FIRST DAY OF SPRING!
It was the first day of Spring when six of us met on Wednesday. We shared a lot of laughs.
Wendy read first, a poem entitled “Pour Me A Cup”. The writer asks for a different beverage to go with different aspects of life, and at the end of life simply asks for a cup of kindness. Loved this poem.
Ron read a chapter in his novel “Stalwart Peasant” about his ancestors who immigrated to Canada from Hungary in the early part of the 20th century. He tells us about the recruiting agent who enticed immigrants with tales of how wonderful life was in Canada, and who told Joseph he was confident he could get Visas for Joseph’s two oldest sons who were of military age and consequently prevented from leaving by the government. We all enjoyed the rich account of history here.
Ellie started reading her poem “Rhythm By A Nature Path”. We were all enjoying the sensual flow of words describing nature, when she came to an abrupt halt. She hadn’t brought the second page of her poem so couldn’t finish reading it to us. Too funny.
Jason read Ch. 33, “Hell” from his novel. This chapter tells about Damianos, and how as a child he lost his family to the angoros, and how he still yearns to save his little sister. But his memories are jarred by the roar and flames from the dragon, who tells him he has failed. We were surprised to see the softer side of Damianos in this chapter.
I read next, another Honey story called “Malfunction”. I tell of an episode here at our house where we had a massive electrical failure due to a failed ground wire connector buried outside that Honey had trouble finding. When I read of him running around the yard stabbing the lawn with a pitch fork to find the metal plate covering, we all started laughing and I couldn’t continue reading. Thankfully, Wendy finished reading the story for me. I guess that was the true test of writing humour, that everybody laughed. I intend to call this collection of stories “Honey Signed The Waiver”, but Honey wants to know if the waiver is valid if he signed it before I wrote the story?
Jim read Ch. 27, where Launi, the CSIS agent, requests a demonstration by the ghost caterers so that her own staff would feel comfortable with the situation. The ghosts recruited were young and boisterous. A staff member in the physical world complained about being chased around the mansion by fine porcelain and a corn broom. Very funny.
Our next Meeting will be Wednesday, April 3rd at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Look forward to seeing you then. This will be the last Meeting before I have surgery April 9th. Hopefully I will recover quickly and we can resume meeting in May. I’ll keep everyone posted.
Take care and don’t let that sun peeking through stop you from writing!
Lisa
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
THE REVIEW
STALWARTS FOUR
Many thanks to Wendy, Jim and Jason for joining me to honour the Ram’s Head at our Meeting on Wednesday.
Jason read first, Chapter 32, “Revised”. Gregg is regaining consciousness in the same realm as his grandmother, but he is strapped to an ambulance gurney and had been assumed to be dead by the EMTs. They are astonished at his return to life, and very reluctant to let him loose even though he’s frantic. He blurts out that he has to find the man he killed. This was a good chapter upping the tension. And Jason has learned to leave a hook at the end of each chapter that makes the reader want to keep going.
In his journey to self-publish with Amazon, Jason said he got his certified copies of his Passport to apply for the W-5 exemption from American income tax. And he also registered with CISS (Canadian ISBN Service System) to obtain his ISBN number. The path to publication is a long one.
Jim read us Chapter 26 from the second book in Coventry Ghosts. This shows Karly and Sara in the library, where Karly is teaching Sara to read. Sara feels frustrated at times but perseveres. Then it’s Sara’s turn to teach Karly how to use the energy from the Aeris to move things in the physical realm. So Sara dumps all the books on the floor and tells Karly to put them all back on the shelves. It took her till dawn to do that.
And Jim said he had finished the re-write and re-submitted his romance novel. So let’s keep our fingers crossed for him.
My daughter-in-law told me my son had been going through old papers and came across a graduation card I had given him when he finished at Royal Military College in 1998. Some writing of mine fell out of the card when he opened it and he realized he hadn’t read it before. So he read it and it brought tears to his eyes. I couldn’t remember what I had sent him so she scanned it and sent it to me. It was a piece I had written several years after my father died, in honour of his memory and since he and my son were very close, it would have touched my son. I read it to the group.
Wendy didn’t read, but her presence and her observations are always appreciated.
Jim and I had both downloaded the free Scrivener software and I spent about three hours or more going through the tutorial. It had some interesting features but both Jim and I felt it would take too much time to become good enough at using the software to make it worthwhile for us as writers. However, the experience did give me some ideas on how to make better use of MS Word.
Margaret Moffatt had two articles in the March issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine. One was on the history of Likely, and the other on Horsefly.
Ellie had emailed me to say she was still busy cleaning out her office. Monica said she was travelling. And Ron said he was curling that night and couldn’t attend the Meeting. I am scheduled for surgery again on April 9th, so there will only be two more Meetings before then. My surgeon said approximately one month to recover this time.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, March 20th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then.
