Plot Monkeys

Yes, she’s so fabulous, we had to have her TWICE. Her topic today, networking, is one we’ve discussed a bit before, so I’m so happy to have her here again. Thanks, Brenda, for blogging with the Plotmonkeys again!
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Does networking really benefit a writer’s career? Or is it (and its sister—promotion) not worth the hassle for either the published or unpublished? Should we just sit back and write the best books we can write and let the publisher take it from there?

This has been a heavily debated topic since I started my writing career ten years ago. At the beginning, there were more people saying you couldn’t impact sales, but that opinion seems to be changing. In this competitive of a market place, where so many are turning out quality fiction, it’s very difficult to set yourself apart, to get noticed. But it’s still possible, and one of the most effective methods is networking. Why? It’s a mathematical certainty that the whole is always greater than its individual parts. I can’t know everyone or everything, but when I link up with others, who link up with others, etc., we create something bigger than ourselves. Take this blog, for instance. Look at the wealth of information shared here. Participating here and getting to know the authors is networking.

In this industry, we rely very heavily on word-of-mouth. Our careers depend on people. Editors buy our books. Sometimes other authors endorse them. The marketing force sells them. Booksellers buy them and try to present them to the public in a pleasing way. Readers buy them and recommend them if they’re good. The common denominator in every step is people—not just the actual work. So you have to be more than a good writer. You have to have business acumen—or at least an eye for opportunity and what I call “credibility.”

Consider how you choose the movies you watch and the other products you buy. There are certain indicators we all use to insure we get good value for our money, isn’t there? For instance, an editor wants the best possible chance at finding a manuscript worthy of being published–and she wants to find that gem with the least amount of time and effort. To do that, she would use the same indicators as the rest of us:

-> Who created it?
-> Are they experienced? Reputable?
-> Does it sound intriguing?
-> Do I have reason to believe this person will be able to finish the book and/or write another one?
-> What are others saying about this work or this writer?

Editors are human and would react very similarly to the way you’d react in the same situation. So market your product in such a way that those answers work in your favor, that all indicators are telling her, “Give this a chance—it’s great!”

A lot of people talk about schmoozing, but for me that term has a very negative connotation, a selfish one. “What’s in it for me?” Networking isn’t about one-way relationships. It’s not about shaking hands and passing out bookmarks. It’s about symbiotic relationships. It’s about giving something to others, who in turn give something to you. If that’s between an author and reader—the author gives a great story, a good read, and the reader compensates by paying for that story and recommending it to her friends. Both people win. That’s really the only way networking is successful, because networking functions on basic psychology principles. People act out of self-interest far more often than they act out of public virtue. Which means, in order to be a good networker, you need to realize that you’re not the only one who deserves to succeed. There are other people in the world who have the same right to fulfill their goals and desires.

Networking is about helping them do that–and having them, in turn, help you. I think Deepak Chopra said it simplest: “Positive energy going out comes back.”
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To enjoy a summer of suspense from award-winning, best-selling, Brenda Novak, click here!

Oh, we just love the fifth Friday of a month, don’t we? Fabulous prizes on this day!

The winner will receive FOUR NEW BOOKS by the Plotmonkeys, delivered by Amazon. Here’s the deal (we did this in our anniversary week and it was VERY popular!)…the winner will receive a PRE-ORDER of the upcoming books of the Plotmonkeys, to be delivered when available. You’ll get copies of Janelle’s WILD FOR HIM (which comes out next week!), Leslie’s HEATED RUSH, Carly’s HOT PROPERTY and my PHANTOM TOUCH.

The books will not be signed, because Amazon is shipping them directly. However, I happen to have handy dandy bookplates signed by all the monkeys that I will send to you if you’re interested.

You know the drill…US residents only and you must post a comment to win! One entry per commenter!

