Bonnie Cehovet

Using Google +

2012-01-29T01:19:00.000-08:00

It has been an interesting week. The Google 1+ button became part of my psyche as soon as I signed up for Google +, but now I am making it a habit to read my Google + timeline on a, shall we say, more consistent basis! As with Twitter or Face Book, large portions of the material can be scrolled past. However, I am finding little gems there, like what the “Hangout” app is, and how to use it. When I first looked at Hangout, I passed. I did not download the app. Then I came across an article on my Google + timeline that talked about ways to optimize the system, and Hangout was one of them! I downloaded the app, but have not had a chance to experiment with it yet.

A really good overview of Google + can be seen here -http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_to_start_with_google_plus.php. The first thing addressed is creating circles – I really do like this, as it allows us to send messages only to people that we want to see them. So family would not get the same messages that our professional contacts do, and our professional contacts will not be underwhelmed with family info.

You can also view your Google + stream by individual circles, so that you are only getting posts pertinent to that circle. This is incredibly helpful, and saves a great deal of time. The only problem that I can see here is when we don’t take the time to view the info that we don’t deem to be a “priority”, and it looses its timeliness.

You can also enable the chat function in the same manner – deciding who you want to chat with, and who you don’t. I do not enable this function at all, because when I am online I am quite often writing, or researching an article, and don’t have the time to stop and chat.

Uploading and sharing photos, completing your profile page, and working with Sparks and Hangouts is also discussed. Note: Completing your profile page is very important if you are using your page in a professional capacity.

Another site that I discovered on my Google + stream was Women of Google + - http://www.womenofgplus.com-this-content-is-members-only?wlfrom=%2F2012%2Fdiscovering-gold-on-google-plus . This is a members only site that provides training for working with the social media, as well as networking opportunities. There are three levels of membership – Free, Professional, and Premier. Check it out!

A spinoff from Women of Google + is Google + For Professional Women - https://plus.google.com/106308987110706221036/posts. Here the focus is on how to use this platform to enhance ranking and visibility for professionals.

Every day I find myself coming across something new that will help me use social media with better focus. Maybe someday I will get it all together!

© January 2012 Bonnie Cehovet

A Conversation Overheard: Death/Emperor

2012-01-23T13:56:00.001-08:00

I have been trying to think of ways in which I could make the Birth Card pairs come to life. I thought that it might be fun to have a Birth Card pair chatting over coffee or drinks. I was going to work with the gentlest Birth Card pair that I could find, just so the conversation would be, shall we say, a “nice, quiet one” Best laid plans, and all of that. The first two individuals that choose to speak were the ones that were the hardest for me to write about – The Devil and The Lovers. They choose to speak over drinks … fair warning! Today's Birth Card pair are Death and the Emperor. Outspoken individuals - they know their way around life!

Scene: In flight, from Dallas to New York City, on the luxurious new Boeing Jumbo Jet. There are two seats by each window, and a widely spaced row of seats in the middle of the plane, with aisles on either side. While this is not the inaugural flight for this line of planes, they are new enough that the passengers flying them are still very excited, and somewhat in awe. The two men speaking today represent Death and the Emperor. The younger man, resplendent in an Armani suit, complete with Richard James tie and Patek Phillipe watch, represents Death. The older man, in a conservative Knot Standard suit, with a custom tie and Cartier watch, represents the Emperor.

The two men were sitting on the right hand side of the plane, just in front of the wing. They were buckled in, waiting for takeoff. Their bags were stowed in the nearest baggage compartment - there were no overhead baggage compartments on this plane, which was a blessing. Boarding had gone super fast, and they were assured that deplaning would go just as fast. The stewards and stewardesses were courteous – even a bit formal. This was no ordinary plane.

The older man, Edward Caldwell, was seated next to the window. He shut down his laptop, and placed it under his seat. Noting this, his younger companion, Stefan Molinare, did the same. It had been a long day, and it was time to allow life to slow down - at least for the duration of the flight.

The fasten seat belts sign was on, and the head steward began the in-flight spiel about where the exits were, what to do in case of an emergency, how the face masks worked, etc. It was obvious that people were paying close attention, while appearing not to. This was a new plane, and there were new rules. Holding on to the past would get one nowhere on this flight – the plane had been totally redesigned, for both comfort and utility. Nothing was where it was on the old planes.

Finally, they were in the air, and the stewards were going quietly from person to person, offering choices of wine and mixed drinks, along with small appetizers. Both men choose flutes of Crystal, along with miniature crab cakes.
Edward leaned back slightly in his seat, stretching out his legs. “So, Stefan, how do you think we are doing?”

Stefan was quite for a moment, then he spoke. “It looks as if things are going according to plan. I knew this was going to be where my energy would be needed the most, but I had no idea how many people were so far behind where they should be.”

“This is a time of change for the human race, you know. Whenever one era ends, and another begins, our work intensifies. Our mandate is to teach them to detach from the physical world, to let go of their expectations, and then to balance that with accessing their own ability to analyze, make informed decisions, and take informed actions. They are indeed coming into their own power, and those who are meant to take leadership positions must do so now.”

Stefan took a sip of wine before responding. “I would have thought that gifting them with 9/11 would have gotten their attention. That was one of my better moments, or so I thought at the time.”

Edward responded: “Yes, it was one of your better moments. We worked in sync, with me behind the scenes, flooding the area with rescue workers, and quietly getting out the individual stories. The whole thing went rather well – there was a world-wide response that was quite gratifying.”

“But then the Fool had to intervene, with Madoff and the rest of that financial crisis!”

“Stefan, you do know that the Fool was out of time. People were not listening, they were living lives that had zero relation to reality, and it was getting worse fast. Something had to be done. And the Magician eventually stepped in, with the bank mergers and government assistance.”

“Edward, the Magician was and is walking a fine line with the bankers and the government. I don’t blame the Devil for coming up with SOPA and IPA as distractions.”

“I rather think that you advised him on that, Stefan. I can see your fine hand there. The Internet is old enough to have a past, and fresh enough to have a future. Some things already need to be released so that others can take their place. And, there is the added effect of bringing people together, and refocusing their energies.”

“Point taken.”

© January 2012 Bonnie Cehovet

Creative Writing

2012-01-22T11:58:00.000-08:00

I was blessed this weekend in that I was part of a rocking Creative Writing webinar! I was presenting the webinar, but, as most presenters will attest to, we soak up as much wisdom as we bring to the table! I want to thank Mary Nale for hosting these webinars - for providing the space and the technical expertise to make this all happen.

I am not the only person presenting with Mary - check out her blog site, and see what she is offering! (Attune Magazine). I do have two upcoming classes in February - "How To Get Your Book Published" on February 11th,and "Writing Reviews" on February 25th. Mary is open to hosting many different topics - contact her to discuss what you would like to present, and she will make it happen for you!

During my Creative Writing webinar I talked about what creative writing was, where to find creative writing prompts, how to get started writing, where to get story ideas, and a bit about how to use the Tarot with writing. We did a couple of writing exercises that truly blew my socks off! These ladies could write!

One thing I did find out in researching my presentation was something that I had never really thought about - that creative writing can be applied to both fiction and non-fiction, and that it can be applied to all genres - blogs, stories, articles, poetry, auto-biographies, biographies, literature ... you name it, you can write it creatively! I am not talking about making things up, I am talking about presenting a subject in a fresh manner. That is what creativity is all about.

There is a wonderful side effect to writing creatively - it frees your mind, and it frees your soul! It allows your ideas to flow, and when your ideas flow consistently, wonderful opportunities begin to come your way, like magic!

Happy writing!

(c) January 2012 Bonnie Cehovet

Keyword Research

2012-01-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

It is not enough to find interesting content for our blogs. It is not enough to write our blogs in a cohesive manner. For most of us, our blogs are one part of an overall strategy to get our name and work out into the public eye. What can we do to make our blogs stand out, so that they reach a larger audience, and encourage that audience to come back for more? Make best use of keywords!

Keywords? Okay, most of us recognize that keywords are a part (okay - a large part) of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). So what are they, exactly, and how do we know when we are using the right one, and using them correctly? It's called research! We do what is called keyword research. What we are looking for is the word(S) that an individual types into a search engine (such as Google) to find specific information. Making best use of these keywords in our blogs, and in the titles for our blogs, will place us higher in the search engine ratings, and drive more visitors to our blogs.

There are two groups of thought here: one group holds the position that if you write quality content with a specific audience in mind, you should not need to use keywords - that people will seek you out. The second group holds the position that you need to find the best keywords, and base your article around them. I think that most of us combine these methods - starting with defining our audience, deciding on the content, then writing the content,keeping the keywords in mind. I have written site content where I was required to use certain words a given number of times - not a heck of a lot of fun!

Sigh. Where do we start. Review what you blog is all about, and who your audience is. Make a list of words that are appropriate to your content and your audience. Keywords will change as content and intended audience changes. This will give you a good foundation for your writing.

Now life gets fun (not!). It is time to take your most prominent keywords, your strongest keywords, and run them through a keyword research tool, such as Google Keyword Tool, Keyword Tool, or Keyword Tool, all of which are free. Make a list of your results, so that you don't need to do this very often!

Have fun with this - but take it seriously, too. Make best use of your time - perhaps do this in phases, so that you don't burn yourself out. The results will be that your blog, and your work, will gain a wider audience, and you will be creating opportunities for the growth of your blog and your work!

(c) January 2012 Bonnie Cehovet

Getting Things Together

2012-01-08T19:32:00.000-08:00

I am far enough along in my second Tarot book now that I am reviewing the author's publishing guide, as the next step will be to code my manuscript for submission. The process this time is going much smoother - largely due to the fact that I have been through it once. The first time around, I didn't even know the right questions to ask! Also in my favor is that for both books, the material is flowing. I love the Tarot, and even though I do want to leave the field as a professional reader,I do want to continue writing on the subject.

Right now I am looking at general coding, and how to make bullet points look graceful. I am not including images in this book, so the interest has to be in the manner in which the text is presented. I am finding that my acquisition a few years back of the "Chicago Manual Of Style" is proving to be a good investment (even though that is not showing in my blogs yet!).

My next projects will be writing the blurbs for the book, and starting to think about what I want the cover to look like. Life is good!

(c) January 2012 Bonnie Cehovet

New Year - New Voice?

2012-01-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

Going into the new year, many things are changing ... as they should. Some projects have been brought to completion, some have been released,new ones have come into being, and thoughts are coming together on others. As my life undergoes various changes, I find my author's voice changing with it. Perhaps I should look at this as a fine tuning, rather than a massive change. I have more confidence in my writing now, and allow my muse to say whatever she wants to. Certainly makes her happy!

So, what is this thing we call our author's voice? It is, of course, simply our style of writing. This will change from genre to genre, and project to project. We work within certain inner guidelines that define who we are,and this is the over-riding quality that we see in everything that we do. We need to be authentic to who we are, and who we are is an evolving person. Therefore, our author's voice will evolve along with us.

Over the years this little Cappie person is very pleased to see that she does have a modicum of a sense of humor. Not all the time, just sometimes. But it is there. I am comfortable with letting it come out to play - as long as it doesn't get too sarcastic! I know that a writer's style is a combination of their basic personality, and a consideration for the specific audience they are writing for. (Yes, one of the things that this self-taught writer learned was to target her audience before defining a project, and before beginning to write.)

I would add one more thought to the mix - the tone of the times that the author is writing about. The tone and style that one writes in is just as much a part of the backdrop for a story as the characters personal style,and the physical world around them. Going into 2012, we are looking at huge social and economic changes, and a spiritual quickening in life on the physical plane. i never want to be afraid to express the changes around me as I see them in my work, whether it is fiction or mainstream writing.

Is your writer's voice changing? If it isn't, does it need to?

(c) January 2012 Bonnie Cehovet

Ending Your Writing Year

2011-12-18T11:28:00.001-08:00

We are very close to the end of the year. As a writer, I am looking at what I need to tie together, and how I need to tie it together. One project I needed to let go of, and I did. It was my first mystery book, and started during NaNoWriMo 2010. After many false starts, much editing, and a complete change of theme, I made the decision to scrap it, keep the main characters, move the location and revise the crime. January will see me starting anew, using the new online Hiveword novel writing software (Hiveword Novel Writing Software).

I am well into my second Tarot book, so there is nothing to "tie up" there. It is an ongoing project. The same goes for the promotion of my first Tarot book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You".

I have been all over the place this past year with schedules, projects, and deadlines. It is beyond trying to keep everything (or anything!) straight in my mind. I will be using Karyn Easton's "Tarot Lover's Diary" again, as it is small, and can be kept right next to my laptop.Karyn's calendar can be found here - Paranormality.com.

The other thing that I did was to go back to using my Google calendar. I have the rest of December and the month of January 2012 programmed into it. As projects and deadlines come up, they will go into the calendar, which sends me reminders via e-mail.I also found out that I could add a background to my calendar ... so I did! Go me! (And thanks to the lovely Catherine Chapman for getting me to start using the Google calendar in the first place!)

How is your new writing year shaping up?

(c) December 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Christmas For Writers

2011-12-10T21:46:00.001-08:00

This week's blog is all about resources for writer's - to gift themselves, or to gift other writer friends. Enjoy!

Writer's Knowledge Base Search Engine - Resources For Writers

Literature and Latte/Scrivner

Novel Writing Software

Book Trailer As A Calling Card

Organizing Your Writing - Using a 2012 PLanner

The Self-Published Author As The Self-Employed Author

30 Holiday Gifts For Journalists

Your Writing Goals - Dare To Reach Them

Book Business Plans

Write Way Writing Software

Creative Writing Software

Writer's Software and Resources

(c) December 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

'Tis The Season

2011-12-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

I love this time of year - the music, the decorations, baking ... the whole nine yards! With three young cats, the decorations are minimal this year - only things that they can't trash! They are cute, but their three little minds can come up with all kinds of stuff to do! (Like the time I looked up from my laptop to see one of them hanging from my curtain rod!) With not too many people around, the baking is being cut way back too. A couple of things that will be gifts to neighbors, sugar cookies, and that is about it. But I am happy with this, and that is what matters. :)

I am bringing things together as far as end of year goes - looking at what works for me, at what I need to release, and what I need to bring in. I was following a conversation on setting up a doc for the #FF for Twitter. There is actually a site that will send them for you automatically! That will certainly save time! You can check it out here - LazyShoutOut.com.

Here are some links that I am going to be checking out to help me get my books out there in good form:

Pricing Strategies For e-Books

Goal Setting For Writers

How To Prep Before Interviewing

Have Passion For Your Writing

Generating Ideas For Blog Posts

How And Why To Write With Power

Re-Finding Inspiration

4 Ways To End Your Writing Year Right

Thank you to Elizabeth Spann Craig of Mystery Writing Is Murder, for sharing an amazing list of resources for writers!

The new year is starting to look really, really good!