Lisa
Many thanks to Wendy, Jim and Jason for joining me to honour the Ram’s Head at our Meeting on Wednesday.
Jason read first, Chapter 32, “Revised”. Gregg is regaining consciousness in the same realm as his grandmother, but he is strapped to an ambulance gurney and had been assumed to be dead by the EMTs. They are astonished at his return to life, and very reluctant to let him loose even though he’s frantic. He blurts out that he has to find the man he killed. This was a good chapter upping the tension. And Jason has learned to leave a hook at the end of each chapter that makes the reader want to keep going.
In his journey to self-publish with Amazon, Jason said he got his certified copies of his Passport to apply for the W-5 exemption from American income tax. And he also registered with CISS (Canadian ISBN Service System) to obtain his ISBN number. The path to publication is a long one.
Jim read us Chapter 26 from the second book in Coventry Ghosts. This shows Karly and Sara in the library, where Karly is teaching Sara to read. Sara feels frustrated at times but perseveres. Then it’s Sara’s turn to teach Karly how to use the energy from the Aeris to move things in the physical realm. So Sara dumps all the books on the floor and tells Karly to put them all back on the shelves. It took her till dawn to do that.
And Jim said he had finished the re-write and re-submitted his romance novel. So let’s keep our fingers crossed for him.
My daughter-in-law told me my son had been going through old papers and came across a graduation card I had given him when he finished at Royal Military College in 1998. Some writing of mine fell out of the card when he opened it and he realized he hadn’t read it before. So he read it and it brought tears to his eyes. I couldn’t remember what I had sent him so she scanned it and sent it to me. It was a piece I had written several years after my father died, in honour of his memory and since he and my son were very close, it would have touched my son. I read it to the group.
Wendy didn’t read, but her presence and her observations are always appreciated.
Jim and I had both downloaded the free Scrivener software and I spent about three hours or more going through the tutorial. It had some interesting features but both Jim and I felt it would take too much time to become good enough at using the software to make it worthwhile for us as writers. However, the experience did give me some ideas on how to make better use of MS Word.
Margaret Moffatt had two articles in the March issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine. One was on the history of Likely, and the other on Horsefly.
Ellie had emailed me to say she was still busy cleaning out her office. Monica said she was travelling. And Ron said he was curling that night and couldn’t attend the Meeting. I am scheduled for surgery again on April 9th, so there will only be two more Meetings before then. My surgeon said approximately one month to recover this time.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, March 20th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then.
Lisa
Friday, February 22, 2013
ITIN FROM THE IRS
Five of us gathered Wednesday night to honour The Muse and also to learn from Margaret about acquiring an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) from the American IRS (Internal Revenue Service). This is required of Canadian authors who do not want to be paying both Canadian and American income tax on royalties due them from work being published and/or distributed by an American company. Without this number, an American publisher/distributor is required by law to withhold 30% of earnings for American taxes. At the end of this blog, I will outline the steps needed to acquire this magical number.
Jim’s news is that the publisher Loose ID rejected his romance novel as it was, but said they would reconsider it if he rewrites it. So of course that’s what he’s doing. He did read for us Chapter 25 from “Coventry Ghosts, Book 2”. Cheri opens the coffee shop and then tells the ghosts that she has something for them. She has bought them a laptop that she sets up in the coffee shop and tells the ghosts she will leave it on for them to learn new things. The ghosts are able to enter the laptop and move around at will. Laurie enters the laptop and looks out at an old man looking in at her. He tells her he would like to know what life was like a thousand years ago and she promises to tell him. He will come back the next day.
Jason read Chapter 31, “Prophecy” from his novel. Gregg is tempted to follow a vision he has of Jody, but Sam, his dead mother, comes to him in an alternate realm and warns him about following an illusion. She tells him to follow Damianos to find Jody.
Wendy read a new poem she wrote, “Burst Of Spring”, which tells of a deep yearning and expectation of Spring. And in meeting Spring, she questions her own life and wonders if she’s learned its lessons and is ready to embrace Spring again?
I’ve started re-writing my “Honey” stories, getting them ready for self-publishing. I read a re-write of the first one I had written, “Clueless”, where I list a few of Honey’s funny traits.
Self-publishing ebooks with Kobo may become more enticing in the future. I filled out a survey they were asking their published authors about further services we would like them to provide. I did tick print-on-demand, and marketing help. I’ll let you know if their service is upgraded.
Margaret didn’t read anything of her own, but did spend time explaining the ITIN to us and showing us the paperwork. I took copious notes and later went to the IRS website to clarify my own understanding. Royalties paid to Canadian authors by American companies are considered to be passive earnings, subject to American income tax. Supplying an ITIN number to those American companies (as per treaty between Canada and the U.S.) means that you only have to pay Canadian income tax on those royalties, which you must declare as self-earned income when you file your taxes in Canada.
