Good day, friends:
I am making my debut as the latest novelist to join Novel Spaces. Should be fun interacting with fellow members and those who love to read or simply like to check out interesting blogs.
Seems the big news of this past week was the "event" departure of LeBron James from Cleveland in favor of the swaying palm trees and sunshine of Miami. I wish James the best of luck in trying to bring Miami another championship with his new star teammates, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.
Sorry for Cleveland, which will have to regroup and show that they can still remain competitive even without their superstar. At least the city has Betty White to put the spotlight on with some humor in the TV series, Hot in Cleveland.
The Cleveland saga made me think about one of my biggest dilemmas as a writer -- that is trying to decide where my novels should take place (or in some cases, the multiple settings). I often find myself vacillating between creating fictional settings and using real ones. There are pros and cons both ways.
The pros in using a real city or town: it's a place many readers will presumably be able to relate to--especially if a big city, such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta, etc. Even if the town is small or not as well known, if it is real, people can look up on the Internet and try to mix and match with your novel in terms of landmarks, streets, style of housing, and even the people. This makes it easier using what is already there to build your plot and characters around. As I like to include a sense of place in my stories, having real locations can take me and the characters there to enjoy.
The main con for using a real place is that unless you actually live there and have a firm grasp of the setting, the people, and such, you run the risk of being off center in your depictions that residents or those knowledgeable of the setting will catch every time. This is why I like to thoroughly research my real settings , which can be anywhere in the world, so I am as close to hitting the mark as possible. Also, it gives me and my wife a great excuse to travel close and far away from home and see all there is to see that I can then use in bringing the location and my characters to life.
The pros in using a fictional city or town: I can create a place from the ground up, so to speak, molding to fit my storyline, characters, their idiosyncrasies, and even the location's history. It can be fun to place your fictional city smack dab in the middle of a state where no such place exists. Or even near a real city, such as Detroit or Portland, where I may have my protagonists visit in blending real with fictional and giving my readers the experience of both.
The cons of creating my own setting for a novel are that it takes more time and forethought than simply going with a place that is ready from the start for my characters to go about their lives; also I lose the edge of having a real setting that readers can immediately identify with, even if having never been there. But these concerns are balanced by the three-dimensional characters themselves and their ability to reach out to and hook readers irrespective of their location from one moment to the next.
As it is, I tend to use real and fictional settings in my novels, depending on the plot itself, the characters, and how they work together. There have been times where I started one way and decided later to go in another direction in terms of fictional or real spaces and places.
Having never used Cleveland as a setting in any of my novels, I just may have to give it a go now as the city's gotten my attention; which means a new place to pencil in for me and my wife to visit.
Does it matter to you if a setting is real or fictional? If so, which do you prefer?
Or will any location suffice, so long as the plot and pacing are there along with a compelling storyline and a satisfactory resolution to the conflicts?
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
I AM a real author
Hi all! This is my first blog as a member of the Novel Spaces community and I am very happy to have been asked to join this group.
I am a self-published author. This was not my first choice. I write children's books based in the Caribbean and so my largest audience is in the Caribbean. When I made the decision to write a book, I approached every publishing house in the Caribbean to no avail. I was rejected; not because my idea was not feasible, or because my writing was horrible. I did not even get an audience, none would even consider a manuscript. With one voice, they announced that they were only interested in textbooks and scholarly works and since I had the gall to write a book just for fun, they were not interested.
I decided not to let that stop me. I had a story that I felt Caribbean children needed to read and that I needed to write, so I decided to self-publish.
Does self-publishing make me less of an author?
There are many days when I ask myself that question. On those days I blush when I have to admit to potential readers that I was not snatched up by a big name publishing house. I can see disappointment cross their faces - 'how good could my books be if I had to pay to get them printed?' KeVin alluded to this sentiment in his novel spaces post just last week.
The thing is that, although anyone can self-publish, the process is self-limiting. If I had not got the great response that I had to the first
of my two children's books, if I had not broken even, I would not have moved forward to the second
.
Of course, it is possible that readers don't tell you the truth. Look at all of the singers who enter talent shows without a shred of singing talent. They probably had 'friends' egging them on and complimenting their singing ability. But my audience is comprised mainly of young children and they generally don't lie unless they are provoked. When I walk through the halls of my children's elementary school and their friends stop me and say spontaneously "Auntie ..." (I live in a part of the world where children still address adults respectfully) "Auntie, I loved your book" and very often "Auntie, when can I read the next one," then I believe that I am making a worthwhile contribution after all.
Maybe one day I will write more mainstream books, perhaps one day I will be successful in my attempts to attract a publisher, but until then, I will continue to put my money where my mouth is and put out books until my audience tells me it's time to go.
