As an Indie Writer . . .

Just one of my favorite comments to this article, The Big Reasons Indie Authors Aren't Taken Seriously

"Indie writers write because they need to say something without someone breathing down their neck. There is nothing that crushes the written word more than someone looking for the profit.

As for editing, I have an editor because I desperately need one. But that being said, there is something to be said about the unbridled written word. If the story is there and there is passion, then there is art.... There is too much junk out there that is perfectly edited and not worth one second of someone's time.

Give the unnoticed a second look. It might be worth the effort." -Rolli Daniels The Harvest - Return of the Tribes

Read the entire article and comments: "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/30/indie-authors-struggle_n_1242935.html"

"New information about Rowlings' estimated $160 million in charitable giving combined with Britain's high tax rates bumped the 'Harry Potter' scribe from our list this year," stated Forbes.

 

Naturally, none of this likely bothers Rowling, who from the beginning has made giving back a priority for her wealth. 

 

“You have a moral responsibility when you’ve been given far more than you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently," she said in a past interview. 

Read the entire article here.

Great Things this Spring (2012)

Great things are happening this spring; Hunger Games movie (March), Game of Thrones television series (April), and Home a new novel by Toni Morrison (May). I intend to purchase a hardcover of Home, for which a Morrison novel is worthy! I love ebooks but not for Morrison; her books, even the one I never completed and didn't particularly like, do not deserve to arrive as an e-book. A Morrison novel deserves the attention of letters on paper, pages to touch and feel between fingers - lifted and turned (sometimes dog-eared), a hard cover with a spine (A SPINE!!!), and after completion, placed on a bookshelf as a permanent home.

And of course, my personal endeavors: I am working on two novellas - one fantasy, one drama/slice-of-life. The stories won't be completed for spring but it's a great thing that I am working on them in the midst of such a great spring (actually it is still winter, but we never had a winter here - it's been spring all along ;-)!

Chocolate vs. Romantic Love

“Romantic love is pure fantasy. It destroys a woman's common sense; there simply is no place for it within the walls of a rational mind. You're better off eating a plug of chocolate!" Rachel in Small Pleasures: Mya's Story”
― Darnishia Bolden, Small Pleasures: Mya's Story

How To Sound Smart When You Write by Tom Maybrier#

3 edit, edit and edit again . . . that's my thing :-)

Sing a song!

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song." Maya Angelou

Then maybe the answer is in the song . . . or one can be led to the answer after having heard the song; for many songs lead to great inspirations, comfort and answers.

When you feel down and out;
Sing a song, it'll make your day.
Here's a time to shout!
Sing a song, it'll make a way.
Sometimes it's hard to care.
Sing a song, it'll make your day.
A smile so hard to bear.
Sing a song, it'll make a way.
Sing a soooooooonnngg . . .

"Sing a Song" by Earth, Wind and Fire

Things that baffle me . . .

Things that baffle me -- Why post a status update about someone's runover shoes, if you aren't going to buy them a new pair? Why talk about how bad a young mother is, if you're not going to offer suggestions? Why point out how ugly some little girl or little boy or old person is, when you know the inside of your heart and soul are ugly? Why post about the life, sordid or not, someone else is living when you're not "living" at all? Why speak of how wonderful life was "back in the day" when you are not doing anything to make "right now" good? Why expect the media to report positive news when you only reply and react to the negative?

20% off at Lulu.com

20% off at Lulu.com. Use code: Sweet. 

Offer is valid through February 23, 2012.
Small Pleasures: Mya's Story.

Support Indie Authors

I have just purchased Waiting on a Friend, by T.J. Leng and Getting the Important Things Right by Padget Gerler today and will begin reading them soon, all in support of Indie Writers but not just because of that. I read snippets of these novels and was intrigued to read more.

I will also add Butterfly Harvest by Sandra R. Campbell and To Kill a Rose by Kelly Roe to my list of must reads, must haves . . . and others. If you know of any more, please share!

Dominatrix Valentine

Dominatrix Valentine, a photo by ~Darni on Flickr.

Have a happy valentine's day (and every day)!

Kerry Wilkinson's Jessica Daniel detective novels sell more than 250,000 copies on Kindle

"I keep chapters short and snappy because I like that. I try not to flit between characters too much because I don't like that either. As such, in a literary sense, I know it's not perfect - but I wasn't aiming for that. I wanted to create something I would like as a consumer," he said."


Read the entire story.

Rayna's Reign (to be continued)

Mesmerized, the moment he saw her prancing on the porch, pretending to be a pony, Dak fell dangerously in love with Rayna Taylor. She represented luxuries denied him while growing up in rural Georgia. Her long dark mane of hair, secured by a clasp of ruby red stones and ribbons of silk, extended high upon the crown of her head, trailed into a ponytail down her back. Shoeless dancing feet, her toes were painted red too, and upon one toe was a ring with a tiny, costly chip of a diamond within its grasp. She and her life were perfect, and balanced, like the leap from one end of the porch to the other that landed her on one, steady foot. He smiled at her show, which he assumed was performed for him but it was really just her way of being.