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Category: Writer Unleashed

Posts about writing and publishing.

Mountain View Cemetery Stroll

Mountain View Cemetery Stroll

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Carl over at Stainless Steel Droppings has invited readers to post thoughts and images of cemeteries as part of The Graveyard Book readalong. For me, an assignment right up Mausoleum Alley. The following is inspired by the  renowned Victorian landmark, Mountain View Cemetery , and I updated this piece with additional photos. Let us go then, you and I, when ghosts and ghouls patrol the sky… Pause on the threshold of Mountain View Cemetery, but do not distract yourself with the…

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Ghost Lessons: 5 Things the Dead Teach Us About Life

Ghost Lessons: 5 Things the Dead Teach Us About Life

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                5 Things the Dead Teach Us About Life Today I’m so excited to participate in my very first guest post over at Melissa’s Midnight Musings. Melissa made it so easy for me to chat about one of my favorite topics. I hope you’ll join us by clicking here. And while you’re visiting, be sure to sign up for a cool giveaway!  

Interview with a Cover Artist: Part 1

Interview with a Cover Artist: Part 1

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Today, we are happy to welcome cover artist Matt Hinrichs. We have so much to talk about that we’re doing this interview in two parts. So, let’s get started! First things first. Here is the cover Matt designed for my just-released novel Moonlight Dancer. I’ve already received compliments on the cover! Matt, when did you know you wanted to be an artist? As far back as I can remember, I was attracted to imagery (cartoons! Sesame Street!) and loved to…

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The Ghost Within: Writing the Paranormal Wave

The Ghost Within: Writing the Paranormal Wave

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Ghosts. I think about them. A lot. You know that. I read ghost novels, review ghost novels, and this week, I even published one—Moonlight Dancer. Funny thing is, I’ve never seen a ghost. And I don’t even know if I believe in them. So, why this fascination? It comes down to what I term The Ghost Within. I bet you’ve got a little ghost within you, too. My inner ghost is about yearning. About loss. Growing up, I was a…

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Self-publishing Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t Have To) Part 1

Self-publishing Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t Have To) Part 1

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In her memoir, One Writer’s Beginnings, Eudora Welty describes her childhood forays to the local library. The stern librarian, Mrs. Calloway, would look up from her desk, “her dragon eye on the front door” and if sunlight passed through young Welty’s dress, the librarian sent her home. “You could just put on another petticoat if you wanted a book that badly from the public library” (29). Welty did. Thankfully, the librarians in my experience bear no resemblance to Mrs. Calloway….

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What Does It Cost to Self Publish My Book?

What Does It Cost to Self Publish My Book?

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Baby, take a bow. For those of you in the under 40 set, this is an allusion to the Shirley Temple movie Stand Up and Cheer.  As a child, my favorite pastime was to watch and watch again and watch some more Shirley Temple black and white movies.  For me, Shirley Temple embodied optimism, that pick-yourself-up-and-dust-off-your-dotted-swiss-voile-and-shake-out-your-petticoats mentality.  One of my most treasured Christmas presents was a petticoat that Santa brought.  I entered the room filled with anticipation and there it…

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Soapbox Rant: The Hunger Games

Soapbox Rant: The Hunger Games

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Forgive me. I’m going to break rank. Instead of the book review you were expecting, I’m going to talk about a movie. A movie that derived from a book, yes, but it contains not a single sheet-waving, chain-dragging spectral presence. But more than that, I’m going to climb onto a soapbox for a good old-fashioned rant. Creak. There, I’m settled. The movie: The Hunger Games. Who would have guessed that, in this century, in this country, myopic movie viewers would…

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Indie Publishing: Budget Line Items

Indie Publishing: Budget Line Items

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Okay, I’m going back on my word. Sort of. Is it possible to sort of go back on your word? I had promised to give you my budget for this edition of Writer Unleashed. However, in working the budget and presenting it for review to my Numbers Savvy Husband, a few line items jumped out and surprised us. One large expense was the annual web hosting fee. Therefore, we decided to ask our IT/website designer friend to search for a…

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Author Deadlines Are Good for You

Author Deadlines Are Good for You

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Here’s the thing about deadlines. Deadlines are good because they force you to do stuff. I picture myself called to the principal’s office to account for my conduct. Below are the tasks I vowed to accomplish in the last Writer Unleashed post. Egads! Did I really use the word vow in my post? I did. Finish my budget Upload more reviews to Goodreads Attend my beta group meeting Create my author page at Amazon So, I accomplished three out of…

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Self-Publishing: The Journey Begins

Self-Publishing: The Journey Begins

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Yesterday on the freeway, I spied a hay truck speeding along in the opposite direction. For those of you non-conversant with agronomist lore, you should know that when you see a hay wagon, you make a wish. I know this because in her youth my mother was a farmer, and we trace our roots (ha ha) to Scottish potato growers. By the way, the name of my fledgling publishing company is New Potato Press. You like? Marilyn Ross and Sue…

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Should You (Or I) Self-publish? Decision!

Should You (Or I) Self-publish? Decision!

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I have reached a decision in the self-publishing issue we’ve been discussing: Should You (or I) Self Publish Parts One and Two. Drum roll, please. With the encouragement of my husband, I have decided to self publish my novel Moonlight Dancer. Yikes! Many factors informed this outcome including the current turmoil of the traditional publishing industry and the unworkable delays in securing an agent/publisher. I’ve been thinking a lot of the book The Animal Family by the renowned poet Randall…

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Should You (Or I) Self-Publish? Part Two

Should You (Or I) Self-Publish? Part Two

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Welcome back to part two of our self vs. traditional publishing discussion in which we endeavor to toss together disparate musings/factoids and grind out a new truth. Since our last communication, another eminent author has crossed over to the indie side–John Edgar Wideman. (If you’ve never read his novel Sent For You Yesterday, convey yourself post haste to book store or reading device for your very own copy.) In an interview at Goodreads, Wideman points to a blockbuster mindset in…

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Should You (or I) Self-Publish? Part One

Should You (or I) Self-Publish? Part One

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I could always tell when Dad was going to make his four-hour spaghetti. He would haul out a metal contraption and bolt it to Mother’s bread board. Sporting primitive funnel and hand crank, it looked like a medieval torture device for dolls. Into the funnel Dad would drop onion wedges and celery stalks. Out of the bottom would slither glistening, pale green snakes. Right now, that’s how my brain feels–my thoughts, like the onion and celery, twisted and inextricable. The…

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