Cathy C.'s Hall of Fame

It's a New Year (And I'm Feeling Good)

2012-01-01T16:01:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year's to all my friends who've been following along on my writer's journey, here at the Hall of Fame! You may have noticed I took off the last week of 2011. Not because I was sitting around, overstuffed and wore out (though I kinda was). And not because I was being lazy (though I kinda am). Nope, I was busy, thinking up goals and such for 2012.

Thinking up goals is not as easy as it looks. It requires LOTS of snacking and staring intently into space and glaring at the Beneficent Mr. Hall who kept asking why I was staring at him. But after puzzling out what I hoped to accomplish in 2012, I knew I had to make some changes, starting with my blogs.

You see, when I started this blog, I was just getting my writerly feet wet. It was the beginning of my journey, and honestly, I wasn't at all sure about what kind of writer I'd grow up to be. And so I tried just about every kind of writing that appealed to me. I wrote stories and articles, essays and poems, web content and humor columns. And then I had an idea for a chapter book about a little boy who loved hip hop dancing and won a role in a holiday production.

So I started another blog that focused on my children's writing. You know it as Finders & Keepers. You may have also noticed that last year, I cross-posted more often between my two blogs. Then one day (this summer, I think), I had this Eureka! moment. I'd grown up to be a funny children's writer! Um, perhaps I should have said "humor writer for children."

Anyway, to make a long story short (and honestly, that ship has sorta sailed), I don't really need two blogs anymore. I just need one blog to share what's happening in the writing world of Cathy C. Hall. But that doesn't mean that my one blog will be me, blah-blah-blahing about the kidlit world all the time. I'll keep sharing my writing What Not To Do's, and fun essay markets, and general writing resources, and tooting my horn.

I just won't be doing it here. I'll be doing it over there, at Finders & Keepers. (Only because I could figure out how to import all my posts from Blogger to Wordpress.) So, I shall miss my little Blogger widgets and my followers' tiny little faces. But throughout January, I'll be working over there at my one big, crazy writing blog, trying to get everything just the way I like it. I have a feeling I'll start with a new blog name. And I really hope all y'all click on that follow button and join me!

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new blog...and I'm feeling good.

Finding Something Friday: Name That (Christmas) Tune Finale

2011-12-23T18:33:00.007-05:00

And now it's time to say goodbye to all our jolly tunes!

M-E-R (Arrrrgh, mateys! I'll miss you!)

R-R-Y (Why? Because I love you!)

C-H-R-I-STMAS!

(Yeah, today's verse is not one of my better efforts. But the pics are pretty awesome, right?)

Answers: Walking in a Winter Wonderland, Joy to the World, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Away in a Manger, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas! (And a happy new year!)

Name That (Christmas) Tune, Day 3

2011-12-22T09:48:00.004-05:00

Yes, we're still having fun at the old Hall of Fame,

with our jolly and musical Christmas tune game!

Some of my friends have been oh-so-smart,

and deciphered the songs from my so-so art.

But today's little songs are really a doozy--

(I like that word 'cause it rhymes with jacuzzi.)

Answers: What Child Is This? and All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth

Name That (Christmas) Tune, Day Two

2011-12-21T10:12:00.006-05:00

We're having some fun at the old Hall of Fame

with a jolly and musical Christmas word game!

Take a look at the cards I've posted today--

Can you guess the tune that each of 'em play?

So how did you do? Did you figure 'em out?

(There's more for tomorrow, so don't go and pout.)

Answers: Deck the Halls and Noel

Name that (Christmas) Tune

2011-12-20T15:12:00.004-05:00

'Tis the week before Christmas at the old Hall of Fame,

And I found something fun, a jolly word game!

Take a look at the cards that I'm posting each day-

and see if you know the tune it will play.

The art's not so great, but y'all are great thinkers.

Now don't peek below, you bunch of old stinkers--

Until you've made a guess, or maybe a few.

And happy Christmas to all (and Hanukkah, too!)

(Answers: Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow and O Christmas Tree)

Finding Something Friday on a Writer's Wish List

2011-12-16T15:05:00.003-05:00

A big thanks to my writer friend, Sally Apokedak, who sent me this gem of a sweepstakes!

It's called a Writer's Wish List Sweepstakes and all you have to do to win is pick your favorites from the Gotham Writers' Workshop wish list and send in the entry form.

Yep, that's it. The whole shebang. And then, come January 17, one name will be picked at random for each of the items listed. That's like...let me go count. SIXTY-THREE CHANCES TO WIN!

