This weekend is Home Improvement Time at our house as we prepare it for sale. (Anybody want to buy a beautiful 4-bedroom/2 full- 2-half bath home in Fredericksburg, VA?)
Writers who know me know that I really admire my husband Rob as a thinker and a writer. Today, I thought I'd show you why. This is a paper he had to do for the joint warfighting course he's taking in Norfolk, VA. The assignment was a simple case study of the French Resistance shooting German POWs in retaliation for the execution of some of their members in WWII.
(Before we begin: Just a reminder that this Thursday, March 8, at 8 PM Eastern Time, Tara Maderino chats about psychics in fiction and her book Soul Guardian. http://www.geocities.com/tjmanderino/
To get to FabChat, come to fabianspace and click on FabChat.)
Is Retaliation Justified?
In 1944 it became known to the Free French Partisan fighting forces that the Germans had executed 80 partisans and planned to execute more. The Partisans thus decided they would shoot 80 German prisoners who had recently surrendered to them. At this point the Red Cross intervened, won a postponement of the executions, and sought an agreement from the Germans to treat captured partisans as prisoners of war, who may not be shot. The Partisans waited 6 days and the Germans did not reply. The Partisans then shot 80 German prisoners. After these shootings the Nazis executed no more Partisans.
Was the shooting of the 80 German prisoners by the Partisans morally justifiable?
While it might be easy to give a glib response that the deaths of 80 German soldiers purchased the lives of many more captured Partisans, I do not believe that this is the correct answer. A true examination of the morality of the Partisans’ actions requires us to expand our scope and consider the issue of morality in war in general, rather than in one specific case. When considered in the bigger picture, I find that, while their actions were arguably effective in this case, they are not morally justifiable.
The concept of reprisal is a long established facet of the laws of war. If one belligerent breaks those laws, their opponent is free to do likewise. In theory this serves as a deterrent to future violations. Francis Lieber, author of the Code for the Government of Armies in the Field, a document written to guide Union forces in the U.S. Civil War that later served as a foundational document for future conventions of the conduct of war, used the term “protective retribution” to address the idea. His term highlights the intent of the concept – to protect against future violations of the laws of war.
As outlined in the case, the Partisans’ action was a simple case of reprisal, despite the Partisans’ questionable status as belligerents under the Hague Convention. Essentially, they used the Germans POWs as hostages to guarantee the fair treatment of captured Partisans. Under the laws of war, it would arguably have been ethical. That is, it complied with the accepted standards of conduct of the day, the laws of war. However, I do not believe it was morally justifiable for two reasons; first, reprisals are generally ineffective, and second, that it blurred the line between combatant and non-combatant and so undermined the moral justification for conducting war.
While the case study asserts no more Partisans were executed, there are many documented cases of Nazi atrocities against French Partisans throughout World War II, including the execution of the entire village of Oradour-sur-Glane. Historically, reprisals have not been effective in stopping violations of the laws of war. Instead, they invite counter-reprisals, which, in turn, invite more reprisals. Lieber summed it up nicely when he wrote that “Unjust or inconsiderate retaliation removes the belligerents farther and farther from the mitigating rules of regular warfare, and by rapid steps leads them farther to the internecine wars of savages.”
Aside from the “slippery slope” argument, the execution of prisoners as a reprisal could easily become counterproductive. If German soldiers believed that the partisans would execute them, then they would be less likely to surrender and more likely to fight to the death, costing more Partisan lives in the process. In short, despite the background of the case study, the Partisan’s actions cannot be justified on the grounds that they were effective in saving lives.
Furthermore, once we set aside the argument of effectiveness, there remains a deeper problem with this specific example of reprisal. When the German soldiers surrendered, they became non-combatants under the protection of the Partisans. One common thread throughout the various just war traditions is the distinction between combatants and non-combatants. This is the line between war and murder. While non-combatants may be killed through collateral damage, only combatants may be killed deliberately. Killing prisoners of war blurs this distinction and so undermines the moral justification for war in general, putting the soldier and the murderer on equal footing. This cannot be morally justified.
Thus, while the execution of prisoners in reprisal for German executions may arguably have had some short-term benefit for the Partisans, when seen from a wider perspective, it cannot be justified morally. It is ineffective and strikes at the moral basis of war itself.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
the Free Association Blog
OK, I admit it. I am totally uninspired to write this blog post. However, I'm also totally dedicated to giving you, my faithful readers, a post twice a week. (Hello? Is anyone there? Echo!) Thus, for the next 15 minutes, I will simply write whatever comes to mind.
Remember those writing exercises? I never did like them. I always wanted to do something useful with my time. My kids hated them, too. Steven used to write "Nothing!" for 15 minutes. One day he got inspired, "i hate this i have nothing to say." Yep. A budding Nobel laureate in the making.
Of course, if you think about it, how many live journals are just that? "Didn't do much today. Oh, had ham with mustard. Ever try that deli mustard? Now there's mustard. Watched X Files for the 17th time. It's all starting to come together now..."
AARGH! I forgot to start the timer! Well, let's say 3 minutes.
I love having a laptop. I take this baby everywhere. I wake up in the morning and there it is, perched on the ironing table, calling to me. This is a GOOD THING, because my exercise program consists of marching in front of the ironing board while I check my newsgroups and e-mail. Don't laugh. Who was it on Runway who said she goes over her appointments while she jogs--as if that were unusual and innovative? At least I actually get something accomplished, rather than just think about it. Oh, and I have Calves and Fingers of Steel! Now if I could just figure out how to get rid of the belly while typing...
I got great news today. Brother Guy Consolmagno, a Jesuit astronomer and a well-known figure on the SF circuit, agreed to read Infinite Space, Infinite God for a back-cover blurb. I did the happy dance last night when I read his e-mail. (Yep, e-mail at night. E-mail at noon. E-mail in the kitchen, stirring oatmeal with a spoon.) Isn't "Consolmagno" a great name? Great consoler. Well, his e-mail made me feel better!
8 minutes.... get inspired... thinkthinkthink. Winnie the Pooh! Tao of Pooh! Tao or random associations. Rorschach! Rorschach! I'm starting to sound like something in a Terry Pratchett novel. I'll be wearing a duck on my head next!
I love Terry Pratchett. He has such a odd angle on everything. I hope my Vern novels (Dragon Eye, PI www.freewebs.com/dragoneyepi) come off a little like his works. He's much sillier and funnier.
However, my first Vern novel--Magic, Mensa and Mayhem--is going to be a silly book. Two nights ago, I wrote the airship scene (blimp/airplane hybrid) The dwarfs got acrophobia. (It's not natural! We belong underground!) and the pixies got into the gas cells and started sucking the helium. (Their voices got so high only Vern, the dragon, could hear them. No dogs on the ship.) It's been fun to write. Most of my other Vern stuff has funny moments, but is a little more grim. It is fantasy noir, after all. But I do love playing with the cliche's.
OOO--that took up 5 minutes! It's so easy to talk about your books and stories when you're a writer. Yesterday I started telling the exterminator about my book, and he's going to look it up on the Internet. I offered him an autographed copy. Tell you what: if you have read this far and would also like an autographed advanced copy at 10 percent off list price with free shipping, contact me. It'll be your reward for being so patient...or maybe just nuts.
Do you know it will probably take me longer to edit this than it did to write? I am the typo queen--which I'm sure you've noticed. AND my *(^^#@!! computer's shift key is going out again. I need to send it back to HP.
And I'm done. Wow. Better than "nothing."
Remember those writing exercises? I never did like them. I always wanted to do something useful with my time. My kids hated them, too. Steven used to write "Nothing!" for 15 minutes. One day he got inspired, "i hate this i have nothing to say." Yep. A budding Nobel laureate in the making.
Of course, if you think about it, how many live journals are just that? "Didn't do much today. Oh, had ham with mustard. Ever try that deli mustard? Now there's mustard. Watched X Files for the 17th time. It's all starting to come together now..."
AARGH! I forgot to start the timer! Well, let's say 3 minutes.
I love having a laptop. I take this baby everywhere. I wake up in the morning and there it is, perched on the ironing table, calling to me. This is a GOOD THING, because my exercise program consists of marching in front of the ironing board while I check my newsgroups and e-mail. Don't laugh. Who was it on Runway who said she goes over her appointments while she jogs--as if that were unusual and innovative? At least I actually get something accomplished, rather than just think about it. Oh, and I have Calves and Fingers of Steel! Now if I could just figure out how to get rid of the belly while typing...
I got great news today. Brother Guy Consolmagno, a Jesuit astronomer and a well-known figure on the SF circuit, agreed to read Infinite Space, Infinite God for a back-cover blurb. I did the happy dance last night when I read his e-mail. (Yep, e-mail at night. E-mail at noon. E-mail in the kitchen, stirring oatmeal with a spoon.) Isn't "Consolmagno" a great name? Great consoler. Well, his e-mail made me feel better!
8 minutes.... get inspired... thinkthinkthink. Winnie the Pooh! Tao of Pooh! Tao or random associations. Rorschach! Rorschach! I'm starting to sound like something in a Terry Pratchett novel. I'll be wearing a duck on my head next!
I love Terry Pratchett. He has such a odd angle on everything. I hope my Vern novels (Dragon Eye, PI www.freewebs.com/dragoneyepi) come off a little like his works. He's much sillier and funnier.
However, my first Vern novel--Magic, Mensa and Mayhem--is going to be a silly book. Two nights ago, I wrote the airship scene (blimp/airplane hybrid) The dwarfs got acrophobia. (It's not natural! We belong underground!) and the pixies got into the gas cells and started sucking the helium. (Their voices got so high only Vern, the dragon, could hear them. No dogs on the ship.) It's been fun to write. Most of my other Vern stuff has funny moments, but is a little more grim. It is fantasy noir, after all. But I do love playing with the cliche's.
OOO--that took up 5 minutes! It's so easy to talk about your books and stories when you're a writer. Yesterday I started telling the exterminator about my book, and he's going to look it up on the Internet. I offered him an autographed copy. Tell you what: if you have read this far and would also like an autographed advanced copy at 10 percent off list price with free shipping, contact me. It'll be your reward for being so patient...or maybe just nuts.
Do you know it will probably take me longer to edit this than it did to write? I am the typo queen--which I'm sure you've noticed. AND my *(^^#@!! computer's shift key is going out again. I need to send it back to HP.
And I'm done. Wow. Better than "nothing."
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Lenten Laughs and events stuff
Saw this on another blog--what a hoot! Yet it does explain Ash Wednesday rather well. http://kansascitycatholic.blogspot.com/2007/02/lenten-fare.html
If anyone is on MySpace, look me up www.myspace.com/karinafabian. I'm also on Shoutlife: www.shoutlife.com/karinafabian Interestingly, I've gotten more--and more active--friends from Shoutlife.
March 3 is a PROMO DAY on http://jolindsell.tripod.com. I'll be visiting and posting stuff.
Here's the FabChat schedule through March. I'm already booked through May 3.
March 1: Are you a Catholic Writer looking for fellowship and help in getting published? Chat with the officers of the Catholic Writers Guild and see if this group is for you.
March 8: Tara Maderino chats about psychics in fiction and her book Soul Guardian. http://www.geocities.com/tjmanderino/
March 15: Colleen Drippe' chats about writing for children and about her children's books, the Little Blue House books and Mystery at Miner's Creek. http://cdrippe.tripod.com/
March 22: Lea Schizas talks about her new YA fantasy Rock of Realm and writing for the young adult market. http://leaschizaseditor.tripod.com/
March 29: Pastor and author James Somers chats about writing, getting published, and his Chronicles of Soone trilogy. www.jamessomersonline.com
If anyone is on MySpace, look me up www.myspace.com/karinafabian. I'm also on Shoutlife: www.shoutlife.com/karinafabian Interestingly, I've gotten more--and more active--friends from Shoutlife.
March 3 is a PROMO DAY on http://jolindsell.tripod.com. I'll be visiting and posting stuff.
Here's the FabChat schedule through March. I'm already booked through May 3.
March 1: Are you a Catholic Writer looking for fellowship and help in getting published? Chat with the officers of the Catholic Writers Guild and see if this group is for you.
March 8: Tara Maderino chats about psychics in fiction and her book Soul Guardian. http://www.geocities.com/tjmanderino/
March 15: Colleen Drippe' chats about writing for children and about her children's books, the Little Blue House books and Mystery at Miner's Creek. http://cdrippe.tripod.com/
March 22: Lea Schizas talks about her new YA fantasy Rock of Realm and writing for the young adult market. http://leaschizaseditor.tripod.com/
March 29: Pastor and author James Somers chats about writing, getting published, and his Chronicles of Soone trilogy. www.jamessomersonline.com
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
More Twisted Fiction--
I'm in a silly parody mood, so here's what I imagine would have happened if the Great Classical Authors had written really bad Biblical fiction:
"It was the best of times, it was the End of Times." (Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens)
"Call me Saved." (Moby Dick - Herman Melville)
"On an evening in the latter part of May a middle-aged man was walking homeward from Shaston to the village of Marlott, in the adjoining Vale of Blakemore or Blackmoor...and then he wasn't." (Tess of the 'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy)
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune--after giving his 10 percent to the church, of course--must be in want of a wife." (Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen)
"1801--I have just returned from delivering The Watchtower to my landlord--the solitary neighbor that I shall be troubled with." (Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë)
"You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter. I's saved now and repent of my evil ways. This book is concerning my missionary year on the Mississippi and the souls I done brought to Jesus." (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain.)
"I was leaning against the pew in the Congregationalist Church on on Fifty-second Street, waiting for Nora to finish her Christmas shopping for the orphans, when a girl got up from where she had been kneeling with three other people and came over to me." (The Thin Man - Dashiell Hammett)
"It was about eleven o'clock in the morning, mid-October, with the sun not shining and a look of hard wet rain in the clearness as the Four Horsemen came galloping over the foothills." (The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler)
"Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table reading his Bible and preparing his witness for Sunday Meeting." (The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
"It was the best of times, it was the End of Times." (Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens)
"Call me Saved." (Moby Dick - Herman Melville)
"On an evening in the latter part of May a middle-aged man was walking homeward from Shaston to the village of Marlott, in the adjoining Vale of Blakemore or Blackmoor...and then he wasn't." (Tess of the 'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy)
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune--after giving his 10 percent to the church, of course--must be in want of a wife." (Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen)
"1801--I have just returned from delivering The Watchtower to my landlord--the solitary neighbor that I shall be troubled with." (Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë)
"You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter. I's saved now and repent of my evil ways. This book is concerning my missionary year on the Mississippi and the souls I done brought to Jesus." (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain.)
"I was leaning against the pew in the Congregationalist Church on on Fifty-second Street, waiting for Nora to finish her Christmas shopping for the orphans, when a girl got up from where she had been kneeling with three other people and came over to me." (The Thin Man - Dashiell Hammett)
"It was about eleven o'clock in the morning, mid-October, with the sun not shining and a look of hard wet rain in the clearness as the Four Horsemen came galloping over the foothills." (The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler)
"Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table reading his Bible and preparing his witness for Sunday Meeting." (The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Friday, February 16, 2007
Dr. Seuss Writes Romance From the Grave!
Lisa Logan, a friend of mine, is having a literary identity crisis! Somehow Barnes and Noble has decided she is Dr. Seuss.
Author Mix-up Has Dr. Seuss Writing Romance
Redlands, CA February 4, 2007--Fans of Theodore Seuss Geisel, i.e. Dr. Seuss, may be in for a surprise when they learn that the renowned children's writer has changed genres... more than a decade after his death.
Author Lisa Logan had just celebrated the release of her debut novel, Visions, on January 30 when she received a complaint from a Borders in Illinois. They could not find the romantic mystery to order it into their store. In checking other bookseller listings, she discovered an error on Barnes&Noble's web site.
According to B&N, the romantic mystery was authored and illustrated by Seuss in November of 2005. The author/illustrator of forty-eight children's books, including The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs & Ham, died of cancer in 1991. Logan's cover and title were featured in the listing, which had appeared correctly the day before.
Logan took the mix up in stride. She quipped, "I'm as big a fan of Dr. Seuss as any, but I can't sit by and let the guy take credit for my work. That is, unless they want to send me his royalty checks."
