Authors lead some pretty weird lives and encounter unique situations.
And while the following event could happen to anyone, it did in fact occur to yours truly!
Quick background - our AC unit is about to die and someone was to come out this morning to give us an estimate.
Tomorrow is my anniversary and I wanted to surprise my husband by filling in the bald spots in our flower beds out front with new lava rocks. So I went and purchased half a 'scoop,' which equated to a lot more rocks than expected. It filled three large, plastic recycle bins and the rest was tossed into the back of my SUV.
As I pulled into my driveway, I realized there was no way I could carry those bins around to the side of the house. It made more sense to simply back up to the flower bed and dump from that location. So, off across the lawn I drove.
As I backed up to the side flowerbed, I noticed a red pickup rolling slowly past our house. He stopped, and then slowly backed into view. I got out and walked around to the garage, all the while eyeing this pickup. As I entered the garage, he pulled into our driveway. I scurried inside and peered out the window, wondering who on earth this person was following me. Neighborhood watch? Undercover cop?
My husband called and I prepared to inform him of our strange visitor. Before I could say anything, my husband told me that the AC guy had just called him to say he was at the house and that some crazy woman in an SUV had just driven across our front lawn!!!
I explained what I was doing and said I'd wanted to surprise him. After a good laugh, he assured me he was indeed surprised!
Yup, just another normal day around here!
And I ask - what were the odds the AC guy would arrive at the exact same moment and spill the beans?
I've also created a unique selling point for my SUV - comes complete with lava rocks!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Author Susan May Warren
This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing
Nothing But Trouble Tyndale House Publishers (May 1, 2009)
by Susan May Warren
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Susan grew up in Wayzata, a suburb of Minneapolis, and became an avid camper from an early age. Her favorite fir-lined spot is the north shore of Minnesota is where she met her husband, honeymooned and dreamed of living.
The north woods easily became the foundation for her first series, The Deep Haven series, based on a little tourist town along the shores of Lake Superior. Her first full-length book, Happily Ever After, became a Christy Award Finalist published in 2004 with Tyndale/Heartquest.
As an award winning author, Susan returned home in 2004, to her native Minnesota after serving for eight years with her husband and four children as missionaries with SEND International in Far East Russia. She now writes full time from Minnesota's north woods and the beautiful town that she always dreamed of living in.
You can sample a chapter of each and every one of Susan's novels, on her website, HERE.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
PJ Sugar knows three things for sure:
1) After traveling the country for ten years hoping to shake free from the trail of disaster that's become her life, she needs a fresh start.
2) The last person she wants to see when she heads home for her sister's wedding is Boone-her former flame and the reason she left town.
3) Her best friend's husband absolutely did not commit the first murder Kellogg, Minnesota, has seen in more than a decade.
What PJ doesn't know is that when she starts digging for evidence, she'll uncover much more than she bargained for-a deadly conspiracy, a knack for investigation, and maybe, just maybe, that fresh start she's been longing for.
It's not fair to say that trouble happens every time PJ Sugar is around, but it feels that way when she returns to her home town, looking for a fresh start. Within a week, her former teacher is murdered and her best friend's husband is arrested as the number-one suspect. Although the police detective investigating the murder—who also happens to be PJ's former flame—is convinced it's an open-and-shut case, PJ's not so sure. She begins digging for clues in an effort to clear her friend’s husband and ends up reigniting old passions, uncovering an international conspiracy, and solving a murder along the way. She also discovers that maybe God can use a woman who never seems to get it right
If you would like to read the first chapter of Nothing But Trouble, go HERE The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1414313128
Nothing But Trouble Tyndale House Publishers (May 1, 2009)
by Susan May Warren
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Susan grew up in Wayzata, a suburb of Minneapolis, and became an avid camper from an early age. Her favorite fir-lined spot is the north shore of Minnesota is where she met her husband, honeymooned and dreamed of living.
The north woods easily became the foundation for her first series, The Deep Haven series, based on a little tourist town along the shores of Lake Superior. Her first full-length book, Happily Ever After, became a Christy Award Finalist published in 2004 with Tyndale/Heartquest.
As an award winning author, Susan returned home in 2004, to her native Minnesota after serving for eight years with her husband and four children as missionaries with SEND International in Far East Russia. She now writes full time from Minnesota's north woods and the beautiful town that she always dreamed of living in.
You can sample a chapter of each and every one of Susan's novels, on her website, HERE.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
PJ Sugar knows three things for sure:
1) After traveling the country for ten years hoping to shake free from the trail of disaster that's become her life, she needs a fresh start.
2) The last person she wants to see when she heads home for her sister's wedding is Boone-her former flame and the reason she left town.
3) Her best friend's husband absolutely did not commit the first murder Kellogg, Minnesota, has seen in more than a decade.
What PJ doesn't know is that when she starts digging for evidence, she'll uncover much more than she bargained for-a deadly conspiracy, a knack for investigation, and maybe, just maybe, that fresh start she's been longing for.
