TGIF August 31, 2007!

TGI Friday! I have uploaded a new show to my podcast this week.

Author Magdalena Ball will be joining us today on Writers in the Sky Podcast to discuss her debut book Sleep Before Evening.

Here is a synopsis of her book.

Marianne is teetering at the edge of reason.

A death in the family sends her brilliant academic career and promising future spiraling out of control until resentment towards those who shaped her past leads her on a wild and desperate search for the truth about herself.

On the seedy side of New York, she meets Miles, a hip musician busking the streets and playing low-rent venues in a muddled bid to make his own dreams come true.

In her new life, she finds anarchic squalor, home grown music and poetry, booze, drugs, sex, violence, love, loss … and, above all, exhilarating freedom on her troubled journey from sleep to awakening.

This gritty, relentless story unfolds with the same cool detachment that motivates the central character to peel back the layers of her life and expose the painful scalding within.
Click here to listen to Part 1...

Magdalena Ball is author of The Art of Assessment and Quark Soup. She runs the popular Compulsive Reader website at http://www.compulsivereader.com/. Her short stories, editorials, poetry, reviews and articles have appeared in many printed anthologies and journals and have won several awards. She also works as a manuscript assessor for Manuscripts Online, is a member of the BookConnector Advisory Board, an Evaluative Reader for Catchfire Press, and Information Manager for Orica, not always in that order. She is the author of a non-fiction book, The Art of Assessment, and a poetry chapbook Quark Soup. Her debut novel Sleep Before Evening is due for publication by BeWrite Books in 2007. Magdalena lives in on a rural property in New South Wales with her husband and three gorgeous children.

Click here to listen to Part 2...
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You may subscribe to Writers in the Sky RSS feed or listen online at your convenience by going to http://feeds.feedburner.com/audioacrobat/ZOhd

Each show has multiple parts which last about 15-20 minutes each. The short-length classes are a great way to learn about the craft and business of writing while driving to work or sweating at the gym!

By following this link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=192160101 you may download Writers in the Sky podcast shows from itunes.com. You must have iTunes software loaded on your computer but you can download the free software at http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

Calling All Authors to Learn

The ultimate community membership website for writers, authors and industry experts. CallingAllAuthors.org is an organization that brings on-going, reality-based information and assistance to writers in a wholly interactive and innovative way. This is the place for writers to connect with other writers and industry experts who know what they need to learn, to share what they already know, to become a member with access to the latest writing, publishing and marketing information on the planet. Building an interactive community is made possible by the latest Open Source website concept called Joomla! Community Builder. Three levels of access --- Public, Registered and Member --- will provide site visitors opportunity for limited, broader and broadest access to site information and educational events.

Articles from industry experts and innovative authors, the Great Links resources, polling on interesting topics, regularly scheduled teleseminars and webinars with Valerie Connelly (Nightengale Press Publisher and Global Talk Radio Talk Show Host) and a broad spectrum of expert co-hosts, will all bring the latest information and tips to writers and authors. Downloadable Audio Mini-Clip Libraries of useful writing, publishing and marketing tips, monthly 30-minute Publisher's Corner Lessons videos, as well as an on site daily newsletter, blog, IM communications by permission with other registered members, User Profiles, and much more.

Visit http://www.callingallauthors.org/ to register.

Meet 7,000 International Publishers

THE FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR
OCTOBER 10-14, 2007

The world’s largest fair for the book and media industry, will host more than 7,000 publishing companies from over 100 countries presenting 380,000 titles.
Over 280,000 visitors are expected.

If your book warrants international appeal don’t miss this opportunity!

Some interesting statistics:
* The latest book by American author Paul Auster sold only 70,000 copies in the USA . In France , on the other hand, the translation of "Brooklyn Follies" chalked up sales of 165,000 copies.
* In 2006, about two-thirds of translations into German out of a total of 5,773 books were from English.
* 29 % of Czech books published in 2004 were translations
* 29 % of South Korean books published in 2004 were translations
* 25% Spanish books published in 2004 were translations
* 22% Italian books published in 2004 were translations
* 6% German books published in 2004 were translations
* 4% Chinese books published in 2004 were translations

Deanna Leah and International Publishers Alliance have assisted participants in getting books translated into such languages as: German, Italian, French, Hungarian, Turkish, Dutch, Russian, Chinese, Korean and Spanish. Don’t miss this opportunity. SPACE IS LIMITED and DEADLINES are FAST approaching!

For More Information Contact:

Deanna Leah
International Publishers Alliance
(530) 893-4699
deannaleah@sunset.net

Introducing the Axiom Business Book Awards!

Calling All Business Book Authors and Publishers

- Entries now being accepted into the 2007 Axiom Business Book Awards at http://www.axiomawards.com/

The Axiom Business Book Awards are here to celebrate the innovative, intelligent, and creative aspects of the books that make us think, see, and work differently every day. The awards offer no global boundaries, giving participants from every continent the opportunity to earn further recognition for theirEnglish-language titles. The new awards program will recognize books in awide range of business publishing categories, from sales and leadership to branding and best business fable.

The Axiom Business Book Awards offer:

~Increased recognition to the year's very best business books and their creators

~26 categories in all, from Salesmanship to Personal Finance and Entrepreneurship to Philanthropy

~The only U.S. based award contest solely focused on business books

~A moral boost, influencing reviewers and buyers

~The greatest business books the world has to offer

~All publishers are eligible, from large multi-title publishing houses to small one-title publishers

~An introductory savings of $20.00 per entry when you register by October 15th

This is the first call to enter your 2006/2007 releases in the first annual Axiom Business Book Awards, designed to honor the year's best business books, authors and publishers. The new book awards program will accept entries until November 30th, 2007 for books with 2006 or 2007 copyrights or that were released in 2006 or 2007. The new contest is presented by Jenkins Group and their book marketing webzine, Independent Publisher Online, sponsors of the popular Independent Publisher Book Awards.

Complete awards information including entry guidelines and secure onlineentry available at http://www.axiomawards.com/

The 26 Awards Categories will include:

1. Career (job search, career advancement)
2. Sales (sales skills, negotiating, closing)
3. Leadership
4. Communication Skills/Networking
5. Business Ethics
6. Operations Management/Productivity/TQM
7. Human Resources/Employee Training
8. Entrepreneurship
9. Philanthropy/Charity/Nonprofit
10. Accounting/Taxes
11. Economics (micro, macro, global finance)
12. Personal Finance (estate planning, debt management)
13. Investing (stocks, bonds, hedge funds, options, futures)
14. Retirement Planning
15. Coaching/Mentoring
16. Success/Motivation
17. Advertising/Marketing/PR/Event Planning
18. Branding (corporate history, anniversary, promo)
19. Self-Employment/Home-Based Business
20. Real Estate (buying, investing, management)
21. Business Reference (legal, how-to)
22. Business Consumer Guides
23. Memoir/Biography
24. Business Fable-Fiction
25. International Business/Globalization
26. Technology/Computers

"The Axiom business book awards contest is the first of its kind, offering awide variety of categories and global recognition," says Jim Barnes, AwardsDirector at Jenkins Group. "Through judging business books for the past 11years in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, we have seen a veritableexplosion of business books in numerous sub-genres. Our goal is to open thedoors and honor the best books in these genres and beyond."

Visit the Axiom Business Book Award website to learn more and enter online http://www.axiomawards.com/

Please contact me with additional questions at info@AxiomAwards.com or by phone at 1.800.644.0133 x 1011

Thanks and Best of Luck!

