Oh Baby!

This is time of year the new lists of popular baby names come out -- everywhere. I like to read them with the curiosity of a writer. Sometimes I take a name I'm considering for a character and find out the meaning for their name. For example my name comes from the Slavic, Nadia (Hope). The problem is it is easy to start reading how my name went with the Germanic tribes to the now UK and my family adopted the transition name, Nadine, and has passed it down on the Welsh Evan's side of the family. Well, I'm the end of the line for the name, it appears, in this Stewart/Evans family tree.

(Of course there are name generators for the SciFy writers among us.)

The thing about this list (link below), for those interested, is it predicts the top boy and girl names ten years from now, 2019. Whether you want to be the one to bring a name to popularity or to gamble that using a popular name will endear you to the lit agent you hope to woo, that is up to you.

All I know is Kathryn started out with a different name and it just didn't fit. So, back to the whole unscientific idea that stories will talk to their writer and tell them what they are or what they want to be (the drunken muse theory).

Okay, I made that up. Really, don't believe everything you read. There is no "Drunken Muse Theory."

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-12-11/top-baby-names-of-the-future/

About agents (for Peggy) and all debut writers

Unless you're satisfied with being published by a small press, you must romance literary agents until one falls in love with your ms.

Here are some links on the subject.

http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/3-issue.html

http://wow-womenonwriting.com/15-issue.html

http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001Q54IKSLlf4HTeYGTq8FwXXfHqNDCYUidad0i-t3O-dCg4w28Wt3-C8lTs4CdUAqzq9sdLNdUKK3nxy2axzEEJY7nGQSKyzpN3ZHZIBxqhiHjbz5bo1WsadvwcW6xcO3xPlt_O4s-R7g%3D

Nope, no idea why the last link looks like a tome. There is LOTS of info at these links. It should keep you busy for days.

Log Lines

Can you sum up a book in one SHORT line? Some people are better at this than others. Log lines come from the Hollywood practice of logging scripts into a, well, a log book. There needed to be an economy of words and yet set each script apart, so it could be found quickly when wanted.

Writing log lines is good practice for elevator pitches. It isn't all that likely that most of us will be in an elevator (lift) with an agent and have the opportunity to pitch our wonderful, fabulous ms to them on the spot. However, perhaps we can pitch to a potential reader, so it is good to be ready.

On the sidebar, I want to add log lines for my books. A tease, but a truthful tease, about each book is what I'm after. I went to day two of the blog party to see if anyone had tried their hand at a log line for my books. Nope. No help there.

I did one for the blog party book. It isn't exactly a log line, but it will do.

So now, what about this trilogy of mine? After a while, as most of you will discover, a few million edits and rewrites, the whole thing becomes elusive to sum in a few words.

Here is what I've come up with for each book. I'm not sure I'll keep them. I usually tinker with things a few times. (I think that is learned during the rewrites stage of the process.)

KATHRYN'S BEACH: Kathryn goes home to face the haunting past.
HIGH TIDE: Kathryn begins a new life.
STORM SURGE:

Yep, nothing on that one. I think it is perhaps the best book of the three. Maybe it wouldn't be so great if the first two hadn't set it up for the third. I donno. The real question on Storm Surge is whether Kathryn will be alive at the end of the book. As I wrote it, I didn't know whether she would or not. Maybe that is partly why I like it so well. When I write, I don't want to know the story until it unfolds. It is like reading, but with a keyboard and busy fingers.

Well, we'll see what I come up with. Might just do one for the whole trilogy, though I think not.

Just to show you how good Joyce, my web designer is, I asked her what she though of what I did to the blog part book...though I had no control where the text went, and this is what she sent back to me. If you don't get this service from your web designer, you have the wrong one. http://www.designbyjoyce.com/.

