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Mother’s Have It So Easy—Wrong!

May 10, 2009 by in category Archives

By Nancy Farrier

My mother had it so easy. While I went to school and did chores, she was a stay at home Mom with nothing to do. Sure she cooked meals, did laundry, and a few household chores, but what’s so hard about that? I knew that most of the work around the house and farm fell to my sister’s and me. At least, that’s the way I viewed life growing up.

Then I became a Mom. Suddenly, I understood what kept my mother so busy. Cleaning house doesn’t happen in a few minutes. I found out it can be hard, tiring work. Cook, laundress, dishwasher, organizer, taxi driver, arbitrator of fights, and teacher are only a few of the hats my mother wore. I found that to understand and appreciate a mother’s role, I have to be one, or to be very observant. What looked simple carried an underlying degree of difficulty some will never realize.

I don’t know how many times I’ve had people say something about how easy it is to write a book. How hard can it be? You get an idea and you write it down, right? They have no concept of how character, plot, and setting interact, and that doesn’t even include the finer intricacies of developing a story that makes sense to someone other than the writer.

Many people also believe that once you’ve written the book, the volume should be on the shelves of the bookstore the following week. The editing process is a complete mystery to them; they don’t see the number of people, or the work, involved in making your book available to them. Only those in the publishing industry, or those who take the time to be aware of the process, truly know what’s involved.

Mothers and writers have this in common. Their job is not as effortless as it looks. Yet, as both a mother and a writer, I would not give either one up. I love being both. So, I’d like to say thanks to my mother for doing her job without complaint, and for teaching me to be gracious to those who think what I do is so easy.

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Freedom of the Press

April 25, 2009 by in category Archives tagged as ,

By: Lori Pyne

As I read the news that yet another newspaper is going out of business, I worry. How many newspapers will survive the changes in economy and in technology? Will the remaining newspapers be enough to provide the information needed to have a dynamic democracy? Will the remaining newspapers, with their reduced staff and income, still have the resources to investigate individuals, corporations and governments? Will there be enough newspapers to offer a variety of points of view and viewpoints? Will the new media news appearing on my yahoo, google, blogs, websites be able to offer the depth of coverage currently offered in the newspaper?

Unfortunately I only have concerns and questions but no answers. I would love to hear anyone else’s opinion about this issue.

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Member at Large: What an Artist owes

April 19, 2009 by in category Archives tagged as ,

One of my favorite authors came out with a new book recently, and I checked on Amazon for how I could have missed the book when it first came out. For grins, I read through the reviews. Seems some people didn’t like the book, and don’t like this author’s current philosophies. Many readers felt the character’s relationships were completely incorrect. Reams of electrons were spent on criticizing or defending the book’s plot, the author’s reaction to some things said about the book, and the perception of some of the readers as to the author’s reaction. I found myself amused and appalled. An artist – be it author, actor, singer, enters into a contract with those who listen, watch or read. The contract states, for the price of a book, a ticket, a recording, or time in front of the television, they owe us the best work they can produce at that time, and in their opinion. Not in my opinion, or your opinion, but their opinion. We owe them the courtesy of reading or listening. If we feel they have not fulfilled the contract to our satisfaction, we have the right to stop listening, stop reading, or cease to be part of the audience. This terminates the contract.

I clearly remember, back in my more innocent days, telling an author she really needed to write the story of a secondary character in one of her books. She could have reminded me she had already told the group she was moving on from this story line. Instead, she smiled sweetly and said: “You want his story. You write it.”

Better words were never spoken, and nothing has been a greater catalyst for me than to remind myself: If I don’t like the way a book is written, I have every right to write one for myself that turns out the way I want it to turn out.

If we do not enjoy the artist’s work, we have the option not to enter into another contract with them. Don’t buy another book, or recording, or ticket; change the channel. We possibly have the right to give our opinion on their work. Stating that a book should have been written in some different fashion is a waste of our time. You don’t like the plot, the characters, the ending? Write your own. Toss it to the winds, and if it finds a home, know you have fulfilled your contract with at least one reader. And isn’t that why we write?