(c) December 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Multiple Use Of Material

2011-11-28T02:43:00.000-08:00

I got an interesting e-mail today from a friend. She was talking about a three-part class that she was going to offer as a series of webinars,with the handout in workbook format. She was going to encourage her students to place the handouts in a three-ring binder, to keep the work for future reference. She went on to chat about taking the webinars and turning them into CD's for sale. I was impressed - she already has three products here from one source - the webinar itself, the workbook that her students will complete during the webinar, and the CD that can be purchased. This is certainly best use of time, energy and resources!

I have always read that story ideas should be treated the same way - that they should be able to be used at least three different ways to be truly useful. The material could go into a short story, a full length book, or even an article or two. If we get all that we can from our material, from our research, then we are making best use of our primary resources - our time, and our ability to write.

I am looking forward within the new year taking the material from my book "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You" and presenting it in different formats, so that readers will be able to use it in a manner that is comfortable for them. I may have the Fool chatting with each of the Birth Card pairs, I may have the Birth Card pairs themselves ruminating on the theme of their lifetime, I may even have a panel discussion with each of the Birth Card pairs contributing. What would you like to know about your Birth Cards?

(c) November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Tidying Up Life

2011-11-20T15:48:00.000-08:00

For writers, November is NaNoWriMo - the one month out of the year when we try to write 50,000 words in one month. Many people accomplish this, some do not. I tried it last year, and it was a disaster! I opted out this year - we have to know when we need to walk away from something. I spent this whole year trying to decide what to do with the material that I wrote last year. I tried using it as is,and simply "finishing" it. That did not work. I decided to change the local, and tweak the characters. That did not work. I finally made the decision that I should have probably made in the first place - let it go and start over. After the first of the year I will begin anew on my cozy mystery - with a good chance of finishing it this time.

In the meantime, I am trying to keep my book that was published this year - "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You" fresh through my Face Book page for the book. At the same time, I am steadily working on my second Tarot book, due out, hopefully, in the spring of 2013. To keep myself fresh, I am doing webinars on several different esoteric (and not so esoteric) subjects with Mary Nale. (The schedule can be seen here. Mary is giving a series of three classes herself that I highly recommend - they are all about setting up a personal blog, and what you can do with it. Her link can be seen here.

I am certainly feeling the affects of the conference that I attended with my sister last weekend - the Millionaire Mind Intensive. How we feel about ourselves has a lot to do with how we feel about our money. The conference sent us away with a myriad of tools of empowerment, and I for one am very happy that I attended! It will help me in every area of my life, for which I am very grateful.

One last thought - and I am going to continue to harp on this - please click on the 1+ icon when you are Googling a site, and please use the 1+, "like" and "share" buttons on the sites and articles that you visit. It will benefit that site, it will benefit your followers, and it will benefit you in that if you put out that energy for someone else, they will do the same for you. If you want to get really excited about life, you might even want to leave a comment!

(c) November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Millionaire Mind Intensive

2011-11-15T15:37:00.000-08:00

The picture above is of my sister, Becky Lundin, standing in the outdoor seating area of the restaurant in the hotel that we stayed at last weekend (the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, in Burnaby, Canada). Why were we in Canada? We were attending the Millionaire Mind Intensive, given by Peak Potentials.Why were we doing that? To reset our financial mind-set, and free ourselves so that would be open to financial success. And why is this on my author's blog? Because my goal is to open myself to multiple streams of income,with my writing being only one of them..

I am not going to go step by step through each of the three days - they were looooooong days, and you wouldn't want that! What I will say is that we met some very nice people, heard some amazing stories, and were introduced to a company (Peak Potentials) that is very family oriented (we had three ten year old children that attended the Intensive with their parents).

We got to examine our beliefs surrounding money, and went through exercises that helped us to let them go. My sister and I are both implementing the "jar" system for resetting how we deal with money. Monthly finances are divided into several different categories, with a jar (or container of some kind)for each category. What a great way to use the remaining glasses that I have from a set that I bought when I was twenty-one years old!

I brought home some very interesting business cards from this event. I would like to share the following links with you:

The Authentic Adventure
Sites By Zenith
Cards Made Fun

While this Intensive may not be for you, thin k ab out what you want to do to expand your business, and allow yourself to live the lifestyle that you imagine!

The link below is to my sister's "Peak Potential" page. No, I get no money from this referral, it is simply something that I want to share with you!

Millionaire Mind Intensive

(c) November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

New Laptop - I Am Getting Too Old For This!

2011-11-06T01:39:00.000-07:00

I just got a new laptop - as in it hit my doorstep last Thursday! I had been using my mother's laptop for a few weeks - mine was acting too badly to try and use for an extended period of time. Sounds easy, yes? Pay the people, they format and send the laptop, you plug it in, and you are good to go. Let's just say that isn't even close to reality!

Now, there is nothing wrong with my new laptop - it works beautifully, including the "Z" key. (That key died a while back on my old computer.) I made the mistake of not ordering Word to be installed ... thought I was saving myself a few bucks. I did - I saved a few bucks. Got excited when I saw that the laptop came with a basic version of word - then found that it was hard for me to work with. Got done what I had to get done that day, then the next day I downloaded OpenOffice.org 3.3. That works wonderfully, and will be fine until I can get a "proper" version of Word installed.

Also downloaded Skype, and installed my scanner and printer. Not hard, but time consuming. Downloaded Google Chrome - the Google browser was already there! Next came all of the sites that I visit every day, including Twitter, both of my Face Book pages, My Space, and Live Journal. Had to enter user and password info into all of them. That's done. Then there were my bank and credit card sites that I needed to reassure that I was who I was, even though they did not recognize my laptop.

Thanks go to Anna Burroughs Cook for nudging me towards using the Google image feature. How quick was that!

The upside - I have a built in web cam and mic, and they work perfectly! I had my first webinar using this laptop Saturday am, and it went perfectly!

Soooo ... How has your week been going?

(c) November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-29T22:54:00.000-07:00

I am very much looking forward to Halloween (Samhain). I will be carving my pumpkin today - just a small one this year. I have absolutely loved having the Halloween decorations up all month - it is such a happy month!

I have a webinar coming up on Saturday November 4th - Journeying With Your Birth Cards. Information can be found here - Journeying With Your Birth Cards. I hope that you will join us!

I ran across quite an interesting post that I would like to share - it is a project done by an African American ballerina - The Black Swan Diaries.

Of interest to writers - the Wall Street Journal is going to debut e-book best seller lists! I was riveted by this because I want to present my work in e-book format. More information can be seen here - WSJ - E-Book Best Seller Lists.

Thanks to Joanne Mathews, I am going to be taking my four part Flash Fiction series "The Night Has Eyes" and presenting it as a whole. I will do this after people have had a chance to read Part IV, so stay tuned next week for that link!

Last, but not least, a link to the Writer's Knowledge Base, an Internet resource for writers: Writer's Knowledge Base.

(c) October 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Upcoming News

2011-10-23T11:40:00.001-07:00

It's October - I could not resist the cat and the pumpkins! I have a small pumpkin sitting on a table outside my front door - I will carve it on All Hallow's Eve morning. I have to have at least one carved pumpkin to burn a candle in. The Halloween decorations have been out since the last day of September - I love them so much!

I got my EDL (Enhanced Driver's License) in the mail, so I am definitely going to Canada for the seminar on money management with my sister. Definitely looking forward to that! In the process I ordered my birth certificate, which got here in record time, so I can now also start the process of applying for a passport.

I will have some very exciting news Monday - stay tuned!

Having a great deal of fun with Flash Fiction. I did a pseudo scary dark side oriented story that is turning into a series (that you to all those that encouraged me to do so!). The series can be found here - "The Night Has Eyes" . Right now I am looking at four parts, with the final story going up on All Hallows Eve.

I have several webinars set up with the incredible Mary Nale! I hope that you will all join us - the more the merrier! Here are the dates:

November 5th - Journeying With Tarot Birth Cards

December 10th - Guided Meditations

December 24 - Communication With Spirit Guides

January 7th - Shamanic Journeys

January 21st - Creative Writing

February 11th - How To Get Your Book Published

February 25th - Writing Reviews

To sign up for the webinars, stay tuned to Attune Magazine!

A Conversation Overheard

2011-10-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

A Conversation Overheard -

The Devil and The Lovers

Scene: Elegant private lounge, with soft jazz playing in the background. Subdued lighting, and service so good that it blends into the woodwork – they are there and gone before you know it, but back at your elbow in a flash if you need something. Two well dressed individuals are seated in leather chairs, with a small table between them. The individual representing the Devil is a dark haired man, dressed in a dark suit, with a cream colored, French cuffed, bespoke shirt, and a conservative tie. He wears a large gold ring on his left hand. Seated opposite him is a stunning blond, with long flowing hair and dark brown eyes. Rings flash on her hands, and she wears pearls in her ears and at her throat. Her dress is from a well known designer, and suits her well.

“Antoine, it is so nice to be able to sit down and chat for a moment. Life can get so hectic!”, Kaitlin said, as she crossed her long legs and took a sip from the snifter in front of her.

“For now, dear Kaitlin, we are in balance. There are no fires to put out, and we can enjoy ourselves.” Antoine sat back, quietly viewing the room and its occupants. The stories these walls could tell! He smiled softly to himself.

Kaitlin's subdued laughter showed that she knew exactly where Antoine was coming from. “I know what you are thinking.” she teased.

“And exactly what might I be thinking?”

“You might be thinking that these elegant walls have some not so elegant stories to tell.”

“Kaitlin, you read me well.”

“It is not by chance that the theme of the lifetimes that we are Gatekeepers for revolves around relationships of all types. How they are handled, and the repercussions from them.”

“LOL I search for structure, while you, dear Kaitlin, simply want to bring opposing qualities into balance. My focus is on the physical/material world, while yours is on the Seeker's internal world,”

“Most people have no clue that we operate together. They run from you, and towards me. Most of the time they do, anyway.”

“I know, but that has a lot to do with the fact that when faced with me, people need to be accountable to and for themselves. If they don't want to do that, if they insist on being mired in the material world, then I need to find new and innovative ways to get them to pay attention. The current technological state of their world does bring these lessons on faster and faster. They have the tools to learn, they just don't use them.”

“Now, you are just a tad bit irritated that the last time you were presenting a major lesson, the individual was smart enough to know that they can call on the lesser energies, if you will. It's all good in the end, Antoine.”

“That individual could have worked through that lesson if they tried. Well, okay, they did try, but they were flexing relatively unused muscles when they brought in the Empress.”

“Well, she handled the whole situation with her usual aplomb. I worked with her a bit, but I let her take the lead. This individual, after all, is one that is meant to lead others. They need to not only be aware of their own strengths and abilities, but they need to be able to use them for the betterment of others”

“With our help, the individuals that we are Gatekeepers for establish solid boundaries, They strengthen the skills and abilities that they came into this lifetime with, and they find their authentic voice. For our part, we have to sometimes call on our darker, hidden skills and abilities to take them where they need to go. Not an easy task, but we learn as they learn.”

“Well said, Antoine, well said. Almost time to go. Paris the next time we meet?”

Antoine smiled. “Yes, Kaitlin, Paris the next time we meet.”

Loving October!

2011-10-16T13:13:00.001-07:00

I dearly love October! I love the colors, the sharpness to the air in the morning, even the need to wear a sweater or jacket. It is a great time to go walking, and it has dried out enough here that I can get a bit more of the autumn cutting back done in the yard. I look forward to getting it finished, so that I have a few months sans yard work, before the cycle starts again.

My Halloween decorations are up, and I am thoroughly enjoying them! This year I have three young kittens (around four months old), sharing my house and porch. They are so much fun to watch, but a bit of a pain when they start up in the house, which they do every night! They are all feral cats - one of them, a Gray Tabby that I named Gray, has wanted to be a pet since he showed up! The Orange Tabby, Pumpkin, is just now letting me pet him. Their pure black brother, Midnight, wants nothing to do with me. Having said that, they are all three convinced that they own the house, and now sleep on my bed at night! When I move, only Gray is going with me. The remaining two will be fine - all of our neighbors feed the feline population, and there are plenty of places to sleep. They are neutered, so they won't be adding to the population!

My sister asked me to go to a conference in Vancouver, BC, with her. It's called the "Millionaire Mind Intensive", and is all about how we view money, and the place it has in our life. I told her that I would go, and I am refally excited about doing so. The only problem is that I have delayed getting either a passport, or an Enhanced Driver's License! So, I took what I thought was a copy of my birth certificate in to the DMV (30 minutes away - the local DMV office does not do EDL's). It wasn't what they required, but they were nice enough to put it in the system and start the process. I went home, and asked my mother if she had my birth certificate. She did, but she had to get it out of her safety deposit box. I took that in Saturday. You guessed it - it was from the hospital, and not the state, so was "A cute piece of paper to put in a baby book.", according to the clerk at the DMV. Sooooo happy I did not have her the day before, or I wouldn't be in the system! Bit the bullet, signed on the the ND licensing site, and ordered a certified copy of my birth certificate - to be delivered post haste! I certainly hope that things fall together so that I can go to Canada!

There was some good news this week, though. I have a book up at Lulu (Tarot In Review). I just got notification that they have converted the e-book version into ePub format, and that they will be submitting it to iBookstore and Barnes and Noble e-Books .

I am pleased to see that Google + is working out so well. Many thanks to those that remember to click on the little + sign! It helps us all to do this.

Stay tuned in the near future for what I hope will be quite an interesting conversation between one of the twelve Birth Card pairs - I haven't decided which one yet! My book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You", offers insight into each of the pairs, and how you can work with them. Check it out!

Wishing you all a fabulous week!

My Week -

2011-10-10T00:26:00.001-07:00

I am writing this while listening to “Palladio”, by eScala (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBwa8nqtris) Incredible music! And what an incredible week this has been! A lot of review work done, the DVD's of my webinar with Linda Marson (http://globalspiritualstudies.com/shop/presentations/tarot/bonnie-cehovet-tarot-birth-cards-and-you/ ) arrived, I am putting together a webinar on journeying that will be presented this November 5^th with Mary Nale, and Mary and I are in discussions about doing a webinar on the Shadow aspects of the Birth Cards.

I put together an Animoto video promoting my DVD's that I think turned out fairly well, considering that I am not a techie. Animoto just made some changes in their system, so I was flying by the seat of my pants again. The video can be seen here - .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvZc6uof5rs&feature=channel_video_title .

Today I will be putting up the last of the twelve Birth Card pairs on Face Book and Google +. I know that you can do this on Twitter – put a pic up – but I haven't figured out how to do it yet!

It is interesting to me how the world is opening up as far as using other types of media to promote my book, This will certainly be useful experience in promoting future work!

Last, but not least, I took a signed copy of my book to a friend who was doing readings at a local psychic fair. I also managed to buy a lovely piece of rose quartz with a gold snake etched into it, and a rock with a Reiki healing symbol painted on it. Also managed to lose them “somewhere”. I think I may have left them at the shop, while I was leaving a laminated copy of my book cover, along with a cover letter. Yes, Bonnie is finally getting those book covers out!

