Add a Clickable Signature to Your Blog Comments

When you leave a comment on someone's blog, you can make it super easy for the blogger to follow you back to your blog or website.

Most of us have an ID that links to our blogging profile. Once at our profile page, a visitor needs to search for our blog's link, then take another step to visit our blog.

With a tiny bit of html code, you can turn your signature into a clickable link so any visitor who wants to know more about you (because you left such an intriguing comment on my blog) can follow you directly back to your own blog, and maybe become a follower, and leave comments . . .

Well, that sounds a bit like stalking, but you know what I mean. I think it's a great way to attract new followers to your blog. I encourage you to do it here. And if you see other bloggers leaving a clickable signature at your site, feel free to do the same when you return their visit.

If I type it out for you, I'll have created another clickable link and you still won't know how to do it. Therefore, the easiest way to learn how to write the html code phrase is to:

1. Type the name you want to use for your signature in your new post Compose window.
2. Create a link to your blog from that signature.
3. Switch to the Edit Html window and see what the code looks like.
4. Copy that piece of code into a notebook (or copy and paste into a Word document).
5. Type the complete code phrase (or copy and paste from your Word doc) each time you wish to leave a clickable link signature in a comment.

If this explanation is totally incomprehensible, e-mail me at patriciastoltey at yahoo dot com and put "clickable signature" in the subject line. Give me the name you want to use in your signature line, and the blog or website url you want to use in the link. I'll send you a Word attachment that has the code for your very own clickable signature typed out for you.

Signing off for now,
Patricia Stoltey

My Writing Life by L. Diane Wolfe, Guest Blogger

My guest this week is L. Diane Wolfe, known as “Spunk On A Stick." A member of the National Speakers Association and the American Business Women’s Association, Diane also writes The Circle of Friends YA series which features morally grounded, positive stories that appeal to both teens and concerned parents. Her latest release is Circle of Friends, Book V: Heather.

Ten years associating with a motivation training system and experience as a foster parent gave her an in-depth knowledge of relationships, personality traits, and success principles. Wolfe travels extensively for media interviews and speaking engagements, maintains a dozen websites & blogs, manages an online writer’s group, and contributes to several other sites and newsletters.

It's my pleasure to introduce Diane and her personal story about the adventure of getting published.

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My Writing Life by L. Diane Wolfe

My road to publication had many bumps, most of which were self-induced. It was not a pretty sight! I want to help other writers avoid the pitfalls. Since there are so many wrong paths, let me describe how NOT to do it!

My author aspirations began at age thirteen but I didn’t actively pursue those goals beyond high school. They just sat there, waiting. Then a dream inspired me to begin anew. I wrote constantly and soon possessed four additional story outlines. Once the first book was complete and edited by a professional, I looked around for options. A well-meaning friend directed me to another author, and since I was new and naïve, I choose his suggested path with a subsidy publisher. Oh, the young and foolish!

I went through the process and soon my first novel was available. The book was returnable, so as instructed by my sales rep, I started setting up book signings. Fifty store appearances later, I’d moved over a thousand books. I was in the subsidy publisher’s top 1% and even invited to attend Book Expo. I thought I was doing great!

However, as I began studying the industry, I realized I was on the wrong path. As a subsidy author, I was the equivalent of dirt! Hindsight is always 20-20, isn’t it? Even my publishing rep told me to move on to bigger opportunities. I started querying agents. No luck!

I turned to small publishers next and finally scored. Dancing Lemur Press, LLC was willing to take on the series, even after my earlier efforts nearly sabotaged The Circle of Friends.

The situation was a big learning experience. I advise other writers to study the industry in depth before they set off down the wrong road. There are no short cuts to publishing! We work so hard for our dream. It deserves every chance to succeed!

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Thanks so much for sharing your story, Diane. The way publishing works today, it's no wonder authors are eager to avoid the waiting involved when searching for agents and publishers, then waiting even longer for a hardcover or paperback under contract to be released. Small and medium presses are among the many options worthy of exploration.

Find out more about Diane and her many activities and projects at the Spunk on a Stick website, The Circle of Friends website, and Diane's Spunk on a Stick blog.

For an excellent in-depth discussion of self-publishing and subsidy presses, read Diane's blog post of May 25, 2010.

Do Writing Prompts Give You Brain Freeze?

My guest tomorrow will be L. Diane Wolfe who blogs as Spunk on a Stick. I hope you'll stop by and give her a warm welcome.

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I attended the monthly coffee at the Northern Colorado Writers Studio yesterday morning. As our opening exercise, we took the tiny prompts on our table (about the size of Monopoly pieces) and used them to create a progressive story. We went around the tables twice, about a dozen members, and added a phrase or sentence to keep the tale going. Since we're an eclectic group of writers, the result was fun and interesting.

It's a challenge to write on command when given a verbal or visual prompt. I used to hate doing it and often suffered from brain freeze when a writing instructor used the exercise in a class.

The problem has gone away. No more paralysis.

I give the credit to blogging. If we try to post to our blogs on a regular basis, we need to come up with ideas quickly and turn those ideas into 500 or so words in a short amount of time. I gave myself 20 minutes to write this post, grabbed the idea (which was pretty easy since I was working at the studio at the time), and ran with it.

If you enjoy word prompts, I invite you to give me a sentence in the comments using the word "cactus."

My sentence: My Christmas cactus only blooms at Thanksgiving and Easter, never at Christmas.

My Office is A Disgusting Mess...Again

Six months ago I had my office almost cleaned up. All I needed to do was dust, hang up my bulletin board (the one that's been sitting here for over a year), and stay organized on a day-to-day basis.

I set up file folders for every imaginable need.

There are little boxes for recyclable paper and paper to be shredded.

I cleaned off my desk. It had nothing on it but a telephone, a clock, and a stapler.

I gathered papers, notebooks, printouts, etc. into two boxes to be sorted and filed or discarded as soon as I had time.

(Short break while I laugh at myself. I should have known better.)

I was going to take a picture and post it here, but decided it would be too embarrassing. A few words will tell the tale.

