Monthly Archives: March 2018

Eyewitness

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Outtakes 340

Eyewitness

By Cait Collins

 

 

Have you ever watched a cop show when the detectives are questioning witnesses? Do the descriptions vary widely from one witness to another? One witness sees a short, round man around 50 or 60 years old while another remembers young man who is not short, but not really tall. Neither fat nor skinny. Nothing really distinguishing. He’s just average.

Chances are the officers could ask fifty people about the suspect and there would be thirty or forty different descriptions. We all have a viewpoint. So here’s the challenge.

Describe a sunrise from the following viewpoints:

A drunk following an all nighter.

A child waking up at his regular time, but it’s a school holiday.

A person who does not have many weeks left to live.

A man who has been blind from birth.

 

Happy writing.

Granting Rights to Your Work

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Granting Rights to Your Work

Natalie Bright

One of my nonfiction books gained the attention of a small press, and a standard publishing contract arrived in my inbox. “Excited” hardly describes the feeling of realizing that somebody wants your work. You dare to dream about all of the possibilities for your book and your writing career. And then I read the Rights Granted section.

Keep in mind that each and every one of these rights listed below can be negotiated separately. This is exact verbatim from the contract with some of the legal ease edited out for easier reading.

1. Rights Granted. The author hereby grants, transfers, and assigns to the Publisher for the full term of copyright the exclusive right to publish the Work in hardback and paperback editions and to sell throughout the world in all languages. …all electronic rights to the Work, with exclusive authority to license said rights throughout the world in all languages. …subsidiary rights as specified in paragraph 9.

Paragraph 9. The Author hereby grants, transfers and assigns to the Publisher for the full term of copyright the exclusive right to license, sell, or otherwise dispose of the following rights in the Work in all languages and throughout the world: publication or sale by book clubs; reprint rights; foreign rights; translation rights…; publication in anthologies, compilations, digests, condensations; serial rights … ; dramatic, motion picture, multimedia and televisions rights;  broadcast for radio; recordings; electronic rights …e-books, Kindle, Nook and other … ; audio, mechanical, and visual reproduction; computer programs; microprint, microfiche, and microfilm editions; syndication rights; permission rights (quotations, excerpts, illustrations, etc.); merchandising rights and in any media now known or hereafter created; and otherwise utilize the Work and material based on the Work.

I’m giving up all of this in return for Royalties of Ten Percent of sales. The smarter author works with a trusted literary agent or intellectual property attorney to help with negotiations

There is another option. Keep ALL of your rights, be your own boss, set your own deadlines, and publish as an Indie Author. If you like control of your career and you’re not afraid of learning new things and steering your own ship, self-publishing might be for you. It’s easier now than ever before.

If you live in or near the Amarillo, Texas Panhandle area, I’d like to invite you to an Indie Author Workshop in July. SAVE THE DATE: July 21, 2018. I’ll be moderating a panel of Indie Authors and small press owners to discuss the step-by-step process of self-publishing. Let’s get real. We’ll include the bad and the good, and answer all your questions. Rory C. Keel, one my WordsmithSix critique partners will be on the panel too. Sponsored by Texas High Plains Writers, meeting starts at 10:00 AM, Amarillo (Chase) Tower, 600 South Tyler Street, in downtown Amarillo, Texas. We’ll be on the 9th Floor in the Ed Davis Room.  Bring your questions and be prepared to leave inspired!

 

Words From the Masters

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Words From the Masters

 

A writer is a world trapped in a person. —Victor Hugo

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. —William Wordsworth

Quiet people have the loudest minds. —Stephen King

Be courageous and try to write in a way that scares you a little. —Holley Gerth

Don’t be a writer. Be writing. —William Faulkner

Take your character to the edge of who he is. —writingeekery.com

You can’t blame a writer for what the characters say. —Truman Capote

A non-writing writer is a monster courting insanity. —Franz Kafka

A writer is someone who has taught their mind to misbehave. —Oscar Wilde

Forget the rules. Rules are for editors. Just write. —THEINVISIBLEAUTHOR.

Anagnorisis

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Anagnorisis

by Adam Huddleston

This week I wanted to introduce another literary term: anagnorisis. It is derived from a Greek word meaning “recognition” and refers to the moment in a story when a character (often the protagonist) discovers the underlying truth behind something. It could be the realization of an inner-strength or ability, the true nature of an antagonist, or a deeper understanding of the situation they are in.