Of course, it's possible that there will be 63,000 writers signing up for each of these swell gifts. I don't blame 'em. A few of these sparkly gifts are on my personal wish list addressed to the Beneficent Mr. Hall.

Uh-oh. What if I win something I already have? Well, I'll cross that sweepstakes bridge when I come to it. In the meantime, I think I see the Beneficent Mr. Hall trying to type with his fingers crossed.

Tooting My Horn Tuesday for 12 Days of Christmas Prayer

2011-12-13T16:15:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, I received a letter from an Adams Media editor that one of my stories would be included in a project called 12 Days of Christmas Prayer. And today, I remembered to look for the e-book, and deck the Halls with boughs of holly! There was my story, appearing on the First Day of Christmas!

I love the story, "Advent at the Hall House." It originally appeared in a Cup of Comfort Book of Christmas Prayer. And that was swell, to have it published and sitting pretty on the shelves in big bookstores during the holidays. But that's not why I love that story so much.

I loved those days when the kids could barely read, and we gathered around the Advent wreath to share a few prayers, the kind of prayers that started out with a very holy, "Dear Jesus." But somehow ended with a discussion of dogs, or firetrucks or what Mommy shouldn't have said to that man in the grocery store. It's that kind of a story.

My, that was some Christmas praying. Anyway, I'm sure the rest of the stories are just as wonderful as "Advent at the Hall House." You can find the e-book here for just a few dollars. It seems like a reasonable price for 12 Days of Christmas Prayer.

'Tis the season, friends. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la!

Finding Something Friday on a Book Giveaway! and Persistence

2011-12-09T09:50:00.003-05:00

Let me start by saying I am persistent. Which sounds like a good quality, but the Beneficent Mr. Hall might beg to differ.

Anyway, I have been trying forEVER to somehow win Cheryl Klein's Second Sight. I've heard her speak several times, so I know her book on writing, revising and publishing books for children and young adults is awesome. I mean, I really want to win this book.

Now, of course, I could buy it. And dear readers, after MONTHS of not winning the book, followed by the birthday present of a lovely giftcard re: one of those big bookstores that shall remain nameless, I decided to buy the book. After all, technically, I was still winning the book.

So I ordered Second Sight. And just a week later, Second Sight arrived! Oh, frabjous joy! Except it was NOT Second Sight by Cheryl Klein. It was Second Sight by Amanda Quick (who I'm sure is a lovely person and it's probably a great book but it's not the totally awesome book I ordered.)

Thus began my two MONTH quest to get my money back and/or Second Sight by Cheryl Klein. On Wednesday, this Wednesday, I spent one hour and 23 minutes on the phone with said Big Bookstore and the manager was lovely and all but I still do not have my money and/or book. The gift certificate is "in the mail," she said. Uh-huh.

But yesterday, I found out that Cheryl Klein is giving away yet another copy of Second Sight! I'm pretty sure it's a sign and that my dogged persistence shall pay off.

(P.S. She also shares some excellent advice for writers and a chance to win Elizabeth Bunce's Star-crossed and Liar's Moon. Zip over for the hows and more here!)

A Strange Coincidence...Or Is It?

2011-12-08T14:53:00.003-05:00

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned how I keep lists.

I make a Things To Do List for most every day. I make a list of Monthly Goals. And I have a list of every essay, poem, article or story I submit. At the end of each month, I update my list of submissions. Oftentimes, I'll go back over the months to see if I still have something out.

Such was the case with a couple stories I'd submitted to Uncle John's Flush Fiction. I was a little late organizing this month, but I got around to my list on Monday, and when I saw how long those stories had been sitting, I crossed them out, giving up on them.

The next day, the VERY next day, I received an acceptance from the Uncle John anthology. But the editor wanted only one of the stories, a funny, supernatural piece of flash fiction about a dog who dies--and comes back.

So now I'm just a little...what's the word? Oh, yeah. TOTALLY freaked out.

Sally the Crazy Dog

2011-12-05T09:36:00.007-05:00

It's been a bit quiet around the Hall house the last few days...we had to say goodbye to Sally the Crazy Dog.

And as I stood at the sink, washing her bowl and dripping my sloppy tears into the soapy water, I thought, Good, old Sally. She was such a good dog.

So I started giggling, then laughing right out loud. Because Sally Hall was not such a good dog at all. There was a reason why we called her The Crazy Dog.

