Hellenic Immortal by Gene Doucette

I was pleasantly surprised by Hellenic Immortal (and Immortal, as well), both written by Gene Doucette. The books revolve around Adam - his present moniker - THE oldest living human being. Born sometime during the Paleolithic Age, Adam is literally ancient, although he stopped physically aging when he was 35 years old.

"I don’t know how old I am. My earliest memory is something along the lines of fire good, ice bad, so I think I predate written history, but I don’t know by how much. I like to brag that I’ve been there from the beginning, and while this may very well be true, I generally just say it to pick up girls."

–Adam the Immortal

I don't want to post any spoilers here, but I will say both books are sardonic, irreverent, funny as hell and emminently readable! Gene's writing style is refreshing and reminds me a bit of Jim Butcher.

You may purchase Hellenic Immortal at -

- Hellenic Immortal direct from TWCS

- Amazon

Second blog stop today for How David Met Sarah

Please visit Return To Disney to read the review of How David Met Sarah.

How David Met Sarah blog book tour!

Today is the first stop in the How David Met Sarah blog book tour! I’m so excited to get this started, because Anne Kelleher has written the sweetest book. Not only that, but the book was just endorsed by the National Down Syndrome Society and October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. AND 20% of All Proceeds will be donated to the National Down Syndrome Society, a non-profit organization benefiting the lives of developmentally-delayed adults.

Please stop by the tour at Blog Stop Book Tours!

A few things of note (in which I talk about a blog tour, a book festival, a new book, and a mouse)

So it's been a very busy, and exciting few weeks here.

First off - I was asked to tour THE sweetest book EVER! How David Met Sarah by Anne Kelleher.

In Anne's own words -
"This story is completely different from any of my previous eleven novels, because I wrote How David Met Sarah for my youngest brother, David. David has Downs' Syndrome and like the main character in the story, lives at home with my parents. He works in a mail room and has a lot of friends. He's even been in love.

I wrote How David Met Sarah at my mother's suggestion when she explained that as much as David is interested in reading, it's hard to find stories he likes. He reads at approximately a third grade level but as an adult, David doesn't relate to third grade level stories. How David Met Sarah is a story for grownups that someone with my brother's reading skills can read and enjoy."

If you'd like to check out the blog tour, visit Blog Stop Book Tours for the schedule. It starts next week!

Secondly -
On Saturday October 15th, I attended the Twin Cities Book Festival put on by Rain Taxi . It was a fun event and I had the opportunity to talk with a couple of authors.

S.C. Cobb, author AND illustrator of Peripheral Conflict was kind and charming.








And Lance Zarimba signed a copy of Oh No, Our Best Friend Is A Zombie for my 9 year old son, Cameron. Lance's books are written primarily for boys, ages 9 - 12.







Thirdly -
My e-publishing company, Out of Bounds Press, has released its 3rd book, The Way It Is by Alice Shepler.

"Amy and Paul take a huge leap of faith to follow their dream of owning a lodge in Colorado. Though they miss their grown daughters back home in Kansas, Amy and Paul know they've made the right choice. With a lot of hard work and ingenuity, they turn the lodge into a destination vacation spot, but it comes at the expense of Paul's health. When faced with the choice to remain in Colorado, or return to Kansas, a new opportunity presents itself. Read on to see how faith and family can make dreams come true."

And, oh yeah, we have a new kitten. Her name is Mouse.

Awesome review of Children of Angels!

Jim Melvin, author of The Death Wizard Chronicles wrote an amazing review of Children of Angels by Lynn Salibury. Check it out!

Children of Angels by Lynn Salisbury

Out of Bounds Press is proud to announce our first e-book release, Children of Angels by Lynn Salisbury!

Ann, one of the Sisterhood and Marc, one of the Brotherhood, fall in love before revealing to each other what they are. Ann and Marc know they can't be together, but their reason for existing pulls them back to each other when Marc and his Brothers raid the local town of humans – killing some of Ann's friends. With revenge on her mind Ann hunts for Marc and his Brothers.



