Tonya Shook, organizer of the Border Queen Book Festival in Comanche, Oklahoma, has moved the next festival a few miles north to Duncan, Okalahoma. The new Chisholm Book Festival on October 24 will have seventy authors displaying their books. Bonnie and I are happy to be a part of this new festival as we enjoyed participating in the Border Queen Festival (see previous entry on this site).

For more on the participating authors and their books, visit the Chisholm Book Festival web page.

From about 2001 to 2007, I juggled three novel manuscripts, sporadically dipping in and out of them as first one and then another captured my attention. I started writing the first novel, The Night before Christmas, in the 1970s. Family History, the second novel, was begun in the 1980s. The third novel, Runemaster, was actually begun in the current decade.

Some people say that you should consider your first novels as practice and store them away in a trunk or closet. I tried that, but every year or so, the characters in my novels would call to me. They were unhappy being housed in a cardboard box. They clamored to be between the covers of a book and shelved with other books. Until that happened, their creative cycles would not be complete, and that lack of completeness would  continue to be a drag on my ability to create new work.

At the beginning of 2008, frustrated with the regular submission process, I decided to self publish The Night before Christmas.  Since I am better at writing than promoting, I haven't sold many copies, but my characters, Betty and Wes, no longer haunt me. The story of their marriage is in a book and available on lulu.com if anyone should choose to buy it.

For the rest of 2008, I struggled with what to do with Family History. Here was another novel filled with characters I had loved for decades. At first, I planned to self publish again. Then, I considered the traditional route, only to remember how months and years can go by waiting for agents and editors to reply. At last, I decided to go with Publish America. I realize there are pros and cons to this decision, but for me, giving the book a final form in the light of day will release me to create new projects.

Now, I can give my attention to Runemaster, a story I actually started in this decade. My goal is to complete it in this decade. Since this is 2009. I'd better get to work.

After our editing party at the lake last summer, Bonnie and I fully expected to have our second book of short horror fiction published within a month. Cover woes and file gremlins kept delaying us, but this morning, all was ready. I uploaded Edge of Nowhere to lulu.com and made it available for sale, both as a 6X9 paperback and a download. 

In the title story, "The Edge of Nowhere," two sisters move into a house inhabited by a demon. Click here for preview pages of this story.   Other stories in the collection include "Cry Wolf,"  in which a woman fears her twin sister is dating a werewolf and "A Shrill Note," in which a  husband contemplates the murder of his wife.

Collecting and paying sales tax seems simple, doesn't it? I thought so anyway. As a self-published writer, my concept was that I would sell something, collect the appropriate amount of sales tax, and send the money off to the state during my designated reporting period. I never considered that I would also need to pay sales tax on the books I gave to my family and friends.

Here is the scenario:
 I used lulu.com to publish my novel and bought the book at cost. Lulu did not charge a sales tax, which is correct because the book became part of my inventory. When I gave one copy to my mom and another copy to a prizewinner in a drawing, I took the books out of inventory and converted them to personal use. That made me the "final consumer" of the books, which meant I owed sales tax on the price I paid for them.
 
I learned this bit of information and more at a free sales tax workshop last Wednesday. If you do business in Kansas, you may want to check for times and locations of future workshops at http://www.ksrevenue.org. The workshop also covered record keeping, withholding taxes for those who have employees, and compensating use tax.

If you live and have a business outside Kansas, check your state's website for similar workshops. The best time to get this information: before you start the business. That way you can jot down the gifts to Mom, Dad, Uncle Joe, and the city library as you give them. Remember: Taxing agencies love clear and accurate records, and they make your life easier, too.

Whenever I see an article containing tips on weight loss, I give it at least a quick scan. A January 3, 2009 article in my local paper was no exception. The title, "Small tips for fitness success," caught my eye, and I quickly moved to the first bulleted tip: "Drink diet soda instead of regular."

Whoa! That advice ran counter to the reports on the effects of artificial sweeteners on weight loss that I had seen in various media in the past year. While I'm no scientist and can't give you any advice on what you should or shouldn't eat and drink, you might want to click on the links below for more information. 