An Incomplete List of Stuff Sally Chewed, Scratched, or Otherwise Ruined:

*The Benficent Mr. Hall's prescription glasses

*My favorite (and only) really expensive sweater

*The cable line (twice)

*Three window glass panes (trying to get to lizards)

*The window sill (because sometimes, knocking out a pane isn't enough)

*Most of the carpet

See, Sally would dash from any wood or tile-covered floor in the house to a carpeted floor of the house when she needed to throw up. That's because Sally would also dash from anywhere in the house if anyone was eating anything. And because she could beat a toddler in persistent whining, she always got something to eat, whether she should have been eating it or not.

No, Sally the Crazy Dog was not such a good dog...but she was the best ever dog for the Halls. We'll miss her like crazy.

Go Win The Christmas Village (Um, It's a Book)

2011-11-30T09:54:00.003-05:00

Seriously, now. Dash over to Finders & Keepers where I'm hosting the WOW! Blog Tour for Melissa Ann Goodwin and her cozy middle grade novel, The Christmas Village.

Yes, it's middle grade, but it's such a charming story; I think it would make a wonderful family read-aloud during the holidays. And you can win it, just by commenting. But not here. There.

Oh! And if you've ever considered trying the children's magazine market, Melissa gives some great tips on how she got her byline in the magazine door. So, there's great writing stuff, too.

Now, seriously. What are you still doing here? Dash away all!

Literary Traveler Leads to Letters Of Note

2011-11-28T18:08:00.003-05:00

As so often happens with me, the writer, I digressed in the middle of writing. It happened this time right in the beginning of this post. Fortunately for you, the reader (and writer), I have made my way back.

I started at Literary Traveler. I fell in love with the concept of this site that I stumbled upon in a market listing and thought that you writers might like it, too. It's basically an e-zine that combines travel stories with the stories of literary greats. And while I was perusing the writer's guidelines here (because just about every place can claim a literary great, right?), I thought, Let me just zip around and read one of these literary articles, to see if I have the right stuff for writing up an article in Literary Traveler.

And so I checked the names of literary greats until my little eye spied Edward Gorey. Now, I am a big fan of Edward Gorey. Long ago, I fell in love with his illustrations at the beginning of what used to be Mystery Theater (on public TV). And so I absolutely had to read all about old Ed and creepy Cape Cod.

And then, I clicked on the Facebook link of Literary Traveler, whereupon I came across a rejection letter of Kurt Vonnegut's at Letters of Note.

Now, I am a big fan of letters. Not so much me writing them. More like me reading other people's letters. So you can see how Letters of Note was perfect for me. It probably comes as no surprise to you that I got totally caught up in reading letters. I mean, how could I possibly pass up STAR TREK/Casting? (I am a really big fan of STAR TREK.)

The only reason I ever made it back to the blog to write about all these finds was that the Beneficent Mr. Hall started to yell something about dinner.

I may never quite make it to my writing, but I always make it to dinner. (I am a HUGE fan of food.)

How to Handle Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T09:47:00.002-05:00

A week ago, the economy claimed another magazine market and so came an end to my columnist's days. But I'm ever so grateful for all those years of writing about the funny stuff in life. I learned a ton about humor writing, and writing in general. I met folks whom I would never have met, and I shared lots of family stories that still haunt/embarrass my kids.

Ah, good times, good times. So, I thought I'd share one of my earliest columns here at the Hall of a Fame. Sort of a fond farewell to the art form of writing the funny in 350 words or less. And it just happens to be about Thanksgiving. (P.S. Hope yours is swell!)

How to Handle Thanksgiving

To understand what passes as cooking in the Hall household, one must first be familiar with the Cathy C. Hall 15 Minute Rule of Cooking. Namely, that a quarter hour (fifteen minutes) is all the time that I (Cathy C. Hall) will spend on food preparation (cooking). So you’re probably asking yourself, “Say, how does she handle something really big, something like Thanksgiving?”

Interesting question.

Back in my young newlywed days, no one expected much from me in the kitchen. I could slap together a mean tuna-burger, but somehow that tasty dish didn’t exactly scream, “Happy Thanksgiving!” So, my mom or mother-in-law usually ended up with the holiday detail.

Not that my mother-in-law minded. She was a great cook-from-scratch kind of woman who frequently wondered why her son had not keeled over from starvation living under my roof. For the first few years, she dutifully prepared a Southern Thanksgiving feast fit for a small army. Everyone was happily stuffed. (Except for the bird.)

