Sunday, September 26, 2010

My tools of writing

On a recent blog interview, I was asked what tools writers need. I went with the normal answers, Internet access, pens, pencils, paper. However, I personally need a few things in additions to those I mentioned.

Coffee, I have to have coffee if it is a cool day. For instance, right now it's about 60 degrees outside and inside our house, I'm cold. We live in a log home and heat with wood and it's not nearly cold enough to build a fire in the stove. We also have electric heaters, but I don't want to run up the electric bill yet either. Besides, I love the cooler weather and a hot cup of coffee was the perfect thing this morning when I sat down to work on some edits. Normally, I drink it with just a little sugar, but this morning I added some French Vanilla Creamer. Oh my gosh, it was so good and really hit the spot.

I enjoy a good cup of hot tea, also. That's usually my choice for nighttime writing. Peppermint or chamomile are then my favorites. With tea, I have a tendency to drink it fast, too fast and then I have to stop writing to make another cup.

Music, it's not always a necessity, but I cannot write in total silence. I have to have some sort of noise in the room, so if I am writing at a coffee shop or the library, I'll make sure I've brought my MP3 player. Now, you would think the perfect music to write by would be something classical. I do have a couple CD's with soft music and either rain showers or thundershowers in the background, but I haven't put them on my MP3 player yet. Even though I do like some good orchestra music from time to time, but my choice for writing music is usually the Eagles, Boston, or Queen. Yep, classic rock is my favorite.

Finally, location, location, location. Some authors can write anywhere. I'm usually one of them, but I have a couple places that are my favorite spots. First would be my couch. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? But, my husband works on weekends and I'm home alone. My back won't let me sit at a desk typing all day after doing that every day of the regular work week, so I do the majority of my writing on my couch. Some writers have to be at a desk, some outside, and some at a coffee shop. My dream is to have a small office built out in our side yard with a window in front of my desk, where I can sit and watch the deer that come into our yard to eat the persimmons, the turkeys that crisscross our yard to go to and from the woods, and my cat on the prowl to catch a mouse before it finds its way into our house.

So, now you know what keeps me writing, oh and I understand that Starbucks is now serving their Pumpkin Spice cappuccino for the season. It's probably a good thing that the nearest one is an hour drive away, or I would never get any writing done.

Carol

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Two New Author Interviews

Hey everyone, I have two new author interviews up on a couple of blogs. One was posted on Sunday and the other one today. You can find them at:

You Gotta Read Guest Blog at http://yougottareadguest.blogspot.com

and on

Authors Talk to Linda Sole Blog, http://authorstalking.blogspot.com/2010/09/carol-preflatish.html

Carol

Sunday, September 19, 2010

My visit to the bookstore

My mom, my brother, and I made a trip to a Barnes & Noble bookstore yesterday. I think this was my first visit to this particular store, although my mom swears we had been there before. The store is in a town that is about a 90 minute drive from my house, so it's not a drive we make very often. The bookstore I normally frequent is Borders and a little closer drive. I know where everything is in that store, which is probably why I didn't really like the B&N store.

First, it was huge, two floors and we couldn't find the books we were looking for. After asking someone for help, we finally figured out most of the fiction books were on the second floor, and non-fiction on the first floor, except for the bargain books that were on tables on the first floor. I love bargain books.

The other thing I didn't like about the store is the smell of coffee throughout the whole store. No, not a bad smell. It was wonderful, kind of like right now because I have a pot brewing in the kitchen. I would have loved to have sat in their cafe, drink some coffee, and just absorb the ambiance. But, we were planning on having lunch, so we bought our books and headed out. I did get a Nevada Barr book and a James Patterson book.

Next time, I hope my mom gets a Borders gift card for her birthday.

Carol

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Same inteview, different blog

Along with Megan Rose's Blog listed below, you can also find the same interview on her other blog, The Rambling Rose. Thanks.

Carol

Monday, September 13, 2010

Blog Interview

Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day for me, so I wanted to post about my blog interview tonight. I am scheduled to be interviewed on Megan Rose's blog tomorrow, September 14, 2010 about my writing. Please stop by and say hi.

Carol

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Upcoming Blog Interview

I will be featured in an interview on Megan Rose's Blog on September 14, 2010. I'll send another reminder again later.

Carol

Monday, September 6, 2010

Being Organized

I'm speaking later this week at my writers group meeting about being an organized writer. I'm an organizational freak, possibly bordering on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder about it. Actually, you probably wouldn't believe that looking at the picture to the left. That is one of my work spaces and I admit it's cluttered. You should see the space directly to the right of the desk. Oh my.

Well, like I said, it's just one of my work spaces. I also work at on our desktop computer downstairs and my favorite place to work is sitting on our couch. Anyway, back to the topic. I suppose I am more obsessive about having my writing organized. When I started writing novels, I kept all my notes in a vinyl folder. I laughed at other writers when they talked about using a binder for their notes. Then, one day when I was giving this presentation to another writers group, I put my notes in a binder with divided sections to show the group and I was impressed with how I liked it. I have used a binder for all the notes, research, and outlines for all of my manuscripts ever since.

I also am a stickler for keeping my online research organized. I have folders set up on my computer to save links for web sites that I will use. Each folder corresponds to the manuscript I am writing. If it's information that I will be constantly referring to, such as a map, I will print it off, punch holes in it and put it in the binder in the Research section.

Other things I do to organized my writing is use a micro-recorder. If I am on a long drive, which happens often with my day job, and an idea pops in my head, I can grab the recorder and save my idea for later. If you have a cell phone, you can save short notes in it, if you find yourself without pen and paper.

There are so many other ways I cut corners with proper organization, too many to go into here. Perhaps, I can expand on that on another day here. Wish me luck on my presentation this week.

Carol

An Interview with E.M. Munsch

Today, I welcome author E.M. Munsch for some questions, answers, and maybe a little hot tea.. Elaine writes the Dash Hammond series and her ...