SIDE NOTE: Janelle is hanging out at Romance Novel TV today where they’re giving away a copy of WILD FOR HIM to one lucky winner. Please stop by and join in on the fun: Romance Novel TV

Well, we finally found a place in Oregon. A cute little house with four bedrooms (one for my husband and I, and each of the girls, and an office for me!), and a great room, small dining area, and nice kitchen. It should be nice and cozy considering we’re down sizing from our current 2,400 square feet to 1,700 square feet. Wish us luck on that!

The movers are scheduled to arrive here at our California home the week of June 23rd, and if all goes well we’ll be living in our new home by July 1st. After being apart from my husband for four months (five months by the time all is said and done), I’m ready for us to all be together again and have things back to normal.

Well, back to this little house of ours. As I said, it’s everything that we need (temporarily) until we decide what we want to buy, and where. There’s only one thing that has me concerned . . . the light beige carpet throughout the house. I’ve always had darker carpeting that cleans out stains very well. But this beige carpeting, in a house that we’re renting, makes me very, very nervous. Not so much because of the girls (they’re older and don’t track in mud and dirt like they used to!), but because of our dog, Sandie, who is mostly an indoor dog. I can already envision muddy footprints running across the carpet after she’s gone outside (in the rain, of course, since this is OREGON ), and me unable to get those stains out! I already see myself investing in throw rugs. Lots and lots of throw rugs! But will that be enough?

So, I’m enlisting advice and suggestions from you all today. If you have light colored carpet and a dog/s, what do you do to keep those carpets clean and free from the dirt and mud that dogs track in from outside on wet days? I know I’ll be drying Sandie off whenever she comes back inside after doing her business, and wiping off her paws, but is that going to be enough? :pray: Is there some other way to ensure her paws are clean, or an easy trick to cleaning them before letting her loose in the house and on the beige carpet? And should I invest in a steam cleaning machine for the carpet? Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated!

Let me just say up front that I don’t know what we would do without cell phones. Or at least, I don’t know what I would do without my cell phone, other than go crazy. During the weekdays, I have my cell on me pretty much 24/7. Literally, it is with me when I sleep because I use the alarm function to wake me up in the morning. When I wake up at around 4am (I always wake up around then) I actually take the cell off the bedstand and shove it under my pillow so alarm will wake me up, but won’t cause my husband to have to peel me off the ceiling. I grab it on my way to wake up my daughter and shove it in my purse, so it’s pretty much on me where ever I go.

On the weekends, however, I’m not so vigilant. I often leave it on the bedstand because I sleep in and my daughter usually wakes up before I do. My cell phone is mainly with me so that no matter where I go, my child can get in touch with me. On the weekends, she’s pretty much with me all the time, so the phone gets forgotten.

I’m going to try and change that after Memorial Day!

So, my husband was mowing the lawn and I was getting ready to start the grill when I realized that we were out of propane. He went into the garage and grabbed the empty tank (which we will not have soon…June 1 means the start of hurricane season, which means two propane tanks at full for the duration) and put it in my car and gave me directions to the Circle K where he buys the gas.

In a hurry, I went inside, turned off the oil I had heating to saute the mushrooms and shot out the door to get the gas so we could eat before 9pm (it was already 8pm, later than usual.)

I had the tank exchanged for a full one…no problem. But as I’m driving home, my attention is drawn to the side of the road where a white Camaro (or some such car) is parked in a lot of a day care and a man and woman (I so want to say boy and girl, but they were older…just not nearly as old as me!) Late teens, early 20’s. They’re fighting. He has his hands on her.

Alarm bells go off in my head.

So what do I do? Double back, of course.

I cruised by and they are shouting and angry, but he’s not touching her anymore. I notice there is a third person with them, but he (judging by the hairy leg) is in the backseat of the car and not getting involved. I think, maybe, this is just a little lover’s spat, but damn, cars are slowing down all around me.

I notice another blue SUV doing the same loop as I am. I decide to grab my phone in case I need to call 911…only it’s not in my purse.