There's dust on and around the printer, there's a dust rag and a bottle of cleaner sitting on the window sill. I'm sure they've been there the whole six months.

The bulletin board is leaning against the wall behind the printer.

The "to be shredded" box is now two boxes.

The "to be recycled" box is half full.

The desk is piled high with new stuff--papers to be filed, supplies I never put away, more fodder to be recycled or shredded.

If I gather up that clutter and move it into a box to be sorted later, I'll have three boxes to work on instead of two.

I apparently feel most comfortable writing in a room with papers all over the furniture and floor, dusty printers, and only a tiny cleared workspace on the left side of my computer table.

Hi there. My name is Patricia, and I'm a slob.

What about you? Whatever your favorite pastime(s), where do you work? Is your workspace neat or messy?

Bits and Pieces

What I'm Reading

I'm almost finished with the YA novel Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender. It's a good one, a combination of teen angst, a paranormal mystery including a spirit possession, and an interesting study in family dynamics.

I haven't decided what book to read next, but I have two checked out of the library so should probably see what they're like first. Michele Malkin's non-fiction book about the Obama administration, The Culture of Corruption, is one. The other is fiction: The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. I read a lot of political commentary from all points of view, but I'm a little drained by all the articles I've had to read as I prepare to vote in the Colorado primary, so I might read the novel first. It won a Hugo Award. It ought to be good.


The Reunion Bio

I finished the thing and sent it. Since I could not get my guy to write his own bio (mostly because he knew I'd cave and do it for him), I combined our stories and did it all on one page. I was never so happy to get a chore off my To Do List.


More Help on Smashwords and Kindle

Blogger friend Marian Allen has a Part 1 Publishing on Kindle and Smashwords at her blog today. This is information I need, so I was glad to see her discussing her own experience with the process.


Working on Revisions and Dealing with Backstory and Changes in Point of View

The novel I'm working on, Wishing Caswell Dead, was written with the main character (a young girl named Jo Mae Proud) in first person and other characters in third person. Each third person chapter includes a lot of backstory. Although I love my characters and definitely want their story told, I am not comfortable with the method I chose.

Changing the whole novel to Jo Mae's point of view in third person seems the best of all the alternatives I considered. I tested a rewrite of the first two pages on my critique group this week, and the feedback I have so far tells me I'm on the right track.

But there are challenges. The backstory of the other characters may get lost if I can't find a way to have the character talk directly to Jo Mae about their lives, or at least have Jo Mae overhear conversations. This technique will work with some characters, but not with others. I have a feeling I'm going to cut a lot of secondary character backstory while I'm adding more detail and depth to Jo Mae's story.

Perhaps those stories I delete from this manuscript will be useful someday. I could create blog posts written by the characters, which would be great for a blog book tour.

This isn't the first time I've rewritten this novel. The first draft was too full of flashbacks and because of the multiple point of view, events didn't happen chronologically. To remedy that situation, I printed out the novel and spread it out across the floor, cutting and pasting to get the order right. Then I went back to the computer and "fixed" it.

The second and third rewrites were less drastic. I tried to make it feel more like a mystery by moving one of the ending chapters to the front, so the first chapter read more like a prologue. Now I've changed that back again so I can introduce Jo Mae in the first chapter and let her tell her story all the way through.

Do you have a manuscript you've been fiddling with for two or more years? How drastic have the changes been in your rewrites? Do you sometimes feel as though you're writing the neverending story?

When You Can't Think of Anything to Blog About...Make a List

Five things I plan to do today:

1. Mail one of the large print books I bought at the library's used book sale to my mom. I plan to add a little plastic bag full of lavender blooms, stems and leaves from my three hardy plants.

2. Stop by the Farmer's Market to shop a bit, then go to Starbucks for a latte (and maybe a pumpkin scone if they have any). I'll be able to sit outside on their patio and watch the folks enjoying the Farmer's Market because they're in the same shopping plaza.

3. Pre-schedule a couple of blog posts for next week. My guest blogger on Thursday will be L. Diane Wolfe who blogs at Spunk on a Stick.

4. Knock three items off my To-Do List. One will be the bios for my husband and myself for that 50th high school class reunion. Why is that so hard?

5. Work on manuscript revisions.

It has been really hot here this week, so I pulled out a picture from last fall's Northern Colorado Writers Retreat to remind myself that cooler weather is just around the corner. Take a look at this one:


I feel cooler already.

A Few Blogging Friends from Northern Colorado Writers

Today I'm going to feature links to a few of our Northern Colorado Writers who have blogs. I picked the three most recent posts from my blogroll plus the official NCW blog:

Amy Kathleen Ryan writes YA (teen) novels and has been featured here before. Her blog is called Amy Kathleen Ryan -- Amy's Blog, and her post yesterday was called Asking Nicely: The Problem of Willpower.

Kay Theodoratus can be found muttering (Kay's words) about books and writing and revisions at Lessons Found in My Reading. Yesterday's post was Series End or Just Shifting Gears? She's getting ready to move to a twice-a-week blogging schedule for a while.

Linda Henk blogs at Linda L. Henk. Yesterday she wrote about the topic she's chosen for the nonfiction critique group she has joined, and using a Process Journal to help her understand what she's learning as she writes.

Kerrie Flanagan, director of Northern Colorado Writers, and four NCW member contributors post five days a week at The Writing Bug. Yesterday's post was Movie Magic: The Apple Box by Trai Cartwright.

There are more interesting writers and bloggers in my NCW blogroll. Some are published authors, some with completed manuscripts searching for agents and publishers. Others write articles or are working on their first book. All in all, a very interesting bunch of people.

But then, most folks (especially writers) are pretty interesting when you get to know them.

My Writing Life by Elizabeth Maxim, Guest Blogger

I first had the pleasure of meeting Elizabeth Maxim at an event sponsored by Northern Colorado Writers. Intrigued by her book on how we can overcome the effects of Electro-Magnetic Field (EMF) exposure, I was pleased when she accepted my invitation to submit a guest post.

