Lots o' Links and more links!

Thought this cartoon was funny...teehee...I thought I'd post some links today, since it's been a while. Enjoy and happy clicking!




I stumbled on this while looking for something else: bookscans vintage book covers and backcovers- they ask people to scan & send vintage book covers so they can keep a database. I thought it interesting to see what publishers thought would "sell books" through the years. So what did this author think of his cover when the publishers presented it? Was he/she excited? Happy? Did readers love it? hate it? Shrug it? I could write an entire post about book covers and authors and publishers and readers, but maybe another day. It's always interesting to read/hear reactions to authors bookcovers-both from the authors and from the readers!


LitChat is all books. All the time.We exist to bring readers and writers together for fun and fast 1-hour Twitter chats, M-W-F, 4 pm est. Join us. I "attended" a twitter lit chat last week and really enjoyed it. A supportive and fun group of writers and other literary folk.


helluo librorum lunch hour links for writers – Up now are posts on query letters; Teresa Frohock is very supportive of writers (and a good writer in her own right). Let's all support each other.



Living in Color with Steph Jordan and her other blog Divia City -- these blogs just make me smile - the colors, the artwork (like the one to the left), the energy and positive outlook. Living in Color is an interview blog, and Divia City is her personal blog. I've been visiting and enjoying her blogs, so was quite honored when she recently interviewed me (to be posted at a later date . . . up right now TLC host Mark Montano -My Big Ass Interview )


If you haven't been to the Rose & Thorn Blog, head over there where there's author interviews, tips and tidbits, and other literary doo dahs - suscribe to receive the R&T blog (and newsletter) via email - it's quick, it's easy, spam free, and all free.




Bellebooks has a blog called "Riding With The Top Down," and a recent post was a question posted to the publishers: why does it take so long to publish a book? It may open your eyes as to what publishers go through to get a book to print. TG and SG are with the imprint of Bellebooks-Bell Bridge Books.



This was something different I stumbled on: The Impulsive Buy: They write: Putting the "ew" in Product Review *laugh*


I picked up this link from Mike's Writing Workshop, where he was listed: 100 blogs that will improve your writing.

I love going to The Read on WNC - even if you aren't from 'round these parts, it's a great group of people: writers, poets, readers, playwrights.


For fun, Free Will Astrology

WOW Women on Writing have a post up about Literary Agents Seeking Women's Fiction.

Our own Carol Murdock of the Writer's Porch has a new book blog, Book House Blog, and this post made my day where she talks about our area's beauty and authors - writing of Wayne Caldwell, and she included me. I was honored to be listed with Wayne--he is a gracious man and a gifted writer. Thank you Carol! Carol is another big supporter of writers, and adores books. I'll be her guest there soon...

And two agent blogs that I visit to to keep track of what's happening; they have different voices and takes on things in the publishing industry ...

Rachelle Gardner

Nathan Bransford

From my msn page I saw this: 100 things that are getting better - I haven't clicked through them yet...but I'm all for looking at something positive!

So, there you go - plenty of links to click about and keep you busy, pick and choose or visit them all. Tell them Kat sent you, if you like. I'll try to provide links at least once a week.

GO SAINTS!

A Link Link Here and a Site Site There!

This was taken at the Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade back in February - good lawd, these South Louisianians are something else *LAUGH*! If you are ever in Baton Rouge at the Mardi Gras time, check out this parade...tamer than New Orleans, but no less crazy!

Friday is links day. I'll be coming round today to visit you all. A storm is rising up on the mountain - so if you don't see me, it's because internet connection is knocked out due to wind and rain and the power of nature slamming into the cove. The sky is darkening as I write this - a heavy black thundercloud hovers, pushing down down into the cove. Thunder thundered. The chimes are signaling a picking up wind. Soon, the dark will push all the way down and the rain will pummel the earth, the trees, the ridges, the little log house. I love a good storm....as long as everyone is safe inside, as I will be.

I am emailing out the Rose & Thorn newsletter today, if you haven't signed up to receive it, click R&T Newsletter Sign up. It's quick, easy, and your email is safe!



Cake Wrecks - a blog about funny/strange/weird cakes!



Novel Journey

My handsome friend Adnan Mahmutovic's novella is out at Cantarabooks - check it out!



For those of you agent hunting, here are a couple of sites to check out (oh, there goes the thunder again!) Lit Match and 1000 Literary Agents.

The Boomer Women Speak forums is a nice supportive place to visit. PS! just got an email from NABBW - become a fan of NABBW on Facebook.

I just found The Read on WNC - it's based here in our mountains, but it's an interesting site and I'm sure anyone can join in on the discussions.

Distant thunder, close thunder....the dark is down and has mixed with the light to make gray- but it is beautiful. I await the storm. There is silence suddenly, that pause before it all breaks loose...

Happy Good Friday to you all....Happy Friday. Happy Day. Happy Hour. Happy Minute. Happy Second: Happy Right Now.

Link Link Here and a Link Link There....

First! The delightful and beautiful Kimmi invited me as a guest to her blog, where I tried to spiffy myself up for her - she's had some really great guests, so I feel humbled, but proud to be there. Go by and visit - read her previous guests, take a look at her book soon to come out "The Unbreakable Child."

(Photo taken on my mountain walk this past summer- moon in tree!)


