Hello,
Yesterday, I received one of the best compliments I could’ve received for my book. A reader first told me reading You Don’t Know Me made her anxious, she couldn’t put it down because she had to know what was going to happen and had no idea what would happen next so was surprised; a good compliment but better was that she said and I quote “I didn’t find you anywhere in the story”. That was a wonderful compliment, exactly what I was looking for. A reader finding any part of me in the story would have been tragic, and I know you as a writer, understands this.

“If it sounds like writing, rewrite it.”; this is one of Elmore Leonard’s rules and it means: get (the me) out the way of the writing, the story, or you’ll have a bad novel and I of course can’t have that. Having the reader fall into the hole of the story is the ultimate, enjoying the novel so much she wants to get it read in one sitting, is the goal, the pleasure for me as a writer and I can’t ask for anything less.

Write.

If you have any comments or suggestions please let me know, my e-mail address is: mathewsla@hotmail.com

Until next time, God willing.

Hello and Happy Friday,
I know I’m blogging today instead of Friday but something was on my mind: I’ve decided to enter You Don’t Know Me in a writing contest. Boo—right? I dislike entering contests, well book contest for one-- I don’t like short story contest either-- I never win and for another I hate paying to enter the contest and never win. I have won a few screenplay contests though with a prize or two along with it but it’s different from winning a contest for a novel. I’m entering the Writer’s Digest Self-Publishing Contest ( http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/self_published) that’s calling for entries through the end of April. The contest is open to all kinds of self-published novels including genre fiction. Do I think it’s worth it? The prizes for the grand prize winner will be three thousand dollars, promotion in Writers Digest and Publisher’s Weekly, your novel to major newspapers, distribution to Baker and Taylor, a guaranteed review in Midwest Book Review, a workshop and one or two other things. There will also be 9 first place winners who will get one thousand dollars and a few other prizes—sounds great.
Do I think I’ll win at the one-hundred dollar entry fee? Well, possibly not the grand prize because my novel is genre, its crime and mystery, not pretty and my kind of novels don’t win grand prizes; at least I don’t believe they do. Do I have a chance at being one of the nine first place winners? Maybe, again the people who read the novels probably go by a formula that would not fit my novel so my hopes aren’t high. Honorable mention possibly? Yes, I think I could fit here. So if I’m going for Honorable Mention possibly, why even send the novel and the money; don’t forget the money, at all? Well, it’s kind of like the lottery I’ll say. Though I don’t play the actual lottery I can pick up at the gas station, everybody plays some kind of lottery don’t they? Even if our chances are nine million to one and we’re the one. So entering this book contest is my lottery. And let me say like that one—heck like everyone of the nine-million--I always have hope it’ll be me this time and because I believe in my novel, I believe it’s a terrific story and has a chance like all the other novels submitted so its up to me to give it that one chance and all the other chances that comes its way.
So I’m saying good-bye to my book and the hundred books. We’ll see in October 2008 how it did though no matter what, prize or no prize, it’s a terrific story and novel that makes me proud, very, very proud.
Keep writing too.

If you have any comments or suggestions I have a new e-mail address at: mathewsla@hotmail.com

Until next time, God willing.

Hello and Happy Friday to you,

I am in the mist of writing, running with it right now, a good thing; its adrenaline isn’t it? I am determined to try and remain on schedule with the newest Owen Story novel and get it done by Christmas though it’s not easy. I’ve never put myself on a deadline with my writing but had to this time for reasons I listed in my last blog; so there is a lot of writing to do, a lot, but I’m determined until the book is done--and good; great. I’m going back to it now to get it done for the day, I love it as you know--bottom line--so I’m going to get back to it. Talk to you.

You keep writing too.

If you have any comments or suggestions I have a new e-mail address at: mathewsla@hotmail.com

Until next time, God willing.

Hello and Happy Friday,

I was sick this week but I feel much better now, so that I'm revved to write. I've finished most of my research and will get to what I call serious writing which will mean trying to get a chapter in--that much. I'm eager now to see where the story takes me. I'm still working the first Owen Story novel, getting people to read it, its a very slow process and I have no problem with it. I believe its going to take a very long time for people--readers--to become aware of You Don't Know Me but I'm going to do all I can to make it happen.

So writing the next Owen Story Novel and getting the word out on the first Owen Story novel are this years projects so that makes for me--at least so far--a very good year.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact me at: mathewsla@hotmail.com, I’ll love to hear from you.

Until next time God willing,

Lori

Hello,

I’ve finished most of the research on my next book (at least until I need to do more on some area in the story I know very little about) it’s a good thing because I’ve set a target date to have the book ready. Was this a smart thing to do? Probably not, but it was necessary. First, because people have asked when the next book in the trilogy would be ready so I have to give a date. I don’t want to keep telling folks: “I don’t know”; “I have no idea” or “I’m not sure”, they all sound lame and—to me—unprofessional; not to let those who have read the first story know when to expect the next when they know a second novel has to come in a trilogy. Secondly, I like having an idea when to have the book ready because it’ll make me do the thing.

Though I am so into writing the new book, can’t wait to write everyday, it still can be hard getting to it for a thousand reasons—we writers have a thousand reasons—to keep pen from paper so by having this date its easier to get around those reasons and just do it. Lastly, I can’t wait to get the entire story told as fast as I can because it’s a wonderful story, fast, rich, surprising, exciting and I can’t wait to get all those pieces together to solidify the novel. I can’t really hurry my writing—its not in me—but by having the date I have a path, even a beacon I’m heading toward which makes it a little easier—even exciting--to write knowing where I’m headed: toward that date.

So, I’m writing, enjoying it and keeping at it headed for that special time, not day because that’s impossible, a specific month in a specific year that’s all and for me its more than enough.

Please, keep writing.

If you have any comments or suggestions I have a new e-mail address at: mathewsla@hotmail.com

Until next time, God willing,