Jim Barnes
Awards Director
Axiom Business Book Awards
Jenkins Group Inc.
1.800.644.0133 x1011

Sleep Before Evening

Author Magdalena Ball will be Yvonne Perry’s guest on Writers in the Sky Podcast August 31, 2007! She will be discussing her debut book Sleep Before Evening.

Here is a synopsis of her book.

Marianne is teetering at the edge of reason.

A death in the family sends her brilliant academic career and promising future spiraling out of control until resentment towards those who shaped her past leads her on a wild and desperate search for the truth about herself.

On the seedy side of New York, she meets Miles, a hip musician busking the streets and playing low-rent venues in a muddled bid to make his own dreams come true.

In her new life, she finds anarchic squalor, home grown music and poetry, booze, drugs, sex, violence, love, loss … and, above all, exhilarating freedom on her troubled journey from sleep to awakening.

This gritty, relentless story unfolds with the same cool detachment that motivates the central character to peel back the layers of her life and expose the painful scalding within.

Magdalena Ball is author of The Art of Assessment and Quark Soup. She runs the popular Compulsive Reader website at http://www.compulsivereader.com/. Her short stories, editorials, poetry, reviews and articles have appeared in many printed anthologies and journals and have won several awards. She also works as a manuscript assessor for Manuscripts Online, is a member of the BookConnector Advisory Board, an Evaluative Reader for Catchfire Press, and Information Manager for Orica, not always in that order. She is the author of a non-fiction book, The Art of Assessment, and a poetry chapbook Quark Soup. Her debut novel Sleep Before Evening is due for publication by BeWrite Books in 2007. Magdalena lives in on a rural property in New South Wales with her husband and three gorgeous children.

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You may subscribe to Writers in the Sky RSS feed or listen online at your convenience by going to http://feeds.feedburner.com/audioacrobat/ZOhd

Each show has multiple parts which last about 15-20 minutes each. The short-length classes are a great way to learn about the craft and business of writing while driving to work or sweating at the gym!

Soaring

By Barbara Sharp Milbourn,
Write On! Staff Editor

The matchbook-cover advertising read, “Be a Commercial Artist – Send your Drawings Today.” I dreamed day and night of being a commercial artist wearing chic, colorful tailored suits and high heels while striding confidently about in my corner office overlooking the New York skyline. Clearly I had drawing talent. To prove it, I sent in my six best pencil works, all meticulously drawn on the backs of discarded envelopes while riding the bus to school. At age eight, never was a long time to wait for a response.

By adolescence, I abandoned that idea and fell in love with sales. Sales were sexy, production wasn’t. Then it was design. Form trumped function and all things creative still ruled.
In my thirties, out of school and entrenched in commercial real estate, I left my peers in Memphis to open and operate a Trammell Crow Company office in Baton Rouge. On Monday morning, the i’s needed dotting, the t’s crossing, and all of the bucks stopped on my desk. The experience wrestled me soundly to left brain land and held me there. Success would require doing things thoughtfully, thoroughly, correctly, and professionally within a specific set of rules and parameters.

Today I focus on the rules and parameters of writing. Right-brained writers need left-brained editors. My Gemini nature may swoon right to writing but my strength, like a divining rod, pulls left to editing. I am a word and language lover with hawk eyes on the hunt for error and weak prey. A red pencil is firmly attached to my right talon. I’m on a first name basis with The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition and Merriam Webster is my best friend. Reading while simultaneously examining spelling, word usage, punctuation, sentence structure, voice, continuity, and the whole copyediting and proofreading function thrills me.

Working electronically is more efficient but I also proof and edit manuscripts in hard copy. While proofreaders’ marks, underlines, circled comments, and author queries transform some of these to bloody battle scenes, the end result is a product closer to publication. Imagine a manuscript at a traditional publishing house (if it gets past a literary agent) making its way through an acquisition editor, production editor, copyeditor, typesetter, and four rounds of separate proofreading eyes before final print. Imagine the author attempting this perfection through grammar and spell check functions.

The author’s wild mind flies and weaves story with little thought to writing mechanics, the lack of which can make good work look slipshod. That’s where copyeditors and proofreaders come in—the unsung heroes who make the words and stories soar.

Barbara Milbourn is a full-time freelance writer with many years of experience in business writing, particularly in the field of commercial real estate. She serves as the staff editor for Write On! Creative Writing Services and as podcast interviewer for many of the Writers in the Sky shows.

The Insights of an Inspirational Writer

by Michael Levy

Can a writer compose their own inspirational script of life in an intellectual world that demands perceptions and opinions in the place of truth and wisdom? Well, let's compare my life now to what my life was like before I became a writer some nine years ago and see if you can spot the constant synchronicity.

When I first started my own business at the tender age of nineteen with only sixty dollars, everybody told me it would be impossible for me to succeed. They said at best I was a foolish joker who left school aged sixteen without a good education and the deck was stacked against achieving any meaningful success.

For the next twenty-seven years I enjoyed playing the games of business in textiles, commercial property, stock market and commodity investing/trading. Never did I get into debt, nor take any unnecessary risks. Throughout this time many acquaintances called my way of joyful playing at being a businessman stupid, while at the same time, respecting my honesty and sense of humor ... The more they said I could not succeed, the more prosperous I became.
Then one day they stopped calling me stupid and wanted to partner with me. That is when I retired from the business world, aged forty-six. My joy of life has always been constant, continuing to climb on a higher scale of reality.

After a six year break in which I asked myself many profound and searching questions, authentic answers eventually came into my mind..... I then began to write inspirational poetry and essays without any effort or difficulty. Since I rarely wrote any letters and never read any books, this was indeed a major change of direction.

In 1998 I wrote my first book in only ten days titled - What Is The Point. Sure enough as soon as it was published clever-minded folks, who lacked inner wisdom, began to call me stupid. This gave me the endorsement I needed to write another book.

The next book was titled Minds of Blue Souls of Gold Once again I was looked on as stupid and my philosophy flawed. Wow! I thought, I am a success, for if these folks with erroneous lifestyles do not like my philosophy, then my philosophy must be authentic.

And so I went on to write six more books, making eight to date ....

Enjoy Yourself It's Later Than You Think.
Invest With A Genius.
Worry Causes Wrinkles
Ultra Violet Haiku De-Lights
The Joys of Live Alchemy

The latest book is one that I have revised and renewed from public domain about a little girl named Goody Two Shoes, written by an anonymous author in 1765. It is now re-titled; The Inspiring Story of Little Goody Two Shoes.

I continue to enjoy the game of being an author, poet and philosopher with the understanding ... If my philosophy continues to convey unbounded health, ample wealth and twenty-four hours a day of divine bliss to anyone who lives it, then why would I listen to the folks who call me stupid ... And then they run to sophisticated experts asking for help to manage relentless depression, deep debt and extreme stress.

Gandhi once said; "First they fight you, then they ignore you, then you win." I feel quite sure the media and academia will continue ignoring me for many years to come. However, the day they start to agree with me, I will cease to have a need to write about authentic living and the world will once more become a secure, wholesome place to live.

So, just maybe, enjoying writing and being oblivious to the opinion of close-minded people pays big dividends. In essence, every writer who enjoys writing from the soul cannot fail, for they understand a golden rule of authentic writing ... Enjoy - never - Endure!

