Are You a Catfish or Do You Have a Catfish?
You may be wondering about that title about now. Yesterday I was listening to John Hagee on television. He gave an interesting example in his sermon that I will paraphrase here. He said that in the eastern United States when the cod fish industry was just beginning to get orders for their product in distant areas, they began by freezing the cod fish and sending them. The fish did not taste very good when the consumers prepared them so they went with plan B. They shipped them alive in water. If anything, they tasted worse. One of the men came up with an idea to try. He put a catfish in the water with the vat of cod fish. Catfish are natural enemies to cod fish. When they arrived they were better than fresh caught! The catfish kept them active and fresh.His point was that God gives us conflict to keep us fresh and alive. When I told Terry this story I informed him that I was changing his nickname to Catfish! He didn't say it but I think he was thinking the same thing about me.I have wondered why there is always some conflict whether large or small and nagging in my life. I guess it keeps me on my toes and on my knees. There is nothing like a crises to increase your prayer life. That is for sure. It shouldn't be that way, but let's face it; it is.Next time someone gets on your nerves just smile and think..."catfish".
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Narrator Choices, Cover Choices
Today I made the final choices for narrator of "Elk's Resolve". For this book we decided to go with a male voice because of the main charactor being male. We were asked to give our first, second, and third choice of narrator. My second choice was the woman who voiced "Nan's Journey". She did a great job and we were very pleased with her work. The narrative voices we chose from were very good and it was a difficult decision.
I also sent in our choice for the cover. It will be a sepia tone-similar to "Nan's Journey" with a tepee on it in place of the railroad tracks. I wanted the "flavor" of the books to be similar since they are in the same series. The official name of the series is "Nan's Heritage Series".
The next step will be layout and design. That will be paper choice, font and size. We will go with the same format as "Nan's Journey". I think that things are going very well. They will send me a mach up of the finished product for us to proofread. After that the audio team will send us the audio book to listen to and proof. When they sent us the proof of "Nan's Journey" I had to laugh. The narrator said, "Nan and Elmer put the dishes in the dishwasher." It should have been: "Nan and Elmer put the dishes in the dish water." I noted the change and they gladly fixed it. I have wondered what listeners would have thought if we hadn't changed it. I wonder if they would have noticed? That was a very fun process.
They offered to do a book trailer for me in lieu of the audio book, but we chose the audio cds. The reason for our decision is that we have about a half dozen close friends who depend on books presented audibly. They have been patiently waiting for "Elk's Resolve" to be made available on cd for them and we couldn't disappoint them. We have sold a number of the audio version and know that there is definitely a market for them. We will make a book trailer for it also. It will be somewhat like the one we have of "Nan's Journey".
I also sent in our choice for the cover. It will be a sepia tone-similar to "Nan's Journey" with a tepee on it in place of the railroad tracks. I wanted the "flavor" of the books to be similar since they are in the same series. The official name of the series is "Nan's Heritage Series".
The next step will be layout and design. That will be paper choice, font and size. We will go with the same format as "Nan's Journey". I think that things are going very well. They will send me a mach up of the finished product for us to proofread. After that the audio team will send us the audio book to listen to and proof. When they sent us the proof of "Nan's Journey" I had to laugh. The narrator said, "Nan and Elmer put the dishes in the dishwasher." It should have been: "Nan and Elmer put the dishes in the dish water." I noted the change and they gladly fixed it. I have wondered what listeners would have thought if we hadn't changed it. I wonder if they would have noticed? That was a very fun process.
They offered to do a book trailer for me in lieu of the audio book, but we chose the audio cds. The reason for our decision is that we have about a half dozen close friends who depend on books presented audibly. They have been patiently waiting for "Elk's Resolve" to be made available on cd for them and we couldn't disappoint them. We have sold a number of the audio version and know that there is definitely a market for them. We will make a book trailer for it also. It will be somewhat like the one we have of "Nan's Journey".
