Saturday, March 24, 2007

Book Cover


We got a preview of our book cover this week. Looks neat doesn't it? We are scheduled to do a pre-conference workshop for the Writer's League of Texas at the Agent's and Editors conf in Austin June 15-17. The books are scheduled to be here June 1 so we should have them for the FiW conference as well. So much Excitement!!
Landed two more assignments from CU Business this week and am wrapping up one more ghostwriting project for a client in London. Then I should be good to go to VEGAS!!!
We leave Tuesday for another trip and we're staying downtown again. However I will be visiting the Bellagio for the $1000 tourney on Friday night. We'll also be at Caesar's on Thursday - Kevin got us reservations at Bobby Flay's place. He did them a month in advance and it was still tough to get in!! I need to ghostwrite a book for a celebrity chef!!
Our Ghostwriting/Freelance class for beginners starts in May and we're working on the curriculum. It's a short, six week class but I think it will be pretty good. We're also speaking at the PPW meeting in July so we'll have another chance to present our book.
The ad campaign for http://www.noveleditor.net/ starts next week so I'm hoping April will be a very busy month(if it could get any busier). That's another reason for the Vegas trip - a little R & R before all H*** breaks loose!

Monday, March 12, 2007

Once Upon a Dream

So I've been told that I've let my reading public down with my spotty posts. Sorry - been very busy.

In the newest plot to take over the world, we've had interest from 3 writer's groups to either do a workshop, speak at a regular meeting, or give a seminar at their conference on ghostwriting. All good. We met last Sunday with the girl that will be doing our book cover and gave her our overview. I hope she is more clever and talented than we are!

The ghostwriting book has to be at the printer by April 10, which doesn't give us much time for layout after I get back from Vegas. But it shouldn't take me long to get back up to speed on the software, after I lived it for two years solid it should be like riding a bike. (Okay a very big bike down a really steep slope)

The plan for finishing projects prior to Vegas is well under way. Two more books to write and two to edit. If I can write a third, then I'll do that too. Vegas is in 13 days...tick tick tick. The lipo book first draft is done and as usual all I think about is how much I'd love to have some of that!! But I really think the tummy tuck is much more important.

I finished a sort notice assignment for Kiplinger's on time and the book was really good. It's called Your Credit Score (I know, not very original but to the point) and it was really eye opening.

We sent off our proposal for the nonfiction idea to one agent which I pitched on the phone (by the way sports fans, never do this you risk incurring the ire of the great agent gods). However it is time sensitive since Bob Proctor and crew are taking the nation by storm. I figure if we don't hear from her soon we'll start pitching other agents. I still think she's the one, but who knows.

The Amarillo Group has taken on numerous new members who want to have a go at the freelance life. I think several of them are promising and we should be receiving several projects in the next couple of weeks to keep our experienced writers in the money and also try out some of the newbies.

Next up on the schedule is 'The Magic of Wealth' which should prove to be a fun one and then a business book which intrigues and interests me. One of the questions I've gotten the last few days is "What about your fiction?" WHUT???? It's not like I've forgotten, but the truth is that I can't work for free! Can you?? And I really think the recent experiences are leading me down a path that may offer even more opportunities both for fiction and non-fiction so I'm taking it as it comes and not stressing over it. Positive vibes people, positive vibes.

One of the more interesting results of the turmoil, changes and outcomes of the last couple of months is how non-stressed I am. Shouldn't I be like overwhelmed? Panicked? At the very least concerned? No, not really. It's really much easier than people believe to be successful. You don't have to struggle and you don't have to suffer. You just have to go with it. Maybe it's a function of age that you don't fear the beast in the closet anymore. You don't worry in advance and you just deal with the issues as they arise - which is always better than worrying and making the problems bigger than what they are.

I think that's my advice for this blog. Just go with it. Look for the opportunities and take them, see where they lead.