The steps to follow are:
1. Get a Canadian passport. There is a passport office at Surrey Central Mall in behind Shoppers, Margaret said.
2. Get a certified copy of that passport from the passport office. Margaret said a copy is about $20.00.
3. Download and print out a copy of the FORM W-7(Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). To get it, go to the IRS website: www.irs.gov/Individuals/General-ITN-Information
4. Fill out the form. At the top, under Reason you are submitting Form W-7, tick box a and also box h. Beside box h, write in “Exception 1(d) Royalties ”. Beside Enter treaty country write “Canada”. Then beside and treaty article number write “XII”. Finish filling out the form and sign it.
5. To the W-7, attach your certified copy of passport and a Letter of Commitment from the U.S. publisher/distributor handling your work and collecting royalties on it.
6. Mail these three items to the IRS or take them to the IRS office. There is one at 114 W. Magnolia, Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone 360-752-4361.
7. It will take 8 to 10 weeks for the IRS to send you an ITIN.
8. When you receive your ITIN, then download FORM W-8BEN. Fill it out with your new ITIN and send it to your American publisher/distributor so they do not have to withhold taxes on your royalties.
I hope that explains things for you, but if you have any questions, I am not the expert. Go to the IRS website or phone them for clarity. Margaret said if you don’t fill out the W-7 correctly, not to worry. They will just send it back to you explaining what they want.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, March 6th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. I look forward to seeing you then.
Lisa
Five of us gathered Wednesday night to honour The Muse and also to learn from Margaret about acquiring an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) from the American IRS (Internal Revenue Service). This is required of Canadian authors who do not want to be paying both Canadian and American income tax on royalties due them from work being published and/or distributed by an American company. Without this number, an American publisher/distributor is required by law to withhold 30% of earnings for American taxes. At the end of this blog, I will outline the steps needed to acquire this magical number.
Jim’s news is that the publisher Loose ID rejected his romance novel as it was, but said they would reconsider it if he rewrites it. So of course that’s what he’s doing. He did read for us Chapter 25 from “Coventry Ghosts, Book 2”. Cheri opens the coffee shop and then tells the ghosts that she has something for them. She has bought them a laptop that she sets up in the coffee shop and tells the ghosts she will leave it on for them to learn new things. The ghosts are able to enter the laptop and move around at will. Laurie enters the laptop and looks out at an old man looking in at her. He tells her he would like to know what life was like a thousand years ago and she promises to tell him. He will come back the next day.
Jason read Chapter 31, “Prophecy” from his novel. Gregg is tempted to follow a vision he has of Jody, but Sam, his dead mother, comes to him in an alternate realm and warns him about following an illusion. She tells him to follow Damianos to find Jody.
Wendy read a new poem she wrote, “Burst Of Spring”, which tells of a deep yearning and expectation of Spring. And in meeting Spring, she questions her own life and wonders if she’s learned its lessons and is ready to embrace Spring again?
I’ve started re-writing my “Honey” stories, getting them ready for self-publishing. I read a re-write of the first one I had written, “Clueless”, where I list a few of Honey’s funny traits.
Self-publishing ebooks with Kobo may become more enticing in the future. I filled out a survey they were asking their published authors about further services we would like them to provide. I did tick print-on-demand, and marketing help. I’ll let you know if their service is upgraded.
Margaret didn’t read anything of her own, but did spend time explaining the ITIN to us and showing us the paperwork. I took copious notes and later went to the IRS website to clarify my own understanding. Royalties paid to Canadian authors by American companies are considered to be passive earnings, subject to American income tax. Supplying an ITIN number to those American companies (as per treaty between Canada and the U.S.) means that you only have to pay Canadian income tax on those royalties, which you must declare as self-earned income when you file your taxes in Canada.
The steps to follow are:
1. Get a Canadian passport. There is a passport office at Surrey Central Mall in behind Shoppers, Margaret said.
2. Get a certified copy of that passport from the passport office. Margaret said a copy is about $20.00.
3. Download and print out a copy of the FORM W-7(Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). To get it, go to the IRS website: www.irs.gov/Individuals/General-ITN-Information
4. Fill out the form. At the top, under Reason you are submitting Form W-7, tick box a and also box h. Beside box h, write in “Exception 1(d) Royalties ”. Beside Enter treaty country write “Canada”. Then beside and treaty article number write “XII”. Finish filling out the form and sign it.
5. To the W-7, attach your certified copy of passport and a Letter of Commitment from the U.S. publisher/distributor handling your work and collecting royalties on it.
6. Mail these three items to the IRS or take them to the IRS office. There is one at 114 W. Magnolia, Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone 360-752-4361.
7. It will take 8 to 10 weeks for the IRS to send you an ITIN.
8. When you receive your ITIN, then download FORM W-8BEN. Fill it out with your new ITIN and send it to your American publisher/distributor so they do not have to withhold taxes on your royalties.
