From the Writer's Desk

Is Writing Your Memoir a Good Idea?

2012-01-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

Writing memoirs has become a popular trend. I know I've been getting a lot of inquires from authors wanting to publish their memoirs. And while I won't turn an author away, I do suggest that you give a lot of thought before putting in the time to write your memoir.

Our life's journey is certainly interesting to us, but it interesting enough to capture another person's interest? There's the rub, and it's the question you have to answer, honestly, before you publish your memoir.

If you're a celebrity it's a no brainer. Our society is obsessed with celebrities and can't get enough. However, most of us are not celebrities, so that takes care of that. Then again, you don't have to be a rock star to be famous. Most of us will get our, "fifteen minutes" sometime, and, for some, it may be worthy of a memoir. For example, Daniel Hernandez, the twenty-year-old intern who saved Gabby Giffords' life the morning she was shot, would certainly be a good candidate for writing a memoir.

Okay, so you're not a celebrity, and you're not tied to some major news event. Have you overcome an obstacle in your life that is beyond the ordinary? For example, are you someone who survived a violent crime? Did you survive some horrible disease that would be fatal to most people? Have you traveled to some faraway, exotic destination, such as Antarctica, that most people will never see? Have you had some other extraordinary life experience? Most importantly, would your story be an inspiration to others? If your answer to any of these questions is, "yes," then perhaps you should think about writing your memoir. However, if you answered "no," you may want to reconsider.

Most people read books because they want to be entertained, inspired, or because they want to learn something new. In other words, there has to be something in it for the reader. If you life is fairly typical, then, I'm sorry to say, most readers just won't be interested in your memoir. It has to be a story that inspires others, and perhaps changes people's lives for the better.

My tip for the day.

GM

The Reunion is Now Available

2012-01-13T09:22:00.006-07:00

There is nothing quite like the thrill of seeing your latest book on Amazon. The Reunion, (which I've written as Marina Martindale) is now on Amazon.com.

I am in the process of setting up an, "Inside the Book," feature that will allow you to take a sneak peek. And yes, I've already formatted the Kindle edition, however I have to jump through a few hoops before it can be published, but rest assured, it's on its way.

I hope you'll have as much fun reading, The Reunion, as I had writing it. And, please, if you like it, be sure to post a review on Amazon for other customers. When I get the chance, I'll start working on my next Marina Martindale novel, The Deception. What happens when a "nice" girl discovers her new love is a married man? That's the premise for, The Deception.

GM (aka "Marina Martindale.")

Book Awards and Bragging Rights

2012-01-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Just read a post on one of my on-line forums from a very happy, and excited, author whose book just won an award. My advice to him, and to the rest of you out there whose books have won awards--start bragging about it.

Book awards really are a big deal. It means that someone out there, with some credibility in the book world, has determined that your work stands out above the crowd, and that's an accomplishment you should be proud of. It's also a great tool to use in your marketing arsenal. The first thing you want to do is post it on your book's website, and your blog, (if you have one), just like I've done on this blog with the awards my books have won.

My other tip, if it is at all possible, is to have a "sticker" printed on your book cover. I did this with two of my books, and yes, it did cost me money to have the cover redone. However, I decided that it was well worth the expense, and it was something my tax preparer was able to write off. As you can see in the photo, the "sticker" is placed in the lower right corner. It's discreet enough to not overpower the cover art, yet it is still noticeable, and I don't think it's hurt my book sales.

I know, I know. If your mother was like mine she probably taught you that it's not nice to brag. And she's right--most of the time. But in this case, she's wrong. It's okay. You can brag about it.

My tip for the day.

GM

Will Public Libraries Become the Next Dinosaur?

2012-01-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

The book publishing industry is changing rapidly, and Amazon's Kindle has become a real game changer. As I read articles by industry experts I notice that one word seems to keep popping up over and over again, and that word is dinosaur.

Dinosaur is what is being used to describe traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores, and the old business model of buying books, which is, going into said bookstore. There are many reasons why it's becoming a dinosaur. Shelf space is limited, thus limiting the selection of titles for customers to choose from. Many traditional bookstores, particularly the major chains, like Barnes & Noble, will not allow self-published, indie published, print-on-demand books in their stores, never mind the fact that these self-published and indie authors are taking over a bigger and bigger share of the market. (And we all know how well this stance played out for Border's Books.) Then there's the Amazon Kindle, which allows readers to download books in seconds and for a fraction of the cost of hard cover or paperback books. That, my friends, is the game changer.

Public libraries seem to have the same limitations as traditional bookstores--limited shelf space, a bias against indie authors, and you have to return the book within two weeks or pay a fine. Guess that's why I was never big on borrowing books from the library. Sometimes life happens, and I don't always have the time to finish the book within two weeks, so I'd get stressed out.

That said, I can't help but wonder if public libraries, like brick-and-mortar bookstores, are also about to become dinosaurs. Why hassle with the limited selection and potential fines with a public library when you can go to a website like Smashwords, and, for as little as a dollar, (and sometimes even free), you can download a book into your ebook reader. And you don't even have to worry about returning it.

It will be interesting to see if my prediction comes true. Time will tell.

GM

Business Cards--an Overlooked Book Publicity Tool

2011-11-22T10:24:00.001-07:00

The lowly business card. It has to be one of the most overlooked, and underused, tool in an author's promotional arsenal.

Back when I was studying graphic design in college, one of my instructors taught us to think of a business card as a billboard in miniature. It's an advertisement for the product or service that you represent. Sadly, too many people don't see it that way. It seems most of the business cards people hand to me are so poorly done that I immediately dump them in the recycling bin. It's really not that hard to design a good, effective business card that promotes your book. (Or your product or service.) Here are a few tips to create a more effective business card.

Use Easy to Read Serif Fonts

If you want your message to be quickly and easily understood then it needs to be easily read. I suggest using serif fonts, like Times New Roman, Baskerville, Century Schoolbook or Garamond. They all work well, and I highly recommend using them for your most important information, such as your name, your phone number and your email address. If a fancy, decorative font makes this information too hard to read your card will end up in the trash.

If Using a Dark Background Use a Light Colored Text

Someone once handed a business card with a dark brown background and the text was red. Both colors had the same value, which meant there was no contrast whatsoever between the two colors. This made her phone number and email address impossible for me to read. Her card went straight to the recycling bin.

Keep the Font Size at Least 9 Points

I have been frustrated to no end trying to decipher phone numbers and email addresses printed with a 6 point, or smaller, font size. Even with reading glasses, the type is too small for me to see clearly. My graphic design instructors taught me that anything smaller than 9 points is very difficult to read. If I can't read it, the card goes into the recycling bin.

Don't Look Cheap

I understand that money is an issue for many of us, but you want to avoid cutting costs on your business card. A cheap card is like a cheap suit, and it makes you look cheap. No one wants to do business with someone who looks like they don't have any money.

Nothing turns me off faster than to look at a business card, turn it over, and see vistaprint.com stamped on the back. That tells me they were too cheap, or too broke, to spend $50 to get some decent cards printed. At that point I'm done. The other problem with using on-line business card templates is that other people use them too. The two dark brown cards in the photo are from two different people, making it much too easy to pull the wrong person's card out of the Rolodex.

Another big no-no is printing out your cards at home on your printer. Again, it looks cheap. The paper stock is flimsy at best, and dot matrix printers do not have the clarity of a real press.

For you authors out there, I recommend a simple card, with your book cover, your name and contact info, including your website, or a website where your book can be purchased. You don't nned to use the artsy-fartsy Vista Print background template that everyone else is using. A plain white, ivory, or pastel background should work just fine. If your budget is small there are plenty of on-line printers, such as PrintingForLess.com, who can print 500 4-color cards for about $50, including shipping. Now how hard is that?

My tip for the day.

GM

You Know You've Created a Good Villain When...

2011-10-31T08:44:00.004-07:00

Got a call the other day from a lady who is interested in doing the final proof-reading for my latest novel, The Reunion. She wanted to see a sample, so I sent the first three chapters to her. When she called to go over it with me, one of the first things she said was, "That Ryan is a real S.O.B."

The Ryan she's referring to is a character named Ryan Knight. Ryan is the first of many villains who appear throughout the story. I'll admit, I had fun when I created Ryan. He was inspired by an old boyfriend who was extremely moody, along with my ex-husband, a good friend's ex-husband, and every bad date I ever had. With a cocktail like that you know you're going to have a good villain.

So my soon-to-be proofreader tells me that she printed out the pages, and was going over them in the laundry room at her apartment complex. She says she actually started yelling and cursing at Ryan, and then she laughed when she said she noticed some of the other neighbors in the laundry room were giving her strange looks. I had to laugh as well. This tells me that the character I created is three-dimensional, believable, and, most importantly, makes an emotional impact on the reader. Hopefully, the rest of the cast will have turned out as well.

In the meantime, remember that a good villain is essential to create the conflict that drives your plot lines, and real people in your life whom you have had conflicts with can be good inspirations. Just be sure not to make any of your characters, good or bad, a clone of any real person. Be creative. Give your villains a unique look and personality, and, most importantly, have fun while you're creating them.

I will keep you posted on updates for The Reunion. I hope to have it available on Kindle by Christmas, and the printed version is scheduled for release sometime in March.

Enjoy.

GM

aka Marina Martindale

The National Day on Writing

2011-10-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

Today, October 20, 201l, has been declared the National Day on Writing by the United States Congress.

I'm celebrating by letting you all know that the manuscript for my latest novel, The Reunion, has finally gone to the editor, and I now have the opportunity to catch up on my other writing, such as this blog, which, I'll admit, has been a little bit neglected in recent months.

Writing is an interesting occupation, and one of the few regrets I've had in this life is that I didn't start writing sooner than I did. To be honest, I didn't think I had a special skill. I thought everyone could write. I even thought that everyone got an "easy A" in college freshman English, and it wasn't until much later in life that I found out that not everyone did. Oh well, better late than never. As several of the characters in The Reunion say throughout the book--things have a way of working out the way they're meant to be.

I've said it before, and it bears repeating. There has never been a more exciting time to be a writer. Thanks to the Internet, social media, and independent book publishing, writers have more options than ever before to get their words published and read. But with the good comes the bad. We also have to work harder than ever before to put high quality work out there, because if we make a mistake, the whole world will know it. So keep writing, my friends, and let your voice be heard.

GM

So You Think You Don't Need an Editor - Part One

2011-09-20T09:43:00.004-07:00

One comment I often hear from first time authors is, "I don't need an editor. I can do my own editing."

Really?

Okay, before I go off on my tangent, I'll admit that I resemble that remark. When I wrote my very first book, Anna's Kitchen, I too naively thought that I didn't need an editor. In fact, I was such a smart-aleck at the time that I thought I knew everything, never mind the fact that I had never written a book before in my life. As far as I was concerned, the spell checker in my word processing software was all I needed. So how did I do? Well, you may want to refer to my post titled, Just Add Two Tablespoons of Fate. Sure, I can laugh about it now, but it's a splendid example of why all authors, and especially new authors, simply must have an editor.

An editor is a fresh pair of eyes to go over your manuscript and give it the added polish it needs to turn it into a great book. They are not as much concerned about the content of your work as they are the structure. They look for things such as misspelled words, typos, comma spliced sentences, dangling participles, incorrect homonyms, redundancy, and all the other gaffes that you, as the writer, may have overlooked. The reason why you're not seeing them is because you're too involved with your own work to see it objectively. That's normal, and that's very human. It's the same reason why doctors don't treat themselves or members of their own families.

Some of you reading this may still be skeptical, or may even think that your writing skills are so superior that you simply don't need an editor. If that's the case then all I can tell you is that writing can be a very humbling experience. There is nothing quite like having your readers point out all your errors for you and post them on the Internet for all the world to see. Once that happens your credibility as an author is pretty much shot, and you can kiss your writing career goodbye.

What do Danielle Steel, James Patterson, Mary Higgins Clark, Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and Dean Koontz all have in common? They all have an editor. And if these authors all have editors, what makes you think that you don't need one?

My thought for the day.

GM

How to Write a Good Promo for Your Book

2011-09-01T10:37:00.002-07:00

From time to time I get emails from other authors announcing their latest books, and I always enjoy reading them. Lately however I seem to be noticing a trend--telling way too much about the book in the description.

For example, I got one the other day from an author who's been in this business much longer than I have. His email included a copy of the book cover, (which is important, by the way), but then his description must have been a good 500 words long. His book was fiction, and he spent paragraph after paragraph describing the entire plot. By the time I was finished reading the email I had no incentive whatsoever to buy the book because I already knew the whole story from start to finish.

One the trick I was taught early on was to write descriptions of ten to one hundred words long, but nothing longer. Over time I've learned that for most promotional purposes, fifty to one hundred word descriptions very well. I write teasers, not plot summaries. I include just enough to give you a general idea of what the story is about, and, hopefully, it's just enough for you to want to read more. I'm pasting in a copy of my one hundred word description for my latest novel, The Reunion, which I'm writing under my pen name, Marina Martindale. Please feel free to use it as an example for a teaser description.

GM

Gillian Matthews is becoming famous in the art world. All her hard work has finally paid off and her paintings are being sold in several highly prestigious art galleries. But despite her success and accomplishments, one thing has always eluded her—true love. Then one night, during her opening at a Denver art gallery, a man from her past unexpectedly appears. Her long lost true love. The one man she never forgot, never got over, and never expected to see again. After being apart for twenty-five long years, will Gillian finally have a second chance for happiness?

Quitting While You're Ahead

2011-08-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes as a writer I sometimes have to make decisions that may not always be popular with my readers, and I've just made one of them. I have decided not to write anymore books in the Luke and Jenny series.

At one time I had considered writing five Luke and Jenny books, and number four was going to be about the Lost Dutchman's Mine. I started it about a year, maybe a year and a half ago, and got about four chapters written before I hit a brick wall. While the lore of the Lost Dutchman is certainly intriguing, there just isn't that much historical data out there. Most of what we think we know is hearsay at best, and there just wasn't enough material available for me to put together a 40,000 word novelette. Then there is the creative aspect to what I do. The fictional account of the two modern day kids on their summer vacation was concluded at the end of Riding with the James Gang, and there is such a thing as overwriting it. If any of you have ever read the Dune series by Frank Herbert you know what I mean. Dune, the first book, was outstanding, and the sequel wasn't bad. However, halfway through the third book the story starting getting over the top, and it got so bad that I couldn't even finish it. So, rather than ruin the characters for my readers, I'll quit while I'm ahead.

Yes, I will continue writing. I'm finishing up manuscript for a new novel, but it's a different genre, and written for adult readers. Luke and Jenny will remain in print, and there are Kindle versions of all three as well. The trilogy will be out there as long as their is an interest, but Luke and Jenny's adventures are done.

GM

Public Speaking -- Keep it Short, Sweet and to the Point Please

2011-07-25T07:30:00.001-07:00

Like many authors, I belong to professional associations that have regular meetings which include a guest speaker. Most of the time these speakers provide information that is beneficial, and that's the reason why most people join these associations in the first place. Likewise, many of you who are authors or writers probably do some public speaking as well. It's a good way to make money off your books, and some authors are able to support themselves through their speaking programs. That said, there are a few rules of the road that you need to be aware of.

One of the most important rules for public speaking is keeping your presentation within a reasonable time frame. If any of you have ever been involved with Toastmasters, you'll know that keeping your speech within the allotted time frame is a big part of their program. The reason is simple--you have to keep meetings running on time. Many, if not most, associations meet for breakfast or lunch, and their members have to get back to the office.

That said, the last speaker at my author's association meeting presented a topic of particular interest to me--social media, you know, Facebook and all that. His presentation got off to a good start, but then it ran way too long, and after awhile I was beginning to feel like I was in a seminar. The problem was, I hadn't signed up for a seminar that day. I had other things I had to do, and because the meeting was running late, it was causing me to run late too. I finally ended up having to leave before the presentation ended.

Again, let's show some common courtesy to the audience. When it comes to speaking at associations you need to discuss your time frame with the meeting planner. My own experience has taught me that most meeting planners will allow about thirty minutes for a speech, and I've learned that thirty minutes is an ideal time frame. It gives you plenty of time to make your point, and have a few minutes left for a Q & A afterwards. It's also not going to wear out people's attention spans.

If you are planning on doing any public speaking I recommended testing your speech with family or friends, or, my personal favorite, test it in front of your Toastmasters club. If you can't cover everything you want to cover within twenty to thirty minutes you need to break it down.

Be kind to your audience. Keep it short, sweet and to the point. You can always make yourself available for one-on-one time after the presentation, or, better yet, come back for another meeting and present another speech.

My tip for the day.

GM

Is Traditional Publishing Dead?

2011-06-30T09:08:00.002-07:00

I got into a lively debate not too long ago at my author's association meeting. The lady I was speaking with was an older, more experienced author than me, (and someone whom I also like and respect.) That said, she is old-school, meaning is into traditional publishing only, and she has no use for the indie publishers or self-publishing.

I'm all for traditional publishing, and while I don't think it's completely dead, I think the days when traditional publishers held a monopoly are long behind us. Thank goodness.

Most of us write books because we want them to be read. I can't speak for other authors, but I've reached the age and stage in life where I just don't have the patience to play the games that traditional publishers, and agents, wish to play. I don't have the patience for agents who express an interest, ask for a manuscript, and then are never seen or heard from again. I don't have the patience for publishers who may say they like my story, but they'd rather see this than that, and would I do a major rewrite? Then, assuming I do the rewrite they wanted, and they finally accept me, I don't have the patience to wait another three years before I see my work in print.

I know I am not alone. A few years ago I got curious and took my own author's survey, where I discovered that most of the authors I know think like I do. They're also tired of all the games that traditional publishers and agents play, and they're tired of all the rejection letters, so they are opting to either self-publish, or go to an indie, or subsidy publisher. Having to pay someone to publish their book is a fair trade for having their books published, in a timely manner, and in return, they get to retain their rights in the process. And by the way, I took this survey before the e-book revolution. That too is going to be a game changer.

There are good and bad indie subsidy publishers out there, so if you elect to go this route I would highly recommend talking to other authors and find out which ones are good to work with and which ones to avoid. And if you decide to opt for a traditional publisher that's fine. Just remember, you do have other options.

My thought for the day.

GM

When to Use a Pen Name

2011-06-10T15:00:00.007-07:00

Another question I'm sometimes asked is whether or not I write under my real name, or a pen name. I actually write under both.

There are many reasons why some authors have chosen to write under pen names. These authors would include:

Those who wish to keep their privacy.
Those who write controversial or sensitive subject matter, such as erotica.
Those who, by coincidence, happen to have a name that is the same name as another author.
Those who have names that are confusing, hard to pronounce, or have an unusual spelling.
Those who write in more than one genre, and wish to build a separate brand for each.

The latter two were applicable to me.

When I wrote my very first book, Anna's Kitchen, I naively thought at the time that Gayle Martin, my legal name, was perhaps too common, so I decided to include my maiden name, Homes, to make it unique. However, before I was married to Mr. Martin, I spent my life with both a first and last name with unusual spellings. Gayle Homes. People were always getting my name wrong, thinking I was, "Gail Holmes," and no, it didn't exactly do wonders for my self-esteem, but I digress. Once Anna's Kitchen was published, however, I soon realized that the troubles of the past were coming back to haunt me. The name, "Gayle Homes," with or without the name, "Martin," simply left too big of a margin for error for a keyword search, and had I not picked up the name, "Martin," along my life's journey, I would have had to start using a pen name from the get-go. That said, we learn from our mistakes, so when I published Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, the first book in my Luke and Jenny series, I dropped the name, "Homes," since I wasn't using it anymore anyway, and just published it under the name, "Gayle Martin." It worked, and I've been successfully building my brand as a children's book author ever since. Then came the next problem.