The Redlands, CA author sought help from the publisher of her novel, Draumr Publishing, who is currently working with the distributor to correct the listing. No comment from Barnes&Noble on the error.
For more information, contact Lisa Logan at writerlisalogan@verizon.net or via her website at http://lisalogan.net.
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Addendum: Barnes and Noble has since fixed the error: Now her book is only illustrated by Dr. Seuss!
Somehow, I don't think it's his usual style....
As long as Dr. Seuss is crossing genres, I'd like to suggest some titles:
Horror: Would You, Could You From the Grave?
Mystery: Horton Hears a Homicide
Sci-Fi: And to Think I Saw It on Planet X
Christian: 500 Fishes of Bartholomew Cubbins
True Confession: Did I Ever Tell You How Dysfunctional I Am?
Literary: Did I Ever Tell You How Dysfunctional I Am?: A Novel
Self-Help: You Can Lick 30 Tigers Today With This Simple, Five-Step Process OR Mr. Brown Can Moo, and So Can You In 12 Easy Lessons
Diet: 13 Ways to Serve Green Eggs and Ham
Autobiographical: The Book About me (Didn't even need to change that title)
Erotica: Seven Lady Godivas...and One Peeping Tom
I could go on, but it's your turn!
Author Mix-up Has Dr. Seuss Writing Romance
Redlands, CA February 4, 2007--Fans of Theodore Seuss Geisel, i.e. Dr. Seuss, may be in for a surprise when they learn that the renowned children's writer has changed genres... more than a decade after his death.
Author Lisa Logan had just celebrated the release of her debut novel, Visions, on January 30 when she received a complaint from a Borders in Illinois. They could not find the romantic mystery to order it into their store. In checking other bookseller listings, she discovered an error on Barnes&Noble's web site.
According to B&N, the romantic mystery was authored and illustrated by Seuss in November of 2005. The author/illustrator of forty-eight children's books, including The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs & Ham, died of cancer in 1991. Logan's cover and title were featured in the listing, which had appeared correctly the day before.
Logan took the mix up in stride. She quipped, "I'm as big a fan of Dr. Seuss as any, but I can't sit by and let the guy take credit for my work. That is, unless they want to send me his royalty checks."
The Redlands, CA author sought help from the publisher of her novel, Draumr Publishing, who is currently working with the distributor to correct the listing. No comment from Barnes&Noble on the error.
For more information, contact Lisa Logan at writerlisalogan@verizon.net or via her website at http://lisalogan.net.
########
Addendum: Barnes and Noble has since fixed the error: Now her book is only illustrated by Dr. Seuss!
Somehow, I don't think it's his usual style....
As long as Dr. Seuss is crossing genres, I'd like to suggest some titles:
Horror: Would You, Could You From the Grave?
Mystery: Horton Hears a Homicide
Sci-Fi: And to Think I Saw It on Planet X
Christian: 500 Fishes of Bartholomew Cubbins
True Confession: Did I Ever Tell You How Dysfunctional I Am?
Literary: Did I Ever Tell You How Dysfunctional I Am?: A Novel
Self-Help: You Can Lick 30 Tigers Today With This Simple, Five-Step Process OR Mr. Brown Can Moo, and So Can You In 12 Easy Lessons
Diet: 13 Ways to Serve Green Eggs and Ham
Autobiographical: The Book About me (Didn't even need to change that title)
Erotica: Seven Lady Godivas...and One Peeping Tom
I could go on, but it's your turn!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Karina Presents Thursday FabChat
I'm pleased to announce FabChat: a Thursday evening live chat with authors, editors and others in the publishing industry. We meet at 8PM Eastern Time every Thursday in my chat room. (Click on FabChat on the navbar.)
If you'd like to promote your book (new or old) or talk about another writing topic, let me know and I'll schedule you in.
FabChat kicks off March 1st when we'll be chatting about the Catholic Writers' Guild. Come learn about this exciting new group dedicated to the rebirth of Catholic writings.
March 15, we have Colleen Drippe, who will talk about writing for children and her Little Blue House books.
March 22, Lea Schizas joins us to talk about writing for young adults and about her new book, The Rock of Realm.
April 19 (my birthday), I get to be Guest of Honor at my own show to talk about Infinite Space, Infinite God. We're having an on-line party afterwards with virtual beer and Melnish tea. (Don't know what Melnish tea is? Come to the party and find out.)
Another day, I'll tell you how FabChat evolved, but right now, I need to write a little on my dragon detective story.
If you'd like to promote your book (new or old) or talk about another writing topic, let me know and I'll schedule you in.
FabChat kicks off March 1st when we'll be chatting about the Catholic Writers' Guild. Come learn about this exciting new group dedicated to the rebirth of Catholic writings.
March 15, we have Colleen Drippe, who will talk about writing for children and her Little Blue House books.
March 22, Lea Schizas joins us to talk about writing for young adults and about her new book, The Rock of Realm.
April 19 (my birthday), I get to be Guest of Honor at my own show to talk about Infinite Space, Infinite God. We're having an on-line party afterwards with virtual beer and Melnish tea. (Don't know what Melnish tea is? Come to the party and find out.)
Another day, I'll tell you how FabChat evolved, but right now, I need to write a little on my dragon detective story.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Guest post: Roots in Frozen Generation
Today, I have another guest blogger: Andrea Graham. Andrea has a story in the anthology Light At the Edge of Darkenss, which comes out in April from The Writers' Cafe Press and which I reviewed on my Virtual Book Tour de Net. Today, she talks about her story "Frozen Generation" and the pro-Life philosophy behind it.
Roots in Frozen Generation
By Andrea Graham
I must admit, it made me happy as a lark to get mentioned in Karri Compton’s review of Light at the Edge of Darkness yesterday:
Andrea Graham’s “Frozen Generation” explores the possibility of technology bringing frozen fetuses to term artificially, resulting in humans being used for spare parts. One woman tries to save as many babies as possible by smuggling them away and saving them from an uncertain future.
Bravo to Karri, and everyone else who has found a way to summarize the plot without mentioning abortion or racism. Honestly, with the possible exception of Cyn’s description (the line in the book’s summary about terrorists smuggling frozen embryos), this is the best yet.
I’ve heard many things about my story since we began this crazy quest June 2006, but one of the most consistent comments has been on how I combined the topics of racism and abortion. If the majority rules, the majority opinion has been that I went out on two limbs and managed not to land flat on my rump thirty feet down.
Would you like to know my secret to not crashing and burning big time in this adventure? Yes?
Easy, though in general I land on my rump more than I care to remember, in this case, I wasn’t actually standing on the two visible branches, but the shared root.
In America, racism originates from slavery, of course (it could be argued the other way around but I mean historically here) and what makes a human being a person with rights versus property with no rights, but rather subject to the will of the master.
Regardless of where you stand on abortion, the question at the root of the debate is what makes a human being a person with rights versus property with no rights, but rather subject to the will of the master. Only the particulars differ. In this case, the what is normally a temporary condition, being located in side the mother’s womb, the holder of power is the mother, and we prefer terms like “product of conception” rather than that hideous word “property,” but when a woman makes the claim, “it’s my body, it’s my choice” whether you agree with that logic or not, that is certainly a claim to property rights, with the emphasis on their supposed right to dispense with their property as they will.
Let me take time to speak to those who make such statements. In "Frozen Generation", by no means do I mean to argue with your claims to such power over the lives of your children. I merely apply the logic of the above argument to potential future technology and ask where your power to dispose of your property ends, should technology offer more lucrative means of disposal than the current options. You’re free to answer the question however you please.
I and other pro-lifers think this scenario is a nightmare, but if you're pro-choice, maybe it’s a dream come true. After all, not only would no one ever again die waiting for an organ transplant, the "wanted" children are protected(in theory) from childhood predators because these non-persons would provide an "appropriate" outlet for their "natural" sexual urges.
If, however, you're just as horrified by such ideas as I am, I leave you to justify to yourself why it’s wrong to artificially grow POCs in a lab and enslave them, etc., but not wrong to slice and dice and throw what’s left in the trash.
But I digress.
Let’s get back to roots. The root of rights of the unborn extend to the root a racism in yet another way, and it’s one few know about, and certain people vehemently deny.
My husband had an excellent piece on this when he answered a challenge to name the Top Ten Worst Americans. It probably won’t surprise you, since he’s my husband, that Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger came in at #1 on his list (which means if you go read it you’ll have to scroll a bit.) But his reasons may surprise:
Blackgenocide.com adds to the grim statistics:
So not only in Abortion based on the same kind of logic that brought us slavery in America, the current movement began at least partially with racist intent, and to this day continues to be carried out in a racist fashion that targets, and is decimating, the Black community.
And now my secret is out of the bag. Though most have been lauding me for a gymnastics feat of Olympic proportions, it really came quite easily to go out on both limbs at the same time, by keeping the connecting spiritual roots of the two issues, roots that some people are bound to be outraged at me for exposing.
To balance this article out, let me add a couple things. "Frozen Generation" raises questions for pro-lifers, too. One such place is when the narrator, Azura “Mama” Borden, says of herself:
And the same it is today. Pro-lifers give money to pro-life causes, we even stand with sins and march in the streets. But how many take time to help out a mother who chose to raise her baby rather than kill her? How many adopt? Today, we don’t freeze aborted babies, but we do have thousands of frozen embryos left over from IVF, some of which are awaiting adoptive mothers willing to carry them to term through Nightlight’s Snowflake adoption program. How many of us, if God wanted us to step up, wouldn’t need struck barren before we would even consider it?
The question for pro-lifers is not only, “How far are you willing to go to stand for what you believe in?” but “How far is too far?” This ethical question is also left to the reader to sort out, but can be stated succinctly: in order to save a few babies, Azura Borden participates in the murder of many. Did Azura make the right ethical decision? I know what her argument for so many years was, more are alive as a result of her actions than if she had elected to stay home and do nothing, but I struggled within myself over this issue, and still am uncertain.
One more thing I’d like to leave you with. Those of us on the pro-life side, we all know that abortion is a sin, but what does the mother who had her own children murdered see in our eyes and hear in our words? Murderer? Reprobate? Deep in her heart, though she may deny it, she already knows this. Abortion is psychologically devastating for women. They even have a name for it, Post Abortion Syndrome. It’s true we live in a culture where more and more, we're having to go over the "you are a sinner" thing first; one won't seek forgiveness if they are not consciously aware of the need. But ultimately, the truth that this mother needs to hear is that despite her sin, God still loves her, and will forgive her.
If that’s you, and you haven’t yet drank of the living waters in the cup of forgiveness, please see this list of organizations offering bible studies to show you the way to healing and wholeness.
More links on this topic:
blackgenocide.org—Chart Comparing Abortion to other historical genocides
The Roots of Racism and Abortion
Racism, abortion, and black genocide
Margaret Sanger, Racist and Pro-Abortion:
planned parenthood's racism
Racism and Murder Why you should oppose Planned Parenthood! (the title uses the n-word)
WorldNetDaily: Planned Parenthood charged with racism
More links on Andrea Graham and her work:
Official Bio on the Lost Genre Guild
Homepage—Adamsweb.us
Ask Andrea (Christian Advice and Book reviews blog)
Advanced Orders for Light at the Edge of Darkness
Roots in Frozen Generation
By Andrea Graham
I must admit, it made me happy as a lark to get mentioned in Karri Compton’s review of Light at the Edge of Darkness yesterday:
Andrea Graham’s “Frozen Generation” explores the possibility of technology bringing frozen fetuses to term artificially, resulting in humans being used for spare parts. One woman tries to save as many babies as possible by smuggling them away and saving them from an uncertain future.
Bravo to Karri, and everyone else who has found a way to summarize the plot without mentioning abortion or racism. Honestly, with the possible exception of Cyn’s description (the line in the book’s summary about terrorists smuggling frozen embryos), this is the best yet.
I’ve heard many things about my story since we began this crazy quest June 2006, but one of the most consistent comments has been on how I combined the topics of racism and abortion. If the majority rules, the majority opinion has been that I went out on two limbs and managed not to land flat on my rump thirty feet down.
Would you like to know my secret to not crashing and burning big time in this adventure? Yes?
Easy, though in general I land on my rump more than I care to remember, in this case, I wasn’t actually standing on the two visible branches, but the shared root.
In America, racism originates from slavery, of course (it could be argued the other way around but I mean historically here) and what makes a human being a person with rights versus property with no rights, but rather subject to the will of the master.
Regardless of where you stand on abortion, the question at the root of the debate is what makes a human being a person with rights versus property with no rights, but rather subject to the will of the master. Only the particulars differ. In this case, the what is normally a temporary condition, being located in side the mother’s womb, the holder of power is the mother, and we prefer terms like “product of conception” rather than that hideous word “property,” but when a woman makes the claim, “it’s my body, it’s my choice” whether you agree with that logic or not, that is certainly a claim to property rights, with the emphasis on their supposed right to dispense with their property as they will.
Let me take time to speak to those who make such statements. In "Frozen Generation", by no means do I mean to argue with your claims to such power over the lives of your children. I merely apply the logic of the above argument to potential future technology and ask where your power to dispose of your property ends, should technology offer more lucrative means of disposal than the current options. You’re free to answer the question however you please.
I and other pro-lifers think this scenario is a nightmare, but if you're pro-choice, maybe it’s a dream come true. After all, not only would no one ever again die waiting for an organ transplant, the "wanted" children are protected(in theory) from childhood predators because these non-persons would provide an "appropriate" outlet for their "natural" sexual urges.
If, however, you're just as horrified by such ideas as I am, I leave you to justify to yourself why it’s wrong to artificially grow POCs in a lab and enslave them, etc., but not wrong to slice and dice and throw what’s left in the trash.
But I digress.
Let’s get back to roots. The root of rights of the unborn extend to the root a racism in yet another way, and it’s one few know about, and certain people vehemently deny.
My husband had an excellent piece on this when he answered a challenge to name the Top Ten Worst Americans. It probably won’t surprise you, since he’s my husband, that Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger came in at #1 on his list (which means if you go read it you’ll have to scroll a bit.) But his reasons may surprise:
…Sanger established Planned Parenthood with the goal of less "unfit" people breeding, including Blacks and other minorities. Sanger was undeniably a Fascist. She wrote, "Give dysgenic groups [people with 'bad genes'] in our population their choice of segregation or [compulsory] sterilization."
From Sanger sprang out a movement that treats children as a disease and finds the best solution to misery in human life as its destruction.
Julian Malveaux, a hard leftist, concluded that Sanger was a racist:
For all her positive influence, I see Sanger as a tarnished heroine whose embrace of the eugenics movement showed racial insensitivity, at best. From her associates, as well as from some of the articles that were published in Sanger's magazine, The Birth Control Review, it is possible to conclude that "racially insensitive" is too mild a description. Indeed, some of her statements, taken in or out of context, are simply racist. And she never rebuked eugenicists who believed in improving the hereditary qualities of a race or breed by controlling mating in order to eliminate "undesirable" characteristics and promote "desirable" traits.
Words that Sanger used like the "unfit," and "morons," were euphemisms for Blacks and other racial "inferiors" in a racist time. Many of Sanger's associates worked with the Nazis. Today, her group are missionaries of death, spreading it to the four corners of the globe. As for her own attempts at making a master race, of breeding out "the unfit," Planned Parenthood continues to work hard today, as 45% of Black babies die from abortion and 62.5% of Planned Parenthood clinics exist in areas with higher than average Black populations.
Blackgenocide.com adds to the grim statistics:
Minority women constitute only about 13% of the female population (age 15-44) in the United States, but they underwent approximately 36% of the abortions.
According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, black women are more than 3 times as likely as white women to have an abortion
On average, 1,452 black babies are aborted every day in the United States.
This incidence of abortion has resulted in a tremendous loss of life. It has been estimated that since 1973 Black women have had about 10 million abortions. Michael Novak had calculated "Since the number of current living Blacks (in the U.S.) is 31 million, the missing 10 million represents an enormous loss, for without abortion, America's Black community would now number 41 million persons. It would be 35 percent larger than it is. Abortion has swept through the Black community like a scythe, cutting down every fourth member.".
