Blogging, Coffee, and Growing As a Writer

                                                             

Although the hearts of all the members of the South Jersey Writers’ Group are still heavy over the loss of our Patron Saint of Blogging, Glenn Walker, we continue to meet. Blogfest is a monthly ritual that is held the third Sunday of every month at Treehouse Coffee Shop in Audubon, NJ. Why are we so loyal to working on our blogs? Find out after the jump

Gilbert Speaks on "The Patron Saint of Blogging"

This past Wednesday on December 6^th we lost a literary knight in shining armor. Sir Glenn, a nickname that was lovingly given to Glenn Walker, was a mentor to the members of the South Jersey Writers’ Group, and a friend to anyone who strived to be the best blogger out there in social media land.

I am still trying to come to terms with his death. I’m not alone. Glenn touched everyone and anyone who wanted to write. He is sorely missed by his friends at SJWG, and his fellow bloggers at the Canadian Pop Culture site: Biff Bam Pop!

Andy Burns, who is the Editor-In-Chief of Biff Bam Pop, wrote a beautiful tribute to Glenn and you can read it here. Glenn Walker was involved in so many projects: Welcome to Hell; Biff Bam Pop; The Gar Podcast; The Make Mine Magic Podcast; but his love was all about pop culture. He was a library of information on almost every comic book out there, and although he loved to review movies and television series, his blog “French Fry Diary” was a big hit with many who considered themselves true connoisseurs of fast foods. Glenn’s short story “Live to Write” is featured in the anthology of speculative fiction, Strange World.

                                                     

Glenn and I first met after I had retired from the Academy of Natural Sciences. My granddaughter, Katrina, was already a member and it was she who introduced me to the members of the South Jersey Writers’ Group and to Glenn. Glenn was responsible for me becoming one of the writers for Biff Bam Pop.

My fondest memories of Glenn were when I began writing the reviews for “The Walking Dead” on BBP. I was a retired grandmother of nine, who was not only tech challenged, but naïve with the mechanics of blogging. Glenn would wait until the early morning hours for me to post my review. As Andy’s second-in-command, Glenn was responsible for editing the post before it could go live.

 

Glenn never lost his patience even after explaining the purpose of tagging multiple times. It became a running joke after a while, but he never gave up on me. I was always eager to get Glenn’s input whenever I wrote a review for Biff Bam Pop even if we often had a different point of view on a specific episode.

Before moving to Florida with his lovely bride, Jennifer, Glenn would hold court at a local coffee shop once a month. He gave freely of his time and experience to anyone who needed help with their blogging. It wasn’t long before we grateful bloggers began calling him “Sir Glenn the Patron Saint of Blogging.”

                                                           

I miss my friend very much, but maybe if the universe is kind, Sir Glenn will find himself in some heavenly coffee shop. Maybe they will serve French fries and milkshakes in that angelic coffee shop. Maybe my friend will be surrounded by other writers and bloggers. I miss you, kiddo.

R.I.P Glenn Walker

Looking for Ghosts and Linking Apps

                                                             

Last night a fellow ghost investigator and I joined the owners of “On Angels’ Wings” Marti Haines and Marcia Balint Moore for an investigation at the Historical Selma Mansion. I had been to this mansion one time before with another investigative group called Keystone Spirit Seekers. The mansion is extremely active and the spirits, for the most part, willing to interact with the living. In the earlier investigation, I was able to connect with a young boy named Robert and you can read all about this adventure here.
                                                               

Last night, the spirits were in a playful mood, but not as engaging as I had hoped. The equipment confirmed that they were indeed there, but they would hop to the other room as soon as we checked the area. Remember that your personality is the same when you’re dead as when you were alive and, if you’re a practical joker…you’ll be one as a ghost.

Later that night, Marti and Scott had observed a shadow figure rushing down the stairway towards the basement. They weren’t sure exactly what they were dealing with so they asked Rita and I to take a break outside while they investigated. All was good, but the spirit was a bit grumpy…I don’t blame him because it was stifling in the house. Unfortunately, little Robert was not in a chatting mood, but I’m not worried. I’ll be back there again. On a side note, the Historical Society needs donations to bring the Selma Mansion back to its original beauty. Here is the link to help out.

