Memoirs of a Children's Author

Anne McCaffrey: The Passing of a Legend

2011-11-22T23:26:00.000-08:00

Anne McCaffrey passed away today. I keep searching for ways to express the feelings. I can start with the shock. This is an ending of an era. She created one of the best Sci-Fi/Fantasy worlds. The world of Pern is classic Sci-Fi with dragon riders, harpers, wyrs, and other terms that bring back fond memories. I loved her Crystal Singer and Acorna series. When I listed authors that I enjoy, she is on the list. Always.

I feel so fortunate I got to meet her once. She attended a book signing in the mall where I worked in Sunnyvale, CA. My family waited in line for two hours. I was scheduled to work, but my mom and sister knew how much I loved her books. So they stood in line for me.

Later, I took my lunch off to stand in line with them for another 20 minutes and got to meet her. She signed her current book, The Rowan(1991), and one other book. I brought the first book of the Dragon Rider Series in comic book form. OK, so it was the early 90s. That's what I had at the time.

I remember her being very nice, a bit like anyone's grandmother. In fact, she talked a lot of like "Grandma Kettle". She seemed very down home and country like, and was very easy to talk to.

I read The Crystal Singer while I was going to school in Paris. I paid the $60 tax to get it into the country. All English books have this huge fee. I was desperate for good Sci-Fi. It was 1992, and the internet was not established. I had to get books the old fashioned way, shipped from home by relatives. It was worth it. I followed the rest of the series, and still comment about being "lost in crystal" if I get too absorbed by something.

I read she lived in Ireland and wrote her stories. That would be so fabulous. To live in a castle and write Sci-Fi/Fantasy. So, I strived to be a great creator of worlds. It's the one thing my favorite writers of fantasy would do; create the world you could get lost in.

So, as I wrote my first book, The Lost Secret of Fairies, I tried to create a world my readers could be engrossed by. I worked on my second book, The Lost Secret of the Green Man, while visiting Ireland. In the back of my mind, I would imagine Ms. McCaffrey working away creating her books. I was going to do that too.

I'm working on my third book in my own fantasy world now. It involves crystals too. I hope that this is a fitting tribute. To write as many books as possible, leave a legacy, and become a legend. Isn't this what we all strive to do as a writer? Thank you Anne McCaffrey for your books and inspiration. I want to be like you when I grow up. I'm 43. Still a long way to go. *wink*

Tiffany Turner is the author of the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. Her books can be found at Amazon.com.

Tiffany Turner at the Sonoma County Book Festival

2011-09-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

Tiffany Turner will be appearing at the Sonoma County Book Festival on Sat. Sept. 24, 2011. She will have both her books, The Lost Secret of Fairies and The Lost Secret of the Green Man available for purchase. All books sold will be personally signed by Mrs. Turner.

Plus, stop by and enter to win an official Crystal Keeper Pendant. Throughout the day, Mrs. Turner will also be playing the Gaelic Harp. Come out and enjoy a day of believing in fairies.

Sonoma County Book Festival 2011
Booth #91 near the Peanuts Pavilion
Sat. Sept. 24 10am-4pm
Old Courthouse Square
in Santa Rosa, CA

Music To Write By

2011-07-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

One thing that writers use is music. In the background either on my IPod earphones or playing on the computer, I’ll listen to several different playlists as I write. For some reason, music seems to keep my train of thought going. The music will lead me to places in my mind that I need to capture. So, I wanted to share some of my favorite songs I use to write my stories.

You might already enjoy listening to them, or maybe they’ll be a new discovery for you. Some artists are well known, and some aren’t. But what can I say. I’m a child of the 1980s. So I listen to a lot of New Wave while I write. But I love a lot of the modern artists such as Adam Lambert, Katy Perry, and Lady GaGa. So here is a sample of my playlist.

1) “Firework” by Katy Perry
2) “If I Had You” by Adam Lambert
3) “Sometimes” by Erasure
4) “Out of Touch” by Hall and Oats
5) “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and The Machine
6) “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips
7) “Born This Way” by Lady GaGa

I am using this playlist as I write my third book in the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. Out of this current playlist is springing a labyrinth of mines, a dwarf city, a dragon guide, and more adventures for Wanda. Music will guide me to new ideas and directions in the third book, The Lost Secret of Dragonfire. Time to get back to writing. Enjoy!

Writer's Village Summer 2011-Shortlisted Story Winner

2011-07-18T21:39:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce I've just been awarded a Shortlisted Award for the Writer's Village Writing Contest Summer 2011. I think it's a bit like getting an Honorable Mention. It's a British hosted contest you see.

I don't get to toot my own horn often. So, I'm excited that I've won something with my writing. I found a link through one of my writing groups to a summer writing contest for creative writing. I entered one of the children's picture book stories I've been working on. I've taken it to some writing conferences, gotten feedback from editors. One of the tips an editor gave me was to rewrite into prose what I tried in sing-song poetry. Good tip. The result is listed on the site.

Writer's Village Writing Contest Summer 2011-My Shortlisted Winner Listing
http://www.writers-village.org/11-1-turner.php

Writer's Village Listing for All Winners Summer 2011
http://www.writers-village.org/winners-2011-1.php

The moral of this, if you don't keep writing, you won't have anything to enter or sell. So, just keep writing!