Meredith Lopez is a former Rose & Thorn staffer - I took over the newsletter duties after she had to go on a leave of absence. I never knew she wrote articles for The Huffington Post until I followed a link after she'd emailed me about something. So, those links you attach to your signature in your emails really do work.

I stumbled across The Anonymous Publishing Venting Club. Lucky for me, I don't have a thing to post there, for Bellebooks is a dream to work with. Interesting to read, though, about other's experiences.

I can't remember when I put up the link to my Woman Inside Out story on Sotto Voce if I'd also included Nannette Croce's "Zuni the Pueblo Dog" story. So, just in case, here it is. If you enjoy it (and I'm betting you will!) vote for her to be included in a print anthology.

I'd bookmarked this from Folio Lit Agency on Query letters and then forgot about it, until today when I saw it while looking for another link. So, maybe something they say will help you with your query letter, and maybe, like me, you'll still detest the query letter, and as well, you'll read the first two paragraphs and think, "They just don't get it - don't get the idea of why even really good writers with good books still hate to write query letters (and synopses)." But, read and see what you think.

I love Java Logs - and am having a hard time finding them...dang it all. They're those "cheat logs" you use in your fireplace when you aren't lighting a real fire - and they are made from coffee grounds!

The Pen Guy!

An article on lay versus lie by Martha Brockenbrough

Childhood chants and taunts - yup someone has a website where they compiled all kinds of stuff about those kinds of things. I stumbled on it while doing research on something for Tender Graces - I am a stickler for making sure I have things in the right era or whatever.

I haven't seen this - but there is a lot of hurt feelings and anger and talk about Diane Sawyer's Children of the Mountains. When I wrote Tender Graces, which is about an appalachian mountain family in WVA (and with South Louisiana in there, too), I didn't want those stereotypes to be what my story was "about" - I didn't want the stereotypes to be a Character in the novel - and I hope I was successful. There are always some "stereotypical" behaviors or characters in a work, I suppose, but I hope I celebrated a proud people as much as I could, even when bad things happened: but, they really are universal behaviors. WVA is my homestate and I love the mountains and its people. From reading some of the comments about this show, there are tender hurts and anger over the portrayal of a Proud Mountain People--I think most of it has been centered around Kentucky (so far? or only? I don't know yet). I haven't seen the show, only a few clips, so I cannot comment as of yet. But, I do hope there isn't exploitation of what is always only a portion of who a People are - we'll see. But, my hope is when people read Tender Graces, they know I wrote out of love and that I know there is much much more to a Mountain Folk - they are complicated and proud and lovely.

Now - visit some links, and then Go Do The Day!


PS! I'm adding something -- Reduce Footprints has two videos - the first one made me LAUGH! the second one is an Earth-Green video about turning out lights around the world on 3/29

Let me tell you about the...no not the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees, but links!

Friday is links day! And I’ll soon be by to visit you all. I love reading the comments – they come in my hotmail account and I laugh and smile and all that jazz. Then I come here and read them again *laughing*

…yesterday I spent all day on line by line edits of Tender Graces. It’s tedious work, but it has to be done and it’s an important part. Besides just typos and the like, there may be a question or clarification or two I have to address--luckily, I don't have but a few small things to deal with, for I had TG honed and honed by time it was sent to Bellebooks. I am much focused when I am working and try not to go to my emails or blog unless I take a short break. So again, I will have to apologize if I become distracted these next days!

Thanks for reading Woman Inside Out. It’s funny how some of my short stories turn out more bleak or raw or quirky-weird or whatever than my novels. TG is much more hopeful, more innocent, more...well, tender! I seldom write as starkly about marriage in the novels (so far); the marriages are always seen from “afar” or from the point of view of a kid/teen or whatever.

Okay....Links:

This is an interesting site. You can go vote your answer about grammar or sentence structure or whatever and later the answer is revealed at the sentence sleuth.

Duotrope Digest is a great clearinghouse to find places for your work.

I just love Vagabondage Press’s new cover art! I haven’t read their new issue yet. (They published my “Moonshine & Santy Claus” piece in their December issue and I love them for taking a chance on that quirky story! )

The Rose & Thorn has a podcast site, where you can listen to the stories or poetry. I think it’s pretty cool and I feel it gets lost and unnoticed!

Animal Planet animal solitaire game!

The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar – love this site! I want a t-shirt and I keep forgetting to order one *laugh*

I stumbled across this. I have to read it all myself, having just skimmed it, but it talks about synopsis writing. Maybe it'll give some insight for you if you need to write a synopsis.

1940’s fashion and etc…. I do research to make sure I’m getting the fashions of that day correct. I'm a stickler for getting things right! I hate laziness in that respect - I feel I owe it to readers to do my best to be accurate on as many things as I can, or why bother including them? I was looking for 50s/60s fashion at the time (for the TG book, since it spans many years), but came across that link, too, so I kept the bookmark, for something later I’m writing in the Virginia Kate series!

I received my business cards from Zazzle and I am very happy with them. They did a great job. So much to choose from. They were fast, too.

I think that's enough for now. Now everyone - take a deep breath, fill those lungs - let it out slooowwwwww ...then think about a memory (even if it was five minutes ago) that makes you feel happy ...that makes you calmed...that gives you peace. Think about that, breathe in and out, in and out - let that memory fill you up - positive positive positive energies...(I'm talking to you, too, M!)...now go do the day.