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My Writing Life by Elizabeth Maxim

The path to becoming a published author has been long and adventurous, complete with switchbacks and rough terrain. But, like most challenging hikes, it has been filled with beautiful wonders I would never have experienced if I’d quit when the going got tough.

I was three years old when I declared to my parents that I was going to be a writer, and although I later worked in technology and then became a holistic doctor, I never quit working on that original dream. As I grew into my identity as a writer, my focus morphed from short stories to poetry, to novels, and most recently, to nonfiction.

I cherished small victories, such as winning my first writing contest and seeing my name in print in a small, independent publication. As Melchizedek, the king in The Alchemist advised, I paid attention to the omens which seemed to appear whenever I most needed encouragement.

I learned to ignore the negative.

When I was a freshman in college, I told my advisor that I was studying technology but I wanted to be a writer. He replied, “Yeah, and my son wants to be in a rock and roll band. I told him to get a real job first.”

I wrinkled my brow at his insensitive response and realized that such encounters actually strengthen our resolve. Far from being a deterrent, his remark motivated me to succeed as a writer. Over the years, anytime that conversation came to mind, I would reflect instead on what my Writ/Lit teacher wrote in my yearbook: “Waiting to read your first book.”

Well, I am about to see that book become available to the public, and I would like to provide a few suggestions to those who are making their own way down the path to published author.

Surround yourself with people who will support your dream, not try to step on it. Choose your cheerleading squad carefully and know that they don’t necessarily have to be other writers, just positive and supportive. You want people who will cheer you on and encourage you, not just through the good days but also through the dark and scary ones when you feel lost.

Join a writer’s group. These people are often traveling the same road and can provide wonderful support and encouragement along the way. Don’t just join the first one you find. You want to make sure the group you become a part of is a good fit. My experience has been that the more diversity in the group, the better. It can get boring if everyone is working on the same kind of project.

I would also suggest getting a business card with your name and the words Writer or Author. It will help you get used to your identity as a writer and will give you a sense of pride whenever you hand it out.

And remember. You’re a writer, not when you’re published, but from the moment you put your thoughts down.

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Thank you again, Elizabeth, for joining us today.

Riding the Waves will be available soon on ebook and in paperback, so watch Elizabeth's website for release date announcements.

To learn a little more about Elizabeth's work and her book, read her post on Diagnosing, Treating, and Living With EMF Sensitivity and What is EMF Sensitivity? Information on her background and education is available at her website.

A Twitter Milestone

As I typed this yesterday, I had 992 followers on Twitter. I don't know why I'm a little excited at getting so close to 1,000. Does it really matter? Does anyone care? Why do I care?

* Name Patricia Stoltey
* Location Northern Colorado
* Web http://patriciast...
* Bio: Author, Blogger, Book Lover

1,229 Following 992 Followers 78 Listed

Well, I'll tell you. It's fun. I've made a few real friends among those followers, shared information and fun links, laughed out loud at how clever some people can be in 100 characters or less.

The folks I follow have pointed the way to new blogs and books to read, movie reviews, and helpful hints on everything from healthy eating to recycling to good writing.

If you're careful about the amount of time you spend at this addictive social media venue, you'll have a great opportunity to make contacts all over the world. It's like having 1,000 pen pals.

Other than just having fun, Twitter is a writer's paradise for networking with other writers and readers and non-readers who might want to buy your book for Aunt Mabel for Christmas because Aunt Mabel reads ten books a week.

I think it would be pretty cool to go over 1,000 followers today, so if you haven't followed me yet, here's where you go: http://twitter.com/PStoltey

Bits and Pieces

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Writer of the Year

I'm happy to announce our new WOY is Colorado author Pam Nowak, author of two western historical romances, Choices and Chances.

Pam is also the head honcho for this year's Colorado Gold Conference, so she's one busy lady.


What I'm Reading

I just finished Lee Child's Gone Tomorrow and have cracked open a YA novel recommended by writer and blogger friend Kay Theodoratus, Bad Girls don't die by Katie Alender.


What I'm Working On

I printed out the most recent draft of Wishing Caswell Dead after moving that prologue-like first chapter back to the end of the book where it belongs. I renumbered the chapters and did a tiny bit of reformatting first, so I have a reasonably clean draft to work on.

Revising a novel is not an event, it's a process. I've already been through this novel a dozen times, and this will be #6 in my files as a complete new draft. I do some work from the file, reading the mauscript on my screen. Other drafts are worked from the printed copy, which allows me to cut and paste without losing track of where I am. I like the option of spreading pages out on the floor, inserting handwritten pages here and there with added scenes, or writing notes to myself in the margins. Eventually I'll take all those notes and pages back to the computer and make my changes to the saved draft. The next pass is done online, and then I read the whole thing again, this time reading aloud.

This is the first time I've been excited about either of my works in progress for months.


Guest Bloggers

I now have a guest blogger every Thursday. I'm aiming for an eclectic mix of writers with books ranging from cozy mysteries to nonfiction self-help to books for kids and Young Adult readers. I'm happy to host those on a blog book tour if this blog is a good fit for your book's audience. I have plenty of openings starting on October 21st. If you're interested in being a guest here, click on my link to "View my complete profile" and use the email contact listed there. I'll give you more information at that time.

My guest this Thursday is Elizabeth Maxim, author of the soon-to-be available Riding the Waves, a book about the effects of electromagnetic field sensitivity and its effect on our bodies and our lives. If you spend a lot of time in rooms with computers, radios, televisions, etc., you might want to learn more about this topic.


Jury Duty

Did I mention I am now the proud owner of a summons for jury duty? I start calling in on August 17th to see if I need to report on the 18th. I haven't actually had to serve on a case since I lived in Indiana, sometime before 1985. I've had jury duty notices since then, but either the cases were settled out of court or one of the lawyers didn't like my answers to the voir dire and let me go.

I think I would make an excellent juror, but it appears the lawyers often don't feel that way. First, I was a witness in a federal case back in the late 80s and had to testify in both civil and criminal cases. Maybe attorneys think it's better for the accused and for the lawyers if the jurors don't have that much experience with the system.