Ugh.

I circle around one more time…she’s calmly walking away. Shew! She’s okay. She has her purse and she’s heading toward a convenience store. I’m thinking, surely, she’ll pull out her cell phone and call someone else for a ride, right? But she never does…and as I’m turning around and thinking I can go home soon, I see the guy take off after her and grab her arm.

Jerk.

I’m too far away now to do much, but the other SUV pulls up beside me and the guy in the passenger seat asks if I’d seen what he’d seen. I said yes, then told him and the female driver that I’d left my cell phone…could they call 911? They didn’t have a chance to answer before the light we were at changed, so I decided that if this were my daughter and she was in a fight on the side of the road with a guy who was manhandling her, I’d want some kind stranger to make sure I was okay.

But I was alone, with no phone and the guy was way bigger than me and probably drunk.

Luckily, my cousin lived a few blocks away. I drove to her house and called 911 and then her husband and I went back to see what was going on. The blue SUV was still circling around (this was a very busy street and not easy to do) when two patrol cars showed up. My cousin’s husband and I drove around one more time and watched the deputy start giving the guy what looked like a sobriety test. I’m not sure, but I knew, at the very least, the girl was safe.

I dropped my cousin’s husband off at his house and then started home when I remembered something…I’d left a pot on the stove.

Yes, I’d turned off the oil, but I’d left a pot of water on for steaming the beans. And you know that when you steam, you don’t put a lot of water in the pot. My daughter was in the house alone, enraptured by her Wii…would she notice if the pot started to smoke? Would she go outside and get her father or try to do something herself and end up hurting herself?

AND I HAD NO CELL PHONE!!!

I’ll admit right here that I drove like a maniac to get home and I broke several laws (though luckily, the deputies in the area were busy with something else) to get home in two minutes. Luckily, my husband had finished the lawn and had come in and noticed the pot. It had less than an eighth of an inch of water left. He then realized I should have been home by then and called my cell phone…and wasn’t happy when he heard it ring in the bedroom.

So…lessons learned. Keep cell phone. Don’t leave the house in a rush (nothing ever good comes from this…both car “accidents” I’ve had…both of which happened in my driveway, happened when I was racing out of the house.) Check stove. But also, get involved.

I don’t know that the girl was in any danger, but it took ten-fifteen minutes out of my night to make sure that if she was, she had a way out.

What would you have done? Do you keep your cell phone with you at all times? Have you ever used it to report an emergency or call 9-1-1?

Dulcie is seven months old. She’s absolutely adorable and despite still having accidents on occasion, is a good little dog. (Check this out…I love how she tilts her little head to the side and looks up at me like she’s just a bit confused by the crazy human!)

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

There’s one problem with her…she eats EVERYTHING.

I am serious. I’ve dug mulch, stones, pieces of plastic, clumps of hair, bits of paper, leaves, the odd vegetable peeling…anything you can think of…out of her mouth. Now, I know dogs like to scavenge, but this is bad. She’s now eaten the corners of my windowsills! Literally chewed them down to bare wood (which I have then pulled out of her mouth.)

We have barricaded one of the big houseplants because she kept getting at it. Then she moved on to the herbs in my windowsills. Heck, at least they’re edible. She obviously likes Basil…one plant is entirely stripped.

I’ve tried saying no, sharply yelling at her, pulling her away, giving treats to come away. I even resorted to pepper! Sprinkled a tiny bit on the windowsills.

I really must take her out for Mexican…she obviously likes the spicy stuff.

I have a feeling I know what’s behind it–she was the runt and when we first brought her home, she would run to her bowl, “sneak” a piece of food and run away to a corner to eat it. Took her forever to eat a whole bowl. So I think she’s in fear of starvation, despite being very well fed. .

Anybody have any suggestions? Ever dealt with this before? All advice is appreciated!

