Perseverance

Still working on learning and being the best I can be, connecting with more people, which is the best part! I really enjoy everyone I meet. OK most everyone I meet...

Sometimes however I feel overwhelmed, sometimes not knowing what the next step or direction I need to proceed in, (I don't have all the answers) yet BAM something happens and 'lo and behold', it seems the solution is pushed right in front of my face. I wonder why didn't I see that last week? Sometimes I find myself growing impatient and I just have to remind myself to move forward, have a little hope, a little faith, and patience... perseverance!

Even though I am making progress and moving forward, and everyday there is always something new to accomplish or rather... more 'stuff' to do and get done, and sometimes a loss or defeat in what was to be accomplished, is thrown in my face. I remember this is my passion, this is a life long 'thing' that has taken over and I am here to grow it, to provide for it, to learn it, to keep it alive. Some days are easier than others. Some people are easier to deal with and others well ...

However I have really taken notice this week, that it is the people around me, everyone, even the circumstances and events...'the good, the bad, and the ugly' ...that really give me strength to overcome those trying times when I am faced one way or another with the obstinate decision to either give up or keep the fire going.

It is truly great to have the support behind me to take on this new direction in literature. I find it exhausting and exhilarating.

"The miracle, or the power, that elevates the few is to be found in their industry, application, and perseverance under the promptings of a brave, determined spirit." -Mark Twain

As a good friend tells me... Life is good!
*Especially after moving onward through the setbacks.*
I just have to remember, give it time to grow, to be great!

S*

Halloween New Orleans Style

Halloween was absolutely excellent! I spent Thursday through Saturday in New Orleans, attending several events and to say the least I met so many new faces and new names,, people from everywhere seemed to pique my interest and I was fascinated by all the festivities that celebrated the true Halloween spirit! From Voodoo Fests, to Harvest Concerts, to a night partying with the immortals and the undead at the Tru Blood and Gold Vampire Ball.



So here is a breakdown of the events during my most spectacular stay, and being that it was my first visit to the city of New Orleans, I must say it made the most memorable impression upon me and I will have to plan another visit soon.



Thursday I made it downtown, during a walk throughout the infamous streets, starting from Canal, and making my way down Decatur visiting the Voodoo House " May the Curse be with You"! , to the House of Blues, on toward Jackson Square! Which by the way had it's share of street folks, performers, Tarot card reads, spell -binders, and the often passer by's (including my self) that got sucked into throwing down a twenty for a reading. Hmmm who knows if I will be in LA soon, (or rather should I say once again... or if I will meet someone influential to my life with the "M" name that seemed to be a prominent channel... Mon,,, Monroe... 'do you know anyone with the name Monroe? (sorry can't say I do) Being that my hair color is similar to Marilyn Monroe's I suppose it was the sun glinting from my shiny blondness that had him hypnotized and focused on the famed actress' last name! HA!



Getting hungry now and I had to stop to eat, being that I actually was bee-lining down Bourbon street, and of course me being the tourist I am having to stop by each wizard, the painted people, and the 'clubs' who so selflessly are promoted with the girls in the doorways with their 'prizes' hanging about... I had to keep throwing a buck in the buckets, so I felt good about taking as many pictures of me, along with dragging in the occasional, random passerby in the silly hat!



Finally found a place to eat, I figured I wanted to try the original delicacies New Orleans is so famous for, Craw fish and Alligator! almost anywhere you go you can find these items however nothing seemed to fit my fancy and my starving stomach, until I found the perfect little niche' K-Joes off of St. Louis St. http://www.k-joesrestaurant.com/

They had the most delicious food and the most enjoyable conversation as I met the owner, sine I participated in sharing a little information that I was visiting from Texas; lo and behold the owners are from the Hill Country here near Austin! A very enjoyable meeting to say the least, which reminds me I should really give them a call since they are near by and treat them to a dinner here Tejas style, as if they haven't already enjoyed the Tex- Mex .



Later that evening I made way to the Harvest Festival which is an annual concert held downtown in Lafayette Square, set in between the high rise bldgs of the Warehouse District (I believe it's called), of New Orleans, it was quite a scene to be invited as a VIP to join in the crews to the headlining bands that played, I was so exited to be invited that I once again took into favor my 'tourist' affiliations and began mingling and picture taking! Then proceeded to join an older gentleman to just sit, listen and enjoy the park attenders and music as the sun set off the river and the lights on the street began to amp on. What a truly remarkable adventure and a day well spent. meeting all the patrons, people and the organizers of New Orleans Halloween Events.