The coming week gets to be a writing week for me, focusing on my second Tarot book. Life is good!

Best Use Of Resources

2011-10-02T20:14:00.000-07:00

This pic was taken in my mother's back yard - journal, pen, cup for coffee/tea, and red candle for energy. I would love to say that I have gotten better at setting pics up ... but I haven't! The intention and effort is there, so that will have to suffice. ;-)

I have been sitting here thinking about where I want to go from here. I already know that I want to focus on my writing. First step is down - I actually have a book out there with a brick and mortar publisher! Next steps include moving into the fiction genre, focusing on e-books, and promoting them.

Promoting - I am a little lagging with that! Thank heavens I have friends like Linda Marson, Mary Nale and Anna Burroughs Cook that can help me get my work out there! Non-techie that I am, I had one heck of a time finding a way to get this post up! What I didn't realize was that this lovely site had an ad over my account information! Way to go, Blogger!

Thanks to Catherine (Kate) Chapman from www.tarotelements.com, I do know a little about SEO. She knows a lot, she tried to teach me a lot, but, me being me, only a bit of it stuck! I am trying, Kate, I really am! I make sure to do what she told me to do on my site and on all of my blogs. Now I need to seriously work with Google to get my ranking up for my site and for my blogs! I have a giftie from my host company that I need to use in that regard. Have to check and make sure the darn thing doesn't have an outdate!

I still have to put my review links from my blog to my site - I put off doing that for so long that it becomes a chore. I know - I should do that every time I put a review or interview up. Point taken!

There are so many wonderful resources out there - and I do know about a lot of them. I will always pick and choose what I use, so that some poeple will think that I am really not making best use of what is available. I look at it this way - the level of what I do has to fit the level of life that I want. I want my writing to fit into the other things that I am interested in.

It will all work out! The good thing ... I am well on my way to accomplishing this years goals!

Blogs, Social Venues ... Do the Twain Meet?

2011-09-26T12:51:00.000-07:00

I read an article this morning on blogs and social media venues.The gist of it was that your blog needs to be your hub, and that social media sites serve as spokes coming off of that hub. The general tone of the article was that too much time is being spent on Face Book, Google + and Twitter, and that they should serve to promote the blog, and not take on an entity of their own.

Struggling to deal with time issues myself (I work a 9-5, as well as writing and reviewing), I can see the need to prioritize. We can all see that. I have two blogs and a professional site. One blog is (supposed to be) an author's blog, while the other blog site has to do with Tarot, flash fiction, review, interviews, and a music site that I work with. I say blog site, because on that site I maintain separate blogs for the music site, my Tarot work, and my flash fiction. My professional site serves both my writing and my Tarot interests. Content is always being added to my blogs, then shared on Twitter, Face Book, and Google +. (At time, if appropriate, I will share a music blog on my My Space page, because for me that site is all music and musicians, not personal friends.) Lately I have been getting a fair amount of LinkedIn requests, and Branched Out is starting to have a life of its own.

My feeling is this - decide what is important to you personally, and to your work. On all of the social media venues (Twitter, Face Book, and Google +) I chat. I share what is going on in my life, and comment on others posts. To me, this is the best part of networking - getting to know people. Then when I post a request for help, that help appears. There are people that I network with that know more than I do about almost everything. If we know a bit about each other, and have interacted before, they will be there to head me over to the information that I need to have.

While our blogs (and our sites) arfe where our content goes, and that is where we want to drive traffic to, I think we need to take the time to socialize a bit ... at least, I do!

Fading Into Autumn

2011-09-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

I am so glad that the cooler weather is here - not that we had a hot summer, but because I like the cooler weather, and I love autumn! I am in the final rounds of cutting back in the yard for this year, which is also a good thing. I do NOT like yard work. I put one of my table top fans back in storage, but kept the other one out, along with the floor fan in the living room. Probably another two weeks, and I can put the other fans into storage too.

I was pleased to receive my latest order from Schiffer Publications - of course, the books are already accounted for! One to a gentleman that I did a radio interview with, one to a friend of my sister's and mine that I admire greatly, the other two will go out in contests.

I still have to make a list of local bookstores, and send my laminated book covers, along with a cover letter, to their buyers.

I have two webinars this week, and I hope that man of you will join me at one or the other - or both! My webinar with Linda Marson on September 21st is a general over-view of my book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You". My webinar with Mary Nale on September 24th will be covering Birth Cards and Affirmations.

October looks to be a pivotal month for me. May the Gods and Goddeses be in a very good mood, and my path be well lit and well traveled!

The Beat Goes On

2011-09-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

I am still trying to catch my breath over the release of my new book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You". Life does not happen a vacuum - I still have to work the "9-5", I am still doing reviews of other peoples work, attending incredible webinars of other peoples work, and getting ready to do a basic webinar on my book (with Linda Marson), and a focused webinar on my book (the affirmations aspect) with Mary Nale.

In a drawer in the kitchen I have the laminated copies of my cover that my publisher (Schiffer Publishing) sent me. I need to start making some calls to local bookstores and getting the name of their purchasing agent, so I have a "real name" to address the query letter that will accompany my lovely cover. "To Whom It May Concern" does not seem to get it when I want to gently encourage these people to carry my book in their store.

I am running a contest for the month of September, giving away a signed copy of my book. The contest is a simple one, but I have had no response to date. I am trying to see how I can present this in a better way, rather than taking things too personally. ;-)

To balance things out, I have the honor of reviewing the new deck out from Christine Payne-Towler and Michael Dowers (The Tarot of the Holy light). It is outstanding for so many reasons - its place as a Continental deck, the incredible artwork, the in-depth (but not overwhelming) esoteric symbolism, the beautiful, intense colors ... the list goes on!

Life is good ... may it remain so!

My Journey As An Author

2011-09-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

My book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You" is out. Each step of the way I think I am fine, then when I get there I am nervous! It is incredible to have it in my hands, it is incredible to be able to actually sign copies and send them to friends! It is incredible that my friends are doing reviews of my book - which they do not have to do. I would have sent them the book anyway!

It is very strange to be on the other side of the interview table - answering the questions, rather than asking them. The questions have been very good ones, too! Including the one ab out whether I had another Tarot book in process, which I do. Subject dwelling in the mists, for now. Proposal is out to my editor, I will have to see what she thinks. If it is accepted, I am sure that she knows she won't be seeing the panicked little person that she saw the first time around. I know what questions to ask, this time, and I know a bit about the process.

Interesting things have been happening - did you realize that a package will get to Sweden before it gets to Western Canada? (They were sent on the same day.) I think I also have it down that I have to fill out customs paperwork to send anything out of country. (I grabbed a fistful the last time I was at the post office - it beats filling them out at the post office!)

I have to ask my editor about books from brick and mortar publishers going into e-book format. I am not sure how they handle that. I do suggest that people click the "Do You Want To See This On Kindle" button on Amazon.com - that might help.

Speaking of clicking buttons - many of us are now using Google +1. When you see this on someone's site, blog, or article - please take the time to click on it. Unless you don't like the site, blog, or article - then just be polite and move on.

Focus for this coming week - edit my Power Point for my webinar with Linda Marson. Thank you Linda for setting the files up for me - I would not have had a clue!

The Art of Promoting

2011-08-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

What a weekend I had! On Saturday I did my first webinar with Mary Nale - and it went very well! Deep sigh of relief here! Many thanks to the wonderful people that attended this webinar - I appreciate each and every one of you taking the time to be there! I also appreciate the fact that Mary took the time to go over the "room" with me beforehand, so that I could bring up pages and move my little cursor around with some semblance of knowing what I was doing! I think that Mary chose an excellent site to work with, and wish her much success with future webinars. Two of those webinars will be mine - one will focus on Tarot, Birth Cards, and Affirmations, while the other will focus on Tarot, Birth Cards, and Journeying.

On Sunday morning I joined Dax Carlisle, Mark Reed, and Mary Nale on Tarot Today. I am listening to the show in archives as I write this blog, hoping that I don't sound too bad. I want to thank all of the people in the chat room - I appreciate your dropping by to listen! I also appreciate all of the people that will be listening to the show in the archives! The chat about my book was wonderful, I chatted with the people in the room a bit, and had a wonderful chat with Colin, who called in from the UK! Many thanks to Colin for calling in. He is a marvelous individual, and just an incredible artist!

Following Tarot Today I attended a two-hour seminar with Stephanie Arwen Lynch (Tarot By Arwen). The seminar was for writers, and addressed character definition and plot development. If you want to work with Tarot and writing, please check out the services/seminars that Arwen offers. She is an incredible reader, author, and teacher/mentor.

I have a webinar coming up on the 21st of Sepember with Linda Marson of Global Spiritual Studies. I highly recommend working with Linda if you want to do a webinar. Like Mary Nale, Linda works with her presenters to get the Power Point pages set up (note: Mary's pages are not Power Point), and to make sure that the presenter knows how to work witht he pages, and work with the pointer. I will be chatting with Linda this Wednesday night to get a better idea of my next step. I have my pages together, and my graphics for the cards ... and I thought this was "good to go". Not! The first thing that Linda told me when she saw my pages was that I needed to add visuals to retain the interest of my audience. I dragged my feet on that one. However, when I did my webinar with Mary, the same thing came up when I beat people over the head for feedback. So, I am taking the work that Linda did re my pages, and looking for good visuals to go with them. I have to redo the text that I gave Linda into bullet points (Linda did this for me, but I want to change them a bit). I consider myself incredibly lucky that I connected with two very professional ladies that are making my presentations look very good! :)

I have one more thing that I need to do on promotions, and that is to send the laminated book covers that Schiffer Publishing sent me to local bookstores. I have to write a quick promotional letter to go with them, and they will be off!

I am learning the art of promotion slowly but surely. It is very much easier for me to promote other people through my reviews and interviews. Promoting myself ... that is a whole other ballgame!

Multiple Streams Of Income

2011-08-20T04:07:00.000-07:00

Multiple streams of income - not only a "nice thought", but in this time of uncertainty, perhaps a necessary one. As a writer, what are my multiple streams of income going to be? My first brick and mortar book came out this year (hopefully it is shipping by the time that I publish this post!). I am at work on writing the proposal for my second one, and there will be one more in this field.

I am working on a mystery novel, hopefully the first in a series. Looking closely at both Create Space and Smashwords to publish this book, as I have a strong feeling that I would be getting close to leaving this lifetime by the time a brick and mortar publisher picked it up. Goal is to get this one out by the end of the year.

Under consideration are self-help books. At this point in time I am not sure if they will be self-published or brick and mortar. Or if they will be full length books, or shorter material that might be best published in e-format. The thing that I like about e-format is that it can be updated with ease.

In a totally unrelated thought, I am thinking about entering writing contests - specifically for mysteries. Not doing the NaNoWriMo again - too much stress, and it takes place in the lead up to the holidays, neither of which is in its favor. While it works well for some people, I am going to take a pass.

I love that there are options, and that we are not limited in any way as to how many options we accept. My one thought is that once I accept an option, I do my best to follow through, and don't opt out half-way, unless that looks like the high road!

Software For Writer's

2011-08-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

Today I thought that I would talk a bit about software for writer's. There is one program that I keep hearing about, and that I am seriously considering - that is the Scrivener software. I was very surprised to read that it originated as a Mac program, and was developed "after the fact" for Windows. More information, and a free download, can be accessed here - Scrivener. One little phrase struck me - that the main focus of the program is structuring writing! The beta download is now on my laptop! Woo hoo! Okay, I read the fine print. The beta version expires after 30 days of use, or on September 30th, whichever comes first. ;-) I will have to test drive this one quickly and soon!

WriteWayPro is another writer's program that looks good to me. It takes a writer from concept to character development, to completed manuscript! The little phrase that caught my eye here made my heart stop - this puppy will format for Kindle and Nook! Yes! WriteWayPro can be accessed here. There is a video tour on this site also, but I was not able to access it.

Under story development software, I found StoryCraftPro (there is an online demo at this link) and Power Structure (which also has an online demo). To tell you the truth, I don't know that I would put out money for something like this. I may be naive, but should I not be able to get my own story going, once I have a plot and characters? I mean - what am I here for, if not to write the story! Not being a published author yet with fiction work, I may be eating those words!

Now, StyleWriter does seem like a great idea, and well worth it's cost! What this software does is check language style and usage. The most difficult thing for me is to recognise my own grammatical errors, so some type of software like this will undoubtedly find its way into my life.

I also came across Life Journal For Writer's - journaling software that helps organise and keep track of daily writing and writing activities. This one will be on a back burner for me, but I am thinking about it.

So much software out there - so little time! ;-)

Defining Characters

2011-08-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

I am about to start the "redemption" of my 2010 NaNoWriMo mystery. I thought that I was going to be able to go back, make a few changes, and move things forward. Then I realised a couple of things - (1) this book has to be as tight as it can be, because I want it to be the first in a series of mysteries based on these characters, and (2) I had defined a major player - the partner of my main character - based solely on what I thought that I needed him to do in this book. He ended up in a very specialised vocation, which could/would be a hinderence in future stories - or he would have to be killed off and a new partner brought in. Back to the bible - this character is going to be recreated, as someone that works well with the main character, and could plausibly be her partner.

I already had to redefine the crime element, as, again, I had gone into too specialised an area, where nothing was going to sound authentic. Major rewrite time here, but better now than after the first person to read it says "Ummm I don't think that I can really connect with this story. It is well written though! Have to go ... talk to you later!"

I think that I am going to change where the characters live also. I am, yet again, writing about an area that I know nothing about. I can easily move the characters one state over, and still have the crime in the intended state and city. The city that I am moving them to has much more appeal ... and I lived there for seventeen years!

Dream the big dreams, follow those dreams, and act on them. But make them real, make them doable. Manifesting them will then be oh so much easier! ;-)

I really do think it is time for a nice glass of wine!

Promoting, Promoting, Promoting!

2011-08-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

Within the next two weeks my new book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You: Keys to Empowerment" is due to be available from Schiffer Books. I am in the process of setting up webinars with Linda Marson , and Mary Nale & Company. I have the graphics ready, the handout and outline done, and just need to get the text together. I am really looking forward to working with both of these ladies!

On Sunday, August the 28th, I will be doing an Internet radio show with Dax Carlisle, Mark Reed and Mary Nale. All of the material is ready for this show.

This morning I placed my personal order for my books with Schiffer Books. These are books that I will be signing and sending out to friends that have helped me along the way. I am very happy to be able to do this.

I am continuing with my blog (one Birth Card pair a month) on the Birth Card pairs, and recently started doing a little Animoto video with the basic information on each Birth Card pair. I have nine out of twelve videos completed.

I need to research local book stores to send the lovely book covers that Schiffer sent with my author's copy out to (along with a cover letter, of course!). With any luck, one or more of these contacts may lead to an in-store lecture or book signing (or both!).

My little Cappie self is overjoyed with things to do to get my work out there! I hope that you all enjoy what I have to offer!

