Too many books to read, not enough space?

Love to read, but not enough space?

Check out this cool option!

Join me FREE in Vegas!

If you're in Las Vegas.....join me this Friday!

One of my favorite money experts, Loral Langemeier, has given me a hand full of tickets for her Millionaire Makeover Tour and I'm so excited to share a few of these with you!


If you already know Loral Langemeier, you know how great these complimentary tickets are.


Click the link below to register - Did I mention  I have 2 free tickets set aside for you???


https://liveoutloud.infusionsoft.com/go/tboice



Millionaire Makeover Tour

November 2, 2012

9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Bally's Las Vegas

3645 South Las Vegas Boulevard

Las Vegas, NV 89109


Loral is known as the "Millionaire Maker" and you may have seen her in "The Secret," on CNN or on the Dr. Phil Show. She's helped thousands, just like you, build their businesses like they never thought possible!


Loral is THE EXPERT on creating NEW Cash for your business, whether you're just getting started or are on course for a 7-figure status!


Here's just a peek at what Loral's going to share with you at the event.....




- What you can do RIGHT NOW to put more cash in your  pocket with what you already know!


- How you can develop a Millionaire Mindset.


- Where you can go to find prospects who will buy what you have to sell!



Claim your 2 complimentary tickets now!

https://liveoutloud.infusionsoft.com/go/tboice


Millionaire Makeover Tour

November 2, 2012

9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Bally's Las Vegas

3645 South Las Vegas Boulevard

Las Vegas, NV 89109



Enjoy your tickets!







P.S. As this is a free event, seating is limited and will fill up fast - once they are full, they are FULL.


So make sure you take action TODAY and register!

https://liveoutloud.infusionsoft.com/go/tboice

Let's be honest...Halloween is a weird American holiday!  The rest of the world celebrates something somewhat similar called Carnival.   Costumes are adorned and parties are plentiful.  So what makes Halloween different than Carnival? Well, for starters, we add the creepy, spooky element to the festivities.  Carnival usually occurs in the spring, while here in America, we often need coats or umbrellas to protect our costumes in the crisp fall when we celebrate.

Anciently, the Celts celebrated their new year during this time, marking the end of the warmer weather harvest and the beginning of the cold, approaching winter months.  They believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and dead was blurred.  They also believed that as they surrounded a big bonfire, dressed in costumes, that they could predict the future, as well as protect themselves in the upcoming year against bad fortune.

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as "All Saints Day", a day to honor all saints and martyrs, possibly as an attempt to veer Christians away from the Celtic pagan traditions.  The night before the holiday, October 31st, was known as "All Hallows' Eve" which eventually became more secular, including parades and sweet treats for the children.

Today, Halloween festivities involve community events, trick or treating, and an attempt to focus on the fun party atmosphere, rather than on the religious tones, although death and superstition are definitely still part of the mix.

Here are some Halloween words for my international friends who are trying to make sense of it all:

* apparition - an unusual or unexpected sight, a ghost

* macabre - grim, horrific, repulsive

* cackle - to laugh, especially in a harsh or sharp

manner

* Jack-o'-lantern - a lantern made of the rind of a

pumpkin in which holes are cut to represent eyes,

nose, and mouth

* poltergeist - a noisy, mischievous ghost

* bloodcurdling - arousing fright or horror

* ghastly - terrifyingly horrible to the senses

If you're a fan of my books, then you can probably guess that I'll never write a spooky fiction novel, using any of those words!  My kids think I'm a dork because I refuse to decorate my home with creepy decor.  Instead, my Halloween decorations consist of happy harvest and smiling pumpkins.

Whether you like getting scared or not, have fun out there this year!  Wear a costume, share treats, create your own fun traditions, and be safe!   Happy Halloween!

How to Join the Ebook World in One Easy Step

                                                 by Trina Boice
                                           www.TrinaBoice.com 


Think ebooks are just for wannabe authors who couldn't get published by  a "real" publishing house in the big leagues?  Think again!