It looks okay. Doesn’t line up perfectly but okay. If you put (a html code she wrote that won't show up in this post - duh) after the form button and before your text it will force it completely below the image. (don’t copy and paste that code. Type it in because the quotation marks are different here.) Joyce

So anyway...back to thinking about log lines...
If you have suggestions for log lines for my books, be my guest. Funny is okay too.

My 200th Blog Post!

Here it is! My 200th blog post and not a bright idea for something stellar to write. Sheesh!

All I can say is that it has been quite a year that began April 2, 2009. Of course, the blog party comes to mind as one of the memorable moments. I still can't believe the size of the Blog Party book. We really did have a grand time and it is because of everyone who participated that it was such a success.

I certainly went out of my comfort zone to do this blog on my own as much as possible, since I rely so completely on my web designer, Joyce over at DesignByJoyce.com. She fixes things I do all over the net, not just my own website, which I think is fantastic (this is my third redesign for http://www.nadinelamanbooks.com/). She did some of the graphics on the sidebar of this blog too.

I've laughed at the fact that I rapidly gained 45 followers and when I go over that mark, people un-follow. Hope it isn't personal???

FIRST DRAFT was my official coming out as being dyslexic. In many ways, it is no big deal to me since this is my normal. In other ways, it was admitting a point of embarrassment as a child and sometimes a reason for abuse by my teachers and a few peers. I hope though, in the end, it shows that if I can write novels, and write them well, that anyone who aspires to be a writer can be, if they pay their dues and pursevere.

In my typical sloppy sentimental way, I want to say 'thank you' to everyone who takes the time to read my blog and my books. You have made the time FIRST DRAFT takes well worth the journey.

Now I look forward to starting a small publishing company in 2010, Cactus Rain Publishing, that is different from any other company I know. It is a new model and there will be more innovative projects coming in the years ahead. I hope you will take this journey with me as we laugh at my goofs and celebrate all of our successes.

I love you guys. Sounds strange, but even though many of us have not met, I do love you.

Win another book...

My friend, Erin Collins, (remember her from the Blog Party?) sent this email that I'm sharing with everyone.

Hi everyone. For those of you who have not purchased my book, Shadow Walk: The Gathering, I am having a Christmas contest! Yes, until December 24, 2009, you have the opportunity to win a signed copy of my book. Just email me at erincollins1957@sbcglobal.net and put contest in the subject line. One lucky winner will be chosen at random. Be sure to include your name and mailing address in the email. This will be for the contest only. No other use of your address will be used. Good luck! Erin Collins Author, Shadow Walk: The Gathering

Good luck! Go win yourself Shadow Walk: The Gathering. Let's face it, after the holidays, you will need new books to start the new year!

Erin at the Blog Party. Learn lots more about Shadow Walk: The Gathering here: http://nadinelaman.blogspot.com/2009/08/party-with-erin-collins.html

12:00:42 AM

Forty-two seconds after midnight Pacific Time yesterday an email arrived with the details for the famed Google Book Settlement.

From the very beginning of this mess (several years ago) I've thought this was handled poorly, but that is the American way: Go piss off a bunch of people while mindlessly looking to make a buck, act like you are doing some noble thing when someone grumbles, and trust that most people won't notice, care, or bother to think about what is happening.

While it is so easy to blame all of this on Google, that is just nuts. There were libraries at fault too who gave Google permission and access to scan books when they did not have the rights to do so (and they probably should have been joined in the suit). There were publishers who did the same (I had a fierce argument with my publisher at the time).

When the situation went into litigation, there were writer groups who took it upon themselves to speak for all writers in one of the lamest negations I've ever read. In my opinion they only had the right (duty?) to speak for their members when they filed their amicus brief, then patted themselves on the back as they spoke for writers everywhere - not only American writers.

And you want to know what really ticks me off? Most writers still don't have a clue what I'm talking about, what the issues of the case were, and won't read the settlement to know how it will effect them in the future.