Science Daily, February 2008
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080210183902.htm

ABC News, Feb 11, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/Story?id=4271246&page=1

Time, February 10, 2008
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1711763,00.html

A final thought: A list of tips may contain ideas that are passed on from one list to another. They do not necessarily reflect the latest scientific knowledge. Doing a quick Internet search for information on sites you can trust may keep your from following a faulty tip. 
Hazel  

Last Sunday afternoon, I met with my online critique group in a brick and mortar restaurant/bar for some face-to face-fun and support. Given the day of the week and the 2 p.m. time, we expected to find a quiet corner to discuss writing, but the placed was packed with dartboard enthusiasts engaging in playoffs for an upcoming tournament. After some discussion, we decided to stay for food and drinks and the first half of our intended program: 2008 accomplishments and 2009 resolutions. Later, we would adjourn to a library to discuss our works in progress and techniques to improve our writing.

The five of us began with food, drinks, and a recounting by each person of her 2008 accomplishments, which included writing for a set amount of time every day, winning contests, publishing books, presenting writing workshops, creating web sites and blogs,  and other activities. By the time we had completed the bragfest, we were feeling great about ourselves and were ready to move on to 2009 resolutions.  Our pledges included  time commitments, novels to finish, and marketing strategies to utilize. By the time we were ready to move to the library for a discussion of our current works in progress and techniques for improving them, an enthusiasm for our work in the coming year was building.

After forming a caravan to the library, we settled in a vacant study room just the right size for our group and got down to a general discussion of our work. With previously critiqued chapter in front of us, we each talked about our characters, their overall story goals and the obstacles in their paths. I brought some information on the order information is given in scenes and sequels (as gleaned from Jack Bickham's Scene & Structure), and we looked at ways we might re-order and expand on certain scenes and chapters.

The problem with libraries is that they close early on Sunday. At about a quarter to five, we got our first time warning. During a quick wrap up, Arlene presented us each with pocket diaries perfect for jotting down ideas while on the go. Bonnie gave each of us a packet filled with writing charts, including forms to keep track of writing time (a great thing to do if you are presenting your expenses to the IRS on a Schedule C). There were also worksheets on marketing and character and plot development. Armed with these gifts and high spirits, we were shooed out of the room and were off to an exciting and productive new year.

At 11:58 p.m. on New Year's Eve, I finished a sentence at the bottom of three pages of a kidnapping scene, saved it, and sent if off via e-mail to Bonnie, my relentless friend who was responsible for my writing it that night. The scene wasn't finished, but I had brought the kidnapper to the main character's door armed with chloroform and God's approval.

It's been almost a year since I told Bonnie about the planned kidnapping scene, but many things have interrupted my writing. She has periodically pleaded, nagged, harangued, and used other tactics to numerous to mention in an effort to get the scene out of me. You see, Junior is her favorite character in my novel in progress, Runemaster. As the son of an overbearing fundamentalist preacher, Junior's hopes for a television ministry of his own are dashed when his father spends the church's money to pay off a blackmailer. To add to Junior's woes, the woman he has adored for almost fifteen years wants nothing to do with him and seems to be attracted to a psychic. Certain she is possessed, Junior kidnaps the love of his life in the hope of exorcising the demon(s). Once she is free of Satan's influences, she will love him.

Junior's had a hard life filled with disappointment, but he has a good heart, so Bonnie really wants him to win. Right now, I don't think he can. We'll have to see. In the meantime, I brought in the new year writing a scene I had been putting off and brought this novel in progress back on my radar of things to do. The year is off to a great start.

Hazel

The question in the title was asked by Jane Glenn Haas in a recent Wichita Eagle article. Haas was reflecting on Oprah's weight gain statement that, unknowingly, she had become depressed and used food as a drug. Following that reasoning, Haas wondered if  the 133.6 milion adult Americans who are overweight all needed therapy.

