Recently, James Patterson gave a million to the independent booksellers so that they can keep up with the e-book world which is rapidly changing. Thank god it is. No longer do we authors have to worry that we will remain in the slush pile forever never to get found.
There's been self publishing for many years, but it wasn't as big as it is now. No longer do we have to rely on traditional publishers to achieve our dreams.
Most of us do not have millions to give away unfortunately, that is our case. We cringe when we get a phone call from somewhere asking us to help donate to their cause. Even if it is a good one, we have to say, "Sorry, I can't afford to help you."
If we can give money to a good cause, that's great. If not, there are always many other ways to help others. Down to helping people across the street. I helped call a taxi for an elderly man last week. Even a small help is important and makes someone's day.
Helping others makes us feel good. It's not good to be selfish and just look out for you and you alone. We try to be better people and care for others. It's what makes our world a more beautiful place. If every person in the world could attempt to do their part to make things great, our world would not be at war with each other.
There are wars being fought in other countries, in our country we have many different types of wars. Battles we have to pick and choose. In the political eye and on the home front. People fighting, either by choice or put in the middle of something they didn't want.
Men and women fighting, children fighting and picking on other kids, women having cat fights and men arguing with other men or women or children, groups, etc...
Love is kind, kindness counts and shouldn't we promote peace and no conflict?
Are you the kind that devotes your time to others that need your help? That's a great feeling as well. Helping family and friends is always a good thing. What about helping a stranger? It's a very nice feeling to know we can do our part to even help someone we don't know at all.
We don't know what their life path has been like, but hey, I can do this in hopes I can help you somehow.
I've been knitting those headbands and my part in helping is going to be to fill a box with my knitted items for women and young girls suffering from cancer. So come Thanksgiving, I should have a box filled with pretty headbands and kerchiefs and I will bring them to my local hospital. That will make me feel really good to know that it will put a smile on their face.
I knitted a pink headband today for the box. That Prada headband pattern I am addicted to. I made one for my future grand kids too and one to sell. Then had some yarn leftover so figured I could make a combo phone case and a sleeping bag for a doll toy (grand kids eons later!). While I was sewing up the sides, I was thinking, If I could make it longer, there's my slipper pattern! Then sewing up the side, oh and a baby booty!!
Which is a cool thing as I have yet to figure out how to make socks and slippers by the patterns I've got on hand.. Someday!
Finished my shawl and it's nice and warm. I started a skirt for me, but am going to just knit for a little bit and not work on it every day. I should be writing.
It felt good to get the majority of my cover art done for The Glorious Money Tree. I'm working on finishing up the color work, then I need to take pictures, upload and work on the border art and my title etc....
I've been taking my time, which seems to be how I tend to write and pay attention to perfection. Although, I will say every writer has flaws in the work. We just pray we come to a point where it is good enough to say I'm done.
I'm at 223 pages and need to push it further and faster. I get a pang of jealousy when I hear of well known writers who devote 4-5 hours a day to the craft of writing. Hey, I could and should be doing that too. I blame part of it on my love and addiction to knitting as well.
After that skirt, I've started, it's got to be smaller projects. Headbands are quick and easy. I've got a Rosalie school scarf I want to do for my nieces for Christmas but have plenty of time to start those. I've been thinking of the skirt for a while.
As a writer dreams of writing a novel, a knitter dreams of designing her own creations, an artist dreams of drawing images that once upon a moment were not there.
This will be my first skirt that is my own pattern. I should start writing out pdfs for some of my own patterns and sell them on Ravelry. I have one or two patterns for sale, but was starting to think I should get some of my newer patterns on the site in hopes of selling some of the patterns. Before I actually get them into my book I could try to get them sold there too.
Always thinking. And we should step off the curb instead of sticking in one spot and letting the world pass us by. Just do it!
So, after this post is done, I'm going into the novel and putting the next chapter in and doing some editing. I've got to get it closer to that 450 page quota I've told myself I should try to reach.
I also love it when the story just takes off on us and does something else we didn't intend to do, but hey, I love it.
I had hand written my most recent chapter early yesterday morning. Then driving home from my kids house, I thought of more to the chapter. Like when you think you want a certain outcome to happen but then it dawns on you that this other way of approaching the page will make for a better story.
Don't you love surprises? I love good ones!!!
"All worthy work is open to interpretations the author did not intend. Art isn't your pet - it's your kid. It grows up and talks back to you." Joss Whedon
I read this today on my FB. There comes a point when writing where the story ends up developing and becoming life like in a way. In a sense, it says so much more than what you first wanted it to do.
It's because you had a skeleton in mind and came out with the flesh that speaks of all you truly wanted to say.
Jennifer Jo. Fay
Copyrighted March 4, 2014
The beginnings of my skirt I started yesterday. I got up in the wee hours as I couldn't get back to sleep. Started getting a jump on this. I figure if I can get an inch a day at least, it will get done quicker. I got four inches roughly yesterday. I've got to figure out a better way of doing Fair Isle. My problem is I get it started and by the end of the row, I see twisting of the yarn which is maddening.
Ah, good old George! I drew my bills this last weekend! Took a while, but they came out good. Let's just say each dollar bill looks slightly different. I'm so used to drawing dolls and people, not bills, but I managed to get a cover I like.
I've also been torn between my love of black and white drawings and should I add color work to make the book sell better??? Still torn on that, but the color is already in there.
Ha ha! I thought of a new place to put my cable needle besides in my hair, the knitted skirt I'm wearing or the basket next to me. And go figure, at one point this morning, I got looking for the needle couldn't find it and all I did was turn my hand and there it was!
Darn bracelets shifted on me to play a trick!!! That's the pink cabled headband some woman or girl will get around the holidays.
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