As much as I love my Luke and Jenny books, I been wanting to write more adult material for sometime now, and to branch out into the romance genre. This means that while I'm not writing erotica, readers in this genre do expect some steamy, if not somewhat graphic, love scenes. This would present a real problem if, by chance, a youngster, or a parent, who was a Luke and Jenny fan, came along and bought my latest book, thinking it too was written for younger readers. So I decided to create a pen name, Marina Martindale, which is simply a play on my middle name and my last name, and I'll have to create a whole new brand. It's fun, yet challenging at the same time, since "Marina" cannot ride on the coattails of Luke and Jenny. Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.

Ultimately, it's up to each author to decide whether or not to write under a pen name, and if you should opt to do so, I highly recommend coming up with one that's easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and memorable.

My tip for the day.

GM

or is it

MM?

Why Every Author Needs Good Backup Protection

2011-05-23T17:19:00.001-07:00

It's like being in an auto accident. You never think that it's going to happen to you--losing critical data off your hard drive.

As someone who has been left with a permanent injury from an auto accident that occurred twenty year ago, I can attest that bad things in life can and do happen, and that includes every author's worst nightmare--losing all, or part, of a manuscript.

I'm currently working on a new book, and I spent the good part of last Saturday working on the manuscript. I carefully saved the file before shutting down the computer for the night. Sunday morning I launched Word, and, as I'm reading through my chapters, I suddenly come to the end--much sooner than I should have. The last thirty pages, that I had worked so hard on the night before, were simply gone. Kaput. No more. They had completely vanished into cyber-oblivion. I had been having some issues with my computer mouse, and apparently it did something to damage the file.

The first thing to do was not to panic. The second thing to do was not to panic. The third thing to do was to recite George Carlin's seven words that you can't say on television, and then not to panic.

So, while I was busy not panicking, I decided to find out just how good that Carbonite off site back up package that I've been subscribing to for the past few years really was. Well, guess what. The product worked as advertised. While it has some funky ways of naming the actual files, I was able to find the back up copy, fairly quickly and easily, and it was reasonably good condition. All that was missing was the last paragraph or two.

There are different ways back up your files. You can do it manually by copying them onto a flash drive or CD, or you can spend a few dollars a year and subscribe to an off site service that does it automatically for you. I personally happen to use Carbonite, but there are other products out there that provide the same service. You just have to decide which one works best for you. But whichever method you use, you need to back up your files frequently, especially your manuscript files.

My tip for the day.

GM

Do Business Networking Groups Help Burgeoning Writers?

2011-05-05T08:27:00.001-07:00

One question I'm sometimes asked, and ponder myself. Do business networking groups help burgeoning writers? The answer is... It all depends on the group.

If it's an association for writers, authors, publishers, or a combination thereof, absolutely. Networking with your colleagues will certainly help to make you a success. It can be something as simple as a small writer's group where you can get feedback on your latest project from your peers, or a professional organization, such as The Independent Book Publishers Association. A word of caution however with large organizations -- make sure they have a local chapter in your area that meets regularly. Otherwise you won't get the benefit of networking.

If you are a copywriter you should consider joining your local advertising club, if one is available in your area. Likewise, if you're a nonfiction writer, you may want to look into professional associations related to your area of expertise. For instance, if you write about finance, check into associations for accountants or financial planners.

Public speaking is an invaluable sales tool for authors, however many writers tend to be introverted, so the idea of speaking to a large group of people can be extremely daunting. If that describes you I highly recommend Toastmasters. You can learn the art of public speaking in a positive environment, and while not a leads group per say, many Toastmasters do network with other members. If you're an author of how-to or self-help books you can make a good living as a motivational speaker, and if you do twenty or more paid speaking gigs a year you may qualify for membership in the National Speakers Association.

There are many referral groups out there. These organizations are usually limited to one member per profession per group. They typically meet weekly, or bi-weekly, for breakfast or lunch, and the members exchange business leads with each another. My recommendation for this kind of association is a definite maybe. No two referral groups are the same, and it all depends on the make-up of the individual group. If you find the right group of people with the right connections it could be very beneficial, but if by chance you end up with the wrong group you could be throwing your money away, as the cost of dues, and meals, can quickly add up. My recommendation would be to visit them as many times as they will allow and try to get a feel for the group before you commit.

Remember your local Chambers of Commerce and other community business associations. Check and see what kind of networking opportunities they have, and if they offer workshops or boot camps that would benefit you. Keep in mind too that offering to do volunteer work for these associations can also open doors for you.

Regardless of what kind of professional organization or networking group you may decide to join, it's all about building relationships, and once you build good relationships the leads and referrals will usually follow.

My tip for the day.

GM

How to Create an Interesting Villain for Your Stories

2011-04-29T18:04:00.002-07:00

It seems like I spend so much time thinking about who the good guys are when I write my fiction that I sometimes forget that bad guy needs love too, so to speak. Since plot lines revolve around conflict there has to be a source behind that conflict, and that would be the antagonist, more commonly known as the villain.

There are different approaches to creating a good villain. One way is to have him or her truly evil and completely irredeemable, sort of like a Count Dracula. Your readers will hate him and root for the good guys to wipe him out. That would be a the sort of villain you can kill off at the end of the story, and your readers will leave feeling relieved and satisfied.

A more complex, and interesting, approach would be to create a, "conflicted" villain. Instead of a purely evil Count Dracula, you could create a villain more like a Barnabas Collins, the reluctant vampire of Dark Shadows fame. Barnabas had been a good guy until the vampire curse was placed upon him, and once that happened he was left despising what he had become. He both hates, and deeply regrets, all the things he's had to do along the way in order to survive. Thus he becomes a "hero/villain;" an antagonist whom the audience could root for, because they too wanted to see him cured of his affliction and end up with the girl, be it Maggie, Vicki, or his true love, Josette. In the interim, they sure get to see him wreak a lot of havoc.

Some storytellers like to take chances by having their protagonist, or hero, go bad. That can be a tricky approach. If you're going to attempt it you need to have a character with plenty of redeeming qualities, otherwise your readers won't be able to make a connection and they will not root for him or her. By the end of the story he or she will have to renounce all the bad things they had done earlier, and as well as be willing to do whatever has to done to make up for the sins of the past. If not, your readers will not be satisfied with the ending, assuming they stayed with your story until the end.

Anther way to conclude your story would be to end a tragedy with tragedy, especially if your hero/villain did some really bad things in the past that he or she really can't walk away from. At the very end of the Star Wars saga Darth Vader does renounce the Emperor and turns away from the dark side of the force, but in so doing he has to sacrifice his own life in order to save Luke. It certainly made for a dramatic, and satisfying, end of the conflict.

So there you have it. With a little imagination, and a few character quirks, you can create develop interesting and memorable villains who can keep your readers engaged. And that's what good storytelling is all about.

GM

Lying--the Absolutely Best Way to Destroy a Friendship

2011-04-23T09:36:00.001-07:00

From time to time I post about my two cents worth, and this is one of those posts. This week I was forced to end a friendship with someone whom I once thought I could really trust. In fact, she and I were such close friends that we sometimes used to refer to one another as, "my sister from a past life." What ended such a close friendship so abruptly? Lying.

There are two kinds of lies--the most obvious one being fabricating information that you know to be untrue. The second kind is a little more subtle, and that's lying by omission. Simply put, it means you are intentionally withholding information that the other party has a right to know, and you are also aware that by holding out your actions could, potentially, cause the other person harm. The latter can go from bad to worse when the person withholding the information gets caught, (as will usually happen), and then tries making up some story to try to cover his or her tracks.

I won't go into the details because it's a long, boring, and now irrelevant story, but my so-called friend did the lie by omission thing, and then followed it up with a deliberate lie to try to cover her fanny. Call me narrow-minded if you want, but I don't put up with that kind of dishonesty from anyone, and I don't care who they are. So that friendship is now over. Permanently. Even if she were to apologize, she can never be trusted again. Lying, like smoking, is a bad habit that many people simply find too hard to break.

There is a scene in my book, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, in which the Swamper tells Luke and Jenny, "You know, trust is a funny thing. It can take a long time to build, and it can be so easily broken." This is a fact of life. Whether it's a romance, a marriage, a friendship, or a business relationship, it has to be based on mutual trust in order to succeed. Lying undermines that trust and it will significantly weaken, if not destroy, the relationship. If we want to succeed in life we have to be trustworthy. Period.

Why is it that politicians, regardless of their political party or affiliation, are so universally hated? It's because they're known liars. Nothing good can ever be based on a lie. The truth always comes out eventually. That is just as certain as death and taxes.

My thought for the day.

GM

Weeding Through Website Hosting

2011-04-21T10:55:00.003-07:00

One thing absolutely essential for 21st century authors is a good website. In this day and age, websites are no longer optional. More and more readers search for books on-line. However, setting up a website can be daunting, especially to a new author who, prior to publishing his or her first book, never had a need for a website.

First things first. Before you can have a website you need a domain name. The optimum domain name for an author is yourname.com. If it's already taken, as is the case with me, try yourname.net and put yourname.com on back order. Hey, sometimes patience pays off. If .net isn't available you may have to tweak it a little bit. Try adding your middle initial, or words such as, "author," or "books." I registered both "gaylemartin.net" and "gaylemartinbooks.com." They work. You may also want to consider registering a domain name for your book title, or, if it's part of a series, a domain name for the series. I have both LukeandJennyBooks.com and LukeandJennyBooks.net. And just in case someone spells it wrong, I have also have LukeandJennyBook.com, along with LukeandJenny.com. (Remember what I just said about patience paying off? I had the latter one on back order for four years, but I eventually got it.)

Now, where to point it...

I firmly believe that you can never have too much Internet presence. You never know how or where a potential reader will find you. If your funds are limited, you can start with a blog. Here on Blogger you can set up a blog for free, and the platform is very easy to use. However, I suggest that rather than rely on the default sub domain name, (yourname.blogspot.com), register a .com or .net through Blogger. (I've learned, through trial and error, that it's much easier to do this through Blogger. They'll automatically assign it to your blog instead of you having to point it from someplace else.)

In addition to a blog site, I also recommend having a formal web site. You'll look more professional, and you can do all kinds of cool and wonderful things, such as add animation, slide shows, forums--all kinds of neat stuff, depending on how much time and money you're willing to invest. There are many people out there who design websites for a living, and if your vision for your website is something that does everything but wash the dishes and do your laundry, I suggest letting the pros handle it for you. However, if you prefer something more simple, or if your funds are limited, there are hosting companies out there that have site building tools which will allow you to do it yourself. I've been creating my own websites for years. I'm quite happy with the results, and I've had many nice complements on them too. Hey, if a technophobe like me can build a website then you can too. The two that I use are Network Solutions and Go Daddy. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

I started with Network Solutions. Their web building tool is extremely easy to use, and you can easily modify the templates to make your site unique. I still think their tool is the easiest to use, however, bear in mind that Network Solutions is more expensive.

Overtime, I outgrew my website. Along with my books I had information about my speaking topics and my book design services. It was simply too much information for one website to handle, so I had to divide it into two. I've had many friends and colleagues recommend Go Daddy, so I decided to give them a try. Go Daddy definitely gives you a better bang for the buck, however I found that their site building tool, while relatively easy to use, isn't quite as intuitive and user friendly as the Network Solutions tool. That said, I was still able to create a very nice website for my books and speaking programs. My best recommendation would be to do a side by side comparison and see which one would be the best fit for you.

Both Network Solutions and Go Daddy have exceptional, live 24/7 tech support. That to me is more important than anything else. Many authors are busy doing other things between the hours of 6 am and 6 pm Monday through Friday, Central Standard Time. It's nice that both Network Solutions and Go Daddy have live people there for me at 5 pm on Sunday, or 10 pm on Tuesday, when I really need the help.

GM

Take Time Off and Enhance Your Creativity

2011-04-14T09:10:00.001-07:00

Okay, I'll admit it. I've become something of a workaholic. Maybe it's all the advice I've heard from the various speakers that I've heard at the writers and publishers association meetings I've attended, talking about how you need to write or blog everyday. Or maybe it's from reading similar advice from all the "how-to" books I've read about how to be a successful writer--you have to write everyday. Or maybe I feel slightly guilty about working out of my home while listening to the traffic reports on the radio and feeling sorry for folks stuck in the daily rush hour trying to get to work. Or maybe it's because my work is in too close proximity to everything else. Whatever. I'm finding that I have a compulsion to sit chained to my desk, all day, everyday, even on days when I'm not that busy.

Margaret, my tax lady, lives about an hour's drive away, so when she drives down every year to drop of my return she always likes to make a day of it. She decided that this year she wanted to take a tour of Sabino Canyon, part of the Coronado National Forest and just outside the city limits. And you know how it is, you never get around to exploring the wonders in your own back yard. So I decided that even though it was Tuesday, maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't kill me to take the day off and spend a few hours touring the canyon with her.

This lady does more than just prepare my income tax return, she also helps me keep my sanity. It turned out to be a beautiful day, so I brought along my camera. Photography is one of my favorite hobbies, but I spend precious little time enjoying it. I'm a decent outdoor photographer, but lately my, "photography self-esteem," has been taking a real beating. Those of you who also follow my food blog know that I've had a real struggle trying to take food photos for that blog. (Food photography is a specialty that I apparently have no talent for.) So as we rode along I decided to snap a few photos. It was a challenge, since it seemed that every time I snapped the shutter we'd hit another bump, but later, when I downloaded the photos, I was amazed. I had several that came out beautifully. At the end of the day I felt redeemed as a photographer, and my creative juices were flowing again. This helps me as a writer and an artist.

The lesson here, for all your creative types, is yes, take some time off from your desk or studio, and make some time to do the things you enjoy doing. It won't hurt you, and you will certainly benefit with a renewed sense creative spirit.

My tip for the day.

GM

Setting Your Story Timeline

2011-04-09T18:49:00.001-07:00

The other day someone sent me an e-mail, asking what would be the best way to indicate the year in which her story takes place. I thought I should also post my response here, since other authors may have the same question.

GM

When I write my books I start by writing my treatment, which is a summary of what my story is about, and I use it as a guide.

Readers will certainly want to know when your story is taking place, particularly if it's a historical novel. There are ways that you can let them know it's 1941. If your story is set in the United States, the characters will be aware of the fact that Europe has been at war for nearly two years. What is their perspective on these events? If your story is set in Europe, your characters will, no doubt, be dealing with the war and its effects on their daily lives. How are they coping? Rather than open with a boring narrative, such as, "It was the year 1941, and Joe was..." you could, instead, have your characters discussing the events in Europe early in your story, (as in the first chapter), so your readers know what time period your story is set in.

Even if you're writing fiction, you will need to research the time period in which your story is taking place. Readers can by very savvy, and if you're writing historical fiction, rest assured you will have readers who have studied whatever time period your story takes place in, and they will be familiar with that history. Make sure you are as historically accurate as possible.

Tax Tips for Authors and Writers

2011-04-07T09:10:00.004-07:00

Spring is in the air, and that means it's tax season once again. I'm not a tax expert, so I'm not purporting to be giving any kind of legal advice, but the one thing I have learned, through trial and error, is to save those receipts. Come April 15, it's far better to have your tax preparer tell you that you can throw a receipt away because you don't need it, instead of having him or her tell you that you won't be able to claim a deduction you would otherwise be entitled to because you don't have your receipt.

Generally speaking, if it's an expense incurred writing, publishing or promoting your books, you can deduct it. Your tax preparer will ultimately determine what deductions you will be able to take, but they will probably want to see your documentation first. Therefore, you should keep your receipts for:

advertising expenses
book design services
book reviewers, (if you had to pay for a review)
editing services
photographers and illustrators
publishing services
research materials

Does your publisher charge you for your copies of your books? If so, hang on to the receipts.

Other expenses that may be deductible would include:

book signing materials, including tables and chairs, tablecloths, display materials and signage
cell phones, (if purchased for business use)
computer hardware and software
office supplies
postage and shipping services, such as UPS

Do you work out of your home? If so, a portion of your rent or mortgage, and utility bills, may be deductible. Keep the receipts.

Some authors, including yours truly, write genre books that sometimes require special attire for book signings. For example, I write Old West historical fiction, and some of the Old West venues where I sign my books require me to wear period clothing. Again, whenever I buy any period outfit or accessory, I keep the receipts, because it may be tax deductible.

Many authors also have book related travel expenses. Whether it's across town or across the country, you need to keep track of your travel expenses as they too may be deductible. These expenses would include:

air fare
gasoline
hotels and lodging
meals
rental cars
taxi fare

Business mileage is anther potential tax deduction that many us of tend to forget about. You can document your mileage by either keeping a log book in your car, or via websites like Google Maps or Yahoo Maps. Simply enter your address and the address of your destination, and the exact mileage will display at the top of the page. Print out the page and put it in your tax files.

Remember too that authors and writers are not immune to tax audits. You should keep your final return, as well as all of your documentation, including receipts, on file for six years. Rest assured, if you're ever audited, you will most certainly have to have your receipts. If you don't the IRS will, more than likely, not only disallow the deduction, they may also hit you with a big penalty as well. It's far better to have those receipts and not need them then the other way around.

My tip for the day.

GM

Book Signing Essentials

2011-04-05T10:42:00.005-07:00

Book signings are a strange animal. While they are a lot of fun, they're also about as predictable as the weather, and one challenge I've frequently encountered is getting passers-by to even notice that I'm there in the first place.

My static display skills aren't bad, and I learned a lot about how to make attractive displays and signage when I was leasing a booth at an antique mall. However, there is more to a successful display than just a pretty arrangement. The trick is to make your display stand out against the competition. Competition isn't necessarily other authors signing their books at the same venue. Grouping authors together is usually a benefit as the multiple book displays tend to stand out more. The competition is the usually rest of the "neighborhood" where the venue is being held. This would be the non-book vendors, brick and mortar shops, restaurants, and, at the Old West venues where I often have my book signings, gun fight shows, musicians and costume competitions. A good display is a must if you want to successfully sell your books.

If you're just starting out, or, if you're like many of us and have a limited budget, getting everything you need to put together a successful display may seem daunting. However, you'll find many of your basic display items are inexpensive, and can be found at Wal Mart, Target, or Micheal's.

First, you need a nice tablecloth. Solid colors work best. If you prefer a tablecloth with a pattern, find a simple one. Think of your tablecloth as the backwash in a painting. Loud, busy fabrics are out. You want the public looking at your books, not at the intricate printed patterns on your tablecloth. I also like to use a small table runner. For most signings I use a simple, ivory lace runner, and I also have a festive Christmas table runner that I use during holiday book signings. If you don't have a lot of money you can find used tablecloths, or even used draperies, at thrift stores or yard sales.

Next, you need some small display easels for propping up your books. I've found some really nice ones at Micheal's. Try to avoid using the three-legged plate holders. They are unstable and your books will keep being knocked over. If you have the funds, a large book rack is a really nice display tool. They can be pricey, but they're a darn good attention grabber and well worth the investment.

You would think that a good book display would be enough for people to understand you're selling books, but, as someone once told me, some mothers have them. That's why you also need good signage. If you don't have a lot of money, you can start out by printing something off your printer and putting it in an attractive photo frame. If you have the tools and the skills, have a have a poster or banner printed at Kinko's and attach it to a piece of foam core board. You should be able to do this for a very reasonable cost. If your funds will allow it, I highly recommend investing in a good quality retractable banner, but keep in mind that retractable banners are not suitable for outdoor use.