J.K. Rowling Is Self-Publishing Through New Website

2011-06-23T22:35:00.000-07:00

Amazing as this sounds, it's true. J.K. Rowling announced yesterday in a press release and a YouTube video on her new innovative website to be launched in October 2011. It's called Pottermore.com.

J.K. Rowling has developed an on-line experience to hearld Harry into the digital age. Armed with new writing material, the website will feature a way to interact with the characters/places/objects found in the Harry Potter books. It will soon include an Ebook Store that will sell the series in ebook format. It is in partnership with Sony and her publishing partner, Scholastic.

What makes this such a phenomenal milestone in self-publishing is that Rowling's publishers get a percentage for assisting in marketing and promotions. She's calling the shots now, especially since she owns her digital rights. She is also bypassing big on-line retailers such as Amazon.com, to sell directly from an on-line ebook shop on her website.

What does this all mean? First, I'm stunned. I knew self-publishing was starting a new age, but now that an author as big as J.K. Rowling has started to take advantage of publishing herself, keeping her digital rights, and launching a site like this. There. That stunned moment again.

For children's authors, it might mean a lot. She has changed the face of children's publishing and created a series in which she broke and created rules. Now she's out to create a new publishing platform, shaping a future generation by reaching out through technology. I love the possibilities of what she can do with her site; the building of a Harry Potter world on-line, feedback from her readers, that creative control so often enjoyed in self-publishing and doing things yourself.

I wish her the best, and await to see what will happen next in the publishing world. Look out, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Free Libraries: A Thing of the Past?

2011-05-07T22:05:00.000-07:00

I was reading my local newspaper through its website. I don’t think I’ve actually read the paper in several years. Most of my news comes to me through the Internet, the Daily Show, or the Colbert Report. I found out about Osama bin Laden’s death through the Internet. Facebook seems to have news travel faster than the mass media.

The article I found mentioned my local county libraries charging out of district fees to non-residences. Yes, the library card as a free prospect was going to be turned into an $80 charge if I didn’t live in the right city. I don’t according to the newspaper website.

Luckily, I don’t use the county libraries as much as the city library. Kind to think of it, I’ve been getting most of my books from either Amazon or book exchange websites like Paperbackswap.com. Agreed, I pay for postage, shipping and or the cost of the book. But these all save me time. The library, if it is free, does save money. But I’m sure if the county is starting to charge fees, the similarly broke cities will follow suit. So I began to wonder, is the Free Library System going to be a thing of the past?

I have wonderful memories of my local library. My first lessons of responsibility came from my first library card. If I lost a book, I had to pay for it with my allowance. As I got older, I used the free aspect of the library to get free movie rentals. If you were patient, the library could save you a lot of money if you were on a student budget. I even remember being absolutely devastated when my local library closed after the 1989 California Bay Area Quake. Two weeks without videos and library books, oh the horror.

Now, video stores are empty with lease signs posted on the doors. Of course, I haven’t walked into a video store since 2005. I’ve been using Netflicks or On-Demand movie rental. Or I even go and see the movie when it is first released.

As far as books, I did make a promise to myself this year to go and start using my local library branch more often. I did, for a while. But then Amazon, with it’s tempting “no waiting list” for my favorite authors, links me to click to charge my latest awaited book. It's just too easy and fast. I think my patience is less while I'm older. Or it just goes to other places, and I have less tolerance for waiting for library books to come in. Maybe I just like the convenience of the Internet. I didn't have it in the early 90s when I was a college student.

Then I discovered Paperbackswap.com. Here was a way to get older books from other readers, and send out a lot of my paperbacks from the shelves. I knew they’d get a good home since they were going to people that requested them. Yes, it can take awhile to get a book. But at least you know it’s coming from someone that enjoyed it, and when done, you can pass it along.

So, maybe I have just outgrown the library. If I want a book fast and it’s my favorite author, I’m willing to pay for it and support the author at the same time. Plus, I’ve discovered a lot of Indie Authors that you won’t find in most libraries. Amazon has far more available than most libraries could ever hope to have. And I’ve found that the libraries just don’t take any old books either. Most of my old books end up at Goodwill. But then, that could be just my local system. It may vary in other areas.

Plus, for those hard to find/out of print titles the on-line book exchanges seem to be working. It isn’t free, since you do have to pay postage. But it is more of a recycle program, reusing books and clearing space in your home, so you have more books to read. Plus, a lot of rural areas far from libraries have postal service. This can make it easier than making a trip into the local town library. Or if there is a small town library, the selection isn't as big as on-line.

Lastly, with cities around the country looking for ways to add to their budgets, programs such as libraries will most likely start having fees. Since one library has started in my area, I’m sure more will follow. If you use the library a lot, it will still be worth it. Of course, that's only if the fee is reasonable.

I do hope they allow students to have the free card still. That is when I used the library the most, as a struggling student both in high school and college. Any break at that time in your life is well worth it. And if my fee helps kids and college students to use library services, so be it. But then, I’m already paying income, property, and sales taxes. I already know that nothing is really for free.

**Local Newspaper: San Jose Mercury News article on $80 fee for County Libraries
*More free clip art available at school-clipart.com.

Dreaming Big for 2011

2010-12-31T20:11:00.000-08:00

Everyone tries to think of that perfect resolution at the end of the year. Some use it to make changes for themselves. Some people think of what they wish to improve in their lives. I propose that this year, think of a resolution for something big, really big. Dream as big as you can. If you think it, write it, then maybe, someday this year, it will happen. It's the ultimate of positive thinking. Besides, with a New Year starting, anything can be possible. This reminds me of times when I was younger, kid like in the thinking, that anything is possible. I want to believe that again. So, here it goes. I'm dreaming big, anything is possible. Here are my Dream Big Resolutions for 2011:

1) To have my book series, esp. the first book "The Lost Secret of Fairies" mentioned in Oprah's Book Club.