She finds them but is faced with the most impossible of options – betray her Sisters or die.

Available at -

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Big HUGE announcement!

I am incredibly excited to announce that I have started my own e-book publishing company, Out of Bounds Press! The first books will be available for purchase in July.

My call for submissions -

• novels
• novellas
• short stories
• non-fiction (memoir, how-to, self-help)

Contact me at lewis.m@outofboundspress.com

SCOTTEVEST - Entirely Relevant

Here's something you may not know about me. I don't like carrying a purse. Typically, if the things I need to have with me won't fit in my jacket pockets, I do without them. As a matter of fact, there have been times I've tucked my cell phone into my bra (and, yes, it does tickle).

Of course, this means when buying outerwear, I'm on the lookout for pockets. If a jacket or coat doesn't have inner and/or outer pockets, I leave it on the rack. This is also problematic because I'm female. Apparently the fashion world doesn't appreciate pockets the way I do.

So, when I found out about Scottevest Travel Clothing, via Peter Shankman's blog, I had to know more. According to Scott Jordan, CEO and founder, "About ten years ago, I created SCOTTEVEST®/SeV to solve a very common problem: I needed a way to carry and organize all my gadgets and gear without a "man-purse."

I'm not a man, but I get where Scott is coming from. As a writer, I generally don't leave home without my cell phone, netbook, digital camera, a paper notebook and at least a mechanical pencil. Yes, I could carry all of this in a tote, but that doesn't leave my hands free if I have a kid with me. And like most women, I'm likely to misplace the bag - at least once.

This line of clothing is designed to allow you to carry your necessities on you. Lots and lots of pockets!

I don't own any of the Scottevest product line, yet. The one item I'm lusting after is the XAE - 10th Anniversary Edition Leather Jacket. It costs $450.00, but hey, aren't there leather purses that cost twice that much, with way fewer pockets?

Tips, Tricks, Rituals - What's your methodology for writing?

If you've ever had to complete a writing assignment, you know there is nothing more daunting than a blank piece of paper or computer screen. But, if you've chosen writing as your profession, write you must. I've asked a few friends for tips and tricks they use to get the words out of their heads and into the world. They graciously provided some fantastic answers.

Mysti Guymon-Reutlinger (Thanksgiving365) says "I'm a stickler for routine. My best writing comes when there's no one awake or around me. I will wake at 4 am to get in three hours of solid writing time." Finding quiet time can be tough. In Mysti's case, with two adorable little boys to take care of, getting up early is a great way to make that time. When ideas come at inopportune moments, Mysti will "leave a notebook and pen on the counter to scribble my thoughts as they come!"

Adam Slade (EditingHat) and Annie Kelleher both use music when they write. Annie says "if I have a particular song that evokes the mood of the scene or the character's viewpoint, I put the song on." I'm sure there are songs that send you right back to your first kiss, so you know what Annie is talking about. Adam says "I used to need silence to write to, but if you can train yourself to write to music (I started with instrumentals... and worked up), it can help when you're somewhere noisy." I listen to instrumental music when I write, silence is absolutely deafening for me, sometimes.

A change of venue seems to help when the brain gets bogged down. Meghan Brunner says "if I get stuck I get up and make a mug of tea. Usually in the time it takes to brew, my brain has loosened a little." Walking away and taking a break works for Adam, as well, "If I get stuck, I take a long shower. Generally does the trick."

And speaking of tea, it seems that hydration is important. Jenn Greenleaf says "I feel off if I don't have my coffee next to me." I know without my cup of coffee, I'm lost, too. Whether coffee, tea, water or soda, every writer I know has some kind of glass or mug at their desk.

Taking your work seriously and respecting yourself are paramount. Laurie Jodoin Dalzell says "I used to write whenever I had time around everyone else's schedules and didn't make so much progress. In a fit of frustration one day, I realized that a writer, well, writes. Ever since, the first two hours of my day are mine for writing. Mug of tea, glass of orange juice, and my laptop. Every morning." And Karen Fisher Alaniz says "I get dressed to the make-up and shoes. There is no writer sitting in her pajamas pounding out brilliant prose in my house. I have to dress as if I am going to a job. I treat my writing like a job and I've learned that when I do this, when I take it THAT seriously, others (agents, editors etc) do too. Simple yet life-changing for me."