It's not fair to say that trouble happens every time PJ Sugar is around, but it feels that way when she returns to her home town, looking for a fresh start. Within a week, her former teacher is murdered and her best friend's husband is arrested as the number-one suspect. Although the police detective investigating the murder—who also happens to be PJ's former flame—is convinced it's an open-and-shut case, PJ's not so sure. She begins digging for clues in an effort to clear her friend’s husband and ends up reigniting old passions, uncovering an international conspiracy, and solving a murder along the way. She also discovers that maybe God can use a woman who never seems to get it right
If you would like to read the first chapter of Nothing But Trouble, go HERE The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1414313128
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Creative Commons
Today marks the five-year anniversary of the Creative-Commons License.
However, Creative-Commons is detrimental to photographers!
For an in-depth view, read "Why Photographers Hate Creative-Commons": Black Star
Under this law, any photos that are labeled as such can be used by anyone for any purpose under the "Fair Use" law. It basically gives up the copyright. As a photographer, I am not about to give up the rights to my photos! I spent years doing stock photography, and every photo selected for a magazine or publication was granted one-use right - and I received payment, as well as retained all rights to my photo. So I cannot imagine giving up my rights for any reason whatsoever!
As an author, the changes Congress wants to make to the copyright laws are just as frightening. Someone using our work without our permission has only to claim that they did attempt to locate us - and we are left standing as the guilty party. (What is wrong with this country?)
What's your take on Creative-Commons and the "Fair Use" copyright law?
However, Creative-Commons is detrimental to photographers!
For an in-depth view, read "Why Photographers Hate Creative-Commons": Black Star
Under this law, any photos that are labeled as such can be used by anyone for any purpose under the "Fair Use" law. It basically gives up the copyright. As a photographer, I am not about to give up the rights to my photos! I spent years doing stock photography, and every photo selected for a magazine or publication was granted one-use right - and I received payment, as well as retained all rights to my photo. So I cannot imagine giving up my rights for any reason whatsoever!
As an author, the changes Congress wants to make to the copyright laws are just as frightening. Someone using our work without our permission has only to claim that they did attempt to locate us - and we are left standing as the guilty party. (What is wrong with this country?)
What's your take on Creative-Commons and the "Fair Use" copyright law?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Another View on the Dying Bookstore
There's been much talk about independents unable to compete with the big boys and chains such as Borders in serious trouble and closing many of their stores.
However, my husband offered up another theory regarding the fate of the bookstore.
He points to what has happened with the music industry.
Remember how there used to be multiple 'record' stores in every town? What happened?
The Internet.
Music stores can only carry so much inventory - it costs money. So they cannot carry the variety of music one can find online. And if you are seeking a band that does not reside in the top 40, you'll probably have to turn to the Web to find it. Yes, it may take a couple days to receive a CD, but the store will take just as long to get it in stock, too.
I-Tunes and music downloads have changed the face of music as well. Don't need a store for song files! And mp3 files are instant - no waiting! Just download a CD and listen. Or just pick one song rather than plunking down $15 for the whole CD.
Compare that to books. No store can carry the variety available online, whether it be Amazon or Barnes & Noble, or Powell's if you are seeking a used book. Yes, there's a few days of waiting for it to arrive, but if your local store doesn't carry the title...
Now we have E-Books in the mix as well. Again, no store needed. Instant download and gratification. And the price is lower than for the physical product.
And with 400,000 new books last year, no store can carry all those titles - so from an author's standpoint, the Internet has created a level playing field, just as it's done for a lot of bands and musicians.
I think it's an interesting theory. As my husband pointed out, we haven't purchased music in a physical store in years. And physical book purchases have only occurred because I visit a lot of stores for signings - otherwise, we order most books online, too. (Wish I could support my local independent, but sadly, we don't have one!)
What do you think?
However, my husband offered up another theory regarding the fate of the bookstore.
He points to what has happened with the music industry.
Remember how there used to be multiple 'record' stores in every town? What happened?
The Internet.
Music stores can only carry so much inventory - it costs money. So they cannot carry the variety of music one can find online. And if you are seeking a band that does not reside in the top 40, you'll probably have to turn to the Web to find it. Yes, it may take a couple days to receive a CD, but the store will take just as long to get it in stock, too.
I-Tunes and music downloads have changed the face of music as well. Don't need a store for song files! And mp3 files are instant - no waiting! Just download a CD and listen. Or just pick one song rather than plunking down $15 for the whole CD.
Compare that to books. No store can carry the variety available online, whether it be Amazon or Barnes & Noble, or Powell's if you are seeking a used book. Yes, there's a few days of waiting for it to arrive, but if your local store doesn't carry the title...
Now we have E-Books in the mix as well. Again, no store needed. Instant download and gratification. And the price is lower than for the physical product.
And with 400,000 new books last year, no store can carry all those titles - so from an author's standpoint, the Internet has created a level playing field, just as it's done for a lot of bands and musicians.
I think it's an interesting theory. As my husband pointed out, we haven't purchased music in a physical store in years. And physical book purchases have only occurred because I visit a lot of stores for signings - otherwise, we order most books online, too. (Wish I could support my local independent, but sadly, we don't have one!)
What do you think?
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