Acclaimed writer Lawrence Grobel has jumped into the e-book world with both feet, launching 11 books on Amazon.com. 2 Hollywood novels (Catch a Fallen Star; Begin Again Finnegan); a collection of his magazine profiles (ICONS); a yoga satire (The Book of Shmoga); 152 poems about the famous (Celebrity Salad); a memoir that reveals what happened behind the scenes with Streisand and Brando (You Show Me Yours); his definitive biography of The Hustons; and his 3 best-selling Conversation books with Truman Capote, Marlon Brando, and James A. Michener.

Amazon now sells more ebooks than hard-copy books in print!  Adding your ebook to the cyber library is easier than you think.   Set up an account at www.kdp.amazon.com    Simply follow the steps online and your ebook will be on Amazon's bookshelf in no time at all!

Calling all serious authors

Once you've gone to all the trouble of writing a book…

It just makes sense to put in the little extra effort it takes to make it a bestseller. In fact…

It's almost ESSENTIAL for anyone hoping to turn their book, their message, into a solid income-producing career of coaching, public speaking, and further publishing success.

You see … a book, by itself, is not a business.

But when you can add “best-selling author” to your resume, you throw open the doors of possibility.

The trouble is:

Most authors have no clue how to do it!
But Peggy McColl sure does.

And on Monday, October 30th at 3pm ET you can join Peggy as she explains not only how to make YOUR book a bestseller (whether you’ve written it yet, or not) … but also how to use your new bestseller status as a springboard for spreading your message through speaking engagements, coaching programs, and more.

…and hopefully make a VERY comfortable living from it, too! (As she does.)

If you'd like to see how it's done, simply use the following link to visit the registration page. (Yes, you do need to register even though it's free because attendance is limited.)

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4867932

You'll also find more details on this event there, too.

Trina

P.S. – This special online training event is for ALL authors who are serious about doing more than merely “write a book”. If you too would like to become a “bestselling author” and leverage that success into a full-blown, high-paying career…

Then this definitely is for you! Please act quickly so you won’t miss out – use the link below to register today:

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4867932

iWriteNetwork sponsors a free online workshop for writers!

                                                 by Trina Boice
                                                www.TrinaBoice.com 

I love it when you can attend workshops in your pajamas!   Check out this informative list of presentations that will be offered this month online:


Fall on the Ning

Saturday, October 20th, 2012

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Join us for Fall on the Ning—a free online writers conference sponsored by iWriteNetwork.



9:00 - Tristi Pinkston will walk you through some of the basic steps of editing your first draft—identifying and filling up holes, strengthening character motivations, and of course, those dreaded typos. Be prepared to take lots of notes, and have your first draft handy!


10:00 - Canda Mortensen will lead the discussion for the "Brush Strokes" class which will focus on 5 techniques by Harry Noden for improving the action, emotion, and style of sentences. Come prepared to rework and share sentences in your current work in progress. This type of revision works best with important scenes. Identify key sentences to rework during the class.


11:00 – Deanna Henderson will teach you to use Animoto, a program you can use to make short book trailers, create contest advertising, or just for fun. For our purposes, we’ll be making a book trailer, even if you aren't done with the book. Come with a few images downloaded to your computer that relate and that you want to use.


Be sure to sign up for the Ning at http://iwritenetworkning.ning.com/ ahead of time so you can join us for this fantastic event!

Are You A Grammar Geek Too?

                                        Happy National Punctuation Day!

               
Did you know that September 24th has officially been declared as a celebration of the lowly comma, correctly used quotation marks, and other proper uses of periods, semicolons, and the ever-mysterious ellipsis? Well, now you do, so let the party begin!#$?!

Our words, both spoken and verbal, really affect our brand and how others perceive us.

The ninth annual National Punctuation Day®, the September 24 holiday that reminds America that a semicolon is not a surgical procedure, will celebrate the 2012 presidential election with a literary challenge — vote for your favorite Presidential Punctuation Mark in one, highly punctuated paragraph!