What are your thoughts on the issue? Are you less likely to purchase a book once you find out that it is self-published?
I am a self-published author. This was not my first choice. I write children's books based in the Caribbean and so my largest audience is in the Caribbean. When I made the decision to write a book, I approached every publishing house in the Caribbean to no avail. I was rejected; not because my idea was not feasible, or because my writing was horrible. I did not even get an audience, none would even consider a manuscript. With one voice, they announced that they were only interested in textbooks and scholarly works and since I had the gall to write a book just for fun, they were not interested.
I decided not to let that stop me. I had a story that I felt Caribbean children needed to read and that I needed to write, so I decided to self-publish.
Does self-publishing make me less of an author?
There are many days when I ask myself that question. On those days I blush when I have to admit to potential readers that I was not snatched up by a big name publishing house. I can see disappointment cross their faces - 'how good could my books be if I had to pay to get them printed?' KeVin alluded to this sentiment in his novel spaces post just last week.
The thing is that, although anyone can self-publish, the process is self-limiting. If I had not got the great response that I had to the first
of my two children's books, if I had not broken even, I would not have moved forward to the second.Of course, it is possible that readers don't tell you the truth. Look at all of the singers who enter talent shows without a shred of singing talent. They probably had 'friends' egging them on and complimenting their singing ability. But my audience is comprised mainly of young children and they generally don't lie unless they are provoked. When I walk through the halls of my children's elementary school and their friends stop me and say spontaneously "Auntie ..." (I live in a part of the world where children still address adults respectfully) "Auntie, I loved your book" and very often "Auntie, when can I read the next one," then I believe that I am making a worthwhile contribution after all.
Maybe one day I will write more mainstream books, perhaps one day I will be successful in my attempts to attract a publisher, but until then, I will continue to put my money where my mouth is and put out books until my audience tells me it's time to go.
What are your thoughts on the issue? Are you less likely to purchase a book once you find out that it is self-published?
Sunday, July 11, 2010
My First Day
Except for a guest post I did once upon a time, this is my first post on Novel Spaces. (I almost put in the link until I realized I was on the page I’d link to.) I want to begin by thanking everyone here at the “Spaces” for inviting me to be a part of this august group. I won’t suggest that I’m going to add any great insights that others here haven’t had, or won’t have themselves, but I hope to do my part. I’ll pull my weight or haul my freight.
So, what to talk about in post number 1? How about: “what writing isn’t, and what writing is?” Here’s some of my thoughts on those subjects.
1. Writing isn’t magic. Most people have the language skills to do it. It doesn’t require some secret talent that only the lucky few are born with. It’s not a gift from the gods.
2. Writing isn’t easy. It’s not something you can decide to toss off during an occasional afternoon. It takes time and commitment; it takes work. This is why, though many could do it, most don’t.
3. Writing is not a quick way to riches. Stephen King got rich. Anne Rice did. Dan Brown did. You probably won’t. Though if you do, take me with you to the top. I’d like some money, too, and goodness knows I haven’t seen much of it yet.
4. Writing isn’t glamorous. It’s closer to being a farmer than a movie star. It’s closest, perhaps, to being a school teacher or a librarian. (I’ve been all of these except movie star, by the way, but I’m sure my Hollywood breakthrough is coming any day now.) If you’re expecting to become famous and glamorous enough to have the paparazzi stake out your house, well then you certainly have the imagination needed to be a writer. (See my note about my Hollywood breakthrough.)
5 Writing is one of the best ways to amuse yourself. I’m never bored except when I’m at the mercy of someone else, as when I’m trapped in a meeting, for example. Even then I can almost always come up with an amusing story to pass the time. Sometimes it’s about the bored folks sitting around me in the meeting.
6. Writing is habit forming. If I go more than a day or two without writing, I start to feel incomplete. I feel like I’ve forgotten something. I feel like I better get my butt into my chair and do what I’m supposed to do.
7. Writing is important. It’s not the most important job in the world but it has many rolls to play in promoting human welfare. It can educate and entertain. It helps heal emotional wounds and inspires movements toward freedom and justice. Most of all, it helps us recognize our common humanity in the face of an inhuman universe.
Those are some of my opinions. What are yours?
So, what to talk about in post number 1? How about: “what writing isn’t, and what writing is?” Here’s some of my thoughts on those subjects.
1. Writing isn’t magic. Most people have the language skills to do it. It doesn’t require some secret talent that only the lucky few are born with. It’s not a gift from the gods.
