Ian O'Neill

Pointing In The Right Direction

2011-07-21T16:38:00.000-04:00

In 1985, before I left on a vacation to Jamaica, I gave my dad a little pep talk about an impending round of medical tests he was facing. Dad hated doctors and hospitals. When I returned home from my trip, I couldn’t find anyone. This was a time of pre-cell phones so they weren’t a call away. I checked with a few friends but got no leads. No one left a note for me either. I thought back to those tests and then headed to the local hospital. Unfortunately, he was there.

Dad died a few weeks later.

My dad’s brother had come over to Toronto from Glasgow, Scotland. I felt horrible that this man, who had longed to visit his brother, had done so under such terrible circumstances. When he went home, I sent almost every photograph I had of my father with him. It was the least I could do.

I remember telling my Uncle Jack, “Don’t worry, I’ve got the negatives.”

Years later, when I longed for photos of my father, do you think I could find those damned negatives? I looked everywhere, but they seemed to just disappear. I’d headed to my mom’s place and she and I looked through some of her old photo albums, the ones she could find. Still couldn’t find those damned negatives.

“These will all be yours someday son,” she’d said to me waving her hand over a stack of photo albums.

A stack of Polaroids waiting to be scanned

Mom died two years ago and when I was cleaning out her apartment I boxed up every photo I could find. There were hundreds including her and dad’s entire wedding album. It took me a long time to start sorting though them. I wanted to scan them to keep them safe. Were the images I found that impressive that I needed to protect them so the world could see them? Were they museum quality shots? Were they shot by professionals and worth a lot of money? Was Ansel Adams a part of my family?

No on all counts. However, I did feel the need to protect them for my family’s posterity. Could others find them interesting? Maybe, but the thrust was to ensure that my family had a photographic record of some of its early members. And wouldn’t you know it, I found those damned negatives, too.

Me and Dad.

I’m passionate about photography. I’ve been paid for my photographs but I still don’t think of myself as a professional. The marketing department of a camera manufacturer would call me a prosumer; not quite a pro but above an amateur. I’ve worked hard to improve at the craft of taking pictures. When I went through the hundreds of pictures accumulated by my parents I lost track of the number of bad ones. There were a lot of bad photos.

And I loved them. Bad, good and everything in between.

Part of my interest in photography was always seeing a camera in my dad’s hands. I remember the 8mm movie camera he had that he cranked to use. I remember the Super 8 movie camera he used with the cartridges. The camera I remember the most was his beloved Polaroid. I found out recently that my brother had it. Once I got the model number it took me a week to get my own. It was a Polaroid ‘Automatic’ 330 Land Camera which was produced between 1969-1971.

The O'Neills in October of '69. Dig those ties.

I can still see the spots in my eyes from the flash he used. Dad became a master at pulling the picture from the camera. He’d flip the little switch on the back of the camera to start the timer, dangle the ‘developing’ picture and wait. I can still hear the sound of the timer buzzing down, and when it stopped, he’d peel the photo from the chemical paper and there was his photo. It was a special moment, every single time he’d reveal the results.

He was no Art Wolfe or Yousuf Karsh; he was a man who loved to take pictures of the people and places in his life. He had little patience for manuals. No time to shoot with film formats that forced him to run to the drug store for ‘prints’.

Mom and Dad weren’t the only shooters to contribute to the pile of photos, their friends added photos and so did I. Those negatives I spoke of yielded some great shots of dad. I even scored one of he and I together. I discovered that when I started out in photography I was no Adams, Karsh or Wolfe either. The shoe box full of photos along with the bags and smaller boxes, all had blurry shots, heads cut off, underexposed, overexposed…all kinds of crazy mistakes. I smile when I look at them.

Bottom of Mimico Ave in Etobicoke. Painted streetcar stop. Traffic lights 'button'

I am so thankful that someone, anyone, skilled at photography or not, was there to take these photos. They show the city where I was born and the one where I grew up. Most importantly, there are many photos of family and friends. Though these may not be considered national treasures, they are historical documents to me and hopefully to my kin’s future generations.

I’m thrilled that my daughter has picked up a camera and started to shoot – and not just shots for her Facebook page. She’s trying to learn, just like I did after seeing my dad with his camera. This means more photos to add to the pile – good, bad and everything in between.

So thanks dad, mom and all those people who shall remain nameless, for picking up all those different cameras and pointing them in the right direction.

What follows are just a few of the photos I found in my mom's 'pile' of pictures. I hope this gives others the impetus to gather up their family photos.

Andy (my dad) and his brother, Alex.

Alice and Andy O'Neill (my parents).

My grandmother Alice Paterick and her parents William and Elizabeth.

Loch Ean, Scotland, 1954. Third from the left in the very back row (slight profile) is my Grandfather, Thomas Adair.

Me and my brother Andy. Glasgow, Scotland, 1963.

Alex (Elky) O'Neill, my uncle. My mom, dad and me, downtown Glasgow, 1969. This shot was taken by my brother. How can I tell? Everyone but me is looking down at him.

My Grandfather teaching my Uncle Tommy how to fly. Love the push car.

Househillmuir Rd, Glasgow, Scotland. Some of my family.

Dad, doing what he did best. He was a great entertainer.

Film's Not Dead...

2011-07-19T15:39:00.000-04:00

It's Just Resting Comfortably

I waited. That kind of awkward pause when mid stride, you freeze with your weight slightly forward, anxiously waiting for the photographer to snap the photo of their grinning subjects so you can resume your saunter. I’ll never break the line between photographer and subject, it’s just not couth. And, on this particular occasion, the photographer was an older gentleman. He held up an iPhone and waited just a few seconds before pushing the digitized shutter button. I could hear the canned shutter release sound, smiled at him, and walked on. Just as my parents were able to acquire cameras that were far more advanced and simpler than what their parents used, this man was able to grasp the absolute joy of digital photography, a far cry from what we used just a few short years ago - film. As a lover of photography, I was thrilled.

Nikon D5100 with a AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 G lens

Every single person I know is a photographer. No, I don’t only hang out with pro shutterbugs. Every person I know owns and uses a camera. I love photography, it is a huge part of my life so, I’m thrilled to see so many people enjoying it, including that man and his iPhone. Advancements in digital technology have opened people up to the joys of photography. That is something to rejoice.

Like the vast majority of the world, I, too, have embraced digital photography. I’ve gone through several models (none of which feel as good as my old Nikon F90x 35mm film camera) and will likely go through several more before I find that perfect fit. Through technological advancements that I have no hope of explaining here, let alone understanding, I’m reaping benefits I only imagined when shooting film. Be honest, who doesn’t relish the instant satisfaction of seeing an image immediately after pressing the shutter down. No more waiting to see if you got it right. You simply check the screen and keep or discard. It’s a joy and it’s far less expensive even if you plan to print out what you shoot. Remember, we can cull the bad shots quickly and print only what we need. The costs of printing vary so widely (so many different printers, inks and papers) that I can’t say how much of a savings there is to be had every 24 or 36 frames. There is no doubt a huge savings. No need to buy film, no need to process it, or go through the effort of sifting through the bad and saving the good. There was a time not to long ago that one needed to head back to the lab to process the good for extra prints or enlargements. All that has changed with digital photography.

Fujifilm XP10 Point and Shoot Digital Camera

Clients wait a day, maybe two, to get their images. Anyone shooting for mags (traditional or online), can edit their shots in-camera and upload them immediately. It is an instant world where more and more of what we want and need can be obtained in little or no time at all. With the internet booming, bringing us news as it happens, photography had no choice but to advance. Even if a pro developed their own film images, it could still take days or weeks to see them. A photojournalist in a war-torn part of the world would either rely heavily on locals to have the film developed or they’d send it ‘home’ where it could be developed. Either way, it took time. Now: shoot, plug into your computer, download, edit and hit send. All that could take, if you’re not too picky, seconds, which is often the case with social media. If we were still all shooting film, photos of college kids getting drunk would take days to see. Now, shoot and upload to Facebook or Twitter directly from your phone. Instant!

Nikon D90 with a 60mm AF Micro Nikkor 2.8 D lens

One might argue that shooting film makes the photographer think just a bit more before pushing down that button. You need to make sure your settings are correct, the composition just right, backlighting, horizon, foreground, background, hotspots, focus, depth of field…if you mess up, you just won’t know it until it’s too late. You get that roll of film developed and there it is, the perfect shot out of focus or a tree branch growing out of your subject’s head or any number of mistakes you could have avoided. Digital allows for us to rub out those errors quickly, but does it make us slow down and learn? Don’t we have to run through that checklist when shooting digital as well? Point and shoots, no, but if you’re shooting manual settings, absolutely you do. That’s key: turn all of your digital camera’s settings to manual and you will learn a lot more about photography than if you just point and shoot. Given the right circumstances one can learn just as efficiently on a digital SLR as on a traditional 35mm SLR.

Why lament film?

Photography has advanced so rapidly in such a short span that the thought of film is to some, archaic. Putting aside my love of digital photography, I miss film. But why? All those hassles and worries are gone with digital. What is it about film that draws people in? What is the allure?


The first shot I ever took with my Nikon EM; July, 1981 - I was hooked.

I don’t miss rotary phones, VHS or black and white televisions. I have no interest in messaging with an electrical telegraph. I will never ride a horse, anywhere. I haven’t mailed a letter in years. This piece was not written on a typewriter. I will not shoot with film. Wait. That is a lie. I’ve already started.

I initially began shooting 35mm film with a Nikon EM in 1981. I’ve always loved that camera and I’ve kept it in the best shape possible. I dug it out to display it in the living room and a strange thing happened. I loaded it up with film that we’d had in a drawer for seven or eight years. Every shot showed a hint of red so, I won’t be passing those around at the next dinner party. The more important phenomenon that occurred was the ‘feeling’ I got with that old Nikon in my hands. There was definitely a nostalgia about it; I remembered learning with that camera, struggling to get it right. The biggest lesson I learned by shooting with that camera was that there is no such thing as a perfect photograph. No matter how good you think it is, you’ll always look at a photo knowing you can do better. It’s like shooting over one hundred in a round of golf but keying in on that solitary shot of the day that felt absolutely perfect. It’s what gets you out on the course to try again. That one photo, the one you planned and executed perfectly, that’s what puts another roll of film in the camera which leads to another trip to the local film processor.

All of my local shops still sell a limited amount of film, including print or slide, black and white or colour, 135 or 120. And since they sell it, they process it, too. If you want a quick one hour turn around, there’s always Walmart.

Nikon FE with a 50mm 1.8 lens

I laughed at myself when I was loading the camera for the first time in a dozen or more years. I’d almost forgotten the dance steps but after a bit of fumbling, I closed the back and advanced the film. It felt so familiar pushing that lever and feeling a slight grinding vibration as the film moved along the sprockets, the click signifying the frame had been advanced, the rewind lever spinning counterclockwise to show I’d successfully loaded the film. I lifted the lever and turned it clockwise to tighten the film. I swear I heard it stretch.

After the first shot I was hooked. I remembered to manually advance the film. My hands settled comfortably around the controls and the dance steps slid back into my mind. It came easy. It felt so good. There is something about the risk of film that I think is a big draw for photographers. Or, if it isn’t yet, it will be. I was so smitten with my EM experience that I grabbed my Nikon F90x and shot a roll with that, too. Again, a familiar feeling came over me and I barely had to think about what do when composing a shot. I’d used that camera for only six or seven years before going digital, but it remains the camera that best suits me.

There were a few cameras between my EM and my latest Nikon D90 with one in particular standing out. I urge every single person who wants to take up photography to use a Pentax K1000 35mm film camera.* It’s simplicity allows you to focus on the reasons for your choices. You will learn about apertures, shutter speeds and how the two relate. You can concentrate on the absolute fundamentals of photography since the K1000 has no bells and whistles to distract the shooter. There are no temptations to use the camera’s auto systems since there are none. Sadly, I chose to trade in my K1000 in 2001. I’ve mourned the loss ever since.

But all is not lost. As with film, the cameras are still readily available. There are film cameras for sale online, at local shops, markets and swap meets. My wife and I recently started collecting cameras and without a doubt they all look fantastic in our home. Photography has been a huge part of our lives so, it was just a logical thing to do. I’ve noticed the beauty of cameras and not just old folding or bellows models but more recent models as well. I love their esthetics and I often wonder what those cameras have witnessed. If they could talk, would they spin yarns of years spent abroad, would they tell of tragedy or triumph, would they be able to remember when the Leafs won the Stanley Cup?

Nikon FE with a 50mm 1.8 lens

If you’re inclined to shoot some film but don’t own a camera, there’s no need to worry. You can find a very good 35mm camera for a hundred dollars or less. Generally speaking, the more you spend the better the camera with which you’ll be shooting. When it comes to used cameras you get what you pay for. I recently got my hands on a beautiful Nikon FE. Not only will it be the highlight of my camera collection, it will be great to take out on field trips. I stumbled upon another Nikon FE at a charity shop and picked it up, complete with a 35 to 135mm lens for $14.

There is a light breeze blowing out there, I can hear it. It’s saying, “Collect me.” Camera collecting has been going on since Kodak introduced a second model making the first one desirable. Over the last decade prices on film cameras have plummeted. I’ve watched my F90x fall to below a hundred dollars and that was with a grip and data back. Recently, a Nikon F100 sold on ebay for exactly one hundred dollars. These are two stellar cameras whose recent prices are a reflection of the flourishing digital industry.

Collecting is the way to keep these beautiful and highly functional machines in our lexicon. What would our world be without a Brownie, AE1 or Polaroid? Collecting film cameras of all types ensures their history will not be lost on the next generation. As my daughter looked at a vinyl record with a clueless expression, I don’t want her kids to look at a film camera and be dumbfounded. Now is the time to buy film cameras. They’ve hit rock bottom and we all know there really is no other way but up when that happens. Buy them now because they are affordable. Once that light breeze blows a bit stronger, prices will rise and collecting will be far more restrictive.