The rules: Write one paragraph with a maximum of three sentences using the following 13 punctuation marks to explain which should be “presidential,” and why: apostrophe, brackets, colon, comma, dash, ellipsis, exclamation point, hyphen, parentheses, period, question mark, quotation mark, and semicolon. You may use a punctuation mark more than once, and there is no word limit. Multiple entries are permitted.

In short, persuade them that your favorite punctuation mark should be the official punctuation mark of the President of the United States.  Contest entries must be received by September 30 to be considered for prizes. The winner(s) will receive a box of punctuation goodies, including a National Punctuation Day® T-shirt. Send entries, including name, address and phone number, to National Punctuation Day® headquarters at Jeff@NationalPunctuationDay.com.

In 2011, 220 entries in their paragraph contest were received from the United States, the Netherlands, Malta, Canada, England, and India.  In 2010, 356 people from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Italy (in Italian!) submitted more than 3,000 entries in our haiku contest, including 73 from a certain New York State employee who shall remain nameless.  

                                 Have a great punctuation day!

Trina
                                             

What you write tells

As technology advances, new forms of communication etiquette emerge. Such is the case with e-mail. Who was it that officially decided that WRITING IN ALL CAPS WAS CONSIDERED YELLING IN CYBERSPACE? I don't know, but now that's an accepted rule.

During the past decade or so, email "Do's and Don'ts" have evolved and will probably continue to do so. One of the classes offered at Workplace ESL Solutions is Business Writing, where you'll learn how to write concisely and professionally. Every word that leaves your mouth or your pen reveals a little bit about you and creates your brand, whether for good or for bad. It's important to know how to do it well...in any language!

To help get you started, below is a list of some helpful tips to improve your email writing:

DO'S:
* Write a clear subject in the subject line
* Divvy up a long email with several topics into separate short emails that address one topic
* Press the send button after doing a quick edit and spell check
* Keep sentences short
* Don't use text abbreviations in emails
* Keep paragraphs short
* Use white space between paragraphs
* Respond quickly to an email you receive

DON'Ts:
* Write in all caps
* Reply to "all" without paying attention to who is going to read it
* Forward inappropriate jokes at work
* Write long, long emails so the reader has to scroll
* Use "urgent" or "important" on every email you write


Happy emailing!

Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.

— William Strunk Jr.
in Elements of Style

Do you write for your company? Newsletters? Emails? Grants? Copy for collateral? If so, then everything you write reflects upon the company. Our words, both spoken and written, create images that either build or hurt our brand.

Good grammar can instill confidence in your customers and employees. We all make mistakes, but don't worry that the Grammar Police will arrest you or fire you. Just pay attention to what you write before you send it out.


Below are a dozen words that are commonly used incorrectly. Just a quick review of your writing can avoid embarassing mistakes. Feel free to print this out and keep it by your computer for future reference.  

 

1. The verb “accept” means “to receive” or “to believe”. The preposition except means other than. The conjunction means “unless” and the verb means “leave out.”

a. Tim accepted Jeff’s reason for being late for work.

b. Everyone – except Chris and his supervisor – had remembered to switch to daylight savings time.

c. Only in rare cases are employees excepted from the policy on punctuality.

2. Adverse means “hostile, unfavorable, or harmful.” Averse means “to have a definite feeling of distaste.”

a. Adverse weather conditions grounded all airplanes.

b. The tired staff was averse to the idea of working till midnight.

3. Advice is a noun that means “recommendation or information” and advise is a verb meaning “to counsel or recommend.”

a. Ralph advised me to value good advice.

4. Affect is a verb that means “to influence.” As a noun, effect means “the result”; as a verb it means “to bring about.”

a. Your performance in the coming year will directly affect the amount of your bonus.

b. The effect of the economy is hard to predict.

c. The new procedure will effect significant savings in time and cost.

5. Anxious indicates that one is worrying; eager, that one is gladly anticipating something.

a. Sarah has never been anxious about speaking in public, but she was eager to play the old hag in Snow White last month.

6. Beside is a preposition that means “next to.” Besides is an adverb that means “in addition to.”

a. Put the file cabinet beside the desk.

b. Besides the new cabinet, we need a new computer.