Second, I write mysteries about murder. Even though I don't write police procedurals, I read a lot of them, and I also read non-fiction resources on topics of interest using such books as Lee Lofland's Police Procedure & Investigation as well as Murder and Mayhem by D. P. Lyle, M.D. I suspect the attorneys assume I have a skewed idea of how things work in real life.

Worst of all, I read the newspaper every morning, focusing on local and area news. Whatever case is being tried, I most likely will have read all about it. It's pretty hard not to have at least a vague feeling about a defendant's guilt or innocence.

So stay tuned. If I get even as far as the questioning process, it will be interesting to hear those questions and see if I'm dismissed from the jury pool.

Wishing Caswell Dead...Again

I wrote a historical novel tentatively titled Wishing Caswell Dead. The last draft (which I once considered the final draft) has been sitting in my office for a long time. I've even pitched it a couple of times, but I've never submitted a synopsis or a partial.

Sometimes it's puzzling why we don't submit our work. Is it just procrastination? Sometimes.

Are we afraid of rejection? Possibly.

Or do we instinctively know the manuscript is not ready? Maybe so.

It has been several months since I've looked at the story. I finally opened the document file this weekend and read the first page. Then I read the first page of the second chapter. And I saw it. I saw what's wrong.

I took a deep breath and when I let it out, it felt like a sigh of relief.

I'm revising Wishing Caswell Dead one more time. And it's going to be a much better book.

Sometimes we finish a manuscript and we're certain it's ready for submission. If there's doubt, however, it won't kill us to let the manuscript rest for weeks, or even months, while we work on other projects. When we come back to that manuscript with renewed interest and enthusiasm, we're likely to see our stories in a new way. We imagine new scenes. Opportunities to add description or dialogue appear before our eyes. We even see typos we didn't spot before.

After we let the manuscript rest, we can read it as though we're critiquing another writer's work. It's like reading our own work with a stranger's eyes.

Of course, my poor critique group is now going to suffer through another rewrite of Wishing Caswell Dead. I hope they don't mind too much.

CSU Annual Flower Trial Garden 2010 Part III

This is a mishmash of photos, some for design and some for texture. For more information about the Annual Flower Trial Garden at Colorado State University, visit the official website. For now, I want to show you shapes:


And intricate designs:


Design with more color:



A shape and color combination that draws the eye:


Arranging the garden in pots for flexibility:


Using interesting textures like this fluffy stuff next to spiky grasses:


Then there's this aggressive guy from yesterday who insisted on showing you that his fluff was fluffier than the green fluff above:


Isn't that red amazing?

That's all. Tomorrow I hope to be back on topic: writing, writers, books, procrastination, and chocolate, not necessarily in that order. Have a great day!

CSU Annual Flower Trial Garden 2010 Part II

The website for the Annual Flower Trial Garden at Colorado State University has a lot of information about the flowers, the trials, and a nice slide show of photos, including an aerial shot that will identify where the landmarks in my pictures are located.

For our own private tour, we're going for color today, so let's get started. There are plants in pots at the north end of the gardens:


There are shades of red and pink:


And a bit of purple and lavender:


Did I tell you I was partial to red?


I mean, I like red a lot:


But I like the blues and purples as well:


The photos in Part III will be more about shape and texture and design. Hope to see you here tomorrow.

CSU Annual Flower Trial Garden 2010 Part I

I'm not writing about writing again today. This is getting to be a habit, I know, but there are so many things to do and places to go and people to meet, that I'm having trouble staying focused on my writing life. The truth? I don't even feel the least bit guilty.

Last week, just before my son came to visit, my camera and I visited the Trial Gardens at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Today, tomorrow, and Sunday, you'll be touring the gardens with me, first for the overall view from all directions, then to look at colors, and finally to enjoy the variety of textures and shapes. So here we go, looking across the gardens toward the southwest:


And another view toward the northwest with the gazebo in the foreground:


And this one aimed a bit more toward the north:



On a beautiful day like this one, there will be those who stroll through the gardens, or sit under a tree with a picnic lunch, or just perch on the wall near the gazebo and enjoy the view. Like these two folks:


And just to lure you back for tomorrow's show of color, here's another view of one of the flower beds:


Hope to see you back tomorrow for Part II. We'll get so close, you might even be able to smell the begonias.

My Writing Life by Bodie Parkhurst, Guest Blogger

My special guest today is Bodie Parkhurst, author and illustrator. Included in her works are two novels and five picture books, including the painted memoir she describes in today's post. She designs books for various small presses and formed Magic Dog Press to self-publish her books.

Fairly new to the blogging world, Bodie has created the Magic Dog Press blog (Speak! Good Dog!) to help spread the news about her publications. On July 8th she asked Are You Ready to Self-Publish?

Now I'll step aside and let Bodie tell you a story.



My Writing Life by Bodie Parkhurst

I started a journal in sixth grade. My sister came into my room one day and saw me at it. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Writing," I said.

"What are you writing in it?"

"Oh, just what happens in my life and how I feel about it," I replied.

"Mom's not going to like that," she observed.

She had a point. I abandoned the journal in favor of humorous essays, making jokes about the painful things in my life.

Emboldened, I decided to try to write a novel. All went well--for about ten pages. And then the rot set in. My characters annoyed me. They were stupid, vain, lazy, short-sighted, selfish, superstitious. On page eleven I killed them all. Throughout college and graduate school, I tried over and over. I once got to page thirteen before the massacre. That was my record. Though I took naturally to expository writing and typed enormous papers and a Master's thesis, creative writing projects of any scope greater than short humorous essays were beyond me.

I tried poetry. I gave it up. My poems hurt too much to read. The pain in them shamed me. I wrote articles for newspapers, magazines, and journals. But I gave up creative writing, and I definitely gave up the idea of writing a novel. I thought of all the words and scenes that might go into it, none of which my family, and in particular my parents, would like, and I froze.

Probably I would have remained frozen had I not discovered that a great deal of the family history I had grown up believing was false. The reality I had always taken for granted wasn't real. I felt like I was lost in a snowstorm, and there was no way home. I forgot my grandfather's face. My counselor prescribed a journal, to help me sort out what I remembered from what I had been told.