2. Writing isn’t easy. It’s not something you can decide to toss off during an occasional afternoon. It takes time and commitment; it takes work. This is why, though many could do it, most don’t.
3. Writing is not a quick way to riches. Stephen King got rich. Anne Rice did. Dan Brown did. You probably won’t. Though if you do, take me with you to the top. I’d like some money, too, and goodness knows I haven’t seen much of it yet.
4. Writing isn’t glamorous. It’s closer to being a farmer than a movie star. It’s closest, perhaps, to being a school teacher or a librarian. (I’ve been all of these except movie star, by the way, but I’m sure my Hollywood breakthrough is coming any day now.) If you’re expecting to become famous and glamorous enough to have the paparazzi stake out your house, well then you certainly have the imagination needed to be a writer. (See my note about my Hollywood breakthrough.)
5 Writing is one of the best ways to amuse yourself. I’m never bored except when I’m at the mercy of someone else, as when I’m trapped in a meeting, for example. Even then I can almost always come up with an amusing story to pass the time. Sometimes it’s about the bored folks sitting around me in the meeting.
6. Writing is habit forming. If I go more than a day or two without writing, I start to feel incomplete. I feel like I’ve forgotten something. I feel like I better get my butt into my chair and do what I’m supposed to do.
7. Writing is important. It’s not the most important job in the world but it has many rolls to play in promoting human welfare. It can educate and entertain. It helps heal emotional wounds and inspires movements toward freedom and justice. Most of all, it helps us recognize our common humanity in the face of an inhuman universe.
Those are some of my opinions. What are yours?
Saturday, July 10, 2010
AGENTS
Recently, I read an article about a bestselling author who's agent disappeared with a great deal of the author's advance and royalty money. I found the article both fascinating and frightening because this is one of my biggest fears.
Consider the following when you begin your search for representation:
1) Do your homework. Gather information about the agent you would like to represent you;
2) Don't sign with anyone until you have explored their philosophy and ideas about the writing business and how those ideas fit with your writing career; and
3) If you already have an agent and find that he or she is not working out for you, don't be afraid to cut the ties between you and that person.
I understand the excitement of being accepted by an agent. An agent validates you and your work. I also have learned how detrimental the wrong agent can be for your writing career. If the agent doesn't understand you or your work, they can cause more harm then good.
Discuss the following before signing with an agent:
1) What are the agent's goals for your writing career?;
2) Do you want a career?;
3) Where do you want your writing career to go?; and
4) Does this agent have connections and clients in the area you want to pursue?.
It's so easy to get swept up in the excitement of signing with an agent. But like so many things related to the publishing business, an author needs to come to the table with a calm, level head. This is a business.
What do you think? I'd love to hear from you. E-mail me at karenwowens@gmail.com or click on the comment link.
Remember, don't be a stranger.
Karen
Consider the following when you begin your search for representation:
1) Do your homework. Gather information about the agent you would like to represent you;
2) Don't sign with anyone until you have explored their philosophy and ideas about the writing business and how those ideas fit with your writing career; and
3) If you already have an agent and find that he or she is not working out for you, don't be afraid to cut the ties between you and that person.
I understand the excitement of being accepted by an agent. An agent validates you and your work. I also have learned how detrimental the wrong agent can be for your writing career. If the agent doesn't understand you or your work, they can cause more harm then good.
Discuss the following before signing with an agent:
1) What are the agent's goals for your writing career?;
2) Do you want a career?;
3) Where do you want your writing career to go?; and
4) Does this agent have connections and clients in the area you want to pursue?.
It's so easy to get swept up in the excitement of signing with an agent. But like so many things related to the publishing business, an author needs to come to the table with a calm, level head. This is a business.
What do you think? I'd love to hear from you. E-mail me at karenwowens@gmail.com or click on the comment link.
Remember, don't be a stranger.
Karen
Friday, July 9, 2010
Stranded in Paradise
Those who read my blog two weeks ago would know that I visited St. Kitts, my home town for a family reunion. It was a great time, packed with activities that left me little time for book promotion. My major accomplishment in that arena was to get a local bookstore, NR Sales and Services, to carry my books, with the promise of that I’d promote the book locally and on Facebook.
Saturday evening, one day before my scheduled return, I met a relative who hosts a local radio talk show on Tuesday mornings. He invited me to do an interview me on his radio show. With great regret I had to decline knowing I was leaving the following day.
Sunday, after preparing ourselves mentally and physically (I hate packing) to leave this lovely island, we dragged ourselves to the airport, only to find out our flight was canceled. When we tried to get a later flight we learned that there were no flights available that day. After a long wait the lady at the counter finally announced our new travel arrangements. My husband, the toddler and the infants would leave on Monday traveling through Puerto Rico. My sister would travel through Miami on Tuesday, and I and my oldest daughter had no travel arrangements.
