Painting With Light

Year of “The Yearling”

December 26, 2013

Original Book Jacket Cover for The Yearling

The Things You Discover
With the bustle of Christmas preparations behind us for another year (and the sound of tearing wrapping paper still fresh), I began my usual year-end review of the many things I meant to do in 2013, but never got around to.

I also started making an updated list of the things I probably won’t do next year, either.

I’ve been extraordinarily blessed with new acquaintances, good relatives and great friends this past year, but my bride and I also have many pressing family issues to deal with right now (life is always like that, isn’t it?).

I wasn’t doing my usual patient search for literary things to write about, so it took me by surprise to come across a notation about the year 2013 that I had overlooked.

This past year was the seventy-fifth-anniversary celebration of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings 1938 novel The Yearling.

So, you ask, what’s the big deal?

A Best Seller
Well, for one thing, The Yearling was the best-selling novel of 1938. It held the number one spot that year for twenty-three consecutive weeks, sold millions of copies and has been translated into Spanish, Chinese, French, Japanese, German, Italian, Russian and twenty-two other languages.

It was also awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1939.

But it’s only vaguely familiar today to young American readers, and in 2012, it only sold about six-thousand copies … in all formats.

Although that’s an annual sales figure that would thrill most indie authors … they’re dismal numbers for a book considered a classic.

Running Out of Steam
It seems The Yearling is slowly sinking into obscurity. Why? How does such a classic novel run out of steam?

It wasn’t as if The Yearling was Rawlings first book. She also wrote the little-remembered South Moon Under (which, remarkably, was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize … in 1933).

Original Cover for South Moon Under

One factor might be Marjorie Rawlings herself. Matronly and angry-looking, she was not a very good public speaker … and she was certainly not a sexy figure. As a woman of independent means, Rawlings could live as she chose, but her abuse of alcohol increasingly ruled her life.

She advanced no politics and didn’t have a spectacular, memorable “rock star” life or death that was covered by all the available news media … just a lonely, broken-hearted alcoholic one (1896–1953).

Majorie Kinnan Rawlings

Despite her apparent successes, some critics considered her writing to lack the depth of great literature, although they praised her skill in reproducing the color, characters, speech, local customs and way of life of backwoods Florida.

“Writing is agony for me,” she once told an interviewer. “I work at it eight hours every day, hoping to get six more pages, but I’m satisfied if I get three.”

Wrong Genre?
Another factor in its apparent demise might be the prevailing view today that The Yearling – despite a few uses of the “n-word” – is a book for young readers. I find that surprising, because Pulitzer’s are not an award for children’s books.

Perhaps, in the final analysis, sales of The Yearling are fading because the story reflects a world view here we’re also losing … a much more simplistic time, where self-sufficient farming and hunting were individual necessities, and families only survived by their daily hard work and wits.

As that world disappears it seems almost inevitable the book, and the stunning landscape it evokes, would continue to lose audience.

Readers today expect their protagonists to come face-to-face with the true meaning of hunger, loneliness and fear in other ways … like road rage, sex, vampires and zombies.

MGM Movie Poster for The Yearling

As someone who read the book at a fairly young age and who also remembers the many early television broadcasts of the old, tear-jerker black & white film based upon it, it seems the world spins now at a different rate. Faster and more unrelenting.

Click picture for a scene with young actor Claude Jarman from The Yearling

Perhaps … just perhaps … the book, with all its heart-tugging sentimentality and backwoods charisma, is fading away because it can no longer keep up with the pace.

I think that’s sad.

It’s like forgetting that it’s the intention you bring to the simplest gift of time, love, laughter or friendship that is worth far more than anything you could put a bow on, because the best gift you can give your loved ones is you.

Hmmmmm. I think I just made my resolution for 2014.

Happy New Year.

Tags: award-winning author, award-winning writing, book marketing, literature
Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Awards, Book Trailer, Storytelling | 6 Comments »

Indie Author Interview – M.S. Fowle

December 18, 2013

Today marks a first for my blog. I’m not posting about my own books, or any of the ins-and-outs of indie publishing. Instead, I’m interviewing another indie author who was recently kind enough to tell all her own blog followers about my novel, REICHOLD STREET.

I think this is a wonderful opportunity to return the favor. So let me introduce M.S. Fowle, known to her friends as Mel, who has already written five books of fantasy.

M.S. Fowle, Indie Author

Welcome to “Painting With Light,” Mel.
It’s such a pleasure, Ron! Thank you so much for having me! If there’s one thing I love about being an author, it’s meeting all these amazing people.

Even though we all have our own projects we’re working so hard on, we always find the time to help one another. Whether it’s offering advice in a short article on our blogs or hosting an author interview, it’s really a wonderful community of genuine people from various walks of life, all sharing a love of words.

