Growth Lessons is my upcoming book. It will be released in the next month. Do you want a quick peak at it? Here it is!
https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1088962
The icon at the top is a draft of the cover, the final one will be much better, I just used that one for the preview. Tell me what you think about it.
Happy and Blessed Friday
There comes a time in the process of publishing a book where the newbie writers
need to find someone with credibility to endorse their book. The popular notion is to find a celebrity that would say something about your book and that will draw people to buy it. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I’m sure that part of it is because when I look at my contact list there are no celebrities listed in there. But more than that I place myself in the buyer’s shoes and I don’t know how much a celebrity endorsement would sway me either way to a purchase.
I found this blog yesterday, and yes I would agree that if Oprah was promoting sack potato dresses they would fly off the shelves, I just don’t see the translation to books. I would probably be more incline to by a celebrity book than a celebrity endorsed book.
I’m a twihard (Twilight series fan) and I’m honestly not into vampires and werewolves, but my friends wouldn’t shut up about the books, so I went bought the first one and got hooked. I admit that I’ve read them all, seen all the movies and I’m secretly in love with Edward, (and hate Bella… Even after her redemption I couldn’t get over her nonsense) On the other hand if I see a book endorsed by Stephanie Meyer it would not move me to buy it just for the fact that she’s endorsing it. The topic of the book needs to capture my interest and the first few pages need to lock my attention in order for me to buy the book.
In my genre, I’ve bought several books from Joyce Meyer, but once again I’m not sure that her endorsement of a new author would automatically make me purchase the book. Yes, it may make me take a look at it, but not necessarily get my debit card out of the wallet.
Now good reviews on a book, and like with Twilight, having friends talk about it will probably get my wallet out of my purse a little quicker.
As always I want to hear your thoughts. My writer readers, how important do you think endorsements are for your books? My reader fans, would a celebrity endorsement influence you in any way towards buying a book?
Looking forward to your comments
Blessings
WordPress gave us a prompt some time this weekend, Where did your name come from? (or something to that effect). My full name is Natividad. People tend to think that I was born around Christmas as it sounds very close to the word Navidad, which is Christmas in Spanish. Ironically my birthday is in July. I’ve been sang “Feliz Navidad” many times at the sound of my name.
I can’t deny that I didn’t like much of my name growing up. It has so many letters that it usually didn’t fit in any form with squares provided to enter your name. Since I moved to the continental US it has been funnier because people struggle to pronounce it and some make it a personal challenge to say it well. At this point I’m used to it and when I’m in a public place and hear someone with their tongue tied trying to say out a name, I know they were calling my turn. I have not been mistaken once.
The fact is I received my name after my paternal grandmother. My father who had six daughters told my mother that he had always wanted to give one of his daughters his mother’s name and had never had the chance, so my mom agreed. I never met my grandmother as she had passed away when I was born. I think I’ve seen some old pictures of her.
Now as a writer working on branding my name I’m actually grateful for the name I have. I like the meaning of my name. It means being born and I’ve been in life situations when I’ve been given the opportunity of being born again and start life all over. Also I’m glad that I have a different name that way people will recognize my name when they are looking for my books.
Every bride has a dream about a fabulous wedding cake when they are planning their perfect day. At a time when I was a bride I had my dreams too. I had envisioned every part of that cake, from the flavor, the shape, the colors, the little pearls that I fell in love with because it was the only job that the baker’s grandma did for her. They were not even offered to me and were not part of my original design, but once I saw the sweet old lady sitting in a corner doing those sugar pearls and the excitement with which she sat me down to show me what she was doing, if nothing else my cake was going to have some grandma’s pearls.
When I arrived at the place where the wedding was going to be held, the baker had just arrived. You know how there are things that you see in your head that can’t be translated in real life? She did. The image of my cake was exactly what was delivered and I jumped to hug her.
As happy as I was that day, I didn’t appreciate all her hard work until a year later when yours truly decided to take cake decorating classes and made a few wedding cakes herself. The planning, the designing, the roses that broke, the cakes that fell, the late nights and a whole memorial weekend doing fondant flowers to make them as real as possible. I then felt bad for grandma and how many hours of work I had gotten out of the poor woman wanting my precious pearls.
