Summer Book Giveaway

Été en France- No Passport Required

In keeping with our Five Year Anniversary Issue whose interview subjects take us deep into the past and present of French culture, we are doing a special book giveaway of Salley Vickers’ latest novel, The Cleaner of Chartres (Viking).  This unique novel, utilizing the author's in-depth perceptions about emotions and life passages as a Jungian psychotherapist, explores the influence and solidarity of place in relation to the ways we live, how we survive and who we affect in the atmosphere that defines us.   Vickers, the acclaimed UK best-selling author of Miss Garnet’s Angel, brings the ancient cathedral of Notre Dame to new life through the spirit of a mysterious woman turning to its structure for a symbolic sanctuary and reconciliation of her past.  One lucky winner will get a hardcover edition to own. 

Our summer challenge is this- write no more than 500 words (fiction or non-fiction) about a day you spend in France.  You have the freedom to choose what region and time period you prefer.  What is essential is that you include detailed descriptions that are transportive to the reader.  You must include at least one famed landmark (historical, architectural, etc…) and one French phrase (could be a few words).  Think about who you would meet, what you would do and the role you would play in the events of this day that you create.  You can have, be, see and obtain anything.  Step outside your comfort zone and really ask yourself what you would want during this twenty-four hour period that is entirely in your control.  Embrace joie de vivre and share the details.  Your story should be sent to submissions@thewriteplaceatthewritetime.org by August 26th.  The winner will receive a hardcover copy of the book and see their story published in the autumn/winter issue.

Learn more about The Cleaner of Chartres-        
http://www.salleyvickers.com/pages/books/cleaner_of_chartres.htm

Read the current Five Year Anniversary Issue-
www.thewriteplaceatthewritetime.org

Interview with Harry Munns, award-winning author, journalist and boating expert

Harry Munns has been the recipient of the John Southam Award for Journalism, the Writer's Digest Award and the SPAN Award. Drawing upon his boating expertise, Munns produced the Boating World weekly magazine show for ESPN (production included concept, writing and editing). Instructional non-fiction works of the author include two titles for McGraw-Hill. Munns has served as an editor for American Sailing (ASA Journal) and Let's Go Sailing (Hearst Books). His journalism has appeared in numerous publications including Men's Fitness and Sailing Magazine. His work extends to a fiction novel Someday Comes as well as an inspirational title Spectacular Comeback.  For more info, see links below interview.
 

1) When you used your expertise for some of the elements in your novel Someday Comes as opposed to the mediums of journalism and the instructional non-fiction McGraw-Hill titles, what were some of the freeing qualities and challenges of doing so?

That’s a great question because the processes are very different. When I write instructional material, it’s essential that I get everything right. Factual things like statistics and regulations have to be accurate. I spend a lot of time consulting reference books and double checking data.

When I write fiction, I can create the world in which the facts exist and therefore, create the facts. That doesn’t mean I can alter well-known information such as historical dates or geographic locations. But I can take a lot of liberties with those things. For me, it’s a lot easier inventing a new world than it is trying to keep track of the one that already exists. It flows a lot better and I get a lot more done.

2) Working on the Boating World weekly magazine show for ESPN, what were some of your methods for concept development and writing- how did you seamlessly incorporate your style and experience into the needs of the show?

I had written and co-written a few books on boating by the time I produced Boating World. I had also worked with hundreds of sailing professionals and developing boaters. I was pretty familiar with the elements of boating they cared about and what interested them.

I approached Boating World with a series of questions, the first of which was, what mystifies or confuses people about boating? That may seem like an overly simple starting point but that question led to some more specific questions such as, what would capture the interest of non-boaters and what would help new boaters move more easily into the boating lifestyle. Every decision I made at Boating World was based on the answer to a question about what aspects of boating would appeal to the audience and how to present them in the most entertaining and compelling manner.

3) You won the John Southam award "Honoring Excellence in Sailing Communication" in 1999 for an article that appeared in Men's Fitness.  What are your favorite aspects of journalism and its power to convey important information to the public?

In a journalistic environment where it’s understood the writer has performed his or her due diligence including extensive research, a reader can expect to get educated. I’ve always appreciated that quality in publications like The New York Times. You can begin an article on a subject you know little or nothing about and by the end feel you understand who the players are and what their relationship is to one another. You know about the conflicts and how they may or may not get resolved.

