Category Archives: Contest

Brainstorming Day & Contest

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Have you ever heard the expression, “wherever God closes a door He opens a window?”  How ’bout the stories and references to the flexibility of the willow tree?  Point here is, that I’m taking a break from the website work I’ve been doing for the past week, and moving in another direction–back to my roots in writing.

Here is a fun exercise:

Go through your old photographs and find one, or part of one, that has nothing familiar to you.  Use it as a jump off point for a story.

I like taking snapshots. I say “snapshots” because I’m not in any way a photographer. Mostly I use my camera (yes, the real, old-fashioned, I-only-take-pictures, device I hang around my neck) to snap places and people I find interesting.  Shh! Don’t tell anyone, but I don’t even ask permission for such a daring adventure.

Picture of a House In Littleton

What around you inspires a story?

A summer or two ago, I wandered the streets of Littleton in search of places I might use for sketches as part of my watercolor painting hobby.  I found this interesting looking house.  This morning, I’m using it for a short inspiration.  Perhaps you want to play with me?  You can use my photo. Go ahead. It’s fun.

Just in case your server doesn’t translate this photo well (it looked so much better in my iPhoto file!), this is a small green house whose back door looks over an empty lot. A weathered fence separates the viewer from the house and lot and there are wire frames mid-ground for what I think may have been canvas slung chairs at one time.

Okay.  That was just the facts.  Now, let’s play with story.  Who lives in that house?  Why are we interested in them? What’s about to happen that will grab people’s interest?

What if . . .

  • Someone in the house saw you taking this picture?
  • You heard an explosive sound coming from that direction?
  • A little boy wandered out into the vacant lot…with a heavy load in a black bag… and started digging as if he intended to bury that loaded bag?
  • A young woman in the vacant lot started picking up and pitching pebbles at the windows?

Now It’s Your Turn

Take the questions and one of the what-if scenarios from above to write a story, no more than 100 words. Did I tell you Pike’s Peak is sponsoring a flash fiction contest?  Go for it! You can do this.

I’m going to piggy back on Pike’s Peak, but focus on the “flash” part of the fiction.  Write a  100-word story (yes, I’ll use WordPress to check out the word count) based on the photo above.  Be the first to send it to me and I’ll do two things with it:

  1. I will publish it on my blog — hey, you could be discovered as the next O. Henry.
  2. I will send you an ARC (advanced reader copy) of “Sliced Vegetarian.”

Just write and submit using my contact page.  My mailbox keeps track of when something is sent to me.  If you are the first person to submit that 100-word thriller (or romance, mystery, fantasy or whatever your heart desires) I’ll be popping a copy in the mail to you.  This is my way of saying “thanks” to everyone who’s been following this blog for so long.

Other chances to win an ARC . . .

I’m working with someone who knows how to work in Goodreads, so I believe there will be a chance to win a copy of Sliced Veggie there within the next few months.  I also hope to figure out ways to get copies to loyal friends in my late spring newsletter (sometime in April, May, or June).  If you’d like to have a chance at that, or are interested in being on my mailing list, please let me know.

Meanwhile, although temperatures in Littleton remain chilly, the sun has come out again for a few days, and all is well.  Wishing you all a happy week ahead.

The Business of Being Personal

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BOUCHERCON BAG CONTEST

Bouchercon Book Bag - Grand Priaze

Bouchercon Book Bag – Grand Priaze

Whew!  I must have stumped you well last week!  I only had one person able to answer the questions.  Congratulations, Sharon from Littleton, CO for guessing these contest questions right:

  1. What was Anthony Boucher’s full legal name?  William Anthony Parker White
  2. When and where was the first Bouchercon? 1970 – Santa Monica, CA
  3. Who is the main suspect in Liesa’s upcoming novel, “Sliced Vegetarian?”  Brian Hughes – the special needs worker at Gigantos Supermarket (and Ginny Caerphilly’s boyfriend)

Better luck next time, my friends.  By the way, what kind of contests do you prefer: raffles, trivia, puzzles, other?  I’d like to do more of these, but will probably do them in my quarterly newsletter, which I’ll be starting to send in January.  Please let me know if you’d like to be on my mailing list.

‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE SOCIAL

RMMWA 2014 Holiday Tree

Happy holidays, my reading and writing friends!

If you are an aspiring author, chances are you’ve been inundated with the concept of “author platform” over the past few years.  An author platform is a fancy way of saying “personal branding.”  I may be opening a can of worms here, but in yesteryears personal branding was pretty much handled by a resume and a handshake.  Today, we’ve replaced that minimalist effort with social media.

As authors, we are supposed to engage with multiple social sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest.  The list goes on…and on…and on.  I could see an author getting stuck in social media and never writing anything for real consumption again (please don’t ask how my book’s coming!).

But the bigger question is, with all this personal advertising and letting total strangers get to “know” us, are we any better off? Hmm.

I like to write this journal on-line, because I feel like I’m being a pen pal.  I love hearing from and responding to you individually.  But with Goodreads, I’m not really fond of reviewing books by others (everyone should get five stars just for going through the publishing process in my mind), and saying “something” in 140 characters for Twitter 1,000 times a day is truly noise pollution from my perspective. Sheesh! What’s an author to do?

With so much noise on the Internet, I am finding that connecting with others is a more personal mission.  It isn’t a game of “who’s following me?” but the more genuine back and forth of building personal binds between potential friends and true acquaintances. This “belly-to-belly” approach isn’t efficient, but much more rewarding.

Littleton Writers Holiday Party

Social Media at its finest is a one-to-one connection.

The Internet is a “safe place” for introverts to hang out.  We only have to post our opinions and comment a few times here and there to build reputations in our chosen communities. But when we truly buy into our areas of interest, and the people who populate those areas, we must make a personal effort, have good timing and embrace good luck.  In the ’80s we called it “networking.” Before that, it was simply “good business.”

This reminds me of the “Christmas Carol,” where one of the ghosts reminds Scrooge, “Business? Business?  PEOPLE are your business!”  In the spirit of that people focus, I’m attending a few holiday parties this year.  Not my area of strength, but people are indeed my business and I find that the more I put into this effort, the richer my life becomes.

It’s no good to go to a party, convention or business gathering and make the excuse, “I’m shy” to not engage.  We need to reach out, shake hands, have our photos taken and be involved.

The Littleton Writers’ party was on Sunday. Small turn-out, but I had the chance to engage not only with my writing friends, but with their interesting and wonderful spouses.  John talked about education in the south, Dave talked project management, and I always enjoy Marta’s dialog on public relations and the light rails going around our cities in the Denver metroplex.  How cool is that?

Edgar Holiday Ornaments

Being social can be crafty.

Tomorrow, I’ll be at the local chapter of Mystery Writers of America.  Because I volunteered (something cynics among us think of as a waste), I got to play with arts and crafts, I’ll be reading a snippet from my second book to the group, and I had the chance to get to know the chapter president and a few other people much better than before.  Every person in this group is not only a potential reader, but someone who may promote my book, or give me a book review.  This is HUGE!

On Saturday, I may miss a function.  These parties are, after all, “work” for authors.  But my sister is coming in from Detroit, and I have wanted to chat with her for a while.  Family is priority one to me.  But if she slips off with her daughter, I may go to the RMFW holiday party.  If I do, there’s probably someone I haven’t met yet who may become a friend or at least friendly acquaintance.

Author platforms. We build ’em one plank (or friendship) at a time.