I hope that explains things for you, but if you have any questions, I am not the expert. Go to the IRS website or phone them for clarity. Margaret said if you don’t fill out the W-7 correctly, not to worry. They will just send it back to you explaining what they want.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, March 6th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. I look forward to seeing you then.
Lisa
Friday, February 8, 2013
THE REVIEW
TEARS AND LAUGHTER
Jim, Jason, Ron and Ellie joined me for a fun Meeting here on Wednesday.
We started with Jason spreading pages all over my living room floor and then asking us to help judge the best artwork. He had solicited art submissions for his chapter headings and after over 300 submissions, he still needed to make the short list even shorter. But instead of picking individual winning pieces, we were asked to pick winning sets of diagrams. Each set was by the same artist. This was interesting and most of us chose the same set of diagrams. Now Jason has to pay the winner for the work. I told him he should have run it like a writing contest and charged everybody an entry fee for their submissions. He could have made a lot of money!
Jim told us negotiations over a publishing contract with Amira Press for his romance novel have come to a stop. Anne Berrie looked over the contract for him and pointed out Amira had the right to end the contract at any time for any reason, but he would not be able to do the same. He would have been tied in forever as the contract was stipulated to self-renew every thirty days. When Jim pointed this out and asked for a change to the contract, all communication from them ceased. So writers beware! Jim is now submitting elsewhere.
Ellie read first, a rewrite of “Flying From The Grass”. This is a children’s story in poetic form about a child imagining being able to fly. We all thought it would make a great picture book for young children.
Ron read a poem called “Disappearing Man” about his Dad’s life from young and vibrant to old and frail and his descent into the diminishment caused by dementia. Very, very sad.
Because Valentine’s Day is near, and further to Ron’s piece he read last time about placing a companion ad, I read an article of mine on the same topic that was published by The Province in 1988, on Valentine’s Day. Then I read a poem of mine entitled “The Question Of Love”, citing all the many ways love can be expressed and asking at the end what new kind of love the person just met would like to try?
Jim read Chapter 24 from the second book of “Coventry Ghosts”. Here we meet a new character, Launi, who goes into the Wired Monk and hires the ghostly caterers for an afternoon tea party. We learn she is the backup investigator in the search for Jason.
Jason read Chapter 30, “Spent”. We see an intense power flowing through Gregg to his Granny and bringing her back to life as he held onto her. However, he is dizzy and confused and knows he has to let go of her but is unable to do so. Then the ambulance and paramedics arrive and Gregg passes out.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, February 20th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Margaret F. said she would bring the U.S. tax forms and explain how it works for Canadian authors to become exempt from paying U.S. income tax when their work is published in the U.S. She said it wouldn’t take much time to explain. Hope to see you here on the 20th.
Lisa
Jim, Jason, Ron and Ellie joined me for a fun Meeting here on Wednesday.
We started with Jason spreading pages all over my living room floor and then asking us to help judge the best artwork. He had solicited art submissions for his chapter headings and after over 300 submissions, he still needed to make the short list even shorter. But instead of picking individual winning pieces, we were asked to pick winning sets of diagrams. Each set was by the same artist. This was interesting and most of us chose the same set of diagrams. Now Jason has to pay the winner for the work. I told him he should have run it like a writing contest and charged everybody an entry fee for their submissions. He could have made a lot of money!
Jim told us negotiations over a publishing contract with Amira Press for his romance novel have come to a stop. Anne Berrie looked over the contract for him and pointed out Amira had the right to end the contract at any time for any reason, but he would not be able to do the same. He would have been tied in forever as the contract was stipulated to self-renew every thirty days. When Jim pointed this out and asked for a change to the contract, all communication from them ceased. So writers beware! Jim is now submitting elsewhere.
Ellie read first, a rewrite of “Flying From The Grass”. This is a children’s story in poetic form about a child imagining being able to fly. We all thought it would make a great picture book for young children.
Ron read a poem called “Disappearing Man” about his Dad’s life from young and vibrant to old and frail and his descent into the diminishment caused by dementia. Very, very sad.
Because Valentine’s Day is near, and further to Ron’s piece he read last time about placing a companion ad, I read an article of mine on the same topic that was published by The Province in 1988, on Valentine’s Day. Then I read a poem of mine entitled “The Question Of Love”, citing all the many ways love can be expressed and asking at the end what new kind of love the person just met would like to try?
Jim read Chapter 24 from the second book of “Coventry Ghosts”. Here we meet a new character, Launi, who goes into the Wired Monk and hires the ghostly caterers for an afternoon tea party. We learn she is the backup investigator in the search for Jason.
Jason read Chapter 30, “Spent”. We see an intense power flowing through Gregg to his Granny and bringing her back to life as he held onto her. However, he is dizzy and confused and knows he has to let go of her but is unable to do so. Then the ambulance and paramedics arrive and Gregg passes out.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, February 20th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Margaret F. said she would bring the U.S. tax forms and explain how it works for Canadian authors to become exempt from paying U.S. income tax when their work is published in the U.S. She said it wouldn’t take much time to explain. Hope to see you here on the 20th.