2) To have "The Lost Secret of Fairies" picked up for it's movie rights, including the other books for possible sequels.

3) To have dinner with Robert Downey, Jr.

Ok, I did say to dream big. If you want to join in the fun, enter in the comments section what your Big Resolution is for 2011. Best Wishes for 2011 everyone! Happy New Year!

Played in Some Leaves Lately?

2010-11-08T20:11:00.000-08:00

At this time of year, there are leaves everywhere. I found myself walking to the mailbox crunching through maple leaves. The cars have started creating a trail through them on the roadway. The fresh rain from yesterday has plastered many different colors and designs to the sidewalk. It is a natural masterpiece of art at my feet. The smell of wet rain and damp leaves remind me of something. I cannot put my finger on it. I keep walking.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. The dry, wet leaves of autumn are calling up a memory. The thought comes to me as the smells assault my nose. I used to play in these things. I used to build big piles of leaves on my lawn and hurl them in the air. They'd get stuck in my hair, and I remember the smell.

I breathed in the memory. I was 10 again. I crawl in the pile and throw up the middle with an explosion of crisp brown and orange crackling leaves. A car goes by and I'm instantly back to being an adult. The autumn spell is broken.

When did the playing stop? Is it that I don't have time? I'm busy being an adult, working and doing chores. Is it that I don't have a lawn anymore? I have condo association lawns now that are raked with lawn blowers.

Or maybe, I've just been there, done that. I've built a lot of piles. Do I really need to build another one, get leaf bits in all kinds of parts that might be hard to clean later? Or is it that I just did it for the smell and the feeling of just throwing them about? It was fun, and I had time after my homework to rake them up on a fall weekday. Now I don't have much time except for work, work at home, and work some more.

I sniff. I smell the leaves. I remember. Besides, they're plastered to the sidewalk and I don't want to ruin the pattern that the rain created. Maybe it's nice to let the leaves be, and smell them.

The Season For Good Ghost Stories

2010-10-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

Halloween is the season for a good ghost story. I've been remembering the days of sitting around a campfire telling tales of ghost hitchhikers and mysterious experiences. How many of you have heard about the guy that picks up a hitchhiker near a cemetery, only to have them disappear from the back seat when reaching the destination? Or the girl with the red ribbon around her neck that doesn't reveal why it can't be removed until her husband finally pushes for an answer?

If you're looking for a good story or two to tell your friends, here are some of the ones I remember best to share. They are some of the good classic ghost stories I remember from back in my day as a kid. Maybe you can share them with your family.

I think one of the spookiest ghost stories is an interactive story that has to be experienced. There are many a slumber party where this was tried. Often, my friends and I scared ourselves in the process. It begins with the legend that if you look in a mirror in complete darkness and say the words "Bloody Mary" three times, the ghost of some murdered girl with a bloody face is suppose to appear.

Did her face ever appear when my friends, giggling wildly, gazed into the bathroom mirror? Um, no. But just the legend and trying it seems to be a good spook, especially at this time of year. Who can say? Maybe it's actually worked for others, but never me.

Another good story I've heard a few times is the hitchhiking ghost. Mostly it's told around camp fires or in the dark at a slumber party by flashlight. If you want to make it extra spooky, make the setting be more near your current location. Somewhere nearby locations are great for the pick-up point of the ghost.

The legendary story goes like this: A lone driver goes past a spooky location in the middle of the night. They see a hitchhiker, and feel sorry for them. A description of the hiker like dripping wet in dry weather or looking especially white on a warm night could be a good addition to build suspense.

The driver picks up the mysterious hitchhiker. A lot of the time as they talk, it is revealed that some clue, their name or what they were doing is revealed. Next, upon arrival, the hitchhiker has disappeared. The driver, thinking they got out without seeing, goes to the door to check on them. The people in the house are shocked to hear the name of the hitchhiker. The mysterious rider usually has the name of someone who died earlier. Boo.

Lastly, here's a great spooky story that has so many variations, you could add your own twist to it. A young girl marries a man. She always wears a red ribbon around her neck. Her husband is always curious about the ribbon, and continuously asks her to take it off. She tells him no. There can be several times through their life that he tries. Sometimes they are newly weds where he asks all week. Sometimes he asks her whole life and asks when she's an old lady. You can always add your own twist. In the end, she gives in and takes off the ribbon. When she does, her head rolls off her shoulders onto the floor. Boo.

Hopefully, this will be a great way to get your ghost stories going during this time of year. Always if someone has heard the story before, let them know it's a new version or your own version. You could surprise them, or maybe they can add to the story. Enjoy yourself, and have a fantastic, spooky Halloween! Happy Halloween to all my readers and boo!

Link to the Tiffany Turner Website to try out your own Spooky Writing Project.

A New Journey in Research

2010-07-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

You never know where research will take you. Well, at least this is what I've found out while researching my books. I love to go to different places and find out about legends and myths. There is adventure in exploring an area and using the description as some setting in your book. This is the joy of writing and researching. They seem to go hand and hand, and they are a very creative, fun step in the writing process.

