How my story ends—or doesn’t by Carol Wyer

Author Carol Wyer

Recently, I gave an interview on The Good Health Show with Dr David Friedman. It was a relaxed interview discussing the many ways we should try to accept getting older and appreciate who we are rather than battling the signs with face lifts and botox.

It was a far cry from my first interview at a local BBC Radio Station. I had bombarded the BBC with wild claims about my debut novel and in the end had succeeded in procuring an interview on a popular morning show. I had been invited to talk about NaNoWriMo and had prepared copious notes about the subject. Nervously, I waited for the cue to enter the small room in which sat a male presenter. I could hear the show which was being played through the tannoy system as I waited, my hands shaking, in the waiting room. Nerves kicked in early, after all, I was a writer not an after dinner speaker. Eventually, I was hustled into a darkened room where I discovered I couldn’t see my carefully detailed notes. Needless to say I fluffed the interview. I cringe to this day at the ridiculous answers I came up with. It was farcical. Continue reading “How my story ends—or doesn’t by Carol Wyer

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Things are gonna start happening to me now!

As you might have heard, I recently raised the price of my book, UPGRADE, just a tad in my own price-point experiment. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in the results. Let’s just say I didn’t sell as many copies as I had hoped at the new improved price. Honestly, only one Bajillionaire bought a copy. That email address in the upper right hand corner of the picture seems vaguely familiar. I wonder if this rich guy is related to Kat? Anyway, A million bucks isn’t what it used to be—especially after taxes. Continue reading “What Could Possibly Go Wrong?”

The American Robin: Hatched from Evil

Author KSBrooks Looking for a Robin-Free Zone
Author K. S. Brooks in Search of a Robin-Free Zone in the Arctic

Everyone loves robins. They symbolize the first sign of Spring. People delight over their teal colored eggs. And there is always excitement when their young start peeping in the nest.

Not me. I loathe them. Even the scientific name for the American Robin is heinous: Turdus migratorius. Let me translate that for you – it means they crap everywhere.

And everywhere is the key. In 1996 I traveled all the way to Alaska to photograph Grizzly Bears and Orcas (killer whales). After two long days on the water, I docked at the port of Valdez without seeing an Orca. The disappointment was staggering. When I arrived at the bed and breakfast, there was a large bird to the left of the driveway. It was too far away for me to ascertain its species. My heart jumped with the great anticipation of identifying my first sub-arctic land bird. I whipped out my 300 mm lens and clicked off four photos. As I did not want to frighten away this mystery bird, I crept in a couple of feet and shot some more. A few more steps, a few more frames, and before you know it I had rifled off nearly an entire roll of film. Finally, I was close enough to get a good look at this bird: it was a @#^&* robin! I had traveled all the way to the other end of the United States of America to see a robin? After wasting a roll of film on this common bird, I was steamed. And no, I never saw a Grizzly, either. Continue reading “The American Robin: Hatched from Evil”

Writer Branding by Hettie Ashwin

Author Hettie Ashwin
Author Hettie Ashwin

As if there isn’t enough to worry about when one tries to be a writer, now apparently we need to be branded. I thought I had covered all my bases with my web presence, my blogginess, my own domain and my style signature. I webinar-ed on weebs, tweets and wikis just to get myself up to speed, but soon found via an online survey I lacked social networking skills.

I do well on a BBQ with dips, chips and an ice bucket, and can hold my own at a dinner party, but I never dreamed I was a social misfit. I needed a profile fix and quick! My Facebook account was a woeful state, and if I had any hope of pulling my socks up, I needed to network. But all this would be lost, the writing gurus advised, if I didn’t brand myself. An absolutely vital tool for all writers’ nirvana; publishing success. Continue reading “Writer Branding by Hettie Ashwin”