So what one special thing did you do this weekend? We spent dinners with friends, which has been so great catching up with people we love to spend time with! And you?

Angie-la (Comment #25)

CONGRATULATIONS! Please contact me at janelledenison @ sbcglobal.net with your mailing address, along with the book you’d like (WILD FOR HIM not included), and I will get your prizes out to you.

SUNDAY FUNNY:

Have you ever spoken and wished that you could immediately take the words back…or that you could crawl into a hole? Here are the Testimonials of a few people who did….

*FIRST TESTIMONY:*

I walked into a hair salon with my husband and three kids in tow and asked loudly, “How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow job?” I turned around and walked back out and never went back
My husband didn’t say a word… he knew better. :giggle:

* SECOND TESTIMONY:*

I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls. I was unhappy with the women’s type I had been using. After browsing for several minutes, I was approached by one of the good-looking gentlemen who works at the store. He asked if he could help me. Without thinking, I looked at him and said, “I think I like playing with mens balls.”

* THIRD TESTIMONY:*

My sister and I were at the mall and passed by a store that sold a variety of candy and nuts. As we were looking at the display case, the boy behind the counter asked if we needed any help.

I replied, “No, I’m just looking at your nuts.”

My sister started to laugh hysterically. The boy grinned, and I turned beet-red and walked away. To this day, my sister has never let me forget.

* FOURTH TESTIMONY:*

While in line at the bank one afternoon, my toddler decided to release some pent-up energy and ran amok. I was finally able to grab hold of her after receiving looks of disgust and annoyance from other patrons. I told her that if she did not start behaving “right now” she would be punished.

To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as threatening, “If you don’t let me go right now, I will tell Grandma that I saw you kissing Daddy’s pee-pee last night!”

The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange.

Even the tellers stopped what they were doing. I mustered up the last of my dignity and walked out of the bank with my daughter in tow. The last thing I heard when the door closed behind me, were screams of laughter.

* FIFTH TESTIMONY:*

Have you ever asked your child a question one too many times? My three-year-old son had a lot of problems with potty training and I was on him constantly. One day we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch, in between errands. It was very busy, with a full dining room.

While enjoying my taco, I smelled something funny, so of course I checked my seven-month-old daughter, she was clean. Then realized that Danny had not asked to go potty in a while.

I asked him if he needed to go, and he said “No”.

I kept thinking “Oh Lord, that child has had an accident, and I don’t have any clothes with me.” Then I said, “Danny, are you SURE you didn’t have an accident?”

“No,” he replied. I just KNEW that he must have had an accident, because the smell was getting worse. Soooooo, I asked one more time, “Danny did you have an accident?”

This time he jumped up, yanked down his pants, bent over, spread his cheeks and yelled “SEE MOM, IT’S JUST FARTS!!” :oops:

While 30 people nearly choked to death on their tacos laughing, he calmly pulled up his pants and sat down. An old couple made me feel better, thanking me for the best laugh they’d ever had!

* LAST BUT NOT LEAST TESTIMONY:*

This had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days and a very embarrassed female news anchor who will, in the future, likely think before she speaks. What happens when you predict snow but don’t get any!

We had a female news anchor that, the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn’t, turned to the weatherman and asked: “So Bob, where’s that 8 inches you promised me last night?”

Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too they were laughing so hard!

I’m so excited to have debut author, Marley Gibson, aka Kate Harmon, here today with us in the jungle. I’ve known Marley for a long time and she is one of the friendliest, bubbliest, smartest and entertaining people I know. She’s very generous…and helped me quite a bit when I was writing DIRTY LITTLE LIES, which was set in Boston, where Marley lives. I am so thrilled that her books are finally about to hit the stands and the Plotmonkeys are all very grateful for her fabulous craft topic today! Welcome, Marley!

Finding…No, Making the Time to Write
by Marley Gibson

Many, many thanks to the wonderful Plotmonkeys for inviting me to blog here with them. I appreciate the invitation to pay forward some of my writing knowledge and experience.

