Jun 13, 2009
I guess I need to have a professional portrait done pretty soon. I’ve gotten very used to the image that accompanies my Blogger comments, taken almost two years ago on my birthday. It’s cropped from the larger shot, where I’m surrounded by the other Robinson girls in my life. I haven’t had a ‘real’ picture taken since I sold real estate—no more shoulder pads and power suits and big hair, thank you very much. So I’m contemplating what to wear, whether I should get my hair and make-up done by people who know what they’re doing, if I should smile showing teeth or not, LOL. Inside or outdoors? Turtleneck or V-neck? Vaseline on the lens or Photoshop?
Decisions, decisions. Help me make them! What should I shop for? How should I smile? Natural or spackled? Do you pay any attention to author photographs? Whose picture stands out for you? Do you photograph well?
Above is Edward Steichen’s famous portrait of Gloria Swanson. Most of us, however, remember her like this from
Sunset Boulevard. Yikes
.
Jun 8, 2009
June 16. That’s when I kiss all those library books and teenagers good-bye for the summer. I know just how lucky I am to have two months off, even if I don’t get paid. I’ve got the usual big plans—to finish at least one of the two books I’ve started. If I don’t get lured out into the sunshine too often, it will happen. I know I could sit in my Adirondack chair with my laptop, but I seem to be tied to my little folding desk in my little writing room (which is a mess again, so another big plan will be to clean it up). I’m also judging a writing contest, which should be interesting. We’ll go away for a week in August, and I’ve got a slew of doctor and dentist appointments and a standing weekly date with Sadie. Before I know it, it will be time to go back to school. Ugh.
What are your summer plans? What’s growing in your garden? (We’re on our third batch of tomatoes and peppers because of freezes…our heat still comes on at night!) Can you write anywhere, or do you stick to one place?
Jun 3, 2009
Here I am, just starting out. I should be networking madly, adding to my Facebook and MySpace friends, bloghopping and commenting and supporting other new authors, participating weekly in Snippet Saturday, where author excerpts on shared topics are posted. (the promo brainchild of
Lauren Dane of the
Bradford Bunch. Yay, Lauren!) Instead of promoting the goodness and wonder that is me, I find myself crafting a proposal, writing, waiting nervously to hear how the revision went, wondering how the Courtesan Court trilogy is fairing, wanting to completely unplug and go underground. Not even wanting to
blog, for heaven’s sake! Maybe I’ll rally as time goes by…or when I know the name of the book, LOL. Right now I’m hanging back, trying to balance everything.
For various reasons, D.C. is out this year, though Nashville looks good. But promotion is a daunting thing. I’ve been reading up, and know that I need to go beyond bookmarks. I’ve enjoyed watching
Tessa Dare take to the blogwaves and
Beverly Kendall craft
The Season. My new website will be a start, but I’m open to any suggestions on how to “get out there!” I’m probably going to publish the Berkley books under a brand new name, Maggie Rowan. Still working out the details…so not only do I not know the name of my book, I don’t know mine, either, LOL.
What’s your favorite feature of a writing career? What do you fear? What’s your pen name?