Polaroid "Automatic" 330 Land Camera (1968) - Fujifilm FP-100c - July, 2011

Film is not dead, it’s just resting comfortably waiting for the right people to come along and give it new life. Shooting a roll of film a month will give you more satisfaction than you can imagine. It will slow you down, make you think, and let you enjoy the leisurely side of photography.

Give a film camera a home and make sure to take it on plenty of walks.

Other reasons I miss shooting with film: I miss those little plastic containers the film came in – they were perfect for holding loose change. I miss opening the fridge and moving the boxes of film out of the way to get to the butter. Darkrooms are great for more than developing photos (great for napping – get your minds out of the gutter).

*I do not work for the company, nor am I affiliated in any way. It’s just that good a camera.

There Was That Time...

2011-05-08T09:18:00.000-04:00

I went to one of your dances to hear you sing. You pulled me around by my arm and introduced me to people by saying, “You remember (insert their names here) don’t you, Ian?” Then you were so surprised when I said I didn’t remember them. You knew so many people.

You dragged my sorry two left feet onto the dance floor and you loved every minute of me trying not to fall over or step on your toes.We had a great laugh.

They called your name to sing and the place went crazy. I was in my late thirties and the youngest guy in the room – it shocked me that these people were so excited. We all knew you could sing, but your rock star status was new to me. You grabbed the mic and said, “This one’s for my son.” Then you held a long ‘Hey…’ and the crowd was clapping and calling out your name. You launched into what I later learned was your signature song, The Guitar Man. The dance floor was packed and I swear there were a few senior men trying to crash the stage. You were awesome. You rocked the joint!

There were the quiet moments, at home, sitting at the kitchen table, when you’d sing just for us. Mother’s Day is quieter now that you’re gone.

I miss ya, mom. Happy Mother’s Day.

An Easter Quest!

2011-04-24T14:32:00.012-04:00

My wonderful neighbours, the McLaughlins, sent me on a very special hunt this morning.

It all started with a note taped, and an Easter Basket tied, to the door.

Which led me to another clue:

I'm glad I didn't have to drive to my next clue since I may have destroyed this one.

This clue led me here:

Then I was off to my next clue here:

Thank goodness my Easter Bunnies weren't taller because I'd have had a real problem getting a grip on this clue. But, I got it and then I was off to find my next clue here:

From here I ended my journey with my last clue/treat which also had something in it for my wife...some coffee!

Thank you so much to my very special Easter Bunnies, Sarah and Liam. You can see their parents hiding in the background in the photo below and I thank them ALL very much for thinking of me today. Holidays are always tough on me emotionally. My mom would always join us for dinner and since she's been gone, I've had a difficult time. What happened to me this morning was truly a wonderful, fun, and much appreciated event that I won't soon forget.

Thanks McLaughlins, you rock!

My Bounty!

The Chocolate Bunny Milky Ways are already missing. I don't think any clues are needed to find them. They were YUMMY!

Eye Catching Bilboards

2011-04-09T11:52:00.005-04:00

Mattel has done a wonderful job capturing the excitement of Hot Wheels, a beloved toy since the sixties. I love the loop on the overpass. What's your favourite?

Brilliant Video - The Cyclotrope

2011-03-30T17:03:00.002-04:00

The Cyclotrope from tim Wheatley on Vimeo.

Two Years!

2011-03-08T13:45:00.006-05:00

There was that time in Scotland when I was eleven. You and Aunt Cathy were trying to get something from a high shelf. You weren’t having much luck, you laughed your butts off the whole time, stumbling and feigning falls. Your bright idea was to have me climb on your back and stand up to reach what you needed. We laughed so hard that I... fell to the floor. We howled with laughter. Every time you laughed, mom, everyone laughed. It was infectious.

It was a hearty, from your core kind of laugh. It always brought tears to your eyes. You cried laughing. "The best way to shed tears," you'd said.

They say laughter is the best medicine, but unfortunately it isn't a cure.

You died two years ago, mom. Two years! I miss you so much. I will always remember your laugh. The memory of it warms me. It lets me know that you’re never far away.

Miss ya ma. Safe journey.

That Went Well...

2011-03-02T09:49:00.004-05:00

I wanted to thank everyone who participated in the Photo Flash Fiction last month. It was awesome and I was blown away by the stories. That was a lot of fun. I may have to do it again.

In case you were wondering, everyone who participated got an ebook. I just couldn't bring myself to exclude anyone since all of the stories were so great. Thanks so much.

Oh, and it looks like they've started to clean up the mess.

Obedient She's Not...

2011-02-20T17:54:00.003-05:00

Roxy is our one year old Shepherd we rescued from the Burlington Humane Society. Here's a video to show off what she's learned from successfully completing two obedience courses. She may not be the most obedient dog in the world, but she sure is the prettiest.

Depression: Time To Come Clean

2011-02-09T13:24:00.004-05:00

The celebrity dam is likely to break when it comes to revealing what has been a disorder of shame - depression. When stars like David Letterman and Clara Hughes come forward and openly talk of depression, other celebrities are likely to jump on board or off it, as the case may be, sharing stories of their strife. As a person who has suffered with depression for half my life, I hope dozens of stars come out to shine a bright light on this mysterious ailment.

I certainly don’t want anyone thinking that I don’t appreciate the efforts of the famous to come clean. On the contrary, I know how difficult it is to admit that one experiences depression. What I worry about is that celebs will start using this as their excuse d’jour. Oh, did you hear, after telling the world to suck it and flipping off the press and dropping trow in public, (insert star’s name here) admitted it was because of depression. That would just be insulting to those truly battling the condition.

This guy looks how I feel when I'm depressed.

Other than folks believing that since I’m depressed I must be a prime candidate for suicide, the real reason I rarely speak of my affliction is embarrassment. It’s likely the reason many people avoid full disclosure. There is a stigma one faces since most people are ignorant about depression. For the record, I don’t run around the streets in my underwear howling at the moon or my neighbours. I rarely throw anything against the wall and it’s even rarer that whatever I did throw has broken; usually I throw things when watching Leafs’ games so, you know the source of much of my depression. What I’m trying to say is that I’m as normal as the next guy or gal with just a few minor difficulties with which to cope.

Symptoms Checklist

It is not easy to admit that one has a ‘mental disorder’. I hate that term. According to DepressionHurts.ca, depression is a serious medical condition with a variety of emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioural symptoms. Still makes me sound like I’m, well, crazy. I have to admit that sometimes I feel that way. I feel most frustrated when I know I’m depressed but can’t do a damned thing about it – like right now. No, Virginia, there is no switch I can flip to end my depression. The veritable cry of ‘snap out of it’ is useless to a depressive. I don’t think of depression as a disease or something that’s curable. I believe that depression is a condition one must always manage.

Please go to DepressionHurts.ca for a lot of great information to either help yourself or someone else. I may not agree with everything on this site, but it is a great place to start.

If you even have an iota of suspicion that you suffer from depression I urge you to seek help. The best help you’ll find is by talking with your physician. They can guide you through steps to help you battle depression. Doctors are likely to prescribe medication to help in your fight. There are many different anti-depressants available so, come clean with your physician about everything so you get the right match.

I find it difficult to go the drug route. I’ve been on two separate anti-depressants, both of which totally screwed with my sleeping patterns, and worse, gave me night terrors. I believe that the more creative the person, the more horrible the night terrors they experience. Not to toot my horn (which I really hate doing) but I think I’m a pretty creative guy – read my book Afterlife and I think you’ll agree. I won’t describe any of the images I saw during my terrored slumbers – suffice to say, I’m finding it difficult to want to try a third anti-depressant. Don’t let my experience stop you. There really is only one way to find out if medication is going to work for you and that is to take it under your doctor’s supervision.

Meds often help you ‘fake it until you make it’. For those reading this who’ve suffered with depression, you’re likely very familiar with that term. My wife and I entertained guests last weekend and they were likely thinking, how the hell can he say he’s depressed. He looks and sounds fine. But, if only they’d been a fly on the wall before and after their visit. The energy it takes to ‘fake it’ is exhausting. I likened it to having run a marathon while getting kicked every so often.

Going to bed or, once you’ve actually gotten some sleep, getting out of bed, can be very difficult. I’ve spent nearly forty-eight hours awake and never more than six hours asleep during my current bout of depression. You’d think that would be awesome for a writer, having all that time, especially in the dead of night, to write. One problem with that is the symptom of depression that hurts me, and likely many others, the most - a total lack of interest in what you are usually most passionate about. So, when my depression has ebbed and I sit in front of a blank screen, I see that as a wonderful opportunity. Depressed, I could care less about writing. You’d have to know me to understand just how horrific that statement is. I love writing. I must write. It feeds my soul. Unless I’m depressed and then I just don’t care. Hell, I don’t really care about much in a depressive state.

I think I speak for all those depressives out there when I ask that those closest to us please, please have patience. Telling us to snap out of it is a joke. Cheer up. Think positively. Really? We never would have thought of that. We know you’re trying to help but the best thing you can do is listen. Listen to your spouse or loved one, your friend or neighbour or coworker. Recognize that they are finding it difficult to talk to you about their condition and be sensitive to that. Allow them to lead the conversation. Ask questions, don’t point fingers.

My wife is the best person I know and she handles my depression so beautifully that I feel better just knowing that. She celebrates the little strides I’ve taken knowing they’ll snowball into larger gains. This piece is one such accomplishment. I actually smiled after writing this, not so much as a pat on the back for good work, but for just writing it. Another big accomplishment, I forced myself to eat lunch. Trust me, these are huge gains for me.

Where so few people knew of my depression, now, I’ve put it out there for all to see. I sure as hell didn’t do this for your pity. I hope you learned something and that you’ll continue to search for information about depression. The statistics regarding depression are staggering. 1 in 10 people in Canada will experience depression in their lifetime. It’s time to end the silence and talk about it.

Step one, talk to your doctor.

Step two – well, that’s up to you.

There is no shame.

Photo Flash Fiction

2011-02-03T13:09:00.008-05:00

The one thing all writers have in common is that they love to write. I hope you'll get inspired by this photograph and write a flash fiction piece about it. This truly is about participation. I know there are a lot of you writers out there and I'm curious to see just what you'll do with this photo. It's all up to you. Simply post your story as a comment. Only rule is length; nothing over 250 words and no, I won't be checking the word counts, you're on your honour.

This photo will be up forever and writers are free to add their flash fiction to it at any time. However, at the end of February 2011, I'll draw three names from all who've participated, and they'll receive ebook copies of my books Endo and Afterlife.

Please tell your friends about this and let's see how diverse these stories will be. The more the merrier.

Thanks and have fun.
Ian

Shooting Captain Miller

2011-01-19T13:56:00.002-05:00

Yo-Yo: An Old Dog With A Lot Of New Tricks

2011-01-06T15:02:00.002-05:00

There are times in life when you can only find the solution to a problem by playing with a yo-yo. I’ve been a writer for a long time and early in my career worked at a fairly progressive ad agency. I was thrilled that when faced with a creative problem I was able to step outside of my office and do a few yo-yo tricks to get my brain working in the right direction. Some say that Napoleon, too, was a yo-yo enthusiast and would often relieve stress by throwing a yo-yo. Setting aside speculation, the yo-yo was first uncovered in history in 500 B.C. Greece.

The ancient form of yo-yos were produced using wood, metal or painted terra cotta discs simply referred to as discs. An example is on display in the National Museum of Athens in Greece along with a vase depicting a young boy playing with a yo-yo. The toy’s history moves through Egypt, China, Britain and France among other nations. The toy was very popular in the early twentieth century in the Philippines and helped the yo-yo gain ground in the U.S.

An image from a French fashion journal in 1791 shows a woman playing with what was then known as a Bandalore.

In 1866, James L. Haven and Charles Hittrick of Cincinnati, Ohio were given the first patent for a yo-yo in the U.S. It was for a yo-yo ‘coupled together at their centres by means of a clutch’. This was the first but many more followed using great names for the toy such as Wheel Toy, Bandalore and Whirligig. A very popular yo-yo was manufactured in San Francisco in 1920s by a man named Flores. Yo-yo in Filipino means spring.

D.F. Duncan Sr. worked for Flores, marketing the yo-yo and eventually bought out Flores. In 1930, he started the Genuine Duncan Yo-Yo Company and trademarked the name ‘yo-yo’. There have been many companies in the yo-yo business over the years and they all benefited us as consumers because, lets face it, we get a better selection of yo-yos to play with and collect. It is an endearing, unflappable, stalwart in the toy world and has become collectible as well.

Popularity in Yo-yo collecting caused a spike in prices between ‘97 and ‘01

Where does one start collecting yo-yos and what should one collect? Like any collection, it comes down to finding what you enjoy. Collect what you love and you’ll never go wrong. There are a lot of variations to consider when tracking down yo-yos: manufacturers, old or new (pre and post 1970), material (plastic, wood, metal), design (butterfly, traditional, adjustable), colours, sizes…

The Grind Machine by YoYoFactory
A sleeping yo-yo that is designed to do long lasting tricks.

The Velocity by YoYoFactory

An adjustable yo-yo that allows you to adjust the width of the gap which allows a full range of tricks.

Toy collectors are well versed in the art of toy hunting so, finding older yo-yos isn’t really that tough but paying for them can be. Prices for pre-seventies yo-yos can run anywhere from under ten dollars to over five hundred. Always remember to keep a budget in mind for any collection. To help you manage those funds efficiently you’re going to want to keep an eye out for condition when picking up a yo-yo, especially older ones. The graphics on the yo-yo should be sharp and clean and the move vibrant the colours are the better the piece. Flaws hurt value so keep your eye out for chips and dents. Clean paint on wooden yo-yos is almost impossible and repaints are tough to spot but you can see the chip paint under most repaints. Make sure that the two halves are even and aren’t loose. If the yo-yo is stillpackaged, unopened, clean and bright are the best.

There are many brands of yo-yos still sought after by collectors today. Here are just a few:

Duncan

American Spinners

BC/What’s Next

Medalist

Royal

Tom Kuhn

Oxygene

Visit the Museum of Yo-yo History for a yo-yo directory (with photos). It’s a great resource.

