Noble Pen Meeting

December 3rd, 2009
Happy Chef, 1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

Give a man a fire and keep him warm for a day. Light a man on fire and he will be warm for rest of his life.
–Terry Pratchett, Jingo

I have tried to respect history and geography wherever doing so served my purposes as a novelist, but wherever it did not I have, cheerfully or with regret, ignored them
–Michael Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Author’s Note

Victories

As of the writing of this email, I have Nanoed 46,000 words and have three days left. I also sent out some query letters and got some uncomplicated rejections, one of which said, I was “too far out there.” They don’t know the half of it.

Also, I saw Max Allen Collins last weekend at Mystery Cat Books. I put myself on their waiting list so I can be more pro-active in getting out information about their guests so we can support our local bookstore.

George’s dreams of becoming a real employee may be coming true. But every time he uses windows, his nose grows.

News

Last week, I found Genreality, a multi-author blog focusing on making schlubs like us better writers.

That was quick. Barnes and Noble has already sold it’s holiday supply of Nooks.

Who says guilds are useless. The RWA got Harlequin to take the Harlequin name off of their horribly ill-conceived vanity press branch.

Upcoming Schedule

Thursday, December 3rd. Happy Chef, 7pm Welcome and Victories, 7:30pm Critique

Shannon – Hard Luck, Chapter Eight. I should have this on my website by tomorrow night, or email me.

Ciuin – email her. I believe we’re looking at more Petty Theft rewrites?

The Future is wide open

See, I used a line that is a lyrics in a Tom Petty song, but I didn’t link to a youtube video of that song. I really don’t know why.

Keep Writing

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

November 19th, 2009
Happy Chef, 1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

That man won’t quit as long as he can still draw a breath. None of my teammates will. Me? I’ve got a different problem. I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard, always taking constant care not to break something, to break someone. Never allowing myself to lose control even for a moment, or someone could die. But you can take it, can’t you, big man? What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose and show you just how powerful I really am.
—Superman, Justice League Unlimited

Thank You

Sharon Helgens gave a great talk Thursday night about dealing with rejections and submissions, about finding the niche for your writing, and about all the work that goes into writing for the short story market. Hopefully, she can stop by again.

Victories

The Usher’s Ferry people recommended Ciuin to an editor to do a book on Gypsies in Iowa.  She also made a great contact at a Holocaust presentation at the U of I. But she did have some bad news: her GPS unit is making dangerous suggestions.

I have written 20,000 words so far for Nano. I also wrote a 2 page synopsis for Call of the Beast in case agents want it with my queries. My wrists are bleeding. Is this Stigmata? I hope not–I really didn’t like that movie.

Julie finished a scientific paper she is hoping to sell to a medical journal. She explained to us what it was about, but our eyes glazed over, which ironically is one of the symptoms.

News

I found this great web site on fiction tropes.

Amazon has created a PC Kindle app, opening the Kindle market to anyone with a PC, a Kindle or an iPhone. This is great news because some out-of-print books can be obtained for $1 or $2 in the Kindle format–even though it sucks reading on a computer.

Children’s book agents are mean. Okay, maybe harshly realistic would be the fair assessment.

Upcoming Schedule

Thursday, November 19. Happy Chef, 7pm Welcome and Victories, 7:30pm

No Critique

Nanowrimo write-in. Bring your laptop. Stay as long as you want.

Thursday, November 26th, Thanksgiving – no meeting.

Thursday, December 3rd. Happy Chef, 7pm Welcome and Victories, 7:30pm Critique

Shannon – Hard Luck, Chapter Eight.

Ciuin

Keep Writing

Shannon

Noble Pen Meeting

November 12th, 2009
Happy Chef, 1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

“Correctly formulated, the Law [of Fives] is: All phenomena are directly or indirectly related to the number five, and this relationship can always be demonstrated, given enough ingenuity on the part of the demonstrator.”
-The Illuminatus!

If I were 27 and trying to publish my first novel today I might be tempted to shoot myself.
–John Irving, November 5th, 2009

Victories

Cuiun is doing a modified Nano. She’s also getting an A in Russian, which is probably more like a Pi symbol and a backwards R.

I sent out twelve query letters last week, and I have started Nano. Huh, that’s odd. My eyes are bleeding.

Adam correctly identified the change of seasons.

News

A fifth (5th) Shrek movie is being made. Really.

The controversy over Google Books continues.

The Intern is doing revision tips for the month of November.

Simon and Schuster is allowing reviewers to download their ARCs–that’s Advance Reader Copies in case you don’t know. ARCs are like a rough-cut of the book.

Mike Huckabee has written a book of short stories about Christmas. He will be signing books at the Collins Rd. Barnes and Noble on Sunday.

Upcoming Schedule

Thursday, November 12. Happy Chef, 7pm Welcome and Victories

No Critique

Talk and reading by Sharon Helgens — See website announcement for more details.

Thursday, November 19. Happy Chef, 7pm Welcome and Victories, 7:30pm

No Critique

Nanowrimo write-in. Bring your laptop. Stay as long as you want.

Thursday, November 26th, Thanksgiving – no meeting.

Thursday, December 3rd. Happy Chef, 7pm Welcome and Victories, 7:30pm

Shannon – Hard Luck, Chapter Eight.

Ciuin

Keep Writing

Shannon