Playing Nice

2011-07-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

I love the fire and energy of the dragon! I grew up in Seattle, WA, where there is a large Chinese community. At all of the major parades, the community brings out a beautiful dragon. They run quickly along the parade route, moving the dragon up and down, and from side to side. It is absolutely fascinating to watch the runners move in and out as they relieve each other at their stations. This is done on the run, of course, so one person is timing themselves in as the one carrying the pole is timing their way out. Focus, attention ... and a huge amount of caring is going on here!

I think that we need to place this same focus and intent into all that we do. Many of us blog, Tweet, have pages on Face Book, personal and/or business sites, and are generally putting ourselves out there. We know at least a little bit about SEO, can upload photo's, and perhaps even play around with video's (at least at the Animoto level). Then we sit back and wait for life to happen.

People, we have to interact to make life happen! So we have a (usually expanding) RSS feed. We actually even read the posts. Good, yes? Good, to a point. Read the blogs, then (if you have something to say) comment on the blog. This is polite ... it shows respect. And ... if you comment on someone else's blog, they may even become inclined to comment on yours! Also ... look for the Google Plus One button, the Face Book "Like" button, and any share buttons that might be there. If the post is a good one, please help promote it. Put that energy out there, and someone will be there to do the same for you.

One last thought here. Please comment on the content ... that should be your focus. Commenting on blogs is not the place to promote your own work.

I have made a commitment to watching for all of the above on any blogs/sites that I visit. The Internet is a bold new territory, and we are being gifted with some awesome tools for navigation! May we each have the common sense to educate ourselves about these tools, and use them wisely.

Google Plus, Google Plus One, Webinars & More

2011-07-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

Most people that I know are putting out work in more than one venue. They need to maintain a network of contacts in more than one world, as well as promote their work in the best manner possible. The new Google Plus app appears to be a very good way to go. People are taking to it very well ... it is easy to sign up for, and there is the availability of creating "circles" ... i.e. putting people with the same interests in the same circle. You are notified when someone puts you in a circle - but not which circle you are being placed in. IMHO, this is a benefit - no one feels left out, and the information t hat you want to get out goes out to the people that it is meant to get out to. The issue that is coming up is that people are signed up for it, but not yet conversing much. My thought on this is that we want to view it in the same manner that we view Twitter - there needs to be a sense of sharing, so that a connection is made with other people within our circles. In that way, when we send out promotional posts, they are part of the overall picture, and not just promotion. If that were the case - why bother with Google Plus?

Google Plus One is a big part of the promotional picture, in that when people click on your Plus One icon you move yourself into a better place in the Google ranking. IOW, you have a better chance of being seen.

Google is doing something that I am not sure about - not sure what it is connected to. The Google Plus One icon is appearing on the right hand side of the pages that comes up when you run a Google search. Now there is also an icon that brings up (in most cases) a view of the page that is being linked to. It seems good, but it also seems a bit "Big Brother" to me.

With all of this running in the background, I am about to start setting up Internet time to promote my upcoming book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You: Keys To Empowerment". There will be a webinar this coming October with Linda Marson (http://www.tarotjourney.com.au/), where I introduce the concept of using the Birth Card pairs as a counseling and meditation tool.

Another avenue of promotion will be Internet seminars with Mary Nale (http://naleandcompany.blogspot.com/). The focus here will be how to place the Tarot Birth Cards in day to day life - whether you are reading for yourself, or reading for someone else.

My site page is quasi "set up" ( http://www.bonniecehovet.com/?page_id=125), and I have a preliminary Animoto video out on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kk_CsBezoA). I am doing a short write up of one Birth Card pair each month on my Tarot blog, and plan to do a short Animoto video for each of the Birth Card Pairs. I will also be setting up a Face Book page - once I get those logistics figured out! Oh ... I have a contest to figure out for my Tarot book. Talking archetypes? Sherlock Holmes take on the archetypes?

Other directions for me? My mystery novel in process, and my work on a friends music site. There will be some interesting promotions coming up there, you can be assured!

The Road To Promotion

2011-07-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

What a day this has been! It started out very nicely - I started adding friends to my Google + circles, and did a fairly good job. Next stop - add Google +1 to my blogs and site. Easier said than done. Hours later I finally had it up on my Wordpress.org site ((patting self on back, and sending kudos to Theresa Reed and Abela Arthur.), but I still need to figure out how to add it to my blog sites (Blogspot.com and Wordpress.com).

Being the social network maven that I am, my next foray into surrealism was to attempt to add Twitter and Facebook follow buttons to my site, and to both blogs. I did manage to get both on my site - although there is a link-back to the button creator. I cannot seem to "adjust" a plugin for those buttons on my site. I am dangerous with coding ... I really am! ;-) Note to self: Please start a fund to get a real webmaster in to dust off your site and blogs!

I am a Cappie - I will go back and work on the Wordpress.com apps. There has to be a way to do this! LOL

I also edited the page that I had set up on my site for my upcoming book (Tarot, Birth Cards, and You: Keys To Empowering Yourself). I had put some examples of content on the page, but was not comfortable with it - the text was too long. So I took most of the sample text out - it reads much better, and my site visitors will not be bored out of their minds!

Once I get all of the above taken care of, I am going to follow the advice of my good friend Mary Nale, and put an audio message on my book page. I may also put an audio message on my landing page for my site. Things are definitely starting to open up here!

Now ... off to write an outline of the material that I will be presenting in my webinar with Linda Marson!

One Day At A Time

2011-07-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

I am taking this promotion thing one day at a time! I have a book entitled "Tarot, Birth Cards and You: Empowering Yourself" due out from Schiffer Books this coming September. I contacted a friend that conducts webinars this am, to see when I can schedule time with her. My initial webinar will be discussing what Birth Cards are, and how they can be used for personal empowerment. If that goes well, I will do one or more follow-up webinars that discuss specific birth card pairs,their themes, and how to work with them.

I also put a page up on my site this am promoting my book. Please take a look at this page, and let me know what you think. Tarot, Birth Cards, and You: Keys To Empowering Yourself. Do I need to add information? Take information away? What would you like to see there? I took away the option to comment on the page - do you think that it would be useful to activate that option?

My next foray - when I have recovered sufficiently from this one - will be to set up a page on Face Book. For you authors out there - how far ahead of publication did you set up your Face Book pages? Is there anything that you would like to share about the process of setting up a page on Face Book? As you can probably tell, I am not a techie! Any and all info will be helpful!

I will be sending my book out for review, to reviewers that I know and respect. They don't have to like the book, but I know they will give it a fair shot. There is also a genre specific media company that I would like to get my book in with. Crossing fingers there! And I will be planning a book giveaway. I really don't like contests, but I will have to invent a fun one to give a book or two away! Then I need to think up a really good promotion for the holidays.

I have arrived! At least ... I am pretty sure that I have arrived. ;-)

Is Digital Self-Publishing Viable?

2011-06-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

I have one book up on lulu.com , and another up on Amazon.com - both books are self-published. I am in the process of writing a mystery book, which I will also self-publish (most likely through Smashwords). One of the biggest benefits in getting my work out there in this manner, IMHO, is that I don't need a publisher. I can self-publish in the digital market and distribute on my own.

I am evidently joining a very impressive group of people! Author J. K. Rowling (author of the Harry Potter series) is at this moment bringing up a new site called "Pottermore". This is a literal Harry Potter universe, and will be the only place that she will market e-book versions of her Harry Potter works. Will other big name authors follow her lead?

I am not only excited about self-publishing, but I am excited about the "Pottermore" site! We don't need to copy exactly what she has done, but it does show us what can be done. We can create a place for our work that consists of more than a book cover and a "Buy Now" button!

Off to join the world of J.K. Rowling!

Time - A Precious Commodity

2011-06-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

Time is a precious commodity – especially for writers. It is not very often that we can support ourselves from our writing, which means that we are working a 9-5 “somewhere”, taking care of life’s little necessities (like grocery shopping, doing laundry, cleaning house and paying bills), and trying to fit writing into the “odd moments”.

I am lucky in one respect – I live alone (with my cat, Roger), so no one but Roger has dibs on my time and attention. The problem is that I can seldom say no to a writing opportunity, so I invariably have multiple projects going on: my author’s blog on Monday, flash fiction when I remember, keeping up my Tarot blog, keeping up with Social Media sites (Twitter, Face Book and Linked In), taming my RSS feed , writing deck and book reviews … the list is endless.

What I found works for me is if I have a daily to-do list written out, so that I can check things of as I go along. I do my main writing at night (if I am not too tired after working on the phone line), or during the day, before I go on the phone line. Set time (i.e. 2 am – 4 am Tarot blog) don’t work for me. I know what is due, and when, and I have to keep things mixed up, as in a beautiful tossed salad, so that I don’t get bored.

As of June, I cut back on my outside writing. I loved doing the writing, but I needed to place my focus elsewhere. It was a hard decision, but it is done. I now have the time to map out a plan for promoting my book that is due out in September, write my second Tarot book and finish the mystery book that I started during NaNoWriMo 2010, and have it edited.

Things that I do to help me make best use of my time are:

Write out my projects and project goals a week in advance.
At the beginning of each day, look at what I want to get done, and prioritise it.
If something doesn’t get done, I don’t automatically bump it into the next day. I look at how important it is, at what else I am doing, and at where I will reasonably have the time to finish it.
I do small amounts of research between projects – or in the middle of a project, so that it acts as a break. (Cappie here – work is my normal mode of being!)
When I am writing, and it is flowing, I allow it to extend to a normal breaking point. Then I look at what I have left to do on that day, and what I may have to move to another time, or remove entirely.
I may use a quick drop in on one of my social media site as a form of break – but I consciously limit that break time to no more than 10-15 minutes.
I check in on how I am feeling. If I am feeling stressed, I stand up and move around. At the end of the day I may reward myself with a piece of chocolate and a glass of one. One each – I don’t need to go crazy here!
I try to be understanding – sometimes my schedule goes completely out the window due to one of life’s little occurrences. Believe it or not – I am beginning to flow with this!
At the end of each day, I glance over my to-do list for the next day. This is one way that I keep my so called sanity.
I try to control as much as I can, in as graceful and responsible way as I can. So far, so good!

Lost Before I Am Started

2011-06-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

I don't write on this blog very often - the joke here being that this blog is the one that is devoted to my writing! In fact when I went to add a new blog earlier this year, I found that I had been away for so long that my account had been deleted! I am trying to do one post a week - at least, that is my goal. I log in today, and something looks different. I can't even find the links for editing old blogs, or adding new blogs. I am about to panic when I realise there is a pop-up add over that section of my sign on page. Whew! Take that off and the page as I know it reappears, as if by magic!

I am beginning to realise that how I promote my Tarot related work will be different from how I promote my fiction writing. And how I promote my fiction writing will be different from how others promote their fiction writing. In the Tarot world we chat things up in forums, do reviews and interviews, chat on the social networking sites, write blogs, attend conferences, do webinars and teleclasses ... with a bit of Blog Talk Radio through in for good measure. It's all good, and we are all comfortable with that.

I have a wealth of writing blogs on my RSS feed, and with fiction writing they are all promoting the concept of "guest blogging". It is getting so bad that sometimes I think that the person who's blog I signed up for never writes for their own blog! To follow this route I am advised to find blogs written by people writing in the same genre (mystery fiction), and post to their blogs. IOW - Make myself known, so that I don't look like an idiot asking to do a guest blog for them.

I started out skeptical of how this would work for me - I would have to get material to the person who runs the blog in good time, write in the format they want things written in, respond to people who leave comments ... do all the polite things. Now, I am a polite person, but my to do lists would have multiple to do lists of their own were I to keep up with all of this. End result - I have made the decision to not do guest blogging. (You may all breathe freely now! ;-) )

I will have a page on my site for each of my books, a free chapter or two, lots of chatter on Twitter and Face Book, free copies sent to reputable reviewers ... and from there I wing it! I am sure there is more that I can do, but it must be in line with what I am comfortable doing.

We may now all wish me luck!

The Process Of Goal Setting In Writing

2011-05-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

What I am going to talk about today is not my idea, and I cannot remember the link to the blog where I encountered it. If anyone reading this knows the link to the blog with the original idea, please let me know so I can credit them. The basic premise was that we can do a better job of setting goals – writing or otherwise – by asking ourselves something referred to as “small questions”.

Essentially, when we start asking ourselves questions we are setting up a “mindmap” for the article, book or project that we are working on. We are attempting to see clearly what is important from our personal point of view, and how that will progress in our project. For me, this method is much easier than just setting down goals, and trying to keep them in perspective, and in a “doable” order.

I see more success when doing this, I think, because I am not focused on each goal per se, but on the bigger picture – what I want to accomplish, and how I want to accomplish it. As I was reading the article that I mentioned above, I realized that this is something that I already do, but that it is in the background of setting up a plan for my projects. Now that I am conscious of this I will move it into the foreground – give it more importance.

What kind of questions do we want to ask ourselves? It depends on the project(s) we are working on. I am almost always working on multiple projects, of varying importance, with varying deadlines. Here I might ask myself the following questions:

1. What projects do I have on board at this moment?

2. Where am I on each project?

3. What are the deadlines for each project?

4. What is the next step for each project?

5. What does my total schedule look like? Where am I going to be able to fit writing time in?

6. Am I getting burned out on one or more projects? If so, what can I do to bring that project back into alignment with my total life, and put some fun back into it?

7. Is it time to ask for help on a project? Is it time to let a project go?

In asking questions about a specific writing project, I might ask myself the following questions:

1. How do I feel about what I have written to date?

2. Will what I have written so far stand on its own legs, or do I need to do some rewriting?

3. Is the storyline hanging together?

4. Are my characters portrayed in a manner that defines each of them clearly?

5. Are my characters interacting in a consistent manner?

6. Am I allowing my characters to evolve?

7. Where do I want the story to go?

8. Where do my characters want the story to go?

9. Is there enough tension in the storyline?

10. How can I best move the storyline forward?

These are small questions that will allow me to move my projects forward in a manner that is consistent, cohesive, and will draw and keep the attention of my readers. Your projects will differ, your questions will differ. Make use of the process, and the questions will begin to flow naturally, as will you projects!

© May 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

The Ever Evolving Bio!

2011-05-23T02:03:00.000-07:00

I found out a long time ago that writing my bio was one of the hardest things that I have ever done. I am not one to toot my own horn, so that was problem number one. How do I make myself into a real entity, but remain in the background (which is my preference)? What do I include, what don't I include? Is including my fur people more than most people want to know (or need to know!)?

Then there is the little fact that each venue needs to have a bio that is tweaked for it. There is no such thing, in my world view, as an all purpose bio. As we wander through the social media sites, I think many of us find this to be true. What we put on our Twitter bio's needs to appeal to the audience we are gathering there. What we put on My Space (if we are brave enough to go there) is a whole other story. With Face Book, we have a little more leeway, but we still keep it "in hand". If we join Linked In, we are focusing on our professional qualifications, and professional network connections. This site, more than any other, needs to be kept up to date.