I wouldn’t put myself in that class of journalists but I would say when I write that kind of material I’m very conscious of trying to write within those parameters.

I’m not sure this would work for everyone, but [when I write to inform an audience] I try to recall my state of mind when I knew little or nothing about something like boating. I try to remember my pre-conceived notions about the subject and explain how the factual material differs. I also try to think in sequential terms, whether it’s about the sequence of learning or the sequence of performing some task. I try to remember, stories have a beginning, middle and end because the human brain can follow that sequence.

4) Your website for your motivational non-fiction book Spectacular Comeback features a comment from the Midwest Book Review that calls the book "an inspirational read".  What was your personal inspiration, drawn from your rich array of life experiences, to do this book and come up with the twenty-four day program that you describe as teaching "...you how to control the things you can control and how to re-order, reclaim and rebuild your life."

Somewhere along the line, I adopted a strong, personal belief that this universe contains all the answers to every question that mankind can ask. Our challenge is to find them.

When life threw me a formidable challenge and landed me in an unintended place, I found a series of answers to the questions I asked about finding my way back from that place. When I reflected on those questions and answers, I realized they could be condensed and compiled into a series of steps that I believed other people could take to make the same journey. Spectacular Comeback is the result of my journey of discovery and my subsequent analysis of it.

[The book] is a series of exercises, some of which build on the ones before them. The first few exercises encourage participants to look solidly and honestly at their current situation. It’s hard to look at yourself objectively. If someone came to the book because of some great loss, he or she may only see their own sadness. No one’s only one thing-- sad, happy, frustrated… We try to get them to see the whole person rather than the part that may be overwhelming.

5) Concerning your expert status in boating that translates into books, articles and programs, how do you maintain your 'brand' as a writer and keep your voice distinctive while molding it to different audiences and projects?

I think there’s only one way a writer develops his or her voice, by writing, reading and re-writing until the process gets smoother and easier. I’ve had the privilege of doing enough writing to get to a point where I feel I’ve developed my voice.

I mold that voice for different projects all the time. I write a newspaper column into which I inject irony and humor. I also do a considerable amount of writing for business. Irony and humor have little or no place in that writing.

I guess it all comes back to the reader. Once I know who will read my material and what it’s intended to accomplish, the style and substance follow.

6) How has the advent of digital publishing changed your career as a writer and what doors has it opened?

I have worked with some big publishers such as Simon & Schuster and McGraw-Hill. I have also self-published. I have worked with talented graphic artists and tried my hand at desktop publishing.

I’d say at this juncture, there’s a place for every one of those entities. But because there are more choices, it’s more challenging matching the project to the methods of getting it out to readers.

The biggest advantage to digital publishing is control. The last time I checked the bigger publishers were on about an 18 month cycle, from buying a manuscript to getting it into book stores. An author can spend a few hundred dollars and get books in a month. The disadvantage [to digital self-publishing] is that you have none of the support you would get from a publisher unless you’re [already a known quantity] such as John Grisham or Nora Roberts; although you shouldn’t expect much in the way of advertising and promotion from a publisher anyway. Another advantage to traditional publishers is that when you hand over your manuscript after all the edits and changes, you can get busy writing your next book. Do-it-yourselfers need to acquire and exercise a lot of skills to get those jobs done a fraction as well as a publisher.

The best news of all for authors is that there have never been more opportunities to get the material we produce into print and into the hands of readers. We live in a very exciting time.

Links:

http://www.harrymunns.com/index.html
http://www.spectacularcomeback.com/

Radiant Knowledge~ A Perspective on Book Clubs

Guest Blogger Bio:  Linda Emma is a college instructor, author, freelance writer and writing coach. Her first novel, Prime Meridian, was published in 2009. Her second work was compiled from her Kidssuck.net blog (http://kidssuck.net/) and is available in digital format: Kids Suck.  Exactly the opposite of what its title implies, Kids Suck is a forthright and humorous look at raising children in the 21st century. Started as a blog (ironically constructed by the author’s son) the musings in Kids Suck offer a real-world look at the rocky roller coaster ride that is the journey of today’s parent. The author relates humorous and heartfelt stories about her own children, the children in her life and the students with whom she works at a small New England college, to bring to light the ups and downs and twists and turns that take place before the surefire collision of parents and children.
 
