Authors, Writers, Publishers, and Book Readers

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A Girl in Train Station

Wikan had arrived quite early at the station, despite his train to Bandung not departing until seven thirty. It was the holiday season, and most people travelling to and from Yogyakarta had booked their ticket at least six or seven days in advance. Not having planned his trip, (it was a last minute decision the boss employed to show his power) Wikan had therefore been left with the unenviable task of managing his ticket purchase from one of the many scalpers, who plied the main hall of Tugu… Continue

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Added by era fiyantiningrum on January 28, 2010 at 7:00pm — No Comments

This is an oldie - Hannah and her Heart

Hannah was a special little girl. There was only one small problem. She herself didn't think she was. Hannah wasn't really sure why she felt like that. It just seemed to be something that she had always known--that she was nothing special.

She was small for her age, so she couldn't run as fast as the others that won the races. She was shy, so she found it hard to make friends and only had one (and some days none when her 'friend' didn't feel like being her friend that day). She… Continue

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Added by Kay Elizabeth on January 27, 2010 at 6:07am — 2 Comments

Chapter 2 - Dimensions of Genesis

The pressure on his chest always came first. A deep-seated panic washed over him as he became lucid within his dream.

Water. Floundering in an ocean of liquid, smothering him from all sides. All his senses dulled by the fluid, trapping him within its suffocating density.

Frantic for a breath of air, his lungs blazed with pain. David searched the black abyss for some signature of light, to shine a path to salvation. There didn't seem to be a sense of logical direction, he couldn't tell… Continue

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Added by Danielle on January 26, 2010 at 4:30pm — No Comments

CODY MILLER

CHAPTER 3

Alsion sighed, palms fixed on the far end of the small table they'd gven her to eat on. The files of Cody Miller and everyone that had talked to him, they were all irrelevant...only connected by two things, they all went to a highschool and were girls. Sighing, she shuffled quickly through the papers, suddenly stopping at one of the girls.

"Kayla?" Alison mused.

She pulled out the blonde, curly haired girl's file. It'd been so long, last time she'd seen this girl… Continue

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Added by Alex Davis on January 25, 2010 at 1:00am — No Comments

POD Versus POD: Or What's the Difference Between Print On Demand And Publish On Demand?

Acronyms can be confusing. POD stands for both print on demand and publish on demand. The terms should not be used interchangeably but often are. Unfortunately in the publishing world, POD has come to mean the business model of publish on demand or vanity publishing.

Print On Demand

Print on demand is a technology that allows one copy of a book to be printed and bound at a time. It's no longer necessary to have offset print runs of several thousand copies. The technology… Continue

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Added by Authors.com on January 24, 2010 at 7:36pm — 4 Comments

Free Syllabuses for Writing Workshops

I facilitate a series of writing workshops sponsored by The Palm Beach County Library System, and at no charge. I will more then happy to provide the syllabus material, along with the notes, to anyone who would be interested in conducting similar programs.

There are three separate series that I have available, each designed to meet once a month for a two hour session. The Developmental Series is configured over a 12 month period, with the Intermediate and Advanced Programs at 9… Continue

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Added by Robert L. Bacon on January 23, 2010 at 4:55am — No Comments

Dimensions of Genesis Chapter 1 (warning, very long.)

Lily Donovan felt apprehensive as the heavy door slammed behind her. Her bright green eyes scanned the austere environment. Knowing Sunday mass didn’t begin for another forty-five minutes, she felt intimidated by the virtually empty church.

Lily removed her white knit sweater, damp from the light rain, and hung it in the coat closet provided for the congregation. Thinking ahead, she chose to hang the sweater as close to the end of the closet as she could.

That way, I can escape… Continue

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Added by Danielle on January 22, 2010 at 9:31pm — 5 Comments

Tips on How to Write Publishable Material - Understanding Point of View

Please note before reading this piece that it is lengthy, almost 1500 words. But since the agents, publishers, and other professional editors I know feel that Point of View is not a subject to be taken lightly, I decided it should not receive short shrift.

What prompted me to address POV at this time is that I recently read a scene that contained four POV shifts, and when I brought this to the author's attention, I was told this was the intent. And it was explained to me in no… Continue

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Added by Robert L. Bacon on January 21, 2010 at 1:30am — 1 Comment

Ambiguity

As a roleplayer, I need to keep making fresh concepts for my characters. Say what you will of me, but it's difficult.

One little niche that I have in my roleplay circles is the ambiguous gender. Dunno what that means? Well give these paragraphs a little look. This is the description and basic profile of one of my RPCs, Sage Skarba.