Many of us maintain Internet sites. The bio here will focus on one of two areas - personal, if the site is devoted to our personal interests, or professional, if the site is devoted to our professional projects and interests. Try not to share too much, and to keep a good balance on professional sites between personal and professional information.

Bio's are also an integral part of a blog. If your readers can connect to you visually, and through words, you have gone a long way towards developing a connection with them, and guaranteeing yourself a reader that will follow your blog. Your bio in many ways gives you credibility.

The photo's that go with each of the above venues may differ, also. Or we may choose to use an icon on sites like Twitter and My Space. Just as our bio allows people to get to know us better, and helps to develop a sense of connection between us and those who we connect with in these different venues, our photo/icon does the same thing.

I would advise writing both a short bio, and a more lengthy one. Different venues have different limitations, and require different content. Also, keep your bio "fresh" - make sure that it is up to date, with an up to date photo. I know - after fourteen years I just replaced my icon with a photo. I am already planning on updating that photo!

Bottom line - does your bio reflect who you are? Is it exciting? Is it boring? Is it relevent? You have total control here - present the very best person that you can present!

Where Do We Go From Here?

2011-05-17T15:34:00.001-07:00

Where do we go from here? There is so much out there about traditional publishing companies versus self-publishing - it really gets confusing. I am still trying to absorb a blog that a friend of mine just posted. They had originally self-published their work - a divination deck. Then they had a very viable offer to take their deck to a traditional publisher, and they accepted the offer. I was thrilled for them, and thrilled that my book was going to be published by the same publisher.

My friend edited their images, at the publishers request, to appeal to a larger audience. The whole framework of the project changed, but my friend was good with that. When their deck and book came out, it was so very beautifully presented, and I just knew that they would be taking off quickly! This was all several months ago, and it has not taken off. It is not in the bookstores that it should be in, and is not getting the promotion from the publisher that it should be getting. My friend put a great deal of time and energy into this project - which has now practically bankrupted them!

To top things off, software (and hardware) was stolen from their office - material that they needed to do their "9-5" work. This has still not been resolved. They are talking about leaving the field that they published in, which I feel would be a shame. They have great insight into the field, and a wonderful product that acts as a tool for empowerment on all levels. My prayers go out to this person ... may there be some justice in life, and may they see the benefits of their work. They have done promotional videos, blog talk radio spots, and created a stunning blog site. This cannot possibly be for nought!

I look at myself, being published by this same publisher. Then I wonder if all publishers are the same. I have seen my galley's, and they look wonderful! But the process has not been an easy one, and I have always felt/known that the brunt of the marketing was on me. Because of this, I feel that self-publishing is going to be my best bet. My publisher has first right of refusal for my next two books. After that - I think that self-publishing is my best bet. (Including publishing through Kindle.)

Where do we go from here? We make the most informed decisions that we can, map out a plan, and follow the plan. Life is getting scary, but I would rather be scared than remain in my little safe place, going nowhere.

Allowing The Flow

2011-05-09T07:47:00.000-07:00

I had hoped to get my WIP finished and edited in April. We are ten days into May and that has not happened. Life interferes! However, I am at a point where I am comfortable allowing life ti interfere. If I see a side issue that I want to follow, I allow myself to do that. Quite often it leads me to new places, and a new understanding of what I am already working on.

I have found that the time I spend on my music connected work not only gives me great joy, but energises me. I like the contacts that I am making, and love listening to the new (to me) music. I often use it as a backdrop while I am working ... especially the instrumental work of jazz saxophonist Charley Langer. Wonderful person, soulful music!

I am actively developing my characters for my WIP ... some of whom are surprising me! One couple that will probably only appear in this book (I intend this book to be the start of a series) are turning out to be very strong people. Strong because of their background, and strong because of their connection with life.

Another character is showing a bit of who I am (all of my characters are amalgums of the people that I know in my life, and people that I have read about) ... a part that again surprises me. Not that the qualities are there, but that I am willing to talk about them.

My bible for this book is growing beyond what I thought that it would be. I have to smile when I think back to the mystery shows that I have watched, where the writer is murdered, and the bible for their work is stolen. I thought this would be maybe a few pages - important pages, but just a few pages. It is close to being a book in and of itself!

I am also in the process of setting up a web-based class, as a prelude to doing webinars and online seminars for my upcoming Tarot book. I want to use the first class, which will be on a topic only tangentially related to my book, to see what I need to practice, what tools I need to be able to use in a stronger fashion. I am lucky, in that I have picked out two individuals that host webinars and classes, and will be scheduling through them. Win/win - they have a seminar or class to present through their company, and I have someone to watch the chatroom and help me through the technical morass.

Next up - finding mystery writer's blogs to follow, and perhaps one or two more writers groups to join. Thank you Google Calendar for being there to keep me straight!

I Am On Twitter - What Do I Do Now?

2011-05-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am on Twitter. I have an account, my pic is up, I am following people, and they are following me. Actually, I used an icon for a long time, but the pic is up now. So ... what is my next move? I want to build my presence, as I have a book coming out this fall. (Yes, I really do. A book on Tarot Birth Cards. My mystery book is still in the "finish writing it, then edit it, then send it off for editing" stage. I do have a couple of leads on good editors, though.)

I see that I have done the number one thing that I needed to do - and that was place a pic on my page, as opposed to an icon. Easier for people to connect with, and a better choice for getting people to take me seriously (and buy my books!). I will replace the pic in a couple of months, but right now it will do. It was professionally done, and looks fairly business like.

My bio is up, and represents me fairly well. I will have to tweak it a bit to get a balance between my Tarot world and my world as an author, but that is an ongoing project.

I have a link to my website, and my website covers both of my worlds - Tarot and writing, so that base is covered. It will evolve as I evolve, and I'm fine with that. A basic site is all I want. Leave the exotic stuff to someone else.

Now, how do I balance my "following/followers" ration. And should there be a ratio? Why can't I let that take care of itself? My thought on this is that I follow people I am interested in. My follow numbers may be greater than the number of people following me - at least until my books come out. The rule of thumb here is to unfollow people who are not following you. For myself, I will continue to follow people who interest me, whether they want to follow me or not.

I need to look at my feed and make sure that I am actually saying something, that I am interacting. I do announce my own blogs as they are written, and I do a lot of retweeting of messages that I consider important. But I also wish people good morning, respond to what they are saying, and send out little updates on what I am doing (and yes, occasionally a diatribe or two!). I think I am good here.

I think that as long as I don't appear to be too closely related to a used care salesman, that I am good to go. I may not address Twitter in as uber-professional manner as some, but to date we get along fine (even when it is acting up and has to be told off).

How are you addressing your Twitter presence?

Conferences

2011-04-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

I am getting ready to attend a major Tarot conference called the(Readers Studio. For those who know me as a wanna be writer of mysteries, I also read the Tarot professionally, as well as writing reviews and doing interviews in this field. This particular conference has truly been a boon to me. The expense of any conference is a major consideration - because of this, I have only attended three conferences (this years conference included).

Conferences are much more than social events. While it is good to remain open to the flow once you get there, it doesn't hurt to ask yourself the following questions prior to actually deciding to go:

* Where does the subject matter of this conference fit into my life? How important is it to me?
* What do I bring to the conference as an individual?
* What do I expect from the conference?
* Is the conference important enough that I need to push finances to attend?
* Is it possible to share accommodations with someone else who is attending?
* What is the conference agenda? What seminars do I want to attend?
* As a writer, is there going to be an opportunity to do a meet and greet with editors? Would I be able to do a short presentation to an editor?
* If I have work out there (or about to be out there) is there a place to leave flyers, brochures or bookmarks?

Add to the list as you see fit. Each individual will have their own list of things that are important to them.

Have fun while you are networking. Networking? That is a huge part of conferences! Carry your business cards in your purse or pocket, so they are easily accessible. Then remember to hand them out! You will make friends, possible writing partners, and great contacts in the writing world!

The more conferences you attend, you will be able to note the ones that you want to attend from year to year, and the ones that you might want to pass on. This is a part of our writing life, and one that truly can be enjoyable!

Book Promotion Page

2011-04-17T14:15:00.000-07:00

There are different types of book promotion pages - the two that come to mind immediately for me are the page that I intend to put up on my professional site this week for the release this fall of my book "Tarot and Birth Cards", and a professional page on Face Book dedicated to my book. For the purposes of this article, I am going to stick to my professional site page. I will be attending a Tarot conference the end of this month, and I want to set the page up, then use it as a flyer to distribute at the conference.

Some of the content I already have in mind:

1. Basic book information - title, ISBN number, publisher, publication date.

2. The use of scans from a few of the Tarot cards that are included in my book (to add color and interest).

3. Explanations of what Birth Cards are.

4. Why I included the personal empowerment tools of Journeying and Visualisation.

5. Information about the Tarot deck that I used for my book.

6. Ordering information.

7. Personal information.

8. A section for future reviews.

Off to close down my second Twitter account - I set it up as an author's page, to separate it from my Tarot and music interests, but it isn't working out. So ... anyone who follows me on Twitter will now have to go with the flow!

Character Morphing!

2011-04-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

My current WIP is also my first fiction project. Well, my first full length fiction project. It is a mystery with a strong female lead, and three supporting female characters. So far, all of the males in this story, while strong in their own right, are basically supporting characters. I started a Bible early on, so that my characters (and the story they are weaving) didn't waffle around too much. At this point I am doing a combination of editing and finishing what I hope will be the first in a series of mystery novels.Think updated, urban versions of Miss Marple, or Tuppence Beresford (both Agatha Christie characters).

My characters are taking over my laptop, indeed they are! I wrote the first version while they sat there and sipped coffee. The edited version is one in which they are gently (and sometimes not so gently!) shoving me over and taking the reigns! They are not just evolving like nice little people, they are morphing into ... well, hopefully into solid characters. They all are refusing to be stereotyped (not that I ever intended that they would be, but really!), and the secondary characters are ... well, they are refusing to remain secondary!

I gave my characters their physical selves, the environment they live in, belief systems and, evolving from this, motivations for doing whatever it is they are going to be doing. So in a manner of speaking, I am responsible for this morphing. I am also comfortable with it, as they are becoming solid people, and developing solid relationships with each other.

As the intermediary, so to speak, I need to make sure that the issues the face, the life situations that they involve themselves in, are consistent with who they are as individuals, with their character and belief systems. In other words, I need to keep them authentic.

Check in next week, and see what they have been up to!

OMG! Galleys are here!

2011-04-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

The galleys for my upcoming book "Tarot Birth Cards and You" (yup - there was a name change, for the better) have arrived. I am quite pleased with the work that my editor did - it looks to be in great shape, with minimal corrections necessary. I should be able to have the editing back to her some time tomorrow, which will be a relief! I can send it by e-mail, rather than hoofing it down to the post office and answering inane questions about the contents. (Yes, it is loose paper. Yes, it is a manuscript. Yes, I have added a bit of virus to it in powdered form. That should be okay, yes? How nuts do they think we are!)

Now I can take the time (while editing my NaNoWriMo 2010 mystery) to revise my book promotion strategy. Two major avenues for promotion are no longer open to me. Well, they are open, but at this time they require more from me than I am willing to give. In one case, it would mean working with an individual that I am fast losing respect for, and I won't do that. In the other case, the individual that I refuse to work with is one off, but still ever present. My task, should I choose to accept it (key scary music) is to decide where my major focus for promotion will be, and what will be ancillary.

I was going to do laminated book marks for a seminar that I will be attending, but that isn't working out too well. If I choose to do that when my book comes out, I will have someone else do it for me. I am going to do a flyer for the seminar. There is a table where I can leave them, so that will be fine.

Then I need to look at the social media sites, how to set up Tweets in a timely manner, how to do a fan page for my book, and things like that. These are things that I can figure out, as well as blogging. I have several blogs up right now, so that won't be a problem. I need to go join appropriate forums in preparation for my mystery book coming out, as well as following mystery writer's blogs. That will take time, but is doable.

I love the planning, and I love the work. Life is good!

Time To Regroup!

2011-03-27T17:17:00.001-07:00

I decided yesterday that it was definitely time to regroup on a minor turning point in my WIP - a mystery with its roots in the past. My characters are connected by a friendship that began in the Haight-Ashbury era. Certain things happened "back in the day" - two people disappeared, literally overnight. They left behind them an organization that ... well, it folded completely, leaving lots of questions.

One of those individuals has returned to the area, under another name. He is a high profile person that has been headquartered in New York City for years - partially to avoid recognition, although he did change his appearance. I had to have a reason for him to return to the west coast - with his wife. I gave him the occupation of a high end art dealer, and had him going after an antique statue. I know nothing about antiques, and was wasting way too much precious time researching the background for this statue, how it got to this country, and what it looked like.

The light-bulb finally lit up - change the statue to a small painting! Change the origin of the painting to Europe! Much easier to research, much easier to sell to my readers (the story, not the painting!).

Lesson learned. When I have spent too much time on any one thing, and it is blocking my progress, I am going to at least allow room for changing whatever needs to be changed so that the story works, and I can move along.

The good thing is - I hope to make this set of characters into a series. The stronger I make them in this first book, the easier it will be for them to continue to run amok in future books.

Who knew that a small point (figuratively speaking) in a plot could wreck such havoc!

Where Is This Book Coming From!

2011-03-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

I am on my way with completing my 2010 NaNoWriMo project, which is intended to be the first in a series of mysteries. Lots of revelations, let me tell you! I knew that I had chosen to base my characters in an area that I had not only never lived in, but that I had never been to. What I didn't stop to think was how much research that was going to entail! From the little things, like how the city is laid out, to slightly more involved things, such as street names, freeways, and where other physical places are in relation to the city they live in. (i.e. Would they be driving 'up to" a given location, or "down to" said location.)

I made the decision to "upscale" my characters, way out of where I am in life, so here goes more research on where they would live, where they would dine, where they would shop, the designer cloths they would wear, the cars they would drive ... the list is endless! Incredibly interesting, but endless.

I am having a great time giving my characters background, placing them in interesting career fields, and moving them around the globe. Think kid in a candy store here!

A sneaky thought is becoming stronger and stronger, and is something that I did not expect. My characters are not based on myself, or on anyone that I know. That is just not how this book is developing. However, I have three major female characters (well, four in this first book, but the fourth character has not been introduced "in person" yet, just referred to), and while their physical characteristics are very different, I am coming to realize that their personalities are very much alike. They could be different aspects of the same person! I am going to have to watch that closely, to make sure that they come across as individuals.

I am beginning to think that it is a very good thing that I have already decided to have this book professionally edited. I am going to need massive help on this! The good thing is that I have a friend who has asked to read the book, and possibly submit this to an editor that she knows for with an online publishing company. If it gets accepted, it will of course get further editing and polishing, and I will be ready to move on to the next book in the series. If it doesn't get accepted, I will self-publish.

You have to love the process!