7. Complement means “to complete or go well with.” Compliment means “to give praise.” Both words can also be used as nouns. The adjective complementary means “serving to fill out or complete.” Complimentary means “given free as a favor.”

a. That was a nice compliment for a job well done.

b. A fine grape jelly is a complement to any peanut butter.

8. A conscience gives one the capacity to know right from wrong. Conscious means “awake or alert, not sleeping or comatose.”

a. Your conscience will guide you.

b. Earl needs two cups of coffee to be fully conscious at this hour.

9. Imply means “to suggest, hint, or communicate indirectly”; infer means to “deduce or conclude from.” (Writers and speakers imply. Readers and listeners infer.)

a. I thought she was implying that I would receive a raise; apparently I inferred incorrectly.

10. Lay means “to put or place something.” It must be followed by a direct object. (lay, laid, laid)

a. Please don’t lay that report there.

b. Jerri’s assistant laid down the new carpeting yesterday

Lie means “to rest or recline.” It does not take a direct object. (lie, lay, lain)

c. Tim likes to lie down for a nap after lunch.

d. He lay down Monday at 12:30, but often he has lain down by 12:15.

11. To precede means “to go or come before,” while proceed means “to move on or go ahead.”

a. A note that preceded today’s meeting told us to proceed with part two.

12. “Than” indicates a comparison and “then” refers to time.

a. Kevin didn’t know any more about this than I did.

b. First write your resume. Then look for a job.

b. The tired staff was averse to the idea of working till midnight.

Taking Success One Baby Step at a Time

                                                               
 
Max Lucado's newest book Great Day Every Day has some excellent advice for writers, as well as for all of us searching for success in any endeavor. The following is a short excerpt that reminds us how we can reach our goals one baby step at a time:

"An accomplished Ironman triathlete told me the secret of his success.  He said, “You last the long race by running short ones.”   Don’t swim 2.4 miles; just swim to the next buoy.  Rather than bike 112 miles, ride 10, take a break, and bike 10 more.  Never tackle more than the challenge ahead."

"Didn’t Jesus offer the same counsel?  He said in Matthew 6:34, “So don’t ever worry about tomorrow.  After all, tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.” 
When asked how he managed to write so many books, the author explained that he’d never written a book.  All he did was write one page a day."

"Face challenges in stages.  You can’t control your temper forever, but you can control it for the next hour.
Remember, you last the long race by running the short ones!"

Great advice, Max!  Thanks for the reminder!

Book Lover's Bed Nirvana

                            I'm just sayin....

Get a FREE book on how to write a book!

Dan Poynter is know as an author's "guru" and now he's sharing his great wisdom for free!

Writing Your Book:
Cashing in on Publishing, Faster, Easier, & Cheaper.
by Dan Poynter

What should you write about and how should you write it?
Discover the resources to research your market, title, and information sources. Then follow the steps for writing your book. A superb, easy, and fun guide.
Essential recommendations for fiction, non fiction, ebooks and printed books.

You can get the Kindle edition FREE.
Download the book free on one day:
Friday, July 13 & Saturday, July 14, from midnight to midnight, Pacific time.
Log on to the Amazon page for this book and you will note that your price on Friday & Saturday is $0.00

Any time Friday or Saturday, log on to

or Copy\Paste:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007VP66Z0

AND, please forward this announcement to your colleagues who have a book inside them.

DESCRIPTION (Back Cover)

Reference\Book Writing

Write Today—Earn Tomorrow

New equipment and advanced techniques make writing a book faster, easier, and cheaper.

You will discover:

--What fiction and nonfiction subjects are in demand.

--How large is your potential reading market
--Where to find the information for your book
--How and where to sell your book online
--Organizational steps that make writing your book quick, easy, and fun.

“Dan Poynter is the top coach for writing, publishing and, most important, promoting.”
—John Tullius, Director, Maui Writers Conference.

