Monday, April 30, 2007

It's good to be home on my own computer, although....

Hi,
Well, the library was an interesting way to spend a few hours getting stuff done, but I'd rather write from home. Though I must say that the chairs at the library are way more comfortable than mine, and if I wanted to spend some money I'd definitely invest in a new computer chair. It's also easy to check out free DVDs while you're at the library, then easily return them the next day. I picked out Pride and Prejudice, a book I read and enjoyed a lot as a young girl. Seeing the movie should be really interesting. Plus, going to the library gave me an excuse to get out of my robe and get dressed, something I'm a little slow doing sometimes, especially if the weather looks bad. I also liked hanging out with the people at the library. Everybody keeps pretty much to themselves, but still there's an air of contentment and comeraderie. You feel that if you asked someone a question, they wouldn't ignore you or be rude, they'd just try to help you out, and then drift back into their silent reverie. I saw an older lady sitting reading a book, alone, but not really. You had to figure she could have read the book at home, but felt more comfortable there among her like-minded library friends. I also noticed a man holding a baby, a very good natured baby, who didn't cry and seemed to have picked up on the contented atmosphere of the library as well. The father sat using the Internet for several hours with the baby crooked in his arm.

Well, I'm tired and I guess I should go to bed. I'll get back to you soon. Nancy

Update - Website live as of July 11, 2007

Visit my website to read a FREE EXCERPT of my mystery romantic-suspense novel, Her Last Letter.

http://www.nancy-cjohnson.com/

Books are available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and can be ordered through most bookstores.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Internet Down

Hello!
Well, I'm at the library writing this blog as my Internet at home is down. With any luck it will be up and running soon. Like at least one of the characters in my book, I hate it when things break. Actually, that probably applies to all of them. Who likes it when things break? Repairmen are the only ones I can think of at the moment ... and maybe toddlers. I'm planning to go to the book printing company tomorrow, which reminds me, I need to do a map quest before I leave here. I vaguely remember the directions, but I wasn't driving the last time so I wasn't really paying attention. The printing company is huge, or huge to me; I guess it is considered a medium size book printing company as companies go. It is over 10,000 square feet and a cool looking building inside and out! They put out a quality book product, and were nice enough to give me a tour of the building and an explanation of all the equipment housed there, and how it functions. I understood only a little of it, but it was really interesting. The book interior will be printed in sections called "signatures." At their company, a signature is 8 pages. I guess signatures can be as much as 16 or 32 pages. They will be using off-set printing for my book, a good choice. They also offer web printing, also a great choice and lightening fast I'm told!

So, I'll hand over the hard copy (manuscript) proof of my book tomorrow, and also a copy of the cover. They will use each to check against the proof copy they print, I suspect, in case of errors (mine or theirs). It will be 4-5 weeks before the books are printed and ready for me. That will give me time to work on my marketing plans, already in the works. But more on that later.

By the way, it is finally a beautiful Michigan spring Sunday afternoon, so I am anxious to get back outside! I'll talk to you soon. Nancy

Update - Website live as of July 11, 2007

Visit my website to read a FREE EXCERPT of my mystery romantic-suspense novel, Her Last Letter.

http://www.nancy-cjohnson.com/

Books are available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and can be ordered through most bookstores.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Book going into production soon!

Hi there!
My mystery/romantic suspense novel, HER LAST LETTER, will be going into production soon. The printing company needs a few things from me first, but I'll take care of that this week. I expect the book will be ready for distribution in a month to two months. I'm very excited about it. I've put a lot of time, effort, and love into my novel, and tried to make it a fun and entertaining read. My aim was always to please a female audience, but it could possibly appeal to a male audience too. Time will tell. The premise for my book is rather unique, or at least I don't remember ever reading a book quite like it. I've included lots of dialogue and action scenes, and the pace of the book increases as more and more of the plot unfolds.

My characters became real for me right from the start, revealing themselves as they acted out their stories. I've been told they also seem real to the women who've read my manuscript. It's fun writing a book, hard work, but fun. In this one endeavor, I have complete control. If I say it rains, it rains. If I say the daffodils are in bloom, they are. Anything can happen and I determine it all. That's exciting for me! Plus, a lot of skill is involved. The words and sentences must have a certain music, a certain rhythm to them, depending on the emotions I hope to invoke. To do this even marginally well takes years of reading good writing and practicing the craft. Still, I feel I have a lot to learn, and am continually looking for ways to improve. I always try to offer the absolute best stories I am capable of writing.

And now I will get off my soap box and get busy fixing dinner. Talk to you soon. Nancy

Update - Website live as of July 11, 2007

Visit my website to read a FREE EXCERPT of my mystery romantic-suspense novel, Her Last Letter.

http://www.nancy-cjohnson.com/

Books are available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and can be ordered at most bookstores.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

The day after Friday the thirteenth....

Good morning!
Actually, I've always considered Friday the thirteenth to be lucky ... for me, because my birth date has lucky numbers in it. It's 7/11. Even the year is lucky in that respect, but as a lady, I don't wish to reveal my age. So, for my own reasons, I've decided that Friday the thirteenth is lucky, because good things have always happened to me on that date.

