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WPNews, July 2024
The Bonnie’s Retirement Issue
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From Sandra Murphy, Editor
Bonnie Myrhum has been making the newsletter look professional since at least 2008. That’s when Wendy Dager moved on to another project and I became the editor. Sometimes it’s been hard for Bonnie to make me look good! I’ve learned a lot from her over the years. I still struggle with commas. Thanks for putting up with me, Bonnie!
Here’s a comment from Patricia Fry, who has worked with Bonnie for years:
“As for Bonnie Myrhum, she has edited-proofed most of the books in my two series—the Klepto Cat Mysteries and the Calico Cat Mysteries. She’s my go-to person for editing questions and we’ve become friends who yearn to sit across the table from each other over tea and discuss oh, so many things we’ve discovered we have in common. There are interesting things I’m learning about Bonnie I’d like to know more about. One of the best things about working with Bonnie is she makes me look good—that, I greatly appreciate. I wish her a happy and continuing productive retirement.”
Sandy, Editor, editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com
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Identity as an Act of Courage: A Writing and Storytelling Interview & Workshop
Saturday, July 27, 2024
TIME: 10:00 a.m. to noon, Pacific
Free to members, $15 for nonmembers ON ZOOM
Learn More...
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Ask the Book Doctor: About Style Issues by Bobbie Christmas
Q: What does it mean when a magazine says, “No serial commas, except to avoid confusion.” What are serial commas?
A: Also called the Oxford comma, a serial comma is one that appears before the last item in a list. In the following example, the comma before “and” is a serial comma: The American flag is red, white, and blue. In some styles other than Chicago style, the punctuation would be without the second comma, like this: The American flag is red, white and blue.
Q: When one writes a creative nonfiction essay targeted to be published in an e-zine, should it be written in AP style or Chicago style?
A: It depends on the style the e-zine follows. If you can’t ask the editor or find guidelines as to the publication’s style, read some of its published essays. Look for clues that tell you the style it follows. You’ll find clues in the way it handles numerals, commas, and capitalization. Those are the three things that differ the most from style to style. For example, does it use numerals or words for numbers above 10? Does it use the serial comma or not? Notice what words it capitalizes. If you know both AP and CMOS, you’ll be able to tell what style the e-zine follows.
READ MORE...
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Book Doctor Bobbie Christmas, author of Write In Style: How to Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, is the owner of Zebra Communications. Send your questions to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com
or BZebra@aol.com. Read Bobbie’s blog at https://www.zebraeditor.com/blog/.
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The Publishing Game by Jay Hartman
In 1965, The Rolling Stones released their hit song “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” 1966 would bring the track “Paint It Black,” and in 1967, the world would hear “Ruby Tuesday.”
Stephen King had his release of Carrie in 1974 and followed it up with Salem’s Lot in 1975.
George Lucas released Star Wars in 1977, The Empire Strikes Back in 1980, and Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981.
All of the above are classics. It doesn’t matter if you were born during the time any of those were released. It’s unlikely here in 2024 that you don’t know something about all of the songs, movies, and books I just mentioned. Here are rules to remember if you want to be a winner in The Publishing Game:
READ MORE...
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WPN Vice President Jay A. Hartman has worked in the publishing industry for over 30 years. For 13 years he served as the creator and editor-in-chief of Untreed Reads Publishing. In 2023 he created Misti Media, a company dedicated to book publishing and author education.
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The Latest News from Patricia Fry, past president of the Writers and Publishers Network
Fry just published Book 20 of the Calico Cat Mystery series and Book 70 of the Klepto Cat Mysteries. The cover of the new Klepto Cat Mystery, Claws and Effect, features a picture she took of the cat model she uses for this series, her mother’s cat, Smokey, caught in the act of trying to grab a bee. The picture was a total surprising fluke and it won the People’s Choice award at a local county fair the year she took it. She’s excited to finally use it on the cover, with the help of her cover designer, Bernadette Kasmarski, a member of the Cat Writers Association. Book 20 of the Calico Cat Mystery series, which features her cat, Olivia, is Olivia Goes Undercover. That’s six published books so far in 2024. And she’s still having fun.
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FOR WPN/IWOSC/PALA members only.
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Kill Your Darlings, Writers, but Do It My Way by Linda Kay Hardie
I’ve been killing off a lot of people lately, and I feel
better for it. No, I’m not some sort of mass murderer, although Google
might think so. I’m a writer. I write a variety of genres, including
mysteries, crime, horror, science fiction and fantasy, and even
children’s, but my critique group has gotten used to seeing characters
die, sometimes gruesomely, in my short stories. That makes me feel good.
The killings, that is, not the grossing-out of my friends.
In an interview, bestselling author Stephen King famously
once said that reading horror stories is a way for people to cope with
the horrors they face in real life. In recent years, we’ve all faced
many traumas. During Mental Health Month in a recent May, when people
held discussions on depression and other mental issues, I began to
uncover traumas in my past. That’s when I realized I’ve been dealing
with many of them by killing off the people who harmed me.