“One essential ingredient to our Chicken Soup success was consulting with Dan Poynter in the early stages.”
—Jack Canfield, co-author,
Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

“Dan Poynter has generously guided thousands to authorship. Their books make this a better world.”
—Dr. Robert Müller,
Author & Past Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations.

Dan Poynter is the author of more than 130 books. His seminars have been featured on CNN, his books have been pictured in The Wall Street Journal, and his story has been told in The New York Times. He is the leading authority on how to write, publish, and promote books.

This ebook provides the shortcut to becoming a published author.

54 jam-packed pages
ISBN Ebook Edition: 978-1-56860-154-0
ASIN: B007VP66Z0

Get your free copy on Friday or Saturday (only).

Chicken Soup Books Are Good For the Soul

The Chicken Soup book franchise has been hugely successful over the past years.  If you've never read one of their books, you really are missing out on a soulful experience.  If you're a writer or someone who has had an inspiring experience that could be shared with others, you can submit your stories at: 
 http://www.chickensoup.com/form.asp?cid=submit_story

I tried submitting an idea for a great book I thought they should write, but they're not accepting that kind of proposal.  They are, however, actively looking for contributors for the following books:

20th Anniversary Reader's Choice
To celebrate our twenty-year anniversary next summer, we are planning a book in which contributors tell us how a Chicken Soup for the Soul story changed their lives. If a Chicken Soup for the Soul story made a big difference to you, tell us the name of the story and the book in which it appeared, and then write us a new Chicken Soup for the Soul story all about how the old story helped you. We'll publish the stories in pairs -- the old ones and the new ones. The deadline for story submissions is November 30, 2012. 
 
Angels Among Us
We are looking for stories from people who believe that they have encountered or been helped by angels. How did your angel manifest himself or herself? How did your angel help you or someone you know? Please do not send stories about people who are "angels" because they do nice things, and also please do not submit eulogies where you say that your loved one is now an angel. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is July 31, 2012. 
 
Great Advice for Making Changes in Your Life
Have you ever read a Chicken Soup for the Soul story that had a wonderful nugget of advice in it that made a difference in your life? We are looking for stories that contain great pieces of advice, whether they are little things that improve our everyday lives, or major epiphanies that can change a life completely. Topics we will cover include advice related to work and personal relationships, marriage, parenting, health and fitness, finances, constructive criticism, taking chances, and following your passion. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is August 31, 2012. 
 
Independent Woman
Whether you are single or married, widowed, or divorced, you are in charge of your life and the lives of many other people. Tell us your story about running your independent life, achieving independence, and being a complete person. We are referring to all kinds of independence, not just financial or emotional. Share your story of empowerment and independence to help women of all ages feel stronger, more capable, and more confident. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is July 31, 2012 
 
Raising Kids on the Spectrum
If you are the parent of a child with autism or Asperger's, we invite you to share your story about raising your child - the ups and downs, the effect on your family, your child's special attributes and talents, and the lighter moments too. You may use a "pen name" on your story. These stories will provide advice, comfort and insight to other parents in the same situation. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is September 30, 2012.

Getting Paid To Give Books Away For Free

                                                               www.TrinaBoice.com 

How would you like to get paid to give your books away for free?   Amazon has a new program that does just that!  Their KDP Select-Free system helps you get your name out in front of millions of customers.  Book sales will not take off until your words are read, enjoyed, and recommended. Word-of-mouth publicity is made possible by Amazon’s KDP Select Freebie Days. Amazon pays you to give your ebooks away!

 Have you discovered Dan Poynter yet? He's considered one of the top gurus in the book industry, helping thousands of authors navigate the publishing world and become successful.  He even has a free newsletter you can sign up for with terrific tips each week.   Now he has a new book out that teaches authors how to understand the KDP Select-Free program at Amazon.  In his book you will discover:

--The step-by-step details on how KDP Select-Free works.
--How to set up your ebook for the Freebie Days.
--Promotion. Where to send announcements. A valuable, long list.
--Tracking your downloads and sales.
--Responding to emails from your new readers/friends.
--Detailed steps and advice. No generalities. 

