%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |   Exploring the future through the present. One day at a time. |
| I received the following email this morning from Booksurge: Hi Andra, Thanks for submitting your files. We have reviewed them and there is one concern that needs to be addressed before we can move forward. The page numbers on all left hand (even) pages appear on the inside (gutter) margins. This is fine as long as it is your intention. Please note each book begins on the right hand page. You may choose to move forward with the page numbers in the gutter margins, but we will need your explicit permission to do so. Your cover file looks fine and will not need to be resubmitted. Please let us know how you wish to proceed. Thanks again, Andra! We look forward to hearing from you and getting your work print ready! Have a wonderful day! I’m impressed and grateful they noticed that detail. It’s one I never even considered. After looking at other books, sure enough, the page number is either centered or on the outside margin. I could have left it, but I decided it will look better with the numbers on the outside. After playing with WordPerfect, I figured out how to modify my headers and alternate the location of the page numbers. I love WordPerfect. I’ve used it since the 90s when it had that lovely blue screen and yellow text. It’s much more intuitive and robust than Word. But since I’m at work, I will have to wait until tonight to resubmit my manuscript. It shouldn’t delay the printing for more than a day or two, I hope. Yesterday I received an EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the IRS. Applying for it online was super easy — scarily easy. It took all of three minutes to answer all the questions and receive my number. I want to keep track of all my writing expenditures and payments, and keep them separate from my personal. Right now, I’m accruing only expenditures, so I won’t owe any taxes as far as that goes. I may even owe less to the IRS this year because I can deduct it all. Speaking of expenditures, I need to spend more and purchase pens and bookmarks to give away as a marketing tool. Thanks to Voxxylady  for the internet links.Dang they sure to make you order a lot! 100 at least depending on the style of pen and bookmark. I hope it doesn’t take 50 years to get rid of them all. I don’t think I’ll live that long. Or if I do, I may not remember what they’re for. |
| One nice thing about blogs: the ability to vent to the world and have the world comment on it. One bad thing about blogs: ditto. This election season gives perfect examples of why blogs are horrid things. We ‘discuss’ the candidates and issues of the day, and due to passion on both sides, it many times turns ugly. I fear I lost at least one friendship over it, and I’ve no one to blame but myself. I didn’t write any entries on politics. I avoid it for the reason above, but I commented in other people’s blogs that did discuss it. I should have kept my mouth shut - or in this case, my laptop shut. Politics isn’t worth the friction caused between friends. I admire those who write political entries. They often take the chance for disparate points of view, and yet are able to defend their positions time and again. Same goes for those who comment. It takes courage to take the heat for their point of view. It takes much research to be able to back them up. I have neither the courage nor wherewithal for either. That’s why I prefer to discuss religion or faith. I have confidence in my knowledge, and confidence in my faith enough I can defend it. I’ve also learned to not take opposing views personal. Politics, not so much. Sigh. This happens every four years, and will happen again four years from now, darn it. November 5th I plan on a party, no matter who succeeds to the White House. Want to join me? There will be lots of food and wine — mostly wine. Note: Not one minute before I posted this entry, I received an email from one of the friends in question that assured me I've not alienated them. I can't describe how relieved I am. The party is still on, though! |
| And no, I don't mean politics. At least not for this entry. As usual I'm talking about me. Me, me, me, me, it's all about ME! Ahem. Sorry about that. Too much coffee this morning. Did I mention something about insanity? Yep, I think it's showing. To further my journey down insanity's path, I decide to tackle Nanwrimo again this year. The story I have in mind is another jumping point to what I hope will lead to another trilogy (when my first trilogy isn't even finished, yet). Actually, nano will help me retain some of my sanity. It'll make the waiting time for my book to be printed and made available for sale easier to endure. I submitted my manuscript to Booksurge Friday night. I've been a good girl, and not looked at either my book cover or my manuscript. Why stress myself out with finding mistakes I've missed? It is what it is now. If I missed errors, the only thing I can do about it is pray no one will notice. It's one of those cases where ignorance is bliss. |
| I was a little bored. Okay, not bored so much as not wanting to work. It's Friday afternoon, can you blame me? Now what was I going to say? Oh, yeah, I was a little bored (wasting time) so I perused some of my older items. I found the article I wrote in the January, 2007 edition of "Invalid Item"  ("Rumble in Blogville" if you're interested, and want to waste a little time yourself).I added a quote from an article in the January, 2007 issue of "The Writer", Page 9: “Contrary to general belief, there are no writers starving in garrets today because their material is too good for general consumption. These small fictions are set up by the unsuccessful to save their own pride; and because we are a kindly and even a pitiful people, we have allowed them to stand. Actually, so vast is the appetite today for the printed word, so wide its intellectual range, that there is no reason why any good writing product, intelligently produced and skillfully marketed, should fail to find readers.” ~ Mary Roberts, The Writer, January 1937 Sage words for me right now. With my ISBN now in hand, I have zero reason to not submit my manuscript and cover (that's the book cover, not cover my head in shame and terror). Yet I'm looking for that reason . . . I know, read the quote above, take a deep breath and submit! |