Basic Yo-yo Styles

To collect and play!

I took a look at a few yo-yos from an online dealer here in Canada (YoYo-Canada), and as a long time yo-yo enthusiast jumped in and purchased a new, modern yo-yo. I really didn’t know what to expect and when my Grind Machine yo-yo arrived in two days I was ecstatic. It was unlike any yo-yo I’d owned or even played with and it proved that you can teach an old dog new tricks.

The Grind Machine in action

The newer yo-yos come in two categories; imperial with a more traditional shape and a butterfly or wing design. The imperial shape is good for looping tricks since it has a smaller gap which allows the string to catch more easily. A butterfly design is great for sleeping tricks. Yo-yos have advanced to a high state of play when you consider you can now buy string of differing materials depending on your preference. Add to that counterweights, off-string tricks and hub stacks and you have a world of possibilities to collect and to show off.

Basic Types of Yo-yo

The F.A.S.T. 201 Yo-yo put through its paces

One of the catches to the butterfly or sleeping yo-yo is that it is only designed to sleep so, that makes the traditional gravity pull impossible (palm up, throw yo-yo over the top down toward floor, turn hand over, pull, yo-yo returns). Like my Grind Machine, you must learn the bind return. It’s a way of getting a sleeping yo-yo to return and believe me, it takes practice.

The Gravity Pull

Binding Return

The yo-yo may not be as popular as it once was but it definitely has evolved into an amazing toy. Whether you reach back into your youth and search out some older yo-yo versions or look for the newest yo-yos, you just can’t lose with a toy that’s this much fun.

A Fun Yo-yo Fact:

The Primo:

Check out some great tutorial videos at Yo-Yo Crazy.com

Yo-yo photos courtesy of YoYo-Canada; fantastic online retailer who really know their stuff.

Special Edition Elite 1966 TV Series Batmobile

2010-10-01T12:35:00.012-04:00

I received this model as a gift and it took my breath away. I’ll give away my age and admit that I watched the original 1966 Batman series as a kid but that does not make me an expert. I focused this review on comparing this model’s exterior for accuracy rather than looking for every minute difference between it and the TV show car.

The car’s exterior is as good a match to the original as I’ve ever seen. It’s an impressive size measuring in at just under one foot or 30 centimeters long. The gloss black paint has been applied flawlessly showing no blemishes of any kind. The red pin-striping shows beautifully against the black.

Both doors, hood and trunk open fully and glide easily, though it is slightly difficult to get your finger under the hood to lift it. Even though the interior is all moulded plastic, which one would have to look at closely to discover, it looks excellent. It houses some awesome details like a dashboard compass, the Batphone and a fire extinguisher. My personal favourite is the definitive bubble windshields front and back. Mattel did an amazing job of getting those right. They show clear and the grey trim has been applied nicely so as to not take away from the design. The spinning antenna positioned just outside of the windshield is a wonderful touch, though it is extremely fragile and if not careful, it could easily break.

Considering the price of this model (I’m sure you could find one for under $100 USD) the level of engine detail is good; it definitely has visual impact when you lift the hood. However, the silver engine’s highly-polished, shiny finish, brings out the look of the plastic detracting from the quality.

The decaling and detailing on this model are excellent with a great looking steering wheel, dash and labelling of important devices like Bat Turn and Bat Chutes. The all-important and familiar Batman logo is perfect in colour, size and position. Though the sticker that is the Bat Computer in the trunk of the car is slightly off. The car has a nice open (see-through) grill and rear engine nozzle.

For me there are very few negatives to speak of about this midlevel model. The all plastic base does knock it down in quality from the far more expensive Super Elite version. The tires are made from a harder rubber that make them look and feel plastic. As mentioned earlier, the small, brass antenna is fragile and must be handled with care. I’d like to have seen headlights on this car instead of the painted-over grill patterns and small plastic buttons they used. Also, the engine and Bat Computer really are the low points of this model.

Hardcore fans of the original ’66 Batman television series will take issues with the differences between this model and the show’s car. By that comparison it is not 100% accurate. This diecast was modeled after George Barris’ current Batmobile. It was always Mr. Barris’ car and after the series ended the car was returned to him. Since then he has made several changes, not the least of which was updating the stereo system which doesn’t match the original. There are other differences such as seats and seatbelts, the size of the phone and extinguisher and I’m sure many others. As I mentioned, I’m not hardcore enough to recognize the difference.

If you want an accurate representation down to the finest of details then you’ll have to spend three times what this version costs. This is the perfect version for those of us who don’t need the minutia to be perfect, but want to have the absolute best looking and affordable Batmobile available.

The verdict: Go out and buy this model right now (and remember to keep the bonnet and boot closed).

Fan Expo President Offers Apology

2010-10-01T12:27:00.002-04:00

The organizers of Fan Expo Canada took a beating for the mismanagement of the event and have issued an apology.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

By: FanExpo Admin (admin)

August 31, 2010

Dear Fans,

On behalf of the staff of Fan Expo Canada™ I would like to apologize for the lengthy delays and inconvenience experienced by many at Fan Expo Canada™ this past weekend. We were, quite simply, inadequately prepared for the increased crowds in a venue that was neither familiar to us nor not capable of meeting our collective demands. We recognize and have heard from many of you that this was unacceptable and unfair to our loyal fans.

The staff at Fan Expo have been and will continue to read and act upon the concerns communicated by our fans about Fan Expo 2010. In preparation for Fan Expo Canada™ 2011, we have already confirmed a booking of the entire South Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This will be the largest area ever used for our show and its layout is far better suited to the size and nature of our event. We are also committed to the communication of key practices for ticket purchases, show access and other related logistics effectively and well in advance of the 2011 show. In addition, we intend to engage all of the event stakeholders as we work through the planning process including: staff, fans, venue, security, Fire & Emergency Services, Tourism Toronto and the City of Toronto in this process.

We appreciate the continued support of each fan, and are grateful to have fans who are willing to take the time and effort to help improve the "Fan Expo Experience". Again we sincerely apologize to the fans that were unable to enjoy the full experience of Fan Expo 2010. Please know that we welcome your feedback and suggestions for how we can improve the fan experience. Please forward your comments to us at info@hobbystar.com.

Sincerely yours,

Aman Gupta and the Fan Expo Canada Team

President and CEO

Hobby Star Marketing, Inc.

Toy Collector Feature Blog

2010-09-03T11:07:00.010-04:00

My report for Toy Collector at Fan Expo 2010 is the feature blog this week. I hope you check it out.

Toy Collector at Fan Expo Canada 2010

2010-08-31T13:43:00.000-04:00

The Hunt

2010-08-18T10:57:00.005-04:00

Written By Danielle La Paglia
Photo by Ian O'Neill

He steps carefully afraid to slip, his boots squishing into the moist earth. Easing forward he slowly pulls his rear foot from the mud suctioning it to the jungle floor. Humidity presses in on him, filling his lungs with more moisture than air. His fatigues stick to his skin, soaked through at his belt and the strap of his rifle. Shifting thick leaves aside with the tip of his weapon, he searches for the enemy. His progress is slow, but steady. He pushes on knowing they are close by. He can feel their presence, taste victory on his tongue.

Then he hears it, a twig snaps to his left. Muscles tense, he shifts only his eyes at first, then twists at the waist. One step closer and he catches a glimpse of them through the trees. His pulse races, he holds his breath, and inches forward. Blinking sweat from his eyes, he leans into the scope and takes aim. Finger ready, he steadies his arm, releases his breath, and pulls the trigger. He shifts to the second man before the first has fallen and hears the unmistakable sound of a pistol cock behind him.

A small jerk and he crumples to the jungle floor.

My Spider-man Collection

2010-07-23T17:30:00.014-04:00

He's still my hero!

I’ve come across a few fanatical collectors of Spider-man memorabilia and I’ll confess that I’m nowhere on their radar, hell, not even in the same hemisphere. Yet, I still feel like a crazed collector even though I’ve spent maybe a few hundred dollars on my collection, where others have spent tens of thousands. That sounds more like a small gathering of items rather than a collection, but I disagree. I would wager that my little group of Spidey collectibles has the same effect on me as another person’s large collection would have on them; it makes me happy, is a very pleasing thing to look at and it has meaning to me.

Why Spider-man?

Aside from the obvious reason that the fictional superhero is just badass, there is the notion that many readers of Spider-man connected with Peter Parker, the guy under the mask. Here was a kid that had all the same problems we had; acne, couldn’t connect with girls very well, a loner, B.O., awkward…all the stuff that adolescent males deal with was right there on the page. While I’m quite certain this was likely one of the reasons that I connected with Spidey, it wasn’t the main reason.

When I was a kid I had a minor reading disability. Well, now I think it was a minor problem, but then it was a whole other story. I couldn’t read more than one or two words at a time. So, where some kids were scanning whole paragraphs and flying through their reading assignments, I was jerkily crawling along. I dreaded oral reading, when each kid the class would read a sentence or paragraph out loud. I was terrible at it unless I figured out which sentence or paragraph I was meant to read, then I’d go over it as many times as I could and sound so smooth and polished when my turn came. Reading was awful, it was a chore; I hated reading.

My parents were pretty smart and felt that reading anything was better than nothing so, they supplied me with comic books. My favourite being, you guessed it, Spider-man. If not for Stan Lee I never would have understood reading for enjoyment or possibly reading at all. I recently wrote a thank you letter to Mr. Lee for his part in my reading happiness. Not that it’ll mean much to him, probably receives thousands of letters a week. Still, it made me feel good.

So many moons later and I still get a thrill when I pick up a new piece to the collection. For those interested in starting their own collection of Spidey goodies, point yourself to the nearest dollar store. You’ll be amazed at what you can pick up for a buck or two. Items that I’ve purchased, often for one dollar, go for much more online. I’m not suggesting that you go to the dollar stores and pick up items that you can sell for more on Ebay. Far from that. I’m telling you to keep those items, open them up and display them. Hell, you want to keep them packaged to leave them to the kids, go ahead. But, keep them. Enjoy them.

Dollar stores aren’t the only place to hunt down treasures. I visited a local Party Packagers store and picked up a Spider-man Marvel Legends (Sentinel Series) for $8.50. I found an Ebay listing for the exact same figure, mint in box, for US $50.

I love my collectibles and don’t see myself ever selling them, though I have given stuff away. You can blame my mom for that; she really was right when she said it was far better to give then receive. I enjoy the feeling of random acts of kindness (RAOK). That’s just part of the experience of collecting Spider-man memorabilia or any kind of collectible for that matter. I encourage you to join in the fun by visiting Spider-man sites, toy sites and other collecting sites. Heck, get out to a toy show, you’ll love it! You meet some very interesting folks with similar interests – face to face, too!

What’s So Cool?

I’m often asked what my favourite piece is from my collection. That is so difficult to answer since I love them all, but when pushed I come up with these three items:

A wrestling mask my wife brought back for me from Mexico.

A crocheted blanket in the shape of a spider web that a good friend made for me.

A plastic head used at retail stores to hold bubblegum that my mom got for me from a local variety store.

There are countless items to collect in the world of Spider-man and countless more in so many other areas. Get out there, enjoy yourself and do a little collectible hunting face to face – you’ll be glad you did.

Here's a few more photos of items I've collected over the years.

Toy Collector Reviews

2010-07-22T16:29:00.003-04:00

All of my toy reviews, thus far, on Toy Collector.

Say it with me..."I Love Toys."

AT-AT DAY AFTERNOON

2010-07-09T12:57:00.002-04:00

Another great work from Patrick Boivin.

The Making of AT-AT DAY AFTERNOON

Mercury Joe

2010-07-04T23:09:00.000-04:00

Spider-man Animated Series (1994)

2010-06-23T11:00:00.000-04:00

Review of Did's Captain 'Millers'

2010-06-17T00:38:00.005-04:00

I recently reviewed the 1:6 figure of Captain Miller from the film Saving Private Ryan. Not only was the film fantastic, this figure is, too.

Super Snail

2010-06-16T23:46:00.001-04:00

Iron Baby!

2010-05-27T10:55:00.000-04:00

What is Creativity?

2010-03-31T01:25:00.002-04:00

I met Mike from the Institute of Awesome over some questions about a video camera I bought. He asked me a few questions, too, only they were about creativity and the writing process. You'll find the interview here.

CCAC PSA - No Self Exam

2010-02-19T14:28:00.005-05:00

This is a PSA I entered into the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada's contest. Please rate this video.

How Do You Measure Writing Success?

2010-02-19T09:40:00.002-05:00

Guest Blogging on Raina James site.

How Do You Measure Writing Success?

Prologues

2010-02-08T08:08:00.001-05:00

I found this discussion on prologues interesting. What do you think?

Craigslist Entry: Slightly Used Talk Show Set...

2010-01-21T10:25:00.004-05:00

Conan's ad on Craiglist was an excellent bit and I never got a chance to offer him anything for it. It seems, however, that NBC won the bidding by offering this:

An old, big-chinned, whiney, greedy guy with worse ratings and no backbone!

The worst part about this entire debacle is that The Tonight Show will carry this permanent scar. Jay Leno had nothing to do with choosing Conan, he had nothing to do with firing him, he had even less to do with getting himself reinstated. But, he had everything to do with every part of this by not speaking out against it. That's why Jay is all chin and no backbone.

Conan and his staff will be well paid for NBC's idiocy. And, Conan will land on his feet somewhere. I can't wait to see Jay land on his face (chin fist of course).

Endo at Fictionwise

2009-09-08T19:48:00.001-04:00

Endo is finally available at Fictionwise for download. A great buy at less than $5.

Cheers,
Ian

Will Iron Man Wear Mickey Ears

2009-08-31T15:00:00.002-04:00

Disney buys Marvel Entertainment for a cool 4 billion.

Check out the article here.

Join in the Discussion...

2009-08-19T00:48:00.003-04:00

The Magic of Mysteries

Join in the discussion. There's a chance to win a copy of Endo.