Speaking of Links

I belong to the South Jersey Writers’ Group and one of the many benefits is our monthly meeting for Bloggers. At this meeting, people who blog regularly and people setting up a blog for the first time share information that will help them with their sites. Officiating over these meetings is Glenn Walker aka Saint Glenn.

                                                            

We call him Saint Glenn because there are a few of us bloggers that are totally tech challenged. Glenn would patiently work with each and every one of us until he either blacked out from exhaustion after we asked the same questions over and over and over, or we actually got it right. Unfortunately for us, Glenn and his lovely bride, Jen, are moving to Florida. This is great news for them…a tragedy for us….but there is a light at the end of the tunnel…

Queen Victoria

Victoria Marie Lees, who is a member of the writers group, has stepped into Glenn’s shoes. Victoria is the perfect choice as Glenn’s replacement because she is so very personable and willing to help her fellow bloggers. You can read her work here and here.
                                                            

                                      Erika on the left & Victoria on the right             

Ema Timar aka Erika Berger is now known as Ema the Great and you can read her work here. Ema is not only proficient in technical knowledge, but the perfect sidekick for our new queen of blogging. Ema has helped me with a very big problem…

                                                           

                                         Marie           Erika                  Victoria

I was unable to add links to my posts on WordPress. Since I write for a popular pop culture site, this was a big inconvenience. The good news is that Ema the Great showed me a well-guarded secret that only the most trusted warriors are privy too. I can now add links with no stress or hair pulling. Thank you Ema and thank you Queen Victoria. Saint Glenn has been notified that he will find us at his door in sunny Florida if we ever need his saintly advice.

Writing and Sharing Ideas Over Coffee

I'm having some "me" time with my fellow members of the South Jersey Writers' Group. We are at Audubon, New Jersey's Treehouse Coffee Shop and we are all either working on our blogs, or learning how to set up a blog, or writing period.

Our President is at one table helping new bloggers set up a blog and giving helpful hints on how to manage and share their posts. While Amy Hollinger is busy doing this, Glenn Walker is doing his normal saintly duties by helping the rest of us bloggers who are a bit tech challenged.

All in all, it was a very productive day for all who attended our monthly Blog Fest. If you want to learn more then check out the South Jersey Writers' Group Blog  http://south-jersey-writers.blogspot.com

Steampunk Granny's visit with the Fabulous Victoria Marie Lees

                                                                              

                                      Victoria and family at the top of Pikes Peak

 

Victoria and I met through our writing group, South Jersey Writers' Group. We love the same things; family adventures and writing. It wasn't long before we became close friends.I love this Lady! We may have been sisters in a former life. Victoria goes on the best trips with her family. I love reading about her adventures, and maybe one day I’ll be able to go with her on a camping trip. Lots of good things are happening for Victoria and I want to share the news with all my readers. So…drum roll, please!

                                          

                                                Victoria and Family at Trail Hikers  

 

Marie: It is so good to have you back on my blog, Victoria. Can you my readers what you’ve been up to since our last interview.

Victoria Marie Lees: I’ve been writing short stories, both adult and children, and submitting them for magazine contests or general submission.  I’m attempting to break into the Chicken Soup market with a few essays and poems.  I have been notified by the West Chester Poetry Society that my second place haiku will be published in an anthology, date to be determined.  Other than that, I’ve been busy with writing blog posts and interacting with the online writing community through social media and other blogs.

 

Marie Gilbert:   Tell us about the new story that was just published: when, where, and title.

Victoria Marie Lees: “My Father is ‘Grand’” is in the February 2014 issue of Cricket Magazine, a world-wide YA literary magazine.  Unfortunately, this is a subscription only magazine.  I did not find any of my stories online at the Cricket Magazine website…yet.  