I sat down at my borrowed computer and started writing. My sister's words came back to haunt me. I looked at what I was writing and realized that my sister was right again; my mother would really not like this. Neither would most of the rest of my family. But by then I had reached a point where I knew had to either be honest about myself, or die. And so I knowingly wrote the words my mother would hate--I wrote the truth about my life.

Writing my life did more than just quite likely save it. It showed me how to follow a story, to see cause and effect, to understand that beneath the day-to-day lies a larger story. When I began writing my life I began drawing it, too. I wound up with a series of paintings paralleling the story I told in my journal.

Making the choice to write the words that would sever most of my family relationships, to follow my own story into the dark, dangerous, and forbidden places, to paint the word and pigment images that hid there, showed me that I could make that journey and survive. Changed, yes, but better. And making pictures.

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I want to thank Bodie for being here today. Keeping a journal or writing a memoir are healthy techniques to free us from childhood traumas, or adult traumas for that matter. They also help center our minds and set us on the path to enhanced creativity. Most writers and artists are aware of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. I also recommend Thinking About Memoir by Abigail Thomas.

Bodie's books are also available at amazon. com. Look for Secret History, Patrick Saves the Troll (for ages 4-8), Good on Paper, and more.

Funny Stuff

You know I'm still entertaining company, right? But tomorrow we're back on track with guest blogger Bodie Parkhurst, so don't forget to stop by.

Now to entertain you with the funniest stuff I found among my blogger friends last weekend:

Spunk on a Stick's Tips: The Sunday Sillies from L. Diane Wolfe

Honey, I Came Up With a New Way to Kill Somebody by guest blogger Avery Ames at Poe's Deadly Daughters.

The wonderful Parnell Hall has a video clip you don't want to miss. As usual, agent Kristin Nelson picked up the best of the best for her Friday Funnies at Pub Rants: Signing in the Waldenbooks.

That's all folks. See you tomorrow.

Improving Photos a Little at a Time

In June I posted a few photos from our vacation that included the jelly fish tank at Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. These photos were way too dark, but I've been playing with one of them. Here's the old dark photo:


And here's my new slightly improved version:


At least now you can see them in their squiggly, wiggly glory.

Please note that this is not procrastination. It's self-education. I'm learning stuff.

Bits and PIeces and Other Stuff

A Tiny Break

I won't post much tomorrow or Wednesday because my oldest son has come to visit for a couple of days. He's taking a driving trip that began in Northern California, took off east to visit me in Northern Colorado, then will head down to visit my other son and his wife in Arizona before he makes the big loop back north and home. Oldest son is one of the computer geeky-type people who does work I could never hope to understand.

Anyway, I've dumped almost everything off my schedule (except my desperately needed haircut appointment) so I can spend maximum time visiting and entertaining and feeding my kid...my nearly 47-year-old kid. You moms will understand. They're always "kids" to us.


An Award to be Acknowledged

My blogging friend Nancy Sharpe of Realms of Thought was sweet enough to give me the Versatile Blogger award last week. Thanks, Nancy. I'm pleased and honored to be included in your list of worthy bloggers

There are rules and obligations that go with this award, including listing seven things about myself and passing the award on to 15 other bloggers. I fulfilled these tasks for The Versatile Blogger Award so recently, however, that I'm going to brazenly claim my job here is done. If you want to see the seven things, and the list of cool bloggers I chose, you can hop to my post of July 2nd for the rest of the story.


Author Exchange Blog

Linda Faulkner's wonderful Author Exchange Blog is back from hiatus. Linda is a great supporter of authors in all genres. Her blog is a mix of interviews, book reviews, and guest posts. If you'll have a new book to promote this fall, better submit your request soon. Linda's submission guidelines are on her blog.

Those of you who are readers (even if you aren't writers) will find Author Exchange Blog a great place to learn about new books and to get to know some of your favorite authors better.

The Whole Truth

Yesterday I fulfilled my obligations for the Creative Writer Blogger Award. Here are the six "facts" I listed about myself:


1. I played violin with the school orchestra. Senior year I was first violin.

2. When I was a senior, I performed in my first (and last) play -- as Penny in "You Can't Take It With You." I was a victim of terrible stage fright. Although I remembered all of my lines, I couldn't recall one second of the performances after they were over (both nights).

3. My senior year of high school I was President of Student Council and Vice-President of the Senior Class.

4. I only skipped one class in four years of high school--a physical education class--and I got caught.

5. My husband and I were friends in high school, although we did not date. We became reacquainted about the time of our 25th class reunion.

6. I graduated in the bottom half of my class.


I think I did a pretty good job on this list. Every one of the items I listed were true except....drumroll....

#1. The only time I ever even held a violin in my hands was when an ancient instrument was found in a relative's attic.

I did take piano lessons for nine years, but I was never very good. I tried to accompany the school chorus for a couple of meetings but they were singing that real fast "Pick a Little, Talk a Little" song from The Music Man and I couldn't keep up. I didn't exactly get fired...let's just say I gave up the idea to avoid humiliation.

A few guessed that #2 was a lie because it was too elaborate compared to the others. Sad to say, the statement is true. I can give speeches, appear on panels, teach a class, do readings, enjoy a couple of hours of talking to customers at a bookstore signing...and I remember it all. Maybe today, with all this new experience, I could perform in a play. But we're unlikely to find out.

So now I suppose you'd like an explanation of that #6 -- graduating in the bottom half of my class.

The truth is, I attended the lab school for the University of Illinois my four years of high school. I wasn't bad at my studies, I worked hard, and I received very good grades. However, more than half of the members of my class were brilliant. Most of them had taken seventh and eighth grade in one year. Honestly, these kids wiped up the floor with my soul in math and science. I had to focus on English, economics, and history to survive. It's pretty amazing to be surrounded by those kinds of smarts, and I suspect I was a better student because of the competition.

Our class will hold its 50th high school class reunion in September. Fifty. Unreal.