Dan Poynter is also a master at advertising his book, as evidenced by some of the big names he got to endorse his new book:

“Dan Poynter is the top coach for writing, publishing, and, most important, promoting.”
—John Tullius, Director, Maui Writers Conference.

“One essential ingredient to our Chicken Soup success was consulting with Dan Poynter in the early stages.”
—Jack Canfield, co-author,
Chicken Soup for the Soul series

“Dan Poynter has generously guided thousands to authorship. Their books make this a better world.”
—Dr. Robert Müller,
Author and Past Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations.

Dan Poynter is the author of more than 130 books.  He has been a book publisher since 1969, and is a Certified Speaking Professional. His seminars have been featured on CNN and his books have been pictured in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. 

If you're interested in checking out this book, you can find it on Amazon at:

http://tinyurl.com/7wel525

To sign up for his free author newsletter, go to:   www.danpoynter.com/sites/para/ 


Good luck out there in the book world!
Trina


www.trinaboice.com

Win a Roku in my newest contest!

                                                               www.TrinaBoice.com

Win a NEW Roku HD player with 450+ entertainment channels available, including hundreds of free movies.

 

Submit a topic for the final episode of my online book How to Stay UP in a DOWN Economy. If your episode idea is selected, you will win a ROKU HD Streaming TV player. If there are multiple suggestions with the same topic, we will hold a drawing for the winner.

Submit your ideas to contest@bigworldnetwork.com. Be sure to include your first and last name. The winner will be notified by email. Contest ends Friday, June 15th at midnight. The winner will be announced June 25th, and the season finale episode will air on July 25th.

By submitting your suggestion, you agree that your topic may be used as an upcoming episode, even if it isn't selected for the first prize as the Season 3 finale. Sponsored by Trina Boice's How to Stay UP in a DOWN Economy and BigWorldNetwork.com.

Can your book change the world?

             

                                                         by Trina Boice
                                                        www.TrinaBoice.com

Do you enjoy helping and inspiring other people?  Do you want to write a book that will keep people talking and change their lives for the better?  Think big!

If so, then you've got to see what Christine Kloser is up to!

===>  http://tinyurl.com/74kmhnp

She has persuaded an amazing group of NY Times bestselling authors, transformational leaders and
publishing industry experts to give you their best guidance, tips, wisdom and practical advice on how
to become a successful author...for free!

She calls this online event the "Transformational Author Experience" - and you can participate from
anywhere (no travel needed) and it won't cost you a penny!  Yay!  I love free!

This is a rare opportunity to learn writing and publishing secrets from the world's top experts -
including bestselling authors like...

* Neale Donald Walsh
* Arielle Ford
* Lisa Nichols
* Barbara Marx Hubbard

And publishing insiders like...

* Reid Tracy (President and CEO of Hay House)
* Marc Allen (Publisher of Eckhart Tolle's "Power of Now")
* Bill Gladstone (Agent for Eckhart Tolle and Neale Donald Walsch)
* Dan Poynter (Self-Publishing Expert)
* Sandy Powell (President of Hay House's Balboa Press)

And many others.

In fact there are 21 experts - all ready to help you write, publish and market your book so you can
get your message out to the world.

All of the classes are organized into a 7-step system for transforming your book "idea" into a
published book - and a thriving business!

===>  http://tinyurl.com/74kmhnp

PLUS:

Register now and discover how you could win a chance to BE the next big transformational author
in the Transformational Author Writing Contest.

Getting your book idea in front of agents and publishers has always been difficult. That's why
these prizes are so exciting...

You could win...

*  Guaranteed agency representation by Bill Gladstone (Eckhart Tolle and Neale Donald Walsch's
agent)...

* Personal review of your book proposal (and consideration for a traditional publishing
contract) by Marc Allen, President and Publisher of New World Library...

* Publishing packages with Hay House's Balboa Press...

* And much more!

So, if you've ever wondered how YOUR idea can become the next great transformational book...

If you love the thought of getting your book proposal hand-delivered to the publisher who made
Eckhart Tolle famous...