“My Father is ‘Grand’” is a story about how a young protagonist learns to accept her grandparents as guardians.  But of course, not before danger enters the picture. 

                                                               

                                          Conn campground toasting marshmallows                                 

Marie Gilbert: How do you go about creating a story scenario?
 

Victoria Marie Lees: As I learn the scope of family dynamics, I create different types of families to write about.  Then my sense of adventure kicks in, and I place my protagonist in danger.  Now the trick is to get the protagonist through the danger and learn something from it.     

 

 Usually, I’m creating contemporary YA stories.  I like my stories to be uplifting and, if possible, have a happy ending.  Many times young people feel they are not in control of their lives.  I like to allow them that control, at least for a while, and in so doing allow them the chance to become the hero. 

                                                                    

                                   

 

I feel that in children or YA short stories to become a hero, the protagonist must have a knowledge base that he or she uses to get past certain obstacles, whether they are physical obstacles like snakes or bears or mental ones like dealing with a new marriage or pesky sibling.  Through the protagonist’s knowledge, young readers can learn how to deal with their life circumstances.  This short formula can help make the story universal.   

I like to combine the physical with the mental obstacles to increase tension in the story.  Many times I use my knowledge about nature that I share on my Camping with Kids blog.  http://campingwithfivekids.blogspot.com/

                                                 
                                                                     

                                                   

Marie Gilbert: Can you give us an update on you memoir

 http://victoriamarielees.blogspot.com/2013/12/six-keys-to-writing-memoir.html

 

Victoria Marie Lees: In my Adventures in Writing blog post entitled “Six Keys to Writing Memoir,” I talk about what I have learned about memoir from writing courses, books, and internet sources. 

Now addressing those issues in the first draft of my memoir about attending college as a mother of five is the difficult part.  Memoir needs to be true and I have a knack for family anecdotes.  But memoir needs to be more than a mere collection of memoires and scenes.  It needs to be a universal understanding of what has transpired and why it matters to both the writer and the reader.  This is the point where I am at.  I have the first draft of scenes and memories in chronological order.  I need to infuse them with insight and consider which ones could be important to readers and why they should care about what happened to me along my college journey. 

 
I work on my memoir amongst other, shorter writing projects.  Time, writing is all about finding the time. 

                                                                       

Marie Gilbert: Victoria, thank you for returning to my blog and letting my readers know more about your good news. It is always a pleasure having you as a guest.

Dear Followers, I have listed all the different sites where you can find Victoria’s articles. Please drop by her blog and say hello. Tell her Steampunk Granny sent you.

http://victoriamarielees.blogspot.com

http://campingwithfivekids.blogspot.com

google+ - Victoria Marie Lees

facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Marie-Lees/117126664970485

LinkedIn - Victoria Marie Lees

http://www.easytolovebut.com/  and search for Victoria Marie Lees to see my essays

Author Leo Craven talks About Hallows End

                                                                     

I have met the most talented people while writing for Biff Bam Pop and my own blog, Gilbertcuriosities. When I learn that my on-line friends have published a book, I’m eager to promote them, especially because I know from following their blogs that their stories will not only be interesting, but best sellers. I’m honored to have Leo Craven as a guest on Gilbertcuriosities and today we are going to learn more about his book Hallows End and the lead character, Sarah Chase.

Marie Gilbert: Thank you Leo for visiting my blog. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what type of stories you like to read and write?

                                                                                                                                                
                                                                 

Leo Craven: I am an author and marketing professional, living in a small, tranquil town near Pismo Beach, California with my wonderful wife and kids.  The first book I remember really enjoying was “The Hobbit” when I was about ten years old.  While I found the presence of goblins, dwarves and wizards to be exciting, it was Smaug (the dragon) that made the reading experience truly memorable for me.  My parents were huge science-fiction / fantasy fans so as I continued into my adolescent years, it was the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien and Edgar Rice Burroughs who shaped my literary world.

