Adsense Nonsense

I've been batting around the idea of using Adsense like a crazed feline hyped on catnip. Should I? Shouldn't I? Isn't wicked evil Republican-led commercialism the downfall of the entire human race? But what about the monetary opportunity smacking the knocker against my front door promising dollars, dollars, DOLLARS? And what the heck do I even know about economics anyway?

Whew. Tired myself out.

Now then, before I make a yay or nay decision, I figured I'd do a little research, and I'm yanking you along on your leash so you can learn a thing or two as well.

5 Reasons Why You SHOULD use Adsense

• Not a huge time commitment. . . set it and forget it.
• You can customize the look and feel of the ads used on your site.
• There are no minimum traffic requirements so anyone can apply.
• They've got a huge base of advertisers.
• Its pay rate is better than any others.

5 Reasons Why You SHOULD NOT Use Adsense

• Each click takes a reader away from your page.
• You don't get to pick the ads, and as such, something might be put on your website that you'd never endorse in a bajillion years.
• Rules, rules, and oh. . . did I mention rules? There are terms and conditions. You are not your own cowboy anymore.
• You have to wait to get paid. You need to earn a minimum of $100 before they'll think about sending you a check, and then you have to wait weeks to receive it.
• You can't just turn it on and off with a flick of the switch. You have to file to be approved. And if you don't follow those "terms and conditions" I already mentioned, you will be banned. For life. As in sit next to your dog dish until you die. Game's over.

Even after reading love/hate stories about Adsense, I'm still perched on top of a fence post. How do you feel about going to a blog and seeing ads? Personally, I zone them out, and I've never clicked on one. But obviously people do.

Anyone out there have any Adsense experience to share in the comment section? Do those ads annoy you, do you not even notice them, or are you an avid ad clicker?

Tidbit: Words

It's been 186 years since Noah Webster published his two-volume American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828. It took him 28 years to complete because he had to learn 26 languages, including Ancient Greek, Latin, Sanskrit and Old English. The final draft listed and defined 70k words. Oh yeah, and did I mention the dude was 70 years old at the time?

Too bad it only sold 2500 copies and he had to mortgage his home.

He went to his grave at the age of 84, never knowing that nearly 200 years later, most of the English speaking peoples of the world would be using his dictionary.

So in honor of Mr. Webster and World Dictionary Day (which was last Thursday), here are some super freaking sweet words that I shall endeavor to use in an upcoming novel . . . 

BABBLEMENT (n.)
"Senseless prattle" or "unmeaning words."

DAGGLE-TAIL (adj.)
As a verb, to daggle is "to befoul" or "dirty", or more specifically, "to trail in mud or wet grass". The adjective daggle-tail ultimately describes someone "having the lower ends of garments defiled with mud."

FOPDOODLE (n.)
An insignificant fellow. Webster described this word as "vulgar and not used."

JACKPUDDING (n.)
A "merry-andrew" or "a zany" according to Webster. Basically, a joker who acts the fool to make other people laugh.

MAFFLE (v.)
To stammer or stumble on your words.

QUADRIN (n.)
A quadrin was old copper coin, which Webster explains was "in value [worth] about a farthing". Its name can also be used figuratively of any tiny amount of something.

RAKESHAME (n.)
A vile, dissolute wretch. Also known as a rampallion, a scroyle, a runnion, apander, or a cullion.

WRANGLESOME (adj.)
To dispute angrily or to involve in contention. If you're wranglesome, then you're quarrelsome.

