Don’t Google Yourself

17 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in Reviews, Writing Life

“And if you can’t stand the heat of the blogosphere – don’t Google yourself.”  This is the conclusion of an article in the Guardian about the latest dust-up in the blogosphere around young adult book reviews where readers duke it out over their opinions.  Fortunately the author in question had the good sense to stand back.

There have always been good and bad reviews.  An author’s job is write the best book they can, send it out in the world, then get on writing another one. We may want everyone to love it, but hey, it’s not like we can control what readers do or don’t like.  One thing that really amazes me is how passionate readers can be…when they love your book, it’s a wonderful thing.  The flip side of the coin is obviously not quite so pleasant.  It’s all part of being a writer though.  You just have to let it roll off your back.

1:30 AM but still working

14 Jan 2012 2 Comments

by sherylbooks in Writing Life Tags: , , ,

It’s Friday night, or rather Saturday morning.  I’ve been sick with the flu all day, but I have a deadline so I’ve been working anyways.  I think this next picture book is going to be fantastic, and I’m so excited to be working with Sheena Lott and my wonderful editor, Ann Featherstone who is with Pajama Press.

1:30 AM but still working

Karen Rivers on January 16th

12 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in Events, For Educators, For Parents, for teens, News, Writing Life Tags: , ,

CANCELLED

Young adult author, Karen Rivers will be at the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable meeting on Monday January 16th to talk about how she found her “dream job” as a writer. Her books are funny, quirky, sad, and impossible to put down.   I’ve never read one I didn’t like.

If you happen to be in the Victoria area,  drop by the Nellie McClung Branch Library, 3950 Cedar Hill Road for an awesome program. Doors open at 7 pm & you can browse the bookseller’s table until 7:30 when the program starts.

The VCLR is open to the public. Members free, drop-ins $5, students $4.

www.victoriachildrensliteratureroundtable.blogspot.com for more info.  Or check them out on Facebook.

Books available at the event through Tall Tale Books.

The Reviewer/Author relationship

08 Jan 2012 2 Comments

by sherylbooks in Reviews, Writing Life Tags: , , , ,

It seems like these days, everyone is a reviewer.  One of my fav bogs is YA Highway.   Yesterday (Jan. 6, 2011) Veronica Roth posted a really thoughtful piece on the reviewer/author relationship.  Whether you are an author, reviewer or a consumer of books, it’s well worth your time.

It certainly got me thinking about my approach to books and blogging.  I started blogging because I love books, I love talking about them, and I love reading about other people’s take on the books they’ve been reading.  Some bloggers tend to take reviewing very seriously, but my approach to blogging tends to be personal.  I blog about all sorts of things aside from books…gardening, dragon boating, my dog, travel, and anything else that I feel like writing about.  I know my blog it isn’t for everyone, but that’s ok.  I figure that if you want book reviews, there are plenty out there.

I tend to shy away from official “reviews” for lots of reasons; one of them being, I’m more comfortable talking about things I really enjoy.  It may come from my mother’s “if you can’t say anything nice about someone keep quiet” upbringing, or it may just be that life is to short to dwell unpleasantness.  I prefer to talk about books I enjoy, authors I like to follow, and to post information about book awards or events.  I do like to let people know when I read a good book, or sometimes even when I’m a little disappointed in one. As an author myself, I’m careful about dissing books.  I know how hard it is to put your heart and soul on the page and have someone come along and rip it to shreds.  If I hate a book, I’m not likely to spend any more time with it, and reviewing does mean spending more time.  I’d rather just move on to something I like.  Of course there will be good books that I don’t write about if for no other reason than I haven’t had time to read them.  I mean hey, I can’t spend all my time procrastinating with this blog, or I’ll never get anything done on my own books!

Doodling is given a new definition by Sunni Brown

06 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Parents, Help for writers, Writing Life Tags: , , , , , ,

There may be no such thing as a flattering definition of doodling, but according to Sunni Brown, Doodling can assist information processing, has been an important precursor to certain cultural pieces (such as the Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi) and has a profound positive role in visual literacy.

Who knew…

I love these TED talks. They point you in directions you never would have thought of.  Thanks Patricia Storms for the heads up.  I have always been a doodler.  It helps me think.

And if that isn’t enough, there is story connection…even the guru of screenwriting, Robert McKee is a doodle fan.

