Thursday Writing Quotes ~ Pearl S. Buck

Write a novel if you must, but think of money as an unlikely accident. Get your reward out of writing it, and try to be content with that. ~ Pearl S. Buck

Tuesday Teaser ~ Ghosts of the Fireground

Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current readOpen to a random pageShare two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Several years ago, I started reading about smokejumpers as research for a story and got hooked on the (nonfiction) fire fighting genre. Currently, I'm reading Ghosts of the Fireground: Echoes of the Great Peshtigo Fire and the Calling of a Wildland Firefighter by Peter M. Leschak.

Book blurb:
On October 8, 1871, a wildfire of staggering immensity transformed the lumbering town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin (population 2,000), into a literal, burning hell. It was the deadliest fire in North American history. At least 1,200 people died, and the actual number of fatalities is unknown. Eighteen hundred square miles of woods, fields, and settlements were burned. By cruel coincidence, it was the very day and hour of the Great Chicago Fire.... The unlikely simultaneity of the two infernos has rendered Peshtigo unknown to most Americans.

My teaser:
Hot air rose in a plume to the upper reaches of the troposphere--perhaps to 30,000 feet or higher--generating a strong updraft that vacuumed surrounding flames into a rotating tornado of fire. To view that and live was remarkable, and few outside the river did.






For other teasers, check the comments at: http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/

Nuggets for July

What happens when fear turns into a panic attack
http://davidmorrell.net/2012/09/my-novels-dramatize-fear/

Kathryn Rusch has a series about discoverablity that's well worth reading. 
http://kriswrites.com/business-rusch-publishing-articles/discoverability-series/

Another worthwhile series by Kathryn Rusch is her estate planning series.
http://kriswrites.com/business-rusch-publishing-articles/estate-planning-series/

Jennifer Crusie has an interesting post about the romance contract writer's make with readers.
http://www.arghink.com/2014/02/18/the-romance-contract/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ArghInk+%28Argh+Ink%29  

Ever wonder what to put on your author website? Here are some great ideas.
http://www.darcypattison.com/marketing/author-website-content-news/

Want to do your own book cover?
http://www.williamking.me/2012/02/22/create-your-own-ebook-cover-step-by-step-with-pictures/  

A great article about psychic distance
http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/psychic-distance-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it.html

Thursday Writing Quote ~ Steven Pressfield

When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete. ~ Steven Pressfield, War of Art

Thursday Writing Quote ~ Tom Clancy

Success is a finished book, a stack of pages each of which is filled with words. If you reach that point, you have won a victory over yourself no less impressive than sailing single-handed around the world. ~ Tom Clancy

Thursday Writing Quote ~ Mark Twain

As to the adjective, when in doubt, strike it out. ~ Mark Twain

Happy Independence Day

Thursday Writing Quote ~ Stephen King

As a writer, one of the things that I’ve always been interested in doing is actually invading your comfort space. Because that’s what we’re supposed to do. Get under your skin, and make you react. ~ Stephen King