SUMMER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO BEGIN AGAIN

It's the perfect time to drag out that manuscript you have been working on for years, or months, or weeks.

It's also the perfect time to look at how things may have changed in that novel that you started on. 

Speaking to Author Austin Camacho recently, he had been working on a novel for a couple of years and pulled it out since he was now retired and is a full time author.

First, congratulations and secondly I asked him how it was being a full time author.

He said that while he enjoyed working on his latest Hannibal novel, he found that he had to ; hold on to your computer, delete almost half of what he wrote because it was no longer relevant to today's world.

See when you begin that novel; you have to make sure to go back, no matter how much you loved it when you first wrote it, it may not be relevant in the time you are working on now.

When you first started that novel, pagers where the in thing. Now; even doctors use their phones as a paging system. So that delete key becomes your best friend. 

I know it is hard to see those words disappear from the page. The same words that took you almost three months to write just four chapters are gone within 10 seconds. 

You may even shed a tear but remember, when you get over the demise of your precious words; the words that come back will be so much better.

So, the summer is a great time to look at that novel again and tweak, delete or continue but whatever you do; make sure that you are writing the best book possible. 

BE PREPARED FOR UNEXPECTED TREASURES

Today I am going to talk about an author that I have known for a little over three years. Mr. +Austin Camacho

We met by accident at the now closed Borders Book Store in Waldorf, Maryland. I was the debut author coming out with my very first novel and he was coming out with his seventh. Yes, at that time he was on number seven but now he is on number nine.

He whizzed in with his cart full of books, a tray of assorted cookies, bookmarks and postcards. And there I stood, with a table full of books and that was it.

Since I have a competitive nature, I couldn't let him show me up. I told my assistant to find a store and buy me some candy. I didn't care what kind, just get me something. I then walked back to see just what this 'guy' was doing.

He was rushing around in a flurry, setting up his table, his books, his postcards and oh yes..those damn tray of cookies. The nerve of him! I wanted to talk but instead I became intimidated by him and didn't want to seem so amateurish, which I was but I didn't want HIM to know that. He asked me how I was doing, I told him I was a new author, he asked me what my book was about and I told him and then he told me about his. I had to buy it because I couldn't let on that I was really on spying on him. I bought, Russian Roulette and promised to read it.

Well, I didn't read it because my youngest son read it first and wouldn't give it back. When I tried to retrieve it he said, "Mom, go get another one, this book is really good." What just happened. I HAD bought a book, the one he had and yet I was being told to buy another one. So I went back to Borders and bought Damaged Goods

My goodness, I was hooked. I had just found another author that I could start a series that was foreign to me. I had never read any mystery novel before and this gave me a great first timers look inside what a great story a mystery could be. I loved it and read it four times. (guess I really DID like the book, huh?) I finally got up the nerve to email him about how I like the book and then proceeded to ask him for advice; (you knew that was coming didn't you. I mean c'mon, he was on number seven, I was on number one)which he said he would give, as long as I didn't ask to many questions.

I'm so lucky that Austin S. Camacho was in that book store on that day promoting that book. I learned so much from him, namely, never show up without something that will bring people to your table. Always smile and never sit down. Oh, and I've had some kind of treat at my table!

It's Christmas!

Ok, well its almost Christmas! My most favorite time of the year.

It's not just the time for shopping but for me, its all about my little village. You see; I started a christmas village about 21 years ago; when my youngest daughter was born. My husband had brought me two small houses to help 'decorate' the house.

I fell in love with the little people in the window and felt like I wanted to add to it. And that is just what I have done; every year, for 21 years. I have added one house to it, each year.

What has happened is that the little village is now a big town with Main Street, Federal Square Avenue, 2 police stations; 2 fire stations, and a strip mall. The neighborhoods have people moving in and out all the time. I also have a military base, complete with check points and did you see the cute little raccoons. Who could pass those up?

Does that sound a little crazy? Well sure it does but it only happens once a year and when Thanksgiving night comes; the 'village' comes alive and every day there is something to see. This year, Dallas opened up a new stadium! Ok, granted it is in my village but there it stands waiting for the Dec. 30th game. Oh, did I mention there is a bar; complete with drunks, and the local park where the local kids are running and playing, right along side the snowball fight. And the 50's style diner is a new established that has been quite busy since it's grand opening.

 

Take a look and tell me what you think I should add next year. (I know, you can't see all of the town, but I can't post ALL of the pictures...well I can..and will, so look for part two leading up to christmas!