Stories about cults don’t interest me. But this book is not really about a cult, it’s more about a survivor of a cult and about the people who benefit from such extremists. Plot is well done and the returning characters are growing and changing from earlier books. This is a page turner.

Email your synopsis and brief introductory note to submissions@uk.penguingroup.com before the end of October 2010.
Go to the website for details. Thanks to Rick at IWW for this.

A summary of Penguin submission guidelines:

We ask that email submissions comprise a brief covering note and synopsis and not a full manuscripts. Please do not send attachments, please write out your cover note and synopsis in the body of the email. We remain unable to accept hard copy submissions and will not return or be responsible for the safety of any that we do receive, so please do not send any original or hard copy manuscripts to us. We will not contact you with feedback on your submission and will only enter into email correspondence with you if an editor within Penguin is keen to progress your idea.

Best of luck to you!

My writing did suffer. I wrote two novels in a little over a year and now my writing is much slower. But life is better.

So what now? Setting goals seems to work for me. I am determined to send out queries for Deceptions, keep my fitness level and maybe improve it, run a 5K in September, and start another book. Health matters and the healthier and more fit I am, the more I can enjoy this amazing world.

On Thursday I had Lasik surgery. I can’t believe the difference it has made in my life. I am feeling renewed. I want to keep that feeling. And that means continuing to do what I know enhances happiness. Health for one. Contributing, quality relationships and new experiences add to happiness as well. You truly will be happier in a 900 square foot house if you get to travel the world and that’s what you love to do.

So in terms of contribution, I want to be kinder to this world. Each week I want to do something, no matter how small, to make the world a better place. So I’m going to focus on that for a while, until it’s part of my routine. First I’ll need to be more mindful of opportunities. Routine daily actions like recycling count. But I can only count it once for the week.

I’m also ready to have more experiences. I have so many blessings and I don’t need any more material things. I need to sell or giveaway some of what I have. But as the New York Times pointed out today, happiness lie in relationships and experiences. I can have more of both if I spend less, work less. That’s where I’m headed.

Let’s see how I do.

Committment works. And how much better I feel. Instead of feeling like a failure every day, I am now fitting into those clothes that I couldn’t wear before. In addition I am much healthier. I hope I learn to not lie to myself, tell myself I am doing something when I’m really not. And I surely hope that I have learned to maintain my fitness level this time. I don’t want to do this again.

It does amaze me how often I think that I am taking steps to a goal when I am not really. Once I made my goals a priority in my life, and made myself a priority, I made progress.

I am a priority.

I finished Living the Literary Life. She suggests writing personal notes on terrific paper to every one who rejects your manuscript. Interesting idea. She also says not to query, but to send a letter stating you’ll be sending your manuscript. I don’t think that would work, but what do I know.

Building a platform requires creativity and energy. Other experts suggest ttending book fairs, setting up contests, sending out press releases, adding a press kit to your website, making the acquaintence of the buyer at your local bookstore, going to conferences, having book signings, giving workshops, setting up a partnership with a business by putting writing a product into your manuscript and having a catchy excerpt for the press.

I need a good time management book. Or maybe there’s a blog that addresses that. I could network…

January 17, 2010

I’m back in the gym again. Writing is not conducive to staying fit. It’s really a shame you can’t get in shape once and be done with it, check it off the list. No, it’s like making the bed. Exactly like that for me–I don’t make mine anymore cause it wouldn’t stay done.

So I need an attitude change. I’m working on it. I’m bribing myself by having cardio time be reading time. I have too many books on my Kindle now (please hold your boos all you Kindle haters, this little contraption saves my back when I travel and fits perfectly on the elliptical and the treadmill and I still love real books the best) so I look forward to my time now.

I’m finally making some progress with my guitar lessons. I’m persisting anyway.

Hemingway said writers need to stick together like bandits, so I’m reaching out, looking for a community of writers.