Manuscript Makeover

2011-03-06T11:19:00.000-08:00

I am speaking literally and figuratively today. The subject - manuscript makeover - the editing, rewriting, re-editing that goes into putting a quality product out to the public. In my case that product might be a niche article or book, or it might be a nice, quiet little mystery. Both categories need all the assistance they can get!

I am in the midst of finishing and editing my 2010 NaNoWriMo mystery opus. Much to my joy, I had the very good sense to purchase Elizabeth Lyon's book "Manuscript Makeover". Life is ever so much easier now! I love this book! Her talking points - on the front cover (great idea!) are:

* Enhance style

* Clarify structure

* Deepen characterization

* Clean up punctuation and syntax

You could not ask for more! She backs up her talk with her walk - writing in a concise, reader friendly style, talking about writing for a more universal theme, matching style and structure to your chosen genre, strengthening both beginnings and endings, and creating good movement and pace.

Her suggestions are simple and doable - read your story out loud ... in listening to it, you will hear and feel where something doesn't work and needs to be tweaked. Silence the inner critic - it is not helpful. Guess what - the inner censor may be the cause of that icky "drawing a blank" moment! Free write, and write from your own truth.

More simple revisions include modeling favorite authors, revising for sentence variety and revising for impact. Then we move on to restructuring from the inside, with the use of metaphors, similes and mixed-metaphors. Oh, yes ...also the avoidance/removal of cliches!

Lyon also talks about defining genre and sub-genre, Now we get to the cool stuff - such as the five stages of structure:

* A character has a problem.

* Complications arise and conflict intensifies.

* Crises culminate in a climax.

* The problem is resolved.

* The hero or heroin learns something about self or life.

I am very into mythologist Joseph Campbell's work,and was fascinated by the chapter on structure and the Hero's Journey. What a great way to tell a story! Other structures include epic, vignette, flashback and double plots.

There is much, much more to this book! Actually, this blog was never intended to be a review,but there was so much great information to share!

At the end of each chapter is a checklist that helps the writer to implement the suggestions from that chapter. What a bonus! How often do we end up being "bobbleheads" to good suggestions, then realize, after we have walked away, that we have no idea how to put them to use!

Lyon is also the author of "The Sell Your Novel Tool Kit" and "A Writer's Guide To Fiction". Her blog can be seen at http://www.ninc.com/blog/index.php/archives/editor-elizabeth-lyon. Her professional site can be seen at http://www.elizabethlyon.com/.

March Madness

2011-03-02T01:37:00.000-08:00

Normally the term "March Madness" refers to the NCAA basketball free for all (yes, I love basketball - preferably the NBA, but the collegiate boys take over in March!). On to my personal form of March Madness - today I start the process of finishing my 2010 NaNoWriMo project, editing it, then sending it out for editing. Then I am going to self-publish - digital and print.

Speaking of editing - I should be getting back the editing from my very first print book -a Tarot book coming out from Schiffer Books in fall of this year. Hope that I understand the process and can get through that!

I also have to keep a closer eye on my monthly deadlines - one guest blog for one site, two guest articles for another site - all three give or take 1,000 words each. A monthly blog as promo for my upcoming book, three blogs a week for the #SHINEonline project, at least one flash fiction piece, and an attempt to put up one article here each month.

Once I get my NaNoWriMo piece published, I plan to start writing my next Tarot book (outline already done). Come November, back to NaNoWriMo and the second book in a planned series of mysteries (the first book being the 2010 NaNoWriMo opus).

What is it that they say ... writers write? Yes, indeed they do! Now, to keep all deadlines straight! (And fit in my other projects!)

Placing Images On Your Site

2011-02-20T20:47:00.000-08:00

It is one thing to write books, stories and articles, it is quite another to get them out there! We get our names know,and keep our names fresh, through our blogs and sites. If we are smart, we add visuals - scans of photo's or other material that add interest to what we write. I have to admit, I don't have a clue what is going on here! I know nothing about the technology, and have been known to do the happy dance simply if a jpeg uploads properly!

What I didn't realise is that images need to be optimized because images from a camera have a large file size. I also didn't realise that resizing in Word Press changes only the display size, not the file size. Also, in doing this the quality of the image suffers.

I recently ran across information on a site called Web Resizer (http://www.webresizer.com/).

What a gift for us non-techies that are trying to do it all, and have no web master! With Web Resizer you can reduce the image size, crop photos, sharpen, change the height and width, rotate a photo, adjust brightness and saturation, convert a photo to black and white (a nice trick for bringing mood to written work!), and add a border. The site is free,and here is no registration!

The photo in this article is one that I ran through this site. Not bad for a first time user!

Love Is In The Air

2011-02-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

Love is indeed in the air! Wishing everyone a very Happy Valentines Day! Today I am not thinking about personal love, but love of writing. All writers share this love. Writing is our passion - we live to write! It is in our blood, it is our reason for getting up very morning. Sometimes we curse it out, sometimes we hide from it, but at all times nothing will drag us away from our computers!

If you are like me, you will write about anything and everything! Anything that catches my interest can spark a story -some long, some short, but there is always a story there. Lately I have found myself writing short rants (under the guise of blogs) about things that irritate me. Some things I wisely keep to myself, but others are fit for public consumption. By writing it out I can often times come up with a solution. At the least, others facing the same issues will be reassured that they are not alone. ;-)

My love of writing is helping me to expand my life. Expand it as far as meeting new friends in the writing world, getting feedback on my writing, researching writing tools, researching publication options and connecting with with editors and publicists.

Where is your love of writing taking you?

Manuscript Makeover

2011-02-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading Elizabeth Lyon's "Manuscript Makeover - Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can Afford To Ignore" (Perigee Book, 2008). I have had this on my wish list for sometime now, so I finally got rash and added it to my latest book order. I like her on-line blog, so I knew the book would be worthwhile -and it is. I can use it to polish my work before it goes to an editor, and I can use it to fine tune any feedback that I get on work that I am self-publishing.

This book will allow me to fine-tune the voice that I already have, to revise and rewrite with an eye to consistency (I can tend to wander off at times), and to keep track of the little stuff, like grammar, punctuation and pacing. Like any writer, I love to write. Now that my aim is to write professionally, I don't mind going back, revisiting what was so wonderful when I wrote it, and casting a more jaded eye over it.

Lyon's addresses things such as separating the story from the writing (ego issues here!), revising a story's style, structure, pacing, building strong characters, and the nitty gritty of copyediting and spiffing up query letters and synopsis (I hate writing a synopsis!) for marketing purposes.

Her style is straightforward and down to earth, discussing problem areas and presenting solutions.

I have a mystery novel from NaNoWriMo 2010 that will benefit from me sitting down to rewrite and edit with one eye on my computer screen, and the other on this book!

Writer's Identity

2011-01-30T22:40:00.000-08:00

I think I am having an identity crisis! I created a second account on Face Book strictly for my writing world. I already had an account devoted to my Tarot world friends and business contacts. The two accounts started blending, so I deactivated the author account. Thank you, Face Book - my friends from my second account are showing up on the first one - at last some of them are. Both accounts were under the same name (yes, that was possible), so my contacts do friends show as friends on my other account -I hope I didn't lose anybody! LOL Rereading this first paragraph, I am pretty sure that everyone is going "What?" Hey - It has been that kind of day!

I got my first refusal for an interview today. Now, granted, it was in another genre than I usually write in, and the excuse was valid, but it still did not feel good. I am very happy that it is almost midnight,and a new day will be starting.

As writers, how do we keep our identities separate? Not necessarily our writing identities (where we may choose to use different names in different genres), but our various selves,which for me right now consists of Tarot reader/reviewer/interviewer/author, music promoter/editor, and mystery writer.

Perhaps someday I will have an answer for this.

Monday's Writer's Tips

2011-01-24T02:01:00.000-08:00

Each Monday I am going to be bringing you writer's tips - some from the far reaches of my own brain, some from other writer's sites and blogs. Enjoy!

1. What is the best way to gather material for writing? To live a full life, to stay in the present, to notice the people and the activity around you.

2. Read other writer's books. You have to know what is out there in order to write anything that is relevant.

3. Put your own shadows down on paper. They have a story to tell too.

4. Write about what you are passionate about - not just what you think will sell. Your passions will survive the test of time.

5. Write ... every day ... write.

6. Be willing to pay for an editor. 'nuff said!

7. Let your story flow ... allow it to tell itself. You will be surprised at how well stories that are allowed to be themselves turn out!

8. Edit your work carefully - spell-check is not perfect!

9. Look for repetitive phrases - they can be boring!

10. Ask for criticism ... then pay attention to it!

Writer's Bible

2011-01-17T15:14:00.000-08:00

What is a writer's bible? We hear the word bandied about, but what exactly does it mean? A writer's bible is a reference source that is created for each story, book, play or other writing project that a writer is involved in. It acts as a reference for keeping important threads together, for keeping track of time-lines, for keeping track of characters, plots and sub-plots. It can also be used for noting possible promotional blurbs, taglines and synopsis.

I created a bible for my 2010 NaNoWriMo project,and am very glad that I did. It allowed me to keep track of characters,the significant people in their lives, how they interacted, what defined them, and the sequence of events (past and present). It also allowed me to note how I had described things like cars,rooms, restaurants and such. As my characters moved in a very luxurious lifestyle, I needed to keep track of things like jewelry, designers,and the worlds of art and music.

A good bible can help prevent some very embarrassing mistakes, and is well worth putting the effort into.

1/11/11

2011-01-11T19:33:00.000-08:00

There were many posts on the meaning for 1/11/11. I decided to wait until the end of the the day and take a look back, see what happened. Was it what I thought it would be? Looking at the numbers, we are looking at new beginnings (the number 1), and an ascension to higher consciousness (11). Added together you get the number 5 - change. Add the first two numbers of the year to this, and you get the number 7 - seeking truth, looking within, and problem solving. Layer this energy over the energy of the universal year, which for 2011 is the number 4. It is a year of building, of setting down foundations for the coming years. It is about being responsible, and doing the work.

This is a time for us when we can most easily manifest positive change in our lives. The number 11 is connected with our intuition and psychic ability, as well as our faith and belief in ourselves. This is a day when if we look,if we listen, we will find the pieces that are missing.

For some, this will have been a nice, gentle process. For me it was not. I was thinking deeply about death. I am old ... but not that old! Yet thoughts of personal death came to me, and I was ready for them. Before you run out and dial 911, know that I am referring to a death of my life the way that it has been, and entering into a new life, on a higher plane of consciousness. It came to me symbolically as the death of me.

In one part of this lifetime I was a Medical Technologist. It took quite sometime to make the change into my next profession, that of reading Tarot professionally. I am in the process of transitioning from reading the Tarot to writing for a living. I can only hope that the process of death - of embracing what I need to release, and then releasing it, will make a clean break from my "old" life, and a gracious entrance into my new one.

Some things I know: this will be the last year that I attend a major Tarot event in a professional capacity. My interaction in the Tarot world will be as a writer, not as a reader. My first Tarot book will be published at the end of 2011. My writing project from the 2010 National Novel Writer's Month will be finished and self-published in 2011. My second Tarot book will be finished in 2011. I hope to make my first non-Tarot book into a series. My focus now is rightfully on writing and writer's groups, as opposed to Tarot and Tarot groups.

I have one saving grace, and that is that in 2009 music came back into my life in a big way. It has sustained me, and I am sure will continue to do so.

It will be interesting to hear other 1/11/11 personal stories. I have a feeling that there are more than a few out there, as the numbers are significant.

Seeing The Light Of Day

2010-12-27T12:19:00.000-08:00

What all authors want is for their writing to see the light of the day! Starting January 2nd (New Year's Day IS a holiday, in my book!) I will be finishing the opus that I began for NaNoWriMo 2010, editing it, rewriting it, editing again, rewriting, editing, then sending it off to a professional editor. After which I will independently publish it.

Publishing will be the first step in the process of actually doing something with my work - getting it seen by someone other than a close friend. I do have books out there, but they are compendiums of reviews and interviews that I have done in the Tarot world. Getting to the actual published product requires feedback of some kind. One way to do this is to join a critique group. I have not taken that step yet, and don't intend to with this book. I will have my book professionally edited, and will act on the editors suggestions. I have an idea that my voice will become stronger and more focused with the help of a good editor!

What else can I do to get feed back? I have been thinking about entering different levels of contests in my genre (mystery), just to have my work out there. I had not even considered that I would be getting some good feedback for my efforts. I will definitely be doing this!

The other thing that I have to start doing is to pay attention to the "how" of other writers. How are they writing? How are their presenting their characters POV? What is currently popular in my genre? How is the writing world changing? My aim is to be able to change with it in a very smooth fashion.

The year 2011 will see many changes for me - not the least of which will be having my first book published. (In the field of Tarot.) May each of my writer friends embrace their new year with passion and intent!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all of my readers who celebrate Christmas, as I do. Happy Holidays to all of my readers that celebrate other holiday traditions. This post is my way of giving back to the writing world. I am gong to share some links here that I found of value, and that you may also. Waitng for Mercury retrograde to finish writing my NaNoWriMo book, and then to begin editing/rewriting it.

http://http//www.blogaid.net/resources This is a link to video tutorials for Word Press Text Editor, and for Working With Images On Web Resizer.

http://http://www.publaw.com/ This is a link to the Publishing Law Center.

http://http://www.grammarbook.com/english_rules.asp This is a link to a site on grammer and punctuation rules.

http://http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ This is a link to an excellent blog on writing.

http://http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/2010/12/marketing-tip-library-love.html This is a linnk to an excellent article on marketing tips.

http://http://theadventurouswriter.com/blogwriting/how-to-write-the-first-draft-writing-tips-from-writers/ This is a link on how to write a first draft.

http://http://www.write-thing.com/2010/05/12/making-a-writing-bible-an-essential-tool-for-story-writers/ This is a link to writing a Bible for your book.

I hope that you enjoy these links, and fnd them as useful as I did. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, and a Joyous Holiday Season!

RIP NaNoWriMo

2010-11-30T06:17:00.000-08:00

I want to begin by congratulating all of my fellow writers that made their 50,000 words or greater for NaNoWriMo. You have accomplished a tremendous goal, and I hope that many of you choose to publish your work.

I was sitting here this morning (very early morning!), looking at a 42,600 word count, and less than 24 hours to make it to 50,000. Willie Nelson came to my rescue - "Know When To Hold 'em, Know When To Fold 'em". I am folding, hopefully in a graceful manner. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, and how I wanted to say it. On the days that I could write, my characters took over the story and ran with it. They are to be applauded!

There were many more days when I distracted myself in any and all possible ways so that I did not have time to write. For keeping me sane, I want to thank my friend Ali. She posted this link, and I played the video over, and over, and over again. http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SUoY-bfweg&feature=player_embedded.

I am going to finish this book, and publish it (Create Space, here I come!) The first thing I am going to do is to take the time to go back over what is already written, and tighten it up. Then I will finish the story. Then I will do at least two edits/rewrites. Then I will outsource it to an editor that does this kind of thing for a living. Then I will get my baby out there.