So not only in Abortion based on the same kind of logic that brought us slavery in America, the current movement began at least partially with racist intent, and to this day continues to be carried out in a racist fashion that targets, and is decimating, the Black community.
And now my secret is out of the bag. Though most have been lauding me for a gymnastics feat of Olympic proportions, it really came quite easily to go out on both limbs at the same time, by keeping the connecting spiritual roots of the two issues, roots that some people are bound to be outraged at me for exposing.
To balance this article out, let me add a couple things. "Frozen Generation" raises questions for pro-lifers, too. One such place is when the narrator, Azura “Mama” Borden, says of herself:
God appointed me to deliver the captives to safety, as Harriet Tubman had in centuries gone by. Only Harriet never hid her passengers in her own womb.
Granted, I only carried six to term. The rest I re-transplanted. Far too many completed their gestation in the artificial womb at my counter-breeder in the Deep South, of all places. It couldn’t be helped. Many would send money to help redeem these precious souls, but few stood up for the greatest need. Carrying them to term.
And the same it is today. Pro-lifers give money to pro-life causes, we even stand with sins and march in the streets. But how many take time to help out a mother who chose to raise her baby rather than kill her? How many adopt? Today, we don’t freeze aborted babies, but we do have thousands of frozen embryos left over from IVF, some of which are awaiting adoptive mothers willing to carry them to term through Nightlight’s Snowflake adoption program. How many of us, if God wanted us to step up, wouldn’t need struck barren before we would even consider it?
The question for pro-lifers is not only, “How far are you willing to go to stand for what you believe in?” but “How far is too far?” This ethical question is also left to the reader to sort out, but can be stated succinctly: in order to save a few babies, Azura Borden participates in the murder of many. Did Azura make the right ethical decision? I know what her argument for so many years was, more are alive as a result of her actions than if she had elected to stay home and do nothing, but I struggled within myself over this issue, and still am uncertain.
One more thing I’d like to leave you with. Those of us on the pro-life side, we all know that abortion is a sin, but what does the mother who had her own children murdered see in our eyes and hear in our words? Murderer? Reprobate? Deep in her heart, though she may deny it, she already knows this. Abortion is psychologically devastating for women. They even have a name for it, Post Abortion Syndrome. It’s true we live in a culture where more and more, we're having to go over the "you are a sinner" thing first; one won't seek forgiveness if they are not consciously aware of the need. But ultimately, the truth that this mother needs to hear is that despite her sin, God still loves her, and will forgive her.
If that’s you, and you haven’t yet drank of the living waters in the cup of forgiveness, please see this list of organizations offering bible studies to show you the way to healing and wholeness.
More links on this topic:
blackgenocide.org—Chart Comparing Abortion to other historical genocides
The Roots of Racism and Abortion
Racism, abortion, and black genocide
Margaret Sanger, Racist and Pro-Abortion:
planned parenthood's racism
Racism and Murder Why you should oppose Planned Parenthood! (the title uses the n-word)
WorldNetDaily: Planned Parenthood charged with racism
More links on Andrea Graham and her work:
Official Bio on the Lost Genre Guild
Homepage—Adamsweb.us
Ask Andrea (Christian Advice and Book reviews blog)
Advanced Orders for Light at the Edge of Darkness
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Come chat with me on Saturday!
First: Please join me in a live chat this Saturday, 12 noon Eastern US time at http://jolinsdell.tripod.com/ . Click on the chatroom, then type in a username and enter without a password. I'll be talking about Infinite Space, Infinite God, faith in fiction and promoting your books via virtual book tours.
Second: Please join me in my own chat room this Saturday, 8 PM Eastern US time when I'll be hosting Cynthia MacKinnon, editor of Light at the Edge of Darkness in my own chatroom. We'll be talking about the book, Christian speculative fiction and anything else you'd like to ask this talented lady. (For my review of Light at the Edge of Darkness, click here.)
If you have a book you'd like to promote, I can host you on a live chat in my chatroom or post a review or promotional blurb on my Virtual Book Tour de 'Net website.
Second: Please join me in my own chat room this Saturday, 8 PM Eastern US time when I'll be hosting Cynthia MacKinnon, editor of Light at the Edge of Darkness in my own chatroom. We'll be talking about the book, Christian speculative fiction and anything else you'd like to ask this talented lady. (For my review of Light at the Edge of Darkness, click here.)
If you have a book you'd like to promote, I can host you on a live chat in my chatroom or post a review or promotional blurb on my Virtual Book Tour de 'Net website.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Purgatory: A Homeschooling Mom's View
Last night, Steven and I experienced an interesting analogy for Purgatory. This year for homeschool, I'm making Steven and Amber do history on their own. Rather than take tests, they fill out the test sheets using the book, but they have to keep at it until they get an A. I've been working for years on giving them the skills to do this and do it well. Steven, however, is a lazy writer and does not pay attention to his work or the many helpful, repetitive comments I put on his papers. After 3 weeks of turning in some truly lousy work, I'd had it and told him we were staying up until he got every essay correct. We're talking about 6 chapter tests at a 7th grade level.
We were up until 1:30. He'd type something, I'd grade it, make comments, and send it back. He'd follow some comments, forget others. I'd point things out and send it back. Finally, when he was
really close, I'd sit with him, discuss the full "perfect" answers and give him his A. Oh, and believe me, it was painful for the both of us.
Back and forth, back and forth with admonitions and advice: Isn't that just like what God does with us in life? He gave us the laws and the prophets to tell us what to do; we ignore it. He gives us examples through Jesus and the saints; we can't figure out how to apply their example to our lives. He gives us grace; we mess up anyway. We put forth real effort, but still don't get it right. (Hey, we're only human, right?) Purgatory is that final effort by God to make us perfect in His sight so that we can behold the Perfection of Him.
I not only believe in Purgatory, but it comforts me a great deal. Jesus saved me from my sins, but (and I'm really sorry about this) He did not make me perfect as a result. God made us in His image, and made us the defining point between the material and the angelic. That means we have the potential to be sinless, but the weakness to be sinners. Toss in free will, since Jesus' saving us does not mean we become Christian automatons. The result: try as we might, we sin.
Last night, I yelled at my kids, mainly because I was so mad! If I'd had an aneurism and fallen over dead with "WHY CAN'T YOU LISTEN TO ME, EVER?!?!?" on my lips, I would not have been in a perfect state. Nothing imperfect can be in heaven. That is in Scripture.
But I died in love with Christ--just not expressing it well at that moment. Should I go to Hell? Can I throw away Christ's sacrifice and a lifetime of belief just because I lost my temper? Thankfully, God says, "No," and gives me the way to achieve perfection.
Thank you, God, for caring enough to help me do my best, to be patient when I fail, and to give me that one final chance to become perfect in your sight.
Here are a couple of websites for those who want more information.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12575a.htm
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2004/0411fea3.asp
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/HOW2PURG.HTM
We were up until 1:30. He'd type something, I'd grade it, make comments, and send it back. He'd follow some comments, forget others. I'd point things out and send it back. Finally, when he was
really close, I'd sit with him, discuss the full "perfect" answers and give him his A. Oh, and believe me, it was painful for the both of us.
Back and forth, back and forth with admonitions and advice: Isn't that just like what God does with us in life? He gave us the laws and the prophets to tell us what to do; we ignore it. He gives us examples through Jesus and the saints; we can't figure out how to apply their example to our lives. He gives us grace; we mess up anyway. We put forth real effort, but still don't get it right. (Hey, we're only human, right?) Purgatory is that final effort by God to make us perfect in His sight so that we can behold the Perfection of Him.
I not only believe in Purgatory, but it comforts me a great deal. Jesus saved me from my sins, but (and I'm really sorry about this) He did not make me perfect as a result. God made us in His image, and made us the defining point between the material and the angelic. That means we have the potential to be sinless, but the weakness to be sinners. Toss in free will, since Jesus' saving us does not mean we become Christian automatons. The result: try as we might, we sin.
Last night, I yelled at my kids, mainly because I was so mad! If I'd had an aneurism and fallen over dead with "WHY CAN'T YOU LISTEN TO ME, EVER?!?!?" on my lips, I would not have been in a perfect state. Nothing imperfect can be in heaven. That is in Scripture.
But I died in love with Christ--just not expressing it well at that moment. Should I go to Hell? Can I throw away Christ's sacrifice and a lifetime of belief just because I lost my temper? Thankfully, God says, "No," and gives me the way to achieve perfection.
Thank you, God, for caring enough to help me do my best, to be patient when I fail, and to give me that one final chance to become perfect in your sight.
Here are a couple of websites for those who want more information.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12575a.htm
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2004/0411fea3.asp
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/HOW2PURG.HTM
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
What's in a Name?
This week, I acquired several new monikers: Katrina, Kristina, Sabrina, and Fabrina. That's got to be a record for name massacres, though not an unusual occurrence for me.
I love my name. It's a beautiful name, but for some reason, it's one of those easily spelled names that's hard for people to spell.
Before we begin, it's Karina Lynn-Gay (Lumbert) Fabian. Feel free to refer back to it.
All my life, I've had problems with my name. Start with Karina. Seems intuitively, phonetically obvious, right? Nonetheless, I get Corrina, Carina, and any other combination thereof. "Katrina" seems to be the most common, though I've sometimes had "Sabrina" tossed in just to spice things up.
Then there's Lumbert. How hard can that be? Elementary school kids can spell "lumber" just fine, but ask an adult to to tack a T on the end and for some reason, they're baffled about the U. Maybe there's a silent T rule I was never taught.
Remember Barney Miller, and how no one could pronounce Officer Wojohowitz's name? He'd hold up his name plate and shout, "Wo-jo-ho-witz! It sounds just like its spelled!" I wanted to shout, "Lum-Bert. It's spelled just like it sounds!"
When I fell in love with Rob Fabian, I must admit there was a certain attraction to the name. Fabian. It flowed so nicely with Karina--all those i's and a's. And it was so easy to spell!
Ha! Fabina. Fabin. Faiban. And I can't count the number of times we've had someone lose a file or dry cleaning or what-have-you until we suggest they look under S. (Sabian) This despite the 60s singer who made the name famous. (Could he really have done it just for the money?)
The first time I was in a high school play, they spelled my name wrong in the program. Already stressed, I burst into tears. The teacher told me, "Some day your name will be in lights, and it will be spelled correctly." In the meantime, I've developed a sense of humor about it all. God loves me and calls me by name--my correct name.
I never wanted it in lights--just in print. Well, it's been in print--three craft books and two anthologies and counting. One of the craft books has it spelled "Katrina Fabian." It'll get fixed in the next print run.
Ironically, in the week that I experienced all these creative namings, I got a check for the reprint rights to an article I did on the questionable wisdom of giving your baby an unusual or hard-to-spell name. It was made out to "Karina Fabian."
Nice to see it spelled right where it counts.
I love my name. It's a beautiful name, but for some reason, it's one of those easily spelled names that's hard for people to spell.
Before we begin, it's Karina Lynn-Gay (Lumbert) Fabian. Feel free to refer back to it.
All my life, I've had problems with my name. Start with Karina. Seems intuitively, phonetically obvious, right? Nonetheless, I get Corrina, Carina, and any other combination thereof. "Katrina" seems to be the most common, though I've sometimes had "Sabrina" tossed in just to spice things up.
Then there's Lumbert. How hard can that be? Elementary school kids can spell "lumber" just fine, but ask an adult to to tack a T on the end and for some reason, they're baffled about the U. Maybe there's a silent T rule I was never taught.
Remember Barney Miller, and how no one could pronounce Officer Wojohowitz's name? He'd hold up his name plate and shout, "Wo-jo-ho-witz! It sounds just like its spelled!" I wanted to shout, "Lum-Bert. It's spelled just like it sounds!"
When I fell in love with Rob Fabian, I must admit there was a certain attraction to the name. Fabian. It flowed so nicely with Karina--all those i's and a's. And it was so easy to spell!
Ha! Fabina. Fabin. Faiban. And I can't count the number of times we've had someone lose a file or dry cleaning or what-have-you until we suggest they look under S. (Sabian) This despite the 60s singer who made the name famous. (Could he really have done it just for the money?)
The first time I was in a high school play, they spelled my name wrong in the program. Already stressed, I burst into tears. The teacher told me, "Some day your name will be in lights, and it will be spelled correctly." In the meantime, I've developed a sense of humor about it all. God loves me and calls me by name--my correct name.
I never wanted it in lights--just in print. Well, it's been in print--three craft books and two anthologies and counting. One of the craft books has it spelled "Katrina Fabian." It'll get fixed in the next print run.
Ironically, in the week that I experienced all these creative namings, I got a check for the reprint rights to an article I did on the questionable wisdom of giving your baby an unusual or hard-to-spell name. It was made out to "Karina Fabian."
Nice to see it spelled right where it counts.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Going to Minot!
Got more news we've been waiting for--Rob got a Squadron Command and we'll be heading to Minot Air Force Base, ND, late this summer!
Minot Air Force Base is home to two major Air Force units: the 5th Bomb Wing and the 91st Space Wing. The 5th Bomb Wing hosts a fleet of B-52H Stratofortress bombers. The 91st Space Wing maintains a fleet of 150 Minuteman III missiles located in underground launch facilities scattered across the northwest part of North Dakota.
What's Minot like? Here are the slogans:
A Squadron Command is a big deal in the Air Force and a dream of Rob's for many years. I'm thrilled to see his dream come true at last. He'll be heading the 91st Maintenance Operations Squadon, which is a good fit for him, since it handles training and logistics. He's also done (and excelled in) maintenance operations as a Flight Commander at F.E. Warren AFB, so it'll also be something a little different. I'm personally pleased that we'll be living on base, so he'll have a short drive to work--if he doesn't ride his bike.
The base sounds terrific as does the community--lots of activities for the kids (including theater for Amber) and for us. (One of his friends who's at Minot told Rob that I need to get a couple of ball gowns. Yippee!) We're thinking of letting the kids try a year of school since it's on the closed community of the base and they are already looking forward to the youth center and being able to ride their bikes around the neighborhood and actually around the corner. There are zoos, great parks, snowboarding... And best of all for a shy driver like me, it's all pretty close and low traffic.
Can't say I'm looking forward to the cold or snow--I got spoiled here in warm Virginia--but as far as the base and the family opportunities, I'm psyched.
Most of all, though, I'm looking forward to Rob getting his stint as the "old man" of the squadron. He's so excited.
Minot Air Force Base is home to two major Air Force units: the 5th Bomb Wing and the 91st Space Wing. The 5th Bomb Wing hosts a fleet of B-52H Stratofortress bombers. The 91st Space Wing maintains a fleet of 150 Minuteman III missiles located in underground launch facilities scattered across the northwest part of North Dakota.
What's Minot like? Here are the slogans:
Guardians of the Upper Realm.
Why not Minot? Freezin's the Reason!
Where the best go North--and are better when they go forth!
You don't need to lock your doors.
A Squadron Command is a big deal in the Air Force and a dream of Rob's for many years. I'm thrilled to see his dream come true at last. He'll be heading the 91st Maintenance Operations Squadon, which is a good fit for him, since it handles training and logistics. He's also done (and excelled in) maintenance operations as a Flight Commander at F.E. Warren AFB, so it'll also be something a little different. I'm personally pleased that we'll be living on base, so he'll have a short drive to work--if he doesn't ride his bike.
The base sounds terrific as does the community--lots of activities for the kids (including theater for Amber) and for us. (One of his friends who's at Minot told Rob that I need to get a couple of ball gowns. Yippee!) We're thinking of letting the kids try a year of school since it's on the closed community of the base and they are already looking forward to the youth center and being able to ride their bikes around the neighborhood and actually around the corner. There are zoos, great parks, snowboarding... And best of all for a shy driver like me, it's all pretty close and low traffic.
Can't say I'm looking forward to the cold or snow--I got spoiled here in warm Virginia--but as far as the base and the family opportunities, I'm psyched.