Michael Levy is the author eight inspirational books. Michael's poetry and essays now grace many web sites, journals and magazines throughout the world. Michael's new book "The Inspiring Story of Little Goody Two shoes" will soon be available at all bookstore.http://www.pointoflife.com/

TGIF August 24, 2007!

TGI Friday! I have uploaded a new show to my podcast this week.

Dave & Lillian Brummet will be joining us today on Writers in the Sky Podcast to discuss their most recent book Trash Talk.

People are constantly bombarded with negative information about the environment and our resources. Feeling powerless because we cannot afford to donate cash or time to a cause, we begin to feel overwhelmed by the immense environmental problems our world faces. In Trash Talk, we focus on changing people's mindset to a more open, hopeful and proactive one. Not by finger-pointing at corporations and governments, but by starting in our own homes, at our own desks.

Trash Talk began as a series of articles that focused on ways the average person can make small changes to do their part for the Earth. We compiled all the articles and other information that we could not fit in the limited space of our bi-weekly column into this book. Trash Talk embarks on frugal and conscious living techniques for the individual. We focus on the reuse of "waste" materials and reducing the consumption of resources. Trash talk is written to empower people to feel more positive about their worth as individuals in a hectic, expensive, environmentally stressed world. We show how to make a real and visible difference, while saving money at the same time.

Trash Talk could be an excellent resource in the classroom for recycling, environmental and gardening programs. Educators/caregivers can use the book to teach gardening skills (seed saving, composting, tree planting) and Vermiculture (worm composting) - the students can build their own worm bin and learn from the "worm farm". (Did you know that compost worms (red
wigglers) can produce 2,000-9,000 babies annually?) Craft websites are listed for artistic projects using "waste" items. The book could be used as a tool for probing young minds to come up with original reuse ideas or environmental activities that the group can participate in. 140 resources listed at the back of the book will lead educators and individuals to new information and ideas. Trash Talk is at the Grade 10 level of reading, however, in the hands of a teacher the concepts and projects can easily be implemented as early as Grade 4.

Click here to listen to Part 1...

Trash Talk has been globally received and locally embraced. Eagle bulletin (South Africa), Conservation and Recycling Journal (Netherlands), Natural Life Magazine (Canada) and Alternatives Magazine (USA) - are some examples of this global support. Trash Talk has had some limited coverage in the UK through both online and print publications including: Warmer Bulletin (July 2004), Scrap Magazine (March/April 2006). Georgina Bloomfield of the UK branch for Friends of the Environment has reviewed the book and heartily recommends it. The most recent exposure in the UK region was in Sept, 2006 with Heavens Promotions Newsletter.

Click here to listen to Part 2...

Canadian authors, Dave and Lillian Brummet, have been writing professionally since 1999. The Brummets’ have published two books: Towards Understanding - A Collection of 120 Poems (2005; non-fiction, chronological), which depicts the healing process one goes through and the steps taken to get past the pain and towards understanding of both the purpose in life, and the value of life. Trash Talk (2004; non-fiction, environment) shows readers how they can save money while making their community become a more prosperous, attractive and healthier place to live. Dave and Lillian were honored with an award for "outstanding use of various media in ongoing outreach work to reduce waste in our environment" by the Recycling Council of British Columbia. Seeds of Diversity also awarded them with a Certificate of Appreciation for volunteer contributions and Dave won an award for his photography through Cottage Magazine. The industrious couple are currently working on an e-book, Purple Snowflake Marketing - How To Make Your Book Stand Out in a Crowd - for authors that are seeking ways to make their book stand out like a purple snowflake in a snowstorm, which they hope to see published in summer 2007.

For more information about the Brummets please visit their website:

http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit/index.html

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You may subscribe to Writers in the Sky RSS feed or listen online at your convenience by going to http://feeds.feedburner.com/audioacrobat/ZOhd

Each show has multiple parts which last about 15-20 minutes each. The short-length classes are a great way to learn about the craft and business of writing while driving to work or sweating at the gym!

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Next Friday I will upload my 2-part interview with Magdalena Ball.

What is a Virtual Book Tour?

A virtual book tour is a way to have a book tour, without leaving your home or the extreme expense of traveling to visit book stores. Instead, a virtual book tour gives you a chance to visit blogs around the world. Each blog you visit, will expose your books to different visitors who have a wide variety of interests.

The author doesn’t have to travel to the store to share information about their book and potential readers can learn about your book in more detail from the comfort of their home. More and more people are shopping and researching their future purchases online, so offering this kind of exposure for books online makes a lot of sense.

Each tour stop is scheduled for a different day. The author visits each blog and this simply means that the blog owner has asked the author a list of questions or they may chose to share a chapter or an excerpt from the book. Various blog hosts give additional dimension to the tour. Each blog host will pose different questions and this can offer a lot of variety to the tour.

Each day of the tour gives potential readers a wealth of information about the author, their experience, and their book. Many of these days, the tour stops are posted on a blog and we invite blog readers to ask questions. You can post your question on the blog or email the author. We love to hear from people who are interested in our books. In these days where the cost of gas is increasing, this is a great way to meet different authors and to learn much more about their books.

Dorothy Thompson and Nikki Leigh have arranged Yvonne Perry’s virtual book tour for RIGHT TO RECOVER Winning the Political and Religious Wars over Stem Cell Research in America.
Here is the schedule. I hope you will stop by and leave a comment on any or all of these blogs:

Sept. 3 – The Writer’s Life http://www.thewriterslife.blogspot.com/
Sept. 4 – Pump Up You Online Book Promotion http://www.pumpupyouronlinebookpromotion.blogspot.com/
Sept. 5 – Family, Fun and Faith – http://communati.com/main/blog/familyfunandfaith
Sept. 6 – Plug Your Book http://www.plugyourbook.blogspot.com/
Sept. 7 – Be My Guest! http://www.bloggingauthors.blogspot.com/
Sept. 10 – The Story Behind the Books http://www.thestorybehindthebooks.blogspot.com/
Sept. 11 – Start with the Facts – http://startwithfacts.blogspot.com/
Sept. 13 – Start at the Beginning - http://startatbeginning.blogspot.com/
Sept. 14 – Publishing Secrets for Authors - http://www.publishingsecretsofauthors.blogspot.com/
Sept. 17 – Straight from the Author’s Mouth http://www.straightfromtheauthorsmouth.blogspot.com/
Sept. 18 – Inspired Author Self Promotion - http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/node/12
Sept. 20 – Author Talks http://www.authortalks.blogspot.com/
Sept. 24 - Cheryl Malandrinos - http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/
Sept. 25 – Judge Cover - http://judgebookbycover.blogspot.com/
Sept. 27 – Muze’s Musings – http://www.muzesmusings.blogspot.com/

Nikki Leigh, Fiction Author
Promotional Consultant and Tour Coordinator
Author of Book Promo 101 – Basics of Book Promotion Nov 2007
www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm
Owner of S & C Consulting – http://www.sandcconsulting.com/

Nikki Leigh is the pen name of Shri Henkel, who has over 20 years of business management and over 16 years of promotional experience. This background has been very helpful with the business books written by Shri Henkel. She has eight books in print and several more scheduled for release in 2007.

Under her pen name, she writes fiction and is releasing the first book in the Book Promo 101 series. She offers a wide range of business, writing, ghostwriting services, in addition to promotional services and virtual tour coordination for writers. Feel free to contact Nikki for more information at nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com

Where Do Dreams Come From?