| I spent some money yesterday. I set up a Booksurge account for my book. Now I wait for my ISBN number. Once I receive that and plop it into my manuscript I send it off to be published. I'm still scared. After that, to help sell it, I figured bribery is in order. I'm thinking of setting up a small contest. Everyone who signs up to receive updates on my website blog will be entered into the contest. Prizes? I'm still working on that, although the grand prize will be an autographed copy of my book along with something else. Perhaps a gift certificate somewhere. I don't plan on spending oodles of cash on any of the prizes, because, well, I ain't got much cash available. If you have prize ideas not exceeding $10 per, let me know. Now for more pictures of Thomas:  He likes gnawing on carrots. I think they feel good on his gums.  He loves the camera.  He loves playing with blankets. He giggles every time I bury him in one.  "I got teeth and I'm not afraid to use them!" |
| karabu suggested this morning I add RSS feed capability to my other blog, so she can be reminded of when I make an addition. I thought it was a great idea, because I, too, can be forgetful and not check up on my favorite websites to see if anything's been added or changed. In true geeky fashion, I spent the last 2-1/2 hours doing just that. Wow. It was a bit more complicated than I thought. Once I figured it out though, the process was obvious. I didn't stop there! I added an email notification system, so whenever I add a new entry, subscribers will be notified by the end of that day. I have a headache now. But it was well worth it. Last night I added a forum (stealing an idea from Voxxylady 's website). There's not much by way of posts, but everything begins humbly. If nothing happens with it, no matter. It's not taking up bunches of space. If I do need it eventually, it's there.You can check both out at http://www.almarquardt.com/blog and http://www.almarquardt.com/forum Again, I welcome any suggestions. Oh, and FYI. Unless I really like a particular entry, the entries I write here and at the other site will be different. I don't want to repeat myself with readers who read both. |
| My website says in part: “Part of my frustration stemmed from many science fiction, and even some labeled as Christian fiction, books writing about a higher power of creation as an ethereal "force" or "universe". I figured if "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), then there's no reason God would change or disappear into the background in the far future. My books assume God is just as engaged, and even the Bible still exists and is changing people's lives.” partyof5  commented yesterday: “I can't help but believe, as you do, that writing is supposed to be a part of that marketing for me. I still struggle with the notion that anything I write that's NOT directly about God might not be honoring that, but I think in my heart (and that's a God thing) that I'm wrong in that struggle.”Based on the excerpt from my website, do I say to partyof5 , “Yes, anything we write that does not directly speak about God dishonors him, his gifts to us, and our faith”?I turn to Jesus for the answer. When he preached to the people, he told stories about farmers, shepherds, described relationships between fathers and sons, and the farmer and his land. Why? Because these subjects most people could relate to. The vast majority of people then, and even today, have little to no scholarly knowledge of scripture. To speak religiously and with religious jargon would have met with blank stares. Jesus would not have accomplished what he set out to do - to share the Good News of salvation with the entire world. Therefore we can also write in parables, to share a message or moral truth through our stories and characters. God doesn’t always have to play a direct role. What matters whether or not readers gain something positive from it that perhaps betters their life in some way. To take it a bit further, do we have to add a message or truth to everything we write? Let’s take humor as an example. Not all humor contains a message – a truth, definitely, whether it be the befuddlement of men with regard to women and vice versa, the antics of children and animals, how silly things we do from day to day, the list is endless. Humor is an integral part of our psyche. Without laughter, life is not worth living. Some have suggested laughter is not all that important. It could even lead us to sin, because we then belittle God by not taking him and life as serious as we should. After all, the shortest verse in the Bible is “Jesus wept” not “Jesus laughed.” Did Jesus laugh? I say yes, and here's why: His first miracle was changing water into wine at a wedding feast (John 2:10). With a little wine, and yes even drunkenness comes much laughter. If Jesus did not participate in the celebration with laughter, he would have certainly stood out. Being that his “time had not yet come,” (2:4) standing out was not something he wanted. “One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, ‘Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?’ “Jesus replied, ‘Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’” (Matthew 9:14-15) Jesus was accused multiple times for eating and drinking with so-called sinners. That suggests to me that he enjoyed having a good time. I think it boils down to this: “So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” (Matthew 18:8-9) As an aside, I’m glad we don’t take that passage literal. If we did, I’d be a blind, deaf mute with no arms or legs. If whatever we write leads us or others away from God, then we dishonor him. Anything that teaches us more about God, his character and his creation, or simply lightens our spirit for a time when we desperately need it (take the current election season as an example), then it’s honorable in his eyes. That includes (but is not limited to) humorous pieces, horror, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and scientific essays that explore God’s creation. I’ll even add erotica, because even the Bible contains erotica such as Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon depending upon the translation). Whether or not our writing meets that criteria is between us and God. As long as the Spirit resides within us, he will tell us if our words glorify him or not. |