G.I. Joe A Brief History

2009-08-12T18:16:00.000-04:00

Craig Ferguson Is On To Something!

2009-08-10T16:58:00.000-04:00

G.I. Joe Commercial

2009-08-08T11:33:00.001-04:00

In the wake of the anniversary of Neil Armstrong's historic first steps on the moon, I give you G.I. Joe's commercial venture into space.

A Few Questions for Kelley Armstrong

2009-06-29T11:32:00.008-04:00

Kelley Armstrong is a best selling author of several series including Nadia Stafford, a hitman (hitwoman? hitperson?) with a conscience. I want to thank Kelley for dropping by to answer a few question about her latest book, Made To Be Broken, in her thriller series and some off topic stuff as well. Kelley’s readers and any writers who drop by are in for a treat.

Leave a comment for your chance to win a paperback copy of Made To Be Broken signed by Kelley and a signed copy of my book, Endo. Both will arrive in an evidence bag with a toe tag, fingerprint cards and a few ‘Crime Scene’ bandages. Check for details at the end of the interview.

Q. Aside from all of the writing you do, you have a family and with that comes demands. Are you also a professional juggler? How do you manage to be a mom, wife and bestselling author whose touring schedule has dramatically increased over the last few years?

A. I think, in some ways, I was lucky to have my first book published when I had three kids already, two under the age of two at the time, because I quickly learned how to make the most of what little free time I had. As the younger two hit school age, the extra time gave me a chance to do more. I’m finding now that I overdid it a bit, so I’m easing back!

Q. Where do you write most often? And, do you ever break from your location and go out to a coffee shop or park to write?

A. I write most often in my basement office. It’s quiet and distraction-free. I’ve learned, though, to write in other locations—on the road, it’s a must. I do enjoy the clichéd coffee-shop writing thing now and then. I’ve discovered that as long as no one is talking directly to me (or likely to), I can tune it out.

Q. Please give your thoughts on outlining. Do you stick hard and fast to your outline or do you massage as you write?

A. I definitely massage as I go. The first act usually matches my outline, and the second has most of the main points, but the third almost always changes a lot. These days I don’t even bother to do more than jot down the basic idea for the resolution during the outlining phase.

Q. How much and what kind of research went into writing Made to be Broken?

A. A lot more went into the first novel, Exit Strategy. For this one, it was only things specific to the plot, like adoption law in Michigan.

Q. Did you bend any writing ‘rules’ in the Nadia Stafford series?

A. I bend them so often I don’t even notice anymore! I can’t remember any specific ones for this series, though.

Q. Made To Be Broken had no prologue which was a bit of a surprise to me. However you did start this book with a (silenced) bang. How important is the first scene?

A. I went back and forth a few times on the opening to this one. The natural prologue would have been the murder of a previous victim, but that would have given away too much of the mystery. I initially started with the hitman job Nadia does with Quinn. Then I worried because that wasn’t the main plot, so I changed it, starting with Nadia and her assistant, Sammi. I had her leave for the job with Quinn, then return to find Sammi had disappeared. But that meant a very slow start, one that didn’t properly introduce Nadia as a hitman. So I reverted to the original version.

Q. You handled what could easily have turned into blatant exposition gracefully in the book. What is the trick to making necessary information seamless and non-expository?

A. If it’s necessary (and it shouldn’t be included if it isn’t) then it needs to be broken up into the smallest chunks possible and woven into the narrative. Writing pages of exposition is begging modern readers to skip pages, meaning they’ll miss something the author thought was important to the story.

Q. You write complicated female protagonists and Nadia Stafford is definitely one of them. Do you ever feel a responsibility to represent woman in fiction?

A. No. My focus is on strong and complex characters, male and female. Writing them from the female POV means that those traits are more obvious in my women, but I’ve tried to work them into the men as well.

Q. I’m always happy when a piece of information jumps out at me in a fiction novel. One of those nuggets from Made To Be Broken was that a cougar sounds like the scream of a woman. Is this information you filed away for use some time never knowing if you’d ever need it? As an author, do you feel you look at things around you differently?

A. I do file away trivia like that, and I suppose it makes me look at the world differently. I’m always hearing things that I think would make a good tidbit or twist for a book, then holding onto them until I find the right place.

Q. You made purely Canadian references in this book: Canadian Tire and Lotto 6/49 to name two. Is there a risk of alienating U.S. readers?

A. There is if it’s overdone. I make sure that the meaning is clear—Canadian Tire is identified as a store, Lotto 6/49 is obviously a lottery etc. If it comes naturally to me, as a Canadian, to use a certain reference, then I do, but I don’t go out of my way to add it for flavour.

Q. You also use brand names like Maglite instead of flashlight. Any worry that readers will see this as ‘product placement’?

A. Again, it’s a matter of quantity. If every item is identified by brand name. then it smacks of product placement. I use them only when the character would, so with Nadia, it’s for things like her equipment.

Q. How difficult is it to keep a balance between character plots and the main plot or do they rely on each other to such a degree that the equal balance is automatic?

A. They do rely on each other. That wasn’t always the case with my books, but I’ve learned to consider character development more when coming up with the plot, so the two can progress in tandem.

Q. Are the involved, intricate relationships in Nadia’s life there to help balance out her anti-heroine archetype?

A. They are. When working with an anti-hero, a writer needs to balance that "anti" part with other things. Readers want to identify with the main character, which is tougher in this type of book, so backstory and outside relationships are important. Readers don’t need to like the character, but understanding her is important.

Q. Do you ever make a personal statement in your fiction writing? Take Nadia’s feelings about Tim Hortons or how she feels about non-unionized workforces – is that her opinion only or is it tinged with Kelley Armstrong?

A. It’s Nadia, which readers sometimes have difficulty understanding. I’ve had more than my share of e-mailed complaints because of a statement a character makes. I explain that I write first-person narrative, which means it’s the character talking, not me. An author hasn’t done her job with character development if she doesn’t know what a character’s opinions would be…or if they all match her own!

Q. What is the most important thing you’ve learned about the publishing industry?

A. I’ve learned a lot, and I’m not sure what’s most important, but one bit of new knowledge that I think is important to pass on is that it’s not a closed industry. Unpublished writers like to tell themselves that they aren’t getting picked up because publishers don’t want new writers or new material. The truth is that editors are always looking for new work. They want to find new authors. The problem is getting your work to the person who falls in love with what you’ve written.

Q. What’s more difficult, getting published or continuing to be published?

A. Getting published was harder, but staying that way is tougher than I imagined. Before I was published, like most writers, my entire focus was on getting my foot in the door. I didn’t really think about what would happen after that. The next step, though, is staying published, and it’s far from a given.

Q. Was there a time when you were first published that things weren’t as you expected? Did you struggle even though you’d been published?

A. That’s always a tough question to answer because when writers complain about the hardships and stresses of the business, it sounds like whining, particularly to all the would-be authors who would love to be in our shoes. I wouldn’t trade this job for anything. I love it. Of course there are things that are tougher than I expected. Staying published, for one thing. I’m at the point where I’m not in danger of losing my career if the next book fails, but there’s still that constant pressure to do better and fear of starting to slide backward.

Q. With so many books being published all battling for diminishing shelf space, it’s easy for those starting out as writers to get discouraged. What advice can you give aspiring writers dreaming of getting published?

A. I’ll give very simple advice this time. If you want it, go for it. If you really want to write, really need to write, then no amount of rejection will stop you, and that’s exactly the tenacity that will get you published.

I want to thank Kelley for taking time to answer my questions and hope you will drop by to thank her as well.

To be eligible to win a signed copy of Kelley’s Made To Be Broken and a signed copy of my book, Endo, all you have to do is leave a comment. Come back to the blog on July 18th to see if you are the winner. This is a worldwide contest and the shipping is on me. Simple right? Remember, regardless of how many comments you leave, you can only have your name (blogger ID) entered in the contest once. Good luck.

In the meantime, swing over to Amazon and pick up a copy of Made To Be Broken and Endo.
Thanks for dropping by.

A Great Surprise...

2009-04-15T12:08:00.002-04:00

The embedding has been removed on this video and that's a shame because I desperately wanted to have it on my blog.

Susan Boyle is a name you'll be hearing a lot of in the coming days.

Check out this Youtube video and see why.

Endo out in Trade Paperback

2009-04-14T00:17:00.006-04:00

Endo

After discovering the body of a pro cyclist at the bottom of a cliff, former detective Keely McAdam's mountain bike race ends, plunging him into the start of an evolving mystery. Soon a second cyclist is missing and Keely feels compelled to help solve the murder and find the missing woman.

Murder mystery becomes nightmare when Keely's wife, Elise, is kidnapped. Her abductors demand an unusual ransom: find the missing cyclist or Elise's life is over. With the help of some old and new friends, Keely battles countless road blocks in pursuit of his quest. He soon realizes that fate has brought him back to the very case that forced his early retirement. Now he must deal with the past if he and his wife are to have any future at all.

Endo is now available in trade paperback at the following sites:

You can also link to these sites from my publisher's website: BookStrand.

Pick up your copy today!

Life On Mars Ends

2009-04-02T17:03:00.009-04:00

One of the most imaginative television series to come along in years saw its finale last night. Here's a piece that wraps it up nicely. Personally, I'm indifferent about the ending. It smacks of "Who shot J.R." and feels a bit cliche though, once the final title sequence ran, it brought everything together quite nicely.

I'm going to miss it, but the big question is, will I buy the DVD box set? What a cliffhanger.

Safe Journey Mom

2009-03-17T13:47:00.010-04:00

Alice O’Neill
June 6, 1935 – March 8, 2009

My mom passed on early on March 8th and though we’d been preparing ourselves for this time, it was nonetheless very difficult to accept. My mom was extremely important to me, her family and her friends which showed in the number of people who came to pay their respects at her visitation and memorial service. I want to thank everyone who in their own ways showed support for our family. Many kind words made there way to me and I cannot express how important they were in keeping me strong through this very trying time.

I can take solace in the fact that I remained a big part of my mom’s life and helped her as much as I could in her waning years. I can also feel good knowing that I have followed her final wishes to the letter (and will continue to do so until every last one is taken care of). I have to thank my wife Sandy and our daughter Alex for all their help. If not for them I don’t know what I would have done. Our friends have been incredible not only by offering to help, but by jumping in without being asked and doing whatever they could. Raquel, driving Alex and Sandy to the hospital so that I could stay close to mom. Tony delivering food to the hospital knowing I wasn’t going to leave her side. Richard, who answered his phone any time of day or night to let me vent. These are just a few examples and may sound like small things, but they were huge to us.

I can’t sleep. I close my eyes to sleep and I get angry at some things that have happened. I don’t have all that stuff that has to be taken care of to distract me anymore (not that I wanted all of it, but there was a positive). I get sad that I won’t see my mom again. I can’t shut off my mind enough to relax. Sleep is in short half hour spurts. I know it’ll get better and life will return to some kind of normalcy (whatever that is) but for now I’m troubled.

I know why I’m having trouble letting go. The scale is tipped too far in my mom’s favour and I can’t find ways to balance it out. My mother did what mother’s do – she cared for and nurtured me. She helped put a roof over my head and food on our table. We didn’t have a lot but what we had was more than enough. My father and mother helped me become a better person and develop into a man. She showed me how important life and love are. That things can be replaced but people are gone forever – choosing which to love is pretty easy.

She gave me a home when my world collapsed and never asked for anything in return. I got back on my feet and she was so proud of me. Funny how she was as responsible for that as I was but never said it or asked to be recognized. I would never look at her in a ‘what have you done for me lately’ kind of way. Mom did so much for me throughout my life – going to my hockey games (until it got too rough), cleaning up all the wounds, taking me to my doctor and dentist appointments, the birthday parties, the lessons she taught me without me knowing it, the amazing stories she told while we sat around the kitchen table, playing scrabble with me, making me the Peter Cottontail costume for my kindergarten play, always finding and stressing the positive, letting me think that I found my own way. I could fill pages of things for which to thank her and that is why I feel the scale is greatly tipped in her favour.

If I live the remainder of my life by the incredible example she set I may be able to come close to balancing the scales.

Mom, I love you and I will miss you terribly.

Safe journey.

The Secret Ain't No Secret...

2009-02-20T15:45:00.002-05:00

Weeks ago I made a joke about The Secret and it made me laugh but was pretty derogatory toward anyone remotely interested in this…program? Way of life? Philosophy? Ruse? I didn’t feel guilty about the comment, but I did wonder if I gave it a fair shake. After all, Oprah devoted several shows to The Secret. Maybe there was something I missed the first time I read the back of the book. Maybe the short intro on Oprah about a boy wanting a bike, thinking about the bike, cutting a picture from a catalogue of the bike and sticking it to his wall, then the bike magically appearing wasn’t the whole story

I had to investigate more thoroughly.

It was still the same pie-in-the-sky nonsense I researched when it first arrived. I watched the first twenty minutes of The Secret film on YouTube and was in awe of the production values. The producers spared no expense in dramatizing The Secret and how it has been guarded and passed down from generation to generation. At the core of this philosophy is the law of attraction. What you think about, you attract. If you think negative, I’m going to get nothing but bills in the mail, I’m going to be late, I’m never going to succeed then that is what you will attract. Think positively. Think about what you want and you will get it; you will attract it.

What works most effectively about The Secret is not a law, but a power. The power of suggestion. If people buy into The Secret they buy the book or the DVD. Marketing is the best way to describe its success.

Are you seeing what I’m seeing? What’s really at the heart of this philosophy isn’t thinking about something and getting it like the kid getting the bike he was thinking about. It’s the power of positive thinking, something Norman Vincent Peale suggested in the 50s. And like Peale’s philosophy which had no way of being substantiated, so too, falls The Secret.

No one can prove unequivocally that simply thinking about your wants will reward you with them. Nor can anyone say for certain that thinking positively will alter your life for the better. No one leaves their home in the morning thinking they want to be hit by a bus, but it happens. This is the flaw in the theory of positive thinking and likewise, in The Secret.