I recently got back from an adventure in London. I wanted to return to the British Museum book room that had a range of information on things in the museum. I learned the book room had been closed and all the books moved to the British Library in another part of London.

So, off I went to investigate. I am proud to announce I'm the new proud owner of a British Library card. The librarian got excited when she learned I was an author researching my third book. And I must say, I did find some interesting legends and myths on dwarves and dragons, which I'm focusing in on the third book. Plus, a changeling will play a pivotal part. So, I researched as much as I could on that.

The third book is turning into an adventure that will involve dwarves. So, I was thinking I needed more than just information about legends. I wanted some hands on experience of something that is closely associated with dwarves, mines.

The next logical step would be to find a mine. Luckily, I live in California, and it is famous for the Gold Rush and the many mines in Gold Country, the Sierra Mountain foothills where much of the gold was panned and mined during the Gold Rush. On July 24, 2010, I headed onto Route 49, the highway that connects many of the gold rush boomtowns. And yes, found myself a gold mine.

The Sutter Gold Mine is located off of the old Route 49 which leads through the old boomtowns. Complete with red construction hat, I was driven on a miners' transport truck 200 ft. underground. There was a chance to walk around and look at the white quartz. Veins of the quartz contain the gold. It is mined and processed as gold ore. The walls were testimonies to the hard working miners that had blasted out the tunnels I traversed.

Unfortunately, the price of gold dropped to around $200 an ounce, and the mine closed in the early 90s. Of course, now the price of gold is around $1,000 an ounce. Talk of reopening the mine has been going on for 10 years. However since it's closure, it's being used to give tourists going through the area a look at a real gold mine, both modern and historical.

When you write a story that often includes crystals, a good exploring research trip wouldn't be complete without discovering a new kind of crystal. I walked into the On Purpose Higher Awareness Book Store in Sutter Creek, and found a fabulous new crystal stone to inspire me for my next book. It's called Septarian or "Dragon Stone". It's a type of fossil stone that includes clay sediment wrapped with ancient shells that formed together with calcite crystal. I leave the beautifully polished stone on my nightstand to inspire me as I write.

This is why I love researching for my books. You have to bring a little of real life into fantasy to make it believable. To go and experience your settings and base them on real adventures breathes life into writing. Writing from experience is the best way to drive writing, and of course, it makes the research an enjoyable part of the writing process.

Writing Exercise:
What can you research and write about?
Post comments and ideas below, and I can share them in a future blog.

Summer Reading: Important for Children of Any Age

2010-07-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

Not often do I go on the day job soap box, but as a teacher I know how important it is to keep your children reading during the summer. So many school budgets have been cut that summer school is becoming a luxury. As it is, only the really low and needy kids will make it into summer school these days. But all children need to practice their reading during the summer. They lose important skills they learned during the school year if they don't.

So here is a list of some things to consider from a 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade experienced teacher to help you navigate where to start in your child's reading needs:

1) Let them read for enjoyment.
A lot of parents try to force books on kids which tends to turn them off. Of course, sometimes it's hard for a child to find what they like. This is actually part of the reading process, and trying lots of different kinds of reading is a skill they practice in school. Take them to the library and let them explore. Try not to limit.

These days there are a lot of different kinds of books to try. New classics have come out since you were a kid. The "Wimpy" kid series, lots of fantasy, graphic novels are some of the new popular areas that were absent 20 years ago. Let your kid "Go for It" and explore. You might discover some new fabulous novels as well.

2) Reading anything is good.
A lot of kids don't find they enjoy books. But they might enjoy gaming magazines, code books, Highlights for Kids, or other reading enjoyment. Even the internet has vast amounts of reading to explore. Reading has changed it's venue, and even Ereaders to phones have reading opportunities. Trying lots of different things is key. The summer can be a wonderful time to explore all these vast storage areas of new reading.

3) Practice makes perfect.
Kids are not perfect readers, and need practice. It's called Independent Reading, and it's the third prong of reading development. Kids need to read on their own for enjoyment. The summer is a time to really practice and make this third area of reading development key. The more reading children do, the better they will get.

4) Setting up a reading time is helpful.
Kids need routines. Just a basic time for Independent Reading time is a wonderful structure to get kids to practice. It can be chosen by the child or structured into their regular day. 20 minutes seems to be a good starting amount, but can be increased 5 min. each year. I wouldn't go over 30 minutes during the summer unless your child wants to. Reading Time shouldn't be torture, but for enjoyment. And if your child starts to want to read longer than the set time, brilliant. They should start to choose more reading time on their own so it doesn't become a punishment.

In the end, your child should start to be able to enjoy reading whether it's on the internet, with a book, on the Ereader or even a magazine. Reading should be for fun, and the more practice your child has at that, the more they will want to read.

Tiffany Turner is working on her third book "The Lost Secret of Dragonfire". Her first and second books, "The Lost Secret of Fairies" and "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" are available on Amazon.com in paperback or Kindle Editions. She teaches during the school year in a California Elementary school, and has 13 years teaching experience.

To Error Is Human

2010-06-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder about those mistakes you find in books? How could the editor and writer miss them? Little things like in the book, Carrie, Stephen King has the owner of the Kelly Fruit company named Hubert on page 69 and Henry on page 217. Or in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Buckpeak is tied to a tree before Harry and Hermione go back in time. However, when they travel to the past, Buckpeak is tied to a fence.