Ever since my books, SORORITY 101: ZETA OR OMEGA? and SORORITY 101: THE NEW SISTERS, written under the name Kate Harmon, hit shelves at the beginning of this month, there has been one question that everyone seems to like to ask me:

“Does this mean you’re going to quit your day job?”

My answer is a simple, “Umm…no.”

Eyebrows scrunch. Mouths fall open. “But why? You have books out now.”

Yes. And I’ll have more out next year. My own series under my name.

I’ve been writing seriously for publication since 2001 and have never once considered quitting my day job. Through the past seven years, I have written consistently and found the time to hone my craft, attend conferences, read online workshops, participate in writing groups…and still commute into Boston to do my 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. job.

You see…I don’t find time for my writing, I make time for my writing.

Remember that old saying, “You make time for the things you want to do.” Well, it’s true. And writing is no different. If you’ve always wanted to sit down and write a book, but can’t seem to find the time, ask yourself what is keeping you from writing:

1. Do you fear failing?
2. Is it writer’s block/not knowing what to write?
3. Do you procrastinate?
4. Do you not have a special place to write?
5. Can you not stick to a schedule?
6. Are there too many distractions?

Now, before anyone starts arguing about the lists of myriad things one has to do during the day, I want to just give a snapshot of my daily routine:

5:50 a.m. Hubby wakes me up
5:51 a.m. I go back to sleep
6:00 a.m. Set the alarm clock to wake me up at 6:13 a.m.
6:13 a.m. Finally rouse myself and get going
6:13 – 7:10 a.m. Getting showered, dried, makeup’d, and dressed for the work day

(Let me not here that while I’m getting ready, my hubby, who works full-time as a network systems administrator for Uncle Sam, works on websites for clients that he does on the time. Ahh ha…see, he’s making time to work on websites!)

7:10 – 8:00 a.m. Commute eight (8) miles in Boston traffic, trying not to yell at, flip off, or maim any fellow commuters
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Work pretty darn hard at my job at a multi billion dollar asset manager

(Please note: I do not sell said assets, rather, I’m an executive assistant/meeting planner supporting two executive vice presidents, three vice presidents, three managers, and over fifty (50) sales people doing meetings, events, schedules, travel, expenses, payment requests, office supplies and other general “mother hen” duties for some wonderful, yet needy, people.)

12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Lunch with my friends or if I’m in the blood fever of writing a book, I put my headphones on (very loud Dance, House, or Trance music) and write for forty five minutes to an hour)
1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Back to work
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Commute said eight (8) miles home with hubby, reviewing day’s activities
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. When writing a book, this is when I edit/review what was written at lunch time and I’ll work on adding more.
8:00 – until Cook dinner (I love to cook!), watch TV, take/make phone calls, IM with writing friends, catch up with hubby, bedtime

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

See, I’m your average schmuck, living in the big city, commuting, working, and trying to make ends meet just like everyone else. The day job is great, with fun people who are easy to work with and I’m appreciated in my role. It’s good money that helps pay the mortgage, and, let’s face it, Boston isn’t a cheap city to live in. A job is a necessary thing. So, just like my hubby has to make time to work on his clients’ websites (http://www.constantimage.com), I make time to make my writing dream a reality.

Now, if you’re serious about being a writer, but you’re convinced that life is just too much in the way for you to actually sit down at the computer and get going, well, here are some things to that can help you find the time to make that story idea a reality:

(more…

Summer is just about here, and what better way to celebrate than to pamper yourself with something soothing and fun? Today I’m giving away a $25.00 e-Gift Certificate to Bath & Body Works online so you can buy yourself a relaxing spa treatment of your choice! (Gift certificate will be sent to winner’s email address). Winner will also recieve their choice of autographed book from my booklist (sorry, WILD FOR HIM isn’t one of them! You’re going to have to wait a week and a half for that one to hit bookstores! ).