I found a sign shop here in Tucson that got me a good deal on a sandwich board. These boards are suitable for outdoor use and they can really take a beating. The signs themselves are easy to remove, so I can swap out different signs for different venues.

And finally, not all venues will provide a table a chair. I found a lightweight, aluminum folding table in the camping department at Wal-Mart for a very reasonable price, along with a couple of cloth folding chairs that are comfortable as well as easy to carry. That, along with a small dolly or wheeled cart to easily move everything around with, should cover about just about everything that you will need. These items may also be found at thrift stores, yard sales, or Craigslist.

Book signings can be fun, and they are one of the best tools out there for promoting and marketing your books. However, as the old adage goes, you will have to spend money to make money, and you should be able do it without going broke in the process.

My tip for the day.

GM

Soap Opera Plots--Time Tested Reliable Storylines

2011-04-04T10:13:00.009-07:00

Once upon a time, my friends and I were all soap opera junkies. We loved our soaps, and I taped my favorite soap everyday for years. How times have changed. Now I don't bother watching soaps anymore, and neither do any of my friends. We all stopped watching them years ago. I don't think it's our age. Both of my grandmothers were still watching their favorite soap operas when they were well into their eighties. I think it has to do with the fact that soap operas today are so poorly written. Soap operas used to be about love and romance. Then the producers decided they wanted younger, "more hip," audiences, so the writers began writing outrageous story lines about demonic possession, characters being buried alive, couples going back to the garden of Eden, and UFOs. Good plot lines for The X Files, but definitely not what we wanted to see on Days of Our Lives.

Those of us who are fiction writers or storytellers know that basic plot structure revolves around conflict, and how the characters react to and resolve the conflict. For many, many years, soap operas relied on these classic plot lines which consistently worked and kept viewers watching. They were:

The Romantic Triangle. Boy meets girl. They fall in madly love. But another girl is also in love with the same boy, so she plots and schemes, relentlessly, to break them up, becoming, "The Girl We Love to Hate." Such was the Steve, Alice and Rachel triangle on Another World that kept viewers watching for years. It's even written up in Wikipedia.

Extra-Marital Affairs and Illegitimate Children. The side effect of the romantic triangle. Days of our Lives kept their audience riveted for years, wondering when Mickey would find out that Mike was actually his brother Bill's son.

Long Lost or Unknown Half Siblings. Boy meets girl. It's love at first sight. But one of their mothers is dead set against their relationship, and she does everything in her power to break them up. Soon the truth comes out. Years ago, Mom's lover was the father of her child's love interest, and they are half brother and sister. Fortunately, this always comes out before the romance is consummated. A good plot twist is when later on, after they've both found other love interests, the other mother comes forward as says no, so and so was not the father of her child after all, so they were never half siblings in the first place. The fun never stops.

The Big Frame-Up. From time to time a villain had to be killed off, and what better way to do it than to have a favorite leading man or lady framed for a crime they didn't commit. Of course, they would eventually be found innocent, but never until after they'd gone to trial, been convicted, and ended up in prison. This plot line can be easily adapted to 21st century technology by simply having the real killer tamper with the DNA test results.

Catastrophic Diseases or Injuries. Hodgkin's Disease was common on soaps. So were brain tumors and comas. Pregnancies were, more often than not, high-risk. Miscarriages were frequent and could be caused by the strangest things, such as tripping over a wastepaper basket. And how many times did we see our favorite characters go blind or deaf? But, at least in Soap Opera Land, everyone always recovered--only to be struck down by another malady a few years later. The only disease that soap opera characters were ever immune from was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Amnesia. A very rare medical condition in the real world, but at one time it was quite common on soaps. Having a favorite character lose his or her memory and wander off somewhere, with everyone else thinking they were dead, made for great soap opera watching.

Returning From the Dead. This is oftentimes the end result of amnesia. A favorite character is involved in a plane crash or other catastrophic event. He or she is missing and presumed dead, but the body is never found. The character leaves the show, only to return sometime later. (Sometimes played by a different actor upon returning.) This plot line has many possibilities. The character may be recovering from the aforementioned amnesia, or maybe not. Either way, the memories will eventually return, but oftentimes not until after experiencing another catastrophic event. The other scenario is when the character returns after having finally escaped from being held captive somewhere. Regardless of the circumstances, no one ever makes it back home until after their spouse or lover has moved on and found someone else. However, this plot can be overdone. Come on, Days of Our Lives. How many times can Stephano DeMira be brought back from the dead?

And there you have it. Any romance writer worth his or her salt knows that such stories of star-crossed lovers have worked since Romeo and Juliet. Too bad that soap opera writers abandoned the basics in favor of the bizarre. Once they did, they lost touch with their loyal viewers, and once an audience is lost, it's nearly impossible to get it back.

GM

Friends Don't Let Friends Work Without a Contract

2011-04-02T07:29:00.002-07:00

I've noticed my post, Why Writers and Artists Need a Signed Contract, has remained one of my most popular posts. If there's one thing I can instill in my fellow writers and artists, it is to never, ever work on spec.

That said, it can be very tempting to bend the rules a when performing services for friends, especially when we are just starting out, and yes, I resemble that remark. Awhile back I did a small project for a buddy--writing some copy for her website. At the time I naively thought that because she was a friend I wouldn't need to have her sign a contract, and that a simple handshake would do.

So sorry to say, but the days of doing business with just a handshake, and with someone's word being as good as a binding contract, are long behind us. I wrote the copy and e-mailed it to her, asking her what changes she wanted me to make. I waited and waited, and didn't hear back. I sent her follow up e-mails, waited some more, and still never heard back. Then I heard from other mutual friends that she was, apparently, having some personal issues. Short story long--yes, she did eventually pay me for my services, but it was far less than what we had originally agreed on, and it took months for me to collect. In the meantime it put a real strain the friendship. Had she been a really close friend it would have been personally devastating.

The hard lesson learned here is that even among friends, you still need to have it in writing. You could probably write up a less formal agreement, perhaps in the form of a short note simply confirming the project you are doing for your friend, when he or she expects it to be completed, and how much you've agreed to in payment. Then, if there is any question later on, you have something in writing. However, if such a written proposal, albeit informal, puts your friend off, then you not only need to not do the work--you also need to reassess and think about whether that individual is really your friend of not. A true friend would never ever take advantage of your friendship.

My thought for the day.

GM

Tucson Festival of Books -- A Class Act

2011-03-29T09:34:00.004-07:00

Finally, this year I made it to the Tucson Festival of Books. What a class act. My publisher and I were very, very impressed with this event. I think what impressed us the most is the fact that the Tucson Festival of Books is still "the new kid on the block." This was only the third year for this event, but whoever is in charge of this event has really done their homework.

First, they selected a very good venue. It's held on the University of Arizona campus during spring break. This is when Tucson has some of the nicest weather all year, and, with much of the student body away for the holiday, it doesn't interfere with campus life. It's also very well publicized, as demonstrated by the huge turnout. In fact, it appeared to me to be a much larger event than the San Diego Children's Book Festival, which I attended back in 2009. My publisher is talking about making this a regular event, and I'm already looking forward to next year.

Kudos to the folks behind the Tucson Festival of Books for an outstanding job.

GM

"Fan" Fiction and Copyrighted Characters--Treading on Thin Ice

2011-03-14T12:58:00.007-07:00

I had an interesting chat with one of the other authors at the recent Wild Wild Western Convention. He was telling me about some writer who apparently got into a some serious trouble with Paramount over some "fan fiction" he had written about Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. The story went that the writer had written a very adult Star Trek story, and Paramount had taken issue with the way their copyrighted characters had been used.

I remember when I was a teenager, Star Trek fan fiction was very popular, and, as I seem to recall, one of the reasons why Star Trek conventions started up in the first place was so the fans, or "Trekkies," as they called themselves at the time, could share their fan stories. Of course, back then times were different. Authors wrote their fan fiction in conventional paper notebooks, so very few people probably ever read them. Traditional publishing, be it a book or magazine, was the only option at that time, so permission would have had to been obtained from the copyright holder before any fan fiction could be published. There was no Internet, no blogs, no self publishing, and no e-books.

Times have indeed changed, so it's probably very tempting for the amateur writer of today to write his or her own Star Trek story in a blog or to post it on a fan forum. And while their motive may be one of sincerely paying homage to their favorite television show, their devotion could, potentially, get them into some very serious legal hot water. While I'm not an attorney and not purporting to be giving legal advice, it's pretty much common knowledge that the legal rights to any artistic creation, including works of fiction, belong to the person who created it, or to a third party who may have purchased the rights from the original creator, and that would include rights to the characters as well as to the story.

Most of us who write fiction probably model our characters on people we know, or perhaps we base them on other fictional characters. Either way we do it, our characters should be very loosely modeled. For instance, the other day a friend and I were discussing the Steve McGarrett character on Hawaii Five-O. She mentioned that the original Jack Lord version of the character was a "Joe Friday" type, while the new interpretation of Steve McGarrett is much more original. I don't know about other writers, but I would really hate it if someone called one of my characters a "Joe Friday," type.

Regardless of whether your character is modeled on someone you know, or inspired by a favorite fiction character, make sure they have plenty of other characteristics to make them unique. If your inspiration is Captain Kirk, give your character a different age, background, physical description, or even change the race, ethnicity or gender. And above all else, be sure he, or she, has a different name. But if you really have your heart set on writing a Star Trek story, or using other copyrighted characters, make sure you get permission first. Even if you're not writing your story for monetary gain, it could still be considered copyright infringement.

My tip for the day,

GM

Old West Steampunk--an Interesting Fusion of Genres

2011-03-10T11:13:00.001-07:00

Last fall, while doing a book signing at an Old West festival in Glendale, (Arizona), I was approached by a couple of men who invited me to their upcoming Wild Western Festival at the Old Tucson Studios. It sounded intriguing, and certainly a change of pace from all the other western events I've attended over the years.

Steampunk is an interesting concept. It's the fusion of two entirely different genres--historical fiction--specifically western and Victorian romance, and science fiction. Steampunk pays homage to Jules Verne, and the modern interpretation has actually been around for sometime. The earliest examples that I can think of would be the book and movie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and the television series, The Wild Wild West. Both came out of the 1960s, and, interestingly enough, Ian Fleming, of James Bond fame, was also the author of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

As I talked to some of the people I met at this event I came to the conclusion that steampunk is big with science "nerds" and "geeks," meaning its followers are well-educated. It also appears to a big hit with the Goth community. Definitely not the traditional followers of western books and movies, but nonetheless, many of them seemed to have a genuine interest in the history.

I spent a great deal of time talking to one of the event organizers at a promotional book signing the week before their convention. It seems I share a common goal with many in the steampunk crowd, and that is using historical fiction as a vehicle to teach young people. They use it to teach science and engineering, while I wrote my Luke and Jenny books to teach history. And even though this steampunk convention didn't appeal to the true Old West followers, I found it to be a fantastic venue for introducing the real Old West to a whole new audience. And that's a good thing.

GM

Is It One or Two Spaces After a Period?

2011-01-25T18:21:00.006-07:00

Some people get their undies all in a knot over the silliest things, like how many spaces do you put between sentences.

Traditionally, it's two spaces after a period, as I was taught in my college typing class. Back then, if you didn't have two spaces between your sentences in your term papers, some professors would ding you on your grade because your paper wasn't properly formatted. Even today, most secretaries will tell you that two spaces between sentences is the standard, and many teachers still teach students to put two spaces after a period or a colon. It's been done that way for so long that it's become the norm.

The practice of having two spaces between sentences originated with typewriters, and typewriters placed letters on paper differently than Microsoft Word. Each number and letter key on a typewriter keyboard was connected to a metal typebar, which had the two corresponding letters, one a capital letter, the other a lower case, centered on it. The capital letter was on the top of the bar, with the lower case being centered about a quarter inch or so beneath it. The typebars were all the same width, regardless of the width of the individual letters. This caused the kerning, or the spacing between individual letters, to be unequal, which is probably why the practice of putting two spaces between sentences got started.

I'm not going to argue with a secretary on what is proper etiquette in business letter writing. If that's what she does for a living then she certainly has more expertise on the matter than I do. However, when it comes to writing manuscripts, the rules change. One space between sentences is all that is required, and two spaces after a period is considered a big no-no.

Typesetting software automatically handles the kerning, or adjusting the spacing between individual letters, so the practice of putting two spaces after periods creates rivers--gaps of white space that weave back and forth across the printed page. This can make the page look visually unappealing, and it's even more of a nuisance when justifying, or having perfectly even margins on both sides of the page.

Unless you're an author, the space between sentences isn't anything to be all that concerned about. But if you are by chance an author, and you're sending a copy of your manuscript to an agent or publisher for consideration, make sure you have a single space after your periods and colons. Just like my old college professors, they will ding you for not having your work formatted properly, and why give them another reason to reject you.

GM

Radke's Ten Commandments of Book Publishing

2010-12-07T14:41:00.001-07:00

I found these words of wisdom today in my stack of e-mail. They're from my publisher, Linda Radke, over at Five Star Publications, Inc. Linda knows publishing, and I second everything she is saying, although I must confess I've broken Commandment number 9. Will have to work on that one.

RADKE'S TEN COMMANDMENTS OF BOOK PUBLISHING

1. Thou shalt seek professional guidance before publishing and marketing a book.

2. Thou shalt not publish junk.

3. Thou shalt not have false expectations.

4. With any problems thou shalt talk to thy source and not by email. For emails will surely lead you to the road of confusion.

5. Thou shalt determine the market before publishing a book.

6. Thou shalt pitch your book to at least 3 resources each of 6 days a week and on the 7th day thou shall rest thy mind.

7. Thou shalt network.

8. Thou shalt co-op to get word out about thy book and by co-oping save money for future marketing opportunities.

9. Thou shalt always have a box of books in thy car - so when an opportunity arises books shall be there. Let there be books!

10. Whenever possible, thou shalt give a buck a book to a worthy cause on each book that has thy name on it.

© 2010, Linda F. Radke

How to Name the Characters in Your Stories

2010-12-02T10:38:00.005-07:00

I listen to Coast to Coast AM, and one of the guests last night was an expert on names who helps parents pick the best name for their children. It was a fascinating discussion on how the names parents choose will effect a child for life.

As a fiction writer I have the sometimes daunting task of choosing the names for the characters in my stories. I think about what that character's role in the story will be, and then I more often than not pick the first name that pops into my head. Now, after listening to last night's Coast to Coast AM, I know a lot of subconscious forces must come into play as I do this.

I remember once reading an article somewhere that said that children with more generic names, like Nancy or Bill, tend to be happier and more well adjusted people than people with unusual names, such as Asa or Prudence. Makes sense. Kids can be cruel. It's really easy to pick on the kid on the playground with the weird name, so obviously that would have a lifetime effect.

It's interesting too how certain names create certain images in our minds. For example, to me the name "Mike" conjures up ideas of the nice guy in the office who's friendly and easy going and gets along with everybody, while the name "Julie" sounds like a beautiful, demure girl who's too shy to notice when men find her attractive. So if I was going to write a romance story, I might be inclined to write about shy Julie and nice guy Mike who's trying to win her over, but then bad guy Asa appears on the scene. He tries to thwart Mike's efforts while his intentions for Julie are less then honorable. See how much fun this can be.

My advice for naming your characters is to keep in mind their roles in the story and think about what kind of images or ideas come to mind with different names. Also try to avoid using names of people you already know, particularly the names of family members, spouses, ex-spouses, or close friends. They may or may not be flattered. They may feel exploited.

My tip for the day.

GM

What Do Writing and Baking Bread Have in Common?

2010-10-29T09:17:00.003-07:00

Both are a long, slow process.

Baking bread from scratch is nothing like using those instant quick bread mixes you buy at the grocery store. Not that there's anything wrong with using those mixes. (I confess, I sometimes use them myself). However there is a whole lot more to baking real, genuine homemade bread, from scratch. First you have to dissolve the yeast. Then you have to measure the flour, sift it and measure it again. Once that's done you mix and knead all the ingredients together, which is very hard work unless you have a KitchenAid mixer with a hook attachment. (Lucky for me I've got the KitchenAid.) But even after that task is complete you don't immediately put the dough in the oven. You have to let it rise, punch it down, let it rise again, and punch it down again. You may have to repeat those steps over and over again over the course of several hours before the dough is properly prepared enough to go into the oven. Yes, it's a long slow process, but in the end your patience pays off because there is nothing quite like the taste of real home-baked bread, made from scratch, hot from the oven.

Writing is a whole lot like baking bread but with one exception--there is no instant quick bread mix for writing. Writing is always a slow process, just like baking bread from scratch.

I'm sure my book readers, as well as my commercial writing clients, probably think I just sit down behind my computer and while I'm typing all these brilliant words come flying out all at once, and that ten minutes later I'm done and can spend the rest of my day resting on my laurels. If you all only knew!

A lot of forethought goes into writing my prose. Whether it's an idea for the next chapter for one of my books, or writing copy for a client, I spend a lot of time formulating what I'm going to write long before I put pen in hand, or fingers to keyboard. I write, I tweak, and then, just like I have to let that dough rise, I have to step away for awhile and let the words gel. Later on I come back, edit, rewrite, and edit again. Just like that bread dough, I have to let it "rise" again. I may have to repeat this process several times before I'm satisfied enough with what I've written to let the client, or the editor, read it.

I've had clients, and prospective clients, sometimes question why I charge the fees I charge for my writing services. They have to understand that writing is a long, slow process, but once I'm done, they're going to get something just as flavorful, and just as savory, as that hot, home-baked bread.

My thought for the day.

GM

Are Living History Reenactors Homo Erotic?

2010-10-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

Just when you think you've heard everything...

I'm a talk radio junkie, and about a week ago the buzz on one of the shows I listen to has to do with some guy on CNN named Chris Matthews, (who I've never really heard of since I don't watch CNN.) Anyway Chris Matthews has allegedly called living history reenactors "homo erotic."

Now I admit I've led a bit of a sheltered life. I'm not sure I know what "homo erotic" means, but I know what "erotic" means. Did you know that back in the 1870s and 1880s, the bustle was considered very erotic? It was so men would wonder what was underneath it. And when I wear my bustle dresses in Tombstone, or at other Old West events, a lot of men take notice of me and tip their hats to me. And yes, I like it.

During the summer months, (which is like eight months of the year here in Arizona), I've started wearing madame outfits because it's just too danged hot to mess with corsets and petticoats. And yes, I do think madams had more fun than the proper ladies. Just my opinion though, however by Victorian standards I'm sure this outfit is very erotic.

Well, I still haven't found out what "homo erotic" means, but I'm sure Chris Matthews must be a complete and total moron since he obviously doesn't have a clue as to what living history is all about, but he probably hates us living historians for teaching the public about history in the first place. What is obvious is that the man is totally unprofessional since he shoots his mouth off without doing his research first.

My thought for the day.

GM

If You're Looking for Books About the Occult You'll Have to Look Elsewhere

2010-10-21T10:16:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I was signing my books at the Wild Western Festival in Glendale, Arizona. It was a nice, family-friendly Old West event, and a lot of families stopped by my table to say hello. One person, however, was a bit unnerving.

She was looking for a book suitable for a pastor's daughter. My Luke and Jenny books are indeed family-friendly, and along with teaching young readers about history, they also teach lessons about morality and doing the right thing. However this woman decided that they were "occult" books because some of the characters are ghosts, so she refused to buy them. I'm surprised she didn't tell me I was going to burn in Hell for writing them.