Most of all, though, I'm looking forward to Rob getting his stint as the "old man" of the squadron. He's so excited.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Guest Blog: March for Life
Yesterday, thousands of people met in Washington DC for a preaceful protest against abortion. Today, I tried to look up some details, but not Yahoo!, my local paper, or Google produced any results. The Washington Times had an article yeterday, saying they expected 20,000, but no follow-up today. Hmmm
Today, I have a guest blogger Joe Gillin, whose blog, Life at the Frontier, I highly recommend. I think his article speaks well for those 20,000 who braved the cold yesterday--and for the millions of us who were with them in spirit.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Why We March
This is a slightly revised and updated article I first wrote and posted in 2004 at this time.
Moday, January 22, marks the 34th anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions which imposed abortion-on-demand in the United States. Once again, concerned citizens will gather on Monday for the annual March for Life, which in recent years has usually drawn more than 100,000 participants. Now, why do so many people consider it so important to take time on a weekday to come to Washington, DC at the coldest time of the year to make their voice heard on this matter?
Before I go on any further, I need to say a couple of things. First, nothing in this article is meant to condemn anyone who has had an abortion or has been involved in abortion in some way. Far from condemning those with an abortion in their past, the people in the prolife movement are about healing and forgiveness, and want it to be clear that there is hope after abortion. Post-abortion counseling can be found through many church denominations and pregnancy counseling centers.
And second, while the prolife movement consists largely of people with strong religious convictions who feel called by God to defend the defenseless, that doesn't make the protection of human life a narrow, religious issue. The facts that the defenseless exist and that they deserve protection in the human family can be persuasively advocated by non-religiously reasoned arguments.
First, let's start with a little scientific background (from the Science for Unborn Human Life website) about how each of us began our lives as unique human beings. A new human being is conceived when a sperm fertilizes an egg. The sperm has 23 chromosomes and so does the egg. But the fertilized egg has 46, half from each parent, and is genetically unique. These 46 chromosomes, which are fixed at conception, establish the child's sex and are a blueprint for how it will develop, both during pregnancy and after birth.
Blood vessels start to form very early, about 13-18 days after fertilization. Then, on about the 20th day - nearly the end of the third week - the foundation of the brain, the spinal cord, and the entire nervous system is established. The heart begins to beat on about the 22nd day after conception, circulating blood throughout the child. The arms begin to form on about day 26, followed by the beginnings of the legs on day 28, the same day that the mouth opens for the first time.
Both the eyes and ears are developing rapidly during the seventh week after conception. At this time, the thumbs, neck, heels of the feet and all of the fingers are also present. Taste buds begin to form during the eighth week after conception. All parts of the limbs are apparent at this time. In addition, the fingers and toes have lengthened and are completely separated.
By the end of the eighth week the overwhelming majority (several thousand) of the body's organs, structures and systems have already begun to develop. Few, if any, new structures begin to form after this time. During the remainder of the pregnancy, development consists mainly of growth and maturation of the parts of the body that are already present.
Isolated arm, leg and backward head movements begin at about 7 to 10 weeks after conception. During the ninth week, a regular pattern of breathing movements is observed, with a median frequency of about 30 breaths each hour.
These are just the highlights of how you developed during the first 2-3 months of your life. Now consider that a majority of abortions are performed during the tenth to twelfth week of gestation. Some are performed much later in the pregnancy, when the child has grown larger and any unbiased observer would recognize a baby when they see one.
So why if the evidence so clearly indicates that a unique human life begins at conception, how did the deliberate and violent destruction of that life come to be imposed as a 'constitutional right'? Time does not permit describing the whole history of abortion or the intertwining influences of the eugenics and population control movements. Let's start with the socially turbulent late sixties when a growing pro-abortion movement subversively exploited the legitimate aspirations of women for greater rights and participation in society.
Dr. Bernard Nathanson, former abortionist and co-founder of the pro-abortion group NARAL, has since changed his mind and heart and is now a leading prolife advocate. He points out the disinformation at the heart of the pro-abortion campaign.
- "The statistics that we gave to the American public about illegal abortions annually; the statistics we fabricated regarding the number of women dying from illegal abortions annually; all of these matters were pure fabrication and still persist to this very day."
- "We spoke of 5,000 to 10,000 deaths a year. I confess that I knew the figures were totally false. It was a useful figure, widely accepted, so why go out of our way to correct it with honest statistics?"
- "We in NARAL were in the business of coining slogans principally for the media . . . we scattered catchy slogans for them . . . to use . . . in their stories. Slogans like "reproductive rights", "freedom of choice", "pro-choice". For many years we've known them to be hollow and meaningless. They're just catchy and, essentially, without substance."
The movement made rapid progress. California, New York and a few other states passed 'liberalized' abortion laws (though some other states rejected them). But what imposed abortion on American law were two Supreme Court cases, Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, pronounced on January 22, 1973. The combined effect of the two decisions was to effectively impose abortion-on-demand throughout the nine months of pregnancy. Since that time, over forty five million human beings have been exterminated by abortion in the United States.
Aside from the grave issue that was decided, the finding that abortion is part of a constitutional 'right of privacy' is considered an overreach of judicial power even by some legal scholars who describe themselves as 'prochoice'. The 'reasoning' was based on 'penumbras' the justices claim to have seen in the constitution.
Did you know that the two plaintiffs in the Roe and Doe cases, Norma McCorvey and Sandra Cano, have filed affidavits to the effect that they were manipulated into their roles and that the decisions should be overturned? You would think that this development would be considered unprecedented in Supreme Court history, but I guess Dan Rather, Katie Couric, the New York Times, etc. forgot to inform you.
One fact that is becoming evident that abortion-on-demand is not such a great thing for women. Abortion has left many women emotionally and sometimes physically scarred. Campaigns such as Silent No More and Women Deserve Better are tapping into this hidden anguish.
Also evident is the effect on our society, with conflicting attitudes on how we treat not only the unborn, but also the sick, disabled and elderly. Consider the heart wrenching case of the judicially imposed death of Terri Schindler-Schiavo. Abortion has torn marriages and families apart, and led to a hardened and increasingly violent culture. The raging debate over embryonic stem cell research and human cloning shows the growing risk posed by a disregard for the dignity of every human life.
So, we have had for the past thirty years, a culture that in some ways has grown cynical, forgoing the promise of a hopeful future for instant gratification, or more often, the resignation to unimaginative 'solutions' that pit mother against child or people against the planet. One is reminded of a quote from the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats:
"The blood-dimmed tide is loosed and everywhere a ceremony of innocence was drowned."
These Supreme Court abortion decisions were assumed to have 'settled' the issue in our society. Yet much to the consternation of the pro-abortion establishment, the movement of concerned citizens to protect life has only grown in strength over the past thirty years. The prolife movement has pursued multiple paths: educating the public, lobbying and litigating for change, participating in politics, and especially reaching out to help women with unplanned pregnancies. On the political front, abortion played a decisive role in the 2004 Election results and in the confirmation hearings of John Roberts and Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court.
Particularly significant is that the change in public attitudes on abortion is most striking among young people (who've lost peers they've never met). This is manifested in polling results and an upsurge of prolife activism among college students, much to the consternation of their professors and, in some cases, their parents. Sort of adds a new twist to some lyrics from the sixties by Buffalo Springfield:
"Young people speaking their minds, Getting so much resistance from behind."
So the buses are starting to roll, as thousands from distant states once again journey to Washington, where many will gather in prayer the night before or the morning of the March. Then we will rally and march, knowing that those we are trying to defend would some day defend our nation, write great literature, cure disease, compose stirring music, and explore and begin to settle the Solar System.
But more than for their potential accomplishments, we speak out for them simply because of the inherent dignity of each of their lives. In so doing we are responding to a great calling as individuals and as a civilization. And we'll continue to speak and march and work and pray, confident in the hope that, one of these years, we'll no longer face the cold winds. Instead, we'll gather on a warm spring day to celebrate the inclusion of the youngest in the human family within the protection of the law.
Today, I have a guest blogger Joe Gillin, whose blog, Life at the Frontier, I highly recommend. I think his article speaks well for those 20,000 who braved the cold yesterday--and for the millions of us who were with them in spirit.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Why We March
This is a slightly revised and updated article I first wrote and posted in 2004 at this time.
Moday, January 22, marks the 34th anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions which imposed abortion-on-demand in the United States. Once again, concerned citizens will gather on Monday for the annual March for Life, which in recent years has usually drawn more than 100,000 participants. Now, why do so many people consider it so important to take time on a weekday to come to Washington, DC at the coldest time of the year to make their voice heard on this matter?
Before I go on any further, I need to say a couple of things. First, nothing in this article is meant to condemn anyone who has had an abortion or has been involved in abortion in some way. Far from condemning those with an abortion in their past, the people in the prolife movement are about healing and forgiveness, and want it to be clear that there is hope after abortion. Post-abortion counseling can be found through many church denominations and pregnancy counseling centers.
And second, while the prolife movement consists largely of people with strong religious convictions who feel called by God to defend the defenseless, that doesn't make the protection of human life a narrow, religious issue. The facts that the defenseless exist and that they deserve protection in the human family can be persuasively advocated by non-religiously reasoned arguments.
First, let's start with a little scientific background (from the Science for Unborn Human Life website) about how each of us began our lives as unique human beings. A new human being is conceived when a sperm fertilizes an egg. The sperm has 23 chromosomes and so does the egg. But the fertilized egg has 46, half from each parent, and is genetically unique. These 46 chromosomes, which are fixed at conception, establish the child's sex and are a blueprint for how it will develop, both during pregnancy and after birth.
Blood vessels start to form very early, about 13-18 days after fertilization. Then, on about the 20th day - nearly the end of the third week - the foundation of the brain, the spinal cord, and the entire nervous system is established. The heart begins to beat on about the 22nd day after conception, circulating blood throughout the child. The arms begin to form on about day 26, followed by the beginnings of the legs on day 28, the same day that the mouth opens for the first time.
Both the eyes and ears are developing rapidly during the seventh week after conception. At this time, the thumbs, neck, heels of the feet and all of the fingers are also present. Taste buds begin to form during the eighth week after conception. All parts of the limbs are apparent at this time. In addition, the fingers and toes have lengthened and are completely separated.
By the end of the eighth week the overwhelming majority (several thousand) of the body's organs, structures and systems have already begun to develop. Few, if any, new structures begin to form after this time. During the remainder of the pregnancy, development consists mainly of growth and maturation of the parts of the body that are already present.
Isolated arm, leg and backward head movements begin at about 7 to 10 weeks after conception. During the ninth week, a regular pattern of breathing movements is observed, with a median frequency of about 30 breaths each hour.
These are just the highlights of how you developed during the first 2-3 months of your life. Now consider that a majority of abortions are performed during the tenth to twelfth week of gestation. Some are performed much later in the pregnancy, when the child has grown larger and any unbiased observer would recognize a baby when they see one.
So why if the evidence so clearly indicates that a unique human life begins at conception, how did the deliberate and violent destruction of that life come to be imposed as a 'constitutional right'? Time does not permit describing the whole history of abortion or the intertwining influences of the eugenics and population control movements. Let's start with the socially turbulent late sixties when a growing pro-abortion movement subversively exploited the legitimate aspirations of women for greater rights and participation in society.
Dr. Bernard Nathanson, former abortionist and co-founder of the pro-abortion group NARAL, has since changed his mind and heart and is now a leading prolife advocate. He points out the disinformation at the heart of the pro-abortion campaign.
- "The statistics that we gave to the American public about illegal abortions annually; the statistics we fabricated regarding the number of women dying from illegal abortions annually; all of these matters were pure fabrication and still persist to this very day."
- "We spoke of 5,000 to 10,000 deaths a year. I confess that I knew the figures were totally false. It was a useful figure, widely accepted, so why go out of our way to correct it with honest statistics?"
- "We in NARAL were in the business of coining slogans principally for the media . . . we scattered catchy slogans for them . . . to use . . . in their stories. Slogans like "reproductive rights", "freedom of choice", "pro-choice". For many years we've known them to be hollow and meaningless. They're just catchy and, essentially, without substance."
The movement made rapid progress. California, New York and a few other states passed 'liberalized' abortion laws (though some other states rejected them). But what imposed abortion on American law were two Supreme Court cases, Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, pronounced on January 22, 1973. The combined effect of the two decisions was to effectively impose abortion-on-demand throughout the nine months of pregnancy. Since that time, over forty five million human beings have been exterminated by abortion in the United States.
Aside from the grave issue that was decided, the finding that abortion is part of a constitutional 'right of privacy' is considered an overreach of judicial power even by some legal scholars who describe themselves as 'prochoice'. The 'reasoning' was based on 'penumbras' the justices claim to have seen in the constitution.
Did you know that the two plaintiffs in the Roe and Doe cases, Norma McCorvey and Sandra Cano, have filed affidavits to the effect that they were manipulated into their roles and that the decisions should be overturned? You would think that this development would be considered unprecedented in Supreme Court history, but I guess Dan Rather, Katie Couric, the New York Times, etc. forgot to inform you.
One fact that is becoming evident that abortion-on-demand is not such a great thing for women. Abortion has left many women emotionally and sometimes physically scarred. Campaigns such as Silent No More and Women Deserve Better are tapping into this hidden anguish.
Also evident is the effect on our society, with conflicting attitudes on how we treat not only the unborn, but also the sick, disabled and elderly. Consider the heart wrenching case of the judicially imposed death of Terri Schindler-Schiavo. Abortion has torn marriages and families apart, and led to a hardened and increasingly violent culture. The raging debate over embryonic stem cell research and human cloning shows the growing risk posed by a disregard for the dignity of every human life.
So, we have had for the past thirty years, a culture that in some ways has grown cynical, forgoing the promise of a hopeful future for instant gratification, or more often, the resignation to unimaginative 'solutions' that pit mother against child or people against the planet. One is reminded of a quote from the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats:
"The blood-dimmed tide is loosed and everywhere a ceremony of innocence was drowned."
These Supreme Court abortion decisions were assumed to have 'settled' the issue in our society. Yet much to the consternation of the pro-abortion establishment, the movement of concerned citizens to protect life has only grown in strength over the past thirty years. The prolife movement has pursued multiple paths: educating the public, lobbying and litigating for change, participating in politics, and especially reaching out to help women with unplanned pregnancies. On the political front, abortion played a decisive role in the 2004 Election results and in the confirmation hearings of John Roberts and Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court.
Particularly significant is that the change in public attitudes on abortion is most striking among young people (who've lost peers they've never met). This is manifested in polling results and an upsurge of prolife activism among college students, much to the consternation of their professors and, in some cases, their parents. Sort of adds a new twist to some lyrics from the sixties by Buffalo Springfield:
"Young people speaking their minds, Getting so much resistance from behind."
So the buses are starting to roll, as thousands from distant states once again journey to Washington, where many will gather in prayer the night before or the morning of the March. Then we will rally and march, knowing that those we are trying to defend would some day defend our nation, write great literature, cure disease, compose stirring music, and explore and begin to settle the Solar System.
But more than for their potential accomplishments, we speak out for them simply because of the inherent dignity of each of their lives. In so doing we are responding to a great calling as individuals and as a civilization. And we'll continue to speak and march and work and pray, confident in the hope that, one of these years, we'll no longer face the cold winds. Instead, we'll gather on a warm spring day to celebrate the inclusion of the youngest in the human family within the protection of the law.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Tip: Cute Party Favors
A friend sent this link in her newsletter: http://www.plumdrama.com/ It's a place to buy personalized candy tins. The owner is offering a free tin to the Valentine of the first 25 bloggers who mention him. Since Rob is in Norfolk next month, it seemed like a neat surprise, so I checked out the site.
Yeah, they're gimmicky, but they're kind of cute, and considering the amount of money most parents spend on little party bags full of plastic junk that gets thrown out a week later, they're not a bad deal. They could make neat thank-you gift for Christmas to all the teachers, hairdressers, and anyone else you like to give a little something to. (Do we all really need another pretty candle or fancy soap?) If you need some kind of promotional gimmick and have the money to spend, they are worth looking at.
I'm going to bookmark them. It's a few years until Quinceneras or weddings, but may as well think ahead.
