Saturday, October 30, 2010

reviews-for Longing For December

jamerjohn
this was a great read, I had 2and a half hours to find something to do, and read the whole thing. very good. thank you for writing it.
On October 30th 2010
 
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Oct. 30, 2010 By dburket2010
exellent i give 5 stars

My book-Longing For December-



you can find it on Lulu.com as well as on bookrix.com! Please stop by bookrix and give me a review:)

a facebook comment:)
Amanda Mullins Davis writes-I love this book! I could read it over and over again. I read Harlequin and Silhouette romance novels and let me just say that this fits right in the same category, it is a true romance novel and the only thing I hate is that it is not on shelves yet!
On October

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Longing For December

After many queries to agents and publishers, I have decided to do a trial run at self publishing for my first novella, "Longing For December." Please check out the link-http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/longing-for-december/13386419?showPreview

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Some Positive Feedback

Shelia, ive been reading your book LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!! The only thing that could make it better would be to hold the book in my hands and read it, instead of on the computer screen.

Hi, Shelia. I looked through your early pages and I think you have a lovely natural feel for the cadence of language ... and a heart for romance!

wow I am addicted ...cant wait to read next chapter. Your story is simple yet complex which makes it a great read. Keep writing!
 
This prose is terrific, and unforgettably impressive.......

Sometimes an angel will unexpectedly touch your life and you'll never be the same. Our life on earth is a breif stay. If we waste it bitter with a hardened heart what a shame it will be when we take our last breath, and leave this world with regrets and pain. Forgiveness is freeing, love is unconditional and with it comes peace. All we have is the love in our hearts and our families and our friends...all we have is each other...


This chapter was very delightful but it was a little too long -shortening your chapters will make for a better and more precise critque/read.

Great Job!!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

On My Journey To Follow My Dream-email from author Danielle Steel

Dear Shelia,

Thank you so very much for your lovely letter about my books.  I was very
touched to hear how long you have been reading them and what they have meant
to you.  It's a real honor to hear that you find the stories to be so full
of courage and growth, especially after the ups and downs in your own life. 
I write them with caring, heart, and a lot of hard work, and I like to think
that my readers read them and enjoy them in the same spirit.  I admire your
strength and your spirit of rebuilding a great deal.

However, the question you ask is not easy to answer.  I think that the
first thing a writer needs to do is to read voraciously!

It is very difficult to summarize the craft of writing.  Try to be totally
honest  with yourself as you write, and write in your own words and your own
voice, not one you think you should adopt.  Be sure to give attention to
the details of each and the character's lives.  When writing your first draft,
don't worry too much about how it sounds or about spelling or leaving a few
gaps in the story, just get the main story down on paper.  Then when you go
back to rewrite you can put your critical-editor hat on and give it a good,
rigorous rewrite.

Much of it is about persistence.  It's about finding characters you care
about and putting them into story situations, and then asking yourself how
they feel and what's going and persisting in working on that until you find
something that seems true to the characters and the situation. It's good if you
can write every day on a disciplined schedule, even if for just a short
time. Even if you end up throwing out most of what you write, it is vital to
get into this habit.  Perseverance and discipline, along with the ability to
empathize with others, are probably the most important attributes a writer
can have.  Success is a long slow road, and you have to be deeply committed to
writing. Most writers have other jobs for many years before they can make
enough at writing to give up their other jobs.

You might also want to enroll in one of the many writing workshops or
classes available in order to get some sense of how people may react to your
work. 

Once your manuscript is ready to send out, all I can advise is to do what
every writer does -- submit it to all the likely agents or publishers you can
find, and hope for the best.  Often agents are more receptive to new
writers than publishers are.  Sourcebooks such as Literary Market Place or
Writer's Market Yearbook, which are available in libraries and bookstores, will
tell you what kind of work an agent or publisher is looking for and give
procedures for submission.  Many agents and publishers also have web sites now
that will tell you about their policy on submitting manuscripts.  The web sites
www.querytracker.net and litmatch.net can help you in finding an agent.

Thank you again for sharing your good words with me.  I appreciate hearing
from a reader and mother like you, and I was honored to hear about your
daughter's middle name.  I send you all my warmest wishes.

With best wishes,

Danielle Steel

A Day IN The Life...

Tues. Oct. 19, 2010

Every day starts the same. I wake up, squint at the clock and stumble to the coffee pot, (after a trip to the bathroom, of coarse). I put on a pot of coffee, sign on and check my mail. Somewhere in there taking my blood pressure meds. which I hope my turning over a new leaf and joining Curves will relieve me of that.

 I usually start with facebook, which I am hopelessly addicted. It's where I can catch up with what my kids and friends are into, & see the familiar names that I heard back in school, and in a way feel like I am there again. I ususally don't have "mail "there, unless I send someone mail, asking a question, ect. or if it's cancer awareness week and I get a requests that I post a bra color, for the confusing of all men.

Then I usually start opening tabs. I check my AOL, looking for emails from literary agents, and publishers. I go to WEbook, where I do my online writing and some editing. I have a completed romance novel, "Faith Can Move Mountains," I am also working on a book that I wrote several years ago, which I am working on editing, "Ghost From The Past," you can aslo find chapters of that on WEbook. I have started another book which is a mystery/romance, "Shades Of Deception." It is aslo on WEbook. I have a completed romance novel called. "Longing For December," which I am searching for a literary agent to represent or a publisher to accept.

I also have a line of children's books that I am currently working on, "The Magical Adventures Of Sissy Stringbean," in dedication to my former sister-n-law, Denise Ann Bailes, who passed away from colon cancer in 05. The stories are light hearted stories about a little country gal and her barnyard friends.With Sissy's imagination, she travels to far away places and makes many friends along the way. I, along with my son Justin "Cole" Woodrum and Amanda Rose, will aslo be illustrating. In futute stories, my necie Kierstyn Shaffer will be assisting on illustrations.

I have learned through talking to other writer/moms on one of my favorite sites, "Cafemom," that there are a few sites available to help new authors.

 Predators and Editors

Query Shark

Webook-where you can write online and get feedback from other writers, as well as give it.