Books 'N Authors and All That Jazz - 10th year

 Saturday April 28, 2012, I attended Books 'N Authors and All That Jazz, a conference at Weatherford College. It was their 10th Anniversary celebration and they put on a good show. I hung in the authors' wing, chatting with folks about my book - My Zoo World. Plenty of interest and enthusiasm

 My display included pictures of some of the critters cavorting through my chapters. Linda T's cat Benji was a star, as well as son Kevin's pit bull, Rusty. Certainly conversation starters.

 Other Trinity Writer attendees included Ann Summerville (A Graceful Death, High Tide, Storms & Secrets, and her latest The Berton Hotel), Sharon Owen (Thicker Than Water), and Arly Pineo (Cheat the Wind). Not pictured here are Sheryl Nelms (poet) and Kalvin Weaver (Kobra).  We hung out, made new connections, attended some classes (Dave Lieber is always a treat), and discussed the world of publishing in 2012 - ever changing, that's for sure.

The grand finale included some Jazz, thanks to the college jazz combo - very cool. Linda Bagwell, coordinator, also announced winners of various writing contests. Alas, I did not have to leap from my seat.
Nonetheless it was a worthwhile day in the world of writing and publishing....and all that jazzzzzzzzzz!

TWW Marketing Seminar: Chuck Sambuchino

Chuck Sambuchino, author and editor, was the guest speaker at Trinity Writers' Workshop seminar Marketing Your Writing. He's the author of How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack and could provide information from both an author's standpoint and from the editing side.

Deb McNeill and Rosie Povar discussed writing, publishing, and the challenges both present today.

Randy Cook and Alton Bostick - well these two are trouble. You just don't know what they are talking about. Tall tales, that's for sure.

Rich Ochoa, author of Life Rolls Onand One Way Ticket to Anywhere hawked his books. His humor and humanity shine through his memoirs.

Lots of mingling and enthusiasm. Everyone came away with a greater appreciation for the effort needed to write and publish.

One key - Put down the remote, get the butt in a chair, and WRITE!

Tween Austin

Texas night sky - can't be beat. This was in route from Austin to Bedford. I'm not religious, but this does make you drop to your knees.

On the grounds of the Texas State Capitol - Texas Pioneer Woman. She holds a baby in her arms and gazes defiantly. I, personally, would have hopped the first train back east once I heard the crazy wind howl on the prairie. I work in Justin, Texas and at times want to scream from the screeching wind. Buffeting is a severe verb.

The Texas Book Festival hosted some tango dancers. Rather improv. They needed better costumes to add to the ambiance and flavor. Somehow sloppy jeans and an untucked shirt didn't usher Spanish hot flavor.

Nifty courtyard and fresh air. So, there were tents for adults (free literary journals and books), plus very nice children story telling booths. But what about that forgotten sea of teens? I saw a few young girls - no doubt advanced readers who could attend adult sessions and enjoy the humor. But what about the Lost Boys? That is an issue in the world of publication. Harry Potter captured a lot of readers. Now what??

I do hope that someone can capture that tween market. Girls are easier - romance is a freebie. Boys are still on the fence - action/adventure, fantasy, science fiction - what do young men want to read???? If anyone has answers, let's inform the Texas Book Festival for 2011.

Post-Conference: A Week to Reflect

It's been a week since I attended the DFW Writers' Conference in Grapevine, and the challenge to utilize what I learned looms as large as the above shadow. Jodi Thomas, keynote speaker, regaled us with her life story - the twists and turns on her road to become a New York Times bestselling author. Like most author talks I've attended, her message is one of perseverance. To be a writer, you have to sit in your chair and write. And then ...

It's a balancing act. Yes, you have to write, but then your genius isn't immediately discovered. I attended talks on queries, synopsis, and if there'd been a class - tap dancing. You have to grab an agent or editor's attention. The biggest buzz, of course, is social media.

In the olden days, you sent your handwritten manuscript via pony express and hoped for a return letter. Now you enter the tunnel to build a platform - blog, website, facebook, twitter. All promotion, all the time until someone sees your light. It's daunting, time consuming, and hard work.

Writers juggle day jobs, market themselves and their writing, keep abreast of media changes, and attend conferences to mingle with word nerds. Then it's time to hunker down in one's nest and write. Peer out once in a while to absorb nature, sunlight, fresh air, and fill the eyes, ears, and nose with material to splash onto the page. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite and begin the process all over again.

See you at next year's conference -2/26 and 2/27/2011 - American Airlines Conference Center - DFW Writers are expanding the vision and hosting writer dreams.

(pictures once again from Morris Arboretum - my vacation glow only dims slightly)

Stumped

Here's a stump in my father's backyard in PA. It was a huge tree that loomed over us as we played basketball as kids, or provided a hiding place if you hunkered behind it. Once it was chopped down, I wonder how many books were printed from it?

As a writer, you dream of seeing your name in print on the cover of a book. Even better, your book is featured in the window of the local bookstore. Kudo reviews are written. Fans flock to your book signings. Dreams.

To make a dream a reality is hard work. First you actually have to write the book. Then you have to re-write your original drivel. Then you edit, edit, receive critiques, and re-write some more. Then perhaps you peek out from behind a tree and query agents on your book. Basically, you write a letter (the query) that projects a hint of your genius and hope that a professional chooses to then read a page or two of your book...and then ask to read more.

Another outlet is to pitch an agent at a writing conference. I shall be attending the DFW Writer's Conference this coming weekend in Grapevine, TX. I have ten minutes to tap dance, toss flaming batons, and condense my memoir into coherent sentences that project a winning publication. Nope, no vampires, no zombies, no drug abuse, no economic downfall (yet - yikes!), no medical emergencies (thank goodness), and no political rants.

Humor, animals, and me. Is that a winning combination? I hope when she asks, "And what do you write?" that I'm not stumped.

Wish me luck

Joanne