After reading through a writing blog this morning, I discovered an unusual website. It is called Bookmistakes.com, and there is an impressive list of mistakes found in some famous books.
http://www.bookmistakes.com/best_book.php.

It makes you think that we are all human, no matter how famous the book or author. Everyone makes mistakes. Of course, they are usually found by readers and fans. They are not usually distracted by the processes of writing or never see the pounds of revision that lead up to a novel.

I can relate to some of these mistakes that most likely come out of hours of revision. A character name is changed later in a revision. Often one change is missed. Or when the writer is thinking through all the details, or going from draft to draft, a detail is remembered wrong or confused.

Smallest of details can get by the editor and writer. There is so much detail and description in every book. To error is human. It is the natural course of things. But sometimes, just to find an error is exciting. The thought occurs, ah, they didn't catch everything. As in Angels & Demons, Langdon swims in the water of the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi after a man has drowned. But of course, the fountain only is about one foot deep.

These little mistakes bring out the joy in reading. It's like being a book detective to find out even authors are human. Because if writers like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and Dan Brown can make mistakes, they are just like the rest of us. It makes us all feel a little more human.

Tiffany Turner is the author of the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. Her books can be found at Amazon.com.

Referenced Links for this Post:
Lauren's World of Mystery Writing
Bookmistakes.com

Opportunity to Meet Tiffany Turner

2010-05-31T17:13:00.000-07:00

Book Signing with Tiffany Turner
Author of:
The Lost Secret of Fairies: The Crystal Keeper Chronicles Book 1
and
The Lost Secret of the Green Man (The Crystal Keeper Chronicles)

Saturday, June 12, 2010
Time:
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location:
Borders Bookstore/Oak Ridge Mall
Street:
925 Blossom Hill Rd., Suite 1741
San Jose, CA 95123
Description
Tiffany Turner will be doing a book signing in the San Jose Area. She will be reading from the second book in her Crystal Keeper series, The Lost Secret of the Green Man. She'll also be playing her Gaelic harp. Come join in the fun and an exciting afternoon with Tiffany Turner.

The Lost Secret of the Green Man Kindle Edition

2010-05-12T18:57:00.000-07:00

Hot off the presses! Yup, the new edition of "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" is now available for your Kindle. I'm happy that I have a lot of avid Kindle readers from the first book. So I am glad that the second book is now available. Enjoy everyone! I would love to hear from any Kindle readers. Just post on Amazon.com what you think about book 2.
Link to the Kindle Edition Here!
-Tiffany

Is Going To A Writing Conference A Good Idea?

2010-04-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

If you're serious about writing, a conference can set you on the right road. From how to submit, workshops on writing craft,or meeting editors and agents, a writing conference can teach you how to turn writing from a hobby into a working career. But which conference would be the best to start at? How do you know when and where to get started? Here are some tips on what I've learned from attending conferences and starting my writing career over the last 5 years.

There are several things to consider when choosing to go a writing conference. The first step is to find a conference for your writing genre. Many conferences are genre or writing market based. Whether you write adult fiction, children's books, or romance novels, some conferences zero in on your specific writing. This will be a crucial first step so you can find a starting point. If you know what writing you are already doing, this will guide you to the right market and conference.

Another starting point are writing groups. There are several organizations for writers that support with conferences for their members. My writing group, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, is for writers and illustrators in the area of children's books. Another writing group I've heard of is the Mystery Writers of America. Both these groups host their own national and regional writing conferences. Other resources are literary magazines that offer workshops to writers. I've been invited to several, including one hosted by Highlights Magazine.

However, sometimes the next factor really comes into play, the cost. I found I get a lot out of the smaller, local chapter conferences than national. The cost also tends to be lower for local chapter conferences. Some literary magazines sponsor workshops. They are helpful for craft, but tend to be very expensive. The higher cost doesn't mean better. So I suggest to shop around to find the best deal within your budget. Plus, travel costs do need to be factored in, especially if you need to stay in a hotel. Sometimes the local conferences are more cost effective since hotel stays are not needed.

You also need to learn where you are in the writing process. Are you just beginning? Do you have a manuscript ready or you want to find an agent? Not sure where you are at now as a writer? Sometimes just going to a writing conference can sort out all this confusion. The steps of writing and the writing business are presented and reviewed in many conference classes. It will help you discover what part of the writing process you are currently at.

After five years of following this dream, I have two self-published books that are currently selling on Amazon.com, Kindle, Barnes and Noble.com, and Smashwords. I've just received a fabulous Kirkus Review for my second book, and I'm working on my third book's first draft manuscript. Going to writing conferences has allowed me to find out the information I needed to get my dream started. I've developed my writing craft, learned how to promote myself, and continue to keep writing books that inspire my readers. In the end, going to a writing conference will pay off for the effort and money put into it. It is all worth it if it contributes to a fabulous book that sells. This is everyone's dream.

Tiffany Turner has two books available through Amazon.com.

Mixed Reviews for THE LOST SECRET OF THE GREEN MAN

2010-04-20T19:46:00.001-07:00

I just saw my book review by Kirkus Review. I've also been viewing other reviews on Goodreads.com. Sometimes an author is nervous about what others think about their work. But when you put yourself out there, it is bound to be liked by some, and not by others. I like readers to read reviews and maybe even check out the first few pages of the book on the Inside Feature on Amazon or digital search on Google. Sometimes by reading the book itself, you can tell if you like it from the first chapter or so.