Eventually, we realized the only way we could travel as a group, was to take the next direct flight to New York, the next Wednesday. Of course we were disappointed (well not that much). My kids were hoping to reach in time to catch the 4th of July fireworks. My husband and I had to go back to work on Tuesday.
But then I realized every disappointment is for a good. I had three more days with no planned activities. I immediately called my cousin with the radio show and arranged that interview. It went well and aired on WinFM 98.9 radio with video streaming on the internet. After that my cousin introduced me to another relative who was a newspaper journalist. She interviewed me about my books and wrote an article for SKNvibes, the premier internet news provider for St. Kitts. I was able to meet a longtime friend who was about to migrate to a different Caribbean island. I was able to purchase local crafts and snacks like coconut fudge, sugar cake, and guava cheese that I had no time to purchase before. And of course I got to spend another full day at the lovely golden sand beach. I would say in those two to three extra days, I accomplished more in terms of book promotion than all two weeks before.
So, as the saying goes: “Every disappointment is for a good.”
Saturday evening, one day before my scheduled return, I met a relative who hosts a local radio talk show on Tuesday mornings. He invited me to do an interview me on his radio show. With great regret I had to decline knowing I was leaving the following day.
Sunday, after preparing ourselves mentally and physically (I hate packing) to leave this lovely island, we dragged ourselves to the airport, only to find out our flight was canceled. When we tried to get a later flight we learned that there were no flights available that day. After a long wait the lady at the counter finally announced our new travel arrangements. My husband, the toddler and the infants would leave on Monday traveling through Puerto Rico. My sister would travel through Miami on Tuesday, and I and my oldest daughter had no travel arrangements.
Eventually, we realized the only way we could travel as a group, was to take the next direct flight to New York, the next Wednesday. Of course we were disappointed (well not that much). My kids were hoping to reach in time to catch the 4th of July fireworks. My husband and I had to go back to work on Tuesday.
But then I realized every disappointment is for a good. I had three more days with no planned activities. I immediately called my cousin with the radio show and arranged that interview. It went well and aired on WinFM 98.9 radio with video streaming on the internet. After that my cousin introduced me to another relative who was a newspaper journalist. She interviewed me about my books and wrote an article for SKNvibes, the premier internet news provider for St. Kitts. I was able to meet a longtime friend who was about to migrate to a different Caribbean island. I was able to purchase local crafts and snacks like coconut fudge, sugar cake, and guava cheese that I had no time to purchase before. And of course I got to spend another full day at the lovely golden sand beach. I would say in those two to three extra days, I accomplished more in terms of book promotion than all two weeks before.
So, as the saying goes: “Every disappointment is for a good.”
Thursday, July 8, 2010
School shenanigans
So The Wast comes home from school and tells me that the class is going to plant some herbs and vegetables the following week in "Living Skills" (Kamehiran Hidup). "Great," I say.
(Sideways rant: the sale of herbs in their little pots is a complete racket in this country. You can buy them in supermarkets, curiously in -- or next to -- the fresh fruit and vegetable section. But unless you read closely, you won't notice that the bloody things were grown in Genting Highlands. The average temperature @ Genting is 24 degrees C; the average temperature in the rest of the bloody country is 33 degrees C.
What do you think happens to a plant when it's taken out of a chilled environment and let loose under the equatorial sun? R-i-g-h-t. The herbs I do have required great coaxing to achieve even a limited amount of new growth. It's too hot, not enough sun in the shade, too much rain. When I think of the extensive herb garden I had in Melbourne, and compare it to the pathetic little pots I have here, I want to scream.)
"I need a small pot," he says.
"Okay." I go get him one of my old herb containers, a white bowl with a Chinese pattern of a blue fish on it and matching saucer, in melamine. (It was actually a noodle soup bowl, but I drilled some holes in the bottom and voila! window-sill herb pot!)
The next day, he says he also needs some seeds. "But my teacher says to make sure they are for plants that can grow in our climate."
I remember a packet of vegetable seeds in the pantry. Okay. "Anything else?"
Maybe my voice is a bit dry, because he grins. "No, nothing else."
Until yesterday. "Oh, I need soil as well."
"Run out of it in the school grounds have you?" The cats have tipped over my lovely large glazed pot of Thai basil seedlings (furry little bastards), breaking it and scattering potting mix and little green shoots everywhere. I sigh, gather a plastic bag and shovel some mix together for him.
"So," I say, "you're supposed to be learning how to grow things and have had to supply your own pots, seeds and soil. What about water?"