READ MORE...
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Linda Kay Hardie writes horror, crime, and SF/fantasy stories, as
well as essays (often about cats), poetry, and fiction for children. She
also writes recipes and won a trophy in 2002 for best rib rub in the
amateur division of the Best in the West Rib Cook Off in Sparks, Nevada.
Her writing has won awards dating back to a fifth-grade essay on fire
safety. In 2022 she was honored with the Sierra Arts Foundation’s
Literary Arts Award for fiction. Linda makes a living as a freelance
writer and as staff employed by Abyssinian cats. See her anthologies at https://www.amazon.com/author/lindakayhardie.
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(I could provide a photo of my rib-cooking trophy; it’s pretty impressive. I looked but couldn’t find any photos of it; I have too many pics in my computer files and my filing system is chaotic.)
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Connecting Through Book Clubs by Korina Moss, first published on writerswhokill.blogspot.com, reprinted with permission
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(Sonia With an I and Laura Reads share books)
Isn’t it funny that the solitary act of reading can offer so much connection? If you see someone on the subway reading a book you couldn’t put down or someone at a party who’s raving about a novel you loved, don’t you feel almost compelled to say something to them? When you’ve finished a great book, don’t you want to find someone to talk about it with? Or at least post about it on Facebook or Instagram?
If you think about it, we’re just continuing what our parents started when we bonded over a shared emotional connection to stories they read to us as babies and toddlers. It’s no wonder book clubs have stood the test of time.
READ MORE...
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Korina Moss is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series including the Agatha Award winner for Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead, and the Agatha Award finalist for Best Contemporary Novel, Case of the Bleus. Her books have been featured in USA Today, PARADE magazine, Woman’s World, AARP, and Fresh Fiction. To learn more, visit her website, korinamossauthor.com.
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9 Ways to Tap Your Subconscious for Inspiration by Lisa Tener
Some of my most potent writing comes from my dreams and other experiences related to the subconscious. Is this true for your writing?
So, how do we tap our subconscious for creativity—innovative ideas, fresh metaphors, new ways to put words together on the page, an adventure for the writer and the reader? Here are nine strategies that work for me, my private clients, and participants in Get Your Writing Done.
Here are Nine Ways to Tap Your Subconscious for Inspiration and Potent Writing
Journal: Journaling is one of my favorite creative activities.
READ MORE...
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Lisa Tener is an award-winning book writing and publishing coach. Her clients have secured five- and six-figure book deals and won numerous book awards. She is the author of the new book Breathe. Write. Breathe.: 18 Energizing Practices to Spark Your Writing and Free Your Voice. Lisa’s previous book, The Joy of Writing Journal, won five book awards, including the Nautilus and Benjamin Franklin.
Social links: Facebook Group, Instagram
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The Written Scene
Matthew Pallamary talks about being a one-man show after working in publishing, the origin of the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, having a foot in several different writing genres, why porn for the sake of porn is boring, being regular with writing, how to accomplish conflict in short/micro stories, getting the aha moment in short stories, leading readers down the path and frustrating their expectations, traveling to the Peruvian Amazon to study shamanic plant diets, using mind-altering chemicals when writing (even though writing is his favorite altered state), how writing is cathartic and healing, the difference between cruelly editing and ruthlessly editing, and so much more. https://thewrittenscene.transistor.fm/episodes/episode-59-matthew-pallamary
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How To Define Your Book’s Target Audience In 6 Steps by Jim Foley, reprinted with permission
Defining and engaging your target market is crucial when it comes to promotion, and these six steps can help you build your reader personas.
We all know that writing a book is no small feat. And once that’s done, it’s time to bring your book to market, where you might discover that finding your target audience is even more difficult than the actual writing of the book.
Defining and engaging your target market is crucial when it comes to promotion (in fact, it’s critical to understand your reader as you’re writing your book). Your book will be less likely to connect with readers and may struggle to get momentum in the market if you don’t know who your target demographic is. So, let’s consider six steps you can take to define your target audience and help make sure your book finds success.
READ MORE...
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Retired schoolteacher Patricia Cruzan, a longtime member of WPN, shares her good news:
Patricia has a new adult poetry book out with poems in 13 sections about kindness, education, travel, college, life, special days, writing, shopping, patriots, relatives, Christians, food, and hobbies, titled Poems of a Lifetime. She gained experience over her life and shares it with others. Patricia’s teacher and voice training provided work skills. She taught herself to sew and crochet as hobbies. Reading has been enjoyable throughout her existence.
In all, she’s written five poetry books, a young adult book, a picture book, three easy chapter books, and four middle-grade books. The collection is available on Amazon and consists of over 250 poems.
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Lynn Varon is the new copy editor for WPNews.
With 30 years of experience in print and web editing, she specializes in mystery fiction and nonfiction and offers top-tier line editing, copyediting, and proofreading services. Lynn is treasurer of the Writers and Publishers Network, and a co-coordinator for the Editorial Freelancers Association's LA chapter. If interested in her services email her at editor@varon.com or Varon.com.
