Published on December 29, 2010
Caleb was sick on the 23rd with a stomach bug. I obsessively santized the house and, over and over again, but to no avail. Max woke up with it on Christmas morning. I took pictures of him opening his presents in bed. By mid-afternoon, Frank was sick and Rita and I succumbed by bedtime. On Sunday night, Zach was down for the count and Kimia (Caleb’s girlfriend) sent me a text that she had it as well. Nobody has gotten sick since then so we are hoping everybody else in the house is immune. We had to postpone our Boxing Day party, of course.
As I’m typing this on Monday, we are getting the big blizzard that’s all over the news (14 inches by noon) and Ali is cooking a gourment meal for us in the kitchen while the adults are watching comedies in the living room, next to the Christmas tree.
The Boxing Day party will be tomorrow and we’re looking forward to a rip-roarin’ good time!
This week’s Maxism:
“Does Santa put hidden cameras in kids’ rooms to see if they’re naughty or nice?”
Hugs to all!
Angela
Published on December 29, 2010
Below is a recent email I received. I have removed identifying information for obvious reasons. I’ll call this victim Regretta.
Dear Angela,
Three years ago, I started a blog and website describing my talents as a writer. They were both under one domain name.
All this setup was done by my best friend. He had handled all the money matters and setup as he is a technical guy and worked as a web administrator.
We were also involved emotionally and I trusted him blindly…
The email went on to say that the “friend” hadn’t worked on the site in two years, and didn’t make any updates, but kept encouraging Regretta to grow the blog. He was earning Google Adsense money on the blog and he was sharing the revenues with her.
By now, you know where this is going…
Published on December 29, 2010
That inadvertent email you received did not surprise me at all. Recently, I was chatting with the clerk at (a large bookstore chain) while she rang up my order. I mentioned I had never returned a book and wondered what their policy was on returns in case my gift recipient already owned it, adding, “…of course, I’d never return a book I’d actually cracked open.”
At this point, the store manager glanced over and said, “We appreciate that. Unfortunately a lot of people read books and return them. They treat us like a library…”
Published on December 29, 2010
copyrights, legal
I saw your post on the WritersWeekly board and I see that you were able to help other writers in a similar situation.
Yesterday, I became aware that a publisher used a short story in their anthology without my knowledge or consent.
Published on December 29, 2010
Somewhere deep inside, buried underneath a husband, two children and a full-time day job, a writer was trying to escape. For years, I kept that pen woman under wraps, but once the kids grew up, I decided to unlock the door and let her out…only when time permitted…
Published on December 29, 2010
Whispers and Warnings will return next week.
Published on December 22, 2010
As I am writing this while sitting next to our Christmas tree, Ali (a Culinary Arts major) is in the kitchen making Chili Candied Nuts, Peppermint Bark and Chocolate Chip Cookies. I’m going to need pants with an elastic waist after this week! (Oh, wait…I’m already wearing some…)
We’re supposed to have a snowstorm on Wednesday and Richard’s dad and step-mom are arriving on Thursday night. We really need that snow because the children are SO excited about taking Grampa and Rita sledding!
We will have almost 20 people here on Christmas and our living room will be bursting. We are all soooo excited!
I have a Masonism for you this week.
Mason started having a fit in the bathroom the other day because he saw a fly there (he is terrified of flies).
Having been down this road before, I went into the bathroom to conquer the big, bad bug.
I looked high and low, but didn’t see a fly while Mason kept pointing and saying, “He’s over there! He’s over there!!”
While I was looking, I noticed the dog’s water bowl was running low so I started filling it up in the sink.
Mason shrieked, “Why are you making him a pool?!”
We want to wish all of you a very peaceful, loving and FUN Christmas and Kwanzaa! 🙂
Hugs to all!
Angela, Richard and the entire WritersWeekly clan
Published on December 22, 2010
Okay, I admit I’m being lazy with the writing this week because I have a TON of stuff to do before the relatives arrive on Thursday. I’ve been trying to fit this in somewhere and this seems like the perfect time.
Below is part of an email that somebody forwarded to me by mistake. I usually delete these immediately when I realize they aren’t meant for me but I didn’t realize this was one of those until I’d finished reading.
I was shocked by what it said. Would love to hear your opinion, too. Am I being too cynical in thinking this person intended to read and then return the print book whether he/she liked it or not?? This would definitely explain why some bookstores return books that look so shabby! Here it is:
I have two important errands. I need to pick up a book and I could only find it at Borders. The book is 20 bucks and I could get an ebook but I wanted something I could return.
Comments? Questions? Have a similar ditty to share? Email Angela at angela-at-writersweekly.com.
Published on December 22, 2010
Do Some Professors Stock Their Libraries With “Free Desk Copies?” Yep! Angela, Your note on professors who are requesting free books to build their libraries was actually pretty charitable. As an ex-bookman and acquaintance of several bookstore managers I can tell you that there are also professors who request “examination copies” with the specific intent […]
Published on December 22, 2010
I was SO excited! After two years, I’d finally finished revisions to my newest non-fiction book, and even had scored an interview with a major metropolitan daily. I was all set to promote the new edition to buyers of the first edition, as well as to new readers.
Publication day came. I updated my website, and was ready to roll – except for one hitch…