By Mary E. Martin

Why do we love stories? Whether we know it or not, all human beings tell themselves stories every night in their dreams. And dreams have their own special language of symbolic images, words, experiences. It’s a theatre of the psyche all dressed up with color, taste and smell, floating up from another level of consciousness.

When I was in high school, one English course was about the Greek myths. We had to learn all those stories of heroes and gods. Tough to keep them all straight one from the other. But not once do I remember anything about who made these stories up and why> Where did they come from?

The great mythologist Joseph Campbell wrote that dream is the personalized myth; myth is the depersonalized dream.

So, the dreams we experience in our sleep are the outpourings of our psyches and what stories we, as human beings, tell one another are our myths, an expression of our collective and deepest sense of what it means to be human.

Do both myths and dreams come from the same place? I like this answer from Campbell.
Myth is the secret opening through which the inexhaustible energies of the cosmos pour into human cultural manifestations.

The symbols of mythology are not manufactured: they cannot be ordered, invented or permanently suppressed. They are spontaneous productions of the psyche and each bears within it, undamaged, the germ power of its source.

These stories rise up from the psyche to guide us into human ways of being. Maybe stories then are real, live organic things, which simply come to us from our unconscious selves.
And so this fulfills a fundamental human need. We need communicate our fundamental thoughts and feelings first of all to ourselves and secondly, to one another in forms we will all readily understand.

But isn’t it interesting! Reading Joseph Campbell’s book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, we learn that we even use certain story formats, plot lines if you will. So many myths [and dreams] are based on the hero being lifted out of his everyday life and called [propelled] into something he must solve. To do so, he must confront tremendous obstacles [of a huge variety], find help along the way and call upon powers within himself to reach his goal. Once he has reached it, he must return to his world with his prize. Isn’t that the basic plot of innumerable Hollywood action flicks?

Here’s another example…a story about a forty six year old lawyer.

He’s still stuck, in the backroom, under his senior partner’s thumb. Life is going nowhere and his chance at making real money is fast fading. On top of that, his wife is planning to leave him because they are ‘in different worlds.’

First, his senior partner drops dead in the office and his wife walks out. Next a brand new client arrives to seduce him into a money-laundering scheme. Finally on his own, the lawyer is sorely tempted. And a beautiful woman comes to his aid. On top of that, a special client dies in suspicious circumstances and the lawyer is forced to find a serial killer. As a result, he must go down into the psyche of this serial killer and try to understand him. [ just what the hero must do in conquering his own underworld.] At the end of the novel, he has gained a new woman who actually loves him and his own self respect and understanding. To say nothing of having laid waste a serial killer and a money laundering consortium of a firm of corrupt lawyers.

The lawyer is in the role of the hero of many myths. That is…being forced from his usual life by a demand, battling forces he has not dealt with ever before, finding within himself powers and abilities previously unknown and unused and coming back to ‘normal’ life with the booty. A good woman and a new understanding of himself. And all the bad guys are gone! Sounds like a hero’s journey to me.

What story is this? It’s the story of Harry Jenkins in Conduct in Question, the first in the Osgoode Trilogy, which I wrote.

Now do you think I wrote it with the plot of the hero’s journey upper most in my mind? Hardly! I was just trying to write a good, exciting suspense novel which readers would enjoy.

Why didn’t I write an essay about what its like to practice law and deal with clients?

I could have told about how money laundering schemes work and how dangerous some clients can be. I could have given you all kinds of facts and figures. But who would care? If a reader really wants to know how a money laundering scheme works, there are plenty of sources of information. Lawyers here can even take a course on it. I know that sounds very strange, but its true. I could tell you about how estate law works and refer you to the necessary legislation, but would you care to read it? Not likely.

After almost thirty years of practice I wanted to let you know what it feels like to practice law and deal with situations you might not have dreamed of. The only way I could do that and have anyone interested enough to read about it, would be to put it in a story. And so I did. Because that sort of information only comes to life when you put it into the context of real characters acting upon one another.

Only after editing and literally thousands of hours of rewrites did I begin to recognize that indeed this was a tale of the hero’s journey. If I were not conscious of using this structure, how did it turn out as such a tale. Because I wrote it with the unconscious part of the brain doing the ‘heavy lifting’. And it is the unconscious part that is running the show in writing.

That being said, how did my unconscious know how to do this? The point is that these story forms or structures are somehow a part of all of us as human beings. Its how we communicate our most fundamental thoughts and feelings about life and where we fit into it. What meaning there can be found in living your life? In a way, it’s a story of birth, death and redemption. Whether we know it or not, we are affected by all that has gone before us. I just ‘knew’ that that was a structure other human beings would relate to.

So, we go on thinking about our dreams, visions, thoughts and emotions. We want people to understand and maybe learn from what we’ve experienced. That’s why we tell stories.

Mary E. Martin, a Toronto lawyer, is the author of the Osgoode Trilogy which is comprised of Conduct in Question, Final Paradox and A Trial of One, all legal suspense novels. To learn more please visit www.maryemartin.com and www.authorsden.com/maryemartin

Taryn Simpson's Interview with Freelancer's Union

What has been your most interesting project?

No question, it would have to be co-writing and collaborating with another writer located in Beijing, China! We used email and instant messaging as our sole means of communication. When I created the blog to promote our book, he couldn't even access it for a long time due to China's strict internet laws.

Even though my co-writer is a native New Zealander, he has taken on many Chinese qualities and I've learned a lot about people in that sense. The Chinese philosophy is much different than American business philosophy. A true sense of friendship or interest has to exist before business is done. That's how it happened with us. We clicked immediately and I truly feel that this book was a blessing for me. He initially contacted me to "punch up" the book and our client/writer relationship immediately turned into friendship.

The book also contains a sense of mysticism which is prevalent in Chinese culture. My co-writer bought a restaurant that sits upon a legendary Mystical road called Loi Kroh Road. The story goes that when King Mengrai the Great founded the city of Chiangmai in the year 1296, the superstitions of the East entered the city and lay in wait in the shadows of Loi Kroh Road where today, it is told, they still wait patiently. As planes land at Chiangmai airport, it is said that with every landing a fool steps off and enters Loi Kroh Road, never to be the same again or, in some cases, never to be seen again.

The novel, "The Mango Tree Cafe, Loi Kroh Road" is a fictional novel but is loosely based on my co-writer's life. It is a very powerful, emotional book and each time I read it, I am in tears. I'm extremely proud of this book and am in the midst of marketing it. It's currently scheduled to be shown at the Beijing, China International Book Fair. And, if you can believe this, people have formed a yahoo group regarding the book! I have the link below.

Why did you decide to go freelance?

If you live in the U.S., that is a goal that most everyone aspires to become, I think. The idea of choosing when to work, where to work and so on is very, very appealing to me. Financially, it presents issues at times! But, when I look at the big picture, it is more than worth it. I just knew I wanted to write for a living and I was sick of the Corporate America life. Freelancing is the ultimate sense of self and empowerment.

What tip would you give to a new freelancer or someone who is considering going freelance?

I would highly suggest reading the Peter Bowerman books, "The Well-Fed Writer" series. Although I rarely do the type of writing he does, the principles and thought processes are the same. They are excellent books and I recommend them constantly to anyone that voices a desire to freelance for a living.