Tidbit: Reality Check

To all you newbie writers out there with stars in your eyes, here's a dose of reality. Writing books sounds grand and glorious, and honestly it is, but there's oh-so-much-more that makes up an author's life. Here's what's currently on my writerly plate:

• Read through and send off final galley for a book coming out in January.
• Receive an ARC of my non-fiction and read through for errors.
• Write guest blog posts for January blog tour.
• Oh yeah, arrange for a January blog tour, so start emailing bloggers.
• Editor asked for more story ideas . . . come up with some and send them off.
• Prepare for speaking gig on Monday night to talk about plotting.
• Plan for Writer Off the Leash's Anniversary on Oct. 17, as in conjure some zany promotional idea.
• Write a book review for the novel I recently finished.
• Try to finish reading the other 2 books I need to write reviews for.
• Send off a chapter of my writing for a critique group meeting on Monday and critique those I receive in return . . . before Monday, of course.
• Decide if I should sign a contract for a particular project or hold off for a bigger offer or self-pub the dang thing.

And that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure I'm forgetting at least five other writing-related items. Notice what's not on there? 

Write for the sheer love of writing.

And that, newbies, is the one thing you need to hold onto for as long as you possibly can, because the Creeping Charlie of extraneous writerly duties will eventually choke-hold your writing time.

Yeah. Be careful what you wish for. It might come true.

Tidbit: Historical Myths

Some myths are perpetuated in historical fiction. I'm here to set the record straight and blow out of the water five incorrect beliefs . . .

1. Vikings did NOT wear freaking horns on their heads.
I am wearing my angry eyes for this one. Think about it for a minute. Horns on a helmet would make it super easy for an enemy to grab hold of. Bad idea.

2. Napoleon wasn't a "little person."
The dude was 5'7". I grant you that's not going to get him a gig in the NBA, but that was the average height back in the day.

3. Romans were not bulimic.
They didn't pork out on, uh, pork, and then puke it all up so they could eat some more. Wrong. Wrong. And, oh, by the way, wrong. A vomitorium was the name used to refer to stadium entrances and exits for people.

4. Salem witches weren't human marshmallows.
Everyone knows witches were burned at the stake, right? Yeah, in Europe, but not over here, where we committed more civilized acts like hanging accused witches.

5. Nero was out of town, dude.
You know that whole fiddling while Rome burned story? False-o-rama. Not only was Nero not even in Rome at the time, the fiddle hadn't yet been invented.

There you have it. Kind of makes you wonder what other myths you're believing, eh?

Tidbit: Spinning

So there I was, writing along, la-de-dah-de-dah, all happiness and rainbows and oh-my-goodness-this-story-is-so-going-to-work types of thoughts running around in my head. I found a great historical tidbit. I shaped a love story around it. And shazam! Perfecto story idea. . .

Corruption in the Minneapolis police department forces out Officer THOMAS LUND. As the sole support for his widowed mother and younger brother, his hopes to pursue marriage with the woman he loves, nurse WILLA BRIGHTON, are now gone. When her aunt and uncle decide to move back to England, Willa must choose between an uncertain future with Thomas or remain in the security of family. The only chance Thomas has to stop Willa from leaving and end the vice in the police department just may cost him his life.

Sounds fan-freaking-tastic, right? Nope. Not so fast there, zippy pants. I got the big shut down on that idea. Can you guess why? Go ahead. I'll give you a minute.

If the following were any of your reasons, you win a plastic banana:

• Not romantic enough
• Corruption doesn't sell
• Too dark
• Not a fictional world that anyone would want to escape to

What to do? Throw away a finished synopsis/idea? Sob into my wubbie like an overgrown infant? Demand congress enact a new regulation that would negate and also tax readers that don't like my work?

Nope. Didn't do any of those. I simply pulled a media trick and re-spun the tale from a different angle. Here's the new copy:

WILLA BRIGHTON loves her work as a nurse and her beau THOMAS LUND, but both are about to be taken from her as she must move back to England with her family. If only Thomas would propose—but he can’t. As sole supporter for his widowed mother and younger brother, Thomas’s hopes to pursue marriage with Willa are permanently on hold—unless he can expose the corruption in the Minneapolis police department and regain his career as a captain in the force. 

See the difference? Same idea, characters, and plotline. I merely notched up the romance and toned down the crime/violence.