Yeah, they're gimmicky, but they're kind of cute, and considering the amount of money most parents spend on little party bags full of plastic junk that gets thrown out a week later, they're not a bad deal. They could make neat thank-you gift for Christmas to all the teachers, hairdressers, and anyone else you like to give a little something to. (Do we all really need another pretty candle or fancy soap?) If you need some kind of promotional gimmick and have the money to spend, they are worth looking at.
I'm going to bookmark them. It's a few years until Quinceneras or weddings, but may as well think ahead.
Friday, January 19, 2007
My wait with DAW
Caution: This post is almost as long as my wait.
Ironically, after my last post, I heard from DAW about my trilogy, The Miscria. After 2 years, 3 months of consideration, it was rejected. I want to thank Peter Stampfel, the editor and first reader at DAW, for his kind words and patience. He encouraged me to write the second book in the trilogy and kept me up-to-date on the wait. Even though they will not be publishing The Miscria, it's been a valuable experience.
As I shared this news on writers' groups, the most common response was "Why would you wait 2 years?" Here's why I waited.
DAW is a big publisher and some of my favorite authors got their start with them, so publishing with them would have been the fulfillment of a dream.
I did receive responses from DAW. The first was a request for the second book in the trilogy along with a warning that this was going to be a timely process and a request for patience. DAW is a big publishing house with a small staff. They were undergoing organizational changes. They had been acquired by another company that promised more staff but hadn't delivered…
For a year, I've talked with Peter Stampfel quarterly. On the phone. Peter was a stressed, busy man; I could hear it in his voice. Nonetheless, he took 10-20 minutes to talk to me and answer my questions. He remembered the books and enjoyed them. They were on the top of the second read pile, ahead of others that had been there even longer. The second reader had not even touched the pile. She was also in charge of already-commissioned works and was having trouble with authors not meeting their deadlines. He even put me on hold while he went to find out answers to my questions ("Why did you select this first-time writer? Was he agented? Was he in the slush? How long did he wait?")
It's been an interesting education into the publishing world. Perhaps it's not the most courteous of things to make someone wait so long, but I also went in knowing DAW has a waiting time of 3 years in some cases, and that for some publishing houses, these kinds of waits on unagented manuscripts are not unusual.
There's also a responsibility on us writers. We have an obligation to only send out our best. We've all read laments from agents and editors about the dreck they have to go through to find the gems--and with computer technology, that has only gotten worse. We also have an obligation once we've "made it" to be true to our craft and our obligations. (Once when I called, they were having problems with an author who hadn't even started a book that was slated for release--he or she was spending too much time on the Internet. I know someone who ghostwrites for another author because that person is unable to complete his contract. The contracted author has not even read "his" latest books, yet guess who gets a portion of the royalties?) That's also one reason why so many publishing houses are looking for agented work--they can be reasonably sure the agent has QC'd the manuscript and will watchdog the author about his obligations.
So, despite my jokes about my manuscripts "collecting dust" at DAW, I do not believe I was neglected then rejected. Nor was I sitting around pinning my hopes on an impossible dream. It was a considered gamble that didn't pan out. And you all know I've been busy in the meantime. BTW--I have more interviews out on Infinite Space, Infinite God--check out the web site.
Monday, I begin again, a little less patient and a little wiser. The Miscria will find a publishing home, and perhaps I'll try DAW again later--with an agented contract.
Ironically, after my last post, I heard from DAW about my trilogy, The Miscria. After 2 years, 3 months of consideration, it was rejected. I want to thank Peter Stampfel, the editor and first reader at DAW, for his kind words and patience. He encouraged me to write the second book in the trilogy and kept me up-to-date on the wait. Even though they will not be publishing The Miscria, it's been a valuable experience.
As I shared this news on writers' groups, the most common response was "Why would you wait 2 years?" Here's why I waited.
DAW is a big publisher and some of my favorite authors got their start with them, so publishing with them would have been the fulfillment of a dream.
I did receive responses from DAW. The first was a request for the second book in the trilogy along with a warning that this was going to be a timely process and a request for patience. DAW is a big publishing house with a small staff. They were undergoing organizational changes. They had been acquired by another company that promised more staff but hadn't delivered…
For a year, I've talked with Peter Stampfel quarterly. On the phone. Peter was a stressed, busy man; I could hear it in his voice. Nonetheless, he took 10-20 minutes to talk to me and answer my questions. He remembered the books and enjoyed them. They were on the top of the second read pile, ahead of others that had been there even longer. The second reader had not even touched the pile. She was also in charge of already-commissioned works and was having trouble with authors not meeting their deadlines. He even put me on hold while he went to find out answers to my questions ("Why did you select this first-time writer? Was he agented? Was he in the slush? How long did he wait?")
It's been an interesting education into the publishing world. Perhaps it's not the most courteous of things to make someone wait so long, but I also went in knowing DAW has a waiting time of 3 years in some cases, and that for some publishing houses, these kinds of waits on unagented manuscripts are not unusual.
There's also a responsibility on us writers. We have an obligation to only send out our best. We've all read laments from agents and editors about the dreck they have to go through to find the gems--and with computer technology, that has only gotten worse. We also have an obligation once we've "made it" to be true to our craft and our obligations. (Once when I called, they were having problems with an author who hadn't even started a book that was slated for release--he or she was spending too much time on the Internet. I know someone who ghostwrites for another author because that person is unable to complete his contract. The contracted author has not even read "his" latest books, yet guess who gets a portion of the royalties?) That's also one reason why so many publishing houses are looking for agented work--they can be reasonably sure the agent has QC'd the manuscript and will watchdog the author about his obligations.
So, despite my jokes about my manuscripts "collecting dust" at DAW, I do not believe I was neglected then rejected. Nor was I sitting around pinning my hopes on an impossible dream. It was a considered gamble that didn't pan out. And you all know I've been busy in the meantime. BTW--I have more interviews out on Infinite Space, Infinite God--check out the web site.
Monday, I begin again, a little less patient and a little wiser. The Miscria will find a publishing home, and perhaps I'll try DAW again later--with an agented contract.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Hating the Waiting
God grant me patience--and make it fast!
The thing I hate most about writing is the waiting. I can handle the times when a story won't work its way out of my head--I plow through it or go on to some other project. I can handle critiques--they either make me a better writer or aren't worth my attention. I can even handle rejection--I whine for a few minutes, maybe have some chocolate, then I brush it off and go on. But waiting!
Waiting to a Catholic writer is like getting an early glimpse of Purgatory.
I handle waiting in two ways. The easiest is selective amnesia. Despite messages on my calendar, saved e-mails, and notes made on the folders, I've probably forgotten about half the query letters, stories and essays I've sent out. Once in a long while, I go back over my files. I could make a TV show: The Untold Stories Behind the Untold Stories. Tonight's Episode: "The 'Must Sell.'"
SCENE: Late night. Our author, with wild hair and pajamas, hunches over her desk. She's sitting away from the desk and must reach to write on it. A baby lays face down across her lap.
VOICEOVER: NARRATOR: September 2000: It was 1 AM on a Thursday night. The baby had been nursed to sleep for the second time, and writer Karina Fabian had finished a story. The printer hums as she fills out the envelope.
VOICEOVER: KARINA: It was definitely my best work, and I was determined to get it published. I'd researched the markets and made a list. As always, I made two envelopes that night. One would go off right away. The other would wait in case the first one was rejected.
SCENE: Flipping calendar, children growing, dust collecting on the story.
SCENE: Different house, full of the sound of playing and sometimes bickering kids. Our author, now with wrinkles and wild hair, but no pajamas, sneaks into her office, closes the door on the sound, and sighs. She opens the drawer, pulls out a file. There's still one envelope in it. She pulls out the manuscript, puzzled.
VOICEOVER: KARINA, TEARFUL: I don’t know what happened. There were children, and other stories, a new book…I became confused. I neglected it. I should have followed up. I blame myself, but--why, why didn't I get a letter?!
VOICEOVER: NARRATOR: Why, indeed. Today, the investigative reporters of The Untold Stories will follow that story to its bitter end. Did it find its way to the editor? Did the editor see it? Did he have big plans for it, but was suddenly killed when a 300-pound manuscript written in pencil fell from his "reject with malice" pile? Or did he shred her story in a case of mistaken identity and caffeine-induced fury? Was there a rejection letter? What about follow-ups--were they sent? Received? Find out after these words from "Writing Success in 30 Days or Less."
Sometimes, I get a terrific surprise--like when I got a $40 check for a story that I had written for a magazine six years before and heard nothing more about. It was one of my first stories, written specifically for that magazine, so I'd pretty much given it up for unpublishable. Other times, I'll look at a forgotten story and think, "Whew! Hope it was lost in the mail!"
With novels, however, I obsess. How long do I wait until I follow-up? E-mail? Call? I've been known to have days where the fate of a manuscript comes to my mind and I can't concentrate all day. I pace, edgy and restless as a lioness in her cage, debating. It's been 3 months since my last e-mail? Do I follow up? The guidelines say… Maybe I should give it one more week… No, no. Call him. Be friendly. Just gotta know, just gotta know…
This is what's happening with my fantasy trilogy. It's at my dream publisher, waiting. Waiting. I wrote, got encouraging words, even a request for book II. Sent the book. Waited. Wrote again. After a year, I called. Every quarter, I call, get encouraging words and a request for patience. I wait, look for an agent. (Waiting there, too.)
I fill my time with other projects. I have a terrific anthology out, Infinite Space, Infinite God--another long awaited dream--and I've got stories and series and novels to write.
I try not to imagine myself as some desperate teenager waiting by the phone while the guy who said he'd call me is out cavorting with other girls with flashier covers and popular names like "Mercedes"…
I wonder if God isn't holding this back until I'm more ready. Right now, my kids are at the laughing, playing, bickering stage. My life is full with their raising, loving and learning. Do I really need more?
YES!! I NEED ANSWERS, MISTER!
I know the publishing world is swamped, and with books as good as mine, but I so hate waiting!
The thing I hate most about writing is the waiting. I can handle the times when a story won't work its way out of my head--I plow through it or go on to some other project. I can handle critiques--they either make me a better writer or aren't worth my attention. I can even handle rejection--I whine for a few minutes, maybe have some chocolate, then I brush it off and go on. But waiting!
Waiting to a Catholic writer is like getting an early glimpse of Purgatory.
I handle waiting in two ways. The easiest is selective amnesia. Despite messages on my calendar, saved e-mails, and notes made on the folders, I've probably forgotten about half the query letters, stories and essays I've sent out. Once in a long while, I go back over my files. I could make a TV show: The Untold Stories Behind the Untold Stories. Tonight's Episode: "The 'Must Sell.'"
SCENE: Late night. Our author, with wild hair and pajamas, hunches over her desk. She's sitting away from the desk and must reach to write on it. A baby lays face down across her lap.
VOICEOVER: NARRATOR: September 2000: It was 1 AM on a Thursday night. The baby had been nursed to sleep for the second time, and writer Karina Fabian had finished a story. The printer hums as she fills out the envelope.
VOICEOVER: KARINA: It was definitely my best work, and I was determined to get it published. I'd researched the markets and made a list. As always, I made two envelopes that night. One would go off right away. The other would wait in case the first one was rejected.
SCENE: Flipping calendar, children growing, dust collecting on the story.
SCENE: Different house, full of the sound of playing and sometimes bickering kids. Our author, now with wrinkles and wild hair, but no pajamas, sneaks into her office, closes the door on the sound, and sighs. She opens the drawer, pulls out a file. There's still one envelope in it. She pulls out the manuscript, puzzled.
VOICEOVER: KARINA, TEARFUL: I don’t know what happened. There were children, and other stories, a new book…I became confused. I neglected it. I should have followed up. I blame myself, but--why, why didn't I get a letter?!
VOICEOVER: NARRATOR: Why, indeed. Today, the investigative reporters of The Untold Stories will follow that story to its bitter end. Did it find its way to the editor? Did the editor see it? Did he have big plans for it, but was suddenly killed when a 300-pound manuscript written in pencil fell from his "reject with malice" pile? Or did he shred her story in a case of mistaken identity and caffeine-induced fury? Was there a rejection letter? What about follow-ups--were they sent? Received? Find out after these words from "Writing Success in 30 Days or Less."
Sometimes, I get a terrific surprise--like when I got a $40 check for a story that I had written for a magazine six years before and heard nothing more about. It was one of my first stories, written specifically for that magazine, so I'd pretty much given it up for unpublishable. Other times, I'll look at a forgotten story and think, "Whew! Hope it was lost in the mail!"
With novels, however, I obsess. How long do I wait until I follow-up? E-mail? Call? I've been known to have days where the fate of a manuscript comes to my mind and I can't concentrate all day. I pace, edgy and restless as a lioness in her cage, debating. It's been 3 months since my last e-mail? Do I follow up? The guidelines say… Maybe I should give it one more week… No, no. Call him. Be friendly. Just gotta know, just gotta know…
This is what's happening with my fantasy trilogy. It's at my dream publisher, waiting. Waiting. I wrote, got encouraging words, even a request for book II. Sent the book. Waited. Wrote again. After a year, I called. Every quarter, I call, get encouraging words and a request for patience. I wait, look for an agent. (Waiting there, too.)
I fill my time with other projects. I have a terrific anthology out, Infinite Space, Infinite God--another long awaited dream--and I've got stories and series and novels to write.
I try not to imagine myself as some desperate teenager waiting by the phone while the guy who said he'd call me is out cavorting with other girls with flashier covers and popular names like "Mercedes"…
I wonder if God isn't holding this back until I'm more ready. Right now, my kids are at the laughing, playing, bickering stage. My life is full with their raising, loving and learning. Do I really need more?
YES!! I NEED ANSWERS, MISTER!
I know the publishing world is swamped, and with books as good as mine, but I so hate waiting!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Chicken ala King, Egyptian Style
The saga ends. Today, we entombed King Kluck.
According to our book, the mummification process takes about 40 days. In the dry Egyptian heat, perhaps. In double baggies in a cool garage in Northern Virginia, the process is slightly longer...if by "slightly" you mean months.
And, got to admit, the salt hasn't been changed in a month. After awhile, the project just sort of lost its charm...
This week, we learned about King Tut, and I decided it was the perfect time to put an end to the Kluck who would be King. The boys were enthusiastic--"Yay! We're getting rid of King Kluck."
Then I told them they had to participate. "Oh, it doesn't smell so bad," I cajoled, but they weren't buying it.
Again, Mom handled the gross stuff, so while they prepared the sarcophagus and took photos, I pulled the fearsome fowl out of its bags and wiped off the salts. The smell had gone into stealth mode, lulling us into a false sense of security ("Hey! It really doesn't smell so bad!") then leaping out to attack our noses like a crazed cobra. Nonetheless, we soon had him wrapped in linen with the following trinkets tucked inside:
--a safety pin for, well, safetyNext we wrapped him in foil to represent a golden tomb. He looked like a football and the next few minutes were spent trying to keep my merry mummy-makers from chucking the cluck around the room. Of course, Alex still wanted nothing to do with the odoriferous object, which meant Liam was only to glad to shove it under his nose. (Something I never thought I'd have to say: "Quite teasing your brother with the mummified chicken!") Nonetheless, we got him safely in his box, which only yesterday brought us a Neopet from E-bay.
--a coin and jewels for wealth
--a match and candle for light and warmth
--sea shells for the ocean it probably never saw
--a Chuck E Cheese ticket for fun
"Hey, Mom. Can we sell him on E-bay?" Liam, my 6-year old entrepreneur, asked.
I started to protest, then thought about the Virgin Mary cheese sandwich and the Jesus potato. At least we wouldn't be saying ours was divine. (In fact, I can't think of anything less divine.)
So I told the kids if Dad will make an account, we can stick King Kluck on it.
Maybe I should go back and see if I can mold its corrupted flesh into a likeness of Elvis.
Addendum: Rob says E-Bay is no long accepting decaying-food-related items. Maybe they caught a scent of what was coming!
Liam, don't tease your brother with the mummified chicken!
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Code Filk II
Music I'm Listening To: "I Can't Get Code Satisfaction"
Mood: Despairing
Position: Fetal
This weekend, my ISIG website went the way of a confusing, twisted SF series. Yes: Lost. You can see it, but I can't access it--and it's all my fault!