Lisa
Saturday, January 19, 2013
THE REVIEW
DEFROSTING THE MUSE
In spite of the chilly weather, six of us met on Wednesday fanning the flames of creativity that keep The Muse from freezing. Three of us had publishing news. Wendy’s article “Change of Perspective” will be published in the Hospice Society’s newsletter. Amira has offered Jim a book contract for his romance “Mestiza, The Secret Heir”. And I self-published my novel “Fire, A Mystery” as a digital ebook at Kobo Books.
Ellie read first, a very sensual poem entitled “Winter Arrival” that tells in excruciating detail of her walk to a barn during a very, very, very cold winter morning. We all shivered listening to her reading
.
Ron, who has recently joined the singles category, decided to place a personal ad on Craigslist and read to us his very humorous account of replies received and ensuing correspondence with women he never did meet even for coffee. His story title was the same as that for his ad: “Handy-Woman Wanted” and his ad included a picture of himself wearing a tool belt. His ensuing correspondence with a hillbilly Sue-Bob, aka Flossie-Gertrude Dullard, complete with ugly pictures of her just had to be documented for posterity. We couldn’t stop laughing.
Jason read to us Chapter 29, “Demigod”, of his novel, where Gregg is tending to his Grammy in the burning house, waiting for the ambulance to arrive. She has him run to the basement to retrieve a smaller crate left by Jody’s mother. With the fire advancing, he puts down the crate and tries to get his Grammy out of the house, but is unable to do so. He is desperate to save her, and she wishes he could, too. The chapter ends with a hint at magic to follow. Lots of tension in this chapter and it’s a definite page turner.
I read my latest story from the “Honey” collection. This one was called “Cold Turkey” and related my humorous experience obtaining, cooking, and then dealing with leftover turkey that was also prized by an unexpected turkey-klept.
Jim read Chapter 23 in his second book of “The Coventry Ghosts”. The ghost Sherlock tells the Ghastly Committee that not only Ghostdom, but also the CIA, CSIS, AND CISEN are searching for Jason, and those worldly intelligence agencies want to work with Ghostdom to find and capture him. The Committee appoints the kitten, Sara, as their representative and give her permission to appear in the physical world before midnight. A former RCMP officer, now with CSIS, is her contact. We are always amazed at the innovations Jim comes up with in this story.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, February 6th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Really looking forward to seeing you then.
Lisa
My book “Fire” can be purchased at:
http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9780991739615
In spite of the chilly weather, six of us met on Wednesday fanning the flames of creativity that keep The Muse from freezing. Three of us had publishing news. Wendy’s article “Change of Perspective” will be published in the Hospice Society’s newsletter. Amira has offered Jim a book contract for his romance “Mestiza, The Secret Heir”. And I self-published my novel “Fire, A Mystery” as a digital ebook at Kobo Books.
Ellie read first, a very sensual poem entitled “Winter Arrival” that tells in excruciating detail of her walk to a barn during a very, very, very cold winter morning. We all shivered listening to her reading
.
Ron, who has recently joined the singles category, decided to place a personal ad on Craigslist and read to us his very humorous account of replies received and ensuing correspondence with women he never did meet even for coffee. His story title was the same as that for his ad: “Handy-Woman Wanted” and his ad included a picture of himself wearing a tool belt. His ensuing correspondence with a hillbilly Sue-Bob, aka Flossie-Gertrude Dullard, complete with ugly pictures of her just had to be documented for posterity. We couldn’t stop laughing.
Jason read to us Chapter 29, “Demigod”, of his novel, where Gregg is tending to his Grammy in the burning house, waiting for the ambulance to arrive. She has him run to the basement to retrieve a smaller crate left by Jody’s mother. With the fire advancing, he puts down the crate and tries to get his Grammy out of the house, but is unable to do so. He is desperate to save her, and she wishes he could, too. The chapter ends with a hint at magic to follow. Lots of tension in this chapter and it’s a definite page turner.
I read my latest story from the “Honey” collection. This one was called “Cold Turkey” and related my humorous experience obtaining, cooking, and then dealing with leftover turkey that was also prized by an unexpected turkey-klept.
Jim read Chapter 23 in his second book of “The Coventry Ghosts”. The ghost Sherlock tells the Ghastly Committee that not only Ghostdom, but also the CIA, CSIS, AND CISEN are searching for Jason, and those worldly intelligence agencies want to work with Ghostdom to find and capture him. The Committee appoints the kitten, Sara, as their representative and give her permission to appear in the physical world before midnight. A former RCMP officer, now with CSIS, is her contact. We are always amazed at the innovations Jim comes up with in this story.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, February 6th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Really looking forward to seeing you then.