The same has happened with me and writing. My first book was “Mary Poppins”; I must have been around five years old. It was the first from a bookclub that my late sister had enrolled me in. She loved to read and left that legacy with me. I’ve always loved writing and reading, but I guess it wasn’t until now that I’ve written a few drafts with the dream of publishing that I’ve moved to a different level in their appreciation.
I was roaming through a bookstore today while my glasses were being repaired next door. That’s a good thing; otherwise I would have ended buying half of the store. Getting very close to the books (remember no glasses) I was able to recognize some of the renown names in fiction, literature, romance…and the few people who have written a book after their fifteen minutes of fame on television.
I saw some people leaving the bookstore empty handed and my heart sunk. I wanted to say, “Can’t you just take one? Some are really inexpensive and they are running a sale. Do you have the slightest idea of how much work goes into one of these? Sure you read it in two days and throw it in a corner. Their authors sweated blood and tears for it. They were rejected ten times until someone decided to give it a second look. While you’re here at the mall, this author is in his or her dungeon trying to birth another creation. So just take one home”
Of course I didn’t say any of this; otherwise instead of writing this post, I would be in the padded room with the white coat. As a writer and a reader, I have a new appreciation for books than ever before. So to all writers out there…Thank You for your sacrifice to teach, inspire, entertain and motivate us. Readers thanks for supporting your favorite authors. Well and thanks to good bakers too!
Starting the third month into the year I was prompted to evaluate how my writing goals have worked so far. Kind of assessing if I actually kept my new year’s resolutions or if they were already been postponed. I feel closer to my writing than I have ever felt. Writing has slowly snuck up on me and it’s a need like eating and I love to eat! Every day I feel the need to write, but not every day I think I have something relevant to say.
I’m pushing myself to be a better writer and what are some of those things that I have put in place to accomplish that in 2011…?
So these are some of the things that I’m doing to take my writing to another level and so far so good… Have some tips of your own? Share them!!!
Stay tuned.
Some women experience bad hair days, I think I’m having a bad writing day (or season) not all days are inspired in a writer’s mind. Some days words flow and some days it’s really hard work. Even I’ve had great revelations when I’ve been tired or sick, but lately it’s like my brain has ran out of steam and finding the ways to express myself has been nothing less than challenging.
I guess it’s because I’m trying to force myself to write in a certain way, my head is not going in the direction that I’m trying to steer it. So it basically has come to a halt. I’ve been having somewhat of what I have called writer’s ADD. Multiple ideas, stories and sentences are all popping into my head not enough to do anything with them or that would make any sense and by the time I sit down to write, they are gone. Having lost the routine of walking around with my netbook, which has been in ICU for a while, giving me only glimpses of available usage every now and again; I have missed plenty of opportunities of random usable muses that have crossed this brain of mine. (My netbook has been crashing and freezing and now that finally I can get a new one, I’m emotionally attached to the dysfunctional one and can’t part from it. You don’t have to say it, I know!!)
I went to the website of writer Lisa Scottoline. I recently read one of her latest non-fiction books; she’s funny and real and I wanted to gain some perspective from a professional writer. On her website, She was talking about the everyday of a writer. She has a word count goal everyday. I started thinking that I write most days, but not everyday. Not because I don’t want to, I just don’t do it. Ironically, the day I don’t write I spend the day agonizing about the fact that I have not written a thing.
Then I started feeling insecure about my writing. I think most writers would agree that there are days when you write exceptional things and some days you just write junk. I think that’s part of why there are some days where I don’t do the commanded “butt and chair” exercise of writing is because I already know in my head that whatever is coming out is junk and I don’t like to write junk. So I get discourage before even sitting to write trying to achieve perfectionism, where do you even find such thing?