Radiant Knowledge (excerpted from a post of the same title on Kidssuck.net)

When book clubs first came into vogue in our area, my kids were little and reading for pleasure had been pushed to a back burner. When I eventually did accept an invite into such a group, though, I was glad for the return to my absent friends: books.

However, in those first groups, we often spent more time talking about our kids than the books. Not everyone completed the reading; books were sometimes chosen with an eye to complexity and length –against both. And there was often an exclusivity to the book groups that shunned some and admitted others with a rationale that I didn’t quite understand.

When the group disbanded, I didn’t try to fill the void.

Until my sister-in-law began regaling me with the content of her new book group, tempting me with literary works I thought I had missed out on; classics that can be attempted as solo project but are appreciated more when fully explored with other minds.

So I joined.

And I have yet to miss a meeting.

It is in part because of the books. But it’s way more because of the women.

They’re brilliant.

I could opt for a less hyperbolic adjective like smart or intelligent or even intellectual; they are all of those. But whenever I try to explain this group to others the word that invariable rises to the top is simply: brilliant.

But its members are not who you might envision. At all.

As fairly homogenous as they outwardly appear, the group intellect is somewhat eclectic –a Picasso painting hung above a Louis XVI cabinet; Old Testament vs. new Constitution. The PhD often acquiesces her train of thought to the postal worker. The English teacher sends kudos to a new view of an old book.

In discussion, the group members all pull from literature they’ve read, but even more so from the lives they’ve led. They have different educational strengths and backgrounds, view the world through a prism of perspectives. They get that not everyone’s path was paved with paper, that learning isn’t just about classrooms and books, that much of an intellectual pursuit comes from a willingness to open one’s mind. And they do just that. They share an eagerness to look anew at classic literature, to amend perceptions, to rethink old thoughts. They also share a common trait: they are all lifelong learners. Will always be.

Karen doesn’t allow us to give thumbs up or down to our books as we begin our discussion (although she knows if she’s late, it’s the first thing we mutineers will do) and although we protest, I think I understand from where she comes. This group isn’t about judgment; it’s about acceptance. We don’t have to like a book to discuss its placement among the classics. We don’t have to agree with an author’s point-of-view to absorb the content of his work. There’s merit in this reading, even when it’s difficult, perhaps particularly when it is.

But even if sometimes, I don’t like the book—sorry Karen—I always love the book group.

Because of the women, yes, but also because these works of literary art are best enjoyed together. Read first in solitude, they may spark an intellectual ember, but shared –they ignite a flame.

Interview with Sam Barry, author, BookPage columnist, guest speaker, contributing editor for Zyzzyva and Marketing Director for Book Passage

Photo credit:  Megan Schultz

 

 

Sam Barry is the co-author of Write That Book Already: The Tough Love You Need to Get Published Now and writes the Author Enablers column for BookPage. He is the author of How to Play the Harmonica: and Other Life Lessons, a contributing editor to Zyzzyva literary magazine, and Marketing Director at Book Passage. He formally worked for Arion Press and HarperCollins. Sam is a member of the Rock Bottom Remainders, an all-author rock band that includes Mitch Albom, Stephen King, Dave Barry, Amy Tan, Greg Iles, Ridley Pearson, Matt Groening, Roy Blount Jr., James McBride, and Scott Turow. The Remainders have written a book together called Hard Listening; The Greatest Rock Band Ever (of Authors) Tells All, which is being published by the next-generation digital publisher Coliloquy in May, 2013. Sam’s range of expertise extends to writing, editing, marketing, teaching, publishing and guest speaking. Visit Sam online at http://redroom.com/member/sam-barry.

 

 

1) In the comprehensive guide Write That Book Already! The Tough Love You Need to Get Published Now, co-authored with Kathi Kamen Goldmark, you have a revolutionary approach that goes more deeply into the life cycle of publishing than most.  From the idea (prior to beginning) through agent, editor, marketing and backlist, you extend an approachable view of 'been there and this is how it goes'.  There is humor interspersed so as not to alarm fledging authors already intimidated by the instructive volumes lining their shelves, saying how it's all nearly impossible.  A refreshing, to-the-point title.  From when you completed that book to now, what have you found are the biggest changes in terms of marketing (ex. the author having to take a more active role even if traditionally published, social media, etc...) and self-publishing?