I would also suggest joining groups such as the Freelancer's Union and network, network, network. Also: SAVE AT LEAST 6 MONTHS OF SALARY and make sure you have read the Bowerman books before you make the plunge! Everything you need is within you, but you need a plan and a sense of direction to be successful.

What is your favorite spot in the city in which you live?

I really love the area where I live, but I also enjoy the Music Row area during the day. You see a lot of musicians walking in the neighborhood-esque area going from studio to studio. The city is big enough and small enough for me. People are genuinely nice in the South and once I moved here and learned to "slow down" I fell in love with the place. People watching is interesting and you meet a wide variety of people from tourists to transplants from California, New York or Texas etc.

What is your inspiration?

I'm naturally driven, I guess. That's a plus when you're a writer! I can't say it's to gain fame, or have people know my name, necessarily, but I would like to be known for writing great, entertaining books. I hope that one day that happens. I keep going back to my latest book, "The Mango Tree..." but I have this thing inside of me that I could have 1 million agents say that the book stinks, and it doesn't matter. I believe in the book that strongly. I am absolutely and thoroughly convinced that any person that picks that book up to read it will be affected by it. I know I am. I guess I have a dual personality, part writer, part promotional ! Yet, I have to make myself network and so on. It's a real dichotomy within myself.

Here are some links that hopefully you can include:

The Blog
The Mango Tree Cafe, Loi Kroh Road

You Tube Book Trailer that I created
YouTube - "The Mango Tree Cafe, Loi Kroh Road" - Book Trailer

Yahoo Group
mangotreecafe : Mango Tree Cafe

The Mango Tree Cafe, Loi Kroh Road -Where to purchase
The Mango Tree Cafe', Loi Kroh Road by Taryn Simpson, Alan Solomon (Book) in Literature & Fiction

Taryn Simpson is a freelance author, ghostwriter, screenwriter, playwright, blogger and columnist. She has written/ghostwritten two screenplays, nine books and is about to have her fictional thriller, "Glittering Secrets" converted to an independent film with Fast Track Productions. Her other screenplay, "Conversations with Pearl" garnered attention from the Project Greenlight critics and was featured at the Southern Festival of Books in 2002. www.Simpson-EPublishing.blogspot.com

Right to Recover Virtual Book Tour

I thought you might like to view Yvonne Perry's promotional tour video for her virtual book tour next month. Quite an interesting and controversial subject her book has.

RIGHT TO RECOVER Winning the Political and Religious Wars over Stem Cell Research in America has.

You can check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuUYFA6f7Zw or Yvonne's tour page at virtualbooktoursforauthors.com

Dorothy Thompson

PUMP UP YOUR BOOK PROMOTION VIRTUAL BOOK TOURS
"Leave your tour in our hands!"
http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion. com
http://www.virtualb ooktoursforauthors.blogspot. com

Writers in the Sky Podcasts Explore Multiple Themes and Writing Strategies

PressBox is a valued source of information for journalists and is used by thousands of media relations professionals each week. If you would like to submit releases to their directory, simply go to http://www.pressbox.co.uk/post/.

See a media release for Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services

About The Watercolor Photo-  Lori Vafiades is a watercolor artist who can create a very special watercolor for you. She also has some beautiful prints for sale on her Web site www.greatcompany.org. Writers in the Sky will be featuring some of Lori’s creations in our blog postings (http:yvonneperry.blogspot.com) this fall. I’m sure you will enjoy her work.

Trash Talk

Dave & Lillian Brummet will be Yvonne Perry’s guests on Writers in the Sky Podcast August 24, 2007! They will be discussing their most recent book Trash Talk.

People are constantly bombarded with negative information about the environment and our resources. Feeling powerless because we cannot afford to donate cash or time to a cause, we begin to feel overwhelmed by the immense environmental problems our world faces. In Trash Talk, we focus on changing people's mindset to a more open, hopeful and proactive one. Not by finger-pointing at corporations and governments, but by starting in our own homes, at our own desks.

Trash Talk began as a series of articles that focused on ways the average person can make small changes to do their part for the Earth. We compiled all the articles and other information that we could not fit in the limited space of our bi-weekly column into this book. Trash Talk embarks on frugal and conscious living techniques for the individual. We focus on the reuse of "waste" materials and reducing the consumption of resources. Trash talk is written to empower people to feel more positive about their worth as individuals in a hectic, expensive, environmentally stressed world. We show how to make a real and visible difference, while saving money at the same time.

Trash Talk could be an excellent resource in the classroom for recycling, environmental and gardening programs. Educators/caregivers can use the book to teach gardening skills (seed saving, composting, tree planting) and Vermiculture (worm composting) - the students can build their own worm bin and learn from the "worm farm". (Did you know that compost worms (red wigglers) can produce 2,000-9,000 babies annually?) Craft websites are listed for artistic projects using "waste" items. The book could be used as a tool for probing young minds to come up with original reuse ideas or environmental activities that the group can participate in. 140 resources listed at the back of the book will lead educators and individuals to new information and ideas. Trash Talk is at the Grade 10 level of reading, however, in the hands of a teacher the concepts and projects can easily be implemented as early as Grade 4.

Trash Talk has been globally received and locally embraced. Eagle bulletin (South Africa), Conservation and Recycling Journal (Netherlands), Natural Life Magazine (Canada) and Alternatives Magazine (USA) - are some examples of this global support. Trash Talk has had some limited coverage in the UK through both online and print publications including: Warmer Bulletin (July 2004), Scrap Magazine (March/April 2006). Georgina Bloomfield of the UK branch for Friends of the Environment has reviewed the book and heartily recommends it. The most recent exposure in the UK region was in Sept, 2006 with Heavens Promotions Newsletter.

Canadian authors, Dave and Lillian Brummet, have been writing professionally since 1999. The Brummets’ have published two books: Towards Understanding - A Collection of 120 Poems (2005; non-fiction, chronological), which depicts the healing process one goes through and the steps taken to get past the pain and towards understanding of both the purpose in life, and the value of life. Trash Talk (2004; non-fiction, environment) shows readers how they can save money while making their community become a more prosperous, attractive and healthier place to live. Dave and Lillian were honored with an award for "outstanding use of various media in ongoing outreach work to reduce waste in our environment" by the Recycling Council of British Columbia. Seeds of Diversity also awarded them with a Certificate of Appreciation for volunteer contributions and Dave won an award for his photography through Cottage Magazine. The industrious couple are currently working on an e-book, Purple Snowflake Marketing - How To Make Your Book Stand Out in a Crowd - for authors that are seeking ways to make their book stand out like a purple snowflake in a snowstorm, which they hope to see published in summer 2007.

For more information about the Brummets please visit their website : http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit

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You may subscribe to Writers in the Sky RSS feed or listen online at your convenience by going to http://feeds.feedburner.com/audioacrobat/ZOhd

Each show has multiple parts which last about 15-20 minutes each. The short-length classes are a great way to learn about the craft and business of writing while driving to work or sweating at the gym!