I had read about writing everyday before, I want to come up with a reasonable word count goal, as I’m not yet (calling it in faith) a full time writer and I hold a normal 8-5 job and a life, (well something like a life…hahaha!) I don’t consider writing a hobby. Writing is a part of me; it’s my way of expression, so even when today I think that my writing sucks, I don’t think I could stop doing it. The times that I did, I felt dead and I’m not going backwards. Writing like anything in life takes practice, so the more I write, the better it would get.
I decide today to start writing everyday, (not necessarily a blog post). I’ll think of my reasonable word count after a few more hours of sleep, right now I couldn’t decide between chocolate or vanilla ice cream. I promise to start browsing for a new laptop, and pray that I fall in love again with one that will follow me for a few more years in this journey. I chose to just abandon myself in the words and allow them to flow instead of trying to control them…that’s why they don’t want to come out…LOL! …and look, who knew? I had tons to say from someone who didn’t know what to write about! (All 650 words and all :) )
To all my readers:
I’m dropping just a little note to let you know what’s going on in my writing world. The short story “Loud Silence”, yes the same one on the e-reads will be submitted today for the “Snag Today” magazine writing contest.
My two new short stories, “Hope” and “George” were already submitted this morning for “Nurturing Paws” the new anthology by Whispering Angel Books….
If any of my fellow writers would like to enter their stories, the information is in my upcoming calendar on the Publications and Achievements page. There’s still time.
So, cross your fingers and say a prayer, 2011 here I come!
As always, I like to include my readers in my creative process. Right now I have a debate that I hope you guys can help me sort out. I’ve been looking into a plot. It’s a romantic comedy that for now is called “Christmas in London”. It’s the story of a New York marketing director who meets this English hotel heir, who is trying to bring his brand to the US. Imagine an English male Paris Hilton in a bad mood.
The literary challenge for me in this story is the places. Most of my stories are created in a town, an island, but not a specific place giving my readers the opportunity to imagine their own. This time I wanted to challenge myself to give a specific scenario. To prepare for this, I have inquired with a dear English friend of mine, Google (of course) and I’m looking into some research history books. So what’s the problem with this story? Keep on reading.
Last year I participated in Script Frenzy, which is coming up in April. This is where you write a script of 100 pages or more in 30 days (see a pattern here…LOL) Last year I didn’t even finish the challenge, and I was so close. I gave up at 85 pages. I’ve been encouraged to try again this year and I’m giving it serious consideration. Here’s the dilemma, should I write this plot as a novel or should I experiment with it as my Frenzy Script… What do you think? What would you like?
I have created a poll on the side of the page that I will keep up until February 28th, 2011. Your participation is encouraged and appreciated. Your comments are appreciated and well received too.
I’ve decided I want to blog more. Rather than just thinking about doing it, I’m starting right now. I will be posting on this blog from one to three times a week for all of 2011.
I know it won’t be easy, but it might be fun, inspiring, awesome and wonderful. Therefore I’m promising to make use of The Daily Post, and the community of other bloggers with similar goals, to help me along the way, including asking for help when I need it and encouraging others when I can.
If you already read my blog, I hope you’ll encourage me with comments and likes, and good will along the way.
Signed,
Naty
In my days after Nano I’ve had a lot of catching up to do. My living quarters needed some TLC, I had to reply to some month old emails and even some bills were sent a little late…sorry.
I have a few projects that I need to work on. Editing, fixing typos and more writing are in my horizon for the next few months. But I didn’t feel like doing anything, so I kept hoping and praying for the desire to get back in the groove. Don’t you ever doubt that God has a sense of humor!
When I came home from church last night my cable and internet were down. I still didn’t have the desire to do much, so I started reading a book and fell asleep, when around 12:30 my phone rang. I swear that I didn’t hear it ring, I woke up in the middle of the conversation. Sorry my friend for anything I said, LOL!
Anyway, after that I couldn’t sleep, so I grabbed my laptop and started writing again. A story and half before deciding that it was not muse the fact that I was typing with my eyes closed. I better go back to read them, God only knows what I typed.
From what I’ve been told it may be Monday night before my services are back. I got my prayer answered…back to writing!
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” Matthew 21:22
Naty Matos 