The tips most common to everyone I talked to are:

• Just WRITE!
• Make yourself comfortable.
• Quiet, writer at work! (which really seems to translate to whatever gets you in, and keeps you in, the writing zone)
• If you get stuck, MOVE! Step away, exercise, take a shower, anything to let the wheels turn in the back of your mind.
• Catch 'em! The ideas slip away all too quickly if you don't write a quick note or record them on your cell phone.
• Drink! A hydrated brain is a creative brain.

What do you do to keep the words flowing?

Be Brave, Be Innovative, Be... FIERCE!

If you're a published author (or soon to be), you know that marketing is terribly important to the success of your book. You're fortunate to live in a time when everyone - well, almost - is at your fingertips. Use all of the virtual tools at your disposal, talk to people, ask for help, be an evangelist for your work! Read this guest post by Elle Newmark, author of The Unholy Book of Mischief at Don't Hang Up, and you'll see what I mean.

Happy Anniversary Penguin! (and a book giveaway)

Back in 1935, Allen Lane had the brilliant idea of making quality paperback books available, and more importantly, affordable. Skeptics thought he was crazy, but they were proven wrong.

"The Bodley Head found itself, at the beginning of the week, sold out of 'Penguins,' 150,000 having been sold out in four days. Mr. Allen Lane has asked us to say that he will supply the waiting orders as soon as his printers and binders allow him to do so."

— The Bookseller, August 8, 1935
 
Today is Penguin's 75th anniversary, and I was invited to give away one of their books.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

"On a winter night in 1964, Dr. David Henry is forced by a blizzard to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy. Yet when his daughter is born, he sees immediately that she has Down's syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret. But Caroline, the nurse, cannot leave the infant. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child herself. So begins this beautifully told story that unfolds over a quarter of a century in which these two families, ignorant of each other, are yet bound by David Henry's fateful decision that long-ago winter night."

The Memory Keeper's Daughter is an exquisite study of human nature. It's lyrically written from the heart. If it had been a song I'd heard for the first time while driving, I would have had to pull over to fully experience it.

I'm giving away one copy of The Memory Keeper's Daughter. Please leave a comment (by midnight, August 5th, 2010)  if you'd like to be entered in the drawing.

Residents of the US and Canada only please.

Book Review - Killer Cows by D.M. Anderson

"Randy Meyer is the new kid in Satus Creek, a tiny farm town where nothing ever happens, and his days are filled with tedium. Then one summer afternoon, a meteor crashes nearby. It’s just the first in a series of events that will not only change his life, but threaten the entire planet. Soon after, vicious cows are on the rampage all over the country, and they’re not of this Earth!

Armed with a newly-discovered flying saucer he doesn’t know how to fly, and a misfit group of new friends he doesn’t entirely trust, Randy is forced to grow up fast if he’s going to make decisions that will not only help him fit-in with his new peers, but save the world from a fate worse than death!"


Never assume you know what shape an alien will take, it will probably be the last thing you expected. Killer Cows is a terrific sci-fi book for young adults - action packed, fun and entertaining! But, it's also an excellent interpretation of what happens when we don't take care of the things we need to sustain us.

If you're looking for a book to add to your child's Summer reading list, Killer Cows is a book they'll enjoy reading, and also learn from. Buy it at Amazon, or Echelon Press .


D.M. Anderson lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, two daughters, two cats and a neurotic dog. He teaches Language Arts at a local middle school, which is where he developed his interest in reading - and later writing - young adult fiction of various genres. When he isn’t teaching or writing, Anderson enjoys staying up late watching horror movies with his oldest daughter, and accompanying his youngest to her swimming lessons. Other interests include NASCAR, heavy metal music, zombies and Disneyland. Killer Cows, an homage to the old drive-in sci-fi movies he loved as a kid, is his first young adult novel. Since then, he has explored other YA genres, including action (a disaster novel titled Shaken) and horror (The Dark Ride). His future plans also include a sequel to Killer Cows.