But one year, someone gave my mother a smoked turkey. It seemed a waste not to fix it. My mom and I discussed the possibility of toting the bird to my mother-in-law’s, but that seemed a little...oh, what’s the word? Oh yeah, rude. So we came up with an alternate plan. I should have Thanksgiving at my house and prepare all the food. My mom thought it was a terrific idea.

We sat at the table that year, my parents, my mother-in-law, my hubby and me. Everything looked delicious. Everything smelled delicious. But something was not quite…right. I believe my mother-in-law said it best: “This turkey is raw.” That put a bit of a damper on the festivities.

After that, it was understood that my cooking services would no longer be required. I had used the Cathy C. Hall Ruination Rule of Cooking Something Really Big. Namely, that I (Cathy C. Hall) will totally screw up (ruin) a turkey (Something Really Big).

So that’s how I handle Thanksgiving. I let someone else do the cooking and everyone is happy. (Well, except for the bird).

Finding Something Friday on Austin Kleon and Stealing Like an Artist

2011-11-18T15:51:00.004-05:00

So, I've been busy this month, working on the middle grade novel, catching up on serious reading, and (still) researching agents. But I've also been working on the Picture Book Idea Month and enjoying the daily blog posts going on over there. This week, amongst the posts, I came across a link to artist Austin Kleon (and thank you, Liz Garton Scanlon for pointing me in his direction).

Austin Kleon has a book coming out (March, 2012) called Steal Like an Artist. And if you zip over and read this WHOLE post on "How to Steal Like an Artist (and 9 Other Things Nobody Told Me)", you, the writer, will read something and think, Wow. That's exactly what I needed to read today.

Or maybe you'll be like me and find lots of somethings you needed to read. And when you read the last something, "Creativity is subtraction," you will sigh and think, Oh, yes, that's it exactly.

The Poison Diaries: Book Review and Giveaway

2011-11-17T10:10:00.005-05:00

Just so you know, I received a copy of Nightshade from the publisher.

Nightshade is the second book in the Poison Diaries trilogy by Maryrose Wood. And you also should know, I’m a HUGE fan of Maryrose Wood (and not just because I kinda want to steal her name). Her style is unique and evocative, whether she’s writing about poisonous plants or incorrigible kids. I am immersed in her worlds from the moment I open her books. I jumped on the opportunity to get my hands on Nightshade.

So, yes, I might be a tad biased. On to the review…

Nightshade begins with Jessamine Luxton, a healer, and her lover, Weed, separated from each other, and suffering both physically and emotionally. Our young innocent is desperate to find Weed, especially considering the distrust she has for her cruel father, an apothecary and keeper of poisons. And so she makes a terrible bargain with Oleander, the Prince of Poisons, and the price he exacts is monstrous. Nightshade is a gothic tale of poison, politics, and passion, asking that question that always makes for a killer story: How far would you go for love?

I think I liked the first book in the trilogy a bit better, perhaps because I was entranced by that first blush of a high concept--and the well-crafted rendering of the story. I’ve longed love gothic, I love gardening and plants, and I completely fell for these unusual characters. Nightshade, of course, is more of the same, but it moves slowly at first; I was aware of the “let’s catch everyone up” feel. Still, once the plot starts moving, it’s an intense and riveting ride. In fact, Jessamine’s dark transformation occurs so swiftly that I found myself wanting to see more of her struggle against the evil forces of Oleander. I have a feeling that our story won’t end until our heroine finds her hidden strengths—and help from her allies, Weed and his plants.

Wood is an excellent storyteller, and though Nightshade is a tale dark and grim, there is a glimmer of hope, and it’s that glimmer that will entice me to pick up the third book in the trilogy. Read the first book while you’re waiting to get Nightshade. (I’ll tell you how to win a copy in just a sec.) The Poison Diaries trilogy is not like anything you’ve read before. Check out the amazing website and you’ll get a peek at exactly what I mean.

To win a SIGNED copy of Nightshade, you must perform the following tasks (I know. It's like one of those epic quests. But it's SIGNED by Maryrose Wood, so yeah, just do it):

Go to Twitter, follow @Poison Diaries and tweet "I want to win Nightshade, saw it on @cathychall's blog."

Go to Facebook, like Poison Diaries, and post on the wall "I want to win Nightshade, saw it on Cathy C.'s Hall of Fame."

And go to the website, find the plant Arum Maculatum, and share it on Twitter, adding my blog name and @poisondiaries.