 

The biggest changes are the advances in social media as a means to spreading the word about books and authors, and the ongoing changes in the landscape of publishers, agents, and booksellers. In social media, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, blogs, GoodReads—all of these make direct access possible between author and reader. However, there’s also a lot of noise out there, and that’s difficult for any author to tackle—no one is good at all things. Meanwhile, the big publishers continue to grow, combine, presumably in response to the challenge posed by Amazon; but at the same time, there is real growth in smaller, innovative publishers, in hybrid ways of self-publishing, and the great independent bookstores such as Book Passage or Books and Books (just to name two) are surprising people by thriving. Meanwhile, the e-book is here to stay, and I am certain there are more new forms of reading coming.

2) Your column in BookPage, "The Author Enablers", gives out advice on a myriad of topics in an engaging tone.  If the particular sage advice of an answer doesn't apply to someone, they will often enjoy the exchange of the q&a itself- particularly on the stranger questions asked (of those I've read, I know only writers could come up with questions quite like these).  For the lighter side, tell us about some of the favorite quirkier questions you've received and how you determined your responses.  For the more serious side, what are some of the most common recurring themes you've seen that are on the minds of modern writers.

 

I particularly enjoyed a series of comments (more than questions) I recently received about how often writers were having people tuck hair behind their own or other people’s ears. A cliché is born. And then there was the time when a middle-schooler basically asked Kathi and me to do his homework for him. But the question we have gotten most is about finding an agent. People are frustrated to hear that they need to do so much work, but I still believe agents are essential to most writing careers and that the time spent finding a good match is worth it.

3) When you wrote of Paris in your BookPage column, you described the rich literary scene.  How much do you feel place (this includes people/community/location and possibilities for networking and inspiration) plays a role in a writer's career/success?

 

I think sense of place is an essential part of most writing. Miami has fed my brother Dave’s work, and in turn the South Florida writing community has fed his career; Stephen King’s settings in rural Maine are unforgettable; Scott Turow in Chicago; Greg Iles setting many of his books in Natchez, Mississippi; Amy Tan setting some of her novels in her beloved Bay Area and China; the examples go on and on. We often associate writers and their work with place as much as genre; and places like San Francisco, Miami, New York, Mississippi, and so on, each have distinctive literary communities.

4) Considering all of the different facets of your extensive experience (writing, editing, marketing, teaching, publishing, performance in music), what are your favorite things about each and how do they complement one another (whether in terms of creative inspiration or business-oriented insight)?

 

Great question. I love the mental freedom of writing a first draft, but I also love the discipline and satisfaction of editing something into shape. I love the spontaneity of live music, but just loving to do something doesn’t mean you can make a career out of it, or even know what you want to do with it. Both editing and music have taught me the need to be gentle but thorough. Being exposed to various aspects of the book business—seeing behind the curtain, so to speak—has helped me to think more clearly—and to keep an open mind—about what I might have to offer the world, and to learn from both my successes and failures. Playing music has taught me to prepare for performance, which includes reading, but to remember to be spontaneous and not to dwell on every little mistake at the expense of the whole event. Playing music and the book business remind me that even the solitary act of writing is really collaborative and a team effort, if your work is ever going to see the light of day.

 

5) You’ve spoken of your career being a “varied and interesting one” and that you “…have always felt that my professional efforts directly contributed to improving the world.”  Talk to us about your beliefs involving the importance of books and the lives they touch, both in general and in a more personal sense in terms of how they have affected you.

 

In my various roles I have been deeply impressed by the dedication of booksellers, editors, agents, authors, and most of all, readers of the written word. If you are afraid we are losing the written word as an important form, spend more time in a good bookstore or library; you will see that the written word and the life of the human mind that it reflects are thriving. People are hungry for what books offer: wisdom and escape, solace and the jolt of truth, education and beauty, history and prophecy, humor and terror—but above all, exposure to a world we might not otherwise have ever known.

