Snarky Sunday will feature authors saying what they always wanted to say to another person but didn’t, because of better manners.
You have a sticky note on your desk that reads, DUMB IT DOWN. Every other word coming out of your mouth is an f-bomb, “like”, or “you know.” Success!
I am frequently asked what advice I would give a writer who is just starting out. My answer never varies.
The best thing I ever did was join my local chapter of Romance Writers of America. I found my best friends there. I found a community of people who “get it.” Being an author is a solitary job. There’s you and the people in your head making their way to the page. That’s it. And every person in that meeting room with you is in the same situation. They will understand you.
Who else isn’t going to stare at you as if you’ve sprouted a second head when you ask aloud, “How can Araminta kill Rodolfo?”
Not only will other writers not give you weird looks, they’ll answer.
“A couple of cigarette butts soaked in water overnight will create a deadly toxic liquid that will seep through the pores of his skin to do the job.”
“No, ingesting lilies of the valley is so much more feminine than using cigarettes.”
“So using cigarettes would be great red herring.”
Oh, and there is all the industry news, learning craft, career track info and such that comes with being with other writers, too. They will emotionally support you through the ups and downs of this crazy business. Buy you chocolate when you get a rejection. Raise a glass to you when you get a rave review. Because they understand in a way people who aren’t writers will never understand.
I stole this idea from someone else’s blog because I thought it was intriguing. When I was first starting out with this writing thing, many sources suggested examining the contents of a character’s medicine cabinet or refrigerator. This is supposed to help an author gain insight into her character. Why not take it a step further and gain insight to an author by the contents of her purse?
Every month, a guest author will share the contents of her purse. I’m going to kick it off myself.
This is my everyday bag. I wish it were ever so slightly larger than it is. It’s a cross body bag, which is amazingly helpful when I’m grocery shopping.
In the skinny outside pocket on the left, I keep a pen/stylus/flashlight, hand sanitizes, cell phone, and business cards.
In the wider pocket on the right, I keep my author post cards, my Day Job security badge (yes, that’s a smiley face badge clip), my keys, and a flash drive (the heart shaped item).
There are two corresponding pockets in the interior of my bag. In them I keep a couple of small note pads, a packette of tissue, and my mp3 player.
There is also a zipper compartment inside the purse. I keep an assortment of pens, highlighters, pencils, breath strips, lip balm, lip gloss, mp3 charger cord, meds, a small pad of sticky notes and those keyring cards every retailer forces on you.
And lastly, the main body of bag: sunglasses (in black & silver case), lipstick, hairbrush, my Kindle Fire, my regular eyeglasses, and my wallet.
Today is National Disc Jockey Day.
I create my own music mixes for every book I write.
Here is what’s playing for my current WIP:
Anybody see a theme here?
I’ve always had a fondness for paisley.
My grandmother made my Barbie doll a gorgeous Persian pickle jersey dress. (People of my grandmother’s generation referred to paisley as Persian pickle.)
I’ve had two memorable pieces of clothing in paisley–a peanut butter-colored tent dress when I was very young, and a turquoise, fuchsia, and yellow (on white) blouse as an adult. I miss them both.
Although the pattern has its roots in Iran, the name “paisley” comes from a town in Scotland where shawls using these motifs were produced.
Yes, I recently purchased a coloring book with paisley patterns in it.