Takeaway Value: There's usually a way around a boulder in your path if you're willing to listen to feedback.

Tidbit: Sequels

I was toying with the idea of writing a sequel for my upcoming regency romance, BRENTWOOD'S WARD. Okay. Who am I fooling? I started it and got about halfway through before I got the brilliant idea of asking the editor if they'd be interested. The answer? Nope. It seems sequels aren't necessarily the big hot sellers I thought they were. . . which got me snooping around the ol' interwebs in search of sequels to blockbusters that hardly anyone knows about. See if you've read -- or even heard of -- any of these titles:

THE STARLIGHT BARKING
By Dodie Smith

This is the follow-up story to 101 Dalmations, furthering the adventures of Pongo.

LITTLE MEN
By Louisa May Alcott

The story covers six months in the life of the students at Plumfield, a school run by Professor Friedrich and Mrs. Josephine Bhaer. The idea of the school is first suggested at the very end of part two of "Little Women", when Jo inherited the estate from her Aunt March.

THE SECOND JUNGLE BOOK

By Rudyard Kipling

Yeah. You'll never guess what this one is a sequel to. It features five stories about Mowgli and three unrelated stories, all but one set in India.

There's also SCARLETT, the book after GONE WITH THE WIND; 

THE BOOK OF THE GREEN PLANET, second after E.T.;

and THE LAST RINGBEARER, an unofficial add-on to the LORD OF THE RINGS series.

So, have you read any of those? I haven't, either. Nor am I rushing out the door to scoop up a copy from Barnes & Noble. Hmm . . . methinks my editor is a wise, wise woman.

Tidbit: Websites

Every author needs a website. Okay, so not really need as in must have water, oxygen and chocolate to survive. More like it's a great idea to have an internet presence to broadcast the word about your books. Plus readers like to find out more about the person behind their favorite characters.

That being said, I just cancelled my website. There is no longer a www.mmgriep.com

If I were technical enough, I would've put a flashy warning on that page that it was about to self-destruct, but dang. . . I can't even figure out which remote to use to turn on my TV. So, mmgriep died a quick and merciless death today. But never fear, for there's a new and improved site for you to visit. Drum roll, please.

www.michellegriep.com

Yes! Bells! Whistles! Tutu wearing dancing gorillas! Everything that you may have liked about my old site is even better on my new site.

But don't get too attached. I'll be jazzing up the format soon, though the name will now and forevermore remain the same. Amen.

Does the World Really Need Yet Another How-To-Write Book?

Fact: there are a gazillion and a half writing books on the market. No, really. I checked.

So why in the world would I consider contributing more how-to bits of quackery to the literary pile of tips already out there? Hasn't everything about writing already been said, by those more learned than moi?

Honestly, this issue isn't any different than publishing another novel. Think about it. Every plot under the sun has been told, the only difference being voice and tone. That being said, there has and never will be a book on writing with my distinct voice and tone unless I put it out there. 

And the same holds true for you.

Don't let the naysayers get all up in your business. No one can think or sound or write like you. 

"A choir is made up of many voices, including yours and mine. If one by one all go silent, then all that will be left are the soloists. Don't let a loud few determine the nature of the sound. It makes for poor harmony and diminishes the song."

~ Vera Nazarian

So say what you've got to say. Write what you need to write -- even if there are others out there on the market.

Tidbit: Endorsements

You know those sweet little this-is-the-best-book-I've-ever-read kind of comments that are usually found on the first few pages of a book? Or sometimes highlighted on the front or back cover? Yeah, those are endorsements. Marketers figure that if famous people have something nice to say about a book that it will sell like crazy-go-nuts. So . . .  guess what I'm doing this week.

Yep. I'm knocking on cyber doors with my puppy dog eyes and fluttering lashes trying to scare up some big names to endorse Brentwood's Ward. It's not as tough as it sounds.  I simply sent out email queries to authors that write in the same genre. Some of them I know. Others not at all. I've had years of experience with rejection, so a big fat "No" or a "Get lost" doesn't make me all teary eyed.