| Randy Ingermanson wrote a funny and thoughtful article about what we, as writers, sometimes expect of Jesus. I recommend you read it before you continue reading my entry. I'll wait. http://www.christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/biz_rooney.html You're back already? Dang you read fast! I found it profound in that I tend to depend on Jesus to be my publicist. As "Sam" pointed out, Jesus' job description does not include going out to market our work. In fact the reverse is true. God calls us to be his publicist. In the Old Testament he used the Prophets. In the New Testament, he used the disciples, and all those who followed after Jesus' death including Paul. It's a partnership, and our duty is to share with others who Christ is. For me that's through my writing (in part). To not fulfill my responsibility in this partnership with God means I'm not living up to the potential he planned for me. God does lead us in a particular direction - if we're paying close attention to his nudges. Ever have days when confidence is in short supply, and you're fine with that? Sometimes I don't want to be happy. I don't want to believe what I do, or write in this case, is worth anything. Let's just keep things as they are, forget about publishing. My writing isn't good enough. And that's okay. Ha! God refused to allowed that, darn him. I mentioned earlier how I was chosen as one of WDCs Angel Army's Port Raid Author of the Month. It has resulted in many excellent reviews. Most have included blush-inducing praise as well as suggestions. I think it's one of God's little nudges that says, "See, you do have talent. What are you waiting for? Get those words out there! You're one of my publicists, remember? I gave you the tools, now use them." I guess it's time to spend some money and get my novella sent to the printers. To start. Man, I have some serious work ahead of me! |
| Brand new blogger, gennivre, described in her first blog entry "Invalid Entry" her earliest memory. It reminded me of my own first memory: My dad was carrying me along a narrow aisle with seats on either side of me. My first plane ride. I was quite happy because I wore my favorite outfit (I think I even got to choose it for the trip). It was dark green with white birds patterned all around, elastic-gathered short-sleeved shirt and shorts. I was excited about the trip until I saw my older sister grab the seat by the window. I complained to my Dad about it. "You'll get the window on the trip back," he said. "And after we take off you can get out of your seat and look out the window." That appeased me, so I sat happily in my seat and my dad strapped me in. I then watched as my parents took their seats in the row ahead of us. The last thing I remember was the push into my seat as the plane took off, and me straining my neck to look out the window. I was 18 months old, and we were taking a trip from Colorado to California to visit my mom's parents. I remember nothing of the visit, or even whether or not I sat in the window seat on the way back. Knowing me and how stubborn I could be, I did. I often wonder what Thomas' first memory will be. I hope it's a happy one. What was your first memory? |
| Technology, specifically the internet, is a game. There are those who use it for fun, others for business. Then there are the predators, those who seek to steal something from you, whether it be buying an item from ebay or absconding with your credit card number. It's a game in that we (the good people) need to constantly be aware of these predators and take steps to protect ourselves and our information. I had to relearn that lesson this week. I went to Walmart the other day, and my credit card was denied. Of course, the cashier didn't know why. Neither did I, because I wasn't even close to my limit. The first thing I did when I got home was check my account online. There staring at me were three charges adding up to almost $400 that were not mine. EEEK! I immediately called up my credit card company, and within 10 minutes, they canceled the charges and closed that account so the theif couldn't charge anymore. I love my credit card company (Bank of America in case you're interested). In fact, one of their selling points is a proactive approach to fraudulent charges. They met that pitch and then some. Within a few days I will receive a new card. They will also send me an affidavit to sign and notarize that those charges were not mine, and I would assist in any way possible during the investigation. Whew! One less thing to think about. Although I do need to call them again. They removed a charge that was mine, so they need to put it back. Better they went too far than not far enough, I say. The attack on my financial wellbeing didn't end there. I received an email from paypal saying there was a problem with my account. The graphics were perfect when compared to other emails I've received from them, so I clicked on it, going so far as entering my username and password. Big mistake! I realized as soon as I hit [Submit], I made a serious boo-boo. I went to paypal and forwarded said email to their spoof address. Within minutes they verified it was indeed a phishing email. Before I received the confirmation, I not only changed my password, but my default email address as well. In the end, I escaped two internet predators by the skin of my teeth (when did teeth ever have skin?) From now on I will be extra careful with how I use the internet - and email. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
.