We’d all like to know – where do your ideas come from?
For me, it’s usually some really strange dream I had. It’s probably only one little scene out of the whole story, but then that snowballs into this enormous thing. I’ve always had really weird dreams.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just to see where an idea takes you?
I always start with a basic outline, but I hardly ever write that out to the end of the story. Once I start really writing it, then I just see where it takes me.

When do you do most of your writing?
At this point, it’s whenever I can. But usually, it’s at night, after everyone else is asleep. I used to be such a night owl, but not so much these days.

Who (or what) inspires your writing?
People-watching is a great way to inspire characters and their back story. Or a minor character from a book I’ve read or a film I’ve watched. Then, I mold and shape them into what I want, adding or taking things away here and there. But it always seems to be the second my head hits my pillow at night when my brain starts to really work.

Do you have any funny or peculiar writing habits?
I’m not sure you’d call them “funny or peculiar” but I always start my stories in my notebook, usually as vague bits and pieces of the story lurking in my head. Then, I don’t do anything with it for a while, sometimes for months.

I sort of let it “ferment” in there, working out various details. And when I end up with writer’s block once I start the full-on writing process, I work on digital art inspired by my story. That usually motivates me.

What’s your favorite quote?
A quote that puts a smile on my face would be from Mark Twain: “Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.”

But as far as inspiration and strength go, I believe Maya Angelou put it best: “I got my own back.” It’s a beautiful thing to have the love and support of others, but it can’t be the only thing holding us up. We need to be accountable for ourselves. Depending solely on others will only lead to our own downfall. I need to be able to stand on my own two feet.

If you could change something about yourself, what do you think it would it be?
Personality wise, I wish I could turn off my brain. I over-think the most mundane things, stuff no one can change at this point. I could turn-in for the night completely exhausted and still spend hours awake in bed just thinking. But in terms of writing, I wish I had flawless editing skills so I could save myself a lot of hassle.

What do you like to read in your free time?
In the off chance I actually get free time to read, I love just about any science fiction or fantasy. I love being swept away to some other world, either futuristic or magical or both.

It’s the ultimate escape for me. But even with that kind of favoritism, my favorite book of all time is “The Color Purple.” I can’t even count how many times I’ve read it and it still makes me ball my eyes out every single time.

What are your plans for future projects?
I have an urban fantasy series that I’m right in love with. I want nothing more than for that to be successful. I think it means so much to me because I based the main character on my lovely niece. I’m still debating whether to try and get it traditionally published or take the indie route, but I’ll need an editor either way. I just want readers to love it as much as I do.

What do you find to be the hardest thing about writing?
That’s easy – finishing my story! I don’t know what it is, but I feel like I’ve slammed face-first into a brick wall when it comes to bringing my books to an end.

Maybe I don’t want to say goodbye. Or maybe I’m just so worried about doing it “right” that I over-think it and get stuck. I can’t even count how many unfinished books I have still waiting for me to figure everything out.

OK – So what’s the easiest thing?
The opposite of the hardest thing, actually: starting my story. I love writing out that first chapter to get things rolling.

I know you design your own covers, and will do that for others. How do they contact you?
There are plenty of ways to find me! They can go directly through the website Melchelle Designs where they’ll find a contact form on almost every page.

Or they can email us at melchelledesigns@gmail.com to talk about their needs. We’ve got plenty of premade covers to choose from, and I occasionally do custom artwork as well. One of the greatest compliments I get from authors is how easy I am to work with. I think it helps that I’m an author too, so I know what it’s like from their end of things.

And I love creating visual art just as much as we all love to write. That’s key – loving what you do.

Do you think the book cover plays an important part in the buying process?
Absolutely! And still, I wish it didn’t. There are plenty of amazing books out there that are ignored or take longer to get off the ground just because their cover art is “boring” or “hard to look at.”

That was one of the reasons why I started making and selling book covers. Every author deserves to have the right artwork to complement their hard work. They put their heart and soul into writing their stories – it’s only right that their book look its best when they send it out into the great, big world.

“First Night” by M.S. Fowle

Reviews for your book “The First Night” have been very positive. Most readers absolutely loved it, but I noticed one reader panned it. What’s your reaction to negative reviews?
I think my initial reaction is the same as anyone else’s: dread. But every author needs to remember that every book has bad reviews, even the best-sellers and classics.

The main thing is to make it a learning experience. Maybe that negative review points out some faults you could actually fix. Or maybe the reviewer is just trolling and trying to get a rise out of you. Don’t let it! Learn what you can from it and move on. Negativity just comes with the territory, no matter what profession you’re in.

Mel, thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to take part in this interview!
Thank you so much for having me, Ron!

Good luck and have a Happy Holiday!