One thing I know - writing full length fiction is much harder than full length non-fiction! Another thing I know is that I am glad t hat I started writing a Bible from the very beginning. There are too many details about characters, as well as settings, to keep straight in my mind. And time lines ... it is not easy to keep them straight. It just is not.

Will I do NaNoWriMo again next year? Yes, I will. Maybe I will even finish!

Still In Shock!

2010-11-15T07:47:00.000-08:00

Today NaNoWriMo reached it's half-way point. Looking around in shock ... I have more than half of the words necessary to "win", at 28,012. Do they make any sense? Some of them do, while others will need "a little help". I still don't have a crime (this is a mystery cozy), and my perpetrator refused to comply - he would rather be a "good guy". Another character wanted to be his wife, rather than his victim. The good thing is - they fit well into the story. ;-)

There will have to be a good deal of "after the fact" research, as I am placing my story in and around San Francisco, and I have never been to San Francisco. Much of the action will be taking place in a luxury spa - again, no first hand experience. I am making notes, so that before writing the sequel (this is meant to be the first in a series) I can experience what I am writing about. (Make note - need to win the lottery to foot this bill!)

Mentally, I am moving forward to putting this book in front of the public. By necessity it will be sent to a professional editor. And I will act on his/her suggestions. I am going to put this in the hands of professionals for submission in both print and e-book format to ... heck, to whoever will accept it!

Video trailer on my professional site (which will soon move to Word Press), with separate video trailer on You Tube. Research Internet radio shows to guest on, research blogs to wander through (wander through with intent!), send out promo copies for review.

Deep breathe - I can do this!

Week 1 - NaNoWriMo

2010-11-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

Big announcement – I have just survived my first week of NaNoWriMo! So proud of myself! Relatively close to my intended word count (ideally, I would be at 14,000 words, in reality I am at 12,306), with my characters behaving reasonably well. They do have their own minds, but the pieces are coming together nicely.

I am so happy that I decided to do character profiles, rather than just “jumping in”. I do find that I have to refer to my profiles (which I printed out for easy reference) in order to keep them “in character” with dress, mannerisms and speech. I also found the literal backdrop of what their houses etc looked like as I placed them in the story settings. I am having to do a bit of quick research as I go along, because I choose to place them in luxury settings, and upscale professions. None of which this middle American knows anything about!

I am going to do more work tonight on the plot, although it seems to be flowing relatively well so far. This is a cozy mystery … I have the backdrop for the mystery, but have not decided what the mystery is yet. The character that I had intended to be the villain wanted an entirely different place in the story – and he wanted a wife! I thought the character that turned out to be the wife would be the mystery – someone who disappeared long ago, presumed dead. Not so, Sherlock! I have a pretty good feeling that this character will lead me to the real mystery.

An elite, private, international style spy organization has popped up too. I never expected that one! Completely blindsided me. I may have to write a chapbook about the process of writing this book!

More next week!

© November 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Changing Plot Theme for NaNoWriMo

2010-10-29T00:39:00.000-07:00

In the process of defining my characters, a bolt of lightening came down and smacked me! The characters that I was defining were based on the plot - not the other way around. Maybe that would work, maybe not. What wasn't going to work was that the plot was for a very involved story that was light years away from a cozy mystery - and this book, my very first NaNoWriMo book, is meant to be the first in a series of cozy mysteries!

Toss that plot, not a problem. I do have several more at the ready, and I went straight to one that I have been developing in my head for some time now. It involves an elite spa, a stunningly unique Tarot deck that was painted in the early 1980's, and a group of people that were in and out of each other's lives during that time.

The deck was unique in that it was drawn by hand, presented at a small gathering of Tarot afficianados, and then disappeared, along with the artist. The figures on the deck were people that were prominent in the Tarot world at that time, and the scenes were taken from the area in which they lived.

Is the deck resurfacing, and, if so, is the artist also resurfacing? Why did he disappear? Why are certain people very nervous at the thought that he may be reappearing?

Off to develop a new cast of characters!

The Importance Of SEO

2010-10-22T05:04:00.000-07:00

We all nod our head that SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is important. As writers, we want our work to be found, and to be read. Unless we wear two hats - writer and techie - we are probably a bit (or more than a bit!) haphazard with our SEO work. The importance of SEO was brought home to me this past week, when I was contacted by an individual that was looking specifically for information that was contained in an article that I had just written. It was a two part article (with the second part going up this weekend), and she was looking for the second part to use in work that she is going to be doing int he coming week. I was thrilled that she found my article, and even more thrilled that she was searching out Part 2!

Here are some things that should be taken into consideration in optimizing your site:

1. Is your content relevant?
2. Are you linked to other sites?
3. Is your site frequently updated?
4. Is your header relevant to your content?
5. Are your keywords repeated?
6. Does your content provide something of value to your site visitors"
7. Are your site pages linked in a logical manner?
8. Is your content clear, concise, and does it offer value?
9. Do you have a clear picture of who your site visitors are?
10. Do you have a clear idea of what is currently important/of interest in your market?

Note: SEO as I am addressing it here is for unpaid, or algorhythmic search results. If you are looking for paid results for your site, you would need to take different steps towards optimizaiton.

One last note - I just came across Google's Website Organizer, whic is a free service that checks your site for . While i have not used it yet, I am going to run my site through it, and see how bad a shape I am in! To try this on your site, go to .

(c) October 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Defining Your Characters

2010-10-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

This is my first time writing for NaNoWriMo - no pressure at all! I am takng the next few days to define my characters, after which I will be working on defining theme and plot. I have five characters in mind so far:

1. My protagonist.
2. An oriental gentleman that moves the story along, appearing and disappearing at will.
3. The (allegedly) deceased father of my protagonist.
4. A mysterious woman who is connected to the allegedly deceased father.
5. A close friend of the allegedly deceased father, who has taken on the role of mentor since the father's alleged death.

The areas that I am going to use to define them are:

1. Age
2. Physical characteristics
3. Career/work environment
4. Home environment
5. Family/cultural background
6. Friends
7. Schooling

This should give me a fairly good idea of what drives my characters, and how they will act/react in any given situation. That's the plan, anyway! I am quite sure that in the end they will take over the keyboard, and I will end up as the editor, and not the author!

(c) October 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

NaNoWriMo - Moving Forward

2010-10-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

This is my first year participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and I am incredibly excited about this whole thing! I want to be very ready to begin writing at 12:01 am on November 1st, 2010. To that end, I am doing two things: defining my characters, and defining my plot. (The theme is set - the book will be the first in a series of cozy mysteries with a female lead character.) Throw in a few felines, some esotericism, and loads of independent thinking ... and you have my book!

A few notes about what I need to do to define my characters:

1. Visualize their physical characteristics.
2. Visualize where they live.
3. Visualize where they work.
4. Visualize who they socialize with.
5. Create their back story.
6. Visualize their strengths and weaknesses.

A few notes about defining my plot:

1. Why is my lead character involved in the story at all?
2. How are the secondary characters involved in the plot?
3. How can I best create false trails of evidence?
4. How close do current events do I want to tie the storyline?
5. What kind of ending do I want?
6. How can this plot lead to the the next plot in what I envision as a series of mysteries?

(c) October 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

NaNoWriMo 2010

2010-09-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) – I have been following NaNoWriMo for several years now – starting when my good friend Winter Wren took part in it. Last year it was all over Twitter, so this year I decided that it was my time to “test the waters”.

Every November this contest is held. The objective is to write a novel (50,000 words) in one months time. Whew! That is close to 2,000 words a day! I am perhaps luckier than most writers, because I only have myself and my cats to take care of, so I have the time to devote to this. I have a job that pays the bills, of course, but in the main my time is my own.

I have already gone into the site - http://www.nanowrimo.org - set up an account, named my novel (The Rosenwald Papers), and set the genre (Mystery, Thriller, Suspense). During the next month I will develop a probable plot, flesh out a couple of the characters, write a synthesis of my story to place online, and put together a chapter outline.

I also went into “Regions” online and picked three regions that were close to me, defininf one of them as my home region.

I plan to hit the ground running on this one, and come out with, at the least, 50,000+ words that are good enough to form the basis for the first in a series of mystery novels that I have had running around in my brain for a long time.

I hope to see many of my on line friends doing NaNoWriMo also! See you there!

© September 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Developing Characters

2010-09-23T02:21:00.000-07:00

I have had a cozy mystery series in mind for several years now. I know that the lead character will be female, that there will be cats involved, and a touch of esotericism and magick. Where I am right now is in the process of defining my lead character. I have given her a name many times – only to let it go, as not the “right” name. So I decided to define her character first – what makes her tick, what her back story is, why I would ant to know her, what she has to tell me. In doing this, I know that she will tell me her name, which is how it should have been all along!

Once I have my lead character defined, I will know what type of secondary character she would surround herself with – sometimes intentionally, sometimes incidentally. Life happen, you know! I am sure that one or more of the “support cast” will want a larger role. My hope is that they will be satisfied with a recurring role.

I also know that the plots will often revolve around my characters back story – what she has gone through will be more important that what she is currently going through. What got her where she is has greater relevance than where she is.

Out of this murky past will come both the victims and the villains – all painted in shades of gray. Bright colors cast into the shadow of their deepest, darkest secrets.

Is every ending going to be a happy one? Every ending will be an ending, but it will also act as a beginning for the next book. This is a series, after all!

How long are my books going to be? I will start writing, and stop writing when the story is over. If I go through a publisher, I may need to cut down words, or add words. If I self publish, I get to be as wordy as I want to be – within reason! If I self-publish, I will avail myself of the services of en independent editor, who hopefully has the guts to tell me where my story needs tightening up, what I need to let go of, and what I need to expand.

Life is good!

© September 2010 Bonnie Cehvovet

Soul Purpose

2010-09-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading a very interesting article on identifying and living your soul purpose. Why do author’s need to know about this? Does it just give us ammo for a new storyline, or perhaps justification (i.e. a “reason”, or “purpose”) for becoming a writer? Writing is an extension of who we are – it allows us to express our beliefs, our way of being, in many different formats. We don’t need a reason, or justification of any kind, to do this.

Soul purpose goes to the core of who we are as individuals, it speaks to what we are here for in this lifetime – our very reason for being here. When we are aligned with our soul purpose, life has a very nice flow to it – things go smoothly, what we need comes to us in a timely fashion, with very little effort, and with no strings attached.

There are some easy “tells” that will let you know that you are not aligned well with your soul purpose:

1. You are not happy with your work/career – you no longer find it fulfilling.
2. Long-term relationships are falling away, and you don’t understand why. 3. You want to relocate, but are not sure where you want to go.
4. Your career life, personal life (or both) seem to have come to a standstill.
5. Your health is not what it once was, or what you would like it to be.

Yes’s to one or more of the above indicate to me that a little “time out’ is necessary. You cannot envision your big dream, much less achieve it, when your life is not functioning!

I don’t have a stock answer as to how we discover our soul purpose. From my own experience, I can say that, generally speaking, what I am fighting in my life is what I need to pay attention to. If I am drawn to something, t hat is whee my focus and intent need to go.

The Internet has many resources, as does your public library. Take the time to identify your soul purpose, and your life as an author will thank you!

© September 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

New e-Book Information

2010-08-29T01:32:00.000-07:00

New and interesting information coming my way in regard to e-book publishing. In a review done by her local newspaper, writer Terri Main discusses her upcoming book, “Dark Side of the Moon”, which has been accepted for publication by Canadian e-book publisher MuseItUp Publishing. She also has two short stories that are due to be published by MuseItUp Publishing next summer.

What really grabbed me about the interview was the mention of the e-venues that her book will be available in, including e-readers Kindle and Nook, various smartphone applications and websites http://smashwords.com , http://fictionwise.com , and http://ereader.com .

I checked out MuseItUp Publishing, and they publish in multiple genres (including cozy mystery – the genre that I would love to break into!). They give precise information about submitting your work, including dates and formatting. I may do NaNoWriMo (hope I got that right!) this year – using that opportunity to move into the first draft of my first cozy.

I still have to go into my Kindle account and edit my book – it did not upload well format wise. In fact, it is so bad that I might delete it (if I can), and start the process over again. I can edit html, but that is one heck of a lot of pages of editing!

This week I start on my second Tarot book. I have the outline done, and I think there are places that I can go with it that don’t include the trash! ;-)

© August 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

The Sky Is Falling!

2010-08-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Incredible learning curve on book publishing! Sent my manuscript in, thought all was well with the Western world. Wrong! Oh, the manuscript is okay – waiting to be looked at after the spring books are put in place. This was to be expected. What was not expected was the little e-mail telling me that I was expected to have the graphic images handed in with my work, as I was primary on the contract.

This is a book (mine) and deck (someone else’s) venture. I am happy to be associated with this deck – the author/illustrator is a lovely lady, and the deck is phenomenal. I made the ultimate faux pas in assuming that we would hand things in separately. That “assume” word came back to bite me. It appears that all is (or soon will be) well. Our editor will send a template to the artist, she will get the deck scans in order, send them to me, and I will send them to our editor. Hopefully all of this works out. I am aging rapidly here!

I do have the outline for my next book done, so I will begin work on that book within the next week or so – if only to take my mind off the first book!

I had an interesting post in my e-mail this am, from author Joanna Penn (http://TheCreativePenn.com). It seems that Seth Grodin, best selling author of business oriented books, has made the decision to move away from print publishing to go directly to his reader public via his blog, videos, e-books and other digital media. This is a thought that I have been contemplating for a while now (as I am sure have many authors).

Joanna has a great video up explaining her thoughts on Grodin’s action. It can be seen here: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2010/08/24/seth-godin-gives-up-on-traditional-publishing/.

Lots to think about here! Wishing you all a great writing week!

Blogging As A Promotional Tool

2010-08-20T01:03:00.000-07:00

I have been blogging (here, on Word Press and on Live Journal - each blog with a different, specific purpose)for some time now. As I define new directions in both my private and professional lives, the effort behind my blogging will be ramped up. Therein lies the problem. I have been spending a lot of time researching what constitutes a good blog, how to attract traffic, how and when to guest blog, and blog rankings, amongst other things. My head is spinning!

I do not want to be a professional blogger! I want to continue to enjoy writing my blogs, providing content, personal opinion (I do have a few of those!)and access to the availability of purchasing my books. (I promise to be very gentle with your checkbook/credit card!)

What I am trying very hard not to do is to get lost in the process - to take my attention away from my professional work and make the blog itself too high a priority. Quite frankly, right now I am standing here, hands on hips, fuming about how to bring traffic to my blogs without making the blog itself my priority. Hello blogs - you are a promotional tool, not the be all, end all of my promotions! Can we reach a truce here?

As in all things, my Cappie personality rushes to the fore. Like Mr. Sinatra, I will do things my way! ;-)

(c) August 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

End Notes

2010-08-07T03:39:00.000-07:00

I finished proofreading my WIP Thursday, and coded it yesterday (Friday). For the most part I am happy with it - I think it says what I want it to say. Now I have to take today to write up the promo material, and next week I will get it sent off to my editor.

