In August, your challenge was to write about your summer vacation - through the eyes of a child/teenager - this child/teenager also has a vivid imagination and will probably grow up to be a writer! Make the teacher and class either listen in awe or roll their eyes.

Mercedes M. Yardley sent this winning entry:

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

My grandfather's a member of the mob. No, seriously. Out in Jersey. Only now he's hanging tight in one of the prisons out there. They got him for something completely non-mob related, something to do with salami, I think. That's how it works for these guys.

So my mom, she's all, "He was not selling bad salami, and Pops cannot got to the slammer!" So we all hop in the car and ditch this place, drive for Jersey. Dad's listening to NPR and Mom's all screaming about laws and dirty cops and how she's gonna have Uncle Lester really take care of the whole salami deal.

Me? They give me a gun. They really do. I'm good with it, too. I've been shooting at aluminum cans behind the Sonic every day. Just 'cause this is Ohio doesn't mean that a boy doesn't have to protect himself, because I do. The mob ties, and all that.

So we end up in Jersey, and Mom leaves us out in the car while she goes to talk to Uncle Lester. Dad's napping in the front seat, but I have my eyes open. I can feel it, you know. The danger. I know that the bad guys are gonna make a hit. I know that Mom's got them on their guard, asking questions. "Who sold the salami? Who did it?" Those are the kinds of questions that she's gonna be asking. And the bad mobsters will be all, "Uh oh, that dame's snooping into our racket." And then they'll shoot her with Dick Tracey guns. Only they won't because I'm there.

So I see a bunch of guys, they go into the grocery store after my mom. They don't look right, so I hop out of the car and go after them. I'm wearing my gun jammed down into my underwear, and I'm walking all quietly. They don't see me. But I see them, and they're watching my mom.

"That's her," one of them says, and he grabs out this noose that he must have made earlier. He's all lassoing it through the air like a cowboy, and I know that if it lands around Mom's neck, it's all over for her. So I go into action. I'm flying through the air all ninja style, and I gun them all down. Pow! Pow! Pow! Like that. Mom's all, "Oh my goodness!" and Uncle Lester calls me a hero. And this hottie in line, she's buying a bunch of candy bars; she gives me a huge kiss. And a Snickers. Because I saved them.

Grandpa called us from prison, told us not to really spread it around. It's okay if I tell the class and everything, but Mom and Dad are supposed to deny it. Grandpa told them to tell everybody that we spent the summer looking at butter churns in the museums, but that's not really true. But we're supposed to say that.

You know. For protection.

Mercedes M. Yardley lives in Las Vegas with her husband and two children. They all have blue eyes and zero mob connections. You can learn a little bit about her by going to: http://abrokenlaptop.wordpress.com

Blogging is hard. But keeping a regularly updated blog that always relates to your book in some way makes blogging a great way to continue expanding your audience. It's also a means of passing on information that is useful to your readers and provides them with something of value.

For me, the best way to do this is taking a 12-month calendar and finding topics for each month that relate to issues/themes discussed in the novel. I call this the "Blogging Calendar". Once you have brainstormed an initial calendar, start researching various possibilities on the Internet. The research process can also be the spark for additional topics you may not have considered.

Some of the themes in Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace were: alcoholism and chemical dependency, politics and voter awareness, divorce and child custody issues, health concerns, particularly ovarian cancer, Minnesota history and tourism, and writing and publishing trends. Some months are going to be easier to fill than others, but here are examples of how I started plotting out my blogging schedule.

March - Women's History Month

April - Alcohol Awareness Month

September - Labor Day, Ovarian Cancer Awareness

October - Ministry Appreciation Month, Domestic Violence Awareness, Grandparents Day

November - U.S. Presidential Election

Finding topics relevant to your book at least gives authors a starting point. In my case I also keep abreast of current events in the realms of politics and the writing/publishing industry. For example, I posted a blog on the Twin Cities hosting the GOP Convention and tied it together with the Pierson family's political activism. I've also done a number of blog articles on writing and the publishing industry, and I post whenever something of interest to authors happens, such as Amazon's new policy on Print On Demand (POD) publishing.

Blogging does take work (especially if you have several blogs to keep updated) but think of it this way - you're not only promoting your book(s), you're providing reader benefits, and writing regularly which helps you as an author to constantly improve.

Catherine Johnson is the author of the novel, Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace. Visit her web site at: www.CatherineJohnsonNovels.com or contact her via e-mail at: catherinejohns58@yahoo.com

Kathryn Schleich is pleased to announce that her Flash Fiction story, Dispose of the Evidence, received an Honorary Mention Prize in the Women On Writing (WOW) Spring Fiction Contest. The story will appear on the WOW web site in September.

Congratulations, Kathryn!