Or felt frustrated you're not impacting more people and making more money as an author (or
soon-to-be author)...

This program may be the answer to your prayers!

I hope you'll see the miracle of this invitation showing up in YOUR inbox today.

And, I trust you'll accept this gift and choose to pursue your dream of becoming a successful,
transformational author (and entrepreneur).

Everything you need to know is in this program, and it's FREE... so you have nothing to lose and
your DREAM to gain!

===>  http://tinyurl.com/74kmhnp

I look forward to "seeing" you there!

To your success,
Trina

What Legacy do YOU want to leave?

 Maurice Sendak, widely considered the most important children’s book artist of the 20th century, who wrenched the picture book out of the safe, sanitized world of the nursery and plunged it into the dark, terrifying and hauntingly beautiful recesses of the human psyche, died on Tuesday in Danbury, Conn. He was 83 and lived in Ridgefield, Conn. The cause was complications from a recent stroke, said Michael di Capua, his longtime editor.

When the book first came out, parents and reviewers criticized the scary images.  Now they are a beloved addition to many family's libraries.  A movie was made about the book a few years ago, although it did not achieve great recognition.

If you're an author, what one book will you most be remembered for?  What is it you'd like to be remembered the most for?  My father-in-law's funeral was this past weekend, so I'm especially feeling introspective lately.  Our time on this earth isn't very long, and of course, none of us knows how much time we have left.   What things are most important to you in life?  Family? Relationships? Career? Legacy? Stuff?

After we attended the funeral of my husband's sweet father, the family went to the Huntington Library to take pictures and see beautiful artwork and gardens to bring peace to our hearts.  The Huntingtons left a wonderful legacy of artwork to share with the world.  

Most of us would readily say that we'd love to leave the world a better place by having been in it.  The question is "How?"  Find what you're passionate about and bring about good in that realm.  Share.  Give.  Serve.


The books I love to read the most are the ones that aren't purely for entertainment, but ones that leave me truly feeling enriched, inspired, and motivated to do and be better myself.   I try to write those kinds of books too.


What can you do today to leave your stamp on the world and make it a better place?

Common misspelled words

I teach classes for Workplace ESL Solutions.  We specialize in English as a Second language, Spanish for workplace managers, citizenship, and business writing tips.  There is a super helpful article we posted on our Linked In group that lists the 100 words most commonly misspelled ('misspell' is one of them). Dr. Language has provided a one-stop cure for all your spelling ills. Each word has a mnemonic pill with it and, if you swallow it, it will help you to remember how to spell the word. Master the orthography of the words on this page and reduce the time you spend searching dictionaries by 50%.

Here are just the words that start with the letter "A" to get you started...

A

• acceptable - Several words made the list because of the suffix pronounced -êbl but sometimes spelled -ible, sometimes -able. Just remember to accept any table offered to you and you will spell this word OK.
• accidentally - It is no accident that the test for adverbs on -ly is whether they come from an adjective on -al ("accidental" in this case). If so, the -al has to be in the spelling. No publical, then publicly.
• accommodate - Remember, this word is large enough to accommodate both a double "c" AND a double "m."
• acquire - Try to acquire the knowledge that this word and the next began with the prefix ad- but the [d] converts to [c] before [q].
• acquit - See the previous discussion.
• a lot - Two words! Hopefully, you won't have to allot a lot of time to this problem.
• amateur - Amateurs need not be mature: this word ends on the French suffix -eur (the equivalent of English -er).
• apparent - A parent need not be apparent but "apparent" must pay the rent, so remember this word always has the rent.
• argument - Let's not argue about the loss of this verb's silent [e] before the suffix -ment.
• atheist - Lord help you remember that this word comprises the prefix a- "not" + the "god" (also in the-ology) + -ist "one who believes."