Author's Corner August 2007

by Yvonne Perry

It's good to be home after our vacation in Palm Springs, California. We took a break from our tour of the desert and drove over to the west coast to visit Dr. Evan Snyder at Burnham Institute in La Jolla. What a pleasure to meet this kind-hearted man, who is one of the foremost authorities on stem cell research. Dr. Snyder gracious gave me his endorsement for the foreword of my book RIGHT TO RECOVER Winning the Political and Religious Wars over Stem Cell Research in America. The book is to be released on October 1, 2007 and I am already thinking big. My publicist, Chuck Whiting, is planning a nation-wide musical fund-raiser event to support stem cell research. If you write songs and believe in the research, you may want to know more about this gig. Contact Chuck at Arts@WhitingPublicity.com

After two weeks away from my office and not having reliable Internet service, things piled up, but in a good way. Lots of new opportunities were waiting for me when I returned home. One is with Jamie Beckett, the author of Burritos and Gasoline. I interviewed him on my podcast in June (http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/2007/06/tgif-june-8-2007.html). He and I are putting together a contest in which some of you videographers may be interested in participating. He is looking for footage depicting the trip his characters, Frank Stevens and Danny Loughman, take during the story. I suppose you to need to read the book in order to know what states the duo traveled, so I’ll make it easy by providing a link to purchase the book: http://www.jamiebeckett.com/. Read the book and start the cameras rolling. Next month, I’ll have more details about where and how to submit your video.

Without much arm twisting, my dear friend and publisher, Valerie Connelly, has agreed to write a column for each WITS issue. Valerie is the President of Nightengale Press, and I’m sure you will enjoy her wisdom and perspective from the publishing side of the writing industry in her feature Newsworthy Nuggets from Nightengale Press.

Jessica Dockter is the graphic designer for Write On! Creative Writing Services. She does all our logos, formats the layout of this newsletter and creates all the cute designs for each of its features. She works with our clients who need branding ideas and help with layout for many of our writing projects. Jessica is able to make anything—from creating magazine ads to designing Web sites. And, now she has an idea for a fun eBook and she wants help from the WITS community. The eBook will be a guide of seasonal drinks, appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, and snacks. What sort of fun drinks do you make at this time of the year? What is the traditional summer treat your family enjoys? Would you be willing to share your recipe and ideas with us? We will include your bio and a link to your Web site or blog in the eBook as a thank you for your contribution. Then, when the book is finished, all our newsletter subscribers may have the eBook (PDF) to use as a gift to your online visitors. Oh, and you will also be able to say you are a published author!

I hope you enjoy WRITERS IN THE SKY NEWSLETTER and will tell your friends how they may subscribe by going to http://www.yvonneperry.net/Writers-in-the-Sky-Newsletter.html and clicking on the link. Every month, people send me email addresses of friends they think will like reading the newsletter and getting a complimentary eBook on freelance writing. That’s probably how some of you were introduced to the publication. This is a community newsletter for anyone interested in writing, editing, publishing, and publicity and that means you can contribute content to the newsletter. If you have an article, an announcement, a poem, book review or letter to the editor, speak up. Send me an email and let me know what you think.

Write On! Good News

This column celebrates the efforts and accomplishments of the Write On! Creative Writing Services team members.

Taryn Simpson is now a contributor to a startup magazine entitled "Ideas, Goals and Dreams", located in San Francisco, CA. The zine will be distributed nationally after the 3rd issue and after 4th issue will be distributed internationally.

Taryn is also a blogger for HUB and The Writer's Block. Visit her and leave a comment on either site. Hub link: http://hubpages.com/my/profile. The Writer's block link: http://writersgroupblog.wordpress.com/

Taryn was also chosen as "Freelancer of the Week" for Freelancers Union. Her interview appeared online at https://be.freelancersunion.org/blog/ the last week of July. You can read it there or in this newsletter.

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Barbara Milbourn has been busy improving her editing and writing skills. In the last 18 months she has read nineteen books on writing and attended three writing workshops. The last one was an amazing week in Taos, New Mexico with Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing Down the Bones (and nine other books). She is presently taking a Grammatika Course - The Essentials of Proofreading and plans to take more editing courses, especially developmental editing, as soon as she finishes with Grammatika. Her long term goal is to get her MFA in English Literature or Writing.

After reading a book by Suzanne Gilad titled Copyediting & Proofreading for Dummies Barbara interviewed the author for our podcast. You may listen to her show here: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/2007/07/tgif-july-6-2007.html.

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Kate Garvey has written an informative eBook on ways to prevent animal abuse. It is gaining grass-root momentum at veterinary schools in the Midwest. This book is easy to read, based on research and available FREE OF CHARGE. It is ideal for anyone concerned about animal welfare. For more information, please view Kate's blog site http://www.petcarerca.com/.

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TGIF August 17, 2007!

TGI Friday! I have uploaded a new show to my podcast this week!

Dr. Meg Blackburn-Losey joins us today on Writers in the Sky Podcast to discuss her book The Children of Now.

Dr. Meg’s newest book leads readers beyond the already well-known Indigo Children and embarks on an analysis of Star Children, Crystalline Children and others. This is a very new phenomenon, as many of these children have only begun appearing the past decade. The Children of Now aren’t just gifted intellectually; they possess maturity beyond their years and an empathy that helps them recognize the problems in our world.

Click here to listen to Part 1...

In “The Children of Now,” Dr. Meg argues that these children’s insight allows them to see the injustice in society and gives them the skill to begin changing it. In the introduction to her book, she writes, “The Children of Now are a bridge to higher consciousness and, yes, even the future of this planet.”

Dr. Meg asks her readers to look beyond the bounds of their familiar long-held beliefs. “We have been taught that we are comfortable when everyone fits into nice neat boxes and looks and acts like everyone else. Those times are over. The Children of Now are an exciting leap in human evolution.”

Click here to listen to Part 2...

Meg Blackburn Losey, Ph.D., is also the author Pyramids of Light: Awakening to Multi-Dimensional Reality and The Online Messages. She has recently worked as a consultant to Good Morning America, and is the host of The Dr. Meg Show: Conscious Talk for Greater Reality. Dr. Meg is the developer of Movement to Spirit and the Seventh Sense Attunement healing technique. She resides in the mountains of Tennessee. Dr. Meg can be reached through her Website at http://www.spiritlite.com/. To learn more about Dr. Meg please visit her website.

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You may subscribe to Writers in the Sky RSS feed or listen online at your convenience by going to http://feeds.feedburner.com/audioacrobat/ZOhd

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Next Friday I will upload an interview with Dave & Lillian Brummett.

Newsworthy Nuggets from Nightengale Press

Query, self-publish or hire a publisher? That IS the question by Valerie Connelly

So many would-be authors find themselves caught between the age-old process of sending endless query letters, with chapters for consideration only to receive an unending stream of rejection notices, and the option to self-publish or actually hire a publisher. Yes, I said hire a publisher. All in all, the decision of how to publish is yours. It is not easy to determine which option is best for you and your book. The trial is by fire, and the results can range from wonderful to horrific. The reality in publishing is simply this: there is no security, everyone is out for himself, and the middleman reaps the most profit. But, your book may just be the next mega-hit. Or, it may be that you just want to see your work in print. Both possibilities are legitimate. However, you should ask a few questions first. Which option is best for you?

If you believe you can withstand the excruciatingly long time the process of query-send chapters-get rejected requires to get an acceptance of your manuscript from a commercial publisher (the Big Five, one of their imprints or one of the many medium-sized publishers who stay with the commercial model of publishing), if you ever do, then by all means be my guest. But, remember, if you should be accepted, you will turn over all control of your book’s design, content (yes, the publisher can change that, too, without your input) and in the end, your advance, if you get one, is vulnerable to returns and charge-backs. Your royalties are less than 10% of net, and you may see them once a year, if there are any left after costs, including printing AND marketing.