You can keep up with Mr. Anderson at his blog http://dmanderson.blogspot.com/

Author Interview with Lynn McMonigal

Today, I'm posting an inverview with Lynn McMonigal, self-published Christian Fiction author of Forsaking the Call, The Ladies of Faith and Summertime.

Please tell us about yourself, and your books.

This is always my least favorite question! Ask me about my characters or books and I can go on forever (and have been told that I do!!). But ask me about me and I hardly know where to begin.


I was born in Ann Arbor, MI and raised in Jackson, MI. My hometown is not perfect, but I love it! If my books are not specifically set in Jackson, they are set in a town that resembles it. For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed telling stories. When I was in early elementary school, I would line up my dolls and stuffed animals to tell them stories. Some nights, I would annoy my sisters with the stories I kept telling when they wanted to sleep. In 5th grade, I had a teacher who encouraged me to start writing down my stories. Ever since, I’ve written short stories and dreamed of publishing novels.


My relationship with Christ is VERY important to me. He is the reason I live and breathe. I’ve been so incredibly blessed. Writing is one way that I thank Him for all he has done. For years, I ran away from the knowledge that my story-telling ability was a gift from God and should be used for Him. Now that I have stopped running, I make sure that some aspect of my love for Christ comes through in everything that I write.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

This sort of goes back to what I said before. I spent a long time (nearly 20 years) running from God. When my youngest son was born in 2007, I stopped running. I didn’t have a job, so it seemed like the best time to really devote myself to my writing. In November, I took part in National Novel Writing Month, completing the first draft of my novel Forsaking the Call in just 30 days. As a part of that, I earned a certificate for a free copy of my novel to be printed by CreateSpace. Originally, I was going to just get that one copy, just so I could hold my work in my hands. By the end of 2008, I had completed two more novels and had outlines for nearly a dozen more. I thought if I was going to work that fast, I might as well keep up with the self publishing. It’s a quick way of getting my books out there.

What was the process like, from beginning to end?

With CreateSpace, the process is so very easy! I wrote the book, proofed and edited it more times than I can count, decided on the size I wanted my final book to be, created a PDF of the manuscript, created a cover, and loaded all of that onto the CreateSpace website. My favorite thing about CreateSpace (other than the quality of the final product, which is phenomenol!) is the cost. Some self publishing companies require a financial investment from the writer up front. This was not something that I could do. With CreateSpace, I only have to pay for the copies that are actually printed. That means I have a better control over inventory.

What have you learned about publishing, along the way?

The #1 thing I have learned is to not trust my own eyes when it comes to proof-reading! I am too close to the work; I know what is supposed to be on the page and that is what I see there. Most often, though, that is not what is on the page! And spell check doesn’t catch everything. For example, I meant to say that “she slid across the floor”. Only I put an “e” on the end. “Slide” is a real word, so spell check didn’t catch it. I read it and didn’t catch it.


Also, I have learned that I can’t be too touchy about the editing. There might be a phrase or a sentence or a paragraph that I really LOVE that doesn’t help the flow of the story at all. I have to trust the editors (my editor is the retired editor of a church magazine) to make or suggest changes that are for the betterment of the book.

How have you marketed/promoted your books?

The marketing is the hardest part for me! As soon as one story is done, I am ready to move on to the next. But I don’t have a marketing staff behind me. If I just move on, the published book might not be sold.


I do a lot of promotion on Facebook, Twitter, and on my blog and website. Also, I am a part of a few writers groups on-line. A lot of the people there have their own blogs devoted to books, and many are willing to host blog tours for me. It’s nice to have help and support from other authors like that.


