I had a vision

I embarrass myself!

A couple years ago I went to the ophthalmologist and received a good report. She asked if the Dollar Store reading glasses were still doing the trick, and approved their use. I didn't admit that I have two pairs, one for reading small print and one for watching TV.

Last evening I awoke from my three hour! nap on the couch with my TV specs perched cockeyed on my nose. I proceeded in a trance-like state to the bathroom, the dim motion light barely illuminated the room. I sat down, looked down and screamed like a banshee. I reached for a magazine and beat the heck out of a piece of black sock lint on the floor, then I looked at the wall and attacked the plug on the curling iron (the cord had unraveled and was hanging off a shelf).

Perhaps I had the wrong pair of readers on. Perhaps it's the dreaded winter doldrums that causes these sleep-induced panics. When the sun goes down, so do I. No wonder I wake up refreshed at 4:00 a.m.

Now that I am bright-eyed, let me tell you about a call for submissions. Go HERE to read an interesting interview with Rhonda Penders, Editor-in-Chief of Wild Rose Publishing. She gives a thorough breakdown of the many romance sub-genres they publish, everything from short-story to novel length; hot and steamy to sweet, sweaty and sticky (implied sex); to hot and bothered (explicit); and everything in between. Put your "readers" on and get to it.

It's THIS Sunday!

Please come out for a while to support this great effort. Stay a short while or a long while. Meet the authors, listen to them read their work. Please repost this and tell others.

Storm Country release party and book signing $10 per book
All proceeds benefit Joplin tornado victims to replenish their library books.


Sunday, November 13 • 7:00pm - 9:30pm

Regional Arts Commission
6128 Delmar Boulevard St. Louis, MO

Authors will read from their work and discuss their contributions to the anthology. Some of the authors scheduled to read include: Elaine Viets, Linda Austin, Lynn Obermoeller, Linda O'Connell, Donna Volkenannt, Anene Tressler-Hauschultz, Kelli Allen, Bill Hopkins, and others. Event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided by the Missouri Writers Guild.

Share and share alike

Pete Green, Linda O'Connell, Brad Cook, Photo: Courtesy of Lynn Obermoeller

I recapped my St. Louis Writer's Guild panel presentation in my previous post. I would like to thank everyone who came to hear what Pete Green, Brad Cook and I had to say. I do believe that St. Louis has a huge literary pool, and I also believe that we should be inclusive rather than exclusive, and readily share our knowledge.

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to my new blog followers!

Peter Green discussed independent presses and "author-subsidized publishing". Self-publishing is not the way to go for everyone, but if you are intent on getting your manuscript published, there are avenues other than traditional publishing. Check out his book, Dad's War With the United Sates Marines on his website and read about his newest, upcoming release.

Brad Cook gave a thorough overview of local conferences and the wealth of knowledge one gains from attending. He has been pumped ever since returning from New York.

The Missouri Writer's Guild Conference is coming up April 8-10. There is still time to register, or if you just want to schmooze and dine and hear keynote speaker, hometown sweetheart, author and former Post-Dispatch columnist, Elaine Viets on 4/9/11, please go to MWG.

Some of St. Louis's literary finest were in the audience. I was proud to see Dianna Graveman, local author who will be presenting at the MWG conference. Becky Haigler, editor of Silver Boomer Anthologies was also in attendance, and Diane Jennings Willis from Washington University.

Please feel free to email me on any topic, and I will help in any way that I can.