born without hearing, but for now I'm sharing some of her fun moments.

Yesterday, my husband and I followed her to her favorite hangout, Bentley's Corner Bakery. Lately every time we walk her she turns and pulls in that direction. Co-owner, Giovanni, says Bentley's has many such loyal customers who do the same thing!

Here's the YouTube link to my video, which is one in a series about Rascal's visit to Bentley's Corner Barkery. Hope you enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNDXV-zu-YM

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com

Tweets for Today

• 12:58 @AngelaWilson - Yuck - Don't you remember how messy carbons were? I hated when I had to correct them. Copy machines are a blessing. #
• 12:59 @AngelaWilson MaBell isn't half as bad as the cable companies. They run wild! #
• 13:00 Hate packing? Read my post at morganmandel.blogspot.com Got it done early today for a change! #
• 17:36 @AngelaWilson You need to get a new e-mail addie & pretend to be someone else when you log onto your computers. They don't like you. #
• 17:38 Just taped Rascal at her favorite hangout - Bentley's Corner Barkery - Doing a video for youtube with the others there - click morganmandel #

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GETTING A BOOK READY IS LIKE GETTING READY FOR VACATION By Morgan Mandel

Big Arbor Vitae Lake, WI


I hate packing. I'm supposed to leave for vacation Wednesday morning. Tomorrow night I have a Chicago-North RWA meeting and Tuesday night is loading-the-car night, since we want to leave at the crack of dawn of Wednesday. That means today I need to perform a miracle. I have to find the necessary items that are scattered around the house and organize them neatly so they're ready to go.

Some of the basics I usually haul with are my camera and film, walkie talkies with battery chargers (essential when the DH is out fishing on the lake so I can reach him if the cell phone won't connect), dog food and treats, people snacks, pills, sunglasses, books,magazines to read when I'm not at the casino or writing, cash, credit cards, more clothes than I usually need.

Then we have the long drive up to the cottage near Minocqua, which could take 6-7 hours, depending on traffic. Once we finally get there, it will all be worth it. I'll see my good friend, Jeanne. I'll go on long walks with Rascal. I'll have fun eating at great restaurants, going shopping, and playing slots at Lake of the Torches Casino. The weather even sounds like it will cooperate.

It's the getting ready that's hard. Kind of like getting a book done. I usually start with an idea and know how the book will end.

It's the rest that's a challenge. I need to round out my character, both physically and mentally. Are there inconsistencies in thinking? Have I provided the correct amount of backstory without administering an overdose? Is my character sympathetic at the beginning, or at least by the end of the book? Are the goals realistic? Have I created enough obstacles and conflict?

What about descriptions? When I wrote my romantic comedy, Girl of My Dreams, I did a lot of online research about Hollywood, Las Vegas, Venice and Paris, so I could depict them accurately. Some people love research. I hate it. I know it's necessary, but it slows me down.

There's lots of details to attend to when I'm getting ready for vacation, also in getting a book ready. Still, the rewards are worth it.

Morgan Mandel
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
www.morganmandel.com
Anyway, you kind of get the picture. There's more to writing a book than just having and idea.