Archive for the ‘Writing’ Category
Slowed, but not Stopped
Folks, I’ve been very quiet over the past week-plus. I didn’t want to be, mind you, but I had to.
Why? Well, I burned myself while cooking. Badly enough that I went to the emergency room right away. And I was told I did the right thing, as a second-degree burn on the hand is nothing to play around with.
You may be asking yourself why I went in right away. (If so, you’re in good company, as some of my own family members asked the same thing.) Well, as I’m a musician, writer, and editor, I need my hands for my professions. When you add to the mix that I also have carpal tunnel syndrome (I’ve made no secret of this), the burn slowed me down even further.
Anyway, I was told that I had to rest my hand so the burn could heal. I was not allowed to use my left hand at all, and was typing messages out one-handed to editorial clients and others I absolutely had to stay in contact with. While I did do some Tweeting, I again typed only with my right hand, and mentioned on Facebook and Twitter that I was dealing with “finger issues” so people would not be worried that chatty me wasn’t responding to their various comments.
Yesterday, I was seen in a follow-up appointment, and was told that I can resume typing with both hands, with caution of course. I still have to keep the burned area covered and put a special ointment on it; the area will probably scar. But if I have full use of the area, I don’t particularly care about that.
So I’ve been slowed, but I haven’t stopped.
Along the way, I hadn’t been able to share some exciting news with you all, so I may as well share it right here and now.
I have a title for the second half of the ELFY duology at long last!
Yes, my publisher and I agreed that the new title of the second half of ELFY should be…(wait for it)…A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE.
I’m very pleased I can now pass this word along.
As far as a release date for A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE, I’m still pushing for late April, mostly because the events of the entire ELFY duology center around Mayday or as Bruno calls it, “Ba’altinne” (otherwise known as Beltane). But I’m working on my final edit, still, and wouldn’t have a prayer of it coming out then except that it’s only going to be available as an e-book.
So in answer to several of your off-line questions, yes, the second half of ELFY will be out soon.
I’m glad my hand is healing. I still can’t do as much as I’d like. But I can type again with my left hand, I can do some work, and I am pleased with that. (It’s progress. I’ll take it.)
As far as reviews go, I hope to be able to review at least one book over the weekend at Shiny Book Review, providing my hand holds out.
And as far as music goes, I am scheduled to play the alto saxophone in the Racine Concert Band’s February 26 concert at Horlick High School in Racine. I wasn’t sure at first whether or not my hand would heal enough for me to do this, but as I can type today (with some difficulty and pain), I should be able to play in another week or two (which is when rehearsals are due to start up again).
Anyway, that’s all I know…excepting that, as always, I will persevere and do my level best to overcome all obstacles. (Really, would you expect me to say anything less?)
Why Writing a Book Is Like Preparing for a Marathon
Why is writing a book so much like preparing for a marathon?
Writing a book takes time. Effort. Forethought, planning, a certain drive and sticktuitiveness…it’s a test that will push you to your limit. It shows you, as a writer, what you are made of — because you have to believe that your persistence, your effort, and your skill will pay off.
Runners do this, too, when they prepare to run marathons. They must get into condition, learn to eat efficiently, and prepare their bodies for a maximum effort. And they must believe that all of the training, all of their skill, will pay dividends when they finally run their races.
Runners are strong. They have to be. And they must believe in themselves, even if no one else does, or they can’t run their best races.
You have to be strong to be a writer, too. And you have to have faith in yourself that what you’re doing is the right thing, all because you have a creative vision that will not be denied.
Perhaps thinking about writing in the terms of preparing for a marathon will help you, especially if you are stalled or frustrated with your work-in-progress. While a completed book is not like running an actual marathon, writing that book is very much like preparing to run a marathon.
I know the metaphor only goes so far. But it’s still an interesting way to think about writing — as a marathon, not a sprint.
“First Contact Cafe” Is Now Available for Pre-Order! (And Other Stories)
Hot off the presses! Read all about it!
Why am I so excited? Well, I have a story called “An Intoxicating Mess” that’s been included in the forthcoming FIRST CONTACT CAFE shared world anthology, edited by Phyllis Irene Radford. And as FIRST CONTACT CAFE is now available for pre-order, I thought I’d share the word about it right now.