These days I take pleasure in reading much of the same, having also added the horror genre to my must-read lists (thank you Bram Stoker).  It’s not just books for me though; I love all mediums involved in the art of ‘story telling’, including graphic novels, music and movies.  As a writer, I’m primarily invested in the Sarah Chase book series along with some short stories and the occasional song.  Down the road, however, I hope to add graphic novel and movie script development to my creative endeavors.

Marie Gilbert: Tell us a little bit about the book, and your inspiration for the story and the main character, Sarah Chase.

                                                                   

Leo Craven: I enjoy stories with heroes and heroines that as a reader / viewer I can both cheer for and relate to.  ‘Boy scout’ characters like Superman and Captain America are fun to watch in action, but they’re almost flawless, making it hard for most of us to identify with.  I always find it more interesting when the hero or heroine is conflicted.  I also strongly believe it’s a shame that more lead characters in action stories aren’t female.

My primary motivation in writing “Hallows End” was to create a strong female lead through the character of Sarah Chase.  She is the ideal ‘conflicted heroine’ in my opinion, working as a police detective by day and operating as a vigilante vampire and werewolf hunter at night.  Although this first book introduces a wave of exciting characters and mythological elements, the Prophecy Trilogy is ultimately about Sarah Chase and her evolution from vigilante to heroine.

Another important facet to “Hallows End” and anything else you see published by Leo Craven is that my stories are written for adults.  I believe the current ‘YA’ (Young Adult) trend has produced some marvelous literary works, but I do wonder how long these “PG / PG-13” novels will keep the interest of adult readers in the long term.

Marie Gilbert: Is this the first of your books published? If no, list your other works.  If this is your first book published, will we be seeing more of Sarah Chase?

Leo Craven: “Hallows End” (Part I of the Prophecy Trilogy) is the first in the Sarah Chase series as well as my debut novel.  My goal is to release the second part of the trilogy on Friday the 13^th this June 2014 and the final installment on Friday the 13^th in February 2015.  I like the idea of branding myself as the “Friday the 13^th” author; plus, it gives me a nice timetable to aspire to for my book releases.  I have also published a few other short stories, poems and songs on my website, Leocraven.com

Marie Gilbert: Did you go traditional or self-publishing?

Leo Craven: I self-published.  I like to take risks and I’m more than willing to learn from my mistakes.  I figured it could take months (if not years) before a publishing house picked up “Hallows End”, and even then they could realistically require me to go through several re-writes before publishing my book.  In that same amount of time I figured I could publish the entire Prophecy Trilogy myself and allow the world to decide if Sarah Chase is worth reading about. 

Marie Gilbert. Leo, would you list the sites where my readers can find you and the link to buy your book.

Leo Craven: My official website is Leocraven.com. 

My book is currently available exclusively on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Hallows-End-Sarah-Chase-Craven-ebook/dp/B00HDIR29O/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1387306192&sr=8-13&keywords=Hallows+End

Marie Gilbert: Leo it was a pleasure having you as my guest and to all my followers out there, check out “Hallows End” and let Leo and I know what you liked best about the book.

Leo Craven: “Thank you so much Marie Gilbert for the interview and for your support!” 

The Amazing Jack Flacco, Author of Ranger Martin and The Zombie Apocalypse

                                                                

 

 I'm so excited about this interview. Jack Flacco is a very talented writer, who like me, loves zombies. His blog features three popular subjects, but my favorite is Women Who Wow. Jack has recently published his book and it's already making news. Join me now as I introduce Jack Flacco, the brains behind Ranger Martin and The Zombie Apocalypse

 

Marie Gilbert: Hi Jack. It's such a pleasure to have you as my guest. Let's start off the interview with you telling us a little bit about yourself.

                                                                             

 

Jack Flacco: I feel awkward whenever someone asks me this question since it requires some bragging. How about if I just say I write about stuff and some of the stuff makes sense. How does that sound?

 

Marie Gilbert: I understand completely, Jack and I'll do the bragging for you. Jack is an amazing writer who lives in Ontario, Canada. He and his wife not only contribute to many charitable organizations, but they strongly believe in the importance of Universal Literacy. I could do more bragging about Jack, but I better get back to the interview. Jack, who or what was your inspiration for this book.

