My Top 10 Resolutions for 2013

A short and simple post today. (Perhaps I should resolve to do that more often?)

I'm not one who usually makes resolutions. 2012 was the first year in decades I made any at all.  I made two, both relating to my first book.  I accomplished them.  Spurred by that success, I'm making ten for the New Year.

In 2013, I'm making resolutions that I can accomplish.  Goals just vague enough that failure requires more effort than success, and important enough that success is not optional. 

My resolutions this year are single word verbs, active verbs.  And in no particular order, they are:

Make Resolutions That Matter

• Improve
• Progress
• Encourage
• Appreciate
• Persist
• Believe
• Enjoy 
• Inspire
• Entertain
• Love

Sometimes, single word goals are the most difficult.  Not because they're vague or undefined, but because they're encompassing and require commitment in all aspects of life. 

I measure personal success by these verbs. And I resolve to accomplish them all.

August is Awesome Because of Alex Cavanaugh

The time has come to wrap up this awesome August.  It's been a wonderful month and I am beyond satisfied.  I have introduced to you a total of twenty-seven awesome people this month. If you missed any of them, check the Interviews / Guests page and get acquainted.  You owe yourself nothing less!

My sincere thanks to each and every one of them!

And now... let the drum-roll commence...

I have the privilege of concluding this Awesome August by introducing an awesome Ninja!  (Yes, the capital N is indeed warranted.)  In fact, Super Ninja is less than an adequate description for Alex Cavanaugh.

I can't tell you how thrilled I was when he accepted my invitation.  I would normally feel a bit guilty about exposing the identity of a ninja, but the only true secret here is how Alex manages to do so much for so many.  

There exists more than one blogger who would be hard pressed to give a definition of "supportive" that didn't include his name.  He's just that awesome!

Successful Blogging

by

Alex J. Cavanaugh

Jeff graciously asked me to contribute to this month-long awesome feature and I’m here to talk about blogging. You’ve already read so many great tips from other guests this month. You know about turning off word verification, getting involved in blogfests, making it easy for others to follow you, short posts, etc. What more could I add?

I can’t add a lot. But maybe I can give you something new to think about.

What does it take to be a successful blogger?

A blog with a purpose – Your blog needs a focus. And it doesn’t matter what the focus. Don’t feel obligated to offer writing tips if you’re a writer. (Lord knows I don’t!) What topics excite you? What are your passions? Make those the focus of your blog and you will never run out of enthusiasm or material.

Followers – Without followers, we are just talking to ourselves. (Which is really weird if you think about it.) But you can’t gain followers just by following others. You need to engage. You need to follow and comment on the blogs of others. Go make some real friends.

Involvement – You can’t just follow a few people and expect everyone to show up to your party. (Unless you’re offering free food and drink of course.) You have to get involved. There are so many blogfests, challenges, campaigns, and other opportunities in which to meet other bloggers. Involvement means getting to know your fellow bloggers as well. Become part of this awesome community.

Support – Give your support to others. Be a positive force, not a negative one. Encourage your blogger buddies. When they achieve something great, cheer them on. Mention their accomplishment on your blog. Send out a Tweet on Twitter. You have to be willing to give to others if you hope to succeed.

Being genuine – You must be true to you and true to others. You need to be honest but with tact. You need to be transparent without sacrificing your privacy. You need to be positive but not sticky-sweet fake. You need to be consistent in all things. Be the light everyone wants to follow.

Everyone wants to know the secret to blogging success, but there isn’t one. Be a friend. Be a genuine friend. Be someone who is consistent and dependable. Be the person you’ve always aspired to be!

And if all else fails, free Hot Tamales are always an option. (Hey, works on me!)

About Alex J. Cavanaugh:

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He is experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The author of Amazon Best Sellers, CassaStar and CassaFire, he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.

Connect with Alex at:
His Blog: http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/AlexJCavanaugh



Alex's Books:
CassaFire - Science fiction - space opera/adventure
Book Trailer - On YouTube

CassaStar was only the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren's civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan's technology and strange mental abilities.

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves, the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

CassaFire is the sequel to Cavanaugh’s first book, CassaStar, an Amazon Top Ten Best Seller:  It's available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Amazon Kindle, and B&N Nook

CassaStar
Book trailer - On YouTube

“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

CassaStar is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK, Amazon Kindle, and B&N Nook

August is Awesome Because of Angela Cothran

Have you met superwoman?  Some people call her Angie.  You may know her as Angela Cothran.  But everyone knows she's awesome!

She's been spotted darting through cyberspace, dropping little comments here and there, leaving behind a smile for the next visitor to wear.  If not, you might try the Live to Write blog.  She surfaces there rather regularly.