Let's set the record straight here and now. The Luke and Jenny books do not, in any fashion whatsoever, endorse witchcraft, the occult, or devil worshiping. The ghost characters in the books are the catalysts who take the children back in time, and they act as guides to help teach the youngsters about the life and times they lived in. Hey, I do living history presentations, and that's what I do with my historic personas. Gee, do you think this could be a coincidence? I think so.

I've been careful not to endorse any particular faith, religion or sect in my books because I want readers of all different faiths and religions, including Christians, to read and enjoy the books. They are meant to teach history and good old-fashioned morals and values. If some want to be closed minded that is their loss, however there are other good Christians out there who have read and appreciated my books.

So if you're looking for a book to teach you're kids about the occult you'll have to look elsewhere. Occult teachings are not included in the Luke and Jenny books.

GM

Clogging Up the Internet

2010-10-03T10:11:00.002-07:00

I'm sure I'm not the only writer this has happened to. You write a book, you get a domain name for your book, you build a website for your book, and everything is good and wonderful -- that is, until you write your next book.

My website had gotten totally out of control. It had started out as a site for my living history programs, then I wrote my first book, and then my second book, which was in a different genre. Next thing I knew I had pages and pages and then sub pages, and multiple domain names, all pointed to the same site. It was starting to resemble that old Three Stooges bit where they're plumbers and they end up building a huge, tangled maze of water pipes.

It's taken me a good part of a weekend, but I think I finally got it back under control. I somehow managed to untangle and consolidate some thirty website pages into fourteen pages, and those fourteen web pages are divided up between two separate websites.

So, here is my advice to all you aspiring authors out there...

First, get a domain name with your name.com. If your name is already taken, try variations such as adding your middle initial, adding words like, "my" or "the real," or use the .net or .biz extensions.   While it probably wouldn't hurt to get the .com name for your book title, keep in mind that if you write more than one book you'll need to get a separate domain for each title. If you're planning a series of books you may want to consider getting a domain with the name of your series instead of one for each title. I use LukeandJennyBooks.com. I also have other extensions for LukeandJennyBooks.

If you write in more than one genre, as I do, try to avoid putting all your titles on one website. Multiple genres can be confusing and I recommend separate websites, or blog sites, for your different genres. I just finished putting up a new website for my Luke and Jenny books. My cookbooks will never be included on the Luke and Jenny site, nor will the Luke and Jenny books ever go on the cookbook site.   Two different genres -- two different audiences. A link to your other sites may be okay, but I wouldn't recommend much more than that. Obviously at this point you'll need to buy other domain names, such as JohnDoeMysteryBooks.com and JohnDoeSelfHelpBooks.com. You get the idea.

Many authors do public speaking. As long as your speaking topics are connected with your books it's perfectly okay to include that information on your book website.   In fact, it would probably help make you more marketable. But if your speaking topic is unrelated to your books then once again, you'll need a separate website.

If you're wondering about the cost for all this please keep in mind that blog sites can be a low cost, if not free, alternative to a traditional website. It's also a good idea to shop around and see what kind of hosting packages are out there. Web hosting companies can be very competitive.

My advice -- keep it all as simple as you possibly can. That way you won't be clogging up the Internet.

GM

Are Writing and Typing are Mutually Exclusive?

2010-10-01T22:53:00.003-07:00

Writing is one of the few things in my life that has always come naturally for me. I have the ability to hear words in a certain way, almost like musical notes. I've never worried that much about the rules of grammar, I simply listen to the sound of the words and I write intuitively. It's always worked for me and I thought everyone else did this too. Hell, for that matter I also thought that everybody else got an easy A in college English. It's not until recently I've discovered this is not the case for many people.

Typing however has always been my Waterloo. I think typing was about the only D I got in high school. Sure, I could pass English and social studies with flying colors, but put me in front of a typewriter and I was done for. I don't know if I have some form of dyslexia or not, but for some reason my fingers always seem to get mixed up and I frequently get letters transposed. Or sometimes I'll make some other typo, and the spell check doesn't always catch it. It's never effected my ability to choose the right words, it just aggravates me at times when I'm trying to put them on the computer screen.

Back in the days before computers, which I'm sure is the Dark Ages for some, I used to do all my writing in spiral bound notebooks, and I was forever scratching out words and editing in the margins. By the time I was done I had something that looked more like a treasure map than prose, so even though typing can be a giant pain in the butt for me, I'd still have a hard time giving up my notebook computer and going back to notebook paper.

Then there's the ability to spell. I was the spelling champ in my second-grade class. That's also where where I hit my peak and it's been a downhill spiral ever since, as my well worn dictionary will attest. Nowadays I use the Internet version of the dictionary and I find it's really handy and saves me a lot of time. Spell checkers can help, but they're not totally foolproof, so I still use the dictionary on a regular basis.

So what's my point? We all have our challenges, sometimes even doing the things we excel in. And maybe that's a good thing since it helps keep us humble.

My thought for the day.

GM

It's Official--I Won't be Going to Helldorado Days This Year

2010-09-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not mad at anyone in Tombstone. It's because I unfortunately do not have a clone, or even an identical twin, and I simply can't be in two places at the same time.

A few weeks ago, when I received my Spirit of the Old West Alive Award, a representative with my publisher was there. Short story long, it turns out the folks to do the Spirit of the Old West Alive Award know DR Buck Montgomery, who is doing the Wild Western Festival in Glendale the same weekend as Helldorado Days. As much as I enjoy Tombstone my publisher and I both agreed that a change in venue would be good thing, especially since I've been signing my books at Helldorado every year since 2006.

The event will be held at Historic Sahuaro Ranch, a site that's always been near and dear to my heart because back in 2001, when I first starting doing living history interpretation, I was working with the museum. I spent a year with them interpreting the main house as the WWII housewife, and I had a blast doing it. The museum is on a restored farm that originally dates back to the 1880s, with some of the buildings being renovated as late as the 1930s, so there's a nice time line for historical interpretation. The staff and other volunteers were good to work with too, but then the person in charge of the living history program took a job out of state, and that was the end of their living history program. Unfortunately, staff turnovers and changes in programs are an occupational hazard when working with museums. Since that time the City of Glendale has taken over Sahuaro Ranch, so I the people I knew back in 2001-2002 are no longer there. But from what I hear the city is doing an outstanding job running the place, and they've also done a major restoration of the historic buildings, so I'm really looking forward to going back for a visit.

GM

The Wrangling with Writing Conference

2010-09-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Just spent the past weekend at the Wrangling with Writing Conference here in Tucson, and what an adventure it was.   I've been writing books since 2005, and it was my first time going to a writer's conference. Oh what I've missed, but I'll be making up for it.

Up to this point I've been working with a small, local publisher, and it's been a wonderful experience. She really has a way of working with first-time, budding authors and helping them become successful. However, it has been pointed out to me that the time has come for me to seek out a more traditional publishing company. Yikes!   Talk about going out of your comfort zone. But it one expects to grow and gain anything in life one has to take a risk.

I wrote my first book back in 2005. Anna's Kitchen: a Compilation of Historic WWII Ration Recipes That You Can Create in Your Kitchen Today. And I mean I did it all--the writing, the editing, the typesetting, design, and cover art. And I didn't do bad. For a newbie. But as I grew and progressed as a writer Anna's Kitchen soon became my redheaded step-child, yet despite my best efforts to ignore the book as best I could it still managed to gain a following.   So I updated the manuscript, retitled it Rosie's Riveting Recipes: Cooking on the Home Front Line, and then I let it rest for awhile.   That is, until this weekend. I wrote the synopsis and spent the weekend pitching it. I now have no less than 3 literary agents who've expressed an interest. Encouraging, but for now it doesn't mean a darn thing as most authors will have to approach many agents before they find the right match. But hey, it's a start. And life's all about taking that next step.

My thought for the day.

GM

The Spirit of the Old West Alive Award

2010-09-22T10:34:00.001-07:00

One of the perks of being an author is that from time to time people give you awards. And contrary to what you might think, it's really a humbling experience.

Two of my Luke and Jenny books have won awards. That's always something because book awards, like any other artistic award, are so very subjective. One judging panel may simply love your book, and another panel may not. That's why I'm always telling you to keep entering book competitions. You never know when your work will hit the right chord with the right judge, and try not to get too discouraged when you don't win.

A few months ago I received word that I had been selected for a very special honor -- The Spirit of the Old West Alive Award. This was not a competition I had entered, rather I was being honored for my overall work in keeping the history and the culture of the American West alive and well. Talk about an "awe shucks" kind of moment. Then to discover that other recipients of this award included Bob Boze Bell, publisher of True West Magazine, Marshall Trimble, the Official Arizona State Historian, and actors Peter Brown, Hugh O'Brian, and Bruce Dern. Well, that really took my breath away.

I received my award this past August, and my co-recipient was a man by the name of Joe Bethancourt. Joe is a musician and entertainer here in Arizona, and he's best known for his appearances on the old Wallace & Ladmo television show. Wallace & Ladmo had the longest running local TV show in Arizona history -- 35 years. So to be honored with Joe was a big deal. And did I mention I'd met Joe once or twice before, and he's a heck of a nice guy.

So the evening was fun, and humbling, at the same time. Here I thought of myself as doing my thing, and I didn't think anyone had really noticed.

So the lesson here today is to do the things that you are passionate about. Whether it's cooking, writing, art or music. If you stay at it long enough someone just may take notice.

My thought for the day.

GM

The Real WWII Housewife

2010-09-16T17:32:00.004-07:00

When I created my living history WWII housewife persona I modeled her after a real person -- my aunt, who lived with my mother and grandparents during the war years while her husband, my uncle, was in the service. I created that program to honor the sacrifices and contributions of ordinary women during a dark time in our nation's history.

My aunt recently passed away, and it serves to make the point that these ordinary folks, particularly homemakers, deserve to be remembered. It's great that we live in a time when women can be doctors, attorneys, CEOs or hold public office. Unfortunately, with this so-called "liberation" of women, we've overlooked, worse yet downgraded, the homemaker.

My aunt's obituary described her as "a homemaker all her adult life, and she excelled at it." She may not have been a corporate exec, but no one ever said running a home was easy. My aunt, and women like her, are responsible for creating a stable home life, and from a stable home comes a stable family, and with stable families come a stable society. I hear so many experts say that the underlying problem with our society today is the breakdown of the family. And I would argue that the breakdown of the family began in the early 1970s, with the "Women's Liberation Movement." All of a sudden home and family and children were a bad thing. In the 1980s, those women who opted to leave their jobs to stay home and take care of their families, were considered to be traitors to the sisterhood. After all, the reasoning went, if you quit your job to stay home the boss will think I'll do the same thing someday so they won't promote me.

It would be nice if our society would stop and rethink all the important contributions homemakers and stay-at-home moms make. It may not be as visible as the contributions made by lady executives, but it is certainly valuable. From what I hear the younger generation of women, the ones who grew up as latchkey children, are rethinking things and are more likely put careers on hold to stay at home with their kids. If more of them do, then maybe twenty or thirty years down the line our society will be better off.

Yes, women should have choices, and that includes the choice to be a homemaker.

My thought for the day.

GM

Why Writers and Artists Need a Signed Contract

2010-09-15T09:09:00.005-07:00

I was a graphic designer before I became an author, and book design is a service I offer other authors. However, from time to time I get rather, shall we say, unorthodox, requests from people who simply do not understand how the design business works, or worse.

The other day someone e-mailed me, wanting to see some samples. So I sent him a some examples from my portfolio. Then he wanted me to create a "sample" for him, designed at his specifications, and oh, by the way, would he actually be expected to pay me for my time and effort if he decided to hire someone else?

I wonder if he goes to several different income tax preparers, has each of them file his return, but only pays the one who got him the biggest refund? Probably not. So why is he treating people who perform creative services any differently? I have my suspicions.

I politely explained that under no circumstances do I work on speculation, (it is highly unethical and unprofessional), and that services are only performed with a signed contract. You'd think that would be the end of it, but no. He contacted me a week later. He found other people, who were (stupid enough) to give him his free samples, but if he didn't like any of them he'd get back with me.

I explained I run my business by the highest ethical standards of my profession, as defined by the Graphic Artists Guild. I then thanked him for his interest and declined his project. I had his number.

There are some people who just don't get it, so they're not the type of clients I'll work with because they're too difficult. Then there are those who want something for nothing. They'll approach an artist, or a writer, and ask about their services, but seeing your work samples isn't enough. They want you to do the project, or a portion of their project, as a "sample." They'll say they just aren't sure about you, and they want to make sure that you can really do "their" job. Of course, once you've done the work, gratis, there will be some reason why they don't want to hire you. Next thing you know they've copied your work. This is why working on spec is unethical, and good luck on that one, since you didn't have a signed contract.

This is why writers and artists need a signed contract. If you're a writer, a book designer, or an artist, only give a prospective client a sample from your portfolio. Never, ever do something on spec. Unless of course you want someone to steal your work.

My tip for the day.

GM

The Two Kinds of "E" Words

2010-08-30T23:49:00.002-07:00

I have many fond memories of the years I spent as a volunteer and living historian with the Arizona Historical Society Museum in Tempe. It was a real watershed event of my life and a time I look back upon and truly miss. One of the things I liked best was helping out with exhibit openings and special events, like Reenactor's Rendezvous.

But as much as we museum folks enjoyed it, it seemed nearly impossible to get the public to show up at these events in big numbers. The museum had a full-time publicist back then, and she always went the extra mile to get the word out about what we were doing. But as hard as we tried we just couldn't seem to generate much public interest, except for one time, and I'll explain that in a minute.

I think the real problem we had was the fact that our mission was to "educate" the public. And even if we didn't use that particular "E" word in the press releases, it was implied nonetheless. And words like "educate" and "education" are dirty words to a lot of people. They are synonyms for "boring!" It makes their eyes glaze over and conjures up memories of being back in school. People don't want to be "educated." They want to be "entertained."

I don't call myself an educator. I am an "edutainer." That word "edutainment" was coined in the museum community a few years back because someone figured out that the best way to "educate" the public is to "entertain" them while you're at it.

I try to be as entertaining as possible, whether it be as a storyteller, or with my books. Imagine that. Writing a series of books about two modern day kids who travel back in time as a vehicle to teach history. I've raised the hackles of academic historians in the past by doing this, and no doubt I'll do so again in the future. While they may be very credible and very well educated people they just can't get the concept that the average Joe really doesn't give a rip about the straight historical facts or if our period outfits are 100% accurate. To him that's "boring." He just wants to be entertained. So if I have to disguise my historical education as entertainment so be it. At least I got the job done.

As for that one museum exhibit opening that really drew in the crowds -- it was the opening of the Wallace & Ladmo gallery. Wallace and Ladmo were local entertainers and pioneers in Phoenix television history. They hosted a children's TV show that ran for 35 years. Again, it just goes to prove that most people want to be "entertained;" not "educated."

My thought for the day.

GM

The WWII Housewife is Alive and Well

2010-08-29T21:51:00.002-07:00

The other night I had the pleasure of driving up to Chandler, (a suburb of Phoenix) to perform my living history presentation, "Anna Ferguson, WWII Housewife & Defense Worker." This was for a quilting group studying WWII history. Performing "Anna" again was like reconnecting with an old, long lost friend.

I originally developed her for The Arizona Historical Society Museum in Tempe. She even got her name from two of the people I knew at the museum. One of the museum's galleries, Views From the Home Front, chronicles Arizona's contribution to the WWII home front, and the contributions of those who stayed behind and fought "The War Back Home." This composite character was created to augment that gallery. She represents the typical wife and mother of that time. "Anna" also incorporates some of my personal family history with her anecdotal stories. She was inspired in a lot of ways by mother, and the stories she used to tell around the family dinner table while I was growing up. "Anna" was also the inspiration for my first book, Anna's Kitchen, a WWII ration cookbook. She was a special friend indeed.

The WWII Housewife & Defense worker was officially launched in January, 2001, and for a number of years "Anna" visited schools, seniors, and other groups. Then the reality of current economic times caught up with her, and she became a casualty of years of school budget cuts. Sadly, I rarely get the opportunity to perform her anymore.

Anna still has a story to tell -- that of patriotism, sacrifice, and the ability of a generation of Americans to unite and do the job that had to be done to lead our nation to victory during a dark and uncertain time in our not-too-distant past. Hopefully I'll get to tell her story again--someday.

GM

Common Sense and the Internet

2010-08-18T16:34:00.001-07:00

Interesting article today on the Drudge Report. The CEO of Google is now saying that because young people put so much information about their private lines on the Internet they may have to change their names upon reaching adulthood.

This article was an eye-opener, to say the least.

As as author putting information about myself on the Internet goes with the territory of promoting my books. However I use my common sense. What I do post on my website is information about my work history, and the process that led me to become a speaker and an author. I also use common sense practices to help protect my family's privacy and to help protect my reputation as a children's book author. These tips could help protect your privacy, as well as your family's privacy.

• I don't post my marital or relationship status on social networking sites such as Facebook, nor do I post information about my family. In fact I would discourage anyone from using social networking sites as a dating service. If you're single and using the Internet to find a companion try finding on-line dating service that will protect your privacy.

• Be respectful your family's and friend's privacy. Always ask their permission before posting information about them on-line.

• Grandma was right when she taught you that if you can't say something nice about anyone don't say anything at all. Attempting to destroy someone's reputation on the Internet makes only serves to make you look bad. It's also against the law and could get you some unwanted attention from the FBI. Same could be said for posting compromising photos or videos of family or friends, especially if they are underage, or if you are doing so without their knowledge or consent.

• If you have a website use a contact form for prospective customers to contact you instead of posting your e-mail address. This will help cut down on unwanted spam. And if you work out of your home get a P.O. Box or private mailbox. Never post your home address on-line.

• And finally, if you are a parent, I can't stress enough that you need to closely monitor your children's activities on-line. Put the computer in the den or living room--not in the child's bedroom. And yes, you DO have the right, and an obligation to check their on-line history and monitor their Internet activities.

Think of your on-line life as living in a glass house where anyone and everyone can see you, and act accordingly.

GM

Other Means of Living History

2010-08-14T20:10:00.001-07:00

To me, living history isn't just about donning a period outfit and giving a talk about the times my character lived in. I also consider doing the things our ancestors did another form of living history. To me, it is a more intimate and personal connection. For instance, I do quilt-making, and every time I'm sewing my little scraps of fabric together I feel a kinship with the pioneer ladies and the ladies who lived during the Old West. For them quilt making had a real purpose. It was a means of recycling old clothing and reusing it as bedding. Talk about being practical. And even though many of my quilts have modern themes, and are made from new fabrics purchased just for quilt-making, I still feel that connection to the past as I'm sewing them together.

Another way I connected to people in the past was with my first book, Anna's Kitchen. I grew up with WWII era parents, and sometimes around the dinner table my mother would talk about food rationing. So putting together those ration recipes and WWII home front stories made that time in history seem much more real to me. And what better way to really experience how our parents and grandparents lived then preparing food the way they prepared it.

I also tried my hand at planting a vegetable garden this year. While gardening may be considered a hobby in modern times, it wasn't that long ago that families grew their own gardens out of necessity. Gardening for me was a little bit hit and miss, and I made plenty of mistakes, such as planting things too closely together, but still, there's nothing quite like the fresh taste of a vegetable, or herb, that came from your own garden. This experience also made me more appreciative of the fact that I can go to the grocery store whenever I need food. Something we all take way to much for granted these days.