The Wast laughs. "Oh, the teacher will definitely supply that."
I packed a bag for his gardening supplies today...and included a jam jar of water. Wonder if the teacher will detect my sarcasm.
* Kaz Augustin is a very sarcastic writer. You can find her website at http://www.ksaugustin.com She blogs three times a week, more or less, at http://blog.ksaugustin.com and also has a food blog at http://food.ksaugustin.com If all that isn't enough, she's also on Facebook and Twitter. Just look for "ksaugustin".
(Sideways rant: the sale of herbs in their little pots is a complete racket in this country. You can buy them in supermarkets, curiously in -- or next to -- the fresh fruit and vegetable section. But unless you read closely, you won't notice that the bloody things were grown in Genting Highlands. The average temperature @ Genting is 24 degrees C; the average temperature in the rest of the bloody country is 33 degrees C.
What do you think happens to a plant when it's taken out of a chilled environment and let loose under the equatorial sun? R-i-g-h-t. The herbs I do have required great coaxing to achieve even a limited amount of new growth. It's too hot, not enough sun in the shade, too much rain. When I think of the extensive herb garden I had in Melbourne, and compare it to the pathetic little pots I have here, I want to scream.)
"I need a small pot," he says.
"Okay." I go get him one of my old herb containers, a white bowl with a Chinese pattern of a blue fish on it and matching saucer, in melamine. (It was actually a noodle soup bowl, but I drilled some holes in the bottom and voila! window-sill herb pot!)
The next day, he says he also needs some seeds. "But my teacher says to make sure they are for plants that can grow in our climate."
I remember a packet of vegetable seeds in the pantry. Okay. "Anything else?"
Maybe my voice is a bit dry, because he grins. "No, nothing else."
Until yesterday. "Oh, I need soil as well."
"Run out of it in the school grounds have you?" The cats have tipped over my lovely large glazed pot of Thai basil seedlings (furry little bastards), breaking it and scattering potting mix and little green shoots everywhere. I sigh, gather a plastic bag and shovel some mix together for him.
"So," I say, "you're supposed to be learning how to grow things and have had to supply your own pots, seeds and soil. What about water?"
The Wast laughs. "Oh, the teacher will definitely supply that."
I packed a bag for his gardening supplies today...and included a jam jar of water. Wonder if the teacher will detect my sarcasm.
* Kaz Augustin is a very sarcastic writer. You can find her website at http://www.ksaugustin.com She blogs three times a week, more or less, at http://blog.ksaugustin.com and also has a food blog at http://food.ksaugustin.com If all that isn't enough, she's also on Facebook and Twitter. Just look for "ksaugustin".
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Natural inspiration
"If you wait for inspiration, you're not a writer, but a waiter."
Creative people need to be stimulated to reach beyond the humdrum immediate concerns of their lives and get into the 'zone' - the state where the creative subconscious mind expands and begins to make the elusive connections that are the beginnings of any work of creation. Inspiration is not something we can count on to 'happen' while we wait, however; we must actively seek it out.
Every now and then there's a power outage in the valley where I live; the immediate reaction of most people, including myself, is a howl of annoyance. But once the candles have been lit and the urgency to continue doing whatever interrupted life-and-death activity, such as staring blankly at a TV sitcom, has vanished, the positive aspects of the outage become apparent: the quiet (who knew the refrigerator roared like that?), the closeness, the conversation, the tuning in to the world and tuning in to ourselves. If the outage occurs at night, I invariably wander outdoors and look up at the stars that suddenly seem so huge and numerous they crowd the sky. I'm sensitized to the sounds and scents of the night, the coolness of the breeze, and feel a connection with all of creation, and with the creative energy of the universe.
The ground carpeted with pink poui blooms
What's the point of all this preamble? Simply that when I'm connected to nature, when the creative thrust of the earth is all around me, my own creativity swells up and there I am in the 'zone'.This is one of the reasons I seek out nature - admittedly not very hard to do when you live in a forested valley on a tropical island with unspoilt streams, tiny pools and waterfalls within walking distance. But wherever you are, even sitting in front of a computer screen as you are right now, you can seek out quiet and natural surroundings to calm your mind, refresh your spirit, and allow your creativity to flourish.
We were all born to be creative. Our restless brain continually recreates and rearranges itself in response to the world around it. As writers, with the goal of communicating in the special ways that only we can, we must give ourselves the quiet, solitude and natural space in which inspiration rains and creativity takes root.
Photos are of poui trees in bloom on the grounds of a high school in Trinidad where my son studied and I taught for a short while. Photographer is V. Stanford.
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