Yesterday my daughter ushered in a new member of the family! But no, it's not a grandchild exactly, more of a feathered grandchild. She brought home Makamae, her baby cockatoo, or "crested parrot" by dictionary definition. He was born a few months ago in Hawaii, and shipped here in the first class section of the airplane. Before his trip he was cared for by the breeder, then a nurse of sort who fed him baby food etc. until he was grown enough to come home. My daughter Angie has already started a baby album, pictures of his egg, of him struggling to crack open his egg, of his wet little bird body, then of him in various stages of growth. They grow fast! Angie adopted a bird because she couldn't have a dog or cat pet because of allergies. I've visited Makamae several times, and will go again to visit him today. He is white, with blue around his eyes, has a gentle nature, and loves to play with his toys. His name in Hawaiian means "cherished or precious." He is already trying to say his name. Maka sounds like the "ma" in mom, and mae sounds like "my."

Though I didn't write anything about writing today, I'll leave you with a quote I found by Ernest Hemingway, another writer I and many others admire.

"My aim is to put down what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way I can tell it."
Ernest Hemingway

I agree with that philosophy! Nancy

Update - Website live as of July 11, 2007

Visit my website to read a FREE EXCERPT of my mystery romantic-suspense novel, Her Last Letter.

http://www.nancy-cjohnson.com/

Books are available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and can be ordered through most bookstores.

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Thursday, April 12, 2007

Oh ... the weather outside is ... yuk!

Hello,
So this will be my second official post as a blogger. I wonder what the accepted definition of blogger is? Must you write blogs, or only read blogs? Is the word blogger officially listed in the dictionary? I would have to think so, at least in the unabridged version. I will definitely have to go to my online Webster's Dictionary site for this and check it out. I love that site anyway. I mean, the guy (why a guy anyway?) will pronounce the word for you on the computer (look for a tiny red horn and turn up the volume on the speakers) and it's even free! It gives many more words than in the dictionary on my desk, which hasn't put out an updated edition in I don't know how many years.

But about the weather. It's one of those "Why do I live in Michigan?" spring days out there. It's rainy and cold and miserable. I'll have to go out in it because I'm out of bird seed and the squirrels and birds around here depend on me now. I only started feeding them in order to amuse my cat, who doesn't go outside. I would let him go, but he doesn't like it, because of his past.... I'll have to tell you about that someday.

My website (listed above) is under construction as of this date, so no one can get free e-books or excerpts as yet. But the site is looking so cool! Lisa, my designer, is doing a great job. I've never met her. She lives all the way over in California, but I can tell from talking and emailing her that she is super nice, and very talented. Angie (daughter) and I found her by searching Craig's list, or could be she found us, I'm not exactly sure anymore. We checked out her site and were impressed! I'm not sure how much longer it will take to finish our sites. It's all a very detailed process, and Lisa has other clients besides us. She'll have her company name on the site once it's up, so if you'd like a new website yourself, you can check it out there.

Well, time to brave the rain I guess. I'll check in again soon. Nancy

Update - Website live as of July 11, 2007

Visit my website to read a FREE EXCERPT of my mystery romantic-suspense novel, Her Last Letter.

http://www.nancy-cjohnson.com/

Books are available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and can be ordered through most bookstores.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

My first ever, ever, ever ... blog.

Hi there!
I created this site today and this is first time I've ever written a blog. I've read quite a few, but never felt the urge to write my own. But this blog site is so nice I wanted to have one all to myself.

Since I am a writer you would think writing this would be a piece of cake. Speaking of cake, I think I have a cupcake in the ... but I digress. (This is how writing doesn't get done, getting pulled away from the keyboard to do any number of time-wasting things.) I probably should talk about writing in some respect, since I've already mentioned my new book enough times. You remember, HER LAST LETTER, the mystery/romantic suspense novel I've been telling you about? I remind myself of a new mother. "Oh, look at her/him. Isn't she/he the most adorable, blessed, wonderful creation ever to grace this planet?" I do love my book, but I also love any number of others. Two of my favorite authors of late are Sue Grafton and Mary Higgins Clark. I'm also a long standing fan of Ira Levin, who wrote Rosemary's Baby, and A Kiss Before Dying, and Stepford Wives, among others. Not only were Mr. Levin's novels made into movies, they are written with such craft and simplicity you might not guess the man is a genius! Of course, if I'm really feeling nostalgic, I'll take out my old copy of The Reincarnation of Peter Proud, by Max Ehrlich. Wow! I've read it and reread it countless times. (They made a movie out of this one too, but didn't do it justice. I would love to see what Dreamworks would do with it now.) Well, I've only left out a few hundred other wonderful and deserving authors, but I'll save them for later.

I am hungry, so I think I'll go in search of that cupcake. I'm wondering now, can I delete this before it's too late? Nancy

Update - Website live as of July 11, 2007

Visit my website to read a FREE EXCERPT of my mystery romantic-suspense novel, Her Last Letter.

http://www.nancy-cjohnson.com/

Books are available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and can be ordered through most bookstores.

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