Monica Stoner in Snowy New Mexico

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The Price is Right (I mean Write)

April 13, 2009 by in category Archives tagged as ,

by Bobbie Cimo

The other day I was on my way to my office when I saw a familiar looking person heading toward me with an entourage at his side. It was none other than Bob Barker, of the famed “Price Is Right”. He greeted me with a big “Hello”, to which I vigorous replied with a, “Hi, how ya doing?” We shared a smile and Bob continued walking toward his old stomping ground, Stage 33, where for the past thirty-five years he had hosted his daily TV show at CBS-Television City.

I wasn’t sure if this friendly exchange between us was because he remembered me from all those times we’ve said our hellos over the years, passing each other in the hallway, or because last year we spent some one-on-one time at a party hosted by his successor, Drew Carey–or simply because he was happy to be back in the building and was saying hello to everyone who passed him by.

When I asked someone why he was back in the building, they told me he was going to be a guest on the “Price Is Right” and was there to promote his new book, “Priceless Memories”.

Many of you who have either read, or at least seen my blog, “Eye on Hollywood”, in the Orange Blossom have probably asked yourself, what do my stories about Hollywood have to do with writing. Well truthfully, absolutely nothing.

I started to write these blogs on my Hollywood escapades after much prompting from my OCC sisters (who are too many to mention–but know who they are). They presented the idea to me at a time when my fictional creative juices just weren’t flowing, and it seemed like my writing muse had taken an extended vacation without me. Something that I thought never would happen, but did.

I think what might have contributed to my sudden creative failure was the loss of my most staunch supporter (my mother), a job change situation and a commute that sometimes had me spending more time behind the wheel of my car than between the sheets of my bed for sleep. But nevertheless, whatever the reason, my writing went on hold. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say there have been those times when I’ve worried about my ability to write again. Then I saw Bob Barker…an eighty-five year old man, who has more money than God, who certainly doesn’t need the fame, who’s won at least nineteen Emmys, has endless interests and leads, to this day, a full enriched life—but with all that going for him, he still had the desire to be called author. Because he obviously felt the need to tell his story and see his words in print.

So my blog to you this month isn’t about another star that I might have run into, or about the antics of what happens behind closed doors of a major TV studio, but to remind you that it’s never too late to keep plugging away at your writing. Just ask Bob Barker. And I’m sure he’ll agree that holding on to your dreams and keeping your goals alive can be priceless.

Oh, and I have one more message for you this month. Don’t forget to get your pet spayed or neutered…I‘m sure Bob would appreciate it.

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April President’s Message

April 1, 2009 by in category Archives

It’s Spring; the season of renewal!

You caught my double entendre, yes? Of course you did if you read the announcement that came with this newsletter. It’s time to renew for your chapter. Past time actually, and we wouldn’t want you to miss out on this coming year!

Your new Board has brought a plethora of new energy and ideas to your chapter, and they’re open for more. Several of those ideas are based on need and reflect fundraising approaches. And many of you have already offered up suggestions on raising money. These are timely, as our numbers are not as strong as we hoped. You can view a synopsis of this year’s budget in this newsletter. We welcome your thoughts and questions.

You will see new items at the Ways and Means Table, on-line at Café Press, and at a Midnight Madness table in Washington DC. You will see more special one-day events such as the ones led by guest speaker Diane Pershing earlier this year. On-line classes will continue to bring you fresh voices and new outlooks to improve your writing and boost your career. We will continue to bring you monthly speakers who will motivate and inspire, provide you basic to advanced tools, and set the stage for your writing efforts.

Last month your Board approved a survey which will come to you in April, asking you what you want from your chapter, both in person and on-line, so we can continue to serve you in the best ways possible. Please, please, please take the time to fill it out and send it back. I truly want to see this Board setting the stage for the future, ensuring we are keeping pace with the times, and providing the most current and comprehensive assistance that you could ever want from local RWA. At the same time, I don’t want to see anyone left behind. We are all different, some technologically astute, and others a little techno-phobic. We are here to serve both, and all in between. But we can’t do this effectively without your help. Your Chapter exists to support you. Here is your opportunity to tell us how we can continue to assist you over the next five years.

It’s the season of renewal (did you?), the season of new ideas, of rebirth. Help your chapter be reborn as the springboard to your success. Please fill out the survey and lend us your thoughts and ideas to how we can best assist you, as an individual and a part of Orange County Chapter, to attain your writing goals.

Randi

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