Further Links:
http://bookpage.com/column/practical-advice-on-writing-publishing-for-aspiring-authors-9
http://www.amazon.com/Write-That-Already-Tough-Published/dp/B004KAB3ZC
http://www.amazon.com/How-Play-Harmonica-Other-Lessons/dp/1423605705/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363986661&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+play+the+harmonica+and+other+life+lessons



Interview with Joan Gelfand, award-winning writer, Women's National Book Association representative and member of the National Book Critics Circle

Interview with Joan Gelfand by Carol Smallwood (see Carol's bio following the interview):

Joan Gelfand is one of the New Chapter Development national representatives for the Women's National Book Association, the Co-Poetry Liaison for the San Francisco Writers Conference, a contributing Poetry Editor to the “J” and a member of the National Book Critics Circle. She blogs regularly for the Huffington Post and teaches writing for Poetry Inside Out in addition to coaching writers in San Francisco. One of her current roles is serving as Co-Editor of the anthology Women and the Web:  How The Internet Creates Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Women. 

Joan's work has appeared in over eighty national magazines, anthologies and literary journals around the world.  Her work has been nominated for both Pushcart and Carver Prizes. Publications include Vanity Fair, Poets & Writers, The New York Times Magazine, The Huffington Post, Rattle, The Toronto Quarterly, Kalliope, Eclipse and Meridian Anthology of Contemporary Poetry.  Her poetry collections include A Dreamer's Guide to Cities and Streams and Seeking Center. Her collection of short stories, Here and Abroad, is the Winner of the 2010 Cervená Barva Press Fiction Contest, judged by Dorothy Freudenthal.  Transported is a spoken word CD with original music by Marty Castleberg.   

She served as the President of the Women's National Book Association from 2008 to 2010.

For more information, visit:  http://joangelfand.com/main/


1) How has your business background of over 20 years advanced your writing?

I've tried to take a similar approach in my writing as I did in my business career. I use the same persistence in my writing that made me successful in business. I try to be pragmatic and not take rejection, criticism or editorial suggestions personally.

I have also tried to find mentors and coaches and align myself with writers who are 'further down the line.' I am an enthusiastic cheerleader and supporter of other writers.

The truth is, that while writing is solitary, it is still a business. I've gotten involved in the community of writers, volunteered to further literacy and have helped other writers get started. I've also used my experience with goal-setting and planning to plan my writing.

2) You are active in associations. How have they helped your career?

I've learned so much from groups like the Women's National Book Association. I learned about 'the path to publication,' and I've been offered opportunities that I would never have gotten if I hadn't been involved as a volunteer.

For example, I am the Co-Poetry Liaison for the San Francisco Writer's Conference. I met the organizers through WNBA. I also started blogging for the Huffington Post through WNBA. I've been offered readings, interviews, and even publication opportunities through WNBA and PEN Oakland.

3) What is your writing and teaching schedule?

I teach part-time; about 2-3 days per week. As a rule, I write in the mornings. If I have class, then I have to change that around, but in general, I'm writing about 15 hours per week.

4) What are you working on now?

I just finished a novel and am in discussions with an agent. I have just sent out my third full-length poetry manuscript for consideration and I'm working on a few different blog posts. I'm also the Poetry Editor for the "J", a Northern California newspaper with a circulation of approx. 30,000.

5) What writing mistakes do you see students make the most?

They call the work finished too soon. Most writing needs to be drafted, allowed to sit, be reviewed, revised. Repeat. Unless I've worked on something 5-8 times, I won't let it go. I try to encourage my students not to rush, and to educate them that writing is a process.

6) How have you managed to become an accomplished public speaker?

Once I was published, people considered me an authority. I started speaking to writers on my experience of navigating the publishing world- how I got started, what works, what doesn't. I guess people like what I have to say because I've been invited to many panels on writing.

7) How do you make the most of websites, blogs, e-newsletters?

I try to spend some time 'on-line' every day. Through Twitter and Facebook, I learn about different websites of interest to writers. I send my own e-newsletter out about once a month to update my friends, family and colleagues on new developments in my career. I always include a section about 'friends' and also a section on 'opportunities.' That way it isn't all about 'me' but more of a community experience.