However, in my thirst for knowledge and while researching whether to delve further into The Secret phenomenon, I made a conscious choice. I decided that I would focus my attention on being positive and recognizing the positive over the negative. It’s been almost a month now and I have to say that it has not brought me fame or fortune. However, it has changed me in a very significant way. I am happier. It may sound strange, but it's the truth. I feel better. I wake up feeling good and go about my day feeling better than I’ve felt in a long time. Does that equal getting everything I ever wanted. Of course not. But it does make a difference in my life and in the lives of those around me.

Thinking positively has not stopped, nor will it ever stop, bad things from happening (bills will continue to arrive in the mail). Positive thinking makes those unpleasant things in life a lot more tolerable.

So, The Secret isn't a secret after all.

Endo Out Tomorrow!

2008-11-25T09:35:00.005-05:00

It has been a long road but my mystery/suspense novel, Endo, is out tomorrow. I wrote part of this novel as participation in the 2007 National Novel Writing Month. When the month was over I was half way through and that was a great feeling. It didn't take me long to finish the manuscript and I set it aside for a few weeks before starting the next step - the edit.

Having come through the entire process I have to admit that the real work of writing a novel is rewriting the novel. Flushing out the idea behind your story, creating your characters, developing the plots then sitting down and writing the story are all fantastically enjoyable in comparison to the long, brutal process of editing. And, it turned out to be a very eye-opening experience for me since after my editor got through with it, I learned that my self-editing skills need a lot of work.

Sitting on the other side of what I know was a heavy workload, you'd think I could take some time to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. Not a chance. Now I have to let people know that the book is available.

There are a few things you can do to help. First, and most importantly, please buy a copy of Endo. It's a great book and I know you'll enjoy it. Second, and equally as important, please tell everyone you know to buy a copy of Endo, because it's a great book and you know they'll enjoy it.

If you do buy a copy and give it a read (which I highly recommend), please drop by and let me know what you thought of it. Thanks in advance for giving me your time.

The One Hour Plan

2008-08-11T17:19:00.001-04:00

I’m a slow reader, always have been and that makes reading, at times, a chore. So, to combat that feeling of ‘mucking through’ I devised a plan – a one hour plan.

I’m going to read one hour a day for pleasure. No pressure. No page count goals. Just read what I can in an hour and no more. I can lump it all together or spread it out. Either way, I’ll be getting back to doing something I love – reading.

I’m going to do my best to stick to this plan and post the names of the books I’ve completed. I read Kelley Armstrong’s Broken and just finished her seventh book in the Women of the Otherworld series, No Humans Involved using the one hour plan. Great reads if you haven’t heard.

Well, I’m off to choose my next book. So many…

Write What You Know

2008-07-30T11:57:00.001-04:00

It’s no secret that when a writer is bitten by the fiction bug they experience a jolt of excitement in finding their passion. There is, however, for some of those writers, a nasty toxin that lingers in their systems, sometimes for life. What effects does this toxin have on unsuspecting writers? One particularly nasty effect gets them to lock into writing guidelines and consider them hard, carved-in-stone rules from which they must never deviate.

Most of these so-called rules are easy to dismiss, bend, break or ignore. Though, there is one that puts up a tougher fight. On many occasions I’ve heard and read that writers should write what they know. I’ve fielded that question a few times at conventions or in writing groups and every time I get stuck in the same sparring match – how can I write about murder or flying an airplane or driving a racecar when I’ve never murdered anyone, flown a plane or even gotten a speeding ticket?

The fiction writing bug does a great job because its venom gets the writer to take this suggestion literally. One has to look at the broader meaning.

Consider this, a scene has many elements and one of them is emotion (or lack of it). When we talk about writing what we know, we talk about making a connection with something emotionally, something close enough to the action you’re writing about to give it realism.

I’ve never flown a plane, but I can ask a pilot about the mechanics of flying a plane or I can try a flight simulator to get a handle on the procedures of piloting an aircraft. What I lose is the emotional connection to flying a plane. By all means ask a pilot what it feels like to fly a plane and use that but go one step further and write what you know.

Here’s what I know about flying a plane. I’ve been in the cockpit of one in flight, I’ve also been at the open door of a plane several thousand feet in the air, while the plane was banking. I’ve flown on commercial airlines and felt severe turbulence. I’ve flown through fog so thick that I spotted the runway just as the wheels touched down. I’ve been on a plane that lost altitude and quickly recovered. I’ve flown at night and day, above, below and through the clouds. I’ve been on a plane during a heavy storm. I’m sure I could come up with more.

I must consider what the scene entails. Let’s say the pilot has a killer flying after him in another plane and he’s trying to lose him. I can not only use what I know of being on and around planes and the interview with a real pilot but also anything that will bring me the emotions that go with…flying fast, erratically, banking and rolling. I can draw from my experience of being on a rollercoaster that flipped upside-down. I can use my experiences watching movies at the Ontario Place Theatre. There was a film that showed a bird’s eye perspective of flying over all kinds of terrain and you felt just like you were the bird (my stomach flipped a few times as I recall).

What you might find is that your scene is likely to change when you apply write what you know. It will get better and feel far more real to you which translates to a much more fulfilling read for your audience.

There are going to be scenes where you’ll have to stretch your imagination to apply write what you know. Let’s take murder for example. No, I’ve never murdered anyone and I’ve never even wanted to. I’ve been angry and upset at people, but murder never crossed my mind. So, what then? How do you apply writing what you know in this situation?

Since you’re writing in the realm of fiction then I know you’re a creative person and that is what you’ll have to tap to make the emotional connection work. You’ll have to be very specific to your character’s needs and wants and their reasons for committing such a heinous crime. Once you’re clear on all that, ask yourself what that experience may be like for your character? What are they feeling? If it’s anger that drives them to kill, think of the most angry you’ve ever been and connect your character to those emotions.

This is where you’ll be happy that writing is a solitary affair; you wouldn’t want to openly share these emotional moments with people since they are so personal – I know I’d never share them. You’re not writing about the event that made you feel a certain way, you’re focusing on the feelings that were a result of the event. Did your body shake? What did it feel like? Were you sweating, breathing hard, or outwardly completely in control and your mind reeling? Fists clenched or hands wrung together? Think about that time and write what you know.

Now go write something – that you know.

Do we ever disconnect from people?

2008-07-18T12:36:00.003-04:00

I heard some sad news a few days ago and I got to thinking of a guy who was a big part of my life in my younger days. I laughed a lot with this friend of mine and I truly enjoyed being around him. He had a way of pushing you to do things that you might not, at first thought, want to even try. I still can’t believe that he got me to go parachuting. I was fine until I got in the damn plane.

Kenny practically stormed the plane and I laughed at him thinking that if he wanted to go first, that was just fine with me. I hung back and made sure I was one of the last to get on the plane – I was in no hurry to leave a perfectly good aircraft. My logic was pretty sound until I took my seat on the floor, legs out for the person in front of me to sit between, and they were the only thing between me and the open door.

I took a quick look out the window and learned a very valuable lesson in perspective. Ever stand under a bridge and think, that’s not so high. Then, on the bridge looking down you’re amazed at how high it is. That was exactly what I experienced on that little plane. I’d seen small aircraft flying around Toronto all the time and they didn’t look so high. They were a lot higher than I ever imagined. I mentally tried to blow up Kenney’s head but I wouldn’t even know if I’d succeeded since he was at the very back of the plane, ten people away from me. I was sure I heard him laugh though.

The plane dipped sideways and me and my fifty pound chute slid against the side, my face an inch from the window. The instructor motioned for jumper one, the guy sitting in front of me, to get set. He scrambled to the door and the plane turned again, the guy leaned out the door then the instructor yelled, “Go.” Static line or not, this guy fell away from that plane like he was Superman – faster than a speeding bullet. He was there, then he was gone.

Jumper number two did the same, then the instructor motioned to me. I hated and loved Kenny at that exact moment. He’d gotten me to do something that wasn’t remotely on my list of things to do. My heart was trying to burst through my chest, the straps holding the chute on me and my emergency parachute. I tasted bile or maybe blood since I was gnawing on my lip like it was chewing tobacco.

I waddled into position at the door and as the plane arced left to get back to the jump zone, my mind went over every detail I’d learned that day and it stopped dead on one thing - my only real fear was getting my chute caught on the tail of the plane. I even said so during the slide presentation that morning – the one that was to help us understand what might go wrong and how to handle it.

“Nothing to worry about,” the instructor said. “I’ve never seen it happen.”

Four slides later the voice on the tape said that if your chute gets caught on the tail of the plane, not to worry. Skilled pilots will still be able to land the plane and you’ll only have a few bumps and bruises to show for it. I turned to Kenny and apparently I’d still not mastered shooting lasers from my eyes. My expression only made him laugh louder and stall the presentation.

I was hanging out of the door, my fingers gripping its lip to the point where I was sure they’d find metal under my fingernails when I splatted against the ground. I saw a light turn green and the instructor yelled at me. Using the lip on the door, I pulled myself back so I could get more momentum reducing the risk of getting snagged on the tail.

The instructor must have thought I was freezing, because he put his hands on the bottom of my vintage parachute and hoisted me through the door.

I flipped and screamed and yelled and then opened my eyes (as you can tell, my training really sank in) to see the plane disappear. Sounds came out of my throat that I didn’t think I could make. The chute whipped by my left hip and as a drowning man will clutch at anything, I grabbed for it. I quickly realized my mistake and let it go.

I felt a massive jolt and I swung back and forth a few times. I looked up and saw the ground. I looked down and saw the chute. My mind couldn’t process this information fast enough and sent my hand to my emergency chute. But, before I pulled it, I realized that I wasn’t falling – it felt like I was floating. I looked down again and saw that my feet were tangled in my risers (those straps that go from all the chute cords to your shoulders). I slowly untangled my feet and my body snapped upright.

It was, and still is, one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen. The soft orange glow of the setting sun shrouded by slight strips of black cloud bathed the earth in the sweetest colour of light I’ve ever seen. I forgot every bad thing that had happened and floated for what felt like an hour.

When I was safely on the ground I found Kenny and we hugged, laughing and smiling. It was a journey that I will never forget and it will forever be linked to my friend Kenny. There are other memories, too, that help keep Kenny in my thoughts every so often.

So, do we really disconnect from people? No. Once in our lives, always in our lives.

Safe journey Ken Montgomery, and thanks for being my friend.

A few questions with…Eve Silver A.K.A. Eve Kenin

2008-07-11T16:33:00.007-04:00

Eve Silver is an instructor of human anatomy and microbiology, and a bestselling author. Her first book was published in November of 2005 and not surprisingly to anyone who’s read her work, since then she's earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, Reviewers Choice Awards from RT BOOKreviews, and was chosen by Library Journal as one of their Best Genre Fiction 2007 picks.

Her latest release, Hidden, written as Eve Kenin, is in stores now with His Wicked Sins, penned under Eve Silver, hitting stores in August. Demon's Hunger will be available November.

I’m thrilled that she could take time out of what has to be an incredibly busy schedule to answer a few questions.

Hello…Thanks for the intro.

Q. How does a woman with a busy family life (husband and two sons), teach anatomy and microbiology, and write for three different publishers? I’m tired just asking the question.

A. It’s no secret…butt-in-chair-hands-on-keyboard. I’m business oriented in that sense, even though I’m in a creative profession. I promised my publisher(s) a book by deadline, and I’m determined to meet my obligation. I make every effort to turn in the project, clean and on time. Sometimes, that means sacrifices. On family vacations, I get up early and write while everyone else sleeps, then hang out with them once they roll out of bed. And unfortunately, I have to delegate jobs like cleaning the bathroom or doing the Everest-sized mountain of laundry. Sad, I know. But something’s gotta give, LOL!

Last year was a bit crazy. I completed four projects: HIDDEN by Eve Kenin and three Eve Silver releases, HIS WICKED SINS, NATURE OF THE BEAST (Kiss of the Vampire), and DEMON’S HUNGER.

Q. Though you write for three different lines, there is a common thread between them. They are, at their core, romances. What drew you to the romance genre?

A. I read my first romance when I was in my teens, and what struck me about the genre was the tone of hope, strength and perseverance. I love that. Throughout the rough patches in my life, romance novels offered the happy ending, and that was uplifting and wonderful. When I started writing, there was no question in my mind that romance was the way I would go. That said, I write three different genres: historical gothics (sort of historical suspense stories), contemporary paranormals about demons and sorcerers, and futuristic speculative stories that recently had a reviewer pose the question, “This is a ROMANCE?”, in stunned amazement when he read DRIVEN. Guess he wasn’t expecting a post-apocalyptic, trans-Siberian trucker tale to be a love story.

Q. From what I’ve read of your work, you’re not exactly writing your mom’s romance. How have things changed from the time you started reading romances to writing them?

A. Hey, don’t knock Mom’s romance, LOL!

Interesting question. Some things haven’t changed at all. Many romances are quite brilliant, with amazing character development and emotional depth. I still pull old reads off my keeper shelf, curl up in a comfy chair and lose myself in those stories. And some things have changed a great deal. There is a blurring of lines between romance and other genres, and blends and hybrids are increasingly more common. For example, years ago, when I started reading Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld books, they were shelved and sold as horror. Today, those same books are among romance fan favorites.

Q. Do you write at home? If so, is your family on board? Do they give you room and quiet to work?

Yes, I write at home. And yes, my family is on board. In fact, they recently helped set up a great office for me…a room all to myself! Up until that point I’d been writing in bed or at the kitchen table or on the couch…sitting in a lawn chair at one kid’s football practice or waiting outside their martial arts lessons…wherever, whenever. Because life doesn’t stop just because I need to finish a scene. I’m used to writing in a tumult of activity, so I don’t usually ask for quiet. But they are amazing in the sense that they pick up the slack for all household chores and such when I’m deep in deadline hell.