First, here’s a picture of the lovely cover:
Next, here’s a list of the table of contents:
First Contact Café by Irene Radford
A Steaming Pile of Crap by Bob Brown
Apologies by Frog and Esther Jones
Certainty Principle by Manny Frishberg and Edd Vick
One Being’s Trash by Margaret McGaffey Fisk
Prime Cut by Liam Hogan
It’s A Con World Afterall by C.F. Bentley
Let’s Make A Deal by Leah Cutter
Anything You Can Do by Jacquelyn Meyers
And Down Came an Audit by D.H. Hanni
Goolie Unruly by Brenda Carre
The Tete á Tete by ElizaBeth Gilligan
Leave the Dead Lie by John Lance
An Intoxicating Mess by Barb Caffrey
Consistency by Joyce Reynolds Ward
FIRST CONTACT CAFE will be available on February 1, 2015, and the price for the e-book edition will be $4.99.
But if you just can’t wait for FIRST CONTACT CAFE, and want to buy something else from me, here’s the lowdown on everything else that’s currently available:
My novel, AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE, remains on sale at the extremely low price of ninety-nine cents. If you like urban fantasy, ghosts, the paranormal, cute YA romances, comedy, slapstick, wordplay, or any dozen other things, you will love AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE. (Barnes and Noble link, as always, is here.)
My late husband’s two stories of military science fiction adventure featuring hero Joey Maverick, “A Dark and Stormy Night” and “On Westmount Station,” are also available and are priced at ninety-nine cents. (These are either long novelettes or short novellas.) If you enjoy sailing adventure with just a tad bit of romance, you’ll enjoy “A Dark and Stormy Night” more; if you enjoy a “whodunnit” plot with some hand-to-hand combat set aboard a space station, you’ll enjoy “On Westmount Station” more.
My story “On the Making of Veffen” is available in the HOW BEER SAVED THE WORLD anthology, edited by Phyllis Irene Radford. The e-book price is $4.99.
I wrote a story with my late husband Michael called “Bright as Diamonds” that’s available in the BEDLAM’S EDGE anthology, edited by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill. The e-book price is $6.96.
Finally, my story “Marja’s Victory” is available in the Exquisite Quills 2014 Holiday Romance anthology, available here and here. “Marja’s Victory” is a fantasy/romance set around Yule, and features a mature female shapeshifter and her long-time partner (in every sense), Tomas — an eight-foot-tall, telepathic Mountain Troll. And that story, again, is absolutely free — as is everything else in the anthology.
So go forth, read some good stories (maybe even a few of mine and my late husband’s), and get ready for the FIRST CONTACT CAFE anthology, will you?
Vinny Rottino Signs with the Miami Marlins, and Other Stuff
Happy New Year, everyone!
I figured I’d write a quick blog tonight and mention a few things, mostly in passing, that may be of interest only to me.
First, as the title says, Vinny Rottino has been signed by the Miami Marlins to a minor league deal. This means he’ll have a job in baseball as a player during 2015, which is definitely worth celebrating. Rottino made the AAA All-Star team for the Marlins franchise back in 2011, and got a call-up from them in September as his reward. (I wrote about that here.)
I’m glad that the Marlins front office remembered Rottino, and is giving him another shot to play despite his advanced age (in baseball years only). He’s a smart player, he’s always maximized his ability, and while it’s unlikely now that he’ll be able to make a serious run at a major-league job as a player, it’s far from unlikely that he’ll be able to make the majors in some other capacity later. So it’s very good that the Marlins signed him; my guess is that Rottino’s going to end up mentoring other players in the minors, and probably playing every second or third day. And that may lead him to a managerial or coaching job down the line…which I’m sure he doesn’t want quite yet, but is something to consider for future reference. (Thank goodness it’s still “for future reference,” as I was really worried after he became a free agent again.)
Aside from that, I finished a new short story and sent it to the Writers of the Future Contest on 12/31/14 as I remain eligible. (Not enough book sales as of yet.) I’m glad I was able to do that, as with all of the editing I do — and the holidays, and the family appearances that are well worth going to but normally take away from any available writing time — I don’t get anywhere near as much time to write as I’d like.
And I’m working on two different editorial projects right now, so my blogs may be sporadic for a few weeks until/unless something really grabs my attention…but I do hope to have at least a few book reviews in January 2015 over at Shiny Book Review that may interest you. (Namely the three I didn’t get to at the end of 2014 like I’d planned.)
May your 2015 be all that you want it to be, folks. And may it be a better year for us all.