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CONNECT WITH MEL ONLINE

Author Site: http://msfowle.wordpress.com/
Book Cover Site: http://melchelledesigns.com/
Facebook (msfowle): https://www.facebook.com/msfowle
Facebook (melchelledesigns): https://www.facebook.com/MelchelleDesigns Twitter (msfowle): https://twitter.com/ms_fowle
Twitter (melchelledesign) https://twitter.com/MelchelleDesign Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5804837.M_S_Fowle Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/m-s-fowle/58/140/36
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007MOAU0W Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/msfowle

BOOK LINKS – The First Night (Book One)

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007MCT4GU
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007MCT4GU
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/296787
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1dbIGwN

Tags: author interview, fantasy, indie writers
Posted in Book Interviews, Branding, Market Your Book | 6 Comments »

Why Should We Learn to Listen?

December 13, 2013

As we start counting down to the Christmas and New Year holidays, I’ve been thinking about when I first began my journey as a writer. I was seventeen and the first short story I wrote and sent to a publisher was full of the eagerness of youth (and, thankfully, it was lost long ago).

Unfortunately, it was also full of clichés and trite plot points … and more than a few outright “groaners” for dialogue. In my eagerness to write stories and send them out into the world I neglected one very important thing: building a credible story.

My eagerness was met with rejections – lots of them.

I needed to become not only a better writer, but a better storyteller to get anyone to want to read what I had written, and that meant revisions on top of revisions. But, in order to know how to revise my writing, I had to learn to listen.

Listen to Your Critique Group
Every author’s got them. Beta readers. These are the folks we always let see our work long before anyone else does. Indie authors may have more than most, because we have such a need for – even though we don’t always want – constructive feedback.

I’ve been fortunate to have some wonderful people in my life who never fail to give me honest criticism. Their comments aren’t meant to soothe my ego. They’re meant to help me write.

For instance, long ago I listened when they told me my character descriptions were either too short, or too detailed, long and boring. They said I either left everything or absolutely nothing to their imaginations and, as a result, they couldn’t relate to any of the characters in my stories.

I also had an early reader tell me “Nobody talks that way” when they were commenting on my dialogue. Listening to their feedback made me dig deeper to make my descriptions, and the conversations of my characters, more succinct and believable.

I also heard them say “you don’t let me see the story … because you’re constantly telling me what I should be seeing.” So I borrowed the advice repeated in Stephen King’s book “On Writing” and got rid of the useless adverbs cluttering the pages.

Last year, one of the Readers Favorite reviewers made this comment about some of my recent work: “Herron is a master of the art of character development.” Another commented that my “characters come to life on the pages.”

I owe those positive comments not only to decades of practice, but to some of that earliest feedback. It keeps me focused and I will always be grateful I paid attention.

Listen to Other Authors
If you want to write a mystery series, it helps to be a fan of mysteries. Most writers know that writing begins with reading, but some don’t actually take it to heart, and many don’t realize you need to do it the proper way.

To learn, you can’t just read it as a general reader would. You have to read it as a writer and really “listen” to the way that particular author tells the story. Listen not only to the words, but the phrasing, the meter and tempo.

If you find it enjoyable to the point of suspending belief in the real world while you’re engrossed in it, then go to your own stories and see if they sound the same way to you. It might help you see if your story is falling short.

Listen to Yourself
As you’re learning and taking advice from many sources, don’t forget to be true to yourself. You don’t always have to take everyone’s suggestions. Sometimes it’s the right thing to do to stand your ground and defend what you’ve written.

But remember, standing your ground about anything you’ve written can only be done properly if you’ve first taken the time to really listen to what people have been saying.

Listen to Reviews
When your book is finally published, whether traditionally or indie, lots of people will have lots of things to say about it. Some may be good. You can usually count on some of your friends for that, even if they’re stretching the truth.

Some may be not so good. Most of your detractors, and a few real friends, will fall into that group. Listen to them all and glean what you can from it. Use every bit of feedback as a learning experience for your next project.

Don’t be overly enthused by good comments, and don’t be distressed by negative ones. The reviews of your present book will teach you things that will make your next book even better.

Finding the Best Beta Readers
Being forced to rewrite what you’ve struggled to write can be painful at times, but it’s the only way your writing will ever improve. If you don’t already have a good supply of beta readers, look to your writer friends. Network with them and offer your help and support.

Making friends with other writers (and readers) is a long-term investment in your writing career.

The best way to approach people is to make genuine friendships. Don’t “check them out” to see if they might make a good beta reader, or help in some other way, before you make friends. People can tell if you’re using them.

The Best Advice I Ever Received
Be patient and generous. Help others if you have the skill and time, even if they might never be able to pay you back. That has value in and of itself.

Trust me … it’s a worthwhile thing to do, it can make you feel good and lift your spirits. And sometimes the most surprising things come back to you, in a good way, well into the future.

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Coming Soon! An interview with indie author M.S. Fowle!