Sharing with Writers Offers First Contest

I'm not quite sure why I don't run contests very often. Perhaps its because I think they should be something special. This is the time. This is my first contest for this blog and the first for my Sharing with Writers newsletter.

Because poetry can be so important in our lives if we will but let it, I wanted something to remind people to slow down a bit and read a poem (or write one). Then I ran across Lillian Brummet's revised book of poetry, Towards Understanding.

Towards Understanding is in e-book format which makes it green. Something Lillian and I are both avid about. If you've read this lovely little volume, Lillian has revised it with, she says, "an ending I feel more comfortable with." It even has a new cover designed by her artist husband Dave.

The collection of 125 poems run in chronological order to tell the true story of a preteen girl growing up on her own, struggling to survive, breaking the chains of inner demons and finally growing towards understanding of her value and purpose in life--but not quite reaching it. Thus the title… Towards Understanding.

Lillian wrote the book to show other victims of abuse, violence, and neglect that they can live a wholesome life without carrying baggage from the past. She wanted to provide a roadmap that showed the healing process that victims go through, letting others know they are not alone. The poems will help others provide a better support system for those they know who are in a similar situation.

So, the prize for my contest is an e-copy of Lillian's Towards Understanding. The winner may also submit one of their own poems or a short excerpt from their prose to be published in the Poetry Corner of my Sharing with Writers newsletter. I ask only that the piece fits with the theme of Lillian's book and this contest, "Towards Understanding." The "understanding" can be on any subject that interests the subscriber.

To enter contest send an email with "Towards Understanding" in the subject line to me at hojonews @ aol.com Be sure to remove the spaces from the address before you send it. The deadline is Sept. 30 and the winner will be chosen at random.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of two books of poetry. Tracings, A Chapbook of Poetry, was named to Compulsive Readers' Ten Best Reads list and was winner of the Military Writers Society of America's award Excellence She Wore Emerald Then, Reflections on Motherhood, was co-authored with Magdalena Ball. Kristin Johnson, screenwriter and founder of the Warrior Poets Project says, "[Both] poets continue to write poems that don't sound either like banal Hallmark cards or the bitter-at-dysfunctional-family jeremiads that habitually torture MFA writing workshop participants."

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.

Recommending a Service-Oriented Writers' Organization Here!

I am a proud member of Military Writers Society of America. I recommend it because of the opportunties it offers writers, especially through its bookstore, its review program, and its award program.

MWSA is under new leadership and it continues to evolve along with its revamped Web site. They’re in the process of integrating their bookstore and their MWSA reviews. From now on, all our reviews will be part of the bookstore.

Eventually, they will be implementing an automated online database of all their members' books and reviews. Once this ambitious project is complete, visitors to the MWSA bookstore will be able to search and find exactly what they’re looking for. They’ll be able to see search results by about any essential book detail. Title, genre, etc.

One does not have to be military or write about military subjects to belong to this organization, but any writer who fits in either of those categories certainly should be a member.


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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.

MaAnna Stephenson Shares Top Two Things All Site Owners Should Know

Today MaAnna Stephenson shares the two (!) most important things site owners should know about Web sites, preferably before they ever start. The tips are especially near to my heart because a couple years ago I found myself without a domain name when I wanted to begin doing it myself. It was a mess and I had to start all over again with getting my Web site a good search engine footprint. I don't wish it on anyone. So take heed and read. (-:

By Ma Anna Stephenson

Online marketing has become the hottest method for authors to get buzz on their books and provide multiple ways to interact with their audience as well as other book business professionals. The heart of a successful marketing campaign is a good Web site.

Let’s face it, most authors aren’t geeks and rely on site designers or other technical professionals to help them develop an online presence beginning with a Web site. Very often, a new author is overwhelmed with the various tasks of creating a marketing strategy. Finding a designer who can take care of all the technical details can seem like a blessing.

However, far too often authors don’t read the fine print of the contract they strike with a designer. When authors want to switch to another designer, or change to a different format, such as from a static site to a WordPress site, they are shocked to discover that the original designer owns the domain, the site, the graphics, and all of the content.

Following are the top two tips you can use to protect yourself as a site owner.


Tip 1: The best thing you can do for yourself is to purchase your own domain name. This is the URL of your site. It will look something like this: www.mysite.com.

You can purchase your domain from a domain registrar. Some are standalone entities while others, like GoDaddy, also offer hosting services. Many of the latter will give you a domain name for free if you purchase a hosting contract with them.


If you plan to hire a designer, ask them which hosting service they like to work with for your type of site. Many designers purchase space with a hosting service that allows unlimited domains. This means that the cost of hosting will be very cheap for you because they are providing a discount rate on hosting.

Even if you go this route, purchase your own domain name. They’re inexpensive (as low as $2-$3 a year from some registrars). You can list yourself as the owner and list the designer as the technical contact. No matter what is stated on the designer’s contract for the rest of the site, you will control your domain and are free to point it to a new site later.


