First Word

This blog is dedicated to Christopher L. Carter. The man who calls me Fay Rey to his King Kong. I want to write about my love story with the man in my life. I keep thinking about how he has become this unexpected yet beautiful blessing. Then I wonder maybe if I share my experience in how I finally found the "right" love not just another lover other singles in search of love might learn something.  I've always dated a "type" of guy. My attraction to creative and intelligent men is what you might call my peccadillo. Creativity and artistic genius turn me on like nothing else. In my last love affair I was so intrigued with my lover's artistic abilities. It excited me.  Well after a four-year love affair ended in the most negative way possible (he lied, cheated and conned money out of me), I took a deep breath. I am 50-years-old and the years ahead are beginning to be fewer than the years behind. Upon turning 50 I realized I was no closer to my personal

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On-the-Nose Dialogue - On-the-nose dialogue that tells the reader exactly what you want him or her to read. No mystery or intrigue, but just saying it all outright in "on-the-nose" statements are hallmarks of weak writing. Story Exposition in the Dialogue - Telling your story through dialogue in long monologues. Please tell the story in the narrative unless it's a narrator. Repetitive use of characters' names - How often do you actually say someone's name? Not often, so please avoid the same in your writing. One voice, many characters - All of your characters sound like a middle-aged white guy. Make sure you have unique voices for each character. Tip: use a real person you know or actor or actress and base your character on his or her voice. Study how the person talks, expressions, tone and inflection. On-the-head storytelling - Not to be confused with "on-the-nose", because this is storytelling where you don't respect yo

The Abused is a psychological thriller about nine addicts who go to rehab only to have one of them start murdering the others. The novel is set to release in Fall 2016.  Reader discretion is advised. Some of this content may be profane and not appropriate for readers under the age if 18. 16             Stanley Lentwood stared down at the rose garden. He noticed the crazy lawyer Finley Sullivan was walking all around the hedges in a nervous pace. Stanley wondered if Finley’s drug use had damaged his brain. Just then a knock came to the door. “Come in.” Robert Scoffer opened the door with his usual bravado and strolled into the room with his cool confidence. Stanley turned and took a seat in front of the sofa. Robert just dropped down to the sofa. He appeared bored and put out that he had to do therapy. “So you going to give me some of that God crap?” asked Robert. “Pray for me … all that?” Stanley looked at Robert puzzled by his sudden comme

The Abused is a psychological thriller about nine addicts who go to rehab only to have one of them start murdering the others. The novel is set to release in Fall 2016.  Reader discretion is advised. Some of this content maybe profane and not appropriate for readers under the age if 18. 15             After coming out of detox, Kevin was shaken. He had detoxed on his own many weeks before arriving at rehab. He wasn’t really gay. He just liked sex and gender didn’t matter to him. He thought of himself as more sophisticated than the average guy.   He had never had enough money to go to school, but he had been good with engines and machines and managed all right. When he met his former wife he should have felt lucky to have this educated, beautiful woman wanted him, but he was arrogant. He thought she was lucky. He bragged to his buddies how this poor desperate chick wanted him. He had always been good with women, acting like their best friends and liste

I coach writers as part of the services we offer. During my coaching sessions I discuss titles for books. The title and cover are very important to your sales potential. Writers ask me, how to come up with a stellar title? The answer: Inspiration ! Where does inspiration come from? Creativity ! Can you force creativity? I don't know. Creativity exists in every profession, including science. It's the ability to look at something entirely different.  What came first, the creativity or the inspiration? I think in some ways they bubble up together. An inspired thought is often a creative thought. A creative thought is an inspired thought. The proverbial all-time chicken or the egg question.  For me when I come up with titles it's often the title creates the story. When I came up with the idea to do the California Girl Chronicles series, I thought of the title first. I thought that sounded like a great title. The next question I asked myself: what wou

I often respond to Help a Reporter Out (HARO) queries to promote and market 3L Publishing (www.3LPublishing.com). I read today a question: How has the digital age changed your PR strategies? Good question and relevant to the overall transition from print-based services going to e-services. Here is my hands-on experience with the digital evolution of public relations and marketing: Media kits don't necessarily have to be printed anymore . When I was a magazine editor, we received all press promotion in the form of paper media kits. The print costs for the folders and content could be enormously expensive. The cost was naturally transferred to the client. A national media campaign just for print costs alone cost thousands of dollars. Now my best estimate is that a small minority of media still want print media kits sent. I do run into those outlets that want sample copies of print books to be included, but even these outlets are starting to accept the eBook version and e-media

No. 1 -- We started as a marketing and public relations firm. Yes, I have a BA in public relations. I began my career working in a public information office. I was the editor of an internal and external magazine, which gave me the experience in publishing. Ten years ago when I became an independent consultant, I focused on marketing and public relations campaigns. I am a marketing specialist who understands the various sales channels. No. 2 -- I am a technical writer and can provide technical writing for white papers in the information technology market. Most people think I am creative, which I am. What most people don't know is that I spent 20 years in the IT marketplace. I was an early innovator in web content when the web wasn't much more than a bunch of hyperlinks. I've authored dozens of white papers for IT marketing support, including papers for UPnP, HPNA, enOcean, 2Wire, and others. I also was publisher of California Computer News for almost 10 years.