Q. How in depth are your outlines, if you outline at all?

A. Urrgh! This is embarrassing. I’m horrible at outlines. In this business, you need to send your editor a synopsis or outline. And mine are pathetic. My books never end up anything like the outlines I create (except for the novella Kiss of the Vampire in the anthology NATURE OF THE BEAST that actually, by some miracle, did follow the outline). But mostly, I’m a pantser: I write by the seat of my pants. I just start to type (actually, I hunt and peck…I never learned to type) and I hope that a story shows up on the pages. Because if it doesn’t, I’m in big trouble, LOL!

Q. What comes first for you when developing a story, plot or character?

A. Neither. I open a blank page. I start to type (er…hunt and peck), and whatever shows up, shows up. I’m not very good at planning or plotting, and my characters don’t even get names for the first few chapter. I just type YYY for the guy (because of the Y chromosome) and XXX for the girl (because of the X chromosome), and then I go back and do find-and-replace when a name hits me.

Q. How heavily do you research your stories?

A. Tons of research. For me, it isn’t enough to say that there’s a laser in the story. I need to find out what type of laser. And it isn’t enough to say the vehicles are hydrogen powered. I actually need to research the physics of it and see exactly what that would entail.

For my historicals, I research the little things in the hopes of getting it right. What year were matches invented? What would have been served for breakfast? Exactly how was tea prepared? The little things bug me because I hate to miss something and get it wrong.

Q. With so many books under your belt you must have quite a fan base. Do you enjoy book signings and meeting your fans?

A. I do enjoy booksignings. I like connecting with readers who enjoy my stories. It’s a lovely thing to know I did it right, to know that the book I wrote spoke to a reader and made them feel the way I hoped they would feel.

Q. Do you have any advice for writers trying to get published?

A. Butt-in-chair-hands-on-keyboard. If you don’t write the book, you can’t sell the book. And don’t become obsessed with the first chapter. I know people who polish that first chapter, rewriting it over and over again, submitting it to contests, but never getting any farther in the story. Push on. Get through the first chapter and the second and the third. Make it to the end. Then go back and change what you want to change. Write the book, not just a chapter. Persevere. It isn’t always an easy road (I had hundreds of rejections before I made my first sale), but if the need to write burns inside of you like a cold blue flame, then write.

Thank you again Eve, for answering a few of my questions and best of luck with Hidden, His Wicked Sins, and Demon's Hunger.

Eve has graciously offered to drop by and answer questions so, please leave a comment or question.

If you’d like to learn more about Eve Silver and all of the books she has available, please drop by her website.

(More than…) A few questions for Doug M. Cummings

2008-07-08T11:53:00.014-04:00

Now a full time writer, Doug M. Cummings once worked both sides of the crime scene tape, first as a deputy sheriff and then as an investigative reporter. Putting all that experience to work, Doug created his series character, TV reporter Reno McCarthy, who made his debut in Deader by the Lake.

In Every Secret Crime, McCarthy returns after a homicide rocks wealthy Chicago suburb, Falcon Ridge. When the 17-year-old son of celebrity attorneys is found shot to death just outside his bedroom door, the police rush to the scene – and while there, conduct a bizarre investigation. McCarthy suspects a cover-up, and endeavors to find the real killer without police help. As he gets closer to discovering the truth, the killer gets closer to him – and aims to make McCarthy’s next TV shot his last.

Hello Doug and thanks so much for taking time to answer my questions.

Hi Ian and thanks for your questions.

Q. I self-published a novel a few years back and learned so much from that experience. I see that your first novel, Deader by the Lake, was self-published with iUniverse. Why did you self-publish and what was that experience like for you?

A. I brought Deader by the Lake out myself because I had tried for years to have it published traditionally without success. Self-publishing was a wonderful experience with the old iUniverse. I have no idea what it's like for new authors, now that Author House has taken over. I was treated with great respect and the folks I worked with, who I think have all moved on, really went to the wall for me. They not only tried doing some things for me that they hadn't done before, the former CEO Susan Driscoll also managed to get me quoted in articles in the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune and a program on satellite radio. iUniverse was a first-class operation.

Q. Any advice for writers considering self-publishing?

A. Anyone who writes books should do three things. Number One: finish the book before even giving a thought to finding an agent or a publisher. Number Two: Go the traditional route before considering self-publishing. Try to find an agent, the whole bit. It gives you an insight into the business you will not have otherwise and you may receive valuable advice along the way...and get offered a contract! Number Three: Always, always, always have your book professionally edited before you attempt to sell or self-publish it. The word "professional" does not include your daughter-in-law the English teacher or your buddy, "the guy who reads a lot of books." It means hire a professional who does not know you and who is free to offer suggestions without constraint. Hiring a professional editor does not guarantee your work will sell, but it gives it a far better chance. For a first-time author, publishing a book without professional editing is like selling a car without a steering wheel: something essential is missing.

While self-publishing was fulfilling for me, the industry's response to it was lukewarm then (in 2003/2004) and has turned frigid since. Talk to bookstores before you decide to self-publish. Ask critics. Go to a writers' conference and ask other authors. You will find that self-published authors are considered pariahs in the publishing world. Few bookstores, if any, will stock self-published work and the mainstream critics will ignore them. Professional associations will generally not accept self-published authors as voting members and those that say they do will have hidden restrictions that only surface after you've paid your dues. A case in point, without naming names: I joined a major mystery authors group because they showed no prejudice to self-published authors. When the time came to sign up for a Hollywood pitch conference (the opportunity to go to Hollywood and meet with producers), I was told I didn't qualify because I was self-published. No matter that their excuse was long and complicated; it boiled down to the fact that some members were more equal than others. Now traditionally published, I would never consider joining that group again.

Having said all that negative stuff, self-publishing is a way to maintain complete control of your work. You retain your rights. One piece of advice: make sure a lawyer reads whatever contract you're offered.

Q. You must be thrilled that Every Secret Crime was picked up by Five Star?

A. I'm pleased, yes. It's always great to be offered a contract for real money. That said, publishing is a business. Getting picked up is like being hired at any job . . . just the first of
many steps. Once you cash that advance check, you're on the clock. You become a salesperson. Very few houses will offer any more than extremely basic promotional support to their first-time authors. As with self-publishing, it's your responsibility to get publicity, get your books into stores, arrange book-signings, and lobby to be sure the publisher has books available for you to sell when you need them. I've heard stories from booksellers and librarians about authors who walk into stores and libraries and say, "This is a place that has books...so why don't you have mine?" It doesn't work that way. In the four years I've been pushing books, every time I've found my book on a shelf it's been because my publicist and I worked to get it into that particular store. It's not an automatic process.

Q. You've held a few jobs from crime reporter to sheriff. How has that work experience benefited you as a writer?

A. I think any life and work experience you have benefits you as a writer, especially jobs that encourage you to ask questions, do research and learn about how other people live. In that way, being a cop and being a reporter has been enormously beneficial. Many of the questions new crime authors have to ask the professionals I already have the answers for and, if I'm confused about something (which is the case about 99 percent of the time), I have great friends to ask. As a reporter, I saw all sorts of weird things and met loads of interesting people. I also learned a bit about working under stress and on deadline. Some people find asking questions difficult; I got over that in my first year in television. It was great training to be assigned the Man on the Street question of the week...and makes it very unlikely I will ever buttonhole people in shopping malls to get them to buy my book. Spend time at enough crime scenes where the last person a cop wants to see is a "freaking reporter" and calling someone on the phone to ask a question will be a breeze.

Q. I'm sure this is a question you've tackled on occasion but I can't help myself - any situations in your books mirror those that happened to you on the job?

A. I don't think there are any scenes that exactly mirror real-life but many that are similar. In Every Secret Crime, there is constant conflict between the police and the reporters covering a couple of murder cases. I dealt with that at virtually every crime and crash scene I ever attended. Most cops don't want anything to do with reporters and the less intelligent folks in law enforcement will go to ridiculous, and sometimes even illegal, lengths to keep reporters from getting a story. The better, more professional, police officers know dealing with the media is just another facet of the job.

As far as action sequences, I know a bit about guns, both from work and because handgunning is a hobby. I've been in high-speed pursuits and crashes. I know how fights usually happen and how painful they can be. What I try to do is, accepting that I write fiction, try to make the action as realistic as possible. Reno, my protagonist, will never take on a room full of thugs, for example. When he shoots someone, he has to deal with real-life feelings about it. Blood gets spilled, but not by the barrel and, I hope, not in a wanton way. Sometimes the bad guys don't go to jail. Sometimes good people die.

Q. How much of you is in your main character, Reno McCarthy and vice-versa?

A. Reno and I are both handsome, debonair and have women falling all over themselves to take us to bed. When I shake off that fantasy, however, I realize we really are alike in a few ways. We're persistent. We deal with the horrible things we see with dark humor and a realistic attitude. We wisecrack. We resist authority. Sometimes we don't play well with others. Occasionally you'll see us running with scissors. Mostly, we both really care about the victims, probably more than anyone else in the stories we cover. They really are the most important part of the work.

Q. How long does it take you to write a novel starting at the idea stage and ending with a final edit? How do you feel about edits?

A. My first book took ten years, my second two and I've been working on the third for about a year and probably have another six months before it's finished and six more until it's edited. I know some authors who can put a book together in a month. Frankly if I did that, I'd spend the following month in the hospital.

Editing is fun. I feel a great deal of freedom when I finish a book and editing is where I get to express that freedom. I have worked with great editors and most often I incorporate the suggestions they make.

Q. A lot of writers believe that marketing their book should be the publisher's responsibility. That, as we both know, is not reality. How and when do you start the marketing process for your books? Was the decision to hire a publicist influenced by your self-publishing experience?

A. For Every Secret Crime, I started six-months before the publication date by hiring a professional publicity team. I had a single publicist for the first book, Deader by the Lake, but we didn't start much more than a month ahead of time. Promoting a book is a full-time job. I probably could do it by myself but it would be to the exclusion of everything else, including working on the next book. I want every single base covered. It can't ever happen that way but if you approach it with that attitude, you'll certainly have some successes. Publicists are expensive. I started budgeting for book promotion when I first began attending writers conferences in the mid-eighties.

Q. How important is the internet as a marketing tool? I noticed you wrote on your blog a piece about how your readers can help market your books. Was it your intent to include your readers directly in the process? Have they responded positively? What is the best marketing tool at an author's disposal and what's worked best for you?

A. I guess I take a certain Zen approach to marketing. Every marketing tool works in its own way. If you try a tactic and it works for you, keep it in your tool box. If it doesn't, don't use it again.

The internet is essential. Word of mouth is what sells books. Someone reading about you in a blog or on a website may have no interest in your work themselves but, by virtue of cut and paste, can send your name along to their friends. I have found a number of new authors from signing up for sites like Crimespace and Goodreads. Blog book tours are fun. If just one person buys a book after reading about me on a blog, that's terrific. If they show up for a book signing, that's great. If I just get practice honing "the message" I want to use, that's a good thing, too.

I want to involve my readers, my friends and even just those nice helpful folks out there in promoting my work because it's so easy. Asking a library or a bookstore to stock Every Secret Crime takes less than ten minutes. Writing a review for one of the book sites is easy, fun and can be a learning experience because it gives you a chance to think critically as well as being another chance to write and be published!

My best marketing tools are my publicist and events coordinator. Their energy is contagious!

Q. What advice would you have for writers trying to get published? What does the future hold for Doug Cummings?

A. I love these questions because they both give me a chance to use my father's favorite expression: "Get workin' and quit shirkin'!"

Thank you again Doug for taking time to answer my questions. This has been incredibly insightful. Best of luck with Every Secret Crime.

To learn more about Doug M. Cummings and to find out where you can purchase his books or visit him at a signing, visit his website and blog.

A Big Step For Writers

2008-07-03T15:21:00.001-04:00

Critiques are tough to take at the best of times. Think back to the first time you showed your writing to someone. I’ll bet it was a day that you dropped things, had an upset stomach and spent a fair bit of time saying to people, “I’m fine. Really. Just some bad salmon.”

I’ve had conversations with writers who have held off showing their work to people for years since it was just too daunting. Every writer has a different experience when sharing their work for the first time. Some writers talk of how well their work was received and that the critic barely had anything negative to say, if at all. These are likely writers who have showed their work to a family member or friend. Talk to those same people after they have had a stranger’s eyes on their words and you’re sure to get a different tale.

We all have to start somewhere and why shouldn’t it be somewhere safe? Writing is a solitary activity and we only have our own eyes, heart and mind to use when judging our work. It’s a tremendously difficult step to take outside of that comfort zone; mom, dad, brother, sister or even Uncle Joe, are accessible and let’s face it, a safe bet for positive feedback. Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Positive is good, especially at the outset of a person’s writing life. It builds confidence which is much needed fuel on a writer’s journey.

Where a problem begins to surface is when that writer sticks to their safe zone for a long period of time. I’m wondering if all that positive feedback is what convinced them to try their hand at serious writing? If all you hear is how great you are then who wouldn’t take a shot at a novel? Therein lies the problem. It’s not that the writer is bad, it’s that the writer is ill prepared for the honesty to come.

The length of time spent showing work to loved ones directly correlates to how personally and negatively that writer is likely to take feedback from someone outside of their safe harbour.

There are those writers who realize that the ‘all positive’ feedback from loved ones is getting them nowhere. They feel as though they’re not growing or getting better at the craft. Though slightly more prepared for the onslaught of edits, they too, feel a crush of insecurity from the honesty of strangers.

However you get to that place, it is a writing-life changing experience; you are not as good as mom said you were and your stories aren’t as great as Uncle Joe led you to believe. It can be devastating. But, it is so important to cross that threshold. What’s more, carefully choose the direction of that step. Writers, though all in the boat together, can still help sink it with a well placed barb. Who knows why some critics are so mean and harsh. Ultimately, all they accomplish is to hurt and shatter dreams. Keep your eyes peeled for these kinds of people – they are useless and will never help you grow as a writer.

So, where does one turn for critiques? There are several choices. One of the best places to find feedback is in a writing group, either online or a one that meets face-to-face on a regular basis. With everything, there are risks, not to life and limb, but a risk of getting the same kind of feedback one gets from their safe zone critics.