Put on your old Rolling Stones and sing along as I tell my tale of woe.
It all started when I decided to add a media room to my FabianSpace website. I bought a book on HTML and tried to create one using the site's template.
After several frustrating attempts, I decided to scrap the whole endeavor and go with tripod. I'd already used it for my ISIG site. It was easy to set up, easy to update and the site looks terrific. Why bother with HTML when I could do it there?
I logged onto Tripod with my ISIG account and looked at the available space. Hmm... I really want to do a lot more with the ISIG site and a whole lot with Tripod.
No problem. I'll just create a new account.
At this point, those of you with experience on tripod and other sites should be crowding the monitor, shouting at me like we all did to those ditzy teens in the slasher movies:
"No! Don't do it!"
I opened the new account window...
"Stop! Go back! Close The Window!"
I put in my name and address.
"Different e-mail! At least use a different e-mail!"
I put in the same e-mail as the ISIG account.
"AAAARGH! I can't look!"
Actually, the website building went great. I found a template, modified it to resemble the FabisnSpace site--banner and all--and soon I was doing the website equivalent of getting lucky never knowing the doom that awaited.
(Rise in volume, please..)
(Volume down, now--you're scaring the neighbors)
Four hours or so late, I had a KICKIN' media room: photos, graphics, media releases, lots of useful information about me and my stuff...a CHAT ROOM! Yes, I, Karina Fabian, Queen of the Coding Chickens, figured out how to put a chat room on my site! SCORE!
All that was left was to get some information from my ISIG site and put in an announcement there.
I logged out, logged in as isigsf. Tripod says "Problem with member name of password." I try again. Same result. I ask for my password. It says I've given invalid info. I opened up the unhelpful help desk and started a ticket. I got back a reply saying someone changed my password. I tried the new password. It didn't work I opened another ticket...
So now I wait for the Tripod help desk to open, trying not to cry and hoping the 'Net police don't arrest me for web-building with out a clue.
I hope I can get access to the original ISIG website. If not, I guess I'll rebuild it. It's been an incredibly valuable resource.
But this time, I'll just put it in my karinafabian account.
Mood: Despairing
Position: Fetal
This weekend, my ISIG website went the way of a confusing, twisted SF series. Yes: Lost. You can see it, but I can't access it--and it's all my fault!
Put on your old Rolling Stones and sing along as I tell my tale of woe.
I can't get code satisfaction
I can't get no website action
It all started when I decided to add a media room to my FabianSpace website. I bought a book on HTML and tried to create one using the site's template.
So I type and I try and I type and I try
I cant' get no!
After several frustrating attempts, I decided to scrap the whole endeavor and go with tripod. I'd already used it for my ISIG site. It was easy to set up, easy to update and the site looks terrific. Why bother with HTML when I could do it there?
When I'm typin' in website code
And I can't see which way to go
the program's saying No and No
I logged onto Tripod with my ISIG account and looked at the available space. Hmm... I really want to do a lot more with the ISIG site and a whole lot with Tripod.
No problem. I'll just create a new account.
I'd missed some vital information
that affects my website situation
At this point, those of you with experience on tripod and other sites should be crowding the monitor, shouting at me like we all did to those ditzy teens in the slasher movies:
"No! Don't do it!"
I opened the new account window...
"Stop! Go back! Close The Window!"
I put in my name and address.
"Different e-mail! At least use a different e-mail!"
I put in the same e-mail as the ISIG account.
"AAAARGH! I can't look!"
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say
I can't get code satisfaction
I can't get no website action...
Actually, the website building went great. I found a template, modified it to resemble the FabisnSpace site--banner and all--and soon I was doing the website equivalent of getting lucky never knowing the doom that awaited.
(Rise in volume, please..)
'Cause I typed and I typed and I typed and I typed
I can't GET NO!!!!
(Volume down, now--you're scaring the neighbors)
When I'm doin' Tripod, see
And the site is looking so great
Something's much to easy....
Four hours or so late, I had a KICKIN' media room: photos, graphics, media releases, lots of useful information about me and my stuff...a CHAT ROOM! Yes, I, Karina Fabian, Queen of the Coding Chickens, figured out how to put a chat room on my site! SCORE!
All that was left was to get some information from my ISIG site and put in an announcement there.
But you can't get that site 'cause it ain't the same
As the one now in your name
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say
I can't get no satisfaction
I cant' get no ISIG action
I logged out, logged in as isigsf. Tripod says "Problem with member name of password." I try again. Same result. I ask for my password. It says I've given invalid info. I opened up the unhelpful help desk and started a ticket. I got back a reply saying someone changed my password. I tried the new password. It didn't work I opened another ticket...
And I typed and I tried and I typed and I cried
I can't get no!
So now I wait for the Tripod help desk to open, trying not to cry and hoping the 'Net police don't arrest me for web-building with out a clue.
I hope I can get access to the original ISIG website. If not, I guess I'll rebuild it. It's been an incredibly valuable resource.
But this time, I'll just put it in my karinafabian account.
Hey hey hey, that's what I say
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Random Thoughts to Clear My Files
Since NaNo and the Virtual Book Tour Primer had been taking my attention, I'd been keeping a backlog of interesting things to blog. Of course, I now cannot remember a post's worth of stuff to say about them, so I'm going to toss them out to you:
Anousheh Ansari Space Blog: Want to know what being in space is really like? Anousheh, one of the world's first space tourists, tells you her experiences. Great for story research and fun to read.
How Will Internet Change Our Novel-writing? An interesting discussion by novelists Walter Kirn and Gary Shteyngart say about how instant communication, text messaging, e-mail, and IM-ing on multiple levels changes the way we communicate and how that will translate into novel writing. The wartime conversation between the President and the Secretary of Defense is a scream.
Spam Gets Gibberliterish: In order to avoid spam filters, spammers have been adding random text into the subject lines and texts of their messages, with amusing results:
It kind of takes me back to when I lived in Japan and we'd come across badly translated English. I love "And fro to the fish!" I need to use that in a story someday.
My Virtual Book Tour has moved into January, with one more visit scheduled and one in the wings. It's been a lot of fun, but now I'm turning my attention to when Infinite Space, Infinite God comes out in in print this August. Check here for details on both.
My Faith-Filled Fiction Newsletter has 25 subscribers! If you'd like to join up, e-mail me.
This weekend will be the last for King Kluck. Mummifying something in Virginia is not a task for the weak of stomach. I'll have a photo soon.
Anousheh Ansari Space Blog: Want to know what being in space is really like? Anousheh, one of the world's first space tourists, tells you her experiences. Great for story research and fun to read.
How Will Internet Change Our Novel-writing? An interesting discussion by novelists Walter Kirn and Gary Shteyngart say about how instant communication, text messaging, e-mail, and IM-ing on multiple levels changes the way we communicate and how that will translate into novel writing. The wartime conversation between the President and the Secretary of Defense is a scream.
Spam Gets Gibberliterish: In order to avoid spam filters, spammers have been adding random text into the subject lines and texts of their messages, with amusing results:
Hi....look...straightened edge. He folded without a sound and I (graphic for "pharmaceuticals"{you know the kind} inserted here)happywhat a team we would make! Patience, doctor, I murmured and slipped him the packet..finally decided to wear a one-piece ship suit
In a subject line: And fro to the fish that went in this people that which is weak
It kind of takes me back to when I lived in Japan and we'd come across badly translated English. I love "And fro to the fish!" I need to use that in a story someday.
My Virtual Book Tour has moved into January, with one more visit scheduled and one in the wings. It's been a lot of fun, but now I'm turning my attention to when Infinite Space, Infinite God comes out in in print this August. Check here for details on both.
My Faith-Filled Fiction Newsletter has 25 subscribers! If you'd like to join up, e-mail me.
This weekend will be the last for King Kluck. Mummifying something in Virginia is not a task for the weak of stomach. I'll have a photo soon.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Happy Dancing
Found out from my publisher today that Infinite Space, Infinite God has sold 30 electronic copies since its release on fictionwise. I'm crediting the virtual book tour along with the terrific writing of the contributors.
I've also gotten my 21st subscriber to my Faith-Filled Fiction newsletter. Issue One just came out yesterday! (If you'd like to subscribe, contact me and put FFF in the subject line, or leave a comment below.)
So I'm doing a little Snoopy-style happy dance, which looks very silly in a 39-year old, but what the hey!
Please vote for my website and blog! Visit http://museitupclub.tripod.com/themusepeerawards/ and vote for one of the following:
WEBSITES:
www.fabianspace.com
http://isigsf.tripod.com
BLOGS:
www.fabianspace.com
http://www.freewebs.com/dragoneyepi/adragonseyeview.htm
The contest is also to get more traffic to our sites, so browse around while you're there. There are a lot of great writing sites.
I've also gotten my 21st subscriber to my Faith-Filled Fiction newsletter. Issue One just came out yesterday! (If you'd like to subscribe, contact me and put FFF in the subject line, or leave a comment below.)
So I'm doing a little Snoopy-style happy dance, which looks very silly in a 39-year old, but what the hey!
Please vote for my website and blog! Visit http://museitupclub.tripod.com/themusepeerawards/ and vote for one of the following:
WEBSITES:
www.fabianspace.com
http://isigsf.tripod.com
BLOGS:
www.fabianspace.com
http://www.freewebs.com/dragoneyepi/adragonseyeview.htm
The contest is also to get more traffic to our sites, so browse around while you're there. There are a lot of great writing sites.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Virtual Book Tour Primer
I'm pleased to announce that I've written my first issue of Faith-Filled Fiction, a newsletter about understanding and writing religions in our stories. If you'd like to subscribe please contact me and put "FFF--Yes" in the subject line.
We've learned a lot about what a virtual tour is, what it can do for you, and how to set one up. Today, I want to talk about why you should bother.
* Getting the word out. Virtual book tours probably will not get you a lot of sales, but they are effective at generating a buzz about your book. By getting onto blogs read by your target audience, you are using your time more effectively than if you just send out random press releases. In addition, the more your book is mentioned, the more likely it will show up on search engines, increasing the chances that someone looking for something related to your book will have your title or website appear on their screen.
--And, of course, it's immensely better than doing nothing at all.
* Learning to approach people for interviews. For many of us, it's easier to e-mail someone who writes a blog for fun than, say, approach a television studio that needs to turn a profit. Nonetheless, you need to be able to present yourself to either with confidence and convince them that interviewing you is worth it to their readers.
* Giving a good interview. One thing books on marketing your novel recommend is to make up interview questions and answers before doing any live interviews. With a virtual book tour, you'll have others giving you the questions. Even better, because you're doing everything via the Internet, a virtual book tour interview gives you a great opportunity to think about your answers, research them, ask others, and really put your best foot forward. You can then use that information when you do a live tour.
I've been amazed on my own book tour how much I learned about myself, my book, and the genre. Bloggers, even those with small audiences, nonetheless took the time and effort to ask me some very thoughtful questions. I found myself having to research for facts to support my answers and even going to my writer friends for opinions on how they'd respond. As a result, I'm going to be much more confident when I do live interviews. (I have one tentatively scheduled this summer on FastForward.)
* Gathering information to use elsewhere. Another way to promote your book is to write articles about the topics it covers. Your interviews not only give you information, but also let you know the kind of things people are interested in. You can then use that to write articles to submit elsewhere. I have an article due on Catholic Science Fiction for Hereditas this month, and I'll be pulling liberally from my many interviews.
* Having fun! What can be more rewarding to a just-published writer than to talk about his or her new book? Virtual book tours let you do that on your own time, in your own home, with the chance to go back, reword, rethink and put your best foot forward. They're a good confidence builder.
That's it for the Virtual Book Tour Primer. I may post articles from time to time, and of course, I'll answer questions. (Is anyone out there reading this?!? Ask me your questions!) In October, I'll be hosting a Virtual book Tour Workshop at the FREE MuseOnline Writers' Conference.
If this primer helped you, please leave me a comment! In the meantime, thanks for dropping in and let me know how your virtual book tour goes!
We've learned a lot about what a virtual tour is, what it can do for you, and how to set one up. Today, I want to talk about why you should bother.
* Getting the word out. Virtual book tours probably will not get you a lot of sales, but they are effective at generating a buzz about your book. By getting onto blogs read by your target audience, you are using your time more effectively than if you just send out random press releases. In addition, the more your book is mentioned, the more likely it will show up on search engines, increasing the chances that someone looking for something related to your book will have your title or website appear on their screen.
--And, of course, it's immensely better than doing nothing at all.
* Learning to approach people for interviews. For many of us, it's easier to e-mail someone who writes a blog for fun than, say, approach a television studio that needs to turn a profit. Nonetheless, you need to be able to present yourself to either with confidence and convince them that interviewing you is worth it to their readers.
* Giving a good interview. One thing books on marketing your novel recommend is to make up interview questions and answers before doing any live interviews. With a virtual book tour, you'll have others giving you the questions. Even better, because you're doing everything via the Internet, a virtual book tour interview gives you a great opportunity to think about your answers, research them, ask others, and really put your best foot forward. You can then use that information when you do a live tour.
I've been amazed on my own book tour how much I learned about myself, my book, and the genre. Bloggers, even those with small audiences, nonetheless took the time and effort to ask me some very thoughtful questions. I found myself having to research for facts to support my answers and even going to my writer friends for opinions on how they'd respond. As a result, I'm going to be much more confident when I do live interviews. (I have one tentatively scheduled this summer on FastForward.)
* Gathering information to use elsewhere. Another way to promote your book is to write articles about the topics it covers. Your interviews not only give you information, but also let you know the kind of things people are interested in. You can then use that to write articles to submit elsewhere. I have an article due on Catholic Science Fiction for Hereditas this month, and I'll be pulling liberally from my many interviews.
* Having fun! What can be more rewarding to a just-published writer than to talk about his or her new book? Virtual book tours let you do that on your own time, in your own home, with the chance to go back, reword, rethink and put your best foot forward. They're a good confidence builder.
That's it for the Virtual Book Tour Primer. I may post articles from time to time, and of course, I'll answer questions. (Is anyone out there reading this?!? Ask me your questions!) In October, I'll be hosting a Virtual book Tour Workshop at the FREE MuseOnline Writers' Conference.
If this primer helped you, please leave me a comment! In the meantime, thanks for dropping in and let me know how your virtual book tour goes!
Saturday, December 30, 2006
New Year's Resolutions
(Taking a break from the Virtual Book Tour Primer to talk resolutions. More on virtual book tours Tuesday.)
One thing I've learned about resolutions is they don't work unless you have some concrete goals and plans. The more you know and commit to the steps of achieving your goal, the more likely you'll accomplish it.
However, 2007 looks like it'll be a year of change for us. Rob is up for command, so we'll be moving in the late summer/early fall. Infinite Space, Infinite God comes out in print around that time, too (although Lida is planning an early print run--yay!) We're also thinking about letting the kids try a year of public school. We feel they could use the experience and Mom can use the rest. The Miscria Trilogy has been at my dream publisher for 2 years now, but despite frequent calls to their wonderful editor, I still don't have their decision. In the meantime, a friend is working on a packaging deal with another publisher and may include another book of mine. Plus, Rob will be at a joint officers training school--now that he's had 2 years in the job, it's time to get him the training, after all--and will be gone during the time we need to get the house ready for sale. Thus, so much of this year is unknown or dependent on others, that it's hard to set concrete goals.
Nonetheless, here are my resolutions:
WRITING
1. Get a publisher and/or agent for the Miscria.
--Research and query agents and publishers until mid-Feb; send out queries every 6 weeks after that.
--Start with major traditional publishers and move to smaller presses.
2. Write 100,000 words of novel
--Write at least one paragraph a night until school ends; then up the word count.
--Finish Discovery.
--Write one or more of the following: Miscria III; Dragon Eye, PI: Magic, Mensa and Mayhem; Dragon Eye, PI: Migrants, Magic and Murder; or a time travel/romance I've had in mind. I may do the last for NaNoWriMo, but if I feel the call to finish one of the others, I may go for the NaNo goals without actually entering the competition.