Except for the pirating problem worldwide, and sorry to say, primarily in Asia; the fact that some lame brain in corporate America didn't have the basic understanding of the book industry to consider who the copyright holders of these works were/are; and the theft of moneys to be made from these books by persons I will leave nameless, I have no problem with books being scanned.

But most of us have slept through this whole debate like village idiots. That is why I'm not summarizing this incident. Some things are worth learning for oneself.

My admiration goes to the President of France for saying, "NO!" Other governments raised their sleepy heads long enough to respond in a watered down fashion.

On the high road, scanning books can bring them to people who are so remotely located that they otherwise have no access to them for the purposes of furthering their education (online).

http://www.googlebooksettlement.com/

And the "OOPS! We forgot this bit" link: http://www.googlebooksettlement.com/Supplemental-Notice.pdf

(Hey, I warned everyone in my beginning post that I probably shouldn't blog because I have an opinion on everything. This is one of the examples of my ability to think for myself and state it. http://nadinelaman.blogspot.com/2009/04/ive-been-member-of-blogger-since-2007.html)

Win a free book tomorrow

The holidays are almost here. Money is tight worldwide. Need a book as a gift? Or maybe you need a new book to curl up with on the sofa since you have everything done and are totally ready for the holidays. (Yeah, that would be me.)

Here is the deal. The give away is 15 December, tomorrow, so I'm telling you now. Win a free historical novel, easy-peasy.

A Glimse at Happiness, by Jean Fullerton

When Josie O'Casey returns to London after twelve years in America, she is overjoyed to discover that her childhood sweetheart Patrick Nolan, who she believed to be dead, is alive and well. But Josie's happiness is short-lived - Patrick now belongs to another. Heartbroken, Josie vows to forget about Patrick and settle back into life in the East End, but she must decide if she is willing to forsake everything for the man she loves...

GO TO: http://historicalnovelreview.blogspot.com

Anita Davison gave me the head's up on this.

Website: http://www.anitadavison.com/

Blog: http://thedisorganisedauthor.blogspot.com/

On Faith...

ask no questions. Click on the link below. (A bit of fun to start your weekend with a bang.)

http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs13/f/2007/077/2/e/Animator_vs__Animation_by_alanbecker.swf

Blizzard.

It was 22 hours without electricity up on the Mogollon Rim this week. With the fireplace going it was below 50 degrees F indoors. Two and a half days with no internet. Phones still out. I'm glad I'd written a week's worth of blog posts as the snow began. Smart! I'm replacing the one scheduled for today with this - below. Please read.

This is really important for everyone to read. I'm hoping to hear lots of comments.

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/adam-penenberg/penenberg-post/viral-loop-chronicles-part-6?utm_source=twitterfeed

BUZZ-BUZZ, BOOK BUZZ

Kip Cosson has a new book out. My copy just arrived, so I reread his first book, Ned Visits New York and the new one, Ned & Meece Wheels of New York.

Like the first book, as soon as I heard about Wheels, I emailed Kip and reserved a copy. These are delightful books geared for ages 1 - 10. The art is bright and colorful, drawn by Kip. His first book is about making new friends and seeing new places (New York City). The second is about all the things with wheels in NYC. Each page is written in six languages: Spanish, Japanese, German, French, Italian, and American English.

The other great thing about these books is Kip makes children's wear that has some of the same art on them. His children's clothes have been in some pretty big name publications. Check his website for specifics.

Our friendship pre-dates the books, and I'm honored to be Kip's friend. Maybe I'll come visit New York one day and be able to use the check list in the back of the books.

So to you, my friend Kip, congratulations on both your books!

Compensation? I ordered Wheels, but when it arrived, the price was marked out and it was a gift from Kip. However, he doesn't know I'm writing this blog. I just like to celebrate books and especially those by writers I know.

Kip's website: http://www.kipkids.com/
Kip at the world's most awesome book blog party: http://nadinelaman.blogspot.com/2009/08/party-to-max-five-winners-today.html