It’s as difficult to give feedback as it is to receive. Add to that delivering the message in person and you get a lot of writing groups that turn into a love fest. You’re bound to hear things like, “It was wonderful,” and, “Your work is great.” It can happen just as easily in an online group. For some reason, it is difficult for people to find fault with another member’s writing. Meanwhile, you still don’t know how to improve your work and get better at your craft.

The opposite is also possible, where a member of the writing group is far too harsh or is trying to push their way of writing on other members. For instance, you’ve written a novel with a blonde, female, well-to-do protagonist and without reason, the critic is telling you to make it a red-headed, poor male. There are critics that are far too harsh and only stand to discourage. There is never a reason to name-call, or run down another writer. It’s online groups that are more likely to have members treating others harshly – easy to do when you’re protected by distance and no chance of meeting the other members. Watch carefully for these types of critics.

A good writing group is made up of people all working toward a common goal - getting better at the craft of writing. Even better, find a well established group with writers performing at different ability levels. Entering a group of all first-time, never-showed-their-work-to-anyone writers, won’t help you improve beyond your current level. Taking criticism from writers at a higher level is an eye-opening experience and will have you progressing in the craft.

Check at local bookstores and libraries, as well as online for writing groups in your area. You’ll want to tap the world wide web for writing groups online. Join the group and take it for a test drive to see how it feels. Don’t be afraid to walk away if it isn’t what you want.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when navigating through a group for the first time.

Be prepared to do your part. If you give a weak, I liked it, you’re great, kind of critique, don’t be surprised when you receive few critiques or none at all. You will get as good as you give, so put some thought and effort into helping your fellow writers and they’ll be far more enthusiastic about helping you.

Be willing to accept criticism. Ask yourself if you are ready to have someone tell you what you are doing wrong. If you think your work is above criticism, then don’t ask for feedback. I’ve given feedback and had people tell me that I just didn’t get it, but their friends did. Well, your friends don’t want to hurt your feelings and are telling you what you want to hear. A writing group is filled with people who will tell you what you need to hear to get better. Are you ready for that?

Accept criticism with grace. It still astounds me when writers argue with someone who has given them a critique. If a critic says a paragraph of description confused them, don’t argue because you can’t tell them what they feel or think. Plus, you cannot be there when someone is reading your work to explain what didn’t work so, don’t even attempt it with every critique. If someone thought the pace was slow, it was slow to them. Accept it and move forward.

There is never a need to be hurtful. Keep critiques clean and respectful. Calling someone names is not only juvenile, it’s unprofessional. Besides, the person you upset today may one day be in a position to offer you help and writers have a great memory. Also, simply say thank you to anyone who has taken the time to critique your work because you’re lucky to have them. Always remember that you are in control of your work and can use their suggestions or not. I take every suggestion seriously and weigh the merits of using them or not, then I do what is best for the work.

Feel free to add any comments regarding writing groups as I’m sure there is far more information to consider than what I’ve provided here.

I belong to the OWG (online writers group) associated with Kelley Armstrong’s Forum. It has been invaluable to me and I hope every writer out there looking for a group will have as much success finding one as I did. Best of luck.

A Freelance Life

2008-06-25T23:05:00.003-04:00

free·lance
A self-employed person working, or available to work, for a number of employers, rather than being committed to one, and usually hired for a limited period.

It sounds so appealing, doesn’t it? Self-employed. Working for a number of employers. Hired for a limited time. As with many facets of business, the job description rarely matches the position. Freelancing is no different. It’s been touted as the work from home, pick your projects, set your own hours, convenient, easy choice for writers in this, the age of technology.

It is nothing of the sort. In fact, freelancing has been the toughest job I’ve ever had.

Depending on the source, I can spend the better part of a day transcribing tape recordings. I can’t decipher my own handwriting so, when I interview by phone or in person, I use a tape recorder. Don’t worry, I’m up front about it with all my interviewees. Not one of them has turned me down, yet. There is one other reason why I tape interviews; so I can quote my sources accurately.

I find a topic I feel hasn’t been covered and I research it. I jot down sources and contacts. I read until my eyes hurt. I make notes until they start losing any semblance of order. I organize the information and pull quotes I can attribute to another source (always footnoting the source in the article). Inevitably I need answers to many questions on the topic and start writing those down. The list can be long. Once I have my complete list of questions I go back through my notes and research to see if I’ve missed the answer somewhere. When I can’t answer those questions, I call on the contacts I’ve uncovered.

Every interview is different because every interviewee is different. There are people who have so much information to give but little time to give it. Then there are people so enthused about what they do that nothing will stop them from giving as much detail as they can for every question. These are the extremes with many kinds of people in between. I love and hate both of these types of interviews since those with little time don’t take up as much of mine but some how miss answering some key points. Those that give so much detail that I have to flip the tape over or put in a second one always answer my questions, invariably burying the answers so deep in the interview that my fingers hurt from the transcribe. You’d think I’d learn to cut out the waste, but I am my own worst enemy; I have to type everything – I rarely skip over parts of the interview.

Which brings me to the worst part, the transcribing. I remember being hit so hard in a hockey game once that I literally saw stars. I would gladly take that punishment again instead of transcribing taped interviews. I get this panic every time I push the play button. What if it didn’t work and none of the interview is on the tape? If it isn’t, I start over, and I probably miss my deadline which means, I don’t get paid. Even though this has never happened to me, I can’t shake that initial feeling.

Once the transcription is complete then comes the easy part. I love writing the articles and enjoy the process of stringing words together. That is, until I’m just about ready to send the piece to my editor (whomever it happens to be that day). There’s this spike of self-doubt that feels like the worst hunger pains I’ve ever had; a nagging, empty feeling that makes me think the work isn’t good enough. As you might expect, I have to give the work one more good going over before sending it off. It never quells the pangs of fear and doubt, but I send it anyway. The days when my edits are so heavy that I can hardly see where my words once were, are long gone. There’s always a few fixes and matters of differing opinions but all are easy enough to handle.

I have to find the work, research, pitch it, more research, interviews (some travel at times and always on my dime), write it, edits, and rewrites. I don’t set my own hours – those are set by the deadline. If the work has to be done in a day, I work whatever hours I need to get it done. Yep, I’ve pulled all-nighters and not for as big a payday as you’d think.

Why do I do it? Simple. Writing is what I do best so, I can’t fight it.

Fiction has its similarities. We research our subjects to death, we write whenever there is a spare moment, and we do it far longer than our eyes and minds can take. All for the same reason – we love it. Are writers destined to poverty? It would seem not; names like Rowling, Brown and King negate that thought. If nothing else, at least for the majority, writing disproves the old adage, do what you love and the money will follow.

Do what you love because you love to do it.

Here’s an article I wrote, ToyOps Excels With Toys That Teach. After transcribing the interview it turned out to be seven pages long, single spaced. One interview, seven pages. I still twitch at the thought.

A Road To Getting Published

2008-06-23T15:34:00.004-04:00

Getting published, seeing your words in print, is possible. There are many avenues down which a writer can travel: letters to the editor, poetry, newspaper and magazine articles, e-zines, fan-fiction, as well as the brass ring that is a novel. The big question is, how do you get published?

How Do I Know?

So, what qualifies me to write about getting published? How can I claim to know how to get published. Well, because I’ve been published.

I’m thrilled that my novel, Endo, will be out in November, but it won’t be the first thing I got published. I’ve written for several magazines and newspapers: Equinox (so sorry it’s gone), Canadian Wildlife, Seasons, Canadian Sports Collector, Globe and Mail and Ottawa Sun among others. I was fortunate and honoured to receive a 2002 National Magazine Award for my work with Seasons magazine.

There are a few articles floating around the net with my name on them. Here are two stories you can check out at Forget Magazine: I Get It Now and Train Of Thought.

Does all of this make me some kind of expert? Not in the least. But, it does give me experiences to share with others. Maybe I can make someone’s road to getting published that little bit smoother.

How I Got Started

Telling the story of how I got published might give you some ideas of your own to explore.

I’d spent a dozen or so years in advertising and ended up working client-side for a home improvement retailer. One day I came up with fifteen different names for a toilet. That, and a few other things, was my cue for a change.

I’ve held many jobs but writing was what I knew and did best, so, I decided to try freelancing. I had a portfolio of radio and television, newspaper and magazine ads, point of purchase signage, posters, press releases, articles, and I’d even written a newsletter. This was great if I wanted to continue writing for the home improvement industry, but I didn’t. That was the last thing I wanted. I needed change. So, I looked at my interests, the markets available, and decided nature and wildlife was the way to go.

Part of that decision was based on my love of photography. I’d read that there are few writers shooting and few photographers writing. It would definitely be a positive.

I researched what it would take to get published and learned that a writer would query an editor at a newspaper or magazine with a story idea and the editor would decide if it was right for their publication. That was fine if you have a relationship with editors. I didn’t know any of them, and they didn’t know me.

So, I had no samples to offer editors of either my writing or my photography. My only choice was to write a full article and provide the photos. This would prove that I could write and shoot; it would give me legitimacy.

That decision made, I sat down to look at what had been written over the past five years so as not to regurgitate an old idea. Or, at least to give a topic a new spin or update it. I decided to write a story on the plight of the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake in Ontario - their last stronghold in Canada. I interviewed members of the Recovery Team. I went to Killbear Provincial Park and spent a few days with Chris Parent - better known in those parts as Snake Man - and his staff. I shot rolls of film and had a friend, Tony, visit another park to take as many photos as he could.

Armed with a ton of information, I sat down and wrote the article (it can be found at Brock University). Then, I wrote a query letter to accompany the article. I sent it to as many magazines as I could find that I felt would be interested (based on my research of their needs) in the story. No one wanted it. And, that was okay. I had even planned for that happening. Remember, the idea was to prove that I could do the job. It worked.

Though my story about rattlesnakes never made it to print, it gave me the opportunity to contact editors, who then knew my name. And, when considering the snake story, they were then comfortable receiving more traditional queries from me - here’s the idea in a few paragraphs, what do you think?

I owe a great big thank you (which I’ve extended personally) to Nancy Clark, former editor of Seasons Magazine. Based on my snake story, she gave me my first opportunity to write a feature article, How Light Pollution Affects Animals, which appeared in the Summer 2000 issue.

This was my path to getting published. It is just one method and you may try something similar. If nothing else, it shows that if you stay focused, do your research, and are open to new ideas, then you, too, can get published. Whatever you do, remember the three Ps when submitting your work and I know you’ll stand a better chance of seeing your words in print: Polite, Professional and Persistent.

Games Have Rules, Writing Has Guidelines

2008-06-17T16:21:00.003-04:00

There are far more rules governing writing than there are governing golf. Grammar and spelling are lifelong pursuits for any writer and are made all the more manageable with desktop companions like a good dictionary, The Elements of Style, The Chicago Manual of Style and a host of others. Where rules should be considered guidelines is in the crafting of a story.

So many new writers see the word ‘rules’ and immediately adhere to them without question. This can be a dangerous thing considering that if every writer stayed true to these so-called ‘rules’ then fiction would be unbearably formulaic. I took it upon myself to research the ‘rules’ for writing a mystery. I’ve written a mystery/thriller to be released in November, so, I just wanted to see how close I came to staying inside the lines.

These are in no particular order and I have not listed all of the rules I found, only some of them.

*Plot is everything.

*The hero must be male.

*Introduce the detective and the culprit early on.

*The setting will be Los Angeles.

*Introduce the crime in the first three chapters.

*The crime should be sufficiently violent, preferably a murder. Or, it must be a murder mystery.

*The crime should be believable.

*Some violence is required.

*Certain Violence is prohibited.

*Write in first person.

*The hero cannot be the culprit.

*The culprit must be capable of committing the crime.

*Don't try to fool your reader.

*Use only two-character scenes.

*Authenticity is required.

*Do your research.

*Wait as long as possible to reveal the culprit.

*The reader should have the same opportunity as the Hero to solve the crime.

*No tricks can be played to mislead the reader unless it is also done to the Hero by the criminal.

*The Hero should not have a love interest.

*Neither the Hero nor one of the official investigators can turn out to be the criminal.

*The villain must be found by logical deduction, not luck, accident, or un-motivated confessions. Or, the solution must come by 'naturalistic means'. Or, the detective should solve the case using only rational and scientific methods.

*There can be only one hero, not a team.

*The villain has to be someone who plays a prominent part of the story. After all, he/she is at least as important as the hero, right?

*The culprit can't be a servant.

What an interesting list of rules. Should one take these as gospel then we would never have had great stories from authors such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (no teams – poor Watson), Ian Rankin (write only in first person – poor Ian and his bestsellers, I’ve lost count), and Sue Grafton (the hero must be male – how dare she write a female protagonist) just to name a few.

I certainly don’t want to walk through each item on this list, but I do want to talk about why we should view any ‘rule’ of writing as a guideline. Consider these ‘rules’ carefully before you decide how stringently you want to follow them. I’ve broken my fair share, thank goodness.

For instance, the first on the list – plot is everything. Let’s be honest, when it comes to mysteries the plot is extremely important. However, a killer plot with flat, lifeless, uninteresting characters would have readers, well, not reading. The plot drives the story but the character is what keeps the reader engaged. They see the mystery by way of the protagonist and not only root for them, they work with them. Give the reader a character to pull for, and you’ve got the reader hooked. As important as plot is, never forget the importance of your protagonist. It’s all about balance.

There are a few items on the list that I suggest you ignore; the hero must be male, the setting must be Los Angeles, write in first person, no teams. I’m sure readers will strike a few off the list right away considering personal taste, attitudes, and the work they’ve read by published authors. But, let’s not be too hasty about killing them all.

Many of these ‘rules’ come down to common sense when writing. Introducing your hero, culprit and crime early in the novel makes sense. If the crime takes place in the middle of the book you’d better have some entertainment planned to keep the reader around. Doing research and keeping it as real as possible make sense as well. If by the culprit can’t be a servant they mean that the butler can’t do it, then yeah, steer clear of that cliché. I’m sure you’ll find more.