All you have to do to enter today’s contest is post a comment below, then check back on Sunday to see if you’re this week’s winner!

And just for fun . . . what’s your very favorite thing from Bath & Body Works? I absolutely love their plug-in Wallflower scents in Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin (makes your whole house smell so yummy!), their anti-bacterial hand soap in Cucumber Melon, and their shower gel in Warm Vanilla Sugar. Talk about a mixed bag of scents!
:giggle:

Before I get to today’s main blog, I have to take a moment to issue a big, enthusiastic CONGRATULATIONS to David Cook for winning American Idol! Whoo-hoo!!! As good a singer as David Archuleta is, I was rooting for Cook all the way and I’m thrilled he won the title and I can’t wait for his CD to hit store shelves! I have a feeling that this guy is going to make it BIG!

Now we can get back to our regularly scheduled blog.

Since it isn’t even close to Thanksgiving time, you’re probably wondering what today’s topic is all about. During the holiday season we challenged our Plotmonkey readers to support our troops in Iraq, and I’m going to ask you to do that again today. And the best thing about your support for our troops is that it’s not going to cost you a penny and is absolutely FREE! So, please participate, because your support will undoubtedly touch some weary, lonely, and tired soldier’s life.

LET’S SAY THANKS is a website sponsored by Xerox and provides a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By submitting a message through this site you have the opportunity to send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women. It’s quick and easy and will take only a few minutes out of your busy day, so there’s no reason not to do this!

All you have to do is go to LET’S SAY THANKS and click on your favorite postcard designs (and there are dozens to choose from, like the ones I’ve posted here at the blog!) and either select the message that best expresses your sentiment or you can even write your own personal note, which I think is very cool. The postcards are then printed on the Xerox iGen3 Digital Production Press and mailed in care packages by the military support organization “Give2TheTroops”.

How awesome is that?

Just to give you an idea of some of the messages that have been sent, here are a few that are posted at the website:

“There will never be a way for Americans to accurately convey the admiration and gratitude that we have for people like you. I hope that this card finds you in good health, and that it brightens your day. Your courage and bravery for doing your job everyday allows students like me to have the ability to sleep safely at night. We are strangers to each other, but I want you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.” Cara, Washington, D.C.

“Thank you for heeding the call of duty from our country. You are helping to teach a generation of young children what it means to be brave. What it means to be free. What it means to be American! You are not only in our thoughts daily, but the prayers of my 5 year old daughter every night. Please keep yourself safe and know that you are appreciated.” Brian, PA

“Thank you for serving our country. I have two brothers who have served in Iraq. One did two tours and the other has done one and will be joining you again this fall for another tour of duty. Those of you who choose to put your lives on the line for freedom’s sake are my heroes. I pray for your safety every day and trust that soon you will be safely home with family and friends. Thanks again.” Ventura, DE

And then there’s the appreciative responses from the troops . . .

“I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for the many boxes Give2TheTroops has sent to this battalion. All of you have truly made a positive difference in our morale and spiritual well-being. This reinforces and definitely reminds us why America is so great.” An Army Major

“I just wanted to return the gratitude and appreciation on a personal level to all the men and women that put together “Let’s Say Thanks”. Sometimes it’s difficult to get up in the morning and put on the uniform, but receiving things like this reminds us why we serve. I appreciate those taking the time to send strangers a reminder of not only what we’re fighting for, but also who we’re fighting for. THANK YOU!” An Air Force Senior Sergeant

“I received a wonderful present today in the care package I received. The individuals who take the time to make these packages are the true heroes to me for keeping us in their thoughts and prayers. I have watched as these packages have been received by many onboard and the happiness that is felt is indefinable. Thank you all for the support you are providing to us.” A Navy lieutenant

So, what are you waiting for? Go to LET’S SAY THANKS and put a smile on some soldier’s face!