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Resolution/Resolve
Resolution/Resolve
Happy New Year 2009! Yep, it's that time again. New Year's resolutions. For the first time in my life I finally looked up what the word "resolution" is defined as in the dictionary. Webster's New World College dictionary says:resolution 1. a)the act or process of resolving something or breaking it up into its constituent parts or elements.2. a) resolving or determining; deciding b) the thing determined upon; decision as to future action; resolve3. a resolute quality of mind4. a formal statement of opinion or determination adopted by an assembly or other formal group 5. a solving, as of a puzzle, or answering, as of a question; solution6. that part of a play, novel, etc. in which the plot is explained or made clear7. Med. the subsidence or disapperance of swelling, fever, or other manifestation of disease.8. Music the passing of a dissonant chord or tone in a cord to a consonant cord or tone9. Physics te capability of an optical system or other imaging system, of making clear and distinguishable the separate parts or components of an object.If you are like me, that is a bit much! I suppose the New Year's Resolution falls under the #2 catagory, but it takes the resolute quality of mind to follow through along with the answering of a question. "What exactly am I resolving to do?" To follow through with a resolution you have to break it up into doable parts...and it helps to have and "assembly" of people to help you stay with it.My new book's name is "Elk's Resolve". Elk had to make a decision to overcome his circumstances and become his own man. He determined to not let the negative events in his life define him. Resolve is defined as fixed in purpose or intention. Sometimes it takes that kind of grit to step away from the knee jerk reactions and take the high road. In my experience that is easier said than done. Reactive words seem to hover at the tip of the tongue. Noble words seem to have to be sought out in the far recesses of the mind. (Am I alone here?)What are my goals or resolutions for 2009? That is tough but I will make a stab at it.1. I desire to grow closer to the Lord.2. I desire to be a sweeter wife and mother...grandmother...sister...friend..etc3. I want to improve my writing and marketing skills.4. I want to reach 5000 books sold for "Nan's Journey" and at least 2000 for "Elk's Resolve" by 2010.5. I want to submit Book III of Nan's Heritage Series to the publisher for consideration to the publisher before 2010.6. I want to do more speaking events and meet more readers this year.7. I want to get physically fit, thus, lose weight so that I can be stronger.8. I want to read 25 books this year.9. I want to finish book #4 and #5 before 2010.10. I want to open for whatever the Lord has in mind for me.How did I do with my goals for 2008?1. I sold 1119 copies of "Nan's Journey"2. I maintained my weight loss from the summer before although I did not lose the pounds I wanted to.3. Get out of debt...nope, still in there! That is something we are gaining on, but still have to work on.4. Read 24 books! Yea! I still have a stack of about 20 that I can't wait to get to.5. Write more. Yep, I was much more disciplined with that.How did you do?
Happy New Year 2009! Yep, it's that time again. New Year's resolutions. For the first time in my life I finally looked up what the word "resolution" is defined as in the dictionary. Webster's New World College dictionary says:resolution 1. a)the act or process of resolving something or breaking it up into its constituent parts or elements.2. a) resolving or determining; deciding b) the thing determined upon; decision as to future action; resolve3. a resolute quality of mind4. a formal statement of opinion or determination adopted by an assembly or other formal group 5. a solving, as of a puzzle, or answering, as of a question; solution6. that part of a play, novel, etc. in which the plot is explained or made clear7. Med. the subsidence or disapperance of swelling, fever, or other manifestation of disease.8. Music the passing of a dissonant chord or tone in a cord to a consonant cord or tone9. Physics te capability of an optical system or other imaging system, of making clear and distinguishable the separate parts or components of an object.If you are like me, that is a bit much! I suppose the New Year's Resolution falls under the #2 catagory, but it takes the resolute quality of mind to follow through along with the answering of a question. "What exactly am I resolving to do?" To follow through with a resolution you have to break it up into doable parts...and it helps to have and "assembly" of people to help you stay with it.My new book's name is "Elk's Resolve". Elk had to make a decision to overcome his circumstances and become his own man. He determined to not let the negative events in his life define him. Resolve is defined as fixed in purpose or intention. Sometimes it takes that kind of grit to step away from the knee jerk reactions and take the high road. In my experience that is easier said than done. Reactive words seem to hover at the tip of the tongue. Noble words seem to have to be sought out in the far recesses of the mind. (Am I alone here?)What are my goals or resolutions for 2009? That is tough but I will make a stab at it.1. I desire to grow closer to the Lord.2. I desire to be a sweeter wife and mother...grandmother...sister...friend..etc3. I want to improve my writing and marketing skills.4. I want to reach 5000 books sold for "Nan's Journey" and at least 2000 for "Elk's Resolve" by 2010.5. I want to submit Book III of Nan's Heritage Series to the publisher for consideration to the publisher before 2010.6. I want to do more speaking events and meet more readers this year.7. I want to get physically fit, thus, lose weight so that I can be stronger.8. I want to read 25 books this year.9. I want to finish book #4 and #5 before 2010.10. I want to open for whatever the Lord has in mind for me.How did I do with my goals for 2008?1. I sold 1119 copies of "Nan's Journey"2. I maintained my weight loss from the summer before although I did not lose the pounds I wanted to.3. Get out of debt...nope, still in there! That is something we are gaining on, but still have to work on.4. Read 24 books! Yea! I still have a stack of about 20 that I can't wait to get to.5. Write more. Yep, I was much more disciplined with that.How did you do?
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