Holiday Cheer

So, what are you asking Santa for Christmas? I'm going to first take the high road and say that I wish for peace and happiness ... and I will keep it personal ... I want this for and among my family. We've gone through the typical coaster ride of ups and downs this past year. My daughter had a beautiful wedding celebration. My other daughter became engaged and will marry next spring. My son decided to go back to college for another degree, hopefully something that makes him happy and helps him to find a job. My husband is working ... not a layoff in sight, thank goodness. I decided to self-publish some of my work this past summer. And thus, Whips, Cuffs, and Little Brown Boxes, Cinderella Geek, and Not So Snow White became reality in both print and ebook. We have been happy and healthy for the most part with just a smattering of a few glitchy moments.
What more could I want? Well, how about peace and happiness for the rest of you? That would be nice, but probably too much to hope for ... but I will anyway. I'm that foolish optimist who will always want the best. I do that with my students, no matter how much they protest! Maybe I expect the impossible .. but that's just me. Love me or not :-)

And of course on a more selfish note ... I'm hoping for that "bestseller" or even just a traditional pub to love me and adopt me and my work! Besides being an optimist, I'm also stubbornly focused. Love me or not!

I wish all of you a very merry holiday season! And for those authors reading this ... keep on writing!

Nice Bit of Showcasing and Feedback

Just wanted to give a thank you to all those over at the Murder by 4 blog. I sent in an excerpt from my unpublished mystery novel, Dying to Dream, for submission to the blog's monthly writing critique. The authors have given me feedback and it is much appreciated. Hopefully, my novel finds a home someday with proud publisher parents who will want to adopt it! Again, thanks. Maybe those who drop in here to read this will drop in over there to Murder by 4. It's a great blog with lots of interesting and useful tidbits. Enjoy!

Like Freebies?

If that's a yes ... click on over to Goodreads Giveaway for Whips, Cuffs, and Little Brown Boxes and try your luck to win a free copy :-) Only 2 weeks left. Just sayin' ....

"Some days I hated my life. Turning forty, pre-menopausal migraines, single, gaining ten pounds in six months, not to mention having three, sometimes overbearing mothers, and an editor with no compassion.

On the other hand, I had Kline, sort of, and there was my career, or what was left of it. I had a dog that idolized me, even if no one else did, and a house of my own. Those pluses should sustain me through my crises. So now, I would go home and write.  It's what I do." -- Lilly Millenovanovich, Whips, Cuffs, and Little Brown Boxes 
 

Yikes! I've Been Brandwashed!

Yes. I said brandwashed. According to author Martin Lindstrom, we are brandwashed starting ... get this ... while we are still in the womb! Reading this review on Neuromarketing got me to thinking of how this relates to book buying. Of course, I'd think of that. It's where my mind is most of the time, anyway! So, one of his points about how smells, sights, sounds, all of those sensory bites tend to influence buying habits made sense to me. It reminded me of one of my favorite readings from French Lit ... Proust's Remembrance of Things Past and how your senses trigger memories. It's always worked that way for me. Then, why not influence my buying habits? It could happen. And probably does without me being one tiny bit aware of it. Think about it. "Don't judge a book by its cover." But we do. We look at the prettiest, most awesome cover and think, "Maybe I'll buy this one." Or at least we may pick it up, out of all the hundreds and thousands of other books, to read the blurb on the back, and that's one step closer to purchasing it. Right? Okay ... maybe not for all of you. But what about the brandwashing done with names? Author names that advertise the next bestseller ... Buy that one, the one from the guy who has sold millions of copies of all his other books. What about them? Come on! You have to admit, it's a publisher's wet dream to have that guy or gal in its stable. Don't need much of a publishing campaign to get that ball ... or book rolling!

Lindstrom does take us down the path to where brandwashing is a misleading, smoke-and-mirrors sort of tactic. Like the display props in the store looking like one thing, but really they are something else. Or the idea that spraying the produce is supposed to keep items fresh, yet really does nothing more than keep them wet! But it is advertising, after all. Wise shoppers know what to believe ... right?

So, tell me ... what do you think? What helps you to decide which books to buy? And be honest! Are you brandwashed? Weigh in ...

Whips, Cuffs, and Little Brown Boxes
Kathryn Long's Booknook

Thank You.

Just wanted to say thank you to all 1870 who joined in for a chance to win the Goodreads Giveaway of Not So Snow White. The contest is over and congrats to the winners who will be receiving a free copy of Snow White in the mail in the near future. It is the support of readers who give authors the inspiration and drive to write on!



Kathryn Long
aka K. Sean Jennkrist
Cinderella Geek
                                           

Fiction and Fact ... Let's Weigh In

Okay ... let's define fiction. One source states that fiction is an imaginative creation or a pretense that does not represent actuality but has been invented. Invented, imaginative creation ... how should that work? Well, maybe we could categorize it by genre. After all, fantasy and science fiction stories create worlds and the things in it far beyond our scope of reality. But what about genres like mystery or suspense? Should authors stick to reality-based scenarios and details ... or does it really matter?

I have to say that when I read, my mind opens up to accept just about any possibility. Mystery is indeed my favorite genre, so I'm going to focus on that. So, you have some characters, a setting, events belonging to the plot -- beginning, middle, and end. You're reading along and you come to an event where you think, "Nah uh! No way could that happen!" But it just did, and then more details are layered in to validate this event. But you're still thinking, "That just doesn't happen in real life." Real life? I thought we were talking fiction here. Fiction is imaginary. It doesn't have to happen in real life, unless it's true crime fiction we're talking about. And boy, if you listen to some of those stories given on the six o'clock news ... talk about unreal!

I guess what I'm trying to justify, and maybe it's only a personal preference, fiction doesn't have to be totally realistic. Sure, it should make sense. What happens to the characters should fit with the details of the story. What might seem improbable is quite possible in the world of fiction. It's part of why I escape into those worlds I find when reading and can say how much I enjoy the experience. Certainly, there are different rules for different genres, but it all boils down to one fact. It's fiction, folks. Only fiction where anything could happen.

Of course, this is my take on it. What do you think? Should certain genres stick to reality-based facts, where if it isn't plausible in real life, then leave it out? Weigh in.

Whips, Cuffs, and Little Brown Boxes

A Date to Die For

It's Never Too Soon or Too Young.

How soon or at what age should someone think of taking the big leap and publish a book? Well, times are a changing! Meet Spencer Brokaw. He's twelve AND a published author ( Impenetrable Spy ). Can you imagine? Plus, he maintains a website where he regularly includes author interviews, which is how we got together. I asked and he accepted. So, below is the link to that interview.

Writing and publishing at a young age is what I'd refer to as "dream-inspiring". What self-publishers such as Amazon, Smashwords, and Lulu have done is to make it possible for writers of all ages to display their work in a big way and with an actual product. That's an extrinsic motivator you can't ignore. Before the days of computers and the internet, I recall how elementary teachers would "publish" their students stories, making them into books. Sure, it looked homemade, perhaps with construction paper covers and spiral-binding. But it was something to take home and show to family and friends, thus creating a proud moment for both creator and admirers.

So, I'd say it is a great thing being done, here. Giving young people the opportunity and encouragement to fulfill their dreams. Nothing wrong with that!

Here is the link to my interview, if you're interested. And to all those writers and writers-to-be ... write on!

Interview With Author K. Sean Jennkrist (Kathryn Long)