Lisa
My book “Fire” can be purchased at:
http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9780991739615
Friday, January 4, 2013
THE REVIEW
NEW BEGINNINGS
The writing year of 2013 got off to a great start at our Meeting on Wednesday. Jason, Ron, Wendy and Margaret F. joined me to bring in the New Year for the Rams.
I started by showing off some books of mine. Two were used resource books. One was on crime scene forensics and the other on Canadian law. Both are written for the layman and easy to understand, useful for needed background information in writing mysteries. Another book was a mystery novel from my stepson. He knows my interests. Three other books were gifts from my son and one was full of writing prompts. I used one of those prompts and wrote a one page character description which I read. It began with “He haunted the night in search of excitement like a raccoon in search of food for survival.”
Margaret read next, a rewrite for the beginning of “Babes In The Woods”. We all liked the personal story parts about the detectives and really wanted to hear more about the characters in this true crime story. We also hoped Margaret would put more of herself and her need to know what really happened into this recounting of events, as it is the personal connection that holds the reader’s attention best. This was evident when Margaret admitted to us her attention was first drawn to this case because she had a lunch kit exactly the same as the one found with the bodies of these two children.
Ron read to us a short story of his titled “Stumped”. It is a humorous account of him spending four days trying to remove a tree stump from his backyard using a chainsaw and axes and a bushwhacker saw and a winch. The feat finally accomplished, he goes to have a drink with his cronies and one tells him he could have done it in twenty minutes if he’d rented a stump grinder. Too funny!
Jason read to us Chapter 28, “Released”. Damianos has come back to get the Book of the Nornir, and Gregg is torn between needing to stop him to save Jody and needing to stay with his Grammy and save her from the burning house. Fueled by his desperate desire to do both, he is infused with super powers that allow him to swoop over Damianos and retrieve the book, and then return immediately to his Grammy’s side. Good suspense here, for sure. Jason tells us things are progressing with his editor, but he thinks he might do things differently in the future.
We had a lot of discussion about self-publishing ebooks, and the differences between Smashwords and Kobo. The Smashwords Style Guide is the most comprehensive manual on formatting a manuscript for uploading as an ebook, but you do have to follow it as it is outlined, step by step. Margaret offered valuable information on the process and forms needed in the U.S. so a Canadian author published by an American company is not subject to withholding of funds to pay American income tax. She did it all herself when she self-published through Amazon. Good to know we have an expert in our midst.
Margaret told us several glowing reviews of her book have been posted online by Vanessa Grant, a well-published author. That’s exciting, for sure.
Ron brought with him his new tablet and while at the Meeting, he logged onto my Wi-fi and purchased my book, “Love Found” at Kobo while he was here. And since my son had also bought a copy, that makes a grand total of four books sold! I’m amazed, but then Jason had given it a 5 star rating! :) Now I have to get busy and publish my novel “Fire” at Kobo as well.
Hope everyone had a great holiday season and wish you all a wonderful, prosperous 2013.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, January 16th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then.
Lisa
The writing year of 2013 got off to a great start at our Meeting on Wednesday. Jason, Ron, Wendy and Margaret F. joined me to bring in the New Year for the Rams.
I started by showing off some books of mine. Two were used resource books. One was on crime scene forensics and the other on Canadian law. Both are written for the layman and easy to understand, useful for needed background information in writing mysteries. Another book was a mystery novel from my stepson. He knows my interests. Three other books were gifts from my son and one was full of writing prompts. I used one of those prompts and wrote a one page character description which I read. It began with “He haunted the night in search of excitement like a raccoon in search of food for survival.”
Margaret read next, a rewrite for the beginning of “Babes In The Woods”. We all liked the personal story parts about the detectives and really wanted to hear more about the characters in this true crime story. We also hoped Margaret would put more of herself and her need to know what really happened into this recounting of events, as it is the personal connection that holds the reader’s attention best. This was evident when Margaret admitted to us her attention was first drawn to this case because she had a lunch kit exactly the same as the one found with the bodies of these two children.
Ron read to us a short story of his titled “Stumped”. It is a humorous account of him spending four days trying to remove a tree stump from his backyard using a chainsaw and axes and a bushwhacker saw and a winch. The feat finally accomplished, he goes to have a drink with his cronies and one tells him he could have done it in twenty minutes if he’d rented a stump grinder. Too funny!
Jason read to us Chapter 28, “Released”. Damianos has come back to get the Book of the Nornir, and Gregg is torn between needing to stop him to save Jody and needing to stay with his Grammy and save her from the burning house. Fueled by his desperate desire to do both, he is infused with super powers that allow him to swoop over Damianos and retrieve the book, and then return immediately to his Grammy’s side. Good suspense here, for sure. Jason tells us things are progressing with his editor, but he thinks he might do things differently in the future.