The thing that really ramps up my emotions is when someone asks me to read their book for endorsement, I do, and then I discover I really don't like the story. That's tough. Should I put my stamp of approval onto mediocre writing? How will the author feel if I admit I think their book is a stinker? Why is it easier to take rejection than to dish it out?

Here's a word of advice next time you have to humbly ask someone for potential words of praise: let them know ahead of time that it's okay if they don't want to, even after they've read it.

Tidbit: Planning the ol' Vacay

So I'm planning an international scandal a fan-freaking-tastic visit to England this fall and whewie...the interesting things I'm finding. Should we stay in a gypsy wagon or a windmill? A train car or a yurt? Yeah, you read that right. A yurt. In England. What the what?

Aside from accommodations, though, I'm super excited to be attending the Jane Austen Festival in Bath. They're going for a Guinness Book of World Records of having the most people dressed in Regency clothing. Yep. I'm going for it. Haven't managed to talk my husband in to it yet, but he did agree to sit through a lecture on what a Regency woman would've kept in her reticule.

I also snagged some tickets for the very same ferry that Cassie rode in UNDERCURRENT. Don't worry. I won't be buying any brooches. But I will be visiting Jorvik, the Viking dig in York where she met Ragnar.

I haven't found any special places to visit to find out about smugglers or highwaymen yet, but I'll nose around some more and uncover something.

Taking a vacation as a writer is a little different than tossing a swimsuit in a bag and hitting the beach. I want to find museums and living history reenactments and out-of-the-way non-tourist traps. It's tricky and time consuming, but I suspect that it will be oh so worth it.

If any of you readers out there in Blogland have any can't-miss-it sites in England I should visit, give me a holler in the comment section. And even if you don't, leave a comment anyway because the big drawing for a free Gannah book is tomorrow on Fun Friday.

Tidbit: Non-fiction

5 Things I've Learned While Writing Non-Fiction

1. It's way too logical for my spaghetti-wired brain.

In writing non-fiction, you need to string thoughts together like beads on a string. One after another, not in a big 25-bead-pile-up of a clump. It doesn't feel particularly artsy. It feels like the words are constricted in a straight jacket and I have to be careful how I let them out or they'll run wild.

2. The spelling of names is important.

I'm using a lot of quotes. If I mess up one of those names and only put in one L when there should be two, or call someone Mick instead of Nick, I just might end up with a lawsuit on my hands. Or jail time. But I hear there's free wifi in the big house.

3. You can't just wing it; you have to follow your synopsis.

When writing fiction, if a fantabulous new idea comes your way or a character you didn't know about pops in for a visit, no big deal. In non-fiction, though, you can't jazz up the middle with a surprise because it will mess up the second-half of the book.

4. There's no killing off characters when you get stuck.

The thing about fiction is that when your plot jams up, you can just pull out a gun and blast away. That doesn't work when your main character is a concept.

5. Soundtracks don't inspire.

When I'm creating a fictional world, I always have dramatic music playing in the background. Even when I was a kid, I'd play records (remember those?) and draw pictures according to how the music made me feel. There's not a whole lot of feeling when penning facts. It's just, uh, penning facts.

All that being said, I am adding balloons and rabbits to my non-fiction to perk it up a bit. Will it sell? Who knows.

But it is a grand adventure.

Tidbit: Non-Fiction

I make it a point to read several non-fiction books a year because they’re “good for me.” They’re okay, but compared to fiction, about as tasty as a slice of Spam cheesecake with a side of toe jam. Quit your groaning. What sentiment did you expect from a fiction lover at heart?

So I’m kind of freaking myself out this week because I started a new non-fiction project, as in writing, not reading. Yep. Me. Non-fiction. Weird and a half. What’s up with that?