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BITS AND PIECES – NEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED |
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Ellen Byerum’s character wears vintage clothing. So does Ellen. It only makes sense that Ellen held a book signing in a vintage clothing store. See her YouTube video about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VZATRiXy_M. Check out her other videos for more tips.
Nothing says a book signing has to be in a bookstore!
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Romance Writers of America files for bankruptcy amid bitter racism battle
Although the romance genre is a popular one, RWA’s membership dropped by 80% due to internal battles concerning racism within publishing. In addition, the organization owes millions for hotel fees for conferences. Membership declined from 10,000 members to 2,000 since 2019. COVID also played a part in canceled conferences. Read more here:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/may/30/romance-writers-america-bankruptcy
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Peter Shankman, who started Help A Reporter Out (HARO), sold the company. He’s recently back in the action with Help Every Reporter Out (HERO), as we announced last month. However, in the meantime, there’s been another change. It’s now called Source of Sources, or SOS. Peter explained SOS reflects the massive changes to media over the past two decades, built to help time-starved journalists/writers who are juggling multiple assignments at once. He’s promised to keep SOS reputable, easy-to-use, and free, although if you’d like to “keep the good karma flowing,” you can donate to Best Friends Animal Society or The Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals.
In need of a source? Want to be one? Sign up and see what’s going on. https://sourceofsources.com/
For more information from behind the scenes, go to https://estelleserasmus.com/88-the-founder-of-haro-peter-shankman-a-hero-to-journalists-on-deadline-launches-source-of-sources/.
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Layoffs Hit Little, Brown Editorial; Tracy Sherrod, More Depart
Hachette Book Group let go seven staffers at Little, Brown, including VP and deputy publisher Craig Young and VP and executive editor Tracy Sherrod, along with Jean Garnett, Ben George, and Pronoy Sarkar, all senior editors. Hachette confirmed a “restructure” and “seven LB employees were affected.” The move was “not cost-cutting” and “LB plans to hire new roles.”
In January, former editor-in-chief Judy Clain moved to Simon & Schuster to relaunch Summit Books. In February, former Putnam VP and publisher Sally Kim joined the imprint as president and publisher. Last month, HBG laid off several staffers in its sales department.
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Photo of new library layout at HISD Elementary School sparks outrage
Rows of desks, all facing one direction, few books to be seen, two rows of computers—it’s a sterile place that looks nothing like a library. Take a look here: https://tinyurl.com/yxasatkd.
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Book Publicist: Do you need one?
https://buildbookbuzz.com/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-working-with-a-book-publicist/
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Independent Publishers Group (IPG) has announced the addition of six new publishers to its sales and distribution programs.
GracePoint Publishing (worldwide distribution, effective September 1)
Upriver Press (worldwide distribution, effective July 1)
Belle Pointe Press (worldwide distribution, effective July 1)
New India Publishing (worldwide distribution by IPG’s Eurospan, excluding India, effective July 1)
Emmaus Academic (worldwide distribution, excluding North America and Oceania, effective July 1)
Curtis Press (worldwide distribution by IPG’s Eurospan, excluding the United Kingdom and North America, effective May 1)
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Costco is switching up how it sells books. What it means for shoppers. And publishers.
Costco will consistently sell books only during the last four months of the year, when holiday shopping picks up. Costco, Target, and other big box stores make up 4% of the market. Publishing industry analyst and author Thad McIlroy said, “It really meant a lot to the industry that Costco was a strong outlet. To have it turned into just Christmas gifts, that’s not a good thing.”
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Pushkin Acquires Steerforth and Hanover Publisher Services
Pushkin Press, a London-based publisher, acquired New Hampshire-based narrative nonfiction publisher Steerforth Press and sister company Hanover Publisher Services. The companies will merge into Steerforth Press and Services in July.
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The Kauai Writers Conference will be held November 11 through 17. This year is their tenth anniversary. Prepare to participate in four days of Master Classes and a three-day Conference at the Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort in Hawaii.
BookFest and Black Château are offering 20% off conference registrations for WPN subscribers. The discount code is BF789.
Register at: https://kauaiwritersconference.com/registration/
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Join us at the 40th annual event on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Cuesta College.
One of the sponsors this year is SLO NightWriters. The mission of San Luis Obispo NightWriters is to advance quality writing, promote publication, and expand author recognition in a forum that nurtures a spirit of community for all its members. They hold regular meetings the second Tuesday of each month.
Every year, they host the Golden Quill Writing Contest that awards cash prizes and publication in the debut issue of SLO NightWriters’ new literary journal. This year’s theme: memories. Judges: NYT bestselling author Tod Goldberg (fiction); award-winning author Anne Janzer (nonfiction); and former SLO County Poet Laureate Marguerite Costigan (poetry). Deadline for entries: June 30th. Visit https://slonightwriters.org/Golden-Quill to learn more!
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