3. Personally sell 100 copies of Infinite Space, Infinite God; have 500 sold via Twilight Times Books
--Virtual Book Tour in August
--Hold at least 4 early book signings in VA area
--Hold another 3 in new area
--Contact 3 or 4 Catholic universities about getting on their read lists for courses
--Do some form of PR every day--media release, contacting a potential customer, calling a book store, updating the website…
4. Write 4 more stories; send out a story a month of old or new; never let a story sit at home for more than a week.
5. Keep up with obligations: blog, Montana Catholic, Hereditas, MuseOnline Conference (October); Catholic Writers' Guild.
6. RESIST the temptation to do more until June or September, when I have time; then, keep it in perspective with the above goals!
HOMESCHOOLING
1. Have a more traditional school routine to prep kids for "real school."
2. Grade papers each night.
3. Make older kids do homework while I write--write in the same room with them.
SELL HOUSE
1. Cull everything--get rid of 25 percent of our stuff.
--Each day, tackle one drawer or closet.
2. Pack out about another 10-25 percent.
3. Hire someone to do minor repairs.
3. Mulch yard.
4. House goes on market in mid-March. Anybody moving to Northern VA?
One thing I've learned about resolutions is they don't work unless you have some concrete goals and plans. The more you know and commit to the steps of achieving your goal, the more likely you'll accomplish it.
However, 2007 looks like it'll be a year of change for us. Rob is up for command, so we'll be moving in the late summer/early fall. Infinite Space, Infinite God comes out in print around that time, too (although Lida is planning an early print run--yay!) We're also thinking about letting the kids try a year of public school. We feel they could use the experience and Mom can use the rest. The Miscria Trilogy has been at my dream publisher for 2 years now, but despite frequent calls to their wonderful editor, I still don't have their decision. In the meantime, a friend is working on a packaging deal with another publisher and may include another book of mine. Plus, Rob will be at a joint officers training school--now that he's had 2 years in the job, it's time to get him the training, after all--and will be gone during the time we need to get the house ready for sale. Thus, so much of this year is unknown or dependent on others, that it's hard to set concrete goals.
Nonetheless, here are my resolutions:
WRITING
1. Get a publisher and/or agent for the Miscria.
--Research and query agents and publishers until mid-Feb; send out queries every 6 weeks after that.
--Start with major traditional publishers and move to smaller presses.
2. Write 100,000 words of novel
--Write at least one paragraph a night until school ends; then up the word count.
--Finish Discovery.
--Write one or more of the following: Miscria III; Dragon Eye, PI: Magic, Mensa and Mayhem; Dragon Eye, PI: Migrants, Magic and Murder; or a time travel/romance I've had in mind. I may do the last for NaNoWriMo, but if I feel the call to finish one of the others, I may go for the NaNo goals without actually entering the competition.
3. Personally sell 100 copies of Infinite Space, Infinite God; have 500 sold via Twilight Times Books
--Virtual Book Tour in August
--Hold at least 4 early book signings in VA area
--Hold another 3 in new area
--Contact 3 or 4 Catholic universities about getting on their read lists for courses
--Do some form of PR every day--media release, contacting a potential customer, calling a book store, updating the website…
4. Write 4 more stories; send out a story a month of old or new; never let a story sit at home for more than a week.
5. Keep up with obligations: blog, Montana Catholic, Hereditas, MuseOnline Conference (October); Catholic Writers' Guild.
6. RESIST the temptation to do more until June or September, when I have time; then, keep it in perspective with the above goals!
HOMESCHOOLING
1. Have a more traditional school routine to prep kids for "real school."
2. Grade papers each night.
3. Make older kids do homework while I write--write in the same room with them.
SELL HOUSE
1. Cull everything--get rid of 25 percent of our stuff.
--Each day, tackle one drawer or closet.
2. Pack out about another 10-25 percent.
3. Hire someone to do minor repairs.
3. Mulch yard.
4. House goes on market in mid-March. Anybody moving to Northern VA?
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Virtual Book Tour Primer V--leaving comments
Another way to conduct a book tour is to leave comments on folks' blogs. To tell you more about that, however, I'd like to share this article by Janet Elaine Smith. Janet is a novelist who also writes about useful tips for marketing your books. Check her out at http://www.janetelainesmith.com.)
Before you set off on a virtual book tour, remember that you are visiting various blogs as a guest. You don't run the show. Always leave a comment about something in the blog before you issuing an invitation to partake of something you have to offer, whether it is to purchase your book, to visit your blog or to hang out at your website. Sadly common courtesy is all too often in short supply.
The best way to find blogs that best fit your virtual tour is with this
search: www.blogsearch.google.com. Don't just look for the obvious; be creative. After all, we are all writers, and imagination is our forte. And look for something that you can tie your book into. Let me give you a couple of examples. You know, show; don't tell!
My book Par for the Course is a timetravel that takes a modern day golf pro and sends her back in time to golf with Mary, Queen of Scots, at St.
Andrews Golf Course in Scotland. Mary was the first woman golfer--true fact.
OK, so I did a search for Mary, Queen of Scots. History buffs who like to follow her are always looking for new info. Many of them do not know that she was the first known woman golfer. (I found that info in an old kids'
encyclopedia.) So, when I find a blog about Mary, I go to it and ask a simple question: "Do you know what sport Mary, Queen of Scots, was noted for? If you don't, you can find out in my time travel, Par for the Course.
If you do, or if you want to take a guess, come on over to my blog at www.janetelainesmith.blogspot.com and leave me a comment." Then I leave a comment about their blog, like "I was pleased to learn that Mary was the tallest woman in Scotland at the time she lived. I am a firm believer that I am never too old to learn something new."
Another one I did was for my book In St. Patrick's Custody. I did a lot of similar blog entries to the one above only tied to this book of when it was close to St. Patrick's Day. I then invited the blog visitors to go to Patrick and Grace's website, http://crumbycapers.tripod.com (a fictional website I set up especially for the protagonists of that book--another promotional idea, by the way!) and leave me a note in the guestbook. Happy St. Paddy's Day!
Another one I did for In St. Patrick's Custody was in connection with homelessness, because Grace ended up in a homeless shelter. That one got picked up and noticed by a few print newspapers and it led to a couple of actual print interviews about the issue of homelessness.
I don't always leave a bunch of signature lines in a blog, but I do give the info if it pertains to the book I'm blogging about at the time. For instance, with Par for the Course, I usually include "Named best timetravel of the year by Affaire de Coeur Magazine."
With In St. Patrick's Custody I might end with something like "Responsible for countless new volunteers in homeless shelters across the country."
Good luck! Janet
Before you set off on a virtual book tour, remember that you are visiting various blogs as a guest. You don't run the show. Always leave a comment about something in the blog before you issuing an invitation to partake of something you have to offer, whether it is to purchase your book, to visit your blog or to hang out at your website. Sadly common courtesy is all too often in short supply.
The best way to find blogs that best fit your virtual tour is with this
search: www.blogsearch.google.com. Don't just look for the obvious; be creative. After all, we are all writers, and imagination is our forte. And look for something that you can tie your book into. Let me give you a couple of examples. You know, show; don't tell!
My book Par for the Course is a timetravel that takes a modern day golf pro and sends her back in time to golf with Mary, Queen of Scots, at St.
Andrews Golf Course in Scotland. Mary was the first woman golfer--true fact.
OK, so I did a search for Mary, Queen of Scots. History buffs who like to follow her are always looking for new info. Many of them do not know that she was the first known woman golfer. (I found that info in an old kids'
encyclopedia.) So, when I find a blog about Mary, I go to it and ask a simple question: "Do you know what sport Mary, Queen of Scots, was noted for? If you don't, you can find out in my time travel, Par for the Course.
If you do, or if you want to take a guess, come on over to my blog at www.janetelainesmith.blogspot.com and leave me a comment." Then I leave a comment about their blog, like "I was pleased to learn that Mary was the tallest woman in Scotland at the time she lived. I am a firm believer that I am never too old to learn something new."
Another one I did was for my book In St. Patrick's Custody. I did a lot of similar blog entries to the one above only tied to this book of when it was close to St. Patrick's Day. I then invited the blog visitors to go to Patrick and Grace's website, http://crumbycapers.tripod.com (a fictional website I set up especially for the protagonists of that book--another promotional idea, by the way!) and leave me a note in the guestbook. Happy St. Paddy's Day!
Another one I did for In St. Patrick's Custody was in connection with homelessness, because Grace ended up in a homeless shelter. That one got picked up and noticed by a few print newspapers and it led to a couple of actual print interviews about the issue of homelessness.
I don't always leave a bunch of signature lines in a blog, but I do give the info if it pertains to the book I'm blogging about at the time. For instance, with Par for the Course, I usually include "Named best timetravel of the year by Affaire de Coeur Magazine."
With In St. Patrick's Custody I might end with something like "Responsible for countless new volunteers in homeless shelters across the country."
Good luck! Janet
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Virtual Book Tour Primer IV
Here are two letters I sent to bloggers asking to be on their blogs. The first is an initial letter. I introduce myself, comment on the blog (how I came across it and something I liked about it), then ask the blogger if he'd host me. I always make sure I tie myself or my book to the blog, so he knows I'm not just picking him out blindly and that a post aobut me or my book adds to his blog. Then I offer more information. Here's where a website comes in handy! Finally, I offer an advance review copy of the book. This is especially important for any site that you're asking to host you specifically because they blog about something that your book applies to. Sometimes, they'll want to review the book as well as interview you.
Dear Mr. Akins,
My friend Ann Lewis recommended your blog to me and I’ve been enjoying it greatly. (It was refreshing to see someone else who held a similar opinion on the “genocide” of the Cylons. )
Since you are a SF fan, I was wondering if you’d be interested in reviewing my husband Rob’s and my anthology of Catholic SF, Infinite Space, Infinite God. It’s out in e-book right now from Twilight Times Books and will be out in print in August. I’m planning virtual book tours in December and August, so if you are willing, I’d love to have you host us on one or both of those months.
I’ve attached a short blurb about ISIG, and if you’d like more information, please check out the website at http://isigsf.tripod.com. Then, if you are interested, please e-mail me back and I’ll be glad to send you an electronic ARC.
This second letter is a follow-up. The blogger has expressed interest and wants to know more. Virtual book touring is still very new and many people don't know much about it. The thing I try to emphasize is that she is doing me a big favor and as such, I want to make it as easy on her as possible.
Dear Dustiam,
Thanks so much for agreeing to host rob and me on our virtual book tour to promote Infinite Space, Infinite God.
By hosting me (or Rob and me on your site), you’d devote a post to us and Infinite Space, Infinite God. We’re on a virtual book tour right now and are planning another for August, but any time that’s good for you is good for us. We can do this in several ways:
--You send us interview questions that we answer. You post the Q&A.
--You tell us what you’d like us to write about and we write an entry for you to post.
--We write our own interview and you post it.
--You just review the book.
We’ve done most of these, so whatever’s convenient for you is good for us. I’ve enclosed an electronic copy of the book. Let me know when you plan to post and I’ll put it a notice about it on our ISIG website (http://isigsf.tripod.com). You can also find more information on the website, including the other stops on our virtual book tour, where you can see what other bloggers have done in hosting us.
That's it until Saturday, when I'll post some other things I've learned about virtual book tours.
Have a Very Merry Christmas!!!
Dear Mr. Akins,
My friend Ann Lewis recommended your blog to me and I’ve been enjoying it greatly. (It was refreshing to see someone else who held a similar opinion on the “genocide” of the Cylons. )
Since you are a SF fan, I was wondering if you’d be interested in reviewing my husband Rob’s and my anthology of Catholic SF, Infinite Space, Infinite God. It’s out in e-book right now from Twilight Times Books and will be out in print in August. I’m planning virtual book tours in December and August, so if you are willing, I’d love to have you host us on one or both of those months.
I’ve attached a short blurb about ISIG, and if you’d like more information, please check out the website at http://isigsf.tripod.com. Then, if you are interested, please e-mail me back and I’ll be glad to send you an electronic ARC.
This second letter is a follow-up. The blogger has expressed interest and wants to know more. Virtual book touring is still very new and many people don't know much about it. The thing I try to emphasize is that she is doing me a big favor and as such, I want to make it as easy on her as possible.
Dear Dustiam,
Thanks so much for agreeing to host rob and me on our virtual book tour to promote Infinite Space, Infinite God.
By hosting me (or Rob and me on your site), you’d devote a post to us and Infinite Space, Infinite God. We’re on a virtual book tour right now and are planning another for August, but any time that’s good for you is good for us. We can do this in several ways:
--You send us interview questions that we answer. You post the Q&A.
--You tell us what you’d like us to write about and we write an entry for you to post.
--We write our own interview and you post it.
--You just review the book.
We’ve done most of these, so whatever’s convenient for you is good for us. I’ve enclosed an electronic copy of the book. Let me know when you plan to post and I’ll put it a notice about it on our ISIG website (http://isigsf.tripod.com). You can also find more information on the website, including the other stops on our virtual book tour, where you can see what other bloggers have done in hosting us.
That's it until Saturday, when I'll post some other things I've learned about virtual book tours.
Have a Very Merry Christmas!!!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Virtual Book Tour Primer III
So now you've got or are creating a kickin' website about your book and you have a good idea who your book tour audience is. Now we can get into the meat of the tour itself: finding the Blogs!
Blogs are essentially on-line "journals" (usually by a person) about whatever interests them. As such, they cover the gamut of exposure, expertise and opinion. Some, like LiveJournal, are more like on-line diaries, while others may be specifically targeted toward news. Some are by people who simply want to express themselves (regardless of their knowledge or experience on a topic) while others are serious commentary by experts in their field. Some of these may only have a few faithful viewers, while others may get thousands of views a day. Thus, as you search, you'll also need to evaluate each blog to see if this blog is one on which you'd like to promote your book.
Here's where I went to find my blog stops:
1. Friends. Not only might they have a blog they can host you one, they may know of a blog that would be interested in you. I found several Catholic blogs through friends, some of which have large audience.
2. On-line groups. If you're on a Yahoo group or other forum, post a request asking if anyone blogs in your target area, or can recommend any blogs.
3. Google. Type in "blog" and your target area. Do more than one search. For example, for "Infinite Space, Infinite God," I searched under "Catholic science fiction blog," and "Catholic fiction blog." If your book has been out for awhile, Google the title name and see if anyone's already mentioned it. I found a blog that didn't show up on a general search when I typed in "Infinite Space, Infinite God."
4. Search host sites. Most host sites like Blogger or MySpace allow you to search just their websites. Sometimes you can find blogs that have a loyal following but don't show up on Google.
5. Check links on websites and blogs you visit.
Once you've found a site, look it over. Do the entries tie in with your book or your interests? Does the person seem sympathetic or potentially interested? Is there a counter--and if so, how many people have visited the site?
If you like the blog and would like to "visit" it on your tour, you now try to contact the blogger. A good way to start is to find one of his posts you like and leave a comment. If it applies to your book, so much the better, but at very least, leave your name and your book name and website. For example:
What an interesting post! I didn't realize Dr. Thinxalot has postulated
a "human percentage" for determining how much genetic tinkering our DNA
can take. Incidentally, that's a topic we've explored in our SF anthology
"Infinite Space, Infinite God." I'll have to look for more of Dr. T's
research.
--Karina Fabian, editor, Infinite Space, Infinite God
http://isigsf.tripod.com
If there's a contact site for the blogger, write her a note complimenting her on her blog and asking her if she'd be willing to host you on your virtual book tour. You may have to explain what that is and how it's done. (I'll post a sample e-mail Saturday.) If you cannot find contact information on the site, ask her via a comment.
On Saturday--inviting yourself to a blog, being interviewed, generating "buzz."
Blogs are essentially on-line "journals" (usually by a person) about whatever interests them. As such, they cover the gamut of exposure, expertise and opinion. Some, like LiveJournal, are more like on-line diaries, while others may be specifically targeted toward news. Some are by people who simply want to express themselves (regardless of their knowledge or experience on a topic) while others are serious commentary by experts in their field. Some of these may only have a few faithful viewers, while others may get thousands of views a day. Thus, as you search, you'll also need to evaluate each blog to see if this blog is one on which you'd like to promote your book.