Tip 2: Before you sign a contract with anyone, ask who owns the site. This includes the layout, the graphics (if they are custom designed), and the content. Many designers insist on maintaining the copyright of the site. They are not trying to be mean or greedy. They are just trying to protect their work. If they don’t own the copyright, and you switch to a new designer, there is nothing to keep the new designer from claiming that they created the site.

Another reason a designer might work this way is to ensure prompt payment. By owning the site, they have a right to make it unavailable until the author pays them the full design fee or yearly hosting fee, if that is part of the deal.

Being a savvy site owner means knowing what you own and protecting your investment. Most designers are very helpful people and respectable business owners who will work with you on these points.

MaAnna's post is part of her new blog tour. You may want to have some fun with it, even win something:

Join nationally acclaimed author, MaAnna Stephenson, on her blog book tour July 6-31. Two decades of technical writing, web design and marketing for countless private clients and community groups have led her to produce a new instructional series titled Just the FAQs, the ultimate user-friendly guides to the technical aspects of internet marketing and promotions.

Each time a blog visitor comments on any or all of the blog stops including this one, they will be entered in a random drawing for two free Just the FAQs classes. Not only that, but every commenter is a winner and will receive a copy of MaAnna Stephenson's e-book the Quick Step Guide. If you haven't already read her books, be sure to pick up the series at http://www.justthefaqs.net/ebooks.shtml.

For more information about MaAnna Stephenson and her virtual tour, check the schedule at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2009/05/just-faqs-blog-tour-with-maanna.html

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.

New Literary Journals Prove Interest in Poetry Alive

I am always excited when I have a poem published in an anthology, especially one in a literary journal associated with a university. Yeah. It's the prestige. But it's more important that. These journals help creative writers and poets get read and that the editing, publishing and writing of them is a training ground for the future of creative writing.

My pleasure is doubled with this particular publishing because the poem is based on memories of my father, an avid and thoroughly addicted smoker who loved jazz. His time was a different time and "Long Before They Shut the Napster Down" evokes those times, the music and musk of his time . . . and him. My father has been deceased for nearly 20 years and so it seems also to affirm that those we love never really die as long as they are remembered.

The publisher is Dash Literary Journal, sponsored by California State University, Fullerton Creative Writing Club and the Department of English, Comparative Literature and Linguistics.

One more thing. Dash is a new journal! That may be evidence that fine writing and poetry are thriving, don't you think!?

On their Web site, Dash is calling for submissions: http://www.dashliteraryjournal.com/


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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.

Karen Cioffi Talks about Story Telling and Conservation

By Karen Cioffi
Author and Freelance Writer

Story telling…what better way to get a child involved in the environment. Including conservation tidbits in stories for children can create a powerhouse of awareness and be an excellent strategy for teaching children the importance of protecting our planet and its resources. Unfortunately, I don’t see many authors of children’s books taking advantage of this easy approach to being a part of the environmental solution by bringing awareness to our children.

Writers have the perfect format for teaching and molding children, and the perfect opportunity. From picture books to young adult novels, conservation and the environment are topics that authors should be thinking of writing about, or at least weave into their stories. It is said that you are what you eat; well, children become what they learn whether through their environment, school, or personal reading.

If young children are afforded reading material that paints a picture of the benefits and consequences of conservation in simple and entertaining stories, what better way to instill that sense of being part of the solution and protecting our environment. If those same children, while growing up, continue to read fiction and nonfiction stories that mention conservation and the environment, how much more will it have an impact on them and become a part of their lives.

While most authors may not want to devote their time to writing books about the environment, just a sentence or scene woven into a story will certainly have an affect. It can be a subtle mention. For example, in a scene with a couple of friends heading off to play baseball, an author could easily include environmental awareness with a simple sentence or two:

Joe aimed carefully and tossed the water bottle right into the trash can. “Nice shot, Joe. But, that goes in the green pail for recycling,” said Tom.

Even with just a word or two, we can make a difference as authors. Another example might be the boys at the baseball game instead:

“Man, I’m thirsty.” Joe grabbed his ecocanteen and took a long swig.

This would be the extent of the comment. It’s short, almost unseen, and yet it becomes a part of the reader’s experience. Isn’t this what writers want to do, leave an imprint in the minds and hearts of their readers? And, it’s all the more gratifying if it’s a child’s mind and heart that you're helping develop and mold.

Why not make our impressionable and lasting words take root. In addition to entertaining through our books and stories, we can make a difference in our future, and our children’s future.

The author who shared these tips is Karen Cioffi-Ventrice who is founder of Writers on the Move. Learn more about her at http://www.dkvwriting4u.com
And find her blogging about her children's books and more at: http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com She is co-author od Day's End Lullaby and you can find more about her and Robyn at http://www.childrensbooksbykarenandrobyn.com


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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.