Okay, I told you it was epic. But here's the thing. There are quite a few blogs out there involved in this promotion. Each blog is sponsoring a giveaway. In order for the promo mistress to keep up with entries, she has to have the blog name. And of course, using social media to promote the book is genius.

Nightshade is genius, too. Now off you go to win a copy. You have seven days, starting now. (And P.S. you can enter through every blog you find!)

Tuesday's Taking Care of Business Tips for the Writer

2011-11-15T11:17:00.006-05:00

First, a moment to listen to Bachman Turner Overdrive's Taking Care of Business because I bet your brain went there.

And now to take care of "end of the year business." (Yeah, I know that there's an entire month following November, but I also know that my brain is hijacked by the holidays. Frankly, my brain's kinda been hijacked by Bachman Turner Overdrive right now...)

Anyway, here's a handy checklist of Things To Do (If You're a Writer) for Taking Care of End-of-the-Year Business.

*Check your blog and/or website for dead links to your online work.

*Consider cleaning out some of those old, tired links and adding links to recent work. This simple step will give your blog and/or website a freshness as well as get rid of that static vibe.

*Find your Goals for 2011 (You did write down your goals somewhere, right?) and review. You'll still have time to work on the goals you completely forgot, and you'll end the year feeling wonderful about the goals you accomplished. (If you can't find your Goals for 2011 then I have a suggestion for what your very first goal for 2012 should be.)

*Take a mathematical look at your blog stats. Compare what posts generated excellent traffic to those that did not. Extrapolate and use the results to improve your stats next year. (I was looking at a picture of Albert Einstein right before I wrote this post.)

*Make a list of the writing books and/or business tools you'd like the Beneficent Mr. Hall to stuff under your tree. Of course, he'll probably only stuff those goodies under my tree. But hey, you can ask.

*Clean your desk, work space, cubbyhole, whatever or wherever you work. You'll start the new year with an organized perspective. (And you'll probably be shocked at what you find amongst the mess. Well, I assume you'll be shocked. My desk hasn't looked that clean and organized since I took that picture a couple years ago. But I never said I take care of all my business.)

A Deal for You, A Deal for Them

2011-11-09T21:48:00.003-05:00

I came across this AMAZING deal the other day from Writer's Digest. And now you have just a couple more days to act on it, so don't waste another minute. Go HERE and check out these SEVEN writing books that are absolutely FREE.

That's right, friends. They're part of a free NaNoWriMo ebooks deal. And don't tell me that you don't have an e-reader, 'cause you can download a FREE Kindle for your PC. Yes, you can. Then you can download any or all of these FREE books. Yes, you can!

Then, after saving ALL that money, you can zip over to the Light Up the Library Auction and bid on something special. There are a ton of categories, and one especially for you, writers.

Now, I love libraries and I love how this auction will benefit the Musana Children's Home Library in Uganda. So check out what Jean Reidy's been up to, and take a look at her book, Light Up the Night, then light up a child's life with your bid.

Wit of the Hour: Andy Rooney

2011-11-07T09:28:00.003-05:00

"I've learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes."
~Andy Rooney (1919-2011)

And so the 60 Minutes humorist has come to the end of the roll. But he had a good run, didn't he? (No pun intended. Although Andy Rooney might laugh at that.)

60 Minutes and I go way back...I mean, way back. Back to the early days of the first born Junior Hall. Because I'd quit my outside-world job, and was home with a baby all week, I suppose I was starved for some kind of intellectual stimulation (no offense to the Beneficent Mr. Hall, of course.) So I watched this program and got...well, I guess "over-stimulated" would be the right word.

The Beneficent Mr. Hall would likely say "crazy." Whatever. The point is, after 6 months or so of screaming like a banshee at the 60 Minutes folks and the provocative, investigative stories they reported, Mr. Hall advised me to step away from the television. At least, during 60 Minutes. So I did, for the sake of my blood pressure. But every once in awhile, when I was feeling a bit nostalgic, I'd watch the last 10 minutes so I could catch Andy Rooney. I mean, Andy was hilarious.

Did you ever wonder why pizza is round? In Italy, pizza is oblong. But I suppose in America, we like things round. And with lots of cheese on top. You could put a mound of mozzarella on a manhole cover and some New Yorker would eat it.

Andy didn't say that. (I don't think. I think I just made that up. But then again, I may be channelling him.) For years, I've done Andy Rooney "Did you ever wonder" bits. See, the great thing about the "Did you ever wonder" bits is that you can wonder about anything.