If you believe you can go it alone and set up your own publishing business to produce and sell your own books by self-publishing, then I do believe you should do so. Remember, though, you will have all the responsibilities of layout and design, cover design, buying ISBNs, getting an editor and a proofreader, finding a printer, finding distributors, setting up your website, all PR and marketing, and all the expense. And, and you won’t have to relinquish most of the profit to the publisher; you will reap all the profit. It will take longer to sell enough books to pay for your investment, if you ever do, but you won’t lose fifty-five percent right off the top to the wholesaler and more to the distributor. You’ll have all the control of the design, though you would be well-advised to learn about this or hire a designer. If you are computer phobic, have no graphic design experience, prefer to write rather than sell, and/or don’t have a clue who your audience will be, then forget about this option. But, whatever you do, avoid going to a firm that tells you they can help you self-publish. No one can help you self-publish but you, yourself and you.

If, on the other hand, you want to hire a publisher ― and that is really what it is when you pay a startup fee to get your book into print ― then, by all means, research the fine print costs as you would if you were hiring a mechanic, or buying a house, or signing up for a cell phone plan. The details are what matter the most.

What will you get for your fee? What costs are additional? Does the publisher have an all-inclusive option? Will you have a workable website? Will you have a listing in the bookstore on the publisher’s site? Will your book be listed with BooksInPrint and be available on all the online bookstores and available for order in the bricks and mortar bookstores, or will you have to engage in this effort yourself? Will you receive any marketing advice or support? How often are royalties paid, and what are the royalty terms in detail? When will the rights revert to you? What rights do you share with the publisher? Is the contract exclusive or non-exclusive? What happens if the publisher goes out of business? Who owns the copyright and who owns the ISBN? (Typically, you own the copyright and the publisher owns the ISBN ― a requirement for the legitimate registration of the title in the complex accounting system that drives the trade.) How long is the contract in force? And many more.

The main complaint I hear from authors who publish with the so-called self-publishing author-mills is this: the book is useless to them in the marketplace because they do not own the ISBN, it is poorly designed, poorly made and no bookstore will touch it. These authors often gave up trying to get the corrections made on the proofs ― the stall tactics of some of these firms are infuriating ― and the correction process can cost oodles of money to accomplish: sometimes $15 per correction. Yes, that is fifteen dollars per correction. Run like the wind if you see that in the fine print. These authors should have made sure that they had input on the book’s design, and learned what recourse they have if dissatisfied.

Still, the best feeling in the world for a writer is the heft of his book in his hand, the smell of the paper, the gleam reflecting from the high-gloss cover. They bring him the reality that others can at last read his words. There is nothing else like it ― nothing at all. And it is worth all the trouble it takes to get that sensation, once you have done it.

Ms. Connelly’s years as an advertising copywriter, graphic designer and print shop owner served her well as she founded Nightengale Press in July of 2003. By January of 2007 Nightengale Press has published more than 40 authors, with 57 books among them, and several more coming through the process into print every month. Nightengale Press has evolved into Nightengale Media LLC offering its authors a first class website, bookstore, marketing opportunites and more.
Go to www.globaltalkradio.com/shows/callingallauthors to listen to CALLING ALL AUTHORS live on Tuesdays at 4PM Central or to listen to the archives.
Also, as a member of the National Speaker’s Association, Valerie speaks to writer’s groups and conferences. Go to http://www.wisconsinspeakers.com/speakers/connelly.html for more information.
Valerie Connelly’s mystery-thrillers SACRED NIGHT (2003) and SIDETRACKS (2004), her most recent title CALLING ALL AUTHORS --- HOW TO PUBLISH WITH YOUR EYES WIDE OPEN (2007) and her children’s book ARTHUR, THE CHRISTMAS ELF (2006) are all available at www.nightengalepress.com and all online bookstores. Visit www.arthurthechristmaself.com and www.valerieconnelly.com for more about the author, her books and her career.

August 2007 Network with Us!

Add your announcement or brag about your writing accomplishment. Tell us about your book or business. Share information and ideas or send articles or advertorial for the next issue to writer@yvonneperry.net. Remember, you may post a comment on my blog http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com anytime. Here are some announcements from our readers this month:

Francine Silverman writes a monthly column for The Infinite Writer, covering subjects of interest to authors. http://mysite.verizon.net/resockeb/e-zine/id22.html

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Heal Yourself Talk Radio interviewed Dave and Lillian Brummet about Lillian's book of poetry, Towards Understanding, and their life as writers. Rebecca White was a warm and receptive host and a genuine fan of Lillian's creative poetry. To hear the archive for this radio show visit: http://www.healyourselftalk.com/

Perceptive Marketing Radio interviewed authors Dave & Lillian Brummet about their book Trash Talk and the importance of making an effort to reduce the waste and pollution in our society on an individual level. To learn ways you can reduce waste and save money around your homes and offices listen to the archived show at: http://www.perceptivemarketing.com/

Conscious Discussions Radio is now accepting guest applications for the 1/2 hour talk show; where listeners are inspired by guests that share information on how their work helps make the world a better place. The focus of the show is to inspire listeners to become proactive in their daily lives at home and at work. Conscious Discussions Talk radio is a weekly show that covers a wide range of subjects from environment, green & conscious living techniques, to literacy, book promotion, writing & more. Upcoming scheduling at a glance through my blogs at: http://blog.myspace.com/canadianauthor and http://blogtalkradio.com/blog_detail.aspx?userid=4560

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Ever since her husband passed away three years ago, Linda Della Donna has been trying to move on and make the best of her life without her beloved mate. Her heart is set on helping other women who are grieving the loss of a husband. Daily she posts to her blog a story about someone who has lost a loved one and then she adds a little mourning joy to your grief case. Visit Linda’s blog http://griefcase.blogspot.com/ and leave her a comment about what you find there.
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Thomas Anthony Longo wanted to let everyone know that his short story, Courtesy Call, was published July 15th in Black Petals Horror and Science Fiction Magazine. He writes:

While I have sold six stories thus far, and two of my stories have been published in the online magazine Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, this publication in Black Petals will represent the first time my work has appeared in a print publication. Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal is accessible online at: http://www.asouthernjournal.com/. My stories can be found in their archives. Black Petals’ online web presence for their current issue can be found at: http://www.blackpetals.net/id3.html. I hope that all of you will consider supporting Black Petals by buying this issue, and the next two as well, each of which will have a story I have written in it. Thank you for your support and encouragement over the years as I have striven to become a better writer. You might also want to keep an eye out for my detective story, Anonymous Hours, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Hardboiled Quarterly by Gryphon Books.

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The National Best Books 2007 Awards, specifically designed to garner SIZZLING MEDIA COVERAGE & BOOK SALES for the winners & finalists is now accepting entries for all books with an ISBN and published in 2007 (galley copies welcome). Late 2006 (June-December) titles are also eligible. See http://www.usabooknews.com/bestbooksawards2007.html

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The Freelancer's Union selected Taryn Simpson as "Freelancer of the Week.” Please congratulate her by leaving a comment on her blog: http://www.simpson-epublishing.blogspot.com/

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Jessica Dockter is collecting recipes for her eBook which will be a guide of seasonal drinks, appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, and snacks. Send your recipe to leedesign@leedesign.org with your bio. Include your bio and a link to your Web site or blog.

