Ever been alone at the book signing table?

For all those who face the challenge of writing a novel, believing that it will one day change your life and lift you from obscurity, take heed! Writing is only ONE of the challenges. View Parnell Hall's cautionary tale below.

Enjoy!

Visit me at http://www.karenharringtonbooks.com and read an excerpt of JANEOLOGY, the book I tried to sell at many book signing table.

"Persistence is critical," says author Scott Turow

In my writing experience, I know my energy and determination waxes and wanes. Some days, my literary skin is Iron Man tough and I believe it's only a matter of time before my next project gets picked up. Other days, I wonder if I can write a sentence and why I can't recall the correct spelling of 'awkward' (I ALWAYS have to look this up!). I get rejections and send out query letters at an equal rate. What I've learned is that this process is not for the faint of heart. That's why I so enjoyed this terrific article and video Q&A in which author Scott Turow shares his journey and advice that will fire you up, whatever your passion may be.

"The truth of the matter is that the people who succeed in the arts most often are the people who get up again after getting knocked down. Persistence is critical." - Scott Turow

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I've been Karen Harrington, author, Janeology

Come visit me at www.karenharringtonbooks.com

10 Quotes On Writing (Or, I should be writing)

from Karen Harrington
author, Janeology
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Well, it's that time again. I'm starting a new novel this week. The endeavor is not unlike the nervous anticipation of going on a trip. You're excited. You're worried. You can't wait to get there. You wonder if you've packed the right clothes. You are certain you've packed too much. That suitcase looks awfully heavy for one person to carry. And you are quite certain that after the first leg of the trip, a nice glass of wine would be very much appreciated.

At different times in my writing life, each of these quotes was on a Sticky-Note somewhere on my desk, reminding me of a fundamental truth about writing. And I thought I'd take these out today and let them help me carry that heavy suitcase out the door.

1. "One of the first things you learn as a writer is that you write what you can, not what you want." - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

2. "To write well, express yourself like the common people, but think like a wise man." Aristotle

3. "The function of a writer is to raise questions not to find answers." Doris Lessing

4. "A good novelist does not have to describe everything about the sea as long as he knows it." - Ernest Hemingway

5. "If I had listened to what people said I would never have been a writer." - John Wain

6. "Last week I spent five days writing one page..." - Gustave Flaubert

7. "Writers need solitude as others need sleep." - Source Unknown

8. "It's only after you've written a book that you find out what it's about because everyone tells you." Helen Fielding

9. "The best research is talking to people." Jeffrey Archer

10. "You can. You know you can conquer your fears. That's what a writer is -- a conqueror of fears." - Erica Jong

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Pop over to my blog by Saturday, July 11th and leave your comment for a chance to win one of 2 copies of my novel, Janeology.

Whale Song giveaway!

An author friend emailed me yesterday and mentioned that as a birthday gift to me she was blogging about Whale Song. That made my day! :) (Plus the roses from my husband, flowers from my daughter's friends, an ankle bracelet and photo from my daughter, the 3 day holiday from my best friend...and more.)

My author friend is Karen Harrington, the author of Janeology, which I read and truly enjoyed. From now until August 14th, she is giving away a copy of Whale Song.

To enter just go to her blog, read the post and leave a comment.(Be sure to add the word "whale" to your comment.)

Go here to Karen's blog to enter her Whale Song contest.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif
http://www.cherylktardif.com/

Writing In Your Country

My friendly neighborhood Girl Scout just came by with my cookie order. That's a good thing because the weather is beautiful in Dallas today, but the news sucks.

The morning started with a friend calling to alert me about a 28-year-old woman who threw her two children, then herself, over a bridge not twenty minutes from my home. Incredibly, all three survived and were not hit by on-coming traffic on the highway below. What did I think, asked my well-meaning friend?

Well, friends, this kind of story is on my radar for obvious reasons. And this isn’t the first Texas mother in recent weeks, months, years to make headlines that get shuffled into my email box or on my voice mail with the accompanying, "Did you hear about this?" So, yeah, people are going to ask me about it because, in the words of my writing professor, "Parental relationships, especially mothers, are your territory, Karen. That’s your country. So don’t stop writing about it."

Check.

But this querying of my opinion, as if I am an quasi-expert or collector of mom tragedy, is an unexpected part of this writer’s education. Fair enough. All writers have their country. And when we buy a house in our country, I suppose it’s assumed we speak the language.

So, I wonder what writer whose work is a pot-boiler of politics and prostitution is being asked her thoughts on Eliot Spitzer today? You know you’re out there. Please step forward an answer the question: Why is Mrs. Spitzer looking at her husband with such restraint?

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Karen Harrington, author JANEOLOGY, the story of one man's struggle to understand his wife's sudden descent into madness and murder.

Contest: 'Create a Corpse'

When bestselling suspense author Cheryl Kaye Tardif is asked what she does for a living, she likes to say this: "I kill people off for a living."

You don't want to miss reading the rest of this tongue-in-cheek post about mystery, murder, messages...and corpses. Author Karen Harrington invited Cheryl to share a bit about her mystery/suspense novels and while visiting Karen's blog A Writer's Diary, Cheryl decided to hold an impromptu and ‘deadly’ little contest.

Visit Karen Harrington: A Writer's Diary for more information.