If you've yet to make her acquaintance, drop her a comment and say "Hi!"  Then you can tell all your friends that you met superwoman--otherwise known as the awesome Angela Cothran!

 

The Green Eyed Monster

by

Angie Cothran

First off I want to say a big thanks to Jeff for asking me to participate in August is Awesome. I’ve been MIA with my move and a big R&R, so I’ve been missing all my blogging buddies.

I thought a lot about what I wanted to write in this post, and I settled on something that has been on my mind lately--Jealousy.

This summer has been full of announcements by writers that an agent has snatched them up or they have signed a publishing contract. I read the posts then I read the comments, and while most people seem genuinely happy, sometimes there is an edge of, "Why them and not me?"

I have a good friend who recently found an agent. When she told me how she wrote her book in a few weeks and had a dozen full requests from contests without ever sending out one query, I wanted to shield her from a world that wouldn’t be happy for her speedy success. I even told her never to tell anyone about it.

I’m passionate about being happy for others. I have a few reasons why I believe when one of us succeeds we ALL succeed!

Cold querying works! In a time when who you know matters, the old fashioned way will still get you an agent. Great book + Solid Query = Offer of Representation.

Books still sell! If we were really all in a dying industry like so many people say, would agents still pick up books? No. Books will be here forever. Don’t let anyone tell you they won’t.

On the prowl. Agents are still avidly looking. Somewhere out there is an agent or publisher that will love your book. Don’t give up because they aren’t.

Karma Works. If all else fails, if you can send some sincere excitement to a friend you are sure to get it back :)

This is one of my favorite quotes on envy/jealousy:

"Envy is a mistake that just keeps on giving. Obviously we suffer a little when some misfortune befalls us, but envy requires us to suffer all good fortune that befalls everyone we know! What a bright prospect that is--downing another quart of pickle juice every time anyone around you has a happy moment."

 - Jeffery R. Holland

Hopefully that didn’t come off preachy :) Finding ways to be happy even when it is hard always makes us better people. Like I tell my kids, "Attitude is everything!"

About Angela Cothran:

Angela Cothran is awesome!

I am passionate about books and chocolate (usually in that order :) I came to love writing later in my life when I wondered, "Could I write a book?" It turns out I can. I'm currently querying my MS and if I can find an agent who is as crazy about it as me I will shower her/him with chocolate and super professional emails (of course!) I live in Orlando Florida with my hubby and three kids, who all give me more character material than I will ever be able to use.

Connect with Angela at:

Her Blog Live to Write

And on Facebook

Thus Saith the Muse

These are the commandments given to me by my muse.  By following them I'm guaranteed neither salvation nor success.  But by breaking them, I'm inviting failure.

I - Thou shalt make no excuses, only time to write.
Writing is a choice.  A writer is one who has chosen to discipline his writing.  An author is a writer who has successfully persevered in his chosen discipline.

II - Thou shalt indulge inspiration, foster creativity, and write what thou loveth.
Food is the nourishment for people.  Imagination is the nourishment for writers.  Feed it.  Let it grow.  Nourish the reader.

III - Thou shalt not waste thine words or thy reader's time.
Don't over-describe.  Don't capture the mundane.  Make every page count and every word serve a purpose.

IV - Remember thy plot lines and keep them true.
Plot begins with the story.  The plot is a promise.  To write the story is to promise the reader a satisfying and fulfilling conclusion.  Don't forget the promise.  And don't betray the reader's trust.

V - Honor thy grammar and thy punctuation that thy writing might endure.
Don't confuse your readers.  Engage them.  Challenge them.  Make them work at guessing what comes next, not what they just read.  They want to accompany you on the journey.  Let them.

VI - Thou shalt not kill thine characters without purpose.
Nothing in fiction should be senseless.  Everything must have purpose.  If you don't know why your fictional event happened then your readers won't know either.

VII - Thou shalt remain faithful to the readers of thine words.
Make promises to your readers and fulfill every one of them.  Promise them the world and deliver it.  Entice them.  Satisfy them.

VIII - Thou shalt not plagiarize nor cite without credit.
The wise learn from others.  And the wise credit those from whom they've learned.

IX - Thou shalt not write fiction without researching facts.
If your protagonist lives in the Ozarks, he cannot look through his window and see the Gulf of Mexico's gentle waves lapping the coastline. 

X - Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's success.
Words are free.  The experiences they convey can be priceless.  Crafting those experiences comes at a cost.  Revel in the success of your peers as you would have them revel in yours.


There are, of course, many more commandments that my muse whispers while I write.  This post only had room for ten.