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The winner of Mary E. Martin’s July contest is Nancy Kashdin of Elmira New York. She wins an autographed copy of Conduct in Question and Final Paradox.

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Screenwriters, actors, directors, producers and amateur videographers are encouraged to shoot a short film based on a single scene from the Jamie Beckett novel, "Burritos and Gasoline." Pick any chapter you like, then hone in on the characters, location and plot point you’d most like to create for posterity on film.

Submissions will be accepted September 1, 2007 through March 21, 2008. Prizes of $1000 for the first place winner, $500 for second and $250 for the filmmaker whose efforts come in third. An entry fee of only $25 will get you an autographed copy of "Burritos and Gasoline," a list of the rules and an official entry form. For more information, please contact Jamie Beckett.

The Writing Life: Giving Aid to the Grammatically Challenged

By JJ Murphy

What doesn’t belong on this sign?

If you said the apostrophe, you’re right.

I’m not being critical or judgmental. People who have trouble with grammar and spelling are among my clients. It’s my job to find and correct these mistakes before they go public.

I wish these sign makers were my clients.

There is one other thing about this sign that concerns me. It’s the choice of words.

In all fairness, the sign had to be made and posted quickly, after a woman reported that she was walking her dog in a local state park and was confronted by a coyote.

For any government agency to get something done in a matter of days is nothing short of a miracle. Finding the right words takes time.

My concern here is that the words may create a sense of fear – or even be interpreted as a dare. The point is to encourage hikers to refrain from using this part of the trail until the situation is resolved.

I know that responsible people are trying to come up with a way to keep hikers and their small pets safe, while letting the coyotes finish raising their pups, so they can move on. I have tremendous respect for Ranger Tim Sullivan.

What do I wish the sign had said?

I came up with “Hikers Be Advised: Coyotes Denning,” and “Coyote den near trail. No hiking until further notice.”

I’m not sure those words would elicit the desired response. Like I said, finding the right words takes time.

I don’t want anyone reading this to feel belittled or embarrassed. But I do hope someone removes the apostrophe. I also hope that someone finds the right words to help wildlife and hikers to co-exist. Then I hope they make the sign, so it’s ready for the next time it’s needed.

The Children of Now

Dr. Meg Blackburn-Losey will be Yvonne Perry’s guest on Writers in the Sky Podcast August 17, 2007! She will be discussing her book The Children of Now.

Dr. Meg’s newest book leads readers beyond the already well-known Indigo Children and embarks on an analysis of Star Children, Crystalline Children and others. This is a very new phenomenon, as many of these children have only begun appearing the past decade. The Children of Now aren’t just gifted intellectually; they possess maturity beyond their years and an empathy that helps them recognize the problems in our world.

In “The Children of Now,” Dr. Meg argues that these children’s insight allows them to see the injustice in society and gives them the skill to begin changing it. In the introduction to her book, she writes, “The Children of Now are a bridge to higher consciousness and, yes, even the future of this planet.”

Dr. Meg asks her readers to look beyond the bounds of their familiar long-held beliefs. “We have been taught that we are comfortable when everyone fits into nice neat boxes and looks and acts like everyone else. Those times are over. The Children of Now are an exciting leap in human evolution.”

Meg Blackburn Losey, Ph.D., is also the author Pyramids of Light: Awakening to Multi-Dimensional Reality and The Online Messages. She has recently worked as a consultant to Good Morning America, and is the host of The Dr. Meg Show: Conscious Talk for Greater Reality. Dr. Meg is the developer of Movement to Spirit and the Seventh Sense Attunement healing technique. She resides in the mountains of Tennessee. Dr. Meg can be reached through her Website at http://www.spiritlite.com/. For more information about Meg please visit her website.

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You may subscribe to Writers in the Sky RSS feed or listen online at your convenience by going to http://feeds.feedburner.com/audioacrobat/ZOhd

Each show has multiple parts which last about 15-20 minutes each. The short-length classes are a great way to learn about the craft and business of writing while driving to work or sweating at the gym!

August 2007 Poetry Corner

Blessings Abound

My humble life has been so blessed
In myriad of ways,
I offer up a thankful prayer
For every breath I take.
So many acts of thoughtfulness
And debts I must repay
To friend or foe or family
Or just for kindness sake.

I lift my gaze up to the clouds
And somewhere far beyond,
To all of those who’ve gone before,
Who entered Heaven’s gate,
Who searched for something to believe
But ended all too soon,
And took with them a comfort
That had always been their fate.

Blessings are not hard to find,
They’re scattered all around.
One only needs to look inside
To see where they abound.

Dennis Martin began writing plays and submitting them to the local playwright’s festival when he turned 40 years old. He has written 13 plays –several of which have been presented as staged readings in the Baltimore Playwright’s Festival. Dennis has written over 800 poems and self-published a book of poems titled “Love and Passions” available at www.iuniverse.com and major online bookstores as well as 6 other poetry collections and 3 novels available at www.lulu.com/dsmartin. Read more about Dennis at http://www.iwritesome.com or blog with him at http://iwritesome.blogspot.com .


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Trust

I will not question your remiss.
You cannot help your folly in
A frenzied, fashioned, frivolous
Profusion of profession.

Within a welt of weariness
Without a weathered wariness
You seethe a certain innocence
That escalates confusion.

How could I doubt?
Why should I shout?
What kind of lout would question?
To taunt or mock
Would cause a shock
But garner no confession.

I will not cry
Or alibi
Or grumble in disgust.
Sometimes the fat
Is rendered to
A simple act of trust.

Dennis Martin began writing plays and submitting them to the local playwright’s festival when he turned 40 years old. He has written 13 plays –several of which have been presented as staged readings in the Baltimore Playwright’s Festival. Dennis has written over 800 poems and self-published a book of poems titled “Love and Passions” available at www.iuniverse.com and major online bookstores as well as 6 other poetry collections and 3 novels available at www.lulu.com/dsmartin. Read more about Dennis at http://www.iwritesome.com or blog with him at http://iwritesome.blogspot.com .


***************
IN

In Contrast There Is Growth
In Belief There Is Faith
In Thought There Is Creation
In Consciousness There is Multiplicity
In Dreams There Is Healing
In Matter There Is Illusion
In Life There Is Continuity
In God There Is Laughter
In Love There Is Energy
In Me There Is All There Is

Hal Manogue
From the 2008 Collection Of Short Sleeves A Book For Friends
http://www.shortsleeves.net/
http://halmanogue.blogspot.com/

**************

Words

Vocabulary on a wheel...
Mumbled words spat out ina spiel,
Yet very rarely are they real.
Understated... over-mused...
Is it comprehension – or compromise?
Better hope they're big enough in size!
So often stated,
That they're under-rated
And so, false meanings are then created.
Try to sound sincere...
Yet holding back words in fear,
From being too often jeered.
So many sums lead to so many substances, Hard to force yourself to take the chances; And all hell breaks loose if ther's wrong glances.
Despite it all the truth is not heard;
Because of the wrong combination of words...
An ironic wheel of confusion is needlessly churned.

This poem is excerpted from the book Towards Understanding by Lillian Brummet (www.myspace.com/canadianauthor). The poem "Words" has duel meanings. It discusses how words can be used to deceive others and shelter ourselves. Yet it also shows how words are received so very differently by each individual and that this can, and does, lead to unnecessary conflicts, hurt feelings or misconstrued meanings. Poets can attest to this last point in that they are often surprised by the readers' interpretation of their work.