Interviewer Bio- Carol Smallwood co-edited Women on Poetry: Writing, Revising, Publishing and Teaching (McFarland, 2012) on the list of "Best Books for Writers" by Poets & Writers Magazine; Women Writing on Family: Tips on Writing, Teaching and Publishing (Key Publishing House, 2012); Compartments: Poems on Nature, Femininity, and Other Realms (Anaphora Literary Press, 2011) received a Pushcart nomination. Carol has founded, supports humane societies.

Novel Nostalgia- A Trip Back in Timelessness (Blog post)

Novel Nostalgia- A Trip Back in Timelessness (Blog post) by vintageeatherbooks on Polyvore

Novel Nostalgia- A Trip Back in Timelessness

“When we read a story, we inhabit it. The covers of the book are like a roof and four walls. What is to happen next will take place within the four walls of the story. And this is possible because the story's voice makes everything its own” - John Berger

It was during a recent trip to New York City, one of the epicenters of the literary world, that I found the sentiment for the hand-held book alive and well. There was a certain dichotomy between the trappings of the modern, technologically advanced city rushing by on Madison Avenue and the serene, sacred atmosphere in the metaphoric cathedral of prized antique volumes in Bauman Rare Books (http://www.baumanrarebooks.com/).  It seemed as though the glass doors were a portal between two different eras. 

This separation, co-existing with the all-encompassing oneness of the city seemed fitting as only the night before, we were ensconced in the Roaring Twenties of Fitzgerald at a chic Tribeca venue.  Sipping champagne in period dress, the music and costumes of our fellow party-goers spoke to the vibe of the Jazz age, yet the ambitious conversations and ability to make fast friends of strangers was signature, modern day NYC.  Just for the night, before the clock struck two, everyone seemed to share the same dreams.  There was the set of voracious readers, writers and artists united by tired feet and limited seating.  We were a group of disparate, creative individuals brought together for an evening.   

One woman spoke of her passionate quest to get her young students to develop a love for the written word; not only to instill a love of books, but also to inspire them towards the self-expression that would give them a voice in years to come.  We discussed our own literature-oriented upbringings, the importance of the generations we hoped to shape and reach, the virtues and distractions of technology as well as indulging in a few private laughs about aspects of pop culture we’ll neglect to name here.  There was the disillusioned young writer who had worked for one of the greater literary powers that be and discovered that they themselves didn’t even like to read.  There was a couple dynamically fond of taking the ‘road less traveled’ and building their artistic pursuits from scratch and a couple who’d met only that very night; yet this latter pair seemed as though, in their familiar, heads-close-together conversations of secret aspirations (for her design, for him the silver screen) and their nearly choreographed dancing, that they’d known each other for years.  Just as in The Great Gatsby, there existed amongst us a reach for the illusive green light, a desire to find one’s place, a time of possibility... all within the context of a good old-fashioned, carefree party staged in a place of extremes.

Holding a hunter green first edition of The Great Gatsby the next morning, the spell the night cast was complete.  Times change, but people don’t.  We still dream, we still reach.  It was part of this that reaffirmed my belief that the hand-held book will always have a place in our society.  Right there, in the middle of bustling NYC, is a place of the here and now where the book is honored and valued to an elevated spot of esteem.  Yes, digital books are opening doors and creating wonderful possibilities for both writers and literacy, yet our roots and history are timeless.  We hold a piece, an extension of ourselves when we hold a book that was written by someone who deeply, emphatically understood what it is to be human.  It was during an interview for a freelance article that I mentioned this subject to an educational director.  Though they expounded on the reasons why access to thousands of books on a single device was a wonderful development, they also felt that there was a longevity to the hand-held book that would remain.  They jokingly compared it to the difference between having and holding a teddy bear and keeping a digital picture of one.

Scanning the rows of books at Bauman, peering into the glass cases to see first editions or signed copies of A Christmas Carol, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Babar and a letter from Benjamin Franklin, I felt as though I was part of something very important.  The importance of words, the love of reading, writing and storytelling (in whatever artistic form), is something that unites us.  As I watched the gentleman washing the glass doors of the store from the inside, I felt that my inner vision was clarified and there was now a clearer view of the balance between the advancements of the fast-paced modern world and literary tradition.