Throughout the years here at Writer Off the Leash, I’ve received many comments like, “Hey, you oughtta write a writing book.” Or “Why don’t you compile all these posts into a writing guide?” And my personal favorite, “If I mail you some Pop Tarts, will you put together a snarky how-to book for wannabe authors?”

After much soul searching and a quart of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey, I figured why not give it a whirl. I am currently hip deep in slogging through years of posts, deciding which ones are coherent enough to compile into a book about writing. My goal is to have it out by October. Of course, I don’t know a doggone thing about self-publishing, so I could be way off base with that launch date.

I’ll keep you posted, though, you faithful little blog buddies. Thanks for the idea, and feel free to package up those Pop Tarts. My toaster and I are ready.

Tidbit: Soiree Marketing

Writer.

What cartoon bubble just popped into your head? Did it involve a smoking jacket and a chaise lounge with maybe a side of bon bons? Or an avant garde jetsetter sporting round spectacles, carrying on blasé conversations in a lazy Paris street café?

Newsflash: a writer’s life is NOT that glamorous. It’s pretty much wedging writing time into life with a tire iron. . . and a good portion of that time is spent on marketing. Hence, the Heart Deceived Anniversary Soiree.

Has this little venture increased sales? Beats me. Because I’m not self-published, I don’t see the numbers. Oh, I will, eventually, but honestly I have no way of knowing what marketing gimmick I try really pays off. That’s why I pick and choose what I want to do—like this soiree—because if I’m not having fun with it, then nobody will. The same holds true for writing.

If a writer isn’t having fun with creating a story but is merely writing for the market to sell a book, then the reader is going to pick up on it.

Trust me. I’ve read a few of those. Painful. The bottom line is to enjoy what you do, whether that’s writing novels or slinging hamburgers at McDonalds. It’s a choice. An attitude. Go out there today, little mongrels, and stick your head out the window of life with your tongue hanging out.

SOIREE QUESTION OF THE DAY:

There's a famous Reverend in A Heart Deceived that tells Ethan, "God works powerfully, lad, but for the most part gradually and gently." What is that famous reverend's name? Hint: It's the same fella who wrote Amazing Grace.

Tidbit: Extras

This week I've been working on "extras" for my new release -- BRENTWOOD'S WARD -- which will come out in January. I know. I hear you. "Michelle, it's only June. Are you a freaking overachiever or what? Don't you have a life? I suppose you've already filed next years taxes as well."

To which I promptly respond, "Whatever."

The thing is that just because a book comes out in January, that doesn't mean an author waits until the last minute to write up discussion questions or historical notes. All the little writerly duckies must be lined up in a row for a successful book launch.

What kind of extras do you like at the end of a book?

Tidbit: Using Routine for Inspiration

Earlier this week I wrote about creative rituals. Rituals do not have to be specifically creative, however, in order to be used for inspiration. Case in point: my morning Bible time. I spend anywhere from 15-45 minutes a day in God's word. My usual routine is to read a few chapters, working my way all the way through until I get to the end and then I start over again.

I also take some time to write in a Journible. A Journible is a book organized so that you can write out your own copy of the Scripture. You write the Bible text on the right hand page of the book, and the left is open for notes or sometimes there are questions to help with further study.

What does any of this have to do with writing a novel? Sometimes I get some great ideas that I work into my stories. Here are a few from the list I keep that I haven't used yet. . .

Exodus 10:21 "Darkness that could be felt."
Wowzer. What in the world would that feel like? Heavy? Damp? Suffocating? Take a moment and think about what darkness might feel like to you.

Psalm 141: 7 "Bones are scattered at the mouth of a grave."
The first question that pops into my mind is why? What in the world were the bones doing outside the grave? Who dug them up? What were they going to do with those bones? Recently I went and visited my dad's grave for Memorial Day. How would I feel if I saw a pile of bones there?