The Creative Writer Blogger Award (for Liars Only)

Before I get to the award, I'd like to mention that Rebecca Thompson at Sonshine Thoughts is giving away many of the gently read advance review copies she brought back from Book Expo America (BEA) in several separate giveaway packages. Her rules aren't too tough, and the books are worth the trouble. The tales are for young folks and teens, so you might be extra interested if you have kids or grandkids. To find out more, check out Rebecca's post BEA Bonanza Giveaway Day 4. There you will find the links to the rest of the information.

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Many thanks to Blogger extraordinaire Holly Jahangiri at It's All a Matter of Perspective who has presented me with the infamous "Creative Writer" Blogger Award, formerly known as Lesa's Bald-Faced Liar Award. While "Creative Writer" may sound a lot better, we know what this award is all about. It's about telling really good tall tales and getting away with it.

Holly claims I look trustworthy, at least judging by my photo, but she'd be very cautious if we were to end up at the same poker table someday. Wise woman, that Holly.

This is one of those wicked blogger awards that comes with rules. These be the rules, mates:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link to them.
2. Add the award to your blog.
3. Tell six outrageous lies about yourself and one truth. (Another variant: Tell six truths and one outrageous lie. YOU get to guess which variant I chose – and which statements are true, as well as which are lies.)
4. Nominate six creative liars–I mean writers–and post links to them.
5. Let your nominees know that they have been nominated.

Here are 6 "things" about me (from my high school years, just for fun). I've written 5 truths and 1 lie . . . or 5 lies and 1 truth. Tell me what you think. I'll give you the answer tomorrow.

Truth or fiction?

1. I played violin with the school orchestra. Senior year I was first violin.

2. When I was a senior, I performed in my first (and last) play -- as Penny in "You Can't Take It With You." I was a victim of terrible stage fright. Although I remembered all of my lines, I couldn't recall one second of the performances after they were over (both nights).

3. My senior year of high school I was President of Student Council and Vice-President of the Senior Class.

4. I only skipped one class in four years of high school--a physical education class--and I got caught.

5. My husband and I were friends in high school, although we did not date. We became reacquainted about the time of our 25th class reunion.

6. I graduated in the bottom half of my class.


Now I get to pass the curse...er, award...on to six more victims...uh, creative writers. I choose the following bloggers because they're creative and they have a great sense of humor (I hope):

Elspeth Antonelli at It's a Mystery
Talli Roland
Cat Woods at Words from the Woods
Hart Johnson at Confessions of a Watery Tart
Cruella Collett at The Giraffability of Digressions
Arlee Bird at tossing it out

Now it's in your hands. You've read my list. Did I tell one lie? Or did I tell five lies? What do you think?

My Writing Life by Cricket McRae, Guest Blogger

Cricket McRae is my first guest blogger from right here in Northern Colorado. Just as her photo suggests, she is one of those warm and friendly people who make the writing life so much fun. Her mystery series is pretty darned good, too. I'm especially looking forward to her booksigning at Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins, Colorado at 1:00 PM on Saturday, July 31st. It's rumored there might be a cheese tasting during Cricket's signing, and Cricket might be bringing homemade sourdough bread. I have the signing on my calendar in red ink.

Welcome to my blog, Cricket. It's a real pleasure having you here.


My Writing Life by Cricket McRae

Thanks for inviting me to guest on your blog today, Patricia!

Many writers start their careers early with short stories, but in my mid-thirties I plunged right into writing a mystery novel. I'd had a vision of being a published mystery writer since I was nineteen, and it was time to get started. Despite a demanding job, I completed a manuscript about a rancher in Montana who had to solve a murder to save a family member he didn't even like.

And then I rewrote it and polished it, and finally, began sending it out to agents. Form rejections ricocheted back to my mailbox with alarming regularity, though on rare occasions brief encouragement shone from a scrawled note at the bottom of the page.

Very rare occasions.

I sent the manuscript to an independent New York editor, who offered to "fix" it for me for 8K. No thanks. I wanted to know how to fix it myself. So I read books on writing, took workshops, went to writing conferences and wrote more. My first book became my learn-how-to-write-a-novel novel. After about a hundred rejections from agents, the Montana rancher manuscript went into a drawer. I never sent it directly to editors because many agents want a clear field of submission once they take you on as a client, and I never thought about self-publishing. I had a vision of my future writing career, and, for good or evil, stuck to it.

For my next project the character of Sophie Mae Reynolds came fully to mind. She was a soap maker. I'd never been a rancher, but I'd left the software industry and started an online business selling handmade toiletries. The writing flowed with ease.

I finished Lye in Wait and sent out more agent queries. The rejections were more personal and encouraging. Then I learned of a new Advanced Fiction Certificate Program at the University of Washington, and I dusted off that first mystery again. Since it wasn't going to be published anyway, why not rip it apart as my class project?

Everything in the book changed, from the gender and background of the protagonist, to the murder and the murderer. I replaced every scene except one. It was a different book, only loosely based on the first one. I sent out more queries.

An agent called me the day after Christmas in 2006: She thought she could sell the revamped Montana mystery. Per standard etiquette, I contacted the six agents with whom I had outstanding queries. Three of them requested the manuscript. I also sent everyone a copy of Lye in Wait. I wanted an agent who would be willing to represent both the gritty mystery and the cozy series.

Sparked by one agent's interest, all three agents offered contracts. I went with the original offer. My new agent never sold the Montana mystery, but she sold Lye in Wait and two more books in the Home Crafting Mystery Series to Midnight Ink within eight weeks. And I never told her that she'd originally rejected Lye in Wait as a book she didn't think was right for her. ; - )

The fourth Home Crafting Mystery, Something Borrowed, Something Bleu, hit book stores last week, and things look good for the series. My hope is to develop a second mystery series, and to write a few standalone novels as well. We'll see. At the least, I'll stubbornly keep at it!

For more information about me or the books, visit my website. I blog regularly at Hearth Cricket about writing, food, gardening and domestic arts.