We had a lot of discussion about self-publishing ebooks, and the differences between Smashwords and Kobo. The Smashwords Style Guide is the most comprehensive manual on formatting a manuscript for uploading as an ebook, but you do have to follow it as it is outlined, step by step. Margaret offered valuable information on the process and forms needed in the U.S. so a Canadian author published by an American company is not subject to withholding of funds to pay American income tax. She did it all herself when she self-published through Amazon. Good to know we have an expert in our midst.
Margaret told us several glowing reviews of her book have been posted online by Vanessa Grant, a well-published author. That’s exciting, for sure.
Ron brought with him his new tablet and while at the Meeting, he logged onto my Wi-fi and purchased my book, “Love Found” at Kobo while he was here. And since my son had also bought a copy, that makes a grand total of four books sold! I’m amazed, but then Jason had given it a 5 star rating! :) Now I have to get busy and publish my novel “Fire” at Kobo as well.
Hope everyone had a great holiday season and wish you all a wonderful, prosperous 2013.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, January 16th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then.
Lisa
Friday, December 7, 2012
THE REVIEW
CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR THE MUSE
Eight of us celebrated for Christmas on Wednesday and everyone brought gifts. It was amazing. Thanks to Margaret F. for the poinsettia, to Jim for his Mother’s homemade shortbread, to Wendy for her homemade baking selections, to Monica for the lovely dessert tray, to Ron for the gift-boxed shortbread and to Ellie for the poinsettia and the cheese treats she had made. And special thanks to Jason for telling me he’d given my ebook a five star rating. We had a wonderful time in the company of other writers with food and beverage and written words to feed the soul.
Jim read a Christmas story he wrote entitled “Revenge Of The Christmas Tree”. For the torment of being cut and dragged and stood as a Christmas tree and then dying, the essence of the tree sought revenge and became a menacing ivy that grew at an horrendous rate, enveloping and killing a child. This brought forth many more humans to cut down the ivy. The tree essence then lived in an oak tree and as new humans came to live in the same house, hostilities ceased when they started feeding the oak and taking care of the other plants. It’s good to know the tree never became a serial killer!
I read a rhyming poem called “Christmas Eve” about a young adult living at home and having nightmares all Christmas Eve, and finally realizing they were probably due to the rum imbibed.
Ellie read a short article showing her frustration with female friends in the exercise class at the swimming pool on Christmas Eve. All they want to do is talk, not exercise. But then they bring out refreshments to party with and reach out to make sure Ellie is included and her heart softens.
Margaret F. read excerpts from her book “Unforgiving” relating her acting out after being sexually abused by a family friend and neighbour.
Wendy read a poem about Winter, full of imagery and showing the contradiction between the beauty of the season and the harshness of it, too.
Monica read a memory she wrote, “Saving for Christmas to Spend on Christmas Eve”. She recounts how as a child of about six years of age, she and her siblings in Jamaica would turn a juice can into a piggy bank on New Year’s Day, and then save money all year long. Than on Christmas Eve, they would open the can, count their money, and then all go to the central square in town to buy Christmas presents for their family. The square was decked out for Christmas and full of shops and kiosks and vendors selling to the crowds. It was interesting to learn of customs in another land.
Ron had two pieces to read. The first was his rant, “A Warning Prayer for Bad Dog Owners”, expressing his frustration at dog owners who don’t pick up excrement left by their pets. The second reading was “Christmas Miracle In Walnut Grove”, about meeting his friends to play tennis at decrepit tennis courts in Walnut Grove, and how the state of the courts exasperated the players and brought out their physical and verbal negativities. Then on Christmas Day, there appeared six new tennis courts under cover, complete with a Christmas tree on the center court. They were compliments of a former tennis mate and drinking buddy. Spirits were lifted and everyone played better.
Jason read “Helpless”, Chapter 27 of his novel. This shows Gregg trying to tend his great grandmother who is lying injured under the fallen bookcase. He rights the bookcase and then realizes she hasn’t died and he must call an ambulance. He also realizes Damianos hasn’t taken the Book Of The Nornir and that he will probably be back. Sitting with Grammy, waiting for the ambulance, he doesn’t want her to die as he had. And then Damianos comes back. Jason is still working on his book with an editor he has hired.
Some odds and ends:
I found a word I had to share with everyone, biblioklept. It means someone who steals books. I laughed so hard when I read that.
Just read a fascinating, heartwrenching book, “A Thousand Splendid Suns” about the lives of women in Afghanistan from about 1959 to about 2003. It shows how the changing war scenarios during that time impacted the women, and how they had far more freedom and equality under the Soviet or American invasions than they did under the Khan, or the Mujahideen or the Taliban.
Margaret Moffatt has four articles in the December issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine. One is on the history of Yale, one about the Kewpie Doll, one on the Hangman’s Tree in Lillooet, and one on the history of Mistletoe.