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FundsforWriters and its annual sponsor IdeaWeaver, creator of writing and creativity software, announce the 7th Annual FundsforWriters Essay Contest.

THEME: "The Best Advice I Ever Had."

As is the FundsforWriters trademark, applicants enter with or without an entry fee, their choice. Prize monies range from $10 to $200. Limit 750 words. Deadline October 31, 2008.

www.fundsforwriters.com/annualcontest.htm

Direct any questions to Hope Clark at: hope@fundsforwriters.com

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Writely So

Today's authors -- especially new authors -- are expected to be active participants in the marketing of their books, yet many find the prospect of promoting themselves and their work a mystery. "The Business of Books," an author interview series appearing on novelist DeAnna Cameron's blog, "Writely So," helps eliminate the guesswork by sharing the real-world experiences of published authors who know what it takes to create a buzz and propel the success of a new release.

Cameron's Q&A interviews have included acclaimed literary authors Seth Greenland (SHINING CITY) and Danielle Younge-Ullman (FALLING UNDER), memoirist Doreen Orion (QUEEN OF THE ROAD), nonfiction mavens June Casagrande (MORTAL SYNTAX) and Barbara DeMarco-Barrett (PEN ON FIRE), AuthorBuzz founder and novelist M.J. Rose, and many others, with a new interview added each week.

In every interview, the featured author offers tips and advice, with details on which techniques worked best, creating a tremendous opportunity for newly published and aspiring authors to learn the most helpful and productive methods of spreading the word about a new book, and avoiding the pitfalls.

"The Business of Books" can be found at http://DeAnnaCameron.blogspot.com

DeAnna Cameron can be reached at deanna@deannacameron.com

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Routines For Writers

This is a new site that offers advice and discussion on how to get more writing done.

Check it out at: Routines For Writers

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Ravenous Romance

This is a new online publisher of erotica romance. It launches on December 1, 2008 and they're accepting submissions. They have a press release on their web site and also a submissions page.

One of the partners is literary agent, Lori Perkins. I don't know much about it, but if you write erotica, it could be a great place to start.

Check it out at: Ravenous Romance

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Annual Apex Halloween Contest

This sounds pretty fun! This year's theme is: ELECTION HORROR

I don't know much about Apex Book Company, but the contest sounded cool.

Check it out at: Annual Apex Halloween Contest

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WriterUniv.com

I'm working on a list of places that offer online classes. I'm taking one through PASIC right now and it's awesome. Although I've been mostly lurking and not participating, I am learning a lot. I also took one on Goal, Motivation and Conflict through the Celtic Hearts Romance Writers. I did do the assignments for that workshop and it was fun, but hard. That class was for one week. The PASIC class is for the whole month of September.

Back to Writer U. I stumbled upon this site and it offers some great classes and the fees aren't bad. You don't have to belong to any particular organization to take these classes. I don't belong to PASIC, but was able to take the class I'm in now. PASIC is the Published Authors' Special Interest Chapter. When I am published, I will join - LOL

Writer U offers classes on various aspects of writing via email by yahoogroups. Both of my classes were done through yahoo. It's convenient and easy.

I've decided to sign up for the "No Plotters Allowed" workshop which runs from October 1st thru October 26th. I believe it's $30. If anyone wants to sign up with me, let me know! The instructors for this class are USA Today bestselling author, Patti Berg and New York Times bestselling author, Allison Brennan.

For more information: Writer U

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Well, I have another announcement of my own. I won First Place in the contest! I'm so excited. I just found out last week. My dad was over the moon and my best friend sent me flowers. As it turns out, they changed the final judge. Originally it was an editor from a house that had closed, but instead, we were judged by Carolyn Grayson of the Ashley Grayson Literary Agency. Carolyn wrote a note on my entry and said I could query her on my next book! I just need to write the next book! Like now - LOL

To see a list of the 2008 Golden Claddaugh winners, please go to: 2008 Golden Claddaugh

You have to scroll down a bit before you see the 2008 list, but I swear I'm there!

I want to thank everyone who sent me emails when I mentioned I made the finals. Your kind words meant so much and I appreciate the support!

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Bobbie Christmas is the "Book Doctor" and Author of Write In Style, a triple-award-winning textbook for writers of fiction and nonfiction, available wherever books are sold. Bobbie loves to receive questions from writers and offer her expert advice. If you have any questions you need answered, please e-mail her at: Bobbie@zebraeditor.com

For the latest Q&A with Bobbie, go to AskTheBookDoctor on the CS4W site.

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If you have an announcement you would like to share with us, please send it to: sandy@coolstuff4writers.com with "announcement" in the subject line.

I love to hear from you!

Peace,

Sandy

email: sandy@coolstuff4writers.com

phone: 732-276-6573

web: http://www.coolstuff4writers.com