I sure some, if not most people probably could care less about history, and that's too bad. Because connecting with people from the past really can enrich our lives in the present.

My thought for the day.

GM

In Memory of Trigger

2010-08-03T12:24:00.003-07:00

While not a big headline grabber, something interesting in the news a few weeks ago was the auction of Roy Rogers memorabilia from the now defunct museum in Branson, Missouri.

Over the past few years I've heard talk the museum was experiencing serious financial difficulties. First they relocated it from California to Missouri, but apparently that move wasn't enough to save it. The problem, as I understand it, was the public had simply lost interest in Roy Rogers, and that hardly anyone under the age of forty had ever even heard of Roy and Dale. For reasons unknown to this writer you just don't see any of their old movies and television shows anymore, not even on the niche cable channels specializing in classic movies and TV.

Probably the most notable item to go on the block was Trigger. And as someone whose passionate about preserving history, I have to admit seeing the photos of Trigger, as he is today, gave me some mixed feelings and got me to wondering if a corpse should be a historic artifact.

I was a kid when Trigger died, and at the time it was a newsworthy story. It was announced that Roy was going to have Trigger stuffed, and as I recall Roy said it was so that Trigger's fans would still be able to see him. At the time I didn't see a photo of Trigger, post mortum, but I still remember Trigger's being stuffed the punchline for comedians for years afterward.

I recently came across a blog talking about the auction, which included a link. Upon clicking the link, I saw, for the first time, a photo of Trigger as he is today. It was a beautifully done display, but at the same time it gave me the heebie-jeebies. I felt bad for this animal. I've always believed that when the time comes all of use deserve a proper, dignified burial, and the same should be true for our pets and for animals like Trigger, who were public figures. But at the same time, as someone whose passion is historical preservation, I can understand the decision to preserve Trigger. Still, for me it was creepy, and I think a tastefully done display of Trigger artifacts, such as his saddles, photos, posters, and perhaps some of his horseshoes and locks of his mane may have been more appropriate.

Trigger was purchased by a television station in the midwest, and according to news reports, his new owners plan to use him to help introduce the public to Roy and Dale's movies. What a shame someone in the broadcast business didn't think of that some twenty or thirty years ago. If they had maybe the Roy Rogers museum would still be open today, and his kids wouldn't have had to go through the heartbreak of having to sell their parent's personal mementos.

My thought for the day.

GM

What is it That Makes a Woman a Lady?

2010-08-01T10:23:00.010-07:00

Last night I watched the DVD of Julie and Julia, which is based on the true story of Julie Powell, a struggling New York writer, (I can relate), who decides to post a blog chronicling her culinary journey to create all 524 recipes in the 1961 edition of Julia Child's book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in 365 days.

The film depicts Mrs. Powell as a young, all-American wife with a fresh-faced girl-next-door quality about her. How can we not like her as we watch her struggle to balance her day job and marriage while trying to complete the monumental task she has laid out for herself? Throughout the film the audience goes back and forth between the lives of Julie Powell and Julia Child, and while they are indeed two very different individuals they do share some similar life experiences. We also see Julie develop a close, personal kinship with Julia as her project continues, but her bubble is burst near the end of the film when someone close to Julia Child informs her that Mrs. Child didn't like Julie's blog. We're told that she in fact, hated it. Julie is crushed, but goes on to complete the project. Assuming this actually happened, (and remember, movies "based on a true story" contain a lot of fiction), I couldn't help but wonder why.

After I put the DVD in the return envelope I went on-line and looked up Julie Powell. Was I ever surprised. While a very brief mention of her using the "f-word" in her blog is noted in the film, her current blog is a real eye-opener. The subtitle says it all, and it's hardly what one would have expected from the sweet girl-next-door that we saw in the movie. Now I'm not going to knock Mrs. Powell or call her a bad person. She and I probably have a lot in common since we're both writers and authors, but upon reading some of her writing I think I can make an educated guess as to why Julia Child wouldn't have liked her blog, assuming that she had read it.

Julia Child was a lady. Her husband was a diplomat, and she associated herself with people in high places. Now in order to do successfully that one must have a certain special quality that is sadly missing in our culture today -- class. And class is what makes a woman a lady.

A lady doesn't use any of George Carlin's seven words that you can't say on television or radio. At least not in any kind of a public setting, or in print, be it a printed page or cyberspace, nor would she ever use that kind of language in mixed company. A lady is gracious. She says, "please" and "thank you," and she doesn't swear at a man if he opens a door for her. A lady also dresses appropriately for the occasion. Now I'm not against casual wear, if it's worn in the proper setting, however a lady doesn't wear bare-midriffs and flip-flops in a business office, nor would she ever be seen anywhere in public dressed like a whore. A lady also follows other social protocol, such as not chewing or cracking gum in public or sitting in a chair in a spread-eagle position. You get my drift. It's not about having a lot of money or lavish clothes or jewelery. It's all about having dignity and a little bit of pride in oneself. That is what makes a lady a lady.

I'm not saying that it's easy being a lady, especially in a society that wants to rob women of their femininity and turn them into second-class men. I sometimes struggle with it myself, but when you're a children's book author acting like a lady comes with the job. Julia Child was most certainly a lady, and she was a good, positive role model. The world needs more like her.

My thought for the day,

GM

Ebooks and Printed Books

2010-07-30T19:28:00.005-07:00

Not too long ago someone in my Toastmasters club bought a Kindle reader. She even did a speech on how much she liked it. Yes, it has some advantages. For instance, she told us she can use it while she's driving her car because it has a feature that will read the book out loud. She also likes it because ebooks are cheaper than printed books, and she can download a book in seconds on Amazon.

Well, being an author, I had plenty to say after her speech, such as how does an author sign an ebook?

For some applications I'm sure an ebook is just fine. For instance, once I'm sold out of my self-published cookbook, Anna's Kitchen, I'll probably put up a Kindle version on Amazon. Kindle makes a lot of sense for a cookbook. After all, if I'm up to my elbows kneading bread dough the last thing I want to do is stop and clean up so I can turn to the next page of the cookbook. And that read out loud thingy would be handy in that scenario.

An e-book, however, just isn't the same as holding a printed book in your hand and feeling the touch of the page, or the texture of a hard cover book. There's a certain joy in handling an old book, particularly a book that's been handed down the family, or one that has an inscription written long, long ago, perhaps by a family member long gone. That's just a quality and experience you'll never get from an e-book. And then there's that author's signature. That can make a book collectible.

Yes, I think there's a place for an e-book. I even have a Kindle version of Gunfight at the O.K. Corral available on Amazon now. But as for me personally, I think I'll pass on the Kindle. I prefer having a real book in my hands.

My thought for the day.

GM

Creative Tools for Teaching History -- from Museums to Books to Video Games

2010-07-15T16:13:00.005-07:00

Keeping history alive seems to be one of my callings in life. It all started when I started volunteering at my local historical society museum and looking at their marvelous displays. I soon became a docent, leading tours for school kids, and discovering that when they could look at historic artifacts and displays they got more excited about learning. It was also while being a docent guide that I first learned about living history, and, over time, I developed two living history personas. Again, doing these presentations for the schools, I couldn't get over how excited the kids were. This was probably because I was a living, breathing representation, and it was the enthusiasm from all those kids that inspired me to start writing my series of children's books on the history of the Old West.

I'm amazed that I have an interest in history at all. When I was a kid in school we didn't take field trips to the historical society museum, (it didn't exist at that time), nor did we ever have a living historian visit our school. Instead we were taught history from dull, boring textbooks and the occasional 16 mm movie, which was all narration and no dialog and almost as boring as the textbook. It wasn't until I started college, and took history courses for my liberal arts requirements, that I started becoming more interested in history. There I had professors who were good speakers and storytellers and who were able to make the subject matter interesting.

When it comes to learning history kids today have it so much better. Along with historical museums and living historians and book authors like myself, they have interactive video games to help them learn history. I've not tried any myself, but I've heard from others who have, and they sound pretty interesting. Instead of learning about a historic battle in a dull history book they get to have a virtual experience with sophisticated graphics and interactive software. If experiencing history in a virtual setting doesn't help them learn I don't know what will, although the books, museums and living historians certainly don't hurt either.

What an interesting time to be a kid.

GM

Keep the Drama Flowing

2010-07-11T10:17:00.003-07:00

When writing fiction your plot will always revolve around tension and conflicts. That's what keeps the drama flowing and keeps your readers involved.

I still recall my old high school drama teacher talking to the class about soap operas. She said that soap operas were nothing more than story lines about real life--exaggerated. Those writers must be doing something right since virtually all the soaps on the airwaves today have been around for a good thirty to forty years, if not longer. Here are some good examples of real-life exaggerations that could make for good, dramatic plots for your fiction writing. They've been using them on soap operas for years.

In real life people catch colds or the flu. In a soap opera a character catches a rare, if not unknown, disease, resulting in blindness, deafness, coma, paralysis, or memory loss until some doctor, typically a young intern, discovers the miracle cure.

In real life family members, say and mother and a daughter, have an argument. One may storm off, but before long they make up. In a soap opera the one who storms off ends up being seriously injured in a car crash and remains in a coma for weeks.

In real life boy meets girl and they're attracted to one another. He asks her out and they start dating. In a soap opera boy meets girl, they're attracted to one another and he asks her out. But then another young lady, typically his ex-girlfriend, her best friend, or even her sister, is in love with the same guy and she does everything humanly possible to thwart the relationship.

In real life a boy asks a girl out. She's not interested so she says no. He may ask her once or twice more, then he gets the hint and moves on. In a soap opera he turns into a stalker and kidnaps her. She ends up being held hostage in some remote cabin in the middle of the woods that no one else ever seems to be able to find.

Writing fiction is about considering possibilities outside the normal routine of everyday life, while maintaining a portion of that everyday quality that makes your story believable.

My writing tip for the day.

GM

Oh the Perils of Studying Too Much History

2010-07-06T11:49:00.002-07:00

I don't know if I've grown up, grown old, or have just studied too much history...

Back when I was a kid The Wild West West hit the airwaves. It aired on Friday nights, and I used to watch it with my brother. I thought it was way cool and different from the other westerns I watched, like Bonanza, The High Chaparral and The Virginian. Not that I didn't like the others, (in fact The High Chaparral will always be my all time favorite), but The Wild Wild West had that kind of surreal quality, and to a pre-teen kid, it was even a little bit spooky at times. And I really liked the characters. Jim West was okay, but I really liked Artemus Gorden.

Fast forward a few years. I'm in high school, my brother is in college, and The Wild Wild West is in syndication. I'm really digging the show now, and so does my brother and his best friend, who I also think is really cool, but I'll leave that story for another blog. Then, sometime after college, The Wild Wild West comes out with some updated TV movies, and again they're really cool. I later learn CBS had plans to bring the show back in the early 1980s, but that got derailed permanently with the death of Ross Martin, (no relation to me), in 1981. And Ross Martin really was the one who made the show work. The final season of the original Wild Wild West simply wasn't that good because Martin was sidelined throughout much of it due to illness.

So again we fast forward a few years. Well, maybe a little more than just a few years. We now have Netflix and DVDs, and many of the old westerns we all loved are available to us for a low monthly fee and a few clicks of the mouse. So what do I do? I decide to start watching The Wild Wild West again, only this time it's TORTURE to watch.

Yes, Jim and Artemus are still there, and yes they're still great characters. And Micheal Dunn is still the best as Dr. Loveless. But those story lines? They're so lame. Almost every episode of the show revolves around technology that simply did not exist in the 1870s.

I guess that's one of the hazards of studying history. Your standards of believability for historical fiction must go up. Or maybe it was the times the original show aired in. Back in the 1960s we were at the height of the Cold War and times were unsettled at home with civil unrest and the anti-Viet Nam War backlash while many in my generation were tripping out on drugs. Maybe what was needed back then was a western that delved into fantasy and a little surrealism.

My thought for the day.

GM

Jonah Hex, Box Office Flop

2010-06-28T10:57:00.004-07:00

It appears that the jury has reached a verdict regarding the recently released Jonah Hex movie, and the public has, by in large, given it a big thumbs down. I hate to see that happen whenever a new Western comes out, but by all accounts Jonah Hex really isn't a western. At least not as we know them.

I first heard of Jonah Hex at a book signing I did last fall in Mesa. I found out that Jonah Hex is a comic book hero. Don't know if it is DC or Marvel as I've never cared from comic books. (I prefer to read real books, but that is another story.) Nonetheless Jonah Hex is supposed to be a blend of the Old West and mysticism--something more in the genre of the old Wild Wild West TV show from the 1960s, which wasn't really a western either. Nonetheless, I'm told that Jonah Hex is a big hit with the younger generation.

I went over to Yahoo movies, and in reading audience reviews, it seems that the reason the movie is a flop is because the script is so poorly written, and because Megan Fox has so little screen time. There was hardly any criticism at all of it being a western. The other issue that audiences seem to have is that the hero, Jonah Hex, has a badly scarred face.

It's a funny little quirk in human nature. We are naturally drawn to beauty and repulsed by the ugly. That's why throughout history in virtually all stories the hero is always handsome, while the villain is oftentimes ugly or even disfigured. Think Darth Vader or the Wicked Witch of the West. A "hero" who is physically unattractive, if not downright ugly, simply isn't someone we're going to root for. The only exception to the rule that I can think of is Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

I hope this box office failure doesn't discourage Hollywood from making anymore Westerns. My observation, time and time again, when I did my Tombstone Storyteller living history program for the schools was that the kids simply couldn't get enough of it. Today's generation didn't grow up watching Westerns like we did. For them westerns are something new and different and exciting.

My thought for the day.

GM

A Domain Name by Any Other Name

2010-06-19T22:47:00.007-07:00

Sometimes people will e-mail you the most interesting requests...

As any businessperson in the 21st century will tell you, a website isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. The same is true if you happen to be an author. Whether you write fiction, non-fiction, or any genre, you need a website and the right domain name to go with the website. But sometimes getting just the right domain name can be a challenge. If you're lucky the .com name you want is available, such as yourname.com, or, if you're an author, yourbooktitle.com. Oftentimes however the domain name you want is already taken, so you have to look for other options, such as using the .net extension, or maybe adding extra words, such as "therealyourname.com" or yournamebooks.com.

Back in 2006 when I published my first Luke and Jenny novel the first domain name my publisher wanted to register was lukeandjenny.com. Much to our surprise that name was already taken and it turned out it was being used for a personal website, not a business one. So I registered the .net extension for Luke and Jenny, as well as Luke and Jenny books, with both the .com and .net extensions. But we still wanted lukeandjenny.com, as that would most likely be the name someone would try first when searching for my books in the Internet, and the only way to get it would be to put it on back order.

Four years later and my patience has finally paid off. A few weeks ago I received an e-mail letting me know that it was available from a registry wanting $80 for it. Yeah right. My father didn't raise an idiot, so I hopped over to GoDaddy.com and got it for a fraction of the price. Within 30 minutes of getting the e-mail I had it registered and pointed to my books' website. You'd think this would be the end of my story, but it's not.

A few days ago someone has contacted me using the contact form on my website. Her name was Jenny, she said she's engaged to a man named Luke, and she wants my lukeandjenny.com domain name. Say what??? Did you not notice my Luke and Jenny books?? They're all over my website.

Well, as someone in my inner circle used to say, "Some mother's have them." I had to politely explain to her that while I understand her wedding is a big deal, (been there done that myself), this domain is a business tool and selling my books is a part of my livelihood. I simply can't hand over my domain name just because she wants it. So I suggested some alternatives, such as adding the words, "wedding" or "nuptials." Chances are those word combinations would be available as a .com name. Guess this is the sort of thing that come with the territory of being an author.

For more tips on domain names check out my article on Author's Den.

GM

Spamming a Blog Just Isn't Cool

2010-06-16T09:57:00.008-07:00

Just logged in and there waiting for me was a comment to approve. It started out as a wonderful post about keeping history alive. The first few paragraphs were well written and inspirational to anyone who likes history. Unfortunately the poster ended his missive with a paragraph plugging his book, including a website link where his book could be purchased. What a bummer.

I'm an author too, and we're all looking for ways to promote our books. Blogging is a good way to do that, but at the same time we have to be courteous and not misuse someone else's blog. One of the things I like to do with my blog is to provide tips for other authors, so here is my take on commenting on someone else's blog.

It's perfectly okay to comment about whatever is being discussed in a given post, as long as you're not personally attacking someone else. If the blog software allows it I would have no issue if you were to post your website address either next to, or just below, your name, but I wouldn't recommend going any further than that. It's really not cool to use the comment feature to pitch your book. Where I come from we call the sort of thing "spamming," and that's one of the reasons why I moderate my comments.

My tip for the dsy.

GM

Kudos to the Town of Tombstone

2010-06-14T10:42:00.003-07:00

I just completed a book signing down in Tombstone, Arizona, and it looks like the town may be building up a new major event--Salute to the Buffalo Soldiers. This is only the second year for this event, and it is gaining a following.

There is a Buffalo Soldiers motorcycle club comprised of military vets and police officers with chapters throughout the country. Members came from as far away as New Orleans and Florida to participate in the parade this year, and all had a great time and plenty of good things to say. Some of the ones from the eastern part of the country said they didn't even know that they town of Tombstone was real, but they did say that they would be back again.

We also had Buffalo Soldier reeanctors with displays on Allen Street, and many passersby stopped and took a look. Overheard one of them say he made the comment to a young serviceman that he was "old school" army.

Needless to say this event will be back again next year, and more is being planned. The organizers say they want this event to be as big as Helldorado. We'll see. Meantime it's nice to see more military history in Tombstone. I doubt if many people realize that without the support of the Buffalo Soldiers moving and settling in the west would have been a far more difficult and dangerous proposition.

GM

Internet Safety

2010-05-25T08:13:00.003-07:00

Coast to Coast AM did a program last night about Internet safety. Some of the things mentioned we probably already know, but it still bears repeating as we all want to have a good experience on the Internet.

Always be on the lookout for phishing scams. That e-mail allegedly from your bank, or Paypal, or eBay asking you to verify your account information may really look like the real deal, but it is a scam to trick you into giving your personal information. No legitimate business or financial company will ever contact you asking you to verify your password or other sensitive information. When in doubt call your bank, or with Paypal and eBay, simply forward the e-mail to spoof@paypal.com or spoof@ebay.com

Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo e-mail accounts can be very easily hacked. Just ask Sarah Palin. I got rid of my Yahoo e-mail account a long time ago. If any of you have your own websites, or simply own a domain name, you should be able to get an e-mail account to go with that domain name from whoever you registered it with. I have e-mail accounts through Network Solutions and GoDaddy. GoDaddy really has a nice e-mail product. Very easy to use and probably more secure that Hotmail or Yahoo. Hushmail.com claims to provide free e-mail accounts that are private and secure, although I've never tried it.

They say privacy settings on Facebook are a joke. Being an author Facebook is a necessary evil for me, but I leave a lot of their profile questions blank, such as my marital status and whether or not I'm using the site to look for someone to date. Those of you who are also on Facebook should not use a Yahoo, Hotmail or Gmail e-mail account with your Facebook account. Again they are far too easy to hack and there are a lot of reports out there of hackers getting into e-mail accounts via Facebook and then sending the, "I'm stranded in the United Kingdom and need you to wire me $1500" scam e-mail to everyone in your address book.

Criminals also like to use social networks to look for victims. Be careful with posting information about plans to go somewhere on a particular day and time. Those of us who are into history like to announce the historical events that we plan to attend, but there have been cases of people who have done this and upon returning home have discovered that they have been burglarized.