Also, I use Vista Print A LOT. I have business cards and brochures listing my books with me all the time. One of my nephews LOVES to pass out my business cards every where he goes. When a new book is ready to come out, I have post cards and flyers printed up announcing them. I have a list of libraries and bookstores within 50 miles of my home that I send them out to. Also, I send postcards to a lot of area churches. I have been fortunate to be invited to speak at some churches and church conferences through these mailings. That helps a lot in promoting.


Anytime I do a book signing or speaking engagement, I make up a little gift basket that has to do with the book. With Forsaking the Call, the basket contains a can of Pringles, a cheesecake mix, a pacifier, and hazelnut coffee. The Summertime basket contains snickerdoodle cookie mix, a pair of yellow flip-flops, a small journal, and a flowery apron. People will almost always ask why I chose those items. I just smile and say, “Well, it’s all in the book. You’ll have to read it if you want to understand.” More often than not, that results in the sale of the book! And at the end of the event, I draw out a name from all those who signed up to be on my newsletter list. That is the person who takes home the goodie basket.


There is an awesome book by Janet Elaine Smith called Promo Paks that I have learned so much from. It is packed full of free and nearly-free ideas for marketing books.

Have you been able to get your books on bookstore shelves?

Yes and no. So far, I’ve had very little luck at getting my books into the “big stores”, like Borders and Barnes and Noble. But smaller stores are great! There is one independent bookstore here in town that I have a wonderful relationship with. The manager enjoys my work, and she enjoys being able to tell others, “This is the only store in Jackson where you will find Lynn’s books.”

For more information about Lynn and her books, visit her website - Lynn's Corner

Cheerios® is searching for the next great children's book author. It could be you!

Children will be finding a book, 1 Zany Zoo by Lori Degman, inside boxes of Cheerios this month. Lori was the grand prize winner of the 2008 Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories Contest. The contest is open now for 2010. Just enter by July 15, 2010. For the rules, click here.

Publishing is NOT dead!

The methods may be changing, but the addiction to reading seems to be growing according to the Association of American Publishers (AAP).

"Book sales in November rose 10.9%, to $808.5 million, at publishers who reported to the Association of American Publishers. Sales for the year through November rose 4.9%.

Among categories:

E-books exploded 199.9%, to $18.3 million.
Audiobooks jumped 69%, to $18.4 million.
Adult hardcover rose 26.9%, to $204.4 million.
Higher education rose 24.2%,, to $197.1 million.
University press hardcover rose 21.9% to $5.4 million.
El-Hi basal and supplemental K-12 jumped 18.4%, to $136.9 million.
University press paperback climbed 2.7%, to $4.2 million.
Professional and scholarly rose 2.7%, to $57.1 million.
Children's/YA paperback inched up 1%, to $43.9 million.
Religious books were flat, at $48.7 million.
Adult paperback fell 3%, to $92.3 million
Adult mass market dropped 9.8%, to $53.2 million.
Children's/YA hardcover fell 13.5%, to $63.9 million." - as published in Shelf Awareness .

Exciting, isn't it?

A Menopawsal Myth

A tale of menopawsal proportions: And so it was during the time of Zeus that WOOFrodite found herself coming of age - middle age. In the throes of menopaws, she sensed her beauty betraying her. Her disposition souring. Her mind growing muddled and ... I forget what else.

She descended the mountaintop and ambled toward the sea determined to drown her troubles. Approaching the shoreline she came upon a group of women. Women who had befriended her as a young maiden. They, like WOOFfrodite, were panicked and perplexed. All averted their eyes upon seeing her.

WOOFrodite begged of them, "How might we continue to live like this?"

"Oh, could it be we have a right to live without our youth?" the women implored.

"Well, you know, that's a really good question." WOOFrodite sunk her heels into the sand. "I'm thinking the water's ice cold so that's no help. But wait, they've got fresh dark chocolate at the confectionary. Last one to the shop is a rotten goddess!"

I'm just saying, some of the beliefs surrounding menopaws make about as much sense as this silly story! I do, however, like the ending. Dark chocolate pretty much solves anything. And that ain't no lie.