New Interview (Mine) at Ally Shields’ Blog Is Up…
Folks, I wanted to let you know that urban fantasy author Ally Shields invited me over to her blog today and interviewed me…and the interview has been posted. It’s a conversational interview — hence the name, “Coffee Chat” — and I enjoyed being interviewed by Ally immensely.
Please be sure to check out this interview, as Ally asked me some extremely interesting and relevant questions that I hadn’t been asked before. She’s an urban fantasy author herself, so one of her questions was about what attracted me to the paranormal/UF genre — and I told her that, along with many other interesting things.
For some reason, I’m having trouble cutting and pasting from that interview, so you’re going to have to go directly there and read it for yourself.
Thanks again, Ally, for having me over for a Coffee Chat.
Craig Wayne Boyd, Persistence…and You
Folks, it’s no secret that I am a fan of Southern country/rock singer Craig Wayne Boyd. His time on NBC’s The Voice was in some ways magical, especially considering his eleven-year odyssey in the music business. And that he made it all the way to the end, and then actually won The Voice, was just that much more special.
What I found in Craig Wayne Boyd’s story were a number of things. Persistence. Faith, not only in a higher power, but in himself and his talent. And the drive to succeed against all odds.
Consider, please, that Mr. Boyd has said in several televised interviews that he considered quitting music altogether not too long before he auditioned for The Voice. And he knocked around Nashville and the touring circuits for eleven long years, singing his heart out, with talent and drive and dedication — but all of that garnered him very little.
Or so it seemed at the time.
Because in retrospect, what Mr. Boyd was learning all that time was to have faith in himself and his talent. He was also learning to perform, and the limits of what he could do and what he could — and couldn’t — control.
This is something we all need to learn. Because like Craig Wayne Boyd, we cannot control what other people do. We can’t control who will take notice of us, who will show up at our gigs, who will buy our books and/or recordings, or who will care about what we’re doing.
All we can control is what we do and how we do it. That’s all.
And that’s why being persistent is so very, very important. You don’t know when the next audition you do will result in a major breakthrough (as was the case for Craig Wayne Boyd). You don’t know when someone will read what you’re writing and decide it’s wonderful and tell all his friends, because you don’t know when your big break will come.
The only thing you do know is this: Once you stop trying, you have absolutely no chance of doing whatever it is you want to do.
That’s why I’ve said over and over again that you cannot and should not give up. Because you don’t know what’s around the corner…for all you know, it might just be your big break.
Sneak Peek Sunday: Exquisite Quills 2014 Holiday Anthology Awaits!
Folks, my fellow authors included in the Exquisite Quills Holiday Anthology 2014 have whipped up a special treat for something they’re calling “Sneak-peek Sunday.”
Take a look! (Then please, go and download the anthology right now. It’s absolutely free!)
A Holiday Anthology (Volume Two)
A Collection of Winter Holiday Tales
Please join us in reading this fantastically diverse FREE collection of stories to warm
your heart while you wait for the kids, the oven to buzz, on a
15-minute break from work, or when you just need to hide for ten minutes
from everyone! Every story is PG,but a few have a hint of zing.
The calendar on the wall says 2014 but the holidays are a magical time where anything is possible when it comes to romance. Prepare to travel through snow or to a tropical setting with a little dash of fantasy sprinkled in to make your holiday reading enjoyable. This heart-warming collection of all new, very short stories is our way of saying happy holidays to you.
Frankie’s Wish by Jennifer Garcia
“Every night, as my daddy taught me, I kneeled by my bed and said my prayers. But tonight, I wanted to ask for something.
“Now I lay me down to sleep… I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Oh, please bring me a mommy. Amen”
&
THE GIFT OF TIME by Rose Anderson
“Rose is a multi-published, award-winning author and dilettante who loves great conversation and discovering interesting things to weave into stories. She lives with her family and small menagerie amid oak groves and prairie in the rolling glacial hills of the upper Midwest.
Possessing an active imagination, she writes everything from children’s stories to historical non-fiction.”
FRANKIE’S WISH by Jennifer Garcia
Jennifer believes in writing love stories that connect families and touch hearts. Her first novel, My Mr. Manny, was released August 2013 and her first novella, In My Mother’s Footsteps, was released July 2013.