Here's where I went to find my blog stops:
1. Friends. Not only might they have a blog they can host you one, they may know of a blog that would be interested in you. I found several Catholic blogs through friends, some of which have large audience.
2. On-line groups. If you're on a Yahoo group or other forum, post a request asking if anyone blogs in your target area, or can recommend any blogs.
3. Google. Type in "blog" and your target area. Do more than one search. For example, for "Infinite Space, Infinite God," I searched under "Catholic science fiction blog," and "Catholic fiction blog." If your book has been out for awhile, Google the title name and see if anyone's already mentioned it. I found a blog that didn't show up on a general search when I typed in "Infinite Space, Infinite God."
4. Search host sites. Most host sites like Blogger or MySpace allow you to search just their websites. Sometimes you can find blogs that have a loyal following but don't show up on Google.
5. Check links on websites and blogs you visit.
Once you've found a site, look it over. Do the entries tie in with your book or your interests? Does the person seem sympathetic or potentially interested? Is there a counter--and if so, how many people have visited the site?
If you like the blog and would like to "visit" it on your tour, you now try to contact the blogger. A good way to start is to find one of his posts you like and leave a comment. If it applies to your book, so much the better, but at very least, leave your name and your book name and website. For example:
What an interesting post! I didn't realize Dr. Thinxalot has postulated
a "human percentage" for determining how much genetic tinkering our DNA
can take. Incidentally, that's a topic we've explored in our SF anthology
"Infinite Space, Infinite God." I'll have to look for more of Dr. T's
research.
--Karina Fabian, editor, Infinite Space, Infinite God
http://isigsf.tripod.com
If there's a contact site for the blogger, write her a note complimenting her on her blog and asking her if she'd be willing to host you on your virtual book tour. You may have to explain what that is and how it's done. (I'll post a sample e-mail Saturday.) If you cannot find contact information on the site, ask her via a comment.
On Saturday--inviting yourself to a blog, being interviewed, generating "buzz."
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Virtual Book Tour II
I've got another interview coming up on my virtual book tour, and it's looking like the tour is going to run into January, with an e-zine interview and more blog guest appearances. That's the joy of a virtual book tour--you can extend it without compromising finances or worrying about leaving the kids. It just takes some of your writing time.
Today, we're going to talk about some preliminaries before launching a book tour. I've found these to be very helpful not just in the tour but translating that tour into real interest for my book:
#1 Preliminary materials. If you're developing a media kit, these should be in your bag of tricks. These are things you can offer your host to make his page stand out or his interview even better:
--A print-quality graphic (.jpg is good) of your book cover. Ask your publisher.
--A print-quality photo of yourself. (Get a friend to take a good digital photo.)
--50-, 150-, and 250-word blurbs about your book. Hosts can use these to advertise your upcoming tour, weave them into their introduction, or post them elsewhere on their site.
--A fact sheet. This is more for you than them. Just list some of the more vital pieces of info about your book--from website to the chapter names and pages in your manuscript, interesting topics, factoids (Infinite Space, Infinite God took 2 years to find a publisher, for example), and interesting stories. This is one thing I did not do and I'm constantly racking my brain or searching my manuscript in order to answer an interviewer's question. Learn from my mistake.
--Your own set of questions. (Optional) Some bloggers will ask you to write up your own interview. If you know what you want to talk about ahead of time, it's easier. Be sure to tailor the questions and answers to the blog's audience, however.
#2 Create your own website for your book! This has been the single most useful thing I've done. I created a website on tripod for Infinite Space, Infinite God before the tour and I constantly refer to it in the interviews and correspondence. It's only been up a month and has had over 400 hits. The website holds all the information you'd like to tell folks: summaries, your bio, a calendar of your book tour and other events, a media room, and most importantly, Purchasing Information!
There are a couple of places to create websites for free. I have sites on www.tripod.com and www.freewebs.com. Both have ready-made templates and easy to use editors that let you add text, photos, special effects, contact sites--all the basic website stuff. No programming experience is needed and they come out great! Check out http://isigsf.tripod.com for an example of a book promotion site. It took about 3 hours to build because of all the text to type in, and I add to it twice a week it seems. The editor is so easy, it only takes minutes.
#3 List who your target audience is for your book and who might be interested in you. You wrote the book--if people would find you interesting, chances are they or someone they know will find your book interesting as well.
For ISIG, I'm targeting science fiction fans, Catholics, Christians, people interested in technology and morals, and educators.
However, I am a homeschooler, military wife, writer, Mensan, former AF officer, current military wife, Colorado State University alumni… If I can find a magazine or paper that might be interested in me or my book, I can probably find a blog or e-zine that would be interested.
OK. You have your homework. Contact me if you have questions. Tuesday, I'll post how to find stops on your tour.
Today, we're going to talk about some preliminaries before launching a book tour. I've found these to be very helpful not just in the tour but translating that tour into real interest for my book:
#1 Preliminary materials. If you're developing a media kit, these should be in your bag of tricks. These are things you can offer your host to make his page stand out or his interview even better:
--A print-quality graphic (.jpg is good) of your book cover. Ask your publisher.
--A print-quality photo of yourself. (Get a friend to take a good digital photo.)
--50-, 150-, and 250-word blurbs about your book. Hosts can use these to advertise your upcoming tour, weave them into their introduction, or post them elsewhere on their site.
--A fact sheet. This is more for you than them. Just list some of the more vital pieces of info about your book--from website to the chapter names and pages in your manuscript, interesting topics, factoids (Infinite Space, Infinite God took 2 years to find a publisher, for example), and interesting stories. This is one thing I did not do and I'm constantly racking my brain or searching my manuscript in order to answer an interviewer's question. Learn from my mistake.
--Your own set of questions. (Optional) Some bloggers will ask you to write up your own interview. If you know what you want to talk about ahead of time, it's easier. Be sure to tailor the questions and answers to the blog's audience, however.
#2 Create your own website for your book! This has been the single most useful thing I've done. I created a website on tripod for Infinite Space, Infinite God before the tour and I constantly refer to it in the interviews and correspondence. It's only been up a month and has had over 400 hits. The website holds all the information you'd like to tell folks: summaries, your bio, a calendar of your book tour and other events, a media room, and most importantly, Purchasing Information!
There are a couple of places to create websites for free. I have sites on www.tripod.com and www.freewebs.com. Both have ready-made templates and easy to use editors that let you add text, photos, special effects, contact sites--all the basic website stuff. No programming experience is needed and they come out great! Check out http://isigsf.tripod.com for an example of a book promotion site. It took about 3 hours to build because of all the text to type in, and I add to it twice a week it seems. The editor is so easy, it only takes minutes.
#3 List who your target audience is for your book and who might be interested in you. You wrote the book--if people would find you interesting, chances are they or someone they know will find your book interesting as well.
For ISIG, I'm targeting science fiction fans, Catholics, Christians, people interested in technology and morals, and educators.
However, I am a homeschooler, military wife, writer, Mensan, former AF officer, current military wife, Colorado State University alumni… If I can find a magazine or paper that might be interested in me or my book, I can probably find a blog or e-zine that would be interested.
OK. You have your homework. Contact me if you have questions. Tuesday, I'll post how to find stops on your tour.
Friday, December 15, 2006
ISIG an EPPIE Award Finalist!
I'm so excited!
Infinite Space, Infinite God is a finalist for the EPPIE awards in Science Fiction. Rob's and my previous anthology, Leaps of Faith, was also a finalist back in 2004, but it was under the Anthology section. This time, ISIG competed with novels and anthologies, so it's even more thrilling.
I'm especially grateful to the terrific writers who contributed to the book. This honor is for all of us!
For more on the EPPIE awards (for electronically published books) check out http://www.epicauthors.com/eppies.html.
BTW--if anyone is interested in ordering a copy from me, TTB is planning an early run for April/May. I'm selling autographed copies for $16 (trade paperback) and $22 (hardback if they become available). E-mail me if you're interested.
Infinite Space, Infinite God is a finalist for the EPPIE awards in Science Fiction. Rob's and my previous anthology, Leaps of Faith, was also a finalist back in 2004, but it was under the Anthology section. This time, ISIG competed with novels and anthologies, so it's even more thrilling.
I'm especially grateful to the terrific writers who contributed to the book. This honor is for all of us!
For more on the EPPIE awards (for electronically published books) check out http://www.epicauthors.com/eppies.html.
BTW--if anyone is interested in ordering a copy from me, TTB is planning an early run for April/May. I'm selling autographed copies for $16 (trade paperback) and $22 (hardback if they become available). E-mail me if you're interested.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Yangtse River Dolphins extinct
Yangtse dolphin 'is extinct', a victim of economic explosion
Today, we mourn the loss of a species. The world has lost a little of its wonder.
My son, Alex, cried when he heard the news. He'd like everyone to pray for the breeding population of finless river porpoises at the Tian-e-zhou oxbow lake.
Today, we mourn the loss of a species. The world has lost a little of its wonder.
My son, Alex, cried when he heard the news. He'd like everyone to pray for the breeding population of finless river porpoises at the Tian-e-zhou oxbow lake.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
A Virtual Book Tour Primer, Part 1
The virtual book tour for Infinite Space, Infinite God is going very well. I'm scheduled at seven different sites, and am working on a few more. Check out the schedule at http://isigsf.tripod.com. From there, you can follow the links to see my interviews.
I've had several people ask me how I arranged this tour. It was actually very easy, and I'll take you step by step over my next few posts.
What is a virtual book tour? Like a regular book tour, you go around talking about your book, yourself, and your writing. The ultimate goal, of course, is to generate sales, but mostly, you're creating a buzz in hopes that people who might otherwise never learn about your work have a chance to "discover" you. The beauty of a virtual book tour is it's on the Internet: no expense, no leaving home and most of it can be done at your leisure.
There are several ways to conduct a virtual tour appearance. The simplest is the book review--your host reads the book and reviews it on his site, or you write your own review for him. The next is the interview--again, your host can e-mail you questions you answer, or you can write your own interview for her to post. Then there's the guest chat--if your host has a chat room, you can talk to the audience. (Have a general topic in mind and a brief, prepared intro about yourself and your book.) Your host could have a contest for a copy of your book or hold a "reading" where you post a chapter or scene from your book. Use your imagination and ask your host--he or she may have a different idea.
Of course, you'll want to talk about your book, but don't limit yourself to that. Think about the things that affect your readers. For example, Infinite Space, Infinite God is Catholic SF; so at first glance, I should target blogs about Catholicism and science fiction. However, I tried to make this more than just a fun read; I wanted folks to use this book to discuss and learn. So I might reach high schoolers, homeschoolers, other writers, maybe even theology/philosophy-and-technology sites. I'm a writer working with a small press, so I can reach those people by talking about the experiences that led to the publishing of ISIG--and writers are terrific readers! I'm a busy mom, so I can talk about writing and raising kids--moms read or they may be looking for something for their SF-loving husbands.
Saturday, I'll post the steps I took to put together the book tour. See ya then!
If you have any specific questions, please drop a comment or contact me through my contact page and I'll answer it on a post.
I've had several people ask me how I arranged this tour. It was actually very easy, and I'll take you step by step over my next few posts.
What is a virtual book tour? Like a regular book tour, you go around talking about your book, yourself, and your writing. The ultimate goal, of course, is to generate sales, but mostly, you're creating a buzz in hopes that people who might otherwise never learn about your work have a chance to "discover" you. The beauty of a virtual book tour is it's on the Internet: no expense, no leaving home and most of it can be done at your leisure.
There are several ways to conduct a virtual tour appearance. The simplest is the book review--your host reads the book and reviews it on his site, or you write your own review for him. The next is the interview--again, your host can e-mail you questions you answer, or you can write your own interview for her to post. Then there's the guest chat--if your host has a chat room, you can talk to the audience. (Have a general topic in mind and a brief, prepared intro about yourself and your book.) Your host could have a contest for a copy of your book or hold a "reading" where you post a chapter or scene from your book. Use your imagination and ask your host--he or she may have a different idea.
Of course, you'll want to talk about your book, but don't limit yourself to that. Think about the things that affect your readers. For example, Infinite Space, Infinite God is Catholic SF; so at first glance, I should target blogs about Catholicism and science fiction. However, I tried to make this more than just a fun read; I wanted folks to use this book to discuss and learn. So I might reach high schoolers, homeschoolers, other writers, maybe even theology/philosophy-and-technology sites. I'm a writer working with a small press, so I can reach those people by talking about the experiences that led to the publishing of ISIG--and writers are terrific readers! I'm a busy mom, so I can talk about writing and raising kids--moms read or they may be looking for something for their SF-loving husbands.
Saturday, I'll post the steps I took to put together the book tour. See ya then!
If you have any specific questions, please drop a comment or contact me through my contact page and I'll answer it on a post.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Thoughts on God, the Weather, and Intelligent Design
Saturday, it was a lovely warm day in Virginia. I think everyone was happy--except maybe the weathermen. They'd predicted temperatures in the thirties. Sometimes, I think the weather is God's way of reminding us that we don't know everything about His creation.
Along those lines, here's a great video someone directed my way about the design of the universe. It's a good one for kids and adults.
http://www.kids4truth.com/watchmaker/watch.html
Along those lines, here's a great video someone directed my way about the design of the universe. It's a good one for kids and adults.
http://www.kids4truth.com/watchmaker/watch.html
My Book Tour Begins!
I'm going on a book tour--and I don't even have to leave my own home!
It's a virtual book tour. This month, I'll be visiting various blogs "talking" to folks about writing, writing while raising kids, and Rob's and my anthology, Infinite Space, Infinite God.
Here's my schedule so far:
Dec 3: www.margaretfieland.com (balancing motherhood and writing)
Dec 4, 7: www.thewritingjungle.blogspot.com (Catholic SF and writing what you know)
Dec 11: www.spiritualwoman.blogspot.com (ISIG goals and audience)
Dec 14-18: www.sfgospel.com
Dec 28: http://www.kaleidosouls.info/Blog.html
Other blogs I'll be at but don't have dates for yet:
Ineffable Twaddle: http://annmargaretlewis.blogspot.com/
SF Gospel: http://sfgospel.com/
Jimmy Akin: http://jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/
Claw of the Conciliator: http://clawoftheconciliator.blogspot.com/ (Faith and Writing)
For more info and an updated schedule, check out http://isigsf.tripod.com.
If you have a blog and would like to host me, please e-mail me via the contact page.
Pretty Cool, huh? I promise that each interview I'll try to say something different, so please drop by and give them a peak. In fact, if you're looking for some good blogs on Catholicism, Christianity and/or writing, check them out anyway.
(FYI--blogger is not allowing me to post links. Figures on the day I need them most. I'll try again later, but if you see this before I can fix it, just cut and paste.)
It's a virtual book tour. This month, I'll be visiting various blogs "talking" to folks about writing, writing while raising kids, and Rob's and my anthology, Infinite Space, Infinite God.
Here's my schedule so far:
Dec 3: www.margaretfieland.com (balancing motherhood and writing)
Dec 4, 7: www.thewritingjungle.blogspot.com (Catholic SF and writing what you know)
Dec 11: www.spiritualwoman.blogspot.com (ISIG goals and audience)
Dec 14-18: www.sfgospel.com
Dec 28: http://www.kaleidosouls.info/Blog.html
Other blogs I'll be at but don't have dates for yet:
Ineffable Twaddle: http://annmargaretlewis.blogspot.com/
SF Gospel: http://sfgospel.com/
Jimmy Akin: http://jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/
Claw of the Conciliator: http://clawoftheconciliator.blogspot.com/ (Faith and Writing)
For more info and an updated schedule, check out http://isigsf.tripod.com.
If you have a blog and would like to host me, please e-mail me via the contact page.
Pretty Cool, huh? I promise that each interview I'll try to say something different, so please drop by and give them a peak. In fact, if you're looking for some good blogs on Catholicism, Christianity and/or writing, check them out anyway.
(FYI--blogger is not allowing me to post links. Figures on the day I need them most. I'll try again later, but if you see this before I can fix it, just cut and paste.)
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