Personally, I can't get through Jane Austin. I hated "Catcher in the Rye". But I love Anne Rice, Melissa Marr, and even the Twilight series. I really don't think Stephanie Meyer is a bad writer. She gets the storytelling job done. How it is done, is often a personal choice in style, word choice, and how a writer perceives the world. If you love a book, say so. If you hate a book, say so. Isn't free speech grand?

Here is the link to the Kirkus Review for THE LOST SECRET OF THE GREEN MAN:
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/kirkusreviews/discoveries/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004083317

Things Can Only Get Better

2010-03-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

Today I went on rainbow hunt. I didn't intend to. But with all the rain in California, I wasn't really surprised when I looked up and saw a rainbow across the sky. I took a moment to admire, and then remembered my smartphone.

Just taking a breath and gazing at a rainbow can give a new perspective. It's like a promise from the devine.

I happily get in my car and tolerate the rain. I know that things are bad, but are they that bad? I have my health. I have a job. I have a home. These things I might have taken for granted if not for the last year.

I've seen friends loose jobs and some go through major health issues. I've had family issues and friend issues. I'm just happy that though I have a job and work longer hours, at least I have one. But really. It has to get better than this.

I've never seen our country this downtrodden. I've heard about it from other generations, the Great Depression, the Great War. But these were mostly my grandparent's challenges. The Cold War, Nuclear War, and the Great Quake, these were things I grew up with as challenges. They were the problems of my parent's generation.

For my generation, what happened? I've done the right things. I went to college, got a career and got married. Isn't that in a Talking Heads song? "Same as it ever was; same as it ever was. Same as it ever was!"

The rain came pounding down as I turn the corner to my little home in the Silicon Valley, namely a condo. I thought, there's got to be a rainbow somewhere. It was a positive thought through the downpour. I got to my turn to the complex and looked up. The biggest, brightest rainbow was in front of me. Towering over my home was a sign of hope.

It can only get better. There it was. Another true sign. Images of Noah and the ark came to my mind. Rainbows, the sign of good things to come, and two in one day. Something has got to happen. Things can only get better.

Just Released: Second Book in Crystal Keeper Series

2010-01-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

It's here! The second book of the Crystal Keeper Chronicles was just released. "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" takes Wanda into the new realms of friendship.

Wanda tells it how it is.
"My closest friend had been Michelle. We'd been buds since Kindergarten, and then she moved away last summer. Sometimes I'd email her, but it wasn't the same as talking in real time. The fairies kept me from being totally lonely, but sometimes a Crystal Keeper needs other friends, human friends."

Here's a Quick Summary:
Who's got time for homework when your problems involve evil sorcerers? Wanda should be studying for a quiz, avoiding the bullies at her new school and living a normal tweenage life. But, she is called upon once more to be a savior of the fairies, a protector of the fey, a Crystal Keeper. Bees are dying, fairies are missing and nobody knows why.

Wanda and her new friend, Edina, visit a crystal store to search for clues. They read about the Green Man, a forest king who Wanda thinks could be the key to solving the mystery. But, when a unicorn appears in her bedroom, the mystery just seems to deepen. Perhaps by asking the right questions, she can find the answer to the crisis. Or will she just end up in peril herself?

"The Lost Secret of the Green Man" can be purchased at Amazon.com and at Barnes and Noble.com. Both the paperback and a new hardback edition are available. Ebook editions will be available soon.

Charles Dickens Self-Published "A Christmas Carol"

2009-12-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

I was going through my writing board posts, and noticed an interesting comment about "A Christmas Carol". Apparently, a fellow writer had heard on the radio that Charles Dickens had self-published the famous book. So, off I was on a research quest to find out exactly, was it really self-published?

I found out, apparently, yes. There is a book that details a lot of what happened. It's called "The Man Who Invented Christmas" which recounts how Dickens had to deal with his publisher to take on the book. The book is available on Amazon.com. Here is a quote from a review done by the Washington Post that notes how he got the book published:

"His publisher, Chapman and Hall, expressed little enthusiasm for the book, so Dickens decided to have the firm bring it out 'for publication on his own account.' All the risk would be his own: 'He would be responsible for the costs of the book's production, which would be deducted from its sales. He would also oversee the book's design, hire its illustrator, and consult on its advertising. In essence, his publishers -- which would receive a fixed commission tied to sales -- had become merely his printer. In contemporary terms, then, A Christmas Carol was to be an exercise in vanity publishing."--Washington Post Review of "The Man Who Invented Christmas" 2008

You can read the whole review on Amazon.com under the book's listing. It's really interesting to note that he was hoping to make 1,000 pounds to pay off debt, but ended up only making 726 pounds over a few years. And in regards to the plays being done about the book, Dickens thought it was good PR.

Really makes you think about what it is to be self-published today. If Dickens had such a belief that his book was special and took a risk, why can't you? But it also tells how self-publishing has been a concept around for a while. If an author believes enough in their book, they take the risk to publish. It just takes belief that your book is special. If Dickens can do it, so can I. This fact makes me proud to be a self-published, Indie Author.

Growing Up With the Kids From Fame

2009-11-12T22:21:00.000-08:00

Every Thursday night at 8pm, my friends and I would be riveted to the TV to watch the next episode of Fame, the TV series in the early 80s. It was the precursor to American Idol, Glee, and High School Musical. I shared my ups and downs with the characters that seemed like my friends after two seasons. Coco, Doris, Julie, Leroy, Danny, and Bruno were my idols for growing up.