The reality is some of us going through menopaws do notice changes in our emotional and physical wellbeing. But, like our little WOOFrodite, once we get over the shock that, yes, this is happening, we make a decision and take action to lessen the impact. And a sisterhood of women sharing the experience makes it just that much easier to do!

After all, the essence of who we are is not our menopawsal symptoms.

So, here's the plan. Let's remind each other that it's a myth we:

1. Have to gain weight during menopaws. But if we do, we'll exercise and change our dietary habits.



2. Automatically develop serious health problems. We'll get regular screenings and seek medical help if we become ill or have concerns.



3. Have to be less productive. We'll volunteer, mentor and take up a hobby.



4. Have to lose our mental facilities. We'll discover ways to keep our brain engaged!



5. Have to lose our beauty. Age creates a beauty all its own. We'll embrace it!

So here's to getting real during midlife. For some of us it may be for the first time in our lives! That's okay, better late than never!


"Mind spinning? Mood swinging? Middle sagging? Get used to it! When you reach 50 shift happens. But, you're not alone, WOOFers to the rescue!"

Got any tips for menopawsal WOOFers? Leave a comment and enter a drawing for "Accentuate the Pawsitive" a WOOFers download guide to realigning your life!

Diana - aka - d.d. dawg

Like to laugh? You'll discover more funny women stories, limericks and poems when you...

BUY WOOF!

Mary Cunningham is author of the award-winning, four-book ‘tween fantasy/mystery series Cynthia’s Attic (Quake) and two short stories Ghost Light, Christmas with Daisy, a Cynthia’s Attic Christmas story, and is co-author of WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty (Echelon Press). A member of the Georgia Reading Association and the Carrollton Creative Writers Club, she lives in the mountains of west Georgia.

Diana Black is the third author of the humor book WOOF: Women Only Over Fifty (Echelon Press). A published songwriter and cartoonist, her professional work also includes illustrating children’s books as well as graphic and cover design. Her project, Wendel Wordsworth: No Words for Wendel, a picture book, song and educational materials, is designed to encourage young readers. Black is a member of the SCBWI (Southern Breeze Chapter) and the Carrollton Creative Writers Club.

WOOFers Club

WOOFers Club Blog

Echelon Press

Clear your throat before you pick up the phone

Eh-hem.

I work from my home office. I don't have co-workers to chat with, and I communicate through email, IM and text most of the time. Not a lot of vocalizing happening here, and it shows. If I make a call, or answer a call, my voice is rough.

What with it being cold and flu season, I thought I'd share some tricks to keep voices sounding positive and happy.

• Clear your throat before you pick up the phone
• Take a deep breath
• Always have water available nearby (to wet your mouth and avoid "tongue clicks")
• Sing or hum during the day to keep vocal chords loosened up (even if you don't consider yourself a singer)
• Smile when you say hello (people can hear it)

What do you do to sound good over the phone?

Contracting for coffee - or unusual ways to get what you want

I know, it's been awhile. But, in my defense I've been busy.

Here's what's new with me -

• I contracted for coffee. Yep. Coffee. I designed and "prettied up" a flyer for the local coffee shop and dance studio who are running a co-promotion. It was fun and I get Turtle Mochas out of the deal.
• I redesigned my website at www.maryevelynlewis.com
• I've been hired as the Online Communications Specialist for Cozy Calm (my longtime friend, Eileen, who invented the Cozy Calm Weighted Blanket, gave me one for Cameron, who has slept consistently through the night for over a week now - talk about a well rested HAPPY Mommy!). I officially start January 1st, but there is preliminary work to do and a learning curve to get through.

So, I will continue to be busy, but I'm loving what I'm doing. I'll still be posting here, and at Just Another Mom . And of course, tweeting @maryelewis and updating my status at Facebook .

I'm still here, and wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Interview with Lynda McDaniel, author of Words At Work

Lynda McDaniel, author of Words At Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two. A veteran writing coach shows you how. was kind enough to answer a few questions for me. Read on, her answers are enlightening.


Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. There are lots of jokes about that city, but I had a good time growing up there. I received a great education and fell in love with baseball there. I’ve lived lots of places since—from the mountains of North Carolina to Washington, D.C. and the San Francisco Bay Area—but I’m proud to be from Cleveland.

I didn’t start writing professionally until I was 25 years old. A lot of people think they have to write when they’re kids or in high school, that it’s too late for them to start now. But that’s just not true. That’s one of the reasons I wrote Words at Work. My students and clients kept telling me that my story—from getting a late start to facing some hurdles along the way—inspired them that they can write too. And they do.

My writing career began in the most unlikely of places—just a speck on a map of the North Carolina mountains—but it was ripe with opportunity for me. That’s where I met a school director who asked if I’d like to learn public relations. To be honest, I should have answered, “What’s that?” Instead, I said, “Sure,” and took to it like ink to newsprint. Once I saw my first published article, I was hooked. I’ve never stopped writing. I’ve gone on to write five books and hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles for publications such as Southern Living, Country Living, Yoga Journal, and washingtonpost.com.


How/why did you decide to write a book about writing for work?

I heard a student tell another student as they left my writing class, “They sure don’t teach this in school!” That meant the world to me. I knew I had tapped into something special, and I wanted to share that with a wider audience. I love taking all the things I’ve learned during my writing and writing coaching career—sometimes the hard way—to make other people’s lives easier. I wrote Words at Work for everyone who wants to write well, and especially for those who thought they couldn’t. They can.


What do you like to read for pleasure?

I’m a voracious reader of novels. I just finished Michael Connelly’s Scarecrow and Henning Mankell’s Before the Frost. I recently read a non-fiction book entitled Blue Ocean Strategy: How to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant. It’s a fascinating book about thinking beyond what’s traditional and creating something new from the unfulfilled needs of the “old.” Another fantastic non-fiction book I’m currently reading is How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer. Not only is the information compelling, but his writing style is brilliant.


With Twitter and texting becoming ever more popular, do you think there are times when it is appropriate to conform to the adopted "shorthand" that limited characters has required? Or do you think we just need to find the correct words and send as many texts or Tweets needed to convey our message? OR... do we need to write "tighter" - clear and concise?

There’s a time and place for everything. Even shorthand writing, which I call our “jeans” writing. More on that in a minute. Just be careful. With so much e-communication today, we rarely meet the people who write us, but that doesn't stop us from forming a picture of them using the only clues we have—their words. We need to pick the right look depending on the situation. Similar to Casual Fridays at work, you’ll choose your “jeans” words when writing friends or acquaintances (tweets and texts). Most of your writing will be your basic work attire, which leaves a good, solid impression. And for those sales proposals and articles, blogs and Web copy (or novels, memoirs, and essays)? That’s when you don your fanciest glad rags. Have fun. Be creative.


What books do you suggest to become a better communicator through writing?

Brenda Ueland, author of If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit. More than any other book, this book inspired me to both honor my own creativity and learn how to improve upon it. Brenda is amazing. She lived earlier in the 20th century, but I use present tense because she still seems so alive. Her words jump off the page. I could hear her voice in my head as I wrote Words at Work—and I hope I succeeded in sharing the same kind of inspiration and encouragement with my readers. Also check out Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, and the classic, On Writing Well by William Zinsser. And, of course, Words at Work.

Thank you so much, Lynda!

Book Review - Words At Work by Lynda McDaniel

Words At Work
Lynda McDaniel















Words At Work is an easy to read, easy to use primer on written communications at work. McDaniel writes with a conversational style, and relates amusing tales about her experiences, putting the reader at ease.

Lynda shares two well kept secrets in Words At Work.

1. Everyone can learn to write well.
2. Bad writers just stopped too soon.

I agree, to a point. Anyone who can write a sentence can learn to write well, if they want to. I liked this book. I will be recommending it to friends who communicate mainly through email at work. Good writing leads to less confusion and higher productivity.


I was invited to review this book by Tracee at Pump Up Your Book Promotion. Thanks for the opportunity, Tracee!