Warning! Bubble Bursting About to Commence in 3…2…

As writers, we compulsively visualize ourselves taking the publishing world by storm.  We imagine opening the mailbox and getting that contract.  We see ourselves sitting on a couch across from Craig Ferguson (insert your favorite talk show host’s name here) talking about our latest bestsellers.  We walk into bookstores thinking of the day when our books are prominently displayed front-and-center as fans eagerly snatch our books like it was Black Friday.  There will be long lines for our book signings.  Our names will be prevalent in any given household.  And to solidify the big F.U. to those who didn’t believe in us, Hollywood comes knocking.  We will be the Justin Biebers of the writing world!  What could be better?  How about looking in the mailbox and picking up an advance towards your next book!  Our publisher knows we can hit the jackpot again!

I’m sorry for having to be the one to tell you, but our dreams of the advance are in jeopardy.  When I first started out in writing, I was always told that an author didn’t have to pay back an advance.  Let me tell you friends, not true.  No, it’s in the contract that if you don’t deliver the manuscript or if you’re late, you have to pay that money back.  Oh, and if the publisher is no longer wants your work, yeah, you still have to pay the money back.  How do I know this is true?  Businessweek told me.  The word around the bookshop is that Penguin Publishing Group is suing some authors for the return of small advances plus interest.  Allegedly, the authors named in the lawsuit either never finished manuscripts or didn’t meet the deadline.

Businessweek’s article “Penguin Group Sues Writers Over Book Advances” by Claire Suddath probably describes the situation the best at http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-09-27/penguin-group-sues-writers-over-book-advances#p1.  NPR ran a story about it called, “Publishers Sue Authors Who Didn’t Produce Books” which can be found at http://www.npr.org/2012/10/09/162551944/publisher-sues-authors-who-dont-produce-manuscripts.  The Smoking Gun talks about it on their website in an article called, “Book Publisher Goes To Court To Recoup Hefty Advances From Prominent Writers” at http://www.thesmokinggun.com/buster/penguin-group/book-publisher-sues-over-advances-657390.

I’ve got two questions.  Will publishers start suing us if our books don’t make it on the bestseller list?  Will this cause even more authors to flock to self-publishing thus destroying the publishing industry as we know it?

By the way, that slow hiss you hear is the deflation of your dreams.

What the…? How did I get here?

I know.  My blog looks different.  I gave it a full makeover.  But don’t worry, I’m still talking about the same stuff – writing and historical research – just in a different way.  I’m doing this for you, dear audience.  I’m trying to make your lives easier.

There are a few reasons for this change.  1) During my research on blog topics, I found what you probably found, a ton of writing and history blogs.  I became a little worried that my blog could get lost in the shuffle.  2)  Many writers/researchers have asked me, “Where do I find good information?”, “How do I know it’s a good site?”, and “What is a good resource for my topic?”  Well, I thought that instead of being another writer dishing out advice, why not go through the information for my audience and tell them what’s good and where to find it.  Thus, the new blog was born.  Think of me as your own personal writing adventurer bravely hacking through the wordy vegetation bringing you informational treasures to help showcase your talents.

The page titles are all the same and the topics in each will be similar:

Inquiring Minds Wanna Know:  Who am I?

Crafting the Craft:  Advice on writing techniques and tools.

Word Around the Bookshop:  Breaking news in the publishing industry and books.

Tea Reads:  Reviews of fiction and historical nonfiction books, craft and publishing books.  I focus on how you can learn from these books and use them to benefit your writing.

The Sampler:  My fiction and examples of writing techniques and tools.

Fact-Finding Mission:  Where can you find historical information?

Age of the Techie:  Reviews of good writing websites, apps, podcasts, blogs, etc.

Hold On, I’m Coming:  My upcoming publications.

MSRP Café Menu:  Hire me to do your research.

Please let me know how you like this new format and if you find my blog helpful.  For those who have visited my site before, which format do you like more, the new one or the old?  Leave a comment and let me know.  I’m off on another writing adventure!

Need help?  Want advice?  Want me to write about something specific?  Like something?  Don’t like something?  Let me know.  Like all authors, I am interested in decorum and critiques, not put-downs or criticisms.

Quirky Writerly Things

We all run into it, writer’s block.  It’s the worst evil that can befall someone desperately trying to finish a project.  I’m plagued with it often.  What do I do about it?  When I have writer’s block, I like to look for writerly things to add to my holiday wish lists.  One can call it procrastination, I call it inspiration.

“What more can a writer want besides books, paper, writing utensils, and computer?”  You ask.

“Oh,” I say with a sigh.  “Many things.”

While craving writerly things, I stumbled upon www.zazzle.com/writer+gifts.  They have some pretty nifty items for authors.  The awesome writing slogans are sure to bring a chuckle even as the pain of the dreaded writer’s block has you in its clutches.  Seeing these shirts, mugs, bags, and other items just lifts my spirits.

Purchasing from this website is completely up to you.  I have neither purchased anything from this site nor has the site contacted me to tell you about them.  I just like looking at the pictures and reading the quotes.  I was sad to see that a shirt I wanted to make was actually already done, quote and all.  But that’s okay.  I just thought of the shirt idea a few hours ago while walking my dog.  It’s better this way, more time can be spent on writing instead of making shirts.  Funny, a site I looked at while procrastinating, I mean looking for inspiration, actually prevented me from further putting off what I should be doing.