Did you ever wonder why dogs have four legs? Why don't we say they have two legs and two arms? They only have one butt, though. But four legs come in handy for all that scratching. I wish I had four legs. I itch in some weird places.

Did you ever wonder why those little sticky notes are yellow? Urine is yellow. So's a school bus.

Did you ever wonder how a guy got a job for a zillion years asking questions like "Did you ever wonder?"?

Still, I'll miss the old guy.

Finding Something Friday: 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards

2011-11-04T12:46:00.005-04:00

If you want to be a writer, you've got to be a reader.

Yes, I know you know that. But are you reading? Not the newspaper, or the magazines in the checkout aisle, or the cereal box on the breakfast table. I'm sure those all make for mighty interesting reading. But what you've got to read is mighty fine books.

And what I've found today is the Goodreads Choice Awards over at Goodreads.

It doesn't matter if you don't want to be bothered with posting all the books you've read on Goodreads. Or that you don't care about the really cool Goodreads widgets. Or that you might get sucked into playing that books trivia game and have a screaming hissy fit because you miss three questions in a row that, really, you knew but didn't go with your gut first answer. Ahem.

No, writers. What matters is what you'll find at Goodreads that's going to help you become the best writer you can be.

You're going to find lists of books. And with the Goodreads Choice Awards, you're going to find 15 excellent, current books in each of 30 categories. You'll find the best humor books (Want to write humorous essays? Check 'em out). You'll find the best of the year's memoir (Got a life story? Check those out.) You'll find the best non-fiction (Thinking of a proposal? Look into what's out there.). And you'll find the best in fiction, from horror to historical, graphic novels to romance, picture books to paranormal fantasy.

So, off you go, writer. Goodreads is a mighty fine place to start finding, well, good reads. And if you're like me, you've got an awful lot of reading to catch up on!

November Writing Advice: Not Just for NaNo Anymore

2011-11-01T14:50:00.003-04:00

So, I know that hordes of writers are out there, busily pounding out their 1,569 words today so they can make their National Novel Writing Month goal of 50,000 words. Kudos to y'all!

And kudos to all y'all who may be a NaNo writer like me. Maybe you'll make 45,000 words. Maybe you'll forget to actually sign up. Maybe you'll manage to pound out only 1500 words. Doesn't make you any less of a writer. (It does, however, leave you with an awful lot of manuscript to finish.) You might be the kind of writer who could use a little extra inspiration and some serious writerly advice. Go here.

Or maybe you're skipping Nano this year in favor of something different. Maybe, like me, you've signed up for Picture Book Idea Month. Because, honestly, who can't come up with an idea a day? Kudos to y'all! But maybe, inexplicably, your ideas sort of sputter out on the third day, along with your kudos. You might be the kind of writer who could use some extra inspiration and some wonderful writerly advice. Go here.

Okay, yes, it's the same writerly advice and inspiration. Because it doesn't matter what you write. It only matters that you write. At least, if you were born to write. And kudos to my writer buddy, Kara Bietz, for sharing that little nugget of writer gold.

Treats for All Hallows Read(ers)!

2011-10-31T11:25:00.003-04:00

As promised, I'm giving away a couple of scary books for Halloween as part of the All Hallows Read deal, kicked off by my friend (in the online, never met, but I feel like I know him way), Neil Gaiman.

So I asked The Beneficent Mr. Hall to pick THREE names from this year's puking pumpkin, and he stuck his hand right down in that mush without complaining at all. (Okay, that's a lie. He 1. claimed that his precious hand wouldn't fit in the puking pumpkin, 2. wanted to know why he had to stick his hand in the puking pumpkin, anyway, and 3. thought Boogerface McGee 8 should have won. Hence the finger sticking out of the nose.)

Anyway, on to the lucky All Hallows winning readers...

Debra Mayhew won Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Donna (also known as Irishoma) won Bodies of the Dead and Other Great American Ghost Stories.

Lisa Ricard Claro won Anne Rice's Servant of the Bones.

Those are some pretty scary reads, people. Happy Halloween and...Boo, y'all!

Finding Something Friday: Essay Contest and Cool Networking

2011-10-28T14:35:00.003-04:00

Just very quickly going to remind you that if you have a burning desire to win an essay contest, but you don't want to pay an entry fee, you still have time to enter the annual Funds For Writers Essay contest (no fee). Of course, you can also enter the annual Funds for Writers Essay contest (fee) as long as you have five bucks and can finish your essay by midnight on October 31st. The theme for this year is "diligence" and so may I suggest that you diligently set your butt in the chair and get writing those 750 words (or less).