I recently bought the first and second season of the show from Amazon. I also bought the only album released by "The Kids from Fame". I've been watching episode after episode for over a month now. It's like returning to the past, a strange kind of reunion with my old friends.

I must say, the show still holds up. Some 80s shows are coated with a lot of syrup. But "Fame" always had an edgy sense for telling a tale, and dealt with controversial subjects that still are around today.

So, then I began to wonder. What happened to all of them? Many of the cast members were playing kids that wanted to go on to show biz. Did they? One of the more famous, Lori Singer who played Julie, became famous after the series ended. Lori Singer played opposite Kevin Bacon in "Footloose" which basically sealed her into Trivia Pursuit games for the 80s set. But what about the others? What happened to the Kids from Fame?

I've been looking them up. The first thing that shocked me is that Gene Anthony Ray, who played Leroy, died of a drug overdose in 2003. That fact still makes me upset. I see all the energy and talent, and can't believe he's gone. Valerie Landsburg, who played Doris, continued to do some acting and walk on parts. She's started to direct and put out an album called "Valerie Landsburg: Grownup" in 2003. She even has her own acting workshop and tours the country coaching people in acting.

Bruno was the most interesting. Lee Curreri, who played Bruno in the movie and the TV series, has been getting attention from the movie remake. Like his character, he has become a composer for several movies including California King(2008) and I Tried(2007).

It just makes me reflect on the fact we all grew up. All the stars and people that worked with the show have gone on to other things. But it was so different than other shows, more of a cross between American Idol and High School Musical. Lori Singer could really play the cello. She was a child prodigy and has gone on to be a concert cellist. Valerie Landsburg seems to be happy with her course in life teaching her acting craft with acting tours called "Wholeacting".

These characters were like friends to me. Growing up, you need characters to make the mistakes and then try to find a solution. It helps with the heart ache or other problems of growing up. Someone has gone through it and you've seen the consequence. Do you want the same thing to happen to you?

I think that's why I wanted to know what happened to them. You're always wondering growing up, will I be ok? What will the future be like? Well, sometimes reality doesn't turn out the way we want it to. But sometimes you just want to know what happens.

The Fame Kids all grew up, and so did I. And things did turn out ok, or at least I survived the growing up process. Really, that's all you can do.

The Great Pumpkin Strikes Again

2009-10-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year, when the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch. If you wait all night, you can be disappointed that it is only the shadow of Snoopy before you faint dead away. Of course, this has been going on for 40 years. Why would it change now? Halloween is a grand tradition.

Halloween is just a really cool holiday, unless of course you are a teacher. Then, it's a really cool holiday that drives you crazy. I can hardly wait until Friday, when all the kids scramble to put on costumes and parade about the school. If you're lucky, your kid might be at a school that still does this tradition. If not, you're stuck with the Harvest Festival theme of pumpkins and scarecrows that blends right into Thanksgiving.

So, why have this holiday? Why is Halloween so important? Why hope for the Great Pumpkin after all? This holiday tradition of dressing up and being creative while begging for candy is truly an American tradition. Other countries copy us in this creative endeavor. And as far as being unique and creative, we might have the market on that. It might be the only thing to save our country.

Yeah, it's insane that parents are encouraging their kids to beg for candy from strangers. But there is trust in that. Maybe we need to get to know each other again. Rate each house on the type of candy bar or gum given out again. Isn't a neighborhood the most united when all the kids are out running door to door in the night under the full moon, laughing, cheering, and sugared out?

What joys are left except the ones from childhood? The memories from Halloween are the ones we carry inside when we're older. So, as I dress up in my costume as a Wood Sprite Fairy and parade about with my class, I'll endure the hyper craziness because I know it will be over in a mere hour. My duty done. The students will run off into the day and night to enjoy that incredible journey of growing up. Happy Halloween everyone! Make it a safe one!

Independent Authors: Choices That Intrigue

2009-08-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

Self-publishing is no longer a dirty word. Well, at least to many readers that are discovering the vast choices that the traditional publishers don't offer. Main streamed books are edited and trimmed of any bite that might offend the majority of readers. So if you want books with a real edge, I'm finding that independent authors have something much different than what's being offered in most bookstores.

Where do you find these hidden gems? Try looking somewhere that is probably the easiest place to shop, the internet. I've found Amazon.com boards listing many interesting books that are not or may never get placed on the bookshelves of stores. Many reading groups like Goodreads.com or Librarything.com list books from independent authors as well. Facebook.com has pages and groups where independent authors list their books.

It also depends on your interest of book. Many independent authors that write Romance Novels are tremendously popular. Searches for romance novel independent, or simply your interest will turn up a lot of options. Or even fantasy or sci-fi searches, there are whole boards on Amazon.com just dedicated to these topics. Reading the reviews and ratings on Amazon can give you an idea about the book. But many have "Look Inside Features" that you can read the excerpts of the book. This really helps you try the book on for size for your reading interests.

Gay and lesbian fiction is definately not easy to find in main stream publishing. Many writers of this type of fiction are independent. I've already listed Edward C. Patterson's "Irish Need Not Apply" as a book to read. It deals with two high school boys finding their interest towards each other to be more than just friends. All comparing their experiences to the Irish restrictions of the late 19th century.