Numbers 22 ~ The story of Balaam
Balaam was a prophet who spoke blessings or curses. What would the job description be for someone who was only a curse speaker? How would a curse speaker get the job? How would other people treat you?

Those are the kinds of crazy thoughts that run through an author's mind simply from an everyday activity. Routine doesn't have to be the bane of existence. With just a little thought, you can use any daily task as an opportunity to let your mind wander off the leash and discover a whole new neighborhood of creativity.

Tidbit: Gannah

I've been editing all week. Not my writing, though. A buddy of mine. That is one of the best perks of being an author. I get the privilege of reading some fantastic stories before they go public. Currently I'm spit shining yet another book in the Gateway to Gannah series.

Here's my review from the first book: Story in the Stars. . .

Mix together a deadly plague with a snarky hero--one sporting abnormally large ears. Then throw in an independent heroine who's lost everything, and you've got a blue-ribbon recipe for a winning debut novel. The Story in the Stars is sci-fi at it's best with plenty of action, unbelievable landscapes, and a message that is hard hitting.

And here's the back cover copy . . .

The inhabitants of the planet Gannah are known as bloodthirsty savages who once tried to conquer the galaxy. Now a plague has ravaged the planet and only one survivor remains, a young woman named Dassa. Pik, the doctor from the League of Planets assigned to her case, hates everything Gannahan and wishes every last one of its people had died. Bereft of everything she's ever known, Dassa clings to her God and the story he has written in the stars. He has given her an assignment: to return to Gannah and replenish it with a new race of people. But she must first overcome the prejudice of the entire galaxy and recruit her de facto enemy, Pik, to help her.

It's a great story. So is the second book, and now the third one is out. . .

The Ransom in the Rock

How much is a life worth? And who will pay the price? Fifteen-year-old Lileela returns from the planet Karkar, embittered over what she perceives as abandonment by her parents. Why do they want her back now? And why does Karkar demand such a huge payment for delivering her? Neither she nor her family suspects that the Karkar’s true mission is revenge. The tiny New Gannahan settlement has no hope of repelling an invasion – except for One the Karkar can’t see.

If you'd like to keep up with author Yvonne Anderson's writerly adventures, check out her blog at Ys Words.

Tidbit: Inspiration

My next book coming out in January is about an officer of Bow Street. What in the world inspired me to write about that? Read on and find out. . .

Traditionally, every male householder in London was expected to police the streets in their neighborhood, and every citizen was to report anyone they witnessed committing a crime. This changed in the eighteenth century because of increasing concerns about the threat of dangerous criminals who were attracted by the growing wealth of London’s middle class.

Prompted by a post-war crime wave in 1749, Magistrate Henry Fielding (who himself was a playwright and novelist) hired a small group of constables and ex-constables to locate and arrest serious offenders. He operated out of No. 4 Bow Street, hence the name “Bow Street Runners.”

Fielding petitioned the government and received funding, but even so, he soon ran out of money to pay these men a worthy salary. Still, the runners were committed to justice, so they took on odd jobs such as watchmen or detectives for hire or even—as in the case of Nicholas Brentwood—guarding people or treasures.

What attracted my interest as an author and inspired me was an old newspaper advertisement put out by Fielding. It encouraged the public to send a note to Bow Street as soon as any serious crime occurred so that “a set of brave fellows could immediately be dispatched in pursuit of the villains.” I wondered about those “brave fellows” and what kind of villains they might come up against.

Despite Bow Street’s efforts, most Londoners were opposed to the development of an organized police force. The English tradition of local government was ingrained deep, and they feared the loss of individual liberty. So, as gallant as the Runners were in tracking down criminals, the general public did not always view them in a positive light. Even the nickname given them by the public—Bow Street Runners—was considered derogatory and was a title the officers never used to refer to themselves.

Bow Street eventually gave way to the Metropolitan Police, and by 1839, the Runners were completely disbanded.