I asked the group if anyone had made definite resolutions about their writing for 2013. Ron said he would start coming to Meetings again and get back to working on the history novel he was writing about immigrants to Canada. And Monica said now she is finished her academic pursuits, that she wants to write more and hopes to attend Meetings again too. Margaret F. might be moving into Vancouver’s West End and feels in a state of flux regarding plans. Jim is hoping to submit his romance novel to a publisher as soon as he finishes a re-write of it. The rest of us haven’t made definite plans yet. Maybe by December 31st.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. In the meantime, I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And don’t forget to feed your Muse on Christmas Eve!
Lisa
Eight of us celebrated for Christmas on Wednesday and everyone brought gifts. It was amazing. Thanks to Margaret F. for the poinsettia, to Jim for his Mother’s homemade shortbread, to Wendy for her homemade baking selections, to Monica for the lovely dessert tray, to Ron for the gift-boxed shortbread and to Ellie for the poinsettia and the cheese treats she had made. And special thanks to Jason for telling me he’d given my ebook a five star rating. We had a wonderful time in the company of other writers with food and beverage and written words to feed the soul.
Jim read a Christmas story he wrote entitled “Revenge Of The Christmas Tree”. For the torment of being cut and dragged and stood as a Christmas tree and then dying, the essence of the tree sought revenge and became a menacing ivy that grew at an horrendous rate, enveloping and killing a child. This brought forth many more humans to cut down the ivy. The tree essence then lived in an oak tree and as new humans came to live in the same house, hostilities ceased when they started feeding the oak and taking care of the other plants. It’s good to know the tree never became a serial killer!
I read a rhyming poem called “Christmas Eve” about a young adult living at home and having nightmares all Christmas Eve, and finally realizing they were probably due to the rum imbibed.
Ellie read a short article showing her frustration with female friends in the exercise class at the swimming pool on Christmas Eve. All they want to do is talk, not exercise. But then they bring out refreshments to party with and reach out to make sure Ellie is included and her heart softens.
Margaret F. read excerpts from her book “Unforgiving” relating her acting out after being sexually abused by a family friend and neighbour.
Wendy read a poem about Winter, full of imagery and showing the contradiction between the beauty of the season and the harshness of it, too.
Monica read a memory she wrote, “Saving for Christmas to Spend on Christmas Eve”. She recounts how as a child of about six years of age, she and her siblings in Jamaica would turn a juice can into a piggy bank on New Year’s Day, and then save money all year long. Than on Christmas Eve, they would open the can, count their money, and then all go to the central square in town to buy Christmas presents for their family. The square was decked out for Christmas and full of shops and kiosks and vendors selling to the crowds. It was interesting to learn of customs in another land.
Ron had two pieces to read. The first was his rant, “A Warning Prayer for Bad Dog Owners”, expressing his frustration at dog owners who don’t pick up excrement left by their pets. The second reading was “Christmas Miracle In Walnut Grove”, about meeting his friends to play tennis at decrepit tennis courts in Walnut Grove, and how the state of the courts exasperated the players and brought out their physical and verbal negativities. Then on Christmas Day, there appeared six new tennis courts under cover, complete with a Christmas tree on the center court. They were compliments of a former tennis mate and drinking buddy. Spirits were lifted and everyone played better.
Jason read “Helpless”, Chapter 27 of his novel. This shows Gregg trying to tend his great grandmother who is lying injured under the fallen bookcase. He rights the bookcase and then realizes she hasn’t died and he must call an ambulance. He also realizes Damianos hasn’t taken the Book Of The Nornir and that he will probably be back. Sitting with Grammy, waiting for the ambulance, he doesn’t want her to die as he had. And then Damianos comes back. Jason is still working on his book with an editor he has hired.
Some odds and ends:
I found a word I had to share with everyone, biblioklept. It means someone who steals books. I laughed so hard when I read that.
Just read a fascinating, heartwrenching book, “A Thousand Splendid Suns” about the lives of women in Afghanistan from about 1959 to about 2003. It shows how the changing war scenarios during that time impacted the women, and how they had far more freedom and equality under the Soviet or American invasions than they did under the Khan, or the Mujahideen or the Taliban.
Margaret Moffatt has four articles in the December issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine. One is on the history of Yale, one about the Kewpie Doll, one on the Hangman’s Tree in Lillooet, and one on the history of Mistletoe.
I asked the group if anyone had made definite resolutions about their writing for 2013. Ron said he would start coming to Meetings again and get back to working on the history novel he was writing about immigrants to Canada. And Monica said now she is finished her academic pursuits, that she wants to write more and hopes to attend Meetings again too. Margaret F. might be moving into Vancouver’s West End and feels in a state of flux regarding plans. Jim is hoping to submit his romance novel to a publisher as soon as he finishes a re-write of it. The rest of us haven’t made definite plans yet. Maybe by December 31st.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. In the meantime, I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And don’t forget to feed your Muse on Christmas Eve!
Lisa
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