This week’s question is: How do you prepare for an author reading?
I have a reading with several other authors this Saturday for Bookstore Romance Day, so have prepared a gift basket, gathered not only the book I will be reading from but also most of my other books to take with me. As there will be a table at the front of the store with our books I have packed a display shelf, summaries of each book, and have decided on the excerpt I will read. Obviously, this has to be practiced to allow me to look up at the audience but also practice my inflections to give the piece a real sense of drama.
If you happen to be in Edmonton, Alberta come and say Hi. We will be at Audreys Books Ltd. 10702 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3J5 at 2 pm. I will read from Life in Slake Patch, which is a speculative fiction romance set in a matriarchal society from a young man’s perspective. Yep, it is certainly an interesting and unique story.
Please comment below with your typical planning for an author reading, we may learn new tricks from each other!
Last week’s post was a 10 minute writing prompt: A bag of multiple buttons.
When I worked with K-3 writers, I always carried by button tin inherited from my mother. Each student would receive one large button. Next they would draw the person or animal wearing it and glue the button in place. It could be a nose, a toenail, a wing decoration. Anything.Then they would write a story or poem about the character. They had a lot of fun.
I’m too excited to wait so I’m posting this event now! My fellow author pal, Eva Blaskovic and I are having a joint book signing on 8th July at Audrey’s Books, Jasper Avenue, Edmonton 12:00 – 1:00 pm. Everyone is welcome!
Come and see our new and improved novels, get your book signed and ask us questions on the stories or our writing process.
I plan on immersing myself in the ghost writing project for the rest of this and most likely next week. It needs to be propelled forward so a final draft can be approved. A graphic designer is working on the images so the placement of these will have to be worked out as well. With possible sizes of print books and price estimates from the publisher we are nearing a conclusion in the next month. An exciting time for both my client and I as we all know when we hold a physical copy of our book for the first time it is magical and awe inspiring.
However, prior to that schedule, I invested in a workshop last night for my writing. A local author, Jennifer Snow is currently writer in residence at a downtown bookstore, Audrey’s and she was holding a workshop, which intrigued me. The evening’s workshop title was – First Five Pages & Avoiding a Saggy Middle in your Novel.
There were several other writers attending and it was interesting to hear their questions and the advice given by Jennifer. Although you may not write in the same genre as the presenter or the other attendees at workshops or conferences, there are basic fundamentals required to entice, engage and hold a reader no matter the narrative.
We all need to invest in our writing, no matter how much we think we know. You can always learn from another writer or author and as it happens I did have an idea pop into my head during the evening, which will assist in the revision of one of my manuscripts. (For those of you who don’t know I am editing four manuscripts over this and next year!) I detail my progress here: https://mandyevebarnett.com/current-project-2/
Books
Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn
My review: What a wonderful book – stories of life, death and rebirth. Perfectly linking each of the souls/characters lives. Sometimes they linked up, others not. Suzanne weaved a perfect tale of past lives making great use of the ‘echoes’ of past life bringing them forward to the new existence.
If you are intrigued, interested or fascinated by reincarnation you must read this book.
Evidence of Life by Barbara Taylor Sissel
Onto this novel – a great opening line and the story propels you forward with enticing glimpses of what might have happened.
Writing Tips
Invest in a few valuable resources starting with The Chicago Manual of Style and The Elements of Style.
Grammar: learn the rules and then learn how to break them effectively.
Do you have particular resources you use? Care to share?
Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers 
When I worked with K-3 writers, I always carried by button tin inherited from my mother. Each student would receive one large button. Next they would draw the person or animal wearing it and glue the button in place. It could be a nose, a toenail, a wing decoration. Anything.Then they would write a story or poem about the character. They had a lot of fun.