 

Jack Flacco: I woke up one morning with a name on my mind—Ranger Martin. Whoever he was, his name stuck with me. As I shaved that morning, images swirled in my head of Ranger’s exploits fighting legions of zombies. It became evident he would be the star in a book that I had yet to write.

 

Marie Gilbert: Tell us about Ranger Martin and The Zombie Apocalypse and what makes this book different than the other zombie books on the shelves?

 

Jack Flacco: My current reading material nowadays consists of legal thrillers by John Grisham. I’m attempting to consume his entire bibliography in chronological order based on publication date. I’m halfway there. Missing from my bookshelf is a large swath of zombie literature to which I can compare my book. If you find something you like in the series, let me know, I’m interested in what the audience thinks. As an alternative, you can also read the reviews on my site and on Amazon. Zombie fans would know more of what makes Ranger Martin and The Zombie Apocalypse different than from what I can ever say about the series.

 

Marie Gilbert: Side note to my readers: If you want an insight into Jack's thinking on zombies, check out his Mayhem Mondays on his blog. Back to you, Jack. Is the book available on Nook and Kindle?

 

Jack Flacco: It is available from Amazon as an eBook and as a paperback.

 

Marie Gilbert: Will there be a sequel to Ranger Martin and The Zombie Apocalypse?

 

Jack Flacco: Yes. 

 

Marie Gilbert: Well, I for one, will be anxiously awaiting the sequel. What publishing house did you use or is this self-published? If self-published (I’m a fan of self-published if done professionally). Tells us the cons and pros of getting the book to the finish line?

 

Jack Flacco: For the eBook, I used Amazon’s Kindle Desktop Publishing site to submit my manuscript. Once accepted, they take care of distribution. For the paperback version, I used CreateSpace. The rules are pretty much the same for both platforms and Amazon looks after the backend. It makes for a seamless process. As for finishing the book, I had hard deadlines to hit for every step of the way (writing, editing, proofing, etc.). Concept art took months to finalize. In the end, it all came together without a hitch. I’m thrilled to know my fans have embraced the book to make it their own.

 

Marie Gilbert: What suggestions would you give to other aspiring writers to help them in their journey to being published. What have you learned from your trials and tribulations?

 

Jack Flacco: Life has many distractions, remain focused. Everyone has chores, car maintenance, school, work, and medical appointments to keep. Make a commitment and follow through. Give yourself deadlines and stick to them. Stay away from the dark side of the business. You’ll recognize it by hearing others say phrases such as, “I’ve lost my inspiration”, “I feel so down”, “I’m insecure with what I’m creating”, “I’m struggling here”, “All I get is rejection”, “I can’t get an agent/publishing deal”, “I don’t feel like doing anything today.” Put on the blinders and keep pushing forward. Forget about the excuses. Your success is your own.

 

Marie Gilbert: Jack, In your opinion how has social media helped writers.

 

Jack Flacco: Social media provides writers with the opportunity to connect with their fans one-on-one. That’s the canned response. My answer? Social Media’s a great way to have fun with the audience in order for them to feel as if they’re involved in the creative process. I feel privileged to have a supportive group of folks who forgives my posting silly photos on facebook of trees, food, and other weird and wonderful things. They certainly know how to brighten my day.

 

Marie Gilbert: I Love your blog and know the readers would like to learn more about it.

 

Jack Flacco: Sure, you can find me at www.JackFlacco.com. I post three times a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. My Monday Mayhem series deals with all things zombie. Women Who Wow Wednesday features strong female leads in motion pictures and TV. And I write whatever comes to mind during Freedom Friday.

 

Marie Gilbert: Jack, my last question, where can we find your book?

                                                                       

Jack Flacco: You can find it available worldwide exclusively at Amazon.


Jack, I want to thank you for being a guest on my blog, and for all my zombie snacks out there, buy the book and tell me what you think. Make sure to check out Jack Flacco's Blog; you won't be sorry:)