~Cricket

Thanks for being our guest today, Cricket. I hadn't heard that story about your first Montana rancher mystery. There's a lesson there for all of us. Never give up.

The second and third books in Cricket's Home Crafting series are titled Heaven Preserve Us and Spin a Wicked Web. All are available through your local bookstores or at online booksellers.

Bits and Pieces and Little White Lies

Tomorrow's Guest Blogger is . . .

Ta Da! Mystery author Cricket McRae. If you haven't read any of Cricket's home crafting mysteries, you're in for a treat. Learn about her path to publication, her fun series, and her crafty blog tomorrow, right here. Don't forget...


Why You Want to Be Here on Friday . . .

Because an awesome blogger has "honored" me with another one of those awards for outrageous liars and it comes with rules. I have to give you a bunch of lies with one truth in the list, or a list of truths with one lie in the mix, and then you get to guess which ones are fact or fiction. I was going to do that post today, but I just couldn't think of anything truthful that would sound like a lie...or something like that. Whatever!


Our Library at Northern Colorado Writers

One of the great things about our Northern Colorado Writers studio is its library. I was looking through the books yesterday afternoon and found someone had donated a copy of The Wit and Wisdom of Jane Austen.

After reading the many writerly blogs posts on the gentle art of procrastination when faced with distraction, I had to chuckle at this Jane Austen quote:

"Composition seems to me Impossible, with a head full of Joints of Mutton & doses of rhubarb." --a letter, 1816

There's also a section on men and women. Jane says:

"If there is anything disagreeable going on, men are always sure to get out of it . . ." -- Persuasion

I was going to say, "Some things never change," but I didn't want to offend any of the wonderful men who visit my blog and would never think of avoiding unpleasant tasks.


What's Going on in My Writing Life?

I mailed my registration for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Conference scheduled for September 10-12 in Denver. I declared my standalone suspense novel, Dead Wrong, finished and signed up for an agent pitch session. I'll participate in the book sale and contribute my volunteer services for some activity, hopefully registration (if they'll have me). Between now and the conference, I'll tweak and polish the Dead Wrong manuscript until the last second.

My historical women's fiction manuscript, Wishing Caswell Dead, has been ready for submission for quite a while. I've been suffering from writer's paralysis, so have put nothing in the mail yet. I'm starting to get writer's itch, however. The kind of itch that won't go away until I sit down and write, query, and submit. When the itch replaces the paralysis, action replaces lethargy. It begins with a nagging feeling that I should be doing something else (other than what I'm doing at the time, which is usually writing blog posts or checking e-mail).

Writers sure are weird.


What I'm Reading

I'll finish Barbara Graham's first mystery, Murder by Serpents, this evening. Next up is a Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child, Gone Tomorrow. My guy and I are trying to read these in order and got a little behind. Now we're playing catch up.

What are you reading?

The Petrogyphs of Sego Canyon, Utah

Remember back on June 28 in Travelling Writers; Writing Travellers: Why to Keep a Journal when I mentioned that I had photos to illustrate the post but hadn't had time to scan and edit them?

Well, I finally scanned one. Yep, just one. I didn't want anyone to think I'd suddenly become industrious or efficient.

Here are the petroglyphs in Sego Canyon, just off I-70 near Thompson Springs, Utah.

That's it for today. I'm working my way through my To-Do List. Must keep moving.

Monday Morning Fun from YA Author Amy Kathleen Ryan

I'm enjoying the extra day off for the holiday today, but I wanted to give you a Monday morning chuckle. You may have already seen Amy Kathleen Ryan's clip on a writer's reactions to Amazon Reader Reviews, but you'll still laugh out loud if you watch it again...and again.

Amy is a YA author from right here in Northern Colorado. Her new release is Zen and Xander Undone, available through your local bookstore or from online booksellers.

Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance for the Fourth of July

If you've never heard Red Skelton give his teacher's historical interpretation of The Pledge of Allegiance, you might enjoy this clip. A great entertainer, Red was one of our favorites of early television. I noticed quite a few films of this routine on YouTube, but most were prefaced with partisan remarks. This version, although a little shaky, comes without outside commentary.

Red Skelton In The Pledge Of Allegiance @ Yahoo! Video

Much of Red Skelton's humor is online or available on DVD. My favorite characters were Clem Kadiddlehopper and Freddie the Freeloader. For a written copy of the Pledge and for lots more information about this genius of comedy, visit the official website.

Monthy Book Giveaway by Mystery Writers of America

Mystery Writers of America has a great lineup of books for its July giveaway, so be sure to enter early. All you have to do is go to the MWA website and follow the instructions to sign up. Here's the link:

http://www.mysterywriters.org/?q=Contests-Readers


The July books are:

Dead Sleeping Shaman by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli
Red Hot Lies by Laura Caldwell
Silent Auction by Jane K. Cleland
Red Delicious Death by Sheila Connolly
One Man's Paradise by Douglas Corleone
Mistaken Identity by Diane Fanning
Sizzle by Julie Garwood
The Insider by Reece Hirsch
Ghost a la Mode by Sue Ann Jaffarian
The God of the Hive by Laurie R. Kin
Silencing Sam by Julie Kramer
A Timely Vision by Joyce & Jim Lavene
The Shimmer by David Morrell
Silent Witness by Michael Norman
Motherhood is Murder by Diana Orgain
Strip by Thomas Perry
A Curtain Falls by Stefanie Pintoff
Eye of the Mountain God by Penny Rudolph
Half-Price Homicide by Elaine Viets
Diamond Ruby by Joseph Wallace

Good luck!

More Award Fun -- Two for the Price of One

Cat Woods of Words from the Woods, was kind enough to pass on The Versatile Blogger Award to me this week. Thanks, Cat, you're a dear. I appreciate it so much.

This award comes with rules:

1. Thank those who loved me enough to bestow this gift.
2. Share seven things about myself.
3. Bestow this honor onto 15 newly discovered or followed bloggers–in no particular order–who are fantastic in some way.
4. Drop by and let my fifteen new friends know I love them.

