Admiring Art

“Look at every thing as though you were seeing it either for the first time or the last time.”  ~Betty Smith

All of us have our own interpretation of what good art means. What one of us may deem to be beautiful, may have little merit for others. Some of us like representational art, others prefer abstract art presented in large installations or sculpture, some enjoy art in the form of handcrafted items. Creative expression comes in so many forms.

Art has merit in my own eyes, when it strikes me immediately. It may come in the form of a painting, an exquisite voice, a superb theatrical production, a symphony of sounds, meaningful lyrics to a song or a well executed book or film.  A  meal with beautiful garnishes or even a beautiful flower arrangement is a work of art.

There are paintings that I love to revisit day after day,  as if I am seeing the work for the first time.  Painter Timothy Thies has a way of drawing me into his gardens of color and light, time and time again.  As my eyes meander the canvas, I always see a stroke of paint, a blending of color or a ray of light I had never seen before.

Wikipedia.com defines art as “the process or product of deliberately arranging  elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions.” That is a very broad definition. What really matters when it comes to Art appreciation is that it satisfies and fulfills us.

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Publishing Love Letters

“The love of  a family is life’s greatest blessing.” ~ Unknown

Desktop publishing has been used widely for families to document and share their family geneology and history. Because, let’s be honest, unless you are a member of a notable family, have accomplished something unusual in life, are a hot television personality or politician, a CEO “giant” or have an extreme story to tell, the chances are slim to none of having your book published by a traditional and major publishing house.

Many people find it important to travel to different parts of the world to discover, document and learn about their geneology, but it is not necessary. Tracing your family heritage is made simple in this digital age. Websites like Ancestry.com makes searching for relatives possible and fun.

The purpose of publishing a family history is to pass along stories of family members migrating from one geographical area to another, to teach of ancestor’s struggles and adversities, to record births and deaths, family values and ethnic lineage. A study of our ancestry helps us to identify and connect with those family members who came before us.

A common mistake is to think that only your family members would be interested in your family’s tales. Not so – I just read an independently published book called “Out of Vienna” by Ernie Weiss. www.OutofVienna.com.  The author is not personally known to me, nor is his extended family. But the recounting of his family’s eight year escape from Vienna during the Nazi occupation to the United States was fascinating.

If you are contemplating independently publishing a book about your family’s geneology – take the leap. For your relatives, a book of family history is the inheritance of a love letter written for your children and those not yet born.

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Braveheart

“When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into it’s writing.” ~ Enrique Jardiel Poncela

Someone not too long ago made the comment to me that “I am a brave woman to bare my soul through blogging.” Her remark took me by surprise and I began to think about why people write and whether putting pen to paper is an act of bravery.

I came to the conclusion that, yes for many, writing is an act of courage. Therapeutic writing often addresses wrongdoings or failings in one’s life.  Topics of therapeutic writing can be ugly and fraught with raw emotion. Feelings of victimization, being punished or bullied, thoughts of resentment, shame, grief or frustration is often addressed in therapeutic writing. Acts of contrition are often mentioned.  Writing is cathartic and a useful tool of psychological therapy for many.

Writing a memoir takes guts too! Reflecting on one’s own life is not always easy. The act of sharing one’s own life story takes courage.  Deep reflection on one’s own life and it’s purpose often digs up unpleasant moments and times that have been pushed way back, lest they be remembered.

No, I am not a brave woman. I write because it is fun. It gets my fingers goin’ and my thoughts flowin’ and if someone likes my writing, it is all that more satisfying and fulfilling.

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Weekend Indie Publisher News

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Attention Non-Fiction Writers!!  If you have a book relevant to better living, enter it into the book award contest sponsored by www.livingnowawards.com.  This contest is looking for books which relate to living fulfilling lives. There are 28 categories offering gold, silver and bronze medals.

Some of the categories include:

  • Cooking – general, organic and holiday
  • Personal Growth
  • Health and Wellness
  • Enlightenment/Spirituality
  • Hobbies and Crafts
  • Wedding Planning
  • Gardening/Landscaping
  • Pets/Livestock
  • Green Living
  • Home/Remodeling/Decorating
  • Travel
  • Finance/Budget
  • Charity
  • Style/Shopping
  • Charity
  • Mature Living

For information on all categories and entry guidelines, please visit www.livingnowawards.com.