I've found that the New Age genre offers great alternatives that are not easy to find in most book stores. Having been interested in crystals and energy work since the early 90s, I've always left my book searching to glancing over the walls in New Age/Crystal stores. But lately, I'm finding some real gems from independent authors. I found a book on Kundalini Meditation by an independent author. "Kundalini Awakening for Personal Mastery" by Robert Morgen helps explain a new approach to energy work that bears it's roots in Asian Philosophy. It is also very hard to find anything on this subject. An independent author helped fill the niche.

This is only a small percentage of some of the hidden gems that traditional publishers don't offer. I encourage you to search for more choices by considering independent authors that have chosen to self-publish. Sometimes you'll never know what you may find, and often, the results are more than you can imagine.

Travel As Research and Other Thoughts

2009-08-03T12:43:00.000-07:00

Today is my last night in Germany. So I thought I'd log on for some thoughts on traveling and researching for writing. It would be hard to fit over two weeks of travel into a blog, but then that is what a journal is for. I love blogging, but my journal is my best friend when I travel. Good thing, since I've been to many country towns and visited 14 castles. My journal will help me remember where I've been later when I try to write some stories from my adventures.

Journals help capture the experience of what you learn from your travels. I really enjoy the end of the day when I can jot my thoughts down. I try to recount all that happened. From visits to medieval fortresses, to bratwurst and dumplings; it's all written down for later use.

Then, there is the invention of digital cameras. I used to try to write down all the info in museums. But Germans are quite a kind folk, and allow non-flash photography in castles or museums. Sometimes it is posted not to take pictures, but I found there were lots of times I could snap a pic for research. The Untersberg placard took 3 photos to get all the legends photographed. Since I keep my journal in my hotel for a rundown of the day, my digital camera helps me record a lot of the research that would take hours to write down.

So, before I head out of Deutchland, I come home with a journal full of ideas, a stomach sedated with bratwurst and sauerkraut, and two 8 meg cards of digital pictures. Can't beat that for research.

*Tiffany Turner has been in Germany for over 2 weeks researching folktales of the Fey for her Crystal Keeper Chronicles series. The first book, "The Lost Secret of Fairies" is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle Editions. Her second book in the series, "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" will be out this Fall.

Thoughts From Germany

2009-07-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Having found a cyber-cafe, I can finally comment on my research adventures in Munich. I've finally adjusted to the time here, and have been traveling about the countryside. I've been to different castles and gardens, and even up an Alpine Ridge. It's amazing the clarity of thought one can have at 6,000 ft.
I've been updating my adventures at my Facebook account. Sometimes that's all I can manage when hooking up with my cell phone.

What I've found is amazing scenery, lots of friendly helpful faces, and maybe a story or two. The biggest thing I've found that helps is observation. Watching the people and the body language helps me understand beyond the German phrases, which I know little of.

Stories are everywhere. Observing a mouse scampering around the famous Augustine Beer Hall has given me an idea for a new short story. Visiting the famous Neuschwanstein Castle has given me an insight to a creative mind of a King. Braving my fear of heights and going to the top of the Untersburg made me feel on top of the world. Plus, I found some of the best research so far on the Fey, dwarves.

Wonders can be found when you travel, or at least, ideas for more stories. I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for more. You never know what you can find on vacation, besides the wonderful rejuvenation of the soul.

Auf Wiedersehen!

Tiffany Turner is traveling through Germany researching for her book series, the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. Her first book, "The Lost Secret of Fairies", is available through Amazon.com.

How Do Authors Get Their Ideas?

2009-07-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

How do authors get their ideas? This is a hot topic of debate by readers and authors on what is the best way to get an idea. Pictures, songs, taking a walk, or just living life is a place to start. Another area is memories. If you are a children's author, your childhood memories are a starting point for many ideas. Most of all, your own backyard might be a good place to start if you're having trouble writing.

What do you remember as a kid? What did you day dream? What was a dream? That usually is the yellow brick road, remembering. Take for example one of my childhood memories. It became a large part of my book "The Lost Secret of Fairies". It seems to be a favorite of my readers as well. Maybe that is because I was a kid when I thought of it. It's my crystal cave.

As a kid, I had trouble sleeping. So I would daydream to help me fall asleep. One of the day dreams, besides secret powers, was to explore the underground crystal cave I imagined under my bedroom. It connected underneath the house to the orchard behind. The orchard was the favorite playground of the neighborhood children.

Real childhood adventures included roaming in the orchard. I use these memories to write as well. Connected to one side of the orchard was a creek. Many a summer day passed by trying to catch tadpoles and guppies. Later, we'd take our catch to be used in a home built backyard pond. Of course, we found if we used the right trash bag lining, it wouldn't leak, too much.

So, all these memories clamor to be in a story from time to time. Whether they are made-up daydreams or real adventures from childhood, many of these memories make it into my stories.

Today, the orchard is a hospital, and the house I grew up in, sold. But I was able to return home for a moment, to the hospital now upon my orchard of childhood. My niece was born there yesterday, to my sister whom I shared many adventures within the orchard. The walls of the hospital are decorated with cherry trees that still live in my memories. The adventures continue in my mind. Though the scenes might be different from book to book, the main starting point, the orchard, lives on.

Where do authors get their ideas? Living. Being a kid. If you are a kid right now, or are a kid at heart, your adventure is living. Call it research. The ideas will come to you. Keep doing that research, and go find an adventure.

Tiffany Turner is finishing her second book "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" which will be released this Fall. Her first book, "The Lost Secret of Fairies" is available on Amazon.com as a paperback and a Kindle Edition.