To see the rest of the 100 words, go to:
   http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/spelling-and-word-lists/misspelled.html

Amazon Talks About Cutting E-Book Prices

A news release just announce the following:  Moving swiftly to gain the upper hand after the Justice Department announced a suit against Apple and major publishers for price-fixing on e-books, Amazon lowered prices on major titles from $14.99 to $9.99 or lower. The charges against Apple put Amazon, which once controlled 90 percent of the e-book market, back in a powerful position to set prices. 

The government has accused Apple of colluding with four major publishers to charge consumers more than they would have paid otherwise. But publishers and sellers say readers won’t be any better off in Amazon’s hands, since the online seller already dominates the market and will now have even more control.

Win moola with your writing

 Calling all writers!

Irreantum, the literary magazine of the Association for Mormon Letters, will be accepting submissions to their 2012 literary contests until May 31, 2012.  Prizes range from $100-$300 and include possible publication in Irreantum.  

Their fiction and creative nonfiction contests are supported by a grant from the Eugene England foundation, and the poetry contest is supported by a grant from Mary Ann Taylor. 

Because Irreantum is a journal dedicated to exploring Mormon culture, submissions that relate to the Mormon experience will be given preference in judging. Authors need not be LDS. Please visit http://irreantum.mormonletters.org/ for contest rules and further information.

Want to make more money as an author?

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Smashwords Helps Secure the Future of Indie Publishing

The founder of Smashwords, Mark Coker, and I are tight friends.  Well, not really, but he just sent me this important email that illustrates how the publishing world is rapidly changing:

"Great news.  Yesterday afternoon I met with PayPal at their office in San Jose, where they informed me of their decision to modify their policies to allow legal fiction.

Effective last night, we rolled back the Smashwords Terms of Service to its pre-February 24 state.

It's been a tumultuous, nerve-wracking few weeks as we worked to protect the right of writers to write and publish legal fiction.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Smashwords authors, publishers and customers.  You stood up and made your voice known.  Thank you to every Smashwords author and publisher who wrote me to express opinions, even if we disagreed, and even if you were angry with me. You inspired me to carry your cause forward.

Smashwords authors, publishers and customers mobilized. You made telephone calls, wrote emails and letters, started and signed petitions, blogged, tweeted, Facebooked and drove the conversation. You made the difference.  Without you, no one would have paid attention. I would also like to thank the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC). These three advocacy groups were the first to stand up for our authors, publishers and customers. Their contribution cannot be overstated.  We collaborated with them to build a coalition of like-minded organizations to support our mutual cause. Special kudos to Rainey Reitman of EFF for her energy, enthusiasm and leadership.

I would also like to thank all the bloggers and journalists out there who helped carry our story forward by lending their platforms to get the story out.  Special thanks to TechCrunch, Slashdot, TechDirt, The Independent (UK), Reuters, Publishers Weekly, Dow Jones, The Digital Reader, CNET, Forbes, GalleyCat & EbookNewser and dozens of others too numerous to mention.

I would like to thank our friends at PayPal.  They worked with us in good faith as they promised, engaged us in dialogue, made the effort to understand Smashwords and our mission, went to bat for our authors with the credit card companies and banks, and showed the courage to revise their policies.

This is a big, bold move by PayPal.  It represents a watershed decision that protects the rights of writers to write, publish and distribute legal fiction.  It also protects the rights of readers to purchase and enjoy all fiction in the privacy of their own imagination. It clarifies and rationalizes the role of financial services providers and pulls them out of the business of censoring legal fiction.

Following implementation of their new policies, PayPal will have the most liberal, pro-First-Amendment policies of the major payment processors.  Will Google Checkout and Checkout by Amazon be next now that the credit card companies have clarified their positions, and have essentially given payment providers the permission to adopt more enlightened policies?   Finally, thanks to Selena Kitt of Excessica and Remittance Girl for helping me to understand and respect all fiction more than I ever have before.

This is a bright day for indie publishing.  In the old world, traditional publishers were the arbiters of literary merit.  Today, thanks to the rise of indie ebooks, the world is moving toward a broader, more inclusive definition of literary merit. Smashwords gives writers the power and freedom to publish.  Merit is decided by your readers.  Just as it should be."


Thanks Mark!