Should I Hire These Guys? No!!!

I got a call from an online company selling website optimization. The caller promised first page advertising for my books on 100 plus search engines…for a fee, of course. I didn’t bite. What’s the story on these companies?

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask By Jill Pertler

As a home-based writer, I spend my days in a one-person office filled with thousands of potential co-workers.
This week, I met up with two and, through some simple communication and cooperation, we all managed to work to benefit each other.

Whispers And Warnings For August 18th

COMPLAINT about Ode Magazine / odemagazine.com/Jurriaan Kamp – Writer alleges she’s owed $750.
THIRD COMPLAINT about Writershire.com / Writershire – Writer alleges she’s owed $920.
SECOND COMPLAINT about ZSB Writers / zsb.us / Stephanie Roberts / Steven Cox – Writer alleges she’s owed $350-$400.
THIRD COMPLAINT about ZSB Writers / zsb.us / Stephanie Roberts / Steven Cox – Writer alleges she’s owed $560.
UPDATE: Kim Kleeman / Shakespeare Squared / ShakespeareSquared.com / The Shakespeare Squared Foundation – One writer reports receiving partial payment but our records indicate they still owe 7 individuals / firms a total of $7054.50…and they’re still running help-wanted ads!

Monster Update and a New “Baby” in the Garden!

Max and I were supposed to be extras in a movie scene being shot last Sunday. Max was pretty bummed when we received an email on Friday morning alerting us that filming of the candy store scene was postponed indefinitely. However, he got to see the “real” Thomas the Train that afternoon in Boothbay Harbor so he bounced back pretty quickly…

ARE YOU, TOO, GETTING SPAMMED TO KINGDOM COME BY THOSE “GET PUBLISHED” EMAILS?

ARE YOU, TOO, GETTING SPAMMED TO KINGDOM COME BY THOSE “GET PUBLISHED” EMAILS?

We’ve been getting plenty of spam emails lately with “Get Published” listed in the subject line. If you follow the trail of the ones coming from “GetPublished@waverilo.com”, you’ll end up at chooseyourpublisher.com. The site says, “Choose Your Publisher is dedicated to helping both first-time and experienced authors identify the most suitable publishing company for their books. Ready to discover the best publishers for you?”

How to Research Trademarks

We decided on a title for our book but there is another book from 1994 (with the same main title).
One of the co-authors thought we would have a problem with copyright infringement. I thought we would only have a problem if we used the exact same title of another published book. Do you think our title would be okay?

Don’t Wait Until Tomorrow By Doris J. Niemann

When I first decided to become a freelance writer, I could make up endless excuses to postpone putting on paper the volumes of story ideas that were stacked up in my mind. I had many ideas and memories waiting to be transformed into printed words, and sent for submission to the editors of eligible magazines, but it was difficult for me to express myself. Also, my organizing skills and writing time schedules were non-conforming and unpredictable until a few years ago.
It was then I had one of those “ah-ha” moments, and remembered a motivational tool that a teacher in middle school had given me…

“Monster” is GROWING!

I have somehow managed to get completely snowed under with work this week so my post today will be extremely short.
First, Max and I got a call last weekend to be extras in the movie we auditioned for. Filming will be on Sunday and it looks like we get to be in the candy store scene! Yea! Max (almost 9) is SO excited!
Second, I wanted to show you how much “Monster” (our pumpkin) has grown in the past 7 days.