And if you'd like to get in on some online hobnobbing with agents, editors and other writers, you might want to zip over to this spot and sign up for the WAE Network (Writers, Agents and Editors). I don't know much else about this network except that it's launching soon.

Somehow, I thought it had something to do with Kelly Milner Halls. But when I zipped over to her website, I didn't see anything about this new network. What I did see, and what THRILLED me to my toes, was her new book, In Search of Sasquatch.

As I happen to have a burning desire to meet Bigfoot (or a Bigfoot), I'll be rather busy reading all the stuff on her site. But you all should probably start writing that FFW essay.

Blog Hops, Book Tours and Book Reviews, Part Deux

2011-10-26T15:51:00.003-04:00

You know how a picture's worth a thousand words? It occurred to me that maybe a link or two, directing you to a blog hop or a book blog tour or a book review, might be a good way to show you how everything works. So let's follow Cathy-on-a-Stick up those ooky cave stairs to...

THE COFFIN HOP HORROR WEB TOUR!!!

Here we have a themed blog hop, where a bunch of horror writers (97, to be exact) are waiting for you to drop in this week and get the bejeebers scared out of you. (There are some scary writers out there, my friends, writers who make you pray that you will NOT run into them on a dark and creepy night. Alone. In the woods. With their laptops in tow.)

Anyway, notice how each writer gets a chance to promote his/her books or stories or poetry, and you get a chance to perhaps find a new favorite writer--and win a prize or two while you're at it. Bet you'll also notice that some writers have done a great marketing job, from getting followers, to promoting their work, to offering fun contests. (You'll want to be one of those writers if you participate in a blog hop.)

Okay, now we'll hop into our time machine so we can visit the WOW!BLOG TOUR with Linda Hubelek's book, Trail of Thread, here at the Hall of Fame back in May of this year.

You'll notice that I talked a little about Linda and gave a short synopsis of her book. Often, authors will prepare ten to twelve posts on different topics and blog hosts can choose a topic. So I asked Linda to share a little about writing for our descendants. And I ended the blog book tour with a giveaway of her e-book, which Linda provided. Now here's a little something from behind the scene. Though I didn't get a ton of visitors commenting that day for a chance to win Linda's book, I did get a ton of visitors to the blog. And I still get hits on that post. So as a host, I attracted readers who might not have come to the Hall of Fame (and some of them signed on as followers and return). For the author, the promotion stays out there forever, possibly drawing new readers every day.

Finally, let's sneak a peek at some of my favorite spots to catch a BOOK REVIEW!

Sometimes, I'll review a book just because I like the book. My friend (and a swell writer herself), Sally Apokedak, often reviews Young Adult and Middle Grade novels just because she wants to. If I want an in-depth and thoughtful discussion of a book, I'll read Sally's reviews. But don't expect her to give away her books. (She might let you borrow one or two, if you know her.)

Any time you drop into Jodi Webb's blog, you're likely to find a book review. She reviews just about everything, from adult to kidlit. I like how Jodi gives a short synopsis, then follows it with her review, and then gives her readers a chance to win the book. Jodi is usually provided books by publishers; if you review a few books at your blog, don't be surprised if you're contacted by publishers, asking you to review their books. I rarely review books when contacted by a publisher, but I will do so if a. I LOVE the author and have already read other books by him/her or b. I REALLY, really love the author (in a writing kind of way).

So, I hope those links painted a better picture than all my blah-blah-blahing about blog hops and blog book tours and book reviews. Honestly, I'm wore out. (And Cathy-on-a-Stick's getting a tad peckish, too.)

Blog Book Tour, Book Review, Blog Hop: What's the Dif?

2011-10-25T10:07:00.002-04:00

So, you see that your author friend is doing a blog book tour and you wonder what the heck is that? Or you see that another writer friend is doing a blog hop and you figure that must be the same thing. And then you decide that really, they're both just a way to get a book reviewed. Why make it all so confusing?

Because it kind of is confusing. Your friend's book may be making the rounds on a blog book tour, but may not be reviewed at every blog. And a blog hop can include a book review, or giveaways, or just a bit of promotion. Perhaps we need to take a closer look...