Did you know that the big search engines, like Google, Ask.com, and Bing, record and store each and every one of your searches and that they sell that information to third parties without your knowledge or consent? I stopped using Google a long time ago and switched to startpage.com. It works just as well as Google but they do not record your IP address or other personal information.

I'm sure there is a lot more on this topic that I've failed to mention. All I can say is use when using the Internet always proceed with caution.

GM

It's All Interconnected

2010-05-20T07:49:00.005-07:00

One of the things about history that has always fascinated me is the way everything is all interconnected. History isn't a bunch of different time periods all packed in neat little boxes, rather it is a big tapestry with all the different shapes and colors and textures all woven into each other.

I remember back in the 1980s watching a show on PBS called Connections. It was a fascinating program. It would start with a simple, primitive invention, like the plow, and show how that one invention would lead to the next invention, which would lead to the next, and the next, and you'd end up at the atom bomb.

Even in my own lifetime I've experienced changes in historical periods. I was born in the mid-1950s and a lot has changed since then. Over the past few years I've become keenly aware that we are now in a different period of history. I myself would call the last half of the 20th century the post war period. I'm not sure exactly when that time ended. Perhaps it was a combination of the turn of the millennium and 9/11. The only thing I am certain of is that the time we're living in now is not the bright future we imagined back in the 1960s. But then again maybe it's too soon to make that kind of a judgment, so I guess I'll have to leave it to some future historian to decide.

My thought for the day.

GM

Oh the Joys (Sometimes) of Being a Book Author

2010-05-15T15:21:00.004-07:00

I never seem to run out of idea for stories. Right now I'm working on the fourth installment of my Luke and Jenny series, this one is titled, The Mystery of the Lost Dutchman's Mine. I'm doing something different in this novel. I'm bringing in a new character, the children's psychic aunt, Tina, who will be traveling back in time with them. Tina was mentioned very briefly in my last book, Riding with the James Gang. And sometimes I can manage to write myself into a corner.

I've got the first five chapters of my latest book more or less completed, (and let's face it, it's never really done until the editor has had a crack at it.) I've spent a lot of time fleshing out the scene where the ghost character first appears, and had built up a very dramatic scene where Tina comes upon him. She's never encountered a ghost before and it kind of takes her breath away. Spent weeks hashing out the details; rewriting and revising and rewriting again. Finally last night got it just perfect.

Ever get those nagging feelings?

I typically work on my books late at night. Got the chapter done, shut down the computer and headed off to bed. About the time my head hits the pillow, BOING. The thought hits me. Didn't I say something in Riding with the James Gang about Tina having also seen spirit people from time to time?

I'm not going to sleep a wink now, so I get up and go back into my office. Grab a copy of James Gang, and sure enough, in Chapter Two is the following passage:

“You know, Luke, while we were in Dallas, I had an instant messenger chat with Aunt Tina about it.”

“Really? What did she say? Did she believe you?”

“Of course she believed me. She’s a psychic, you know. She says sometimes she sees spirit people too..."

And there you have it. Now for the next big rewrite and revision.

GM

Don't Let Anyone Rip You Off

2010-04-10T11:01:00.006-07:00

This morning I discovered that someone is selling two copies of Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War on ebay for $20.25 each. That's quite a bit higher than the $15.95 cover price, and you can get even better deals on Amazon and other on-line retailers, as well as independent book stores.

I have nothing against someone selling my books on eBay, but I don't want any of my readers to be ripped off, so my best advice is buyer beware. Do a Google search or even check my website at www.gaylemartinbooks.com. I have set up links to all the major on-line retailers to help you get the best price for all of my books.

GM

So What Makes a Historian a Historian?

2010-04-07T09:13:00.005-07:00

Sometimes when I'm out promoting my books, or my living history programs, I'll run into folks who'll call me a historian. I never know quite how to take that. On one hand I'm flattered, but at the same time, not having a degree in history, (my degree is actually in art), I admit that I'm not all that comfortable with the title.

Having a college degree, and having spent a lot of time working with historical museums, means I've spent a lot of time in academia. As far as those folks are concerned, unless you have the initials, "M.A." or "PhD." after your name, you're not a historian. In some instances, this makes sense. Those credentials probably would put you in a position of authority to, for example, verify the authenticity of a historic artifact. But I don't think it necessarily makes you any smarter, or a "better" historian, then a well-educated lay person.

A few years ago I was acquainted a man who had done extensive research on early motion picture exhibition equipment. He was certainly an expert and had done enough work to probably have his master's thesis done. I even once suggested that to him. He was flattered, but decided not to pursue it. It would have been an expensive undertaking and I'm not sure he had the funds. Besides, he wasn't exactly a young man anymore, and he probably figured he'd been doing what he'd been doing, which was a living history presentation as an early 20th century showman, just fine without his master's degree. He's one of many "lay historians" that I've come across over the years. And just because he's a lay historian certainly doesn't mean he can't publish a book or call himself an expert.

Then there are living historians, such as myself. I too have put a lot of research into both of my historic personas, but I actually market myself as a speaker. I've discovered that those who are outside of the museum or education environment simply have no clue whatsoever as to what a living historian is or does, and they sometimes find it a very confusing term. But they do understand what a professional speaker is, so I leave it at that.

So I suppose you can call me a historian if you want, but I prefer to call myself a published author.

My thought for the day.

GM

It Was a Bittersweet Kind of Day

2010-03-21T08:50:00.010-07:00

Just returned from my very last Festival of the West. It was a bittersweet kind of day.

I've gone to this event nearly every year since 2001, and this one wasn't like the others. It smaller and more subdued. There were quite a few people queued up to get in the gate when we first arrived and it looked like it would be a big day, attendance wise, but sometimes looks can be deceiving. Fewer people attended, fewer vendors were there, and it seemed like there were fewer celebrities as well. That was kind of sad. I have to agree it's the economy. It costs $14 a pop just to walk into the gate. Want an autograph? Expect to shell out about $20 apiece. Hungry? Expect to pay nearly $10 for a sandwich with chips and a soda. That all adds up in a hurry, especially for a family, and in uncertain times a lot of folks just aren't willing to spend that kind of money. In my humble opinion dropping the admission down to say $5 would have probably brought out much bigger crowds.

It wouldn't have been Festival of the West if I didn't run into lots of folks I know. I saw Bob Boze Bell and said hello to him. I also spent some time with my good friends The Cross Town Cowboys. My book signing went well. Sold about 4 books in a two-hour stint, which is actually quite good, and even handed out some copies of Gunfight at the O.K. Corral to a couple of the celebrities who were there. They were very appreciative and enjoyed someone giving them something without expecting anything in return.

I will miss Festival of the West. It was an event I rarely missed and it was always one of the highlights of the year. I honestly don't think the waning attendance is due to a decline of interest in the Old West. I think it was because they simply priced themselves out of the market.

GM

The Cure for Writer's Block

2010-03-12T10:59:00.004-07:00

Got an e-mail the other day from someone who is a regular contributor on one of the on-line forums I frequent. He'd run into a stone wall and couldn't think of anything to write about.

It happens to the best of us from time to time. Creativity is a funny thing. We can't always turn it on and off whenever we want to. But there is a solution.

Sometimes just switching gears and writing about another topic can help. Or go do a project that has been on your "honey do" list for too long. Sometimes those little nagging issues can have an effect our creativity. If that doesn't help then why not take a break and do something you enjoy doing. Maybe bake a batch of cookies. Play a round of golf or go to a ball game. Read a book that you haven't had the time to read. Call an old friend or relative you haven't talked to in awhile. The point is go do something different so your mind will have a chance to focus on other things, and your creative muse can take a rest. Don't worry, it will come back. And when it does you can pick up where you left off. My friend is back to posting on the forum just like nothing happened.

My thought for the day.

GM

What's in a Name?

2010-02-23T13:53:00.003-07:00

Well, plenty. Especially if you've worked hard building your brand.

I published my first book in 2005, and I've always used my real legal name. The one that's on my driver's license, my passport and income tax returns. I think that about covers all the bases for it being my real legal name.

Through Google and Yahoo! searches, and by subscribing to the daily Google Alerts for my name, I've learned there are a few other Gayle Martins out there, doing different things. One is a private investigator, another a concert pianist. One serves on a city council somewhere, one or two are doctors, and one is into paper crafting. She's had an article or two published in magazines, (as have I, but mine are in other magazine genres). Then the other day I'm going through my Google Alert, and what should pop up another Gayle Martin who is also an author. But she is not me and I am not her. It seems that she is writing her first children's book. I however have been writing children's books since 2006. So yes, I'm a little upset. I don't want people confusing her with me, and I certainly don't want her capitalizing on all my hard work building my brand. I've worked too hard at it for too long.

Does anyone know if you can trademark your legal name?

GM

Speaking Fees, Historical Reenacting, and Old West Venues

2010-02-21T08:17:00.005-07:00

I love what I do. I really do. But sometimes I wonder if I'm not allowing myself to be used.

I perform a living history storytelling program called The Tombstone Storyteller, and I normally charge a speaking fee for it. I have a lot invested in the program, including period clothing, props, hours of research, plus my time and effort to promote and market the program, so I don't think charging a speaking fee is unreasonable because I'm performing a service. I market mostly to schools, as that is where the most demand is, but with so many schools having budget cuts these days I don't perform it as often as I did in the past. Sure, I'd probably get a lot of bookings If I gave it away for free, and there's the rub.

There is a lot of pressure out there for Old West entertainers, including living historians, to perform for free. Whether you're a storyteller or a musician or other so-called "entertainer", a lot of the folks that run these Western venues seem to have the attitude that because you're "entertainment" you should be lucky they even allowed you at their event in first place so of course you should be happy to work for them for free. After all, it's not a "real" job. Or is it?

Does your doctor work for free? Or the guy that prepares your income taxes? Ever try to get a plumber to work for free? Then why should those of us who "entertain" at an Old West festival or venue be treated any differently? But we are.

Whether it's an Old West themed restaurant, a festival, or a tourist trap, you know, those little fakey Old West towns with a steakhouse and a few shops attached to it, they all depend on live performances, such as "stunt show" skits, for entertainment to help draw the crowds to their venues. And, more often than not, the performers are not paid. They literally have to pass a hat around to collect tips from the audience. And that just doesn't seem right. The cooks and the servers and the store clerks all get paid, and whoever is running the venue is surely making a profit, but where would they all be without those "entertainers" who help bring in their customers in the first place?

Some of my friends and colleagues tell me that they are saying no to these venues, even the big name events. They are professionals. They've worked hard to get where they are, and they aren't going to cheapen themselves by working for free. I'm starting to rethink this myself. I've already built up a good resume for myself as a living history performer. Maybe it's time I stopped undercutting my piers and stopped working for free. Perhaps I've been doing more harm than good.

My thought for the day.

GM

Tombstone Kids

2010-02-17T07:32:00.005-07:00

I had a really great time the other day in Tombstone. I did a presentation for the 4th, 5th and 6th graders at the elementary school, and they were a great bunch of kids.

My talk was, How to Write a Story, and I used my Tombstone children's book, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral: Luke and Jenny Visit Tombstone, as a model for the discussion. Those kids were so excited. Not only did we talk about book writing, we talked a lot about the town itself. Some understood the significance of their town, others did not. So we had a discussion on why their town is so famous, and why people come from all over the world to see it. I think they were all impressed. At the end of the hour it was hard to get the Q & A session to stop so the teachers could start the next class.

It's interesting too the way the schools have changed since we were kids. I got there during lunch period and set up my display while the room was still empty. After I was done I looked around at the bulletin boards. A lot of it was the same stuff that we would have seen in the classroom walls when we were kids. There were posters about good manners, doing the right thing, treating others with respect and so forth. But what's different was so many posters about bullying. The schools are finally starting to realize that this is a problem and they are addressing it. When I was a kid nothing was done about bullies. The philosophy back then was to just ignore them, but all that did was embolden the bully. Too bad it's taken so many school-shootings to realize that bullies won't stop unless someone intervenes and addresses the issue. Too soon to tell how well this will work long term since these kind of policies haven't been in place that long.

What I also noticed, and this was disturbing, was there was no American flag in the classroom.

When I was a kid every classroom had both an American flag and an Arizona flag from kindergarten all the way through the 8th grade, and each school day began with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Are they no longer saying the Pledge of Allegiance in the schools? If not then we need to bring this tradition back.

Still, all in all it was a very good day.

GM

A Review of Billy the Kid

2010-01-21T21:01:00.003-07:00

I stumbled upon this review of Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War on a Billy the Kid forum. It really made my day. Please note that Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War is now being published by Five Star Publications, Inc.

http://btkog07.angelfire.com/bookreview.html

GM

Western Heroes and Today's Youth

2010-01-12T08:50:00.002-07:00

Okay western fans, here's the good news. Westerns are making a comeback with today's youngsters. But the genre has changed.

When we were kids The Lone Ranger was a comic book hero. (Although my school did not allow comic books.) And TV had all kinds of western heroes. Again the Lone Ranger, along with Hopalong Cassidy, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers. In our parent's time Lone Ranger was on the radio, and before that it was silent movie serials like Tom Mix in Bronco Bob. All of it was the classic good guy in the white hat.

Today's kids are growing up with Harry Potter, Wii and other video games, and the paranormal has gone mainstream as more folks are coming forward and talking about ghosts in their houses without the fear of being labeled as crazies. So what does this mean for today's westerns? It means that nowadays the genres are merging.

Today's youngsters western heroes are Jonah Hex, a comic book bounty-hunter whose old west adventures delve into the supernatural. Sometime next year Hollywood will be releasing a film version of Jonah Hex, along with several other cross-genre westerns that blends the old west with sci-fi or horror altogether like a strange plate of chop suey. Hey, yours truly even writes western historical novels for kids where a modern day brother and sister encounter ghosts who take them back in time. Harry Potter so dominates the children's literary market that is what youngsters have come to expect.

So that is the trend, and like all trends I believe it will be cyclical. It's just a rehash of the 1960s TV show The Wild Wild West. Remember how Jim West and Artemus Gordon dealt with all kinds of mad-scientist bad guys, including, but certainly not limited to, Dr. Miguelito Loveless. But the good news is they are rediscovering the western, and, just as many of us developed our interest in Old West history by watching western movies and TV, the younger generation will, hopefully, do the same.

My thought for the day.

GM

You Have to Draw the Line Somewhere

2009-10-11T08:20:00.008-07:00

People, especially kids, can say and do the funniest things at book signings.

Book signings are one of an author's tools for selling and marketing books, and for the most part they are a lot of fun. It's a great opportunity to meet the public and introduce prospective fans to your work, but sometimes you have to be careful about what you do.

Back when I was first getting started in this business I did a book signing at a historical event that school kids would be attending. They got curious and stopped my my table, and when I explained that I was an author signing my books they looked at me like I had two heads. I always hand out free bookmarks at my signings, so I gave them each a bookmark. One kid came back a few minutes later and asked if I would sign his bookmark. Being inexperienced and naive at the time I signed it, and my way of being thanked was for dozens of kids suddenly surrounding my table all demanding that I sign their book marks too. Needless to say, none bought a book as I had just killed the incentive for them to buy. It was a real learning experience for me and a mistake I will never make again.

While you always want to be on your best behavior at your book signings you do have to draw the line somewhere when dealing with the public, otherwise people can and will take advantage of you. There are some requests which you simply have to firmly but politely say no to.

At a recent book signing at a school I again had several youngsters come to my table and asking for autographs. I smiled and told them if they bought one of my books I would certainly be more than happy to sign it for them. I also offered them some bookmarks, which were, of course, not signed. Turned out they didn't want to buy any of my books--they just wanted a free autograph. So I explained that I could only give an autograph to those who purchased a book, and yes, some of them got a little ticked off, but that's too bad. I'm there to sell my book, and it's not fair to the person buying my book if someone else gets my autograph for free.

So my advice to other authors out there is to have plenty freebies; candy or bookmarks or what have you, but don't sign anything for free. Likewise parents and teachers please explain to youngsters that when an author is signing their books it is very bad manners to ask for a free autograph.

GM

Living History and Period Correct Language

2009-10-05T07:45:00.006-07:00

One of the many controversies happening in the town of Tombstone lately has been the one of the reenactment groups coming to Helldorado who use so-called period correct language in their skits.

Spending a lot of time on Allen Street performing and signing books at these various events has given me a lot of opportunity to watch a lot of groups, and their idea of "period correct" is more like the show Deadwood. Now they're not dropping the f-bomb, but it's certainly "R" rated dialog, and yes, I've watched people's reactions, and yes, some people are offended.

The purpose of living history, first and foremost, is to educate the public about history, and that would include using as accurate of language as possible. There are, of course, some limitations. If you're doing ancient Roman living history you'll certainly be accurate if you speak Latin, but no one will understand you. So you have to modify your presentation for what is appropriate for your audience. And that's the key point here, what is appropriate for your audience.

When I first started doing living history I was working with historical museums, and most of the audiences I performed for were schoolkids. And while the museum education department had high standards for historical accuracy they were also very clear that all the performers have material that was age appropriate, and some material, despite being historically accurate, simply was not suitable for young audiences.

The Old West period occurred during the Victorian era, and this was a time when certain words were never uttered in polite company, particularly when women and children were present. I'm sure the cowboys and miners who lived in those days may have used some colorful metaphors on cattle drives and in the mines and bordellos, but NEVER in the company of women and children.

It's one thing to perform your skits for an adult audience, it's quite another when Grandma and the kids are watching. Sure, they can make their announcement at the beginning of their performance, but when you're doing street skits you don't have a captive or static audience. People are coming and going, and should Mom and the kids step out of a shop only to hear inappropriate language being shouted from street performers that they weren't expecting to hear it doesn't go over too well and they shouldn't have to put up with it.

While I'm a big proponent of the right of free speech I am also aware that with free speech comes certain responsibilities. There really is too much profanity out there, and too many kids are being exposed to things they really shouldn't be.

My thought for the day.

GM

And That's What Makes it All Worthwhile

2009-10-01T06:31:00.004-07:00

I had to go to Casa Grande last night for a book signing at a literary night event at the middle school. (Casa Grande is a little town roughly half-way between Phoenix and Tuscon.) Book signings are one of the crazy things that come with the territory of being an author. Like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. Sometimes the event will be well attended and you'll sell a lot of books and feel like a movie star at the end of the day. Other times you'll spend a few hours twiddling your thumbs while the handful of people who actually showed up at look at you like you have two heads, and when it takes you over an hour's drive to get there you really, really hope it won't turn out to be the latter. Most of the time however I've found it usually ends up somewhere in the middle.

This event turned out to be one of the slower ones. It was from 5 to 7 pm, the time of day when most kids are home having dinner and doing their homework, so not that many showed up. There were a few teachers there, and they were all enthusiastic about my books. A few even bought some. That's always a good thing. But here's the really encouraging part. As has happened before, I found that many of today's youngsters like the old west. To them it's new and different and interesting.

Along about 6:30 I had decided to start packing up and bugging out early. One of my buddies in Casa Grande was there and we were going to go get ourselves a steak dinner. And I wasn't feeling well that day so I was anxious to get back to Tucson as soon as I could. And that's when the really good thing happened. A gentleman walks in with his granddaughter in tow and is asking where the author is.

