Tough Time to be in the Book Biz…

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Debbie_Mumford

Wow. Have you seen the news this week? It’s a rough time to be a big-name publisher, or even a less well-known book distributor.

Borders is in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and plans to close 30% of its stores. But that’s not the end of it. The bankruptcy means that a lot of its creditors will get a fraction of the monies they’re owed, which means publishers are going to be hurting…even more.

Then there’s the news that a Canadian book distributor has filed for bankruptcy. H.B. Fenn will also leave quite a few major publishing houses in need of a financial transfusion.

*shakes head* Great time to be trying to break onto the NY publishing scene…

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My Valentine Muse

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Debbie_Mumford

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Okay, now that that’s out of my system, I can report in 😀

The very 1st book I wrote was a 100,000 word disaster. I made every newbie error imaginable, but I finished it…was proud of it…and without any knowledge about critique, form, or other craft, I sent it out to MANY agents and editors. Needless to say it garnered form letter rejection after form letter rejection.

The one thing it did do for me was make me angry. “Okay! I get it. It SUCKS. Could somebody PLEASE tell me what I did wrong?”

That is SO not the job of agents and editors. BUT the frustration goaded me into discovering craft, and little by little, stumble by stumble, I began to discover what this industry is all about.

Why am I telling you this? Because over the weekend my muse finally delivered a workable solution for the characters and theme of that long-ago, dust-covered novel. My first love will be resurrected, and I can’t wait to write the story! *happy dancing*

I’ll keep you posted as the saga continues…

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Puzzler Friday: An Early Valentine

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Debbie_Mumford

Roses are red…

Click to Mix and Solve

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Smashwords

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Debbie_Mumford

Well, I did it. I decided to take a few stories that have recently returned to my full control and experiment with Smashwords. Thanks to the cover art talent of a Romance Divas friend, I think I’ve produced a couple of nice looking offerings!

Proudly presenting:

Wakinyan's Valley

Wakinyan’s Valley is a “right-around-the-corner” tale set in a post-apocalyptic world. Mark Whitehorse and his friends search for a safe haven where they can raise their families. When they stumble across a hidden valley, they believe their search is over. But the valley is already inhabited. Will the band of survivors find refuge…or something else entirely?

(Click on the cover art to visit the Smashwords site!)

AND

Wakinyan's Valley

Red’s Magick is a collection of short stories dealing with an amorous faery imprisoned in a pane of ancient Irish glass. The realm of Tuatha de Danaan may be free of Red’s magicks, but the humans who come in contact with his glass prison find themselves in extremely compromising situations.

(These stories are for mature readers due to their adult content.)

A click on the cover art will transport you to Smashwords!

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In Praise of Build-A-Bear Workshop

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Debbie_Mumford

Have you ever taken a small child to Build-A-Bear? Trust me, it’s an experience not to be missed!

We’ve started a mini-tradition in our family: birthday #5 is your Build-A-Bear Birthday. We’ve had two of them so far. When our eldest grandson turned five, I was over-the-moon with excitement about the experience…only to discover GS1 wasn’t interested in Teddy Bears. OMG! Call in the paramedics! Grammie was suffering from dream-deflation!

Never fear. Build-A-Bear was there to rescue me. It seems that more than bears can be built in their excellent workshop. Despite GS1’s disinterest in bears, we had a wonderful day and created a special pal that is still among his faves 2-1/2 years later.

Why am I telling you this now? Well, yesterday we celebrated our granddaughter’s Build-A-Bear Birthday. No paramedics needed for this experience. GD was thrilled to select a bear…a pretty pastel pink confection, which she dressed in a Disney Princess outfit, found the perfect beribboned pink slippers for, and finished the outfit off with hair ribbons (ear ribbons?) and glittering sunglasses. Sparkle Bear is a fashionista’s delight!

As we were driving home after our bear indulgence, GD turned to me and announced that Sparkle would really need another outfit. A girl just can’t do everything in a princess dress! Grammie suggested jeans and a tee-shirt, but GD wasn’t convinced. After discussing the matter with Sparkle, she decided that what was really needed was, and I quote, “beach wear.”

“Oh,” I said in my grandmotherly naivete, “you want a swimsuit for her?”

GD’s shock was palpable. “No! Stuffed animals can’t swim. They get all soggy and go to the bottom and you can never get them back! No, Sparkle needs BEACH WEAR, so she can sit on my blanket at the beach and wait while I play in the water.”

Aha! Soundly chastised by five-year-old logic, I am now considering: What constitutes beach wear for a bear that can’t have a swimsuit? Ah well, I have time to learn. Sparkle will just have to wait until GD’s NEXT birthday for her wardrobe upgrade.

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