Friday began as I tried to sleep in, with the excitement coursing through me, I could not wait to be back up , out and about on the streets going to walk about one more time. I started at the Riverwalk, although the river boats, paddle boats and barges were a sight for me to take in, it was not a grandeur as it is made out to be, basically it is a mall like any other mall across America, all the trendy shops lined all neatly, now the food court was something to brag about! You can get pretty much anything you would like to eat, from the hamburger to fried alligator and crawfish,,, but I skipped on these items. I needed a margarita! which you can get anywhere, even at the local fast food places and well I have deemed when in New Orleans you are supposed to walk around with a Margarita in your hand and sip deliciously like a Slurpee!



That evening I decided to get ready for the Ball, which was my highlight, to meet and greet and mingle with all the authors and attendees!

Gabrielle Faust, with Eternal Vigilance http://www.gabriellefaust.com/; Charlaine Harris, with the Sookie series, and Tru Blood http://www.charlaineharris.com/; SueQ, the organizer of the Vampire Events http://www.vampirelestatfanclub.com/, and the wonderful people from ISPR, Larry Montz, and Daena Smoller. http://www.ispr.net/

It was simply amazing to say the least for all the wonderful events and happenings in New Orleans over the Halloween weekend. I would just like to send a THANK YOU to all !

I guess I know where I will be next Halloween! Love NOLA!

Wonderful Wishes,
Shae*

Everything is just smooth sailing.

I have not posted anything as of late, there seems to be nothing to complain about or brag about... everything has just been smooth sailing.

There are little things that may peeve me off, such as too many 'buts' or 'so' included in a lot of writing... BUT I figure that is an easy thing to do when writing, SO I do not make such a big stink over the little things... in fact that is what the editor's job is to do.

SO I just let it slide by me, I am more interested in the story that remains to be told by the author, if it is deem-able to be on the market and can become a 'HOT' item for avid readers by subject,,, pertinent to sales,,, then ok by me.

I am gaining more authors requests, which invariably is awesome to me! There is a rather large amount of reading I do during the day, which can be a bit tedious when I have so many other projects to contend to, yet it is a great 'sign' (if you will) that things are going well.

Currently on the plate:
Lithomancy : Psychic Art of Stone Readings - G. Wimmer

A how to manual on the ancient art, such as runes, and tarot combined with the intuitive and psychic connection of stone vibrations. A lot of astrological influence and historically based findings on religion and the occult.

Rocks by the Island : Fantasy Sci-Fi (book 1 in trilogy) - C. Seck

Simply pleasing and an easy readers fantasy into the realm of Ranalda, with all the magic and prophecy, as main characters are guided step by step towards a new found life in an old and haunting homeland. The Angelic prophecies are coming to revelation, a new King and Queen are more fond of the adoption of new lessons to be told than to hang onto the old ways of the Courts and Royal families; a truly enjoyable journey, into their trials and as their lives emerge.

Desert Seduction: Hot Erotic Romance - A. Michaels

Can we say, sex, seduction, sex, a private detective, sex, and a love story... all tied into one?!
An episode of a valiant private detective, you know the kind all men wish they could be... meeting the neighbor, whom after accepting a new job, in a new city inadvertently finds himself into a case of entanglement and embezzlement. Trying to decipher the 'who dunnit' and falling head over heels for the woman of his dreams, she is also under suspect, but will his hushed deceit of not telling her the truth abandon his heart? or is there more included in this hot rendezvous.

SO those are the current on the table projects... BUT I have more on the way ... be sure to stay tuned to learn about the new and upcoming, from Touche' Literature.

Patriotism: Red, White and Blue, and Sometime Black - R. Wade

He Wasn't the One: C. Hughes

Spartan Heart: K. Cheney

My Name is Clara: E. Rose

Wonderful Wishes,
Shae*

Thank You

To a new found person I admire, I would like to say "Thank You", for the correction.

I find it funny how no one else has been able to point out a simple mistake as such, and have yet to mention it, I am sincerely obliged.

Because of this finding, I have been inspired to post to this blog, which I have not been too inspired to do so lately. I have been caught up in working a bit too much, or concentrating on my own writing to even really pay attention to other simple needs or tasks.

Funny how sometimes that happens, we tend to get caught up in the things around us that we forget to pay attention to the details, the small things that matter, the little things we should be thankful for.

