Birthdays: Joseph Conrad (1857), Kate O’Brien (1897), Morgan Llywelyn (1916), David K. Shipler (1942), Grace Andreacchi (1954), Mark Salzman (1959), Stephen Elliott (1971), Zlata Filipovic (1980)

David K. Shipler won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize in Nonfiction for “Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Poisoned Land”

Quote: “The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness.” – Joseph Conrad

“If you do all that work of figuring out exactly how writing is done, then it’s available to you at anytime, and you can build on it. It’s like the difference between shooting one hoop and having it go in by accident and saying later, ‘I shot a basket,’ – and practicing so much you can do it whenever you want.” – Mark Salzman

Tip: When writing a cover letter or proposal, don’t be cutesy or use fancy fonts. This is a business. Treat it as such.

Jumpstart: The book lay on the table, coated in dust, unopened for centuries. She drew near and it quivered, much like her stomach. “I am for you,” whispered in her mind…

Stacey Zervos swore off Greek-American men and their mothers. In search of the Christmas cookies that remind her of home, she stumbles upon a new bakery and finds Steve Kalofonas. He’s exactly what she doesn’t want: good looking and attached to his family. But there’s something about Steve and those cookies Stacey can’t resist. Steve just can’t say what he means. When Stacey walks into his aunt’s bakery, he fumbles. She’s like no one he’s ever met, stunning and witty. Is the instant lust and pull he feels real to her, too? Unable to shake Stacey from his mind, he musters the courage to ask her on a date. Is cultural connection and attraction enough? Will Steve finally learn how to say what he needs?

TWRP

Benny O’Brien owns his reputation—carefree bachelor and successful computer design engineer with one of Atlanta’s premier firms. In keeping with the Christmas spirit, he agrees to teach a middle school coding club as a favor to a coworker. He expects to debug computer statements…not his heart. As the new public relations coordinator at the firm, Claudia Banks spends her days strategizing market segments and her evenings relaxing with her close-knit group of girlfriends…or curling up with a favorite book. When her office crush signs on to her school outreach program, she braces for a lesson in irresistible attraction. The stakes rise when the two come together over the school’s Christmas dance and a mysterious scrapbook. As secrets tug at their hearts, will they choose honesty and go all in for love?

TWRP

Victoria, a rich, shapeshifter wizard, uses her cat form to spy and gather evidence on those intent on breaking the law. Once the DA has her evidence and files charges, she exposes the criminals in a series of newspaper articles. She hates how these people continually evade the law by buying off witnesses or making the evidence disappear. Especially the vile man she’s currently investigating. Dragon, a bodyguard from wizarding security, tackles Victoria out of the way of an attempted hit-and-run. He and her roommate confront her about the threatening notes she’s been receiving. He’d like to take her away to a safe house, but she has other plans. How can he protect her when she refuses to take the danger seriously? Will they manage to work together before it’s too late? Even magic can’t keep her safe…can he?

TWRP

For the month of December, I will be highlighting books from my publisher, The Wild Rose Press. These books focus on cookies and the holidays. Enjoy! You can find all these books at The Wild Rose Press as well as other sellers.

Birthdays: Jonathan Swift (1667), Theodore Mommsen (1817), Mark Twain (1835), Winston Churchill (1847), Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874), John D. Carr (1906), Margot Zemach (1931), Kevin Phillips (1940), David Mamet (1947), David Nicholls (1966), Tayari Jones (1970)

Jonathan Swift is best known for his book “Gulliver’s Travels”

Theodore Mommsen won the 1902 Nobel Prize in Literature as “the greatest living master of the art of historical writing”

Mark Twain is best known for books like “Tom Sawyer” and “Huckleberry Finn” as well as multiple short stories.

Winston Churchill won the 1953 Nobel Prize in Literature for books like “The Gathering Storm”

L.M. Montgomery is best known for her “Anne of Green Gables” series.

Margot Zemach won the 1974 Caldecott Medal for “Duffy and the Devil”

David Mamet won a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony nomination for “Glengarry Glen Ross”

Quote: (Note: there were so many good ones for today, that I’m giving you multiple quotes from today’s authors).

“Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.” – Ray Bradbury

“It’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make senses.” – Mark Twain.

“The proper words in the proper places are the true definition of style.” – Jonathan Swift

“There is no such thing as talent; you just have to work hard enough.” – David Mamet

“I am simply a ‘book drunkard.’ Books have the same irresistible temptation for me that liquor has for its devotee. I cannot withstand them.” ― L.M. Montgomery

“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” – Winston Churchill

Tip: Think about your readers when writing your climax and ending. What would satisfy them? The climax should be intense, but should leave the reader with a feeling of satisfaction.

Jumpstart: The shoes were an impulse buy. Something she never did. But they were the perfect shoes for the perfect dress for the perfect evening. Except…

Birthdays: Amos Bronson Alcott (1799), Louisa May Alcott (1832), C. S. Lewis (1898), Madeleine L’Engle (1918), Sue Miller (1943)

C.S. Lewis is best known for his series “The Chronicles of Narnia” of which “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” is most famous.

Louisa May Alcott is best known for her book “Little Women”

Madeleine L’Engle is best known for her Newbery Medal winning “A Wrinkle in Time”

Quote: You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. – C.S. Lewis

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” – Madeleine L’Engle

Tip: Every writer has his or her own personal tics—mistakes made over and over again. Figure out what yours are and be sure to check for them.

Jumpstart: It’s the end of the world. There isn’t enough time to do all those things you said you wanted to do in life. What do you do? Where do you go? Who do you spend your last day with?

