I've been blogging here for some time now. For those of you who have followed my blogs, I thank you. From now on I can be found at my new website www.maryellenbramwell.com. It is up and running, and I will be blogging there from now on.
Please go to my new website and "follow" me and "like" me. Then tell all of your friends about it as well! It would be wonderful to have a lot of "buzz" going before my book is released in August. Again, thank you again for being there for me.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Monday, April 21, 2014
Woohoo!
I only have one story today. Less than a week ago I signed a book contract for my first novel, The Apple of My Eye. I have experienced a myriad of emotions since that moment. It is exciting, humbling, scary, unbelievable, overwhelming, . . . Once I received the contract back with all of the signatures, I had to get right to work, because I was also given a fair amount of "homework" to do too. I am new to this side of writing since this is my debut novel.
In the last few days I have written a synopsis for the back cover, a shorter one (for who knows what), and a bio. I have recruited help from family to find readers/reviewers, and I have searched for an editor (the publisher provides a final edit as well). Today I got a haircut, my makeup done, and my picture taken. I've also been working on ideas for the book cover design and my side of the marketing.
The strangest part of it all is that to do this right I have to promote myself, constantly! It's definitely outside of my comfort zone, but I keep thinking of what this can mean to my family, and that keeps me grounded. I don't want to squander this opportunity that God has certainly had a hand in creating for me. That brings me to a feeling of responsibility, and that is somewhat sobering.
Don't get me wrong, I'm as excited as a mosquito at a family reunion, and I am very grateful. But I also want to make sure I don't screw this up!
In the last few days I have written a synopsis for the back cover, a shorter one (for who knows what), and a bio. I have recruited help from family to find readers/reviewers, and I have searched for an editor (the publisher provides a final edit as well). Today I got a haircut, my makeup done, and my picture taken. I've also been working on ideas for the book cover design and my side of the marketing.
The strangest part of it all is that to do this right I have to promote myself, constantly! It's definitely outside of my comfort zone, but I keep thinking of what this can mean to my family, and that keeps me grounded. I don't want to squander this opportunity that God has certainly had a hand in creating for me. That brings me to a feeling of responsibility, and that is somewhat sobering.
Don't get me wrong, I'm as excited as a mosquito at a family reunion, and I am very grateful. But I also want to make sure I don't screw this up!
Monday, April 14, 2014
False Endings
I'm sure you've all read those books where things seem to be winding down. Loose ends are being tied up. However, there are still sixty pages of the book remaining, and you can't imagine what is left to say. Then, slam bang, something unexpected happens, and those sixty pages now seem short to resolve everything. This can be a fun technique, and I admit to using it in my first book.
Now, the point of this blog is comparing writing to real life, finding those common threads and trends. I'm sorry to say this will be the case with this blog as well. I have a tooth, a tooth with a story that just refuses to end!
It started with a cavity. Then it involved a root canal. My dentist began the root canal but could not complete it. She found two roots but not the others. So, I was referred to an endodontist. The first appointment with her was just a consult. The second appointment was a bust. Apparently, despite my initial arrangements, doctor's office and insurance office were not speaking the same language. I walked away rather than cough up $700 on the spot. Several weeks later, with assurance that communication had been successfully completed, I went for the actual root canal. Now this is done at a dental school and they perform root canals in two visits. After two hours in the chair for part one, I'm beginning to feel like maybe my tooth story is winding down. Not so!
This weekend that tooth developed an abscess! Fortunately I have a friend who is a dentist, so I called him. He said that's what the root canal was supposed to take care of and that maybe they had missed a root. He prescribed some antibiotics. After a couple of attempts this morning I reached the dental school and am headed there this afternoon.
When all of this is done, the root canal still needs to be finished, the cavity filled - back at the original dentist, and then probably a crown. All of this for ONE tooth!
Bottom line is I don't mind when fictional stories go on in unexpected ways, but I'm not a fan in real life!
Now, the point of this blog is comparing writing to real life, finding those common threads and trends. I'm sorry to say this will be the case with this blog as well. I have a tooth, a tooth with a story that just refuses to end!
It started with a cavity. Then it involved a root canal. My dentist began the root canal but could not complete it. She found two roots but not the others. So, I was referred to an endodontist. The first appointment with her was just a consult. The second appointment was a bust. Apparently, despite my initial arrangements, doctor's office and insurance office were not speaking the same language. I walked away rather than cough up $700 on the spot. Several weeks later, with assurance that communication had been successfully completed, I went for the actual root canal. Now this is done at a dental school and they perform root canals in two visits. After two hours in the chair for part one, I'm beginning to feel like maybe my tooth story is winding down. Not so!
This weekend that tooth developed an abscess! Fortunately I have a friend who is a dentist, so I called him. He said that's what the root canal was supposed to take care of and that maybe they had missed a root. He prescribed some antibiotics. After a couple of attempts this morning I reached the dental school and am headed there this afternoon.
When all of this is done, the root canal still needs to be finished, the cavity filled - back at the original dentist, and then probably a crown. All of this for ONE tooth!
Bottom line is I don't mind when fictional stories go on in unexpected ways, but I'm not a fan in real life!
Monday, April 7, 2014
Really?
I'm going to tell you a story. Only, unlike most of my written stories, this one is true.
My family recently found a new dentist. She practices a few towns over, however our towns being what they are, that's not actually very far away. Her office is located on the second floor of a three of four story, square building, older yet still functional.
My husband and I have both gone to this dentist, and we took our seven-year-old son there, as well. So, far this doesn't sound like much of a story does it? But, I promise, this information is all relevant.
Not so long ago, a sting was conducted on a prostitution ring that caught some, now embarrassed, government officials. You guessed it, it was being conducted on one of the floors above our dentist office!
Really?!
One of my favorite things that I learned about writing fiction is that everyone has a secret, and so the writing is all about how you reveal those individual secrets. But I wonder, in real life, if I actually want to know all of those secrets!
My family recently found a new dentist. She practices a few towns over, however our towns being what they are, that's not actually very far away. Her office is located on the second floor of a three of four story, square building, older yet still functional.
My husband and I have both gone to this dentist, and we took our seven-year-old son there, as well. So, far this doesn't sound like much of a story does it? But, I promise, this information is all relevant.
Not so long ago, a sting was conducted on a prostitution ring that caught some, now embarrassed, government officials. You guessed it, it was being conducted on one of the floors above our dentist office!
Really?!
One of my favorite things that I learned about writing fiction is that everyone has a secret, and so the writing is all about how you reveal those individual secrets. But I wonder, in real life, if I actually want to know all of those secrets!
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