It turns out his granddaughter is a 10-year-old budding author, and she wanted to know all about how I write my books and how I get them published. So I gave her as many tips as I good. Her little face would light up and her eyes would round like a pair of saucers. It's really kind of neat seeing a kid get all excited like that. We hear so much in the news about all the really rotten kids out there that we forget about the good ones, like this young budding author. I'm sure she would have loved to have hung out with me for the entire evening, but before long it was 7 o'clock and time to shut down. Before they left her grandfather bought her a copy of Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War. I'm sure she'll treasure that book for years to come. That little girl made my trip from Tucson worthwhile.
GM

How to Get Children Interested in Reading

2009-09-19T07:04:00.005-07:00

The other day I was talking to a gentleman who told me his son had no interest in reading. How sad. Books can open up a whole new world for children and inspire their imaginations. I am also of the belief that children who read get higher grades in school and are more likely to go to college than children who don't read. But I've heard this complaint before -- "How do I get my child to read?"

I think it starts with you, the parent. You need to read to your children, and you need to start while they're young. Are you too busy? Make the time. It only takes a few minutes to read a children's picture book. Don't have money for books? Try a used book store or your public library. You don't like to read yourself? Your kids don't have to know that. Read to them anyway, if for no other reason than it's a bonding experience

Bedtime is the perfect time to read to your kids. So is nap time. I can even remember my mother reading to me when I got home from school. Be creative and make it fun. And once you make it fun chances are you'll have a child who enjoys reading too.

GM

Just Add Two Tablespoons of Fate

2009-07-17T11:44:00.007-07:00

I had my new editor over yesterday to start working on the updated version of Anna's Kitchen.

Anna's Kitchen was my very first book, and I completely self-published it. I think there should be a requirement somewhere that every author must do this at least once in their lifetime. It is an incredible learning experience and it makes authors extremely aware of just how much hard work goes into publishing a book.

Since I had no one to edit or proof read my book I did it all myself. This meant I used my spell checker for a proof reader. Big mistake, I know, but that is one of the many reasons why I learned that every author, no matter how rich and famous, simply must have an editor.

My editor found all kinds of errors going back to the original manuscript. One of them he found particularly funny. It was a gravy recipe, and it said, "add two tablespoons of fate." He laughed and laughed. He asked me if that meant we were supposed to pray over the gravy as it was being prepared. Now mind you, that is actually not a bad idea. I pray over the little everyday things in life much more than the big things, but in this case it was actually a typo that the spell checker missed. "Fate" was spelled correctly. What it should have read was, "add two tablespoons of fat."

Yes, that would be a good recipe for gravy. But for everyday life yes, you should add two tablespoons of fate everyday. What will be will be.

My thought for the day.

GMl

Educating Young Skulls Full of Mush

2009-07-15T07:20:00.004-07:00

I've been leading docent tours at the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum. One of the things I love about this is getting to educate a few young skulls full of mush, but sometimes it does gets depressing.

For those of you who are not familiar with southern Arizona, this museum and modern day railroad depot is built at the site of the old railroad depot where Wyatt Earp gunned down Frank Stillwell, and there is a statue of Wyatt and Doc behind the main building. Needless to say, that is my favorite spot for interpretation.

I always begin by asking if anyone has ever heard of Wyatt Earp. Most days virtually all of the hands go up, but the other day I actually had a few kids who had never heard of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Tombstone, or the Gunfight (near) the O.K. Corral. I then asked if anyone had seen the movie "Tombstone" and only a couple of hands went up. Everyone else, including a few of the adults, just gave me the Bambi in the headlights stare. Perhaps the weather was a factor. I can only describe today as being stinking hot. But then again, as someone I once knew often used to say, some mothers have them. So Auntie Gayle immediately got into her story telling mode and gave them just a bit of an education. Whether or not it meant anything is another thing entirely.

Well folks, I don't think it's just Hollywood that's dumbing down our society. At least when I'm dealing with folks who've seen the movie "Tombstone" I have a starting point and from there I can point out what was fact and what was fiction. But when I just get blank stares I do get a bit depressed. What can I say. The schools are doing a fantastic job of dumbing down our kids. But on the other hand maybe I shouldn't complain too much. As long as the schools keep producing graduates who are completely uninformed but supposedly have high self-esteem, we authors and living historians will have a job, right?

My thought for the day.

GM

Turning "R" Rated History into a "PG" Rated Story

2009-06-29T08:49:00.004-07:00

Got the manuscript for Riding With the James Gang back from the editor. I couldn't believe it. The changes were all very minor--mostly punctuation changes. I immediately called my publisher and asked, "Are you sure this is right?" She said yes. I always worry that I'm writing crap. She keeps trying to reassure me that I really do know what I'm doing. That said, the editor did ask one sticky question...

Those of you who are familiar with Civil War history may recall incident in Centralia, Missouri, in which Bloody Bill Anderson and his gang looted the town and robbed an approaching train. Union soldiers were taken off the train and executed by "Little" Archie Clement. I've included this incident as one of the chapters in my book, and, according to my sources, about the time Bloody Bill ordered Clement to "parole" the soldiers a passenger spoke up and asked if they could leave. Anderson told the passenger he could go to hell for all he cared.

Now here's the trick with writing dialog for 8 to 10 year old readers... My publisher agrees with me that it is totally inappropriate for Bloody Bill to say the words, "go to hell" in a book written for young readers, even if the historical accounts say those were the words he actually used. Never mind what they may hear in the schoolyard, there are still, (thankfully) parents out there who want to limit their children's exposure to such adult language. Remember, I'm taking "R" rated history and writing it as a "PG" rated story. (Which is why I classify my books as historical fiction.) No one said it would be easy. So I wrote, "You can go to buggary for all I care."

I never heard the word "buggary" until I married my former husband. He used to use the word in an "oh shucks" kind of context. Nice sounding synonym, at least I thought, however the editor didn't really agree but offered no suggestions.

I immediately whipped out my trusty but well worn copy of Roget's Thesaurus, and came up with, "You can go to that land of eternal torment for all I care." A bit eloquent, but then again I think people were more well spoken back then. Their writing style was certainly more formal than today. Then several other friends who are familiar with the Victorian period, suggested using the word "blazes."

Hopefully this is appropriate for young readers, while remaining as close as possible to the actual historic account.

GM

Museum Dynamics, Culture Shock and Tombstone, Arizona

2009-06-19T08:39:00.007-07:00

It's great to be working with historical museums again. The other day I lead a tour of the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum and I haven't lead a museum tour in five years. But it's like riding a bicycle as there are some things you never forget how to do.

I got into this whole historical reenacting bit through working with historical museums. It was there I learned that when it comes to reenacting the emphasis is on accuracy and educating the public. That's because many, if not most, historical museums depend on government funding and grants, so there is a mandate which means they have to meet certain criteria in order to obtain that funding. So I learned from the get-go to be as accurate as possible.

The first time I went to a non-museum historic site, the original Rawhide Wild West Town in Scottsdale, Arizona, I experienced some real culture shock as soon as I walked in the gate. This site didn't care that much about historical accuracy. They were a for-profit corporation with no government or endowment funding. They didn't even have an education department. They had an entertainment department instead. That's because they depended solely on visitor's dollars to survive, and since most visitors want a "Hollywood" type of experience that's what they got.

There have been some real interesting discussions about Tombstone going on at one of the social networks where I hang out. And that's a good thing. We're there to exchange ideas and learn from one another. Some of the members of this group are purists. Everything has to be as period correct as humanly possible, and they're upset about the fact that too many people in Tombstone dress "Hollywood" instead of being 99.999% historically accurate. They too are experiencing culture shock and they don't quite know how to handle it.

If took me awhile to accept this fact. The town of Tombstone is NOT, nor will ever it ever be, a historical museum. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, but so are a lot of historical buildings and places that are not museums. Tombstone is a real live town that, so are as I know, receives no grants or government funding for historical education programs. Tombstone depends solely on tourism to survive, and, as someone who spends a lot of time there and has been doing most of the big events, like Helldorado and Wyatt Earp Days, since 2004, I will tell you this -- these events are about celebrating the town's history, but they are not necessarily intended solely to EDUCATE the public. The skits, the costume contests, the chili cook-offs, and all the other events are meant to ENTERTAIN. The goal is to attract more visitors during the summer months, which is the slowest time of year for tourism. The town needs visitors so the local merchants can meet their payrolls and survive another summer.

The average Joe Six-Pack probably doesn't know much about history other than what he learned in school. The average Joe Six-Pack could probably care less that the movie Tombstone is about 10% history and 90% Hollywood. But when the average Joe Six-Pack comes to Tombstone for Hellodordo or Wyatt Earp Days he expects to be ENTERTAINED. That is why the town puts on the entertainment, so Joe can be entertained and spend his money while he's there. With any luck Joe will take an interest and want to learn more about the town's history. But more than likely all we've done is given a break from his everyday headaches so he can walk away having had a good experience. And maybe there's some value in that too. Sometimes we have to just let people relax and enjoy themselves.

GM

That Magic Moment

2009-06-12T08:40:00.003-07:00

It finally happened to me at this year's Wyatt Earp Days in Tombstone. Someone walked up to my book signing table and said, "You're Gayle Martin. I found your book on the Internet and I love it. I can't believe I finally got to meet you."

It's taken many years of hard work to get here, and my message to the rest of you who are writers, or want to become writers, is that if you work at it, it can happen to any of you too, as long as you are persistent and willing to put in the work to get there.

GM

How to Change Book Publishers

2009-06-02T10:14:00.007-07:00

The other day I got an e-mail from an author who wanted to change publishers and wasn't sure how to go about it. Now I'm not an attorney, so the following is NOT to be considered legal advice. It is instead my own voice of experience.

First of all you need to carefully read your publisher's contract before you sign. Ask about anything you're unsure of, and you can certainly have your attorney review it for you before you sign. The most important thing is to establish up front is who owns the rights to your work. Some publishers will buy the rights; others will allow you to retain them.

Sometimes, despite the best of intentions, the relationship between an author and a publisher can sour, for whatever reason. Is there a cancellation clause in the contract? If not, ask, and get their cancellation policies in writing before you sign. This may save you a big headache down the road if things don't go as planned. If there is a cancellation clause, and you've retained the rights to your work, then canceling the contract may be as simple as writing a cancellation later to the publisher. However, if the publisher has purchased the rights, you may have a problem. My advice to any author would be to have your attorney carefully review any purchase of the rights to your work before you sign the dotted line.

GM

The Way They Teach History in School

2009-05-27T12:31:00.002-07:00

I hated history class when I was a kid in school. All they taught were names and dates and it was utterly meaningless to me. I used to think, "Who cares? This all happened before I was born." By the time I got to high school I liked history a little better, but not by much. I only took history because it was required, and even then a lot of the teachers made it boring. History class was about as exciting as watching paint dry.

It wasn't until I got to college that the light slowly began to come on for me. Again, I took history because it was a required class, but then one day one of my professors brought in a photo of Napolean, put it on the lectern, and began his lecture by saying, "Today I'm really going to trash this man's reputation." As his went on with his lecture I kept glancing back at the portrait, and began to realize this was a real person after all, and maybe there was more to history than trivial names and dates.

After I finished college I remember reading a book forecasting economic trends, and the author did it by analyzing history, and using history as a means to predict future trends or events. Apparently this is a big no-no in the world of historic academia, but for me it was a real epipthany. I finally understood that history isn't about names and dates after all. History is really the study of human psychology, and why people do the things they do based on causes and effects. And that is when I really started to take an interest in history

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think this is what history is all about. History is the story of people and what motivates them to do the things they do. To me, the names, dates and periods are simply the markers in a much larger picture, and when you look at that larger picture you may see patterns emerge that repeat themselves over and over again. Too bad the schools don't teach history that way. If they did I think we as a society would be better served. At the very least students would take more of an interest in the subject.

As for that book... I read it in the 1980s, and many of the predictions the author made, using history as a reference, have come to pass. They only real error is he thought the big economic meltdown would occur in the 1990s. So his missed it by about ten years. In the big picture of history, that's still close to the mark.

GM

Book Promotional Materials - What Works and What Does Not

2009-05-16T12:33:00.006-07:00

Whenever I go to book events, like the San Diego Children's Book Festival, I always like to pick up other author's promotional materials. Oftentimes people who attend these events won't necessarily buy your book that day. Instead they'll collect the author's promotional materials and decide later on which books they want to order. These little gems can go a log way to help sell your book so a lot of thought should go into them. Some authors have really nice ones, while others do not.

For example, one author was handing out illustrations of characters from her book. They were nicely drawn, but there was nothing else there. Nothing about the title of her book, her name, or who the character was. It was just a little drawing of a clown printed out on a piece of computer photo paper. It looked homemade too, which was another turn-off. It was as if whoever designed it didn't care. I'm sure when people got home and went though their stuff they looked at it and thought, "What the heck is this?" before tossing it in the trash.

Another author was handing out a postcard that was well done. One the front was a color illustration, the name of his series, and a list of the books in the series. On the back was his website and a list of the booksellers carrying his books.

So which author do you think will get the most sales? It's like one of my art professors back in college used to say--"If you don't respect your art then your art won't respect you."

Take the time to create classy promotional materials. It's an investment that can really pay off.

GM

You Can Lead Them to Water...

2009-05-13T08:23:00.008-07:00

I've just returned home from the San Diego Children's Book Festival. It was a terrific event, and I was the only author there who writes children's books on the Old West. While I was there I met some interesting people. You always do at big events like this, and there's always one or two who are unforgettable.

A very interesting prospective author came up to me. This gentleman was 91 years young, and he's writing a book on heath and nutrition for young readers. He showed me print outs of some of the pages of his book. It was well researched and well laid out. We had quite a talk about obesity and young people, and how it has become an epidemic. There are a lot of reasons why this is happening; kids today spend too much time playing video games instead of playing outside. There are too many mothers who refuse to cook for their children and feed them fast-food instead because it's more convenient. Then there's that stupid food pyramid. We're supposed to eat what, eleven servings of bread or pasta a day? My gosh, if I ate that I'd weigh 300 pounds too.

I told him I agreed, mothers need to limit the amount of sodas and snacks that their children consume. And that's when he went off on me. According to him, there is no such thing as moderation. In his book it's no sugar, no sodas, no snacks. Not ever. Not even as a special treat. And there's the rub. People are going to eat what they like because it tastes good to them. Period. I love chocolate and cherry cokes. I can and do limit them because I know they're not the healthiest foods around, but I'm certainly not going to give them up for the rest of my life. Most people feel the same about their favorite foods too. The key word being favorite.

I wish this gentleman the best of luck with his book. He may discover that the old adage about leading a horse to water is true.

GM

They Were the Texans of Their Day

2009-04-29T10:04:00.004-07:00

Not too long ago we had quite a debate at one of the social networks I belong to, and someone later posted to never get into a debate with the professional writers. He called us "trained professionals."

However I must confess, I took most of my formal writing classes in high school. By the time I got to college I took the obligatory college English, but English was not my major.

What college did was keep you on your toes when it came to writing prose. Regardless if you were taking courses in history or basket weaving, least once every semester we had to deal with term papers and the dreaded essay exam. And believe me, even if you did all your research and knew the subject matter at hand well enough to get an "A", they would still ding the hell out of you if your spelling, sentence structure and grammar was not up to task. Term papers I could deal with. There was plenty of time for me to edit them as best I could before I turned them in. But the essay exam??? Yikes!!

Whenever a professor told us to bring blue books for an exam we all knew we were in deep, deep doo-doo. Those were little notebooks, about 12 pages or so, filled with lined notebook paper and a blue cover, and they were used solely for essay exams. Essay exams were really intimidating, even for those of us who enjoyed writing. You had to write off the cuff, you no time for editing, spelling and grammar counted, and you had to compete all it within the alloted time.

I can't quite remember the course now, I think it may have been music history. Then came finals with the dreaded essay exam. One of the questions was about the Baroque period. All semester long the professor had talked about these Baroque composers doing whatever it was they were doing bigger and better than anyone else had ever done before. As I recall I didn't have time to get into a lot of detail with my answer, so I simply summed it up with the phrase, "they were the Texans of their day," and went on to the next question.

I passed.

GM

The Demise of Prime Time Television

2009-04-13T08:46:00.003-07:00

I had a friend over for Easter dinner last night. Like me she grew up in the days of good prime time television, (she is a real Bonanza fan), and we had quite a discussion about the state of prime time network television today. She told me that the networks plan on doing even more reality TV, as if we weren't getting enough of it already. She said it's because of all the writer's and actor's strikes in recent years. Apparently this is the network executives way of getting even. So it's not just the western that's dead on TV, it's the demise of good police and doctor shows too. And then there's the variety shows. They've been gone just as long as the western.

As a writer and a storyteller this is particularly troubling. Storytelling may be a dying art, and it is probably the oldest art form there is. It goes all the way back to the cavemen telling stories around the campfire. And it is the sharing of stories that helps bond us as people.

I remember when I was a kid growing up our family would gather around the TV at night and enjoy good television based on good storytelling. Our Sunday nights were not complete without Bonanza. We watched comedies like McHale's Navy too, and Dad was a die hard Combat! fan. We would talk about the characters and the plot lines, and we would look forward to the next episode. It helped to bond us as a family.

American Idol may be entertaining, but it's not the same as The Carol Burnett Show. And while Hell's Kitchen hasn't killed my passion for cooking, it makes me appreciate the fact I no longer work in food service. But I can only take so much reality TV. I really miss the days when I could turn on the TV after a long day and just be entertained by good stories.

Thank goodness for Netflix. I can rent DVDs of the older, and better, days of prime time television. I'm currently enjoying The Wild Wild West and Hawaii Five-O. They're sooo much better than all that reality TV crap!

And the network executives can't figure out why their ratings keep dropping.

GM

Historical Revisionism

2009-04-09T09:31:00.006-07:00

This morning while going through my e-mail I found a message from the moderator on one of the groups in a ning network I belong to announcing that a member has been banned for promoting her own agenda. That's a shame. I did not see the post in question as it must have already been removed, but as someone who moderates another group in that same ning network I would agree that members should only post material relevant to the group in the group topics, and save other topics for blogs.

A few e-mails down I get to another e-mail from the aforementioned group member who has started up her own ning network about historical revisionism. Good for her. It seems to me it all worked out for the best.

Now regardless of your political affiliation, the one thing we do not want to see happen is someone revising our history to fit their own political agenda, and there has been far too much of that going on in recent years. Historical revisionism one of the main factors that motivated me to write my historical novels for children, as well as my WWII era cookbook, in the first place. I work hard to make them as historically accurate as possible, even though they may be "politically incorrect" by some people's perceptions. Sorry folks, but our history is not "politically correct," it never has been "politically correct," and I'm not going to write my books to make them "politically correct." The same thing when I perform my living history personas "The Tombstone Storyteller" and "The WWII Housewife." I tell the real story as best I can.

I do feel for today's parents. They must be having a heck of a time dealing with the "Americans Are Rotten Evil People" mentality that I hear some of the public schools are touting these days. That never happened when I was a kid in the public schools. We were all taught to be patriotic, to honor our flag, and to respect our president. No wonder more and more parents are pulling their kids out of the public schools and home schooling them instead.

I know this makes me "politically incorrect," but I love my country, and I happen to think the American people are good people. We may not be perfect and we certainly have made our fair share of mistakes, but we strive to do the right thing. And that's what makes America great.

GM

The Author Myth

2009-04-03T08:00:00.001-07:00

It's funny how things work out in life. Yesterday I'm on the phone with a lady from my insurance company. Someone rear-ended my SUV a few weeks ago. No one was hurt and the damage to my vehicle was very minor, and we're trying to get the claim settled so we can get it into the body shop to get the bumper repaired. She wants to schedule me for Monday, and I'm having to explain to her that I can't do it on Monday as I am starting a new job on Monday.