Well, I'm a stickler for the rules, so here are seven things about me:

1. My favorite all-time most loved food is pizza.

2. I have not had a pet for the last 25 years.

3. The last pet I did have was a pug.

4. I spent my first two years of college at the University of Illinois, then went back to school ten years later to earn a degree from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

5. I only have one sibling, a younger brother.

6. The two creepiest places I ever visited were the battlefield at Gettysburg on a foggy morning, and The Little Bighorn battlefield on a sunny, windy day. I think those sites are haunted.

7. I have a wild imagination.

Now it seems I must pass this award on to 15 newly discovered or followed bloggers who are fantastic in some way. Here we go:

Megan DiMaria at A Prisoner of Hope
Stacy Post at A Writer's Point of View
Ellie at Ella's Edge
Steena Holmes at Chocolate Reality
Ginger Simpson at Ginger Simpson's Dishin' It Out
Jan Morrison at Living the Complicated Simple Life
Heather at Heather's Odyssey
Guinevere at This is Not My Day Job
Kiersten White at Kiersten Writes
Jaydee Morgan
Ciss at Journaling My Life Away
Vivian Zabel at Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap
Ann Best at Long Journey Home
Alexandra Crocodile at Friends & Crocodiles
Barbara Scully at From My Kitchen Table

Phew! That was a lot of work. And I still have to contact all these fine bloggers this morning to let them know.

But we're not done yet.

Carol Kilgore at Under the Tiki Hut awarded the You Are My Sunshine: Supportive Commenter Award to me this week. Thanks, Carol, for thinking of me.

This award did not come with a list of rules or requirements, but I do know quite a few fine bloggers who deserve recognition for their wonderful comments. Carol passed the award on to five bloggers, so I will do the same. These are just a few of the bloggers who cheer me up:

Terry Odell at Terry's Place
Yvonne at Welcome to My World of Poetry
Simon Hay at Simon Hay Soul Healer
Margot Kinberg at Confessions of a Mystery Novelist
Clarissa Draper at Listen to the Voices

I hope you'll pay Cat and Carol a visit and that you'll find a few new friends among the other bloggers I've listed above. Happy blog-hopping.

My Writing Life by Jean Henry Mead, Guest Blogger

I'm pleased to introduce my guest blogger for today, Jean Henry Mead. Jean's path to publication began when she was only nine. You can tell from her story that she was committed to her writing goals at an early age, and she has carried through by working hard and taking advantage of a variety of opportunities.


My Writing Life By Jean Henry Mead

I never dreamed of becoming a writer, although I used to rush home from school to write another chapter of my first novel on construction paper to entertain classmates when I was nine. Fortunately, it was never published.

When I was eleven, I visited the library each Saturday to carry home an armload of books, everything from astronomy to zoology. The nonfiction phase of my life carried through to high school where I wrote articles for the school paper. Later, while a divorced mother of four, I served as editor of my college newspaper while working part time for my hometown daily newspaper as a cub reporter and later as editor for a San Diego newspaper. When I remarried four years later, we moved from California to Wyoming, where I worked for the statewide newspaper and was editor of In Wyoming Magazine. I also freelanced for the Denver Post’s Empire Magazine and other publications both domestically and abroad.

I had always specialized in interviews, so I decided to write my first book. Driving the state alone, I interviewed well known people such as attorney Gerry Spence, Governor Herschler, our U.S. senators, country singer Chris LeDoux and other notable residents. That trip will someday become the basis for another mystery novel.

My second nonfiction book was the basis for my first novel, Escape on the Wind, later republished as Escape, a Wyoming Historical Novel. The book that triggered the novel, Casper Country: Wyoming’s Heartland, is a centennial history that nearly did me in. I spent more than two years researching old newspapers on microfilm at the library—98 years’ worth. I also had to collect over 200 pages of photographs to accompany the text. Every edition fortunately sold out and Casper Country became a textbook at Casper College. I had so many notes left over when the book was published that I decided to someday write a novel.

Western Writers of America held a convention in Casper and I joined the organization of some 600 members and was named national publicity director. I then wrote Maverick Writers, interviews with Louis L’Amour, Will Henry, A.B. Guthrie, Jr., Hollywood screenwriters and others. Visiting L’Amour and Guthrie in their homes was the highlight of my career.

I interviewed so many writers, actors, politicians, artists and ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things that a collection of my best interviews was later published as Westerners: Candid and Historic Interviews. I also wrote a Wyoming Trivia book and edited What Our Parents Should Know: Advice from Teens. My daughter’s advanced middle school students in Salt Lake City wrote the book, which included chapters on drugs, coed sleepovers, sports envy, homosexuality and other topics.

I then wrote my first mystery novel, Shirl Lock & Holmes, with 60-year old widows as sassy senior sleuths in a retirement village where their friends and club members are dropping dead alphabetically. My publisher closed its door so I sold the series to another publisher, which became the Logan & Cafferty series, the first book titled, A Village Shattered. I then placed Dana Logan and Sarah Cafferty in a motorhome and had them leave California on vacation. During the trip, Dana learns that her sister, a mystery writer, has died and her husband claims it was suicide. The senior sleuths then set out to prove it was murder. Dana inherited her sister’s mansion so Wyoming becomes their new home, where they encounter a vicious drug ring and more bodies. The book is titled, Diary of Murder. I’m currently working on the third novel in the series, Murder on the Interstate, which takes place in Arizona, in an area where I used to live. I’m incorporating the events currently taking place there.

My 13th book is my fourth book of interviews. Mysterious Writers is a collection of my blog articles featuring Carolyn Hart, Jeffrey Deaver, Louise Penny, John Gilstrap, Elmore Leonard—more than 70 mystery writers in all, with articles about the publishing industry written by each author. Released this month on Kindle, B&N and Sony readers, Mysterious Writers will hopefully appear in print in the near future.

Jean, I really appreciate you being here today and sharing your own path to publication. For those who want to know more about Jean and her books, see these interviews posted at her website. Jean is a contributor to the Make Mine Mystery blog and to Murderous Musings. She is the host of Mysterious Writers which features interviews with some of the best known writers in the mystery genre.