I don't claim to be perfect, and I don't claim to be always right, but damn it feels good to think so once in awhile. But when something is pointed out to you that can be an easy correction I have no qualm to immediately change it. Wa-la all better. I am usually the person who is giving feedback, and finding new ways to improve upon what is being done, and sometimes I forget to look back to see if I am needing correction. Thank goodness for people who 'see' and will make that special effort to go out of their way and let someone know. I don't know how other people feel about it, but I appreciate it.

Shae*

P.S. I had a good giggle*

Many Reasons to Many Why's

This past year I have found a lot of frustrated authors or "would-like-to-be'", authors, who are to say the least a bit disgruntled with agents, and their mannerisms. On the other hand I have also found a lot of agents perturbed and peeved on queries and just plain ol' writing basic know hows, from a variety of submissions they receive.

I would like to know if most agents out there are simply sarcastic bastards that are just overwhelmed with the job of representing too many wonderful writers?


I would also like to know if most writers/authors are always such whiny ass baby's who can even spell, or take some time to actually refine and create their visionary masterpiece, like any great artist.

Perhaps agents are too busy with the surmounting piles of queries and summaries and submissions that it actually bores them and they no longer find the creativity and imagination of the writers in the world that have actually struggled within themselves to get the "balls" to even produce and send out for someone in the world to take a peek at.


Perhaps authors have an insurmountable fear of rejection for their works and it is very brave for the 'one' who is willing to face the pessimism in sending query after query, just to receive the rejection once over a million times again... seeking solace into the dark night by taking his next hit of the aphrodisiac of choice to quiet his inner soul crying in vain because writing is the passion, the element of communication of their story, and yet they still don't have it right.


Reason's Why for the rejections are wide ranging, some may have a wonderful idea and just cannot seem to get it written, sloppy work, bad, spelling, grammar, the simplest mistakes of not using punctuation correctly. Some stories being submitted are just plain 'not-what-I'm-looking-for', which is another reason for rejection.


An agent builds their reputation on the material they choose to represent and what they are able to connect with and their audience of the book readers and other prospective clients... so it may not be your writing at all but the genre and category that you are choosing to submit and interest is all wrong.

There are also the writers who tend to pull in every thing they can to get the story in a certain amount of word count, and actually instead of writing a wonderful piece and expanding the story in a more detailed and natural flowing story-telling way; then may follow up with a sequel or even trilogy, and so forth, they bunch it all in and it totally becomes a crowded and unreadable script, and it is too hard to even follow. I can grasp the idea, but where the hell is the story?


Perhaps, it the gossip columnist that has written a 200 page of nothing but, the " he said, she said" and it has no character base... I know all can relate, but it may be evoking an emotional train wreck in a weird way, and the concept could and should be soothing for the broken hearted, but it is a piss poor writing of blame and hate.


I just think that the writers who are submitting to agents need to really take a look at their writing as well, how much "work' is it going to take to make the sentences even comprehendable, and I know for an agent it is very time consuming to find the 'right book' to get out there and sell. The agent is not an editor but has the ability to see beyond, only to a point, if you have not taken the time to really go through and adjust your writing to meet the least acceptable criteria for composing a well written story, then why would an agent want to represent?


We like to think we are miracle workers, well maybe... we at least try our best...

I suppose for most it is a two way street, it has to be a wonderfully written piece and it has to be the correct appropriated story for the right agent/author relationship to work out in best terms.


Agents don't have the time to actually sit down and make a practice of writing back to everyone with an explanation. There are way to many "would-like-to-be's".

Wonderful Wishes,
S*

Am I ready?

Editing and Proofreading seem to be a natural talent I have acquired since childhood, and being asked to do it professionally in my, 'grown up years', has really been a wonderful challenge to being as optimistic and objective as possible to the authors I have worked with throughout the years.

Now, it seems that fate has taken a turn of events and I have been asked to represent them and their works, to publicly announce their books, and writings, and to submit them and retain offers and rights. "HOLY MOLY"! What a new and enduring process and learning experience this has been over the past year!

I have been loving every single minute of it though, it has taken me through a wild journey of discovering a true voice within myself.

It's really a grand journey in which I hope to look back upon and see the little worries, and the obstacles that I may overcome, and to get to know the new people I meet.

Starting a new direction in my career in Literary Services is definitely a journey. There have been moments and mornings when I awake and I am ready to take on the world and I feel terrific and proud and excited, and there have been other days, where the clouds seem to cover and loom, dread and self doubt fill me. I will keep pursuing my dream, are you ready? Lets hope so!