Depending on when this change in knowledge takes place, it may lead to a change in the plot of the story. The character alters their course of action based on the new information. So, when writing your story, if is often effective to emphasize this to the reader. Just be cautious that you don’t smack them over the head with it.

Happy writing!

Spring Cleaning

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Outtakes 339

Spring Cleaning

By Cait Collins

 

I always hated to see my mom bring out the buckets, mops, brooms, and garbage bags. I knew it must be spring and mom was going to do the spring cleaning. My sisters and I had a part in the ritual. It was a time when we were supposed to dump the trash and really clean our rooms. When mom deemed the house clean, we could step back; inhale the scents of cleaners, furniture polish and sun-dried linens. (We didn’t have a dryer, so all the laundry was hung on the clothes line in the backyard.)

Writers need to do some spring cleaning. W need to take time to assess our accomplishments and our failures, toss out expired ideas and rejected pages, and clear the clutter from our minds. Here’s where I plan to start.

Go through the boxes of old manuscripts and unfinished projects. Keep the pieces that have potential and toss the dead-weight.

Clean out the office supplies. Yes, there’s a lot of junk there. Donate or trash electronics that I no longer use.

Clean up my attitude. If I’m not writing, it’s my fault. I can’t blame it on others or on circumstances.

Make time to write. No more “I work long hours at the office and just can’t look at the computer one more minute.” This is an excuse not a reason.

Understand that others are having difficult times and be encouraging instead of dismissing their importance in the grand scheme of things.

Remember this is a business and not a hobby. Reject my “It’s okay if I never publish. Just finishing a project is an accomplishment.” Really?

Dump negative thoughts. I can do this.

Once the trash is tossed out, commit to keeping my writer’s life clutter-free. Junk and trash are not conducive to success. Besides, I hate spring cleaning.

COMING SOON! OUR TIME ON ROUTE 66

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OUR TIME ON ROUTE 66

 

Look for our new Wordsmith Six Book release.

This fantastic book, is a collection of stories that will take you on a journey on Route 66.

It started as a dirt path connecting neighbors, communities, states and finally a nation.

Route 66 was an overland route traveled by pioneers, migrant farmers and anyone going west looking for the American dream. From wagon ruts to an asphalt highway, it has connected generations of people.

Join us as we travel through time from the early days and well into the future on the Mother Road.

OUR TIME on Route 66 is full of stories that tell of good times and bad, love and heartache, from the past to beyond tomorrow, and all of them connected by one stop, the Tower Station, and U-Drop Inn.

Book Cover Reveal

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Book Cover Reveal

 

Finally, two more books will be out soon in the Rescue Animal Series. Book #5, Flash: The Story of Me and Book #6, Taz & The Big Flappy Thing. These two will gallop straight into your heart!

Both books will be available in eBook and print formats, worldwide. Written in easy reader vocabulary for your emerging readers and featuring color photos, for ages 7-9.

My kids picked out their dogs from ASPCA and I thought that was very nice gesture on our part, and then I met a group of people who help rescue horses. It is an unbelievable commitment of time, energy and money. I hope these books bring an awareness to the work these people do.

FLASH is a registered Tennessee Walker who came from Dove Creek Equine Rescue in Canyon, Texas. The story follows his adoption, training to overcome fear of noises, his work in an outdoor musical drama, and the moment he learned to trust the human who loved him. Based on a true story.

TAZ is a registered Hackney, saved by the Sheriff’s Department and rehabilitated at Panhandle Safe Hayven Equine Rescue in Amarillo, Texas. His adopted owner trained him for a Mounted Search and Rescue Team and his story is also based on actual events. The book tells the story of his training for his first Veteran’s Day Parade through downtown Amarillo, Texas.

Be on the lookout for book signings this spring where you can meet these amazing rescue horses. We’ll be visiting several public libraries in the Texas Panhandle area. For details on upcoming events, check out my website http://nataliebright.com/ , follow my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nataliebrightauthor/

and events will also be listed on my Amazon Author Page

https://www.amazon.com/Natalie-Bright/

Hope to see you at a book event sometime soon!

Nataliebright.com

NEW BOOK COMING SOON!

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

NEW BOOK COMING SOON!
By Nandy Ekle

Coming soon, as in within the month, One Murderous Week, an anthology of seven short stories previously published on line. It will be available in ebook and in print. Enjoy!