A KISS AT MIDNIGHT by Lily Bishop
Lily Bishop lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children. She writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense, and has published two books in the City Lights series, No Strings Attached and Under His Protection. She is working on the third book now.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER by Dee Ann Palmer
In every age the heart loves, and Dee Ann Palmer’s romances reflect those eras in fantasy, historic, contemporary and futuristic tales. The award winning Palmer is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and belongs to the Los Angeles chapter of Sisters in Crime.
MARJA’S VICTORY By Barb Caffrey
Barb Caffrey is a writer, editor, book reviewer and musician from the Midwest. She is the author of the humorous urban fantasy/romance AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE, and is the co-author of the Adventures of Joey Maverick series (with late husband Michael B. Caffrey).
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS by Beverley Bateman
Beverley Bateman is a Canadian author of several books who loves traveling, good wine and a mystery. She lives with her husband and two Shiba Inu dogs among vineyards and orchards set in lake country and surrounded by mountains – beaches, swimming and skiing.
GINGERBREAD DREAMS by Victoria Adams
Victoria Adams is a romance writer, dividing her writing between contemporary romance and New Adult contemporary romance. She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and kitten, Licorice. She likes to study Raqs Sharqi (Egyptian belly dance), garden, and bake.
CHE GELIDA MANINA by M. S. Spencer
Although she has lived or traveled in every continent except Antarctica and Australia (bucket list), M. S. Spencer has spent the last thirty years mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director and parent. She has two fabulous grown children, and currently divides her time between the Gulf coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine. Ms. Spencer has published nine romantic suspense novels.
ROMANCE VALLEY by Kaye Spencer
Native Coloradoan Kaye Spencer writes romances from her basement hovel in a small, rural town in the far southeastern corner of Colorado—no mountains in sight—just prairie dogs, buffalo grass, and glorious prairie sunsets. While drawn to cowboys and the Old West, all genres are within her story-crafting realm. Retired from a long career in public education that included teaching through a community college outreach program, Kaye is enjoying being a full-time writer and spoiler of grandchildren. Kaye is also afflicted with ACD—Accumulative Cat Disorder—with no cure in sight.
THE CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT by Janis Susan May
Janis Susan May is a seventh-generation Texan and a third-generation wordsmith who writes mysteries as Janis Patterson, romances and other things as Janis Susan May, children’s books as Janis Susan Patterson and scholarly works and non-fiction as J.S.M. Patterson.
Janis and her husband live in Texas with an assortment of rescued furbabies.
TROPICAL CHRISTMAS by Gemma Juliana
GEMMA JULIANA is a multi-published author who lives in an enchanted cottage in north Texas with her handsome hero, teen son and a comical dog. She loves making new friends and hearing from readers. Exotic coffee and chocolate fuel her creativity.
A KISS AND A PROMISE by Lyndi Lamont
Lyndi Lamont is the racy alter ego of author Linda McLaughlin, who writes historical and Regency Romance. Since becoming Lyndi Lamont, she has discovered that writing sexy romance is a license to be naughty, at least between the pages of a book.
A COWBOY’S HOLIDAY by E. Ayers
E. Ayers is a multi-published and best-selling author of western and contemporary romances. Her books are never too sweet or too hot. She writes down the middle.
It is available for FREE at 
and will be available at Barnes & Noble, Apple, and Kobo.
Last year’s anthology is also available at
and
A Teensy Little Bloglet…
Folks, the last week hasn’t been good for much of anything, I’m afraid. I’ve been head-down in a new project, doing my best to finish up an older project, and am working through a set of changes with regards to one of my books.
All of this means I haven’t been online much, I’m not blogging much, and aside from the Marketing for Romance Writers’ “Tweet Fest” on November 12 (this past Wednesday), I haven’t had much to say in any medium.
I’ll also admit that I’ve been fighting a case of the flu, mixed in with a little bronchitis. And that in addition to all of the work on my plate has stopped me from doing much in the way of commenting as well.
I do plan to write some more blogs soon, including a new one in my series “Learning from the Fiction Masters” and perhaps a blog dealing with something I haven’t had to do in a while, but people have asked me about: auditioning for orchestras.
Why has this last thing, in particular, been a hot topic? I’m not sure, but if someone wants me to talk about it, I’m willing to talk about it.
(Providing it’s not about snow. I really don’t want to talk about snow.)
Anyway, until then…and for those who’ve asked, yes, I do plan to review at least one book at Shiny Book Review later this week, health and weather permitting.
Barb Caffrey's Blog 