"What?" she replies. "I thought you were an author. You mean you have to work another job?"

Ah yes, The Author Myth. Everyone thinks we authors are all very rich. And while I'd love to be J. R. Rowling or Danielle Steel, the reality is that most authors are regular working folk. Sure, we may have a certain degree of fame because from time to time we do interviews with the media. But very few us us are raking in millions of dollars in royalty checks.

I think that myth probably got started by TV shows like Columbo, which had at least one episode about a rich author living in a huge mansion. Then there was Murder She Wrote. As I recall Jessica lived in a modest New England home, but she was living off her book royalties and doing well enough to go out and solve murders better than the cops could. TV programs like this really help perpetuate the "Author Myth."

From time to time I get emails from total strangers who tell me they have great ideas for a book. They of course have no money, but they want me to help them write their book, and since they can't pay my they offer split their book profits with me because they know they're going to get rich. Then when I have to explain to them that getting a major publisher to buy their manuscript is nearly impossible, and if they opt for partnership publishing they'll be lucky if they earn a few thousand dollars a year off their royalties, they are never heard from again.

The insurance lady went on to tell me she had read my books, and apparently she enjoyed them.

"So I guess writing books must be a real labor of love for you then, right?"

Yep. It sure is. Still, I want to be J.R. Rowling.

GM

Social Networking and Book Marketing

2009-03-06T13:13:00.002-07:00

As authors we're all told to join social networking groups as a means to market our books. But if you're like me you find that this can be an overwhelming task. There are so many social networks out there that to effectively use them all of them can become a full time job.

The solution is to become more selective and find the networks where you're readers are. And one of the fastest social networking sites on the Internet is the ning social network. But unlike MySpace or FaceBook, ning users can set up their own custom social networks catering to their own special interests. The networks are free for members to join, with a low monthly fee for the network owner. Some of the ning features include the ability for members to upload photos, videos and audio files. Each member has their own individual page, and members can join groups within the network as well as post blogs and discussion forums on the site. The ning network even has a live chat feature which allows members to talk to one another in real time.

There are a number of ning networks for authors. Some are specifically set up for authors to network with other authors and share tips and ideas for marketing and promoting books. These networks can be very beneficial. Other ning networks may state that they are a place for authors and book lovers to meet, however, in my own personal experience, I’ve found the vast majority of the members of these particular networks to be authors looking for readers. So how does an author use the ning network to find readers?

I have found the best way to use a ning network is to think outside the box and join those networks that are about my own hobbies and interests. For instance, I do old west historical reenacting, and I write kids books about the history of the old west. I was recently invited to join a ning network created by True West Magazine. I find I’m spending much more time on this network because that’s where I’m finding people who share my passion and who would have the most interest in my books. And while some of the members are other authors, most are from other walks of life. Bottom line; I’m starting to get comments from members who want to buy my books.

Do you write cookbooks? Perhaps you may want to join a ning group for cooks. Do you write books about dating or interpersonal relationships? Perhaps you may want to find a ning group for singles, or newly singles. There is even a ning network for singles who love cooking. Can’t find a ning network for the things you write about? Then you may want to consider starting up your own network. The possibilities are endless.

For more information about ning, or to search for a ning network, please visit the ning website at www.ning.com.

What is Partnership Publishing?

2009-03-05T08:05:00.002-07:00

Partnership publishing, sometimes called subsidy publishing, has become a very effective means for authors, particularly new authors, to have their works published. Simply put, it is a cross between traditional publishing and self-publishing. At one time it was called vanity publishing, but that stigma has fallen by the wayside as more and more authors are using partnership publishing.

How does it work?

The company publishes the book, just like a traditional publisher does. But instead of paying the author for the rights to his work the author retains his rights and pays the publisher to publish the book.

There are good partnership publishers and there are bad partnership publishers. The good ones act more like traditional publishers in that they will have certain editorial standards and they will not accept every author who comes to them with a manuscript. There are others that will accept anything, no matter how poorly written, and publish the book with little or no editing. So what's the best way to find a good partnership publisher? Ask other authors. Better yet, join a writers group and ask the other members. Chances are you'll get some good referrals.

A good partnership publisher will expect you to have your book professionally edited. If you don't have an editor they may help you find one. They should also help you with book design, including typesetting and interior layout, and they should design your book cover as well. Most importantly, a good partnership publisher will handle the distribution. The two main book distributors in the United States are Ingram and Baker & Taylor. Make sure they use at least one, if not both. And finally, a partnership publisher will provide that all important ISBN number. An ISBN number is like a Social Security number for a book, and without one you can not get your books into a bookstore.

There are some disadvantages with partnership publishing. It is not cheap! And even though your books are distributed it can be difficult to get the major bookstores to carry them. Barnes & Noble will usually list them on their website, but it can be very difficult to actually get them into their brick and mortar stores. You will probably have much better luck with independent booksellers. Amazon however is the great equalizer, if not the number one bookseller, and any decent partnership publisher will list your book on Amazon.

As has been said before, whether you self-publish, use partnership publishing, or get a traditional publisher to accept your manuscript, it is ultimately up to you, the author, to successfully market and promote your book.

GM

Remembering Ladmo

2009-03-03T17:19:00.005-07:00

For those of us to grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, this is a sad time. It is the fifteenth anniversary of the death of Ladimar Kwiatkowski, better known as Ladmo, the comedic half of the Phoenix television duo, Wallace & Ladmo.

Wallace and Ladmo debuted in 1954, back in the early days of television when it seemed like we were all in our innocence. Wallace was the straight man, Ladmo the comedic sidekick, and they would host cartoons, perform funny skits and do the unavoidable live commercials. In the early 1960s they were joined by local weatherman Pat McMahon, who added an entire troupe of characters for the show -- Hubb Capp (and the Wheels), Marshall Good, Captain Super, Aunt Maude, (my personal favorite), and the best villain they could ever ask for; Gerald, the private school brat who looked like Buster Brown. Gerald's unending quest was to wreak as much havoc as he could and frame poor Ladmo for it, and he succeeded, time and time again. Of course, he would always get caught in the end, but that never stopped him from doing it again. And again. And again.

Wallace and Ladmo and company must have been doing something right because the show was on the air, five days a week, for 35 years. Those of us who grew up in Phoenix knew we had something special.

The show went off the air in 1989 when Bill Thompson, the actor who played Wallace, decided to retire. Phoenix television just never was the same after that, and five years later, when we lost Ladmo, a part of our childhoods and our innocence went with him.

Years later, when I started writing Luke and Jenny kids books, Wallace and Ladmo were always in the back of my mind. They had a real talent for communicating with children -- they talked TO the kids, not down to them, and I have tried to follow their example.

There is an anonymous quote in one of my Wallace and Ladmo books that states, "100 years from now the world might be a different place because I was important in the life of a child." Ladmo was important in my life as a child, and as an author I am doing my best to make the world a different place.

GM

P.S. I made this Wallace & Ladmo quilt as an auction item for the Wallace & Ladmo 50th Annivesary Celebration at the Arizona Historical Society Museum back in 2004.

Treat Your Authors (Write) Right

2009-03-01T08:28:00.010-07:00

Sometimes the folks who arrange book signings for authors, particularly those who are arranging book signings in venues other than bookstores, don't always understand what authors expect and need.

First and foremost would be a good, steady table. Books are heavy, and people stopping by will inevitably bump the table. A shaky table is, at best, annoying, especially when trying to write. At worst it can tip over, damaging books and potentially causing injuries.

Along with the table a good source of light is crucial. We have to be able to see what we're writing.

Is the book signing going to be outdoors? If so, it's best to have the book signing table in the shade so the authors don't get too hot or sunburned. And if there is a lot of wind it's best to move the book signing indoors. Too much wind will blow books and other display items off the table, causing damage and possibly injuring someone.

Does the venue charge admission? How about charging for parking? If so, be sure to either arrange for free passes for your authors, or offer to reimburse them once they arrive. Remember this is a quid pro quo. While you are providing a venue for them to promote their books they are providing you with a means to help draw the public to your event. Chances are they're coming on their nickel, so reimbursing them for any parking or admissions cost would be common courtesy.

And finally, little niceties can go a long way. If it's an all day event try to provide snacks or lunches. It doesn't have to be fancy. I've been served a lot of homemade sandwiches at book signings. (The Hollywood Book Festival ordered in some of the best pizza I've ever had.) If the venue can't afford lunch then at the very least provide coffee and water and make sure the authors are made aware that they are responsible for providing their own lunch.

If you do everything possible to insure your authors have a positive experience at your event chances are it will be successful and you can build a following. However, it can be hard to come back should the authors have a bad experience due to oversight or negligence.

GM

Anna's Kitchen WWII Cookbook on Amazon

2009-02-21T10:04:00.006-07:00

It truly is a laugh or cry moment...

I still have a couple of boxes of my first book, Anna's Kitchen, left to sell. For those of you who don't know, Anna's Kitchen was my first book. I self-published it back in 2005 and there were only 500 copies printed.

As mentioned in some of my other blog posts, self-publishing has it pitfalls, one being that it is very, very difficult to get a self-published book distributed by the two major book distributors; Ingram and Baker&Taylor. Therefore Anna's Kitchen never has been and never will be distributed by anyone but me. I've been offering Anna's Kitchen on Amazon for sometime now, and the book is starting to get a following.

I went on Amazon today to fulfill an order and to replenish my inventory. That is when I discovered someone else is selling my book. I have no control over people selling their personal copies, but this joker claimed to have new copies. (Really? And where precisely did you get them?) He was also selling them for, get this, $66.95. He is also listing two used copies for $65.61. Like I said, I don't know whether I should laugh or cry.

Yes, Anna's Kitchen may be a rare book, but don't let anyone rip you off! I list Anna's Kitchen, on Amazon (under the seller name ida_clair) for $16.95. And if you want a signed copy you can get one from my website at gaylemartinbooks.com for $19.95.

GM

Artemus Gordon - The Ideal Man

2009-02-20T11:21:00.006-07:00

I've been watching the old 60s TV show The Wild Wild West on DVD. I've been a fan of this TV (quasi) western ever since I was a kid. My favorite character was Artemus Gordon, played by the late Ross Martin. And even though Artemus was the sidekick, it seems that over the years just about every Wild Wild West fan I've met agrees that Artemus was their favorite too.

Part of the reason is because Artemus was the real brains on the show. Sure, Jim West was supposed to be the hero, but Artemus was the one who invented many of the gadgets Jim used, and he was always there to back Jim up.

But I think the real reason why Artemus appealed more to women than Jim did was because, in a lot of ways, Artemus Gordon represented the ideal man. He was good looking but not overly handsome. He was a sharp dresser. He was witty, articulate and funny. He was smart, if not brilliant, but he was never arrogant or conceited, (like Jim). Ross Martin made Artemus warm and fuzzy. And he was dependable. You could always count on Arte being there when the chips were down. Now what woman wouldn't want a guy like that? For that matter, what woman wouldn't want a guy with even half those traits? That said, how come Jim always ended up with the girl?

Oh well, that's one advantage I have in being an author. I may not meet a real-life Artemus Gordon, but I can always create a character like him in one of my books.

GM

Wish I Could Take Credit for This One

2009-02-07T07:38:00.011-07:00

Having a table at the Tucson Old West Round Up was a great learning experience. Sharing my table with my publisher and selling some of their other titles was like having my own miniature brick and mortar bookstore for a few days, and a great opportunity to observe buyers.

All the books at my table were top notch. Five Star Publications is very selective about the authors they accept, so every book on my table was high quality. That said, there were titles that stood out and got buyers attention, while others went virtually ignored. Part of it was the venue. This particular trade show was for Old West/western collectibles, so the books related to the theme got the most attention, while those unrelated to the theme went virtually unnoticed. With one exception.

There was one non-western themed book that got plenty of attention. It was a cookbook titled Potluck Survival Guide. But what really hooked potential buyers was the subtitle, The Care and Feeding of the Athletic Supporter. Great play on words, and several of the people who stopped by commented about it. This cookbook is aimed at people who get together at potluck events, including school and athletic events. It has a wonderful variety of recipes from entrees to appetizers and desserts, and you wouldn't have to go to a potluck to enjoy them. But it was about as removed from a western theme as you can get.

What made this book stand out was its title. While a well designed book cover is a must, a unique, descriptive book title is equally important.

GM

Book Signing Venues

2009-02-01T07:09:00.009-07:00

Sometimes we authors have to be creative with our book signings. Not that there is anything wrong with having a book signing at a bookstore, but bookstores are certainly not the only place to sign books.

I like to have book signings at trade shows. For instance, since my Luke and Jenny books are about Old West history, I do a book signings at trade shows, such as the Tucson Old West Round Up, for cowboy or western collectibles. These venues are a lot of fun and a great place to network and meet other contacts. The other day at this show the dealer at the table next to me suggested looking into selling at signing my books at gun shows, and I'm going to follow up on that.

One final caveat about trade shows. Don't expect to make a lot of money at these events. You will probably have to pay for your table or booth, and there may be other expenses too, such as meals, and maybe even lodging. Sometimes you can offset some of your costs by sharing a table. For instance, my publisher, Five Star Publications, is sharing my table with me. And again, these are pr events, which means you may not see the results until sometime after the show is over. At this particular trade show I met some fans of my books who asked me when the next Luke and Jenny book will be released. (Later this year.) And I met and was even interviewed by a gentleman there who has a nationally syndicated radio show. I'll let you know when the show airs. Trust me, this made the cost of this book signing money well spent.

GM

It's Book Signing Season Once Again

2009-01-26T08:03:00.004-07:00

The New Year means new opportunities for book signings. Book signings are a funny little quirk that comes with being an author. For the most part they are a lot of fun, and you feel a little bit like a celebrity. Some authors think book signings are only done for selling books and only for selling a lot of books. And yes, selling books is one of the reasons for a book signing. But not all book signings result in a lot of sales and that can be an issue for some authors. I've been to many a book signing and listened to other authors complain, sometimes quite loudly, when things weren't going their way. But they've missed the point of what book signings are really about.

Book signings are actually publicity events. They are a means to get your name, and your books, out to the public. If you're signing your books at a book store chances are they will have a sign up in their window about you and your book days in advance. And while you're signing your books you're meeting people and talking to people. Even if they don't buy your book at least give them a book mark or other promotional item. This could result in a sale later down the line.

Most importantly, have fun. Writing (and book designing) can be a lonely profession. Celebrate a chance to be out around people for a little while. You may also want to check out my Book Signing Manners post. It too contains some helpful tips for better book signings.

I list my upcoming book signings on my main website. Just click on the "Calender" tab.

GM

Typography 101

2009-01-19T08:02:00.006-07:00

One of my pastimes is quilt-making and embroidery. I'm currently hand embroidering some chef aprons I found at a thrift store. I discovered one of them had a small hole in the fabric, so I decided to patch it with a pre-made applique. I've never worked with pre-made appliques before. Being an artist I prefer to do it myself by hand.

You're probably thinking, "What does embroidery have to do with typography?"

When I got home and looked at the directions on the applique I discovered the instructions were printed on the back on the package in about a 2 point sized font. Keep in mind a pica is 12 points, and there are 72 picas to the inch. In other words, the font, or letters, in these instructions were roughly half the size of the head of a pin. Even with my strongest reading glasses, I could not see the type well enough to be able to read it.

Once upon a time people went to college and/or art school and got degrees in graphic design before they created packages for appliques or other products. One of the primary courses in any graphic design curriculum is typography, and one of the first lessons taught in typography is that whatever you are design must be readable. A general rule of thumb is that any text with a font smaller than 9 points is going to be difficult for the average person to read.

Word, InDesign, Quark Xpress or any other graphic design software does not a graphic designer make. Graphic design, like other arts, is a discipline which requires a certain amount of study and training. Otherwise you end up typesetting instructions in a 2 point sized font and wondering why you're costumers are sending you nasty e-mails complaining they can't read them.

Same rule applies for designing and typesetting books.

GM

Self Publishing

2009-01-17T07:45:00.012-07:00

I sometimes meet prospective authors who are so excited about their book that they tell me, "If I can't get a publisher then I'll self publish." And while I can certainly understand their enthusiasm and their desire to see their book in print, such comments do reflect a real naivete about publishing and marketing books.

Self publishing, and I mean true self-publishing, i.e., the author edits, typesets, designs the covers, and has the book printed, is perfectly fine for speakers needing a back of room product to sell during their presentations, or for workbooks or other learning materials needed for seminars they facilitate. Self publishing is also appropriate for limited run books not to be made available to the general public, such as personal memoirs for a family or school reunion. But if your book does not fit into these kinds of scenarios, or your dream is to make your self published book into a bestseller, odds are you're going to be very disappointed.

I have learned from experience. I self published my first book, Anna's Kitchen. At the time I wrote it I was doing a lot of historical presentations on the WWII home front, and I initially wrote it for back of room sales. It was a lot of work, but already being a graphic designer, I knew what to do. However once I had the book in my hand and people starting telling me what a cool book it was I knew I wanted it to be more than a back of room item. And therein was the rub. I had 500 copies printed, but other than as back of room items I am limited to selling them on Amazon and my personal web site. That's because it's very difficult to get the two main book distributors, Ingram and Baker & Taylor, to distribute self published books. And virtually every bookseller and library in the country gets their books through these two distributors. Sure, you may get lucky and find an Indie book store or two that may let you sell your book on consignment, but unless you have the megabucks to do a full-blown advertising and marketing campaign it's going to be extremely difficult. At best, most self-published books only sell a few hundred copies.

I'll be writing more about the pros and cons on self-publishing in later posts.

GM

Titles and Trademarks

2009-01-13T22:24:00.005-07:00

There was a discussion the other day on my author's e-group about book titles. Someone posed the question if titles can be copyrighted. Titles can't be copyrighted, but in some cases they can be trademarked.

There is an interesting article in the news today about a nightclub in Austin, Texas being sued by the producers of American Idol for trademark infringement. Seems the nightclub is having a contest called "Stripper Idol." They can't be sued over the use of the word "Idol," but apparently what got them into trouble was designing a logo for their contest that looked very similar to the American Idol logo. And logos, unlike titles, can be trademarked.

I'm not an attorney, but what I am stating would be considered common knowledge in the writing and publishing business. However if you are ever concerned that the title of your book or other works could potentially be a trademark violation you should probably consult with a trademark attorney.

GM

Trouble in Paradise?

2009-01-05T10:59:00.007-07:00

There is a very interesting article in the New York Times about the decline in book sales for the major publishing houses, and how they, like other businesses, are being forced to cut back on "lavish" expenses such as "fancy lunches and sparkling parties." It seems that the big New York publishing houses, like the rest of us, are feeling the effects of a soft economy. They also blame e-books, video games, and on-line social networks for their declining profit margins.

However the article fails to mention the fact that today's authors have more publishing choices than ever before, and many are opting to not use a major publisher.

A few years ago I took a survey of authors and I discovered that about half of those responding weren't even bothering with the major publishers. Their reasons included the lack of creative control of their work, having to wait for as long as to a year or two to see their books in print, and they were tired of all the rejection letters.

While I'm not a business expert it's been my observation that the free market can be unmerciful to those companies who fail to change with the times. "Indie" publishing, be it with a small press, subsidy or partnership publishing, and even self-publishing, has resulted in book buyers having more titles to chose from than ever before. If the major publishers want to stay in the game they are going to have to adapt to a changing marketplace.

GM