Lesson 52

Lesson 52
Finale
 
Happy New Year! A few more days to close out the year, and I just want to say that I have had fun. Did you make your New Year’s resolution, yet? Did you start it, yet? I am going to try and buckle down on my writings, and drawings. Many years have come and gone, rushing by us like a freight train through our busy lives. My books are plentiful, and our grandson will be finishing his second trimester in his fourth year in college. We are so proud. I have like thirty books written, sitting on my desk for five years now, and still not published. (Artwork, you know on some.)

With-in the blink of an eye, it seems like just yesterday, 38 years ago, I watched my first born take his first breath. Now I must follow my own path, such as they, and continue to get my many books published, and in your hands. Hopefully I can do this, this coming year. The copyrights have been filed, and the covers are being made. Watch for future posts and listing in the up-coming months for these new releases.
I want to take time to thank you for this opportunity to share my thoughts with you. I wish you all the great success that you are looking for. May all your dreams be fulfilled in the up-coming new year, and make sure to friend me on Facebook if you haven’t, so we can stay in touch.
If you have any questions, or want some help, please feel free to send me an email or FB PM. Not to say that I can help, but I am always willing to try. When your book is on the market, let me know, so I can help by passing it along to others. We all need that word-of-mouth advertising that doesn’t cost a thing accept kindness.
I know that I still do not know a lot, and I still need plenty of help when it comes to this electronic box called the computer. I am lucky that I can type, let alone right click, save, switch format, copy, paste, and all the other do-dads this thing can do. I watched videos, stopped, and started over and over, and still it alludes me. By the time I need to do it all over again, I have forgotten, so I have to find that video, again. THANK YOU, Dave, and Dale, and Keith for all the great videos that help us struggling authors. 48 hour books also has great help videos. You guys gave from the bottom of your hearts after doing all the struggle on your own. Also, thank you to all the people who post their thoughts on Pinterest to share for free.
Always remember if you watch or read other stuff that helps, always give them a like, a comment, or a share. Even if you subscribe, it is only an email sent to let you know of new content. Some may want you to sign up for a sale, but you don’t have to. Just use their free advice.
As I said before, we could watch and read all day long for years, and never write again, because there is so much help. Pick and choose what will help you, and write on. Don’t worry about time, and enjoy the gift that you want to share with the world. Read or skim through books to give yourself pointers on how they did it, and if it is right for your style, or your book, use it.
I have seen some funky, weird, and outrageous books on the market, in book stores, published by Name Brand Publishers that would not even give me the time of day, and they turn these books out there. Many children’s books are published by their very own INHOUSE AUTHORS, and they don’t take outsiders unless you published them yourself, and made oodles of sales with the first book from your series. $$$ I don’t worry about them any more now that I have found Amazon free publishing. And why would you go with them if you already are making great sales?
Like the movie, Field of Dreams, “Build it, and they will come.” I say, “Write it, and they will read,” but only if you get it published. It does no good in your desk drawer for thirty years, like my, Day of the Cross, and the first, The Wild Boys, A Space Adventure. Both are out, and with both, I have written more. My characters love me, and don’t want to sit in a drawer, anymore. People love my work, and ask for more, even if it is not their genre of chose that they normally read.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, and write your book. Get it edited, copyrighted to protect your work, and publish in your own way that you see fit. This is your year to shine. Market, and boast, draw attention to not only your book, but to yourself. People want to know the person behind those words. They can only be your friend if you let them into your life.
You Tube started a lot of careers. Use all the free media that you can find. I am still working on it, Mr. Computer illiterate, shy, unsocial wall flower, me. But I Write, and want to share. Who could ask for more?
I hope that something I passed along has helped you, or at least given you a good laugh throughout the year. I hope to see all of your books up and selling soon. Send me a post, so I can share your great news, which I will, and I wish you all the best.
 
Good-bye for now, and NOW, Get To Work.
 
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I found this lost in my back pages of my note books and want to share before I go. It is how to say some things correctly. Don’t remember where or from who, but here it is.
 
FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED (a D at the end)
I could care less / WRONGI couldn’t care less / correct
Have a talk with I / WRONGHave a talk with me / correct
Me and Jane / WRONGJane and I / correct
He is a shoe in / WRONGHe is a shoo-in / correct
He emigrated from Europe /correctHe immigrated to the U.S. / correct
Water heater / NOT HOT water heater
Bare-faced lie / WRONGBald face lie / correct
Through the ringer /WRONGThrough the wringer / correct
He had free rein of the house / correctNip it in the bud / correct
Tide me over / correct                        Sleight of hand as in magic / correct
Hone, or honed in on his location /WRONG
Home, or homed in on his location / correct
Waiting with bated breath / Peace of mind / Whet your appetite / make do
Due diligence / When worse comes to worst. / Piqued my interest
Must of have/ WRONG / should have, must have, would have, could have
Per say / WRONGPer se / correct
All of a sudden / BADSuddenly /correct
Unthaw that there stuff / WRONGUn-thaw that stuff / Better
First year anniversary / Redundantfirst anniversary
Chock full / throes of passion / moot point / forte, is not my strength
Etcetera / deep seated / a sneak peek / forehead
TITLES: Letters like CNN / CBS /NBC /USA [capitalize]
Newsweek / Time / Home And Garden [cap and italic]
Movie titles [Italic]“Book titles” [set in quotes]
Italic album title / “quotation, Song Title”
Percent sign [the number and word, 5 percent / not five, not 5%, unless it is a science or stat book]
Years / 1980s or it was in the ‘80s / 1982 was a good year.
Chris hat [they like ’s after a s, not just Chris’ hat]
This one is Stupid to me. Joe lay down on his bed. [sounds like a command.]Joe laid the cards across the table. [why can’t they both be laid, because a person lays himself and cards are placed. Ridiculous]
Describe characters more: height, weight, hair, facial features, body, clothes, hair color, stance, physical traits, mannerisms, etc. / keep this up throughout the whole book if expression, clothes, or attitude changes.
Indent paragraph .3 preferred, no more than .5 / spacing not recommended between paragraphs.
Little pause / use emdash. Wow can’t believe that. Two spaces, no space before next word.
Characters Thoughts: Italic / no “”s
Avoid Hyphens / and use word-search, and merrian-webster.com
I think that’s it. I know I am wrong, of course there is more. Now rip your book apart, and add, fix, and correct.
 
Hope this helps, and I am happy to share. Have a wonderful New Year. Buy, Bye.