Birthdays: John Bunyan (1628), William Blake (1757), James Allen (1864), Nancy Mitford (1904), Ed Young (1931), Rita Mae Brown (1944), Alan Lightman (1948), Jon Stewart (1962)

John Bunyan is best known for his book “The Pilgrim’s Progress”

Ed Young won three Caldecott Awards for his illustrations.

Quote: “Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.” – Joss Whedon

Tip: Avoid TSTL characters—too stupid to live. These are characters who have no depth and no reason for being in the story except as place holders or they may lack motivation or do the wrong thing just because the writer wants them to.

Jumpstart: She climbed onto the bus, her bag in her hand…(where is she going? Is she excited? Scared? Sad?)

PSA (Public Service Announcement) before I get to today’s birthdays, etc. I read three books this week. The plots were good plots in that they kept my attention, and the characters and settings were decent, but… the editing was atrocious. There were so many editorial mistakes in these books that I continued reading only because I wanted to know the outcome of the stories. I should have just skipped to the ends. There were tense issues (past/present) so mixed up I didn’t know if I was now or then. And continuity errors that had me shaking my head. And these were not ARCs. They were published books. And books that were receiving good reviews. Obviously by people who knew nothing about the technical side of writing. And yes, being an editor for thirty years might make me a little pickier than most, but still… In one story, the two main characters were going up a mountain to a tree farm. She was driving her SUV because she knew the road and his Jeep was too small. After picking up the tree, they were coming down the mountain. He was driving his Jeep. Or another story where “She took the tray and placed it on the table.” Two sentences later: “He took the tray and placed it on the table.” Same tray. Same table. Same scene. Another story – the main character’s name changed twice on the same page. These are just three examples out of many, many more. All three books looked more like first drafts than finished books.

So, as a reader and reviewer, I am begging you – please spend the money and get a competent editor. And by competent, I don’t mean your neighbor who has read a lot of books and maybe teaches English. I mean someone who can look for not only grammar issues, but understands the difference between past and present tense, who will look for continuity issues, who knows the difference between “bring and take” (a pet peeve). Yes, this costs money. But had these authors used a competent editor, I would have recommended their books to others. As it stands, I will not. Nor will I ever buy another book written by them. Fortunately, these were freebies sent to me in hopes of a review. They got the reviews, but I know they will not be happy with them. I hate giving poor reviews, but I will not compromise my standards. Good editing is as important as a good plot. Maybe even more so.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program:

Birthdays: Eugene Ionesco (1909), Frederik Pohl (1919), Charles Schulz (1922), Marilynne Robinson (1943), David Poyer (1949), Jonathan Weiner (1953), Vicki Petterson (1971), James Dashner (1972)

Frederik Pohl is best known for his science fiction novels. He won four Hugo and three Nebula Awards.

Charles Schulz is best known for his “Peanuts” cartoons

Marilynne Robinson won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for “Gilead”

Jonathan Weinger won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction for “The Beak of the Finch”

Quote: “If you grit your teeth and show real determination, you’ll always have a chance.” – Charles Schultz

“A writer never has a vacation. For a writer, life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.” – Eugene Ionesco

Tip: Surprise the reader. If you find yourself bogged down in a scene, figure out something that would not only surprise (and upset) your character, but your reader as well.

Jumpstart: “I really care about you and when you care about someone, you can’t lie…”

Birthdays: Leonard Woolf (1880), Joseph Wood Krutch (1893), Helen H. Santmeyer (1895), Ba Jin (1904), P.D. Eastman (1909), Poul Anderson (1926), William McIlvanney (1936), Shelagh Delaney (1938), Marc Brown (1945), Charlaine Harris (1951), Arturo Perez-Reverte (1951), Cresent Dragonwagon (1952), Mark Frost (1953), Jandy Nelson (1965)

Joseph Krutch won the 1955 National Book Award for Nonfiction for “The Measure of Man”

Poul Anderson won seven Hugo and three Nebula Awards for his science fiction.

Marc Brown is best known for his series “Arthur”

Quote: “Here’s to books, the cheapest vacation you can buy.” – Charlaine Harris

Tip: Do you have special abilities or interests (beyond writing)? Use those in a story. Your expertise will give your characters and setting more depth.

Jumpstart: I sat in the audience, totally amazed… (describe what you’re seeing, hearing, the audience, the auditorium, everything)

To all my American friends, have a happy Thanksgiving.

Birthdays: Laurence Sterne (1713), Carlo Collodi (1826), Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849), Dale Carnegie (1888), William F. Buckley Jr. (1925), Mordicai Gerstein (1935), Spider Robinson (1948), Ruth Sanderson (1951), Arundhati Roy (1961), Marlon James (1970), Thomas Kohnstamm (1975)

Frances H. Burnett is best known for her story “The Secret Garden”

Mordecai Gerstein won the 2004 Caldecott Medal for “The Man Who Walked Between the Towers”

Arundhati Roy is best known for her 1997 book “The God of Small Things”

Spider Robinson has won the Hugo and Nebula awards for his science fiction novels.

Quote: “Librarians are the secret masters of the world. They control information. Don’t ever piss one off.” – Spider Robinson

“I think, for me, there’s The Book I Should Write and The Book I Wanted to Write – and they weren’t the same book. The Book I Should Write should be realistic, since I studied English Lit. It should be cultural. It should reflect where I am today. The Book I Wanted to Write would probably include flying women, magic, and all of that.” – Marlon James

Tip: A good novel has to have conflict, but there are many types of conflict. Some are: betrayal, obsession, envy, revenge, guilt, loss, greed, duty, disgrace, cowardice, hatred. Can you come up with more? Use conflict as a way to motivate your characters. It gives them goals and reasons for what they do.

Jumpstart: We sat down at the empty table, our stomachs grumbling…