December 24, 2009

It’s Christmas Eve! Happy Holidays to everyone. I hope that however you want your holidays to be that your wishes come true. I’m ready to enjoy the slower pace and spend time with friends. By choice, my holidays have not been hectic for many years now and I love the calmer days. Tonight I join friends for dinner and tomorrow afternoon I’ll share Christmas with more friends.

December 2009

I can’t believe it’s been three months since I updated this page. I’ve been so busy writing and traveling that time flew by.

Deceptions has been the focus of my writing, though I’m working on a chapter for The Elephant in the Closet too. A very dear person sent out an email asking hundreds of clinicians to fill out the survey for providers. Many, many thanks to her. There is a survey for the general public as well. Check out the Elephants page and you’ll see the URL if you want to complete a survey.

The weather is wonderfully cool now. And we had snow in Houston this year! Friday, December 4. Christmas is less than two weeks away. I have company coming from out of town and can’t wait to see them. Coco will be in heaven.

Thanksgiving was in Ft. Lauderdale and I was lucky to have beautiful weather. I spent most of my time writing and loved every minute of it.

Christmas will be in Houston. Thanks to some wonderful friends, my out of town guests and I will be sharing friendship and merriment on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hope your Christmas is filled with wonder and love.

September 13, 2009

It’s cooling down in Houston and my energy is up. I’ve started a new blog at LiveJournal. I can’t figure out how to get all pages of this one to feed to the internet search engines, so the new blog only has one page and connects to those all-important tools. The first photo above is my avatar on LiveJournal.

I love avatars. It’s a lot like playing dress-up. I can be whoever I want to be. The middle photo is my avatar on Twitter. I’m Mindfulnow if you want to follow me on Twitter.

The last photo is Coco, my Golden Retriever. Don’t make fun of his stuffed animal or his blankey.

I’m very excited that my first book review for Internet Review of Books will be up around September 15. Book reviews are more difficult than you think. I’m currently working on one for The Feminist Review and another one for Internet Review of Books. Have you read The Day the Falls Stood Still? Interesting book but a difficult one to review, at least for me.

I’m involved in several writing projects. Check out the pages for The Validated Child, The Elephant in the Closet, Bandaids Fallin From Their Souls, and Deceptions.
I love writing.

Deceptions is about lies people tell for all sorts of good and not-so-good reasons. What sorts of lies have affected your life? What lies have you entangled yourself in? Leave a comment as we take a look at the falsehoods and deceptions we all face.

There’s travel in my future. I’ll be in Virginia in October and in November I’m headed to Ft. Lauderdale for some calm time by the ocean.

There’s sadness in my life with the death of my Mother, Charlsie Hall Anders. She died peacefully in her sleep on August 23, 2009.

Hope you have a great September. Remember, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take (Wayne Gretzky).

Leave a comment–click on Continue Reading.

Ciao,
Karyn

June 22, 2009
Thanks for stopping by. After giving up my pen for many years to pursue a career in psychology, I’m back to embracing the world of words and art. That quotation “You miss one hundred per cent of the shots you don’t take” makes sense to me, so here’s another shot.

My mind’s been on the way we remember past experiences and how that affects our present and the way we see ourselves. Collecting memories that support you is a way of influencing our view of life and identity. Here’s a few of the memories I’m gathering.

Meet Coco. He’s a very spoiled, ninety-pound golden retriever who likes to swim in the pool until he’s exhausted and then relax on a float. Yes, his own float. His excited greetings when I return after a tiring day feed my spirit. He’s the only member of my family willing to sit with me while I write. Well, for that matter he’s the only one whose company I want during composing hours.

The beauty of nature rejuvenates me. Emerald Lake in Canada is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been. I’ve known the blue of the Blue Ridge Mountains and lived the colors of the changing seasons there. Sighting the Azores after five days at sea was dramatic, though I thrived in those peaceful days surrounded by miles of ocean.

I have many memories of wonderful people who wouldn’t want to be named nor the vignettes shared.

So take a look in Musings and Contributions. This month the topic is about about celebrations and collecting memories. You’ll find an invitation to write twenty words about learning. Send me your contributions–I’d love to read them.

To leave a comment, click on Continue Reading.