I could tell you about my week in NJ. On the plus side, I got to spend time with my son who has Down syndrome and I visited an amazingly wonderful group home. On the down side? Driving a car on the freeway after midnight when a tire had been down to 12 pounds earlier in the day (that my ex forgot to warn me about until the next day). Toilets overflowing. Pipes spewing water all over the laundry room (and into the carpeted family room). And so on. I think I'd rather talk about dogs.
I'd like to have a dog. I'd love to have a collie but I'm not sure I can handle a dog that big any more. So maybe a sheltie? Of course, in Austin, both shelties and collies are hard to find. Well, with the heat we get and their long fur....need I say more?
So I'm at a bit of a loss. I'm not sure whether to look for a sheltie or consider another kind of dog. But if not a sheltie or collie, what breed? Generally I'm more drawn to dogs with long rather than shorter fur. Since I'd probably have the dog inside more than outside and take it for walks, smaller is probably better than bigger. A mellow temperament would be a bonus.
I'm not asking for much, am I? I have checked out dogs for adoption from shelters and rescue groups. Nothing clicked and I'm not about to adopt a pet lightly. I'd rather not get a dog than get one I'll regret.
So who knows? I may get a sheltie or I may not get a dog at all or I may find a mixed breed I love.
Anyway, I'd love to have suggestions on types of dogs—both warnings and recommendations!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
next Book in a Week class
I realize some of you have already taken this class. If so, please pass the information on to anyone who you think might be interested. If you're going to RWA National conference in San Francisco and you haven't taken this class yet, it might be a great way to harness the writing energy you have when you get back!
Book in a Week
This class will run 5 weeks from (August 11 to September 12)
Cost: $50Deadline to sign up: August 8, 2008Note: Class size will be limited to 35 students maximum
Class Description: Book in a Week
I truly believe that when we are in tune with who we are as writers, the process becomes easier and we become better writers. This class is designed to help you discover what and when and where and how YOU write best. It is designed to take you back to those early days when you couldn't wait to write your book. It's designed to remind you of the joy and the power of playing “make believe” as a child—to let you sidestep any limits you may be setting on yourself and your ability to write.This class will take you through every step of the writing process—from beginning to brainstorm all the way through sending material out to be published.
Weeks 1-3:
Preparing to write the first draft of a book in one week
Creating compelling characters or how to write about real people in nonfiction
Planning plot elements or structure in a nonfiction book
Choosing the right character name
Effective paragraph and sentence structure
Using imagery and sensory detail to add impact
Writing effective dialogueCreating a productive writing environment
Enlisting the support of those around you
Mentally gearing yourself up to write faster (and better) than you thought you could
Week 4:
Intensive Writing Week (August 30 to September 7)
(This is about discovering how writing fits into YOUR life. You can't do it wrong. You won't fail. No matter what happens you will discover more about yourself as a writer than you thought possible during that ONE WEEK of writing!)
Week 5: Evaluating the writing experience itselfMaking revisionsSending out material
The class will be run by having members sign onto an email loop and lessons will arrive via that loop. Lessons will also be posted in the file section of the email loop so that students can download any missed lessons directly. There will be opportunity for discussion on the loop.
Bio:
April Kihlstrom is an award winning author of 31 published romance novels. She believes Book in a Week is a way to recapture the joy of writing and write faster and more effectively at the same time. Always a slow writer, April was lured into attempting Book In A Week by a group of writers on Genie. Much to her surprise, she discovered it was a technique that worked well for her and she really could write the first draft of a book in a week! Since she began using the book in a week method, Romantic Times has called her a “rising star” and a “diamond of the first water”.
April offers coaching to fellow writers as well as classes and workshops in writing to both romance and non-romance writers and has spoken at many conferences including: the RWA national conference (romance) and the East of Eden conference (non-romance) .
Payment for the class may be made by check or by Paypal. To sign up send an email to mailto:aprilkihlstrom@yahoo.com with Book in a Week in the header and in the body of the email please put: your name and whether you prefer to pay by check or Paypal.
Book in a Week
This class will run 5 weeks from (August 11 to September 12)
Cost: $50Deadline to sign up: August 8, 2008Note: Class size will be limited to 35 students maximum
Class Description: Book in a Week
I truly believe that when we are in tune with who we are as writers, the process becomes easier and we become better writers. This class is designed to help you discover what and when and where and how YOU write best. It is designed to take you back to those early days when you couldn't wait to write your book. It's designed to remind you of the joy and the power of playing “make believe” as a child—to let you sidestep any limits you may be setting on yourself and your ability to write.This class will take you through every step of the writing process—from beginning to brainstorm all the way through sending material out to be published.
Weeks 1-3:
Preparing to write the first draft of a book in one week
Creating compelling characters or how to write about real people in nonfiction
Planning plot elements or structure in a nonfiction book
Choosing the right character name
Effective paragraph and sentence structure
Using imagery and sensory detail to add impact
Writing effective dialogueCreating a productive writing environment
Enlisting the support of those around you
Mentally gearing yourself up to write faster (and better) than you thought you could
Week 4:
Intensive Writing Week (August 30 to September 7)
(This is about discovering how writing fits into YOUR life. You can't do it wrong. You won't fail. No matter what happens you will discover more about yourself as a writer than you thought possible during that ONE WEEK of writing!)
