I’m on the road right now, doing everything I can in my book’s first month to nudge it along. I’ve been VERY lucky that it’s been front-tabled in Borders. I’ve been doing events at various indies, and am meeting with book clubs too, which is a real pleasure. I didn’t want to lug my laptop around with me; it’s too precious and fragile. So right now I’m typing this on…
Good description is beautiful, even when describing something that is not beautiful. The first two paintings here are by my friend Tom Paquette. He gorgeously paints gorgeous clouds, and leaves, and tree limbs. The next two are by my friend Valeri Larko. She gorgeously paints industrial buildings and equipment, and trash heaps. Artists of all kinds, including writers, can make something beautiful, no matter what the topic.
A recent quote from my blog “Emily Winslow Talks to Strangers”: I am not in control of my inspiration It’s very fashionable, and practical, to rail against the idea of “inspiration.” Writers I respect talk about discipline and hard work and consistency, and how absurd and indulgent it is to depend on inspiration. “Butt in chair,” they say. “Fingers on keyboard.” But I’ll confess: I’m not above inspiration. After weeks…
Well, this is it. Tomorrow by first novel is officially out and about, meeting strangers in bookstores and going home with them. (I hope!) To help it along, I’m spending the entire month of June on the road. In a previous post, I mentioned my public bookstore events. I have seven of those. And also, 17 private events: book clubs, lunches, parties, talks, a writing conference and two local TV…
My Mom is amazing. Five years ago, when I was waiting through a hot New Hampshire summer to give birth to our second child, she came two weeks before my due date, just in case. Then I ended up being two weeks late. She passed the time that month playing with our four-year-old, doing the laundry, and cooking my favorite meals. Normal “good mom” stuff, right? She also: polished the…
New authors are often advised by those more experienced to avoid reviews. Joelle admitted in her post on reviews that she has turned off google alerts and doesn’t seek out online comments about her book. She is wise and sane, but what is she missing? For her, and for you, here are some snippets from Goodreads reviews of her debut, young adult novel Restoring Harmony: Princess Bookie says: “My Thoughts:…
My editor sent me two copies of my book this week: real, finished, hardcover copies, with the gorgeously formatted interior, and pretty dustjacket. I washed my hands before touching, handled them gingerly, and checked that they used the author photo I liked best. I admired the color of the book under the dustjacket, a lovely subtle blue that matches the cover illustration. I opened it to look at each of…
This week’s theme is “shopping.” That’s something I’m doing a lot of right now, because for all of the month of June I’ll be traveling all over the States promoting my book (see this post for the schedule). I’ll be seeing lots of old friends which is WONDERFUL. It’s also daunting. I’m diligently whitening my teeth, and in a few weeks I’m having my hair professionally colored, a treat I…
It’s tempting, I know. But resist! Amazon is littered with the comments of authors defending themselves from negative reviews. Nothing good can come of such public displays of indignation. I originally wrote this post linking to two examples of SPECTACULAR author tantrums prompted by negative reviews. It’s bad enough to respond in a moment of passion, but these were ongoing crusades fueled by delusion, entitlement, and paranoia. Some even involved…
Living a dual-country life sounds glamorous, doesn’t it? It’s delightful–except for dueling taxes. See, the UK and the US have very similar tax structures, if by “similar” one means “absolute opposite.” For example: The US “tax year” is measured from January 1 to December 31, reported on April 15th. The UK tax year is measured from April 6th to April 5th, and reported in January. If I’d written that two…