A New Year’s taste of Galiano Island

02 Jan 2012 2 Comments

by sherylbooks in Nature, News, Writing Life Tags: , , ,

It’s good to be back.  Happy New Year to all of you bloggers and readers out there.  I’m home again after a few glorious days spent with my friends on Galiano Island.  Marci DeVicque is the most energetic woman I know.  She’s an amazing gardener, raises sheep, chickens, rescues dogs, and is an extraordinary glass artist.  It’s as much a treat to visit her garden as it is to see her gorgeous glass work.  Here is the beautiful dragonfly gate that she designed.

 

Sharing meals, wine and walks with friends is such a lovely way to bring in the New Year.  We went for lovely long walks every day.  The only downside was that my little dog Ruby discovered otter poop on the walk we took just before coming home…boy did she smell bad in a “stinky rotting fish sort of way”!  Three baths and a whole lot of baking soda later, she’s bearable to be around!  So here’s a small gift to my readers, a taste of Galiano Island.  Enjoy!

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Robert McCrum’s list of 50 things he’s learned about literary life

19 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in Help for writers, Writing Life Tags: ,

Fifty things I’ve learned about the literary life

There’s no magic formula for success, and no one person knows best, but for what it’s worth…

Here’s a few of my favorites:

1. Less is more. Or, “the only art is to omit” (Robert Louis Stevenson).

3. Whatever works, works.

4. There are seven basic stories in world literature.

8. Put a body on page one.

9. Literature is theft.

13. The “overnight success” is usually anything but.

22. A great novel can cost as much as a pencil and a pad of paper – or a whole life.

31. Moby-Dick sold fewer than 10,000 copies in Melville’s lifetime.

Here’s McCrum’s complete list.

Robert McCrum is an author, editor, and frequent contributor to the Guardian

My own list is slightly more meagre, but I have learned a thing or two over the last 25 years.

1) Marry money, or be prepared to be poor.

2) I’ll never run out of things to write about.

3) I’m “difficult” to live with if I’m not writing.

4) It’s easy to get lost in a story.

5) You often have to throw away your favorite lines to serve the greater good of the story.

6) Rejection is part of literary life.  Even the best writers get rejected.  You have to move on.

7) Everyone is writing a book, or thinking about writing a book when they retire.  That doesn’t make them writers.

8) Reading fine writing is like breathing fresh air.

9) Writers have to pay for their own books.  Fundraisers are not usually aware that writers have to pay for their own books.

10) Most writers are also readers.

 

 

Parliament buildings

26 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in Writing Life

Here’s a photo of downtown Victoria looking to the parliament buildings from the Empress Hotel where we had a delicious dinner and listened to terrific live jazz and then voted on our favorite of about 30 Xmas trees decorated in the lobby (voting is by donation with the proceeds supporting the Children’s Hospital) . I love the inner harbor. I love the Xmas trees.  I love living here in Victoria.

Here are some of my favorite trees.

.   

This is the one I voted for because I loved the origami.


Black Friday baffles me

25 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in Writing Life Tags:

Black Friday baffles me.  One day you give thanks, and the next you shop til you drop?  And why Black?

Today my in box contained no less than 8 advertisements for Black Friday sales.  In keeping with yesterday’s post, I’m thinking that instead of shopping, a donation to the food bank is in order.  Besides writers, like many out there, can’t afford to become a shopaholic.  Although…there is one place I may do a little shopping after my work day is over, my independent bookstore…They don’t have Amazon’s Black Friday sales, but if I don’t support them, I’m pretty sure they will disappear like so many other independents.  And when the independents are gone, will Amazon still have Black Friday sales?  Hmmm maybe not.

150 words

14 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in Writing Life

I am so excited to be working on this new project, a new picture book.  It will be a short break from a lengthier project; a novel in verse.   Today, I am finally happy with what I’ve written.  150 words worth keeping.  It doesn’t sound like much but I’ve spent the last two weeks getting here. I have a story line, and now a start to the story.  But this picture book needs more research to flesh out the details. I’m waiting on a documentary which will help enormously, a tour of a boat similar to the one in my story (the original sank) and a visit to the docks on Pender Island.   I love it when things work.

In fact, I’m so please with what I’ve managed to get done that I I think I’ll stop for a cup of tea and maybe even a walk in the late afternoon sunshine.  I think my dog Ruby will be happy with that!  As far as she’s concerned I spend far too much time in front of a computer screen and not near enough time on walks!

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