The sole member of Niwadaigaku Tantei: Afterschool Detective, a group of prodigies (Although Sage is once again, the only member) who… Continue

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Added by Aries on January 20, 2010 at 9:32pm — 4 Comments

My manifesto? my brain spill.

hello hello.

not sure what to do here, i thought i'd exercise the blog feature, and use it to explain my pressence here, to both myself, to set a few things straight in my mind, and to any others who care to read it also.

i'll probably look at it later, feel foolish, edit and/or delete it.

i've always liked to create stories, since i was small. for a long time, it manifested purely as drawing, but as i grew older, i began to write and it slowly caught up. it was unexpected… Continue

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Added by Zebulon on January 20, 2010 at 4:08pm — No Comments

Sweet ride

a few months back i did an exercise where i was to draw story out of a single word or concept in an hour. i used 'camel' and this was the result...

any advice, criticism, commentry on the story or the writing itself would be much appreciated. :)

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He rode through the streets, his head held high; his ride was the best around. People stared, mouths open. A small child cried out and pointed. Yes. This man’s camel was… Continue

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Added by Zebulon on January 20, 2010 at 4:00pm — No Comments

What do you do first. ?

Wow : There is so much info here and trying to catch up on it, And then where do I start? writting my first pages of what I hope to be a book. Do I post a poem already written hopeing someone will see it read it want to use. Or do I keep reading, learning, Making a few friends???

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Added by Don Dockery on January 19, 2010 at 8:17pm — 4 Comments

When your characters take on a life form of their own!

Have you ever wanted to pull your hair out when you're creating a new character and you want him to have a particular personality but he turns around does the complete opposite thing! Its maddening and no matter how many times you go back and try and change it or move him around, its too late, he's already a new person! So back to the typewriter and the plot thickens ...

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Added by Ashley Du Toit on January 19, 2010 at 11:58am — 1 Comment

Trilla and The Mystic Troll

Hey folks!

This is a children's/tween's story I have been working on forever, it seems. Here's a snippet. Any thoughts and or critical comments will be greatly appreciated. Please forgive the justification and formatting issues. I am still trying to figure the best way to post previously written documents.

TRILLA AND THE MYSTIC TROLL

BY M.A Santomieri

CHAPTER ONE

Trilla was only just about the size of boggy wallower… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on January 18, 2010 at 6:37pm — 3 Comments

Hi, My name is Ashley, i live in Australia, i'm married, have two children and a menagerie of very spoiled birds! I love hiking, reading, writing, the occasional fishing trip and wire writing. I must…

Hi,

My name is Ashley, i live in Australia, i'm married, have two children and a menagerie of very spoiled birds!

I love hiking, reading, writing, the occasional fishing trip and wire writing. I must also admit that i'm a closet bookoholic! I'm a children's author with one book (Nemesis & the Fairy of Pure Heart) already published and another one (Nemesis & the Troll King) about to be released & launched in March 2010. My books are targeted at kids aged 8-12 years and they… Continue

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Added by Ashley Du Toit on January 18, 2010 at 6:47am — 5 Comments

The readers of G.R.E.A.T.

On Wednesday I had a wonderful discussion with the book club G.R.E.A.T. (Girls Reading Everything & Anything Together). I was invited by Tracey Smith after she read my novel THE SANDMAN. I have never met Tracey in person, but had to contact her every 3 years as I renewed my PHCC Certification with the state of California. When she learned I had a book published she ordered a copy on Borders.com and presented it to her group.

It was with great pleasure to learn the group was happy… Continue

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Added by David Lucero on January 18, 2010 at 4:35am — No Comments

New cover for Sensitivity 101 for the Heterosexual Male, Lessons Learned from the Fairer Sex

Here is the new cover for my book...

I am also in the middle of adapting this "R" rated book into "PG" one and releasing it it as a young adult title. The last two reviewers suggested that I try it.

Sensitivity 101... is available at amazon.com and also at my website www.philipnork.com

I have a new blog site also...… Continue

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Added by Philip Nork on January 18, 2010 at 2:30am — 1 Comment

IN MY LIFE (EXCERPTS)

In my life I absorbed the shockwaves that rolled across this land when they silenced Martin Luther King Jr.-dousing the intense flame of a brilliant fire, yet the embers remained.

In my life I felt the hatred and fear of a nation locked in a power struggle about a war neither side truly comprehended.

In my life I witnessed the massacre of children on our campuses, slaughtered and maimed for being unruly and voicing their opinions and concern.

In my life I lived with the blending of… Continue

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Added by Cricket on January 17, 2010 at 4:30pm — 1 Comment

Writer's Block

Hey all!

I have just a short note on the concept of writer's block.

It is a figment of your imaginations. Or perhaps I should restate that: it is a function of your imaginations.

When we as writers cease to imagine, we cease to function as writers. We fall back, as it were, into the mundane world.

It is a temporary, although sometimes problemsome, occurence from which every writer at one point or another suffers.

Take a few breaths, stretch and rethink what the story is… Continue

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Added by Mark A. Santomieri on January 17, 2010 at 4:22am — 1 Comment

Love Zombie

I woke up this morning,

4 am, the radio was playing.

It filled my empty head with static

As I rose from the flat schematic

Layout of faded cotton sheets.

I shuffled through the bedroom,

Trudged into the bathroom for a drink.

My heart seemed to drain away

With the water from my sink.

And when I dared to take a glance,

My eyes met the mirrored glass;

There stood a demon in my place.

It’s eyes were cracked,

It’s lips were… Continue

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Added by Oliver Black on January 16, 2010 at 11:00am — No Comments