While counseling wouldn't hurt, there may be a wait if all 133.6 milion of us try to make an appointment at once. While we are waiting, we might try some simple things to lift our mood. One is to step outside and take a deep breath of fresh air.  Then walk to the end of the block and back. This is not an exercise for the purpose of burning calories, so take it slow and observe the world around you. Depending on the season, see bare skeletons of trees, buds busting forth on limbs, or leaves forming a green halo. Feel the sun and the air. Take deep, even breaths as you walk.

When you get back to your home, find a place to sit and spend another five minutes breathing deeply and observing the present moment: tree branches moving in the wind, cars passing, children playing, whatever is before you. This small break in your routine will, at least momentarily, calm your mind and increase the oxygen your body needs to work properly. Give it a try.
Hazel

The snow came at just the right time for me. On Monday, my mother arrived from Wellington, and I met her at the nursing home here in Wichita to help her get settled. When the snow fell Monday evening and lingered into Tuesday, there was no pressing reason for me to go out. Instead, I stayed home and tackled the book room, which contains mostly books but also a large amount of miscellaneous. 

At noon, I was picking my way among the boxes throughout my apartment as I tried to make room for organization to happen. By the evening, I had selected three cartons of books to donate and had a stack of perhaps 300 books for which I wanted to check values before I let them go. Letting go, as I've said before, is hard for me.

This morning, I looked out the door and saw the world was still too frozen for me to venture out, so today will be devoted to finishing the reorganization of the book room. I've been needing these two days for a long time. The snow finally gave them to me.

What has the snow given you, either now or in the past? If you have a snow story, please leave a comment.
Hazel

Last Sunday's paper contained an article titled "Living with only 100 things." Dave Bruno of San Diego has challenged himself to reduce his personal possessions to 100 things (with some admitted rule stretching). I was attracted to the article because as a result of recent and repeated instances of downsizing my mother's possessions as she moved from independent to assisted living, and from assisted living to skilled nursing, and, finally, to an Alzheimer's unit, my daughter has urged me to start getting rid of my stuff.

Out of respect for the fact that my daughter has answered every plea for help I have issued as I dealt with my mother's possessions, I have tried to get rid of some of the items clogging my apartment, but most of those items are books, and while I haven't read most of them, I may want to some day. Even Dave of the "100 thing challenge" stretched the rules when it came to books and lumped them all as one thing: his library. If I did that, I could easily get down to 100 things.

Unfortunately, it's my books that my daughter would like to see reduced in number. She doesn't see them as one thing but as the thousands of individual items they are. They fill an entire room and overflow into several bookcases in my bedroom and living room. Then there are the stacks on the floor because there aren't enough shelves. I tell her that unlike her grandmother, I have not stored money or family pictures in my books. All she will need to do is call a used book dealer and say, "Come get them."

In the past month, I have donated about six boxes containing approximately 150 books to various thrift stores. At one drop off location, I winced as the warehouse person lifted the boxes out of my car and bounced them onto ground during the unloading process. I worried about bumped corners and bent covers. I love books. Seeing them mistreated really put the brakes on my ability to let go.

While writing this, my eyes kept straying to a nearby bookshelf and a book titled Basic Macrobiotic Cooking. I can't tell you exactly how long I have owned this book, but it has occupied that specific shelf for at least a year. I have never used a recipe from this book, and I'm not into macrobiotics although there was a time I thought it would be interesting to try. As I looked at the book, I thought, "I will never use that book. I will put it in the donation box." With the intention of doing just that, I picked up the book. The subtitle, Procedures of Grain and Vegetable Cookery, sounded interesting, so I flipped through the book and was caught up in layered vegetables, granola, and yin and yang theory. I checked the copyright page and saw the book was a first edition. Then I thought about the information. What if someday I write a story with a main character who eats only macrobiotic foods? I need this book for possible research. It is now back on the shelf.

I'm with Dave; a library is ONE thing. But how about clothes? Are all those jeans and shirts I might be able to get into now that I am exercising again individual items that may need discarding, or can I label my clothes a wardrobe and keep them all?