Enter Early and Save!

$70 per title until November 7, $80 per title from November 8 to January 8, 2010 and $90 per title from January 10 – February 14, 2010 (deadline date).

Books that win contests SELL! ENTER NOW!

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Weekend Indie Publishers News

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Wow! Where did this week go? It is hard to believe it is time to update you with more independent publisher news.

NEWS FLASH: The 2010 Eric Hoffer Book Awards are coming up!     Here is your chance indie publishers – shoot for the moon and submit!!

This contest is accepting newly released books or older books from     Small Presses~Academic Presses~Micro-Presses~Self Publishers                                                                                                        Deadline:  January 21, 2010                                                                                    Entry Fee: $45                                                                                                           Grand Prize and World Wide Exposure                                                        Winner and Runner-up Prizes in Every Category                                     Coverage in The US Review of Books!

Categories: Art, Poetry, Children, Fiction & Non-fiction, Memoir, Culture, Business, Reference, Home, Health, Reference, Spirtual/Self Help.

A SINGLE REGISTRATION GIVES YOU FIVE WAYS TO WIN!!!

For full details and to enter – please visit www.HofferAward.com         Other Contact Information: email – info@hofferaward.com                      The Eric Hoffer Awards, PO Box ll, Titusville, NJ  08560

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Go, Venture, Explore

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It is rare to find a subject that has not been written about before. It is easy to find all kinds of knowledge on the internet. But, web browsing can not compare to spending time in a library, going up and down the aisles, reading the titles, looking at book covers. Before you know it, “gottcha!” a book will say to you. A book that you can not resist reading. It happens time after time.

Reading can take you to places you have never  been before! It is, no doubt, an escape from reality of our face paced world. What better way to de-stress, relax and visit with some different characters that we don’t hang with in every day life.

September is Library Sign-up Month! If there is a child in your life, whether it is your own child, a niece, a nephew, a grandchild or a neighbor – do them a favor! Take them to the children’s reading hour at a nearby library. You will see expressions of excitement, wonder and curiosity on children’s faces as they are being read to. It could  be your contribution to engaging a life long reader. While you are there, grab a book yourself, find a remote corner and enjoy the journey!

“The more you read,

The more you know,

The more you know,

The smarter you grow,

The smarter you grow,

The stronger your voice,

When speaking your mind,

Or making a choice.”

~ Unknown

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Tall Orders to Fill

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Last night, I attended the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) summer event in Denver. It was a book sale as well as a chance for vendors to share their publishing related services with the public.

I was  happy to see the turnout of young people in attendance. They were there to learn more about their passion of writing and publishing. I spoke with many of the young writers. They were articulate and most already had a vision for their books. Some even had rough drafts in hand. 

They had come to the right place! The CIPA Board of Directors is a seasoned group of professionals, well versed in every aspect of independent publishing. The proof is in their own successes. Their goals are to educate and steer others to success.

From the numbers in attendance, editors, book cover designers, author’s assistants, book coaches and fulfillment companies had better get ready! There are lots of projects coming down the pike! There will be tall orders to fill!

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(As soon as I have photos from my photographer, I will share more highlights from the CIPA event!)

Best of Times for Indy Publishers

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There is no doubt about it, independent publishers have never had it so good! The independent publishing scene is hot, hot, hot! Proof is in the statistics cited by seasoned publishing professionals.

Desktop publishing software has been developed so that it has become user friendly. The arrival of the Expresso Book Machine really has independent publishers smiling!

For those of you unfamiliar with the EBM (Expresso Book Machine), it has the capacity of downloading manuscripts from PDF format files, printing and delivering a perfect bound book within 10-15 minutes time. I kid you not! I have seen it first hand at the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, VT.  www.Northshire.com

The Northshire Bookstore was the first retail store to obtain one of these print on demand book machines. Even now, few establishments have them.  A visit to the Northshire Bookstore to see this beast in action will be well worth your time. The Publishers Weekly Magazine has given the Northshire an award of distinction for “The Best Independent Bookstore.”

When you go, plan to spend a good part of the day exploring the nooks and crannies of the store. It is like a destination resort, unlike any other you have visited before. But, do me a favor, tell General Manager Chris Merrow that Sue Leonard from Cornerstone Fulfillment Service, LLC says “hello!” And one more thing, please leave your kindle reader behind!

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