Blog Book Tour: When a book goes on a blog tour, the book's author usually submits a post of some sort to the blogger. Often, the post will be in an interview format, and sometimes, the author will make him or herself available for questions from blog readers. The post may also be a topic discussion related to the subject of the book or the author. Say, for example, a fiction book about the Salem witches is on tour. You might read about "How To Research for Historical Fiction" or "How I Got My Book Contract." In a blog book tour, you'll find a summary of the book and oftentimes, you'll find a book giveaway at each stop. And sometimes, you might find a short book review, mostly in the form of a recommendation. So, if you're interested in a newly released book, search the author's website for a Blog Book Tour. Somewhere along the 20 stops or so, you'll win that book. And if you have a book coming out, contact blogger friends and schedule a blog book tour. Or use professionals (you'll pay a fee) to help you target blogs with the right readership for your book.

Blog Hop: A blog hop is a fun way to get a ton of blogs involved in a common purpose; it is NOT a book tour. It is, however, a great way to get promotion if you have a book. Blog hops are usually centered around a theme...scary reads, foodie books, romance. All the participating blogs plan a post and usually some kind of giveaway (a great opportunity to talk about your book!). Honestly, it's the prizes that draw readers to a blog hop. And here is where promotion for a book comes in. An author may offer a free download of the first chapter of his or her book to every commenter, or will sponsor a contest giveaway for the book. And don't forget that getting folks to the blog is the first step in getting them to return! So a blog hop is also about encouraging readers to join as a follower, or sign up for Twitter or Facebook. The key word in a blog hop is fun, so if you're thinking of participating, think outside the box. And keep in mind that blog hops usually last for a set period...say a week. Have your post prepared to go from the first day, and keep it up all week. You don't know when readers will be hopping to your blog!

Book Review: A book review is pretty cut and dried. A publisher sends a book to a blogger and the blogger gives a review. Often, the blogger will give the book away. Some bloggers know how to write reviews, and others not so much. If there's a genre you love (and write!), there's likely a ton of bloggers who review it. Find a blogger you respect and you can keep up with what's being written in your genre. But as an author, you need to know that a blogger's book review may or may not be favorable. Often, it's the publishers (or their representatives) who contact bloggers to do a book review (rather than the authors).

Now, that's about it. Or maybe not. No, that's it. Um...let's just close the book on the subject for now, okay?

Finding Something Friday: Humor, Books I'm Reading, Contest, Writing Tips

2011-10-21T14:48:00.005-04:00

That's not a very catchy post title, but it does pretty much sum up the day's catch.

If you'd like to read October's column in Modern Senior Living, check out page 13 for "My Not-So-Smart Phone." (I could probably write a book about phones at the Hall house. One time, I walked into Juniorest Hall's room and found this mangled mess of wires and such on his bed. Just before I threw it out, he yelled, "Wait! That's my phone!" Which he was actually still using. It was the phone I'd purchased 24 hours after I'd bought his first phone--but that's another story.)

As you may remember, October is National Book Month, and I thought I'd update you on what I'm reading now: Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley (a middle grade novel with fairy tale overtones) and Bodies of the Dead And Other Great American Ghost Stories (Did you know Edith Wharton wrote a ghost story? Neither did I, but there she is with Ambrose Bierce, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Willa Cather, and Harriet Prescott Spofford. I don't know Harriet Prescott Spofford from Adam's house cat, but how many times do you come across a name with that many double consonants? When I finish this scary book, I'm giving it away in the All Hallow's Read Giveaway. Don't forget to mention BOOk in a comment if you want your name in the cauldron.)

Janet Reid (yes, the literary agent, again) is having a contest. You have till tomorrow (at noon) to write a 100 word themed Halloween story with the words she's posted. You can win a critique from Barbara Poelle, and that's pretty awesome for a micro-fiction story. (You get bonus points if you work in the word "insalubrious". And yes, I know that you know what insalubrious means, but I thought I'd give a quick definition for all those folks who may have taken a siesta during 10th grade Vocab drills: insalubrious=not conducive to health, unwholesome.)

Finally, just a quick mention of the writing tips you can find over at Finders & Keepers this week. I mentioned that I attended an SCBWI conference and I wrote a "what I learned from whom I saw" post. It's packed with stuff you can use, whether you're a children's writer or not. (Seriously. It's kind of a long post. But no one will know if you skim it.)

And now, as my insalubrious tale won't write itself, I have a story to find on this fine Friday. I'm pretty sure it's rattling around in my head, somewhere.