One thing that I am very happy about - the reference books that I needed to keep available have now been replaced in their proper locations. That certainly frees up some energy! I love my books, but they were taking up space!

Where do I go from here? Several directions - at the same time! ;-) I will be focusing on how to promote this project (my book, an artist friend's deck), and a promotion schedule. I know that the mss will be coming back from my editor with "suggestions" that will need to be acted on. I am thinking about the topic for my next Tarot book, about e-books on personal empowerment, about where to place my flash fiction, and firming up thoughts on a cozy mystery series.

I am coming to a better understanding of how artists and authors can be so into a specific porject, but when that project is done, one moves on to the next. We promote the first project, we don't forget it, but we move on to new thngs. It is not good to become all too attached to what we are doing/have done/will be doing.

Life is for the living - and we need to dream, and live, to our fullest potential.

(c) August 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Proofreadng, Submitting, Promoting

2010-08-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

In a very good place with my current project – it is written, put together in order (don’t ask!), and ready for proofreading. Then I have to code it and get it out to my editor. I am really, really pleased with the way that this is turning out. Everything is coming together, there are no loose threads, and I think it will stand on its own. Whew!

Now my partner and I (I wrote the book, she is both artist and author for the Tarot deck that accompanies it) are looking at promotional venues. I am looking at blogging, and getting a professional Face Book page up, as the book/deck set will not be available until fall 2011. I think I may also get some articles out there on the subject, linking back to my blog and my site, as well as my Face Book page.

I want to have my author Twitter site feed into my author Face Book page, and possibly my author site. (Coding and I do not tend to get along too well!)

A great source of information for both getting your work up, and promoting it, is Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s site - http://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/. Carolyn offers both books and services related to writing and promoting books. She helped me get my last Tarot book up on http://Amazon.com, for which I will forever be grateful! She can be found on Face book, and on Twitter (@frugalbookpromo.

Off to plan out the rest of my Sunday!

It's All In The Process

2010-07-20T02:29:00.000-07:00

I am on the home stretch in finishing my first book that is actually going to a brick and mortar publisher (Schiffer Books). I started out with a firm idea of what I wanted to say, and that has not flagged. Content and chapter organization were not a problem. However, I did hit a stretch of time where I was not writing – thinking that I had “plenty of time” to get this book out.

Needless to say, now I have to push to get it done in time! I still have the time to do that, and the writing is going well, so I’m not all that concerned. What I have found is that at one point I had to take out a section that would have repeated itself in all twelve chapters, and give it separate space (to hit a somewhat limited word count), Then a couple of chapters later I found that I wanted to add a small section on to bring each chapter to a more definitive close.

I am also working with a collaborator (my book will be coming out with an accompanying Tarot deck that, while it is part of the set, is completely separate project wise) to set up a specific marketing tool on her site. This caused me momentary angst (I am not a techie, the marketing tool is relatively high tech), but my collaborator volunteered to place it on her site, and her techies are working with it. It is now up and looks great, than heavens! (Not quite ready to go public, though.)

My mind is wandering (with intent, but still wandering) into the area of promotion and marketing. The book/deck set will not be available until fall 2011, but, as a Cappie (Capricorn), I like to plan ahead … way ahead! I am looking at blogs , Podcasts and Internet radio at this time. Not even thinking about in store appearances (I am not a public person – the thought of in store appearances gives me ulers!).

I also have to think about how I want the page for this book on my site to look. It needs more than a photo of the cover, a few clever wrds and a couple of purchasing links. I am thinking about releasing a template for working with the material in this book (Tarot Birth Cards), as well as one chapter.

So much to do … so little time!

© July 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Finding Your Voice

2010-07-06T02:16:00.001-07:00

Help! I need to find my voice! Fortunately, that is a problem that I have never had as a writer –whether I am writing articles, reviews, or stories, I always hear the voice that is mine. If I step back, it comes forward and shapes the words for me. While the foundation is the same, my voice will vary, depending on what I am writing – but it always stays true to who I am.

How do we define this voice that we write with? It is how we say what we want to say. If we are not true to who we are, to the “how” of writing, our words not only will not flow, they will sound forced and “not true”. We need to be able to articulate our feelings, to put our emotional sense about an issue on paper. We need to be able to write with transparency, and feel comfortable doing so.

Our voice consists of the words that we use, the punctuation that we use, how we develop our characters, how we present the dialogue

Go back and reread the writers that you admire. What about their sense of writing feels comfortable to you? Try writing in the different styles that you are attracted to until you find the ones that you feel best express who you are as a person. Our writing is out there for the world to see – knowing this, we need to be able to look in the mirror and feel proud of the person staring back at us!

Write – above all, write. Keep a journal, write a blog, write stories, write books, do writing exercises – keep writing! As you explore different voices, you will begin to recognize that inner feeling of “This is it!” And this will very naturally differ from project to project. Allow the project to help determine the voice, and you will do well.

Another key is to reread several different projects that you have done. A true voice will carry from project to project – it may be presented in a slightly different manner, but the sense of who you are will carry through in all of your work. This, above all, is the importance of voice.

Step out of your own way, and let the writing begin!

© July 2910 Bonnie Cehovet

e-Books and e-Boook Readers

2010-07-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

e-Books and e-Book Readers

Six months ago I was still in a state on indecision about e-books, and whether they were going to be part of my writer’s life or not. With the release of the iPad ( hugely successful!), one stumbling block has been removed – the price of the e-book readers! Kindle (Amazon.com) has gone from $259 to $189. The Kindle reader is now marketed through Target stores. There is also a free Kindle application for computers, the iPhone and the Blackberry. I have used it on my laptop, and it works well.

Barnes and Noble has a wi-fi Nook e-book reader for $149. The price of the 3G compatible Nook has dropped from $259 to $199.

Sony has an e-reader that comes in three versions, ranging from $349.99 to $169.99.

What this means for us as writer’s is that the affordability (and availability) of the reading devices makes it easier for us to reach a larger audience – and make more sales! The upside is that e-books are relatively easy to format and put in place. The downside – the formatting is not the same for the various e-book readers.

Create Space (http://createspace.com) formats material for print books for Amazon.com, and for e-books through Kindle. I have one project out through this format, and I found it very easy to do, with my book up on the site almost immediately.

Smashwords (http://smashwords.com) utilizes software that formats material for several different e-formats, including those compatible with Kindle, iPad, Nook and Sony. To reach a larger audience, wit the least amount of work possible, I am seriously contemplating working with Smashwords on my next e-books. A free Smashwords Style Guideline e-book can be downloaded here -http://www.smashwords.com/books/download/52/1/latest/0/0/smashwords-style-guide.pdf. An excellent interview on how Smashwords works can be seen here - http://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com/book_marketing_maven/2010/04/how-to-make-your-books-available-in-multiple-ebook-formats-interview-with-mark-coker-of-smashwords.html. A big take-away for me from this interview were two things – Smashwords services are free, and their “take” from the sales is only 15%.

From my point of view, e-books are something that as authors we can get out in minimal time, get decent exposure, and get our names known. I love print books – they will always be a part of my life, but e-books have a solid (and growing) base.

Here’s to the future!

© July 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

A World In Transition

2010-06-20T03:48:00.000-07:00

The publishing world is in transition. E-books and self-published books are no longer only for niche markets, they are recognized as legitimate ways for authors to get their material out to the public. Does this mean that publishing has suddenly become easy? Well, not exactly. Any path that an author takes to publish their work has a certain amount of responsibility to it.

Edit your work, for a start. Punctuation, spelling, flow of thought – once you have gone through and made your changes, have someone else edit it. Bit the bullet, and have it professionally edited. It is not hard to hit Google and find someone to work with here. This is excellent use of time and funds – as authors, we are too close to our work, and can easily miss significant errors/

Format your work for the venue that it is going into. E-book, POD, self-publishing sites like Create Space – they all have a specific format hat they want material submitted in. Follow their format, and you won’t have as many problems. Not being a techie, my learning curve may be greater than most people’s. However, I do get there in the end. And when I do, I can look back and see that if I had read the formatting requirements closely the first time, I would not have had any problems. If all else fails … read the directions!

Fine tune your bio, and the blurb that goes on the back cover. These two things may make the difference between your book selling, and your book not selling. Oh, and that front cover … pay attention to color, font size and type, and imagery. Your cover needs to reflect the tone of your book – it should attract the type of reader that can use the material that you are offering, whether it is technical advice or the next number one fiction best seller.

Understand that marketing is your responsibility, and that you need to think about how you are going to market your material at the same time your are creating it – and not after the fact. Look to your own strengths, and then research how you can use these strengths in a marketing campaign. And those uber important social networking sites? Please treat them with respect! Build a following by providing content, and continue to provide content, making your followers feel that they are a part of the process of creating your product, whatever it is. Under no circumstances do you want to spam them with a thousand messages to go buy your book! Treat your list as you wish to be treated. See how your favorite authors are handling their promotions, then model yourself after them.

We all have stories to tell – it is time to tell yours!

© June 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

Self-Publishing

2010-06-05T05:20:00.000-07:00

On June 3rd, the WSJ (Wall Street Journal) ran a wonderful article on “Vanity Press” – authors that choose to publish outside of the traditional publishing house structure. While the big publishing houses are taking note of this phenomenon, they don’t necessarily give it credence. According to the WSJ, things that the big publishing houses take into consideration are the fact that self-published titles tend to “disappear”, due, in part, to poor editing and lack of reviews. (Note to self: Start researching possible review venues!)

On-line self-publishing is starting to look like an entirely different story. There are resources being offered for hiring a publicist, or a marketing specialist, finding a freelance editor and even distribution venues. It takes a little money, but could make the difference between a book making an impact or not.

As digital self-publishing becomes more popular, the process, and the rewards, are being fine-tuned. One of these rewards, of course, would be the percentage of the sale that goes to the author. Bottom line for most of us. Several different self-publishing venues were highlighted in this article:

Amazon.com CEO for Amazon.com is Jeff Bezos. The product offered is Kindle Digital Text Platform, which offers the opportunity for both authors and publishers to upload e-books for sale on Amazon.com. The main reader for this venue is the Kindle e-reader. According to the WSJ, later this month (June, 2010) 70% of the price of the book will go to authors.

Barnes & Noble CEO for Barnes & Noble is William Lynch. According to this article, later this summer (2010) authors and publishers will be able to upload books to Barnes & Nobles e-bookstore through a venue entitled Publit. The main reader for this venue is Nook. To date, no revenue share terms have been announced.

Apple CEO for Apple is Steve Jobs. Authors can upload and distribute their work through the Apple iBookstore. The main reader for this venue is the iPad (with the iPhone soon to follow, according to this article). Authors receive 70% of the price of the e-book.

LuLu CEO for Lulu is Bob Young. Lulu is both a print and digital self-publishing company. There is no charge for publishing, but the company does offer a range of services that are charged for. It is up to the author to decide what they want to work with. Lulu.com takes 20% of the revenue from each sale.

Smashwords Mark Coker is founder of Smashwords. This site offers a digital distribution platform which supports a variety of e-bookstores, including Sony, Apple and Barnes & Noble. Authors receive 85% of the net proceeds from the sale of their e-books.

FastPencil CEO of FastPencil is Steve Wilson. FastPencil offers social networking features for authors to simplify the process of writing and creating books. The site also offers services for publishing in both print and e-book format.

Scribd CEO for Scribd is Trip Adler. Scribd offers publiscation of documents that can be read online or on a range of mobile devices.Authors can give their e-books away for free, or sell them on the site. Authors get an 80% share of revenue.

Author Solutions CEO for Author Solutions is Kevin Weiss. There are several imprints for this site, including AuthorHouse, iUniverse and Xlibirs. Authors are charged for preparing, marketing and selling their work.

My personal POV is that digital publishing has come into its own. I see it as having a solid, legitimate place in the future. Getting our work out there in the most economical manner possible is what we all want to do. We have choices to make, as authors – choices that now offer a wide landscape of possibilities.

May we all make our voices known!

Create Space

2010-06-03T02:58:00.000-07:00

I had heard of Create Space, and had friends publish there, but I wasn't sure if it was for me or not. As part of my reinventing my author "self", I created a Twitter identity for my work as an author (@bonniecehovet). In a conversation there with the amazing Carolyn Howard-Johnson, I found that I had some misconceptions about Create Space - the biggest one being how much it would cost me to get a book up.

I could do the basic prep work myself - format, add the page numbers, convert to PDF etc. This allowed me to put my book up (with ISBN number!) free! That's right - it did not cost me a penny! I chose to put it up on Amazon.com as a print book, and on Kindle as an e-book. In this way, I feel that it will reach a fairly large audience. It is a nich book (Tarot interviews), so the audience will be somewhat limited.

I just ordered a preview copy, and am hoping that I do not have to make any chnages. I used the site template for the book cover and back, and am very, very pleased with the result. I chose cream colored pages (which you can do if all that you have is text), which I think will make a "statement" presentation.

That I could get this out while working on a contracted book (for Schiffer Books) is to me absolutely amazing! The good word for the day - as authors, we can make things happen!

Knee Deep In ...

2010-05-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Knee deep in setting up my author page for Twitter (@BonnieCehovet) – have a fair start with publishers and marketers, now I need to add some authors!. I just realized that I should set up a separate author’s page for Face Book too – not sure that I want to do that, but I probably should. I choose to procrastinate on that!

I am actively promoting my first Tarot e-book, so that is a start. I was pleased to see some sales from the original promotion – now I need to build on that.

I am doing some flash writing for World Tarot Day, and I may do some flash writing for this blog, as well as look for flash writing contests in the mystery genre.

Writing continues on my Tarot print book – I am incredibly excited about this – my first print book! (I have been in Tarot anthologies before, but never a solo book.)

© May 2010 Bonnie Cehovet

What A Day!

2010-05-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

I absolutely cannot believe this! I tried to sign in to post a new blog - and my blog no longer existed! I had to set the whole darn thing up over again! The lovely template that I had been using no longer existed - not real happy about that. But, oh well, I am here again!

I have a Tarot e-book out - available from my site, http://bonniecehovet.com. It is entitle "Women In Tarot", and is a series of nterviews that I have done over the years with women in the Tarot field that are making an impact.

I have an upcoming POD book ready to go that will include most of the interviews that I have done over the year with Tarot artists and authors. I have to get the funding together for that, at which time it will go on Createspace.

I have also inked a contract with Schiffer Books for a Tarot/Empowerment crossover book that will be coming out in the fall of 2011. It is based on Tarot Birth Cards, using the two card system. I will be writing more here about that as time goes on.

I have a second book in mind to submit to Schiffer Books after the first one is in - not quite ready to talk about the content here, other than to say that it will be based on the Major Arcana.

I am still looking at the mystery fiction market - more than likely stories at first, and then full ut novels.

Stay tuned!