There are those items on the list that when handled carefully and respectfully, can be bent or outright broken. I’m referring to the use of violence. Many writers believe that certain areas of violence should never be touched on such as cruelty to animals, rape, and child molestation. I believe that if handled correctly, any of these areas can be used. Alice Sebold’s novel The Lovely Bones would not exist if she didn’t venture into this territory. Her protagonist is a young girl who was raped and murdered. It has been called a masterpiece of writing yet, those who would follow these ‘rules’ would staunchly disagree.

J.K. Rowling answered her critics regarding the omission of Dumbledore’s sexual preference by stating that it wasn’t necessary to the story. And, it wasn’t. Nowhere in the series of seven books would the mention of his sexual preference further the story or give the reader more clues to who he was. One should consider the same thing when writing about violence. Ask yourself if it is necessary and if it can happen off the page. Often it is the aftermath to an event that is the necessity showing the personality and mental state of the characters.

Whatever genre you write, be aware of the rules, learn them, try them, then do what is best for your story.

It seems my mystery/thriller, Endo, is colouring outside the lines.

A Great Query Letter

2008-06-16T17:33:00.006-04:00

I’ve often been asked, what do you do after you’ve finished your novel? After enjoying that wonderful feeling of accomplishment, I usually put the manuscript away for a few weeks and work on something else. Then I dig it out of whatever file I’ve buried it in and read it with a fresh perspective. The following edit takes weeks or months to complete and even then I’m never truly satisfied that the work is the best it can be. It can always be better. However, I know I must stop the editing cycle at some point and get on with it.

Getting on with it is submitting it. At first it was the hardest thing I’d ever done in regards to my writing. Well, there were a lot of hardests to contend with when I first started writing fiction. Trying to finish my first novel, my first edit, showing my work to others for critique… the list was long. But, I confess that the first time I sent a manuscript out was by far the most unnerving.

A few years ago I stumbled onto a great query letter example and wished I’d been able to lay my eyes on it before sending out my first query. I want to thank Jenny Bent, a literary agent and Vice President with the Trident Media Group, and Karin Gillespie, the letter’s author, for allowing me to reprint it here.

Jenny Bent’s comments are in italics.

Dear Ms. Bent:

Yay! She got my name right. You'd be surprised how many people don't. Although honestly, I don't hold it against them, but I know many agents who do.

My novel Who's My Daddy? took first place in the Sandhills Writers Conference in 2001 and one of the judges, Robert Bausch (author of A Hole in the Earth), called it "brilliant and original." I've read on your Web site that you handle women's fiction.

Good opening. I know Robert Bausch is a respected writer, and so if he liked it, that does mean something. Also, she demonstrates that she has done her research-I do indeed handle women's fiction.

Who's My Daddy? is a farcical Southern novel about Elizabeth Polk, a hairdresser who works at a beauty parlor for elderly ladies called the Cozy Cut. Everything in Elizabeth's life is "cattywampus." Her fiancé Clip Jenkins recently shoved a "Dear Jane" letter under the windshield wiper of her Geo Metro; she's embarrassed by her redneck daddy who blows up ottomans on TV in order to promote his rent-to-own furniture business; and her half-brother Lanier continually gets arrested for stealing lawn ornaments.

This is just plain funny. The only word I would have removed is "farcical," because farces are very tough to sell, but it would be hard for anyone outside of the business to know that.

Given her circumstances, Elizabeth can't understand why one of Augusta, Georgia's wealthiest matriarchs, Gracie Tobias, takes such a keen interest in her. Gracie introduces Elizabeth to her grandson Timothy who's just returned from a Buddhist monastery in California. When a romance between Elizabeth and Timothy develops, Elizabeth is plagued by insecurities regarding her lowly, family background.

Here, she's demonstrating that this novel does have conflict and hence a plot. Plots are good things. Agents and editors like them.

Who's My Daddy? crackles with more secrets than a middle-school slumber party. Elizabeth discovers a diary that raises questions about the identity of her daddy; Timothy refuses to discuss a trauma that made him abandon his life ten years ago; and Gracie Tobias knows a truth about Elizabeth's birthright that will change her life.

Again, she's demonstrating plot, plus, that first sentence is so fabulous and shows me that she's a good, creative writer.

Would you like to see a few sample chapters? I am the editor of The Metro-Augusta Parent a regional parenting publication and have received national awards (Parenting Publications of America) for my nonfiction writing.

Good. A very short bio that sums up her experience. Of course, I would have liked to see more awards, etc. for creative writing, but at this point I've already decided I want to see the book. She was smart to put her most significant writing award at the beginning of the letter and then put the rest, less significant experience here at the end.

Thank you for your consideration and time. An SASE is enclosed for your reply.

Short, sweet, and polite closing, plus a SASE. Who could ask for more?

Sincerely,
Karin Gillespie

Siren-BookStrand Yahoo Group

2008-06-16T12:20:00.002-04:00

My publisher is having a membership drive on June 28 with a chance to win some great prizes.

Click here to join this group.

Amazon Pushes Publisher's Button

2008-06-16T11:34:00.002-04:00

According to The New York Times, Amazon has disabled its ‘buy now with 1 click’ icon on its UK site for hundreds of books published by Hachette Livre’s British arm.

Hachette Chief executive, Tim Hely Hutchinson, fired off a letter to many of his authors explaining the sudden disappearance of the purchasing button. In it, he disclosed that Amazon was out for a bigger slice than their already 50 percent take. Apparently Amazon has used this tactic before when rebellious publishers have balked at Amazon’s requests for steeper discounts.

“Amazon seems each year to go from one publisher to another, making increasing demands in order to achieve richer terms at our expense and sometimes at yours,” Mr. Hutchinson said in the letter. “If this continued, it would not be long before Amazon got virtually all of the revenue that is presently shared between author, publisher, retailer, printer and other parties.”

Read the full article here.

A Book By Any Other Name…

2008-06-09T22:34:00.013-04:00

There is, and always will be, opposition to change.

Vaudeville performers walked off the job to protest silent films. They took a stand against change. Silent film actors quivered at the mere mention of the talkie. They feared change and rightly so. It must have been a very uncomfortable feeling, like the rug was slowly being pulled out from under their feet; they saw it, they felt it, but they couldn't stop it.

That is the essence of change, it is not only inevitable but impossible to prevent. Change, on a grand, some might say global, scale, is brought on in many cases by technological advances. Theatre – radio – film – television, a natural progression where the next technological breakthrough certainly had an impact on the last, but it did not destroy it. We have radio despite television. We have theatre despite film. In a way, they complement each other by allowing a ravenous audience more choices.

Technology is once again the culprit in bringing on change in a media that has seen little over hundreds of years.

Where once books had to be stored in huge libraries, thanks to advancements, that same library can fit on a single computer hard-drive. Not everyone is convinced this change is for the good. It’s truly a bibliophile’s nightmare since the tactility and sensory experience of reading is removed. Now one turns pages at the cold push of a button on computer keyboards ranging from one that sits atop a desk, to one that rests in the palm of your hand. The smell of ink and paper gone, the feel and sound of paper turning, sliding through your fingers as your eyes land on something soft on the vision but always a possible sensory overload.

Sheldon Comics

It’s difficult to accept change when really, there is no need for it. The onslaught of electronic media is brought on not by necessity but by the simple fact that we need to use the technology in some way. Is there anything wrong with that? Is it so bad that we can have all the books we love, at our fingertips, in one device that fits into a pocket or a small briefcase? Is it not the voice on the radio that carries the message and not the radio itself? It would stand to reason that the words are more important than the book.

Why do we fight change so vehemently when the change is for the better?

I’m an e-book author and I read e-books. Does that mean I want traditional books to disappear? Of course not. Who among readers doesn’t love to sit in a cozy spot on a cold or wet night, book open on their lap, immersed in the pleasure of reading? No electronic gadget stands a chance of replacing something so dear and precious. Can a child’s book on a computer screen compare to the touch of a book open on the floor, its bright colours mirrored in the wondrous eyes that read it? No. When you want to upgrade a radio, you buy the newest version of a radio – and it’s still a radio. The same goes for televisions. I’ve gone through a dozen in my lifetime, but all were televisions. The same cannot be said for a traditional book.

So, why not fight e-books with all our page-turning, cozy-cornered, wide-eyed reading wonder of energy? Simply because traditional books and e-books complement each other like radio and television, theatre and film. Choices are the byproduct of change. As readers, we now have the ability to choose which format our reading pleasure will take given our circumstances at the time. When would you choose a Kindle or E-reader over a paperback or hardback? During a morning commute on any mode of public transit. While traveling it would be an ideal space saver in any suitcase. These are just a few examples.

Where then would one relax with a book, enjoying it’s simplicity and tradition? At home, the coffee shop, the beach…

When it comes to books, traditional or electronic, there’s room for both.

Life, Mom and A Lucky Son

2008-06-06T11:41:00.010-04:00

My mom, Alice O’Neill, turns 73 today.

It’s a wonderful milestone to celebrate, but it’s made all the more special by her incredible strength, unwavering perseverance and the best love-of-life attitude I’ve ever encountered.

No one has to tell our family that ‘life ain’t fair’ or ‘life is cruel’. Not only do we have the senses to soak up the world’s ills going on around us, we’ve had enough ills of our own as proof. Having said that, my mom refuses to succumb to the negative. I truly believe that her positive outlook is one of the reasons she beat breast cancer and is beating down lung cancer.

Her three year fight is well documented – there’s a paper trail of reports, findings, medication lists, CAT scans and x-rays. The files may be thick with medical facts and figures but it is not, nor will I ever let it be, her legacy.

I’ve passed people in the street and thought each has a story to tell. Average, everyday people can dazzle you with facts about their lives, facts they feel are of little importance when held up against the heroics splashed across global headlines. Heroism isn’t just committing an act of remarkable bravery, heroes are also people who show great courage and strength of character. To me, there is no better hero than my mom.

Comedians have joked about the huge football player, blood gushing from a cut on his nose, dirt and mud all over his face, looking into the television camera and saying to a national audience, “Hi mom.” I’m a hundred pounds, a foot and a truckload of talent short of being a pro football player, but I know why these seemingly tougher-than-hell men seize the opportunity to acknowledge their mothers.

Here’s a few examples to illustrate. I got hit in a hockey game in high school and suffered a mild concussion. No, I didn’t go to the hospital. Trust me, one just knows (the slurring is usually a good sign). So, a teammate took me home and told my parents what happened. I was a lifeguard through high school and knew that a deep sleep was not a good idea in the case of a head injury. So, I stayed awake for as long as I could then mom took the first shift, waking me up at about two in the morning.

“Son,” she said after gently rubbing my shoulder. “Can you tell me your name, love?”

She’s Scottish, so, everyone is ‘love’. I don’t remember anything. Other than her gentle massage on my shoulder and her laying her hand lightly on my forehead.

At five a.m., it was dad’s turn. He grabbed my shoulder and shook me roughly awake. “Hey, what’s your name?”

I swore at him.

“You’re fine,” he said.

And I went back to sleep.

Does this mean that mom coddled me, not a chance. She just always knew the right thing to say and she added that special mother’s touch to everything. I was the only soloist in my school’s grade six concert. I’d practiced hard and was in regular fights for the first few weeks leading up to the concert. Apparently, in the estimation of some six graders, singing is not the most manly thing one can do.

The big night arrived and I took my cue, carrying my chair out to centre stage, where a guitar (I’d pretend to play) was handed to me by a girl who then sat at my feet to enjoy my song, Red River Valley. As the song progressed, more girls in their cute cowgirl outfits, would run on stage and plop down at my feet. I got to the last verse but started to sing the third verse over again. I caught my error and switched, rather abruptly to the last verse. The audience laughed. It was like I could pick up each person’s distinctive reaction. I just kept going and finished my song.

I carried my chair off stage where the stage hand, a grade eight student who thought my error was so funny that he just had to laugh at me, got hit in the head with the chair. It was an accident, I swear.

After the show was over my dad punched me in the arm and smiled. He was telling me to get over it, not to worry about it, to move on. Mom hugged me and said, “You were amazing. And, the way you kept going like a professional singer was very impressive.”

She took, what was the worst mistake I’d ever made, and turned it into a positive. I can’t tell you how that made me feel. It was, well, wonderful.

There came a point in my life where a distinct fork appeared. I’m not talking about what university to attend or what job to take. I guess it was tracks that appeared; I could follow the right side or the wrong side. My parents sat me down one day, out the blue, and together, they let me know that if something were to happen to me they would be there for me, but if I were to be arrested, I was on my own. Their exact words, “Get caught, and you’re on your own.”

I’ve never asked mom why they chose that strategy and probably never will. All I know is that there was a time, when things began to escalate, that I heard this voice in my head saying, “You’re on your own.” It was the deciding factor on what side of the tracks I took. Basically, I think they called my bluff. Either that or I knew I’d never make bail on my own.

Regardless, I think I’ve turned out okay. It was not by accident, I assure you. I carry lessons learned from mom’s teachings. There were subtle examples of how one should act and what one should do. Those required no words, she showed me. Anyone in trouble, in need, mom would help. She gave even when giving hurt. Sometimes it was a kind word, a hug, a shoulder to lean on. And sometimes she gave money when there was too little to give. It didn’t matter, it always worked out. “Whatever you give,” she says, “you’ll get that back and more.”

Alice & Andy O'Neill
January 17, 1959

My father once said to my mom, “Alice, I love you so much that I would die for you.”

Mom’s response didn’t exactly thrill my dad. “That’s nice of you.”

“What? You wouldn’t do the same for me?”

“No,” my mom replied. “Life is too precious. It’s all we have. I won’t give it up, not even for you.”

Though some may disagree with that sentiment, it has stuck with me, because truly, when you think about it, your life is all you own. It is not something to take lightly, and thanks to mom, I’ve tried my best to treat it well.

When I’ve needed her, she’s been there, to help, console, celebrate or just kick me in the ass. My life has been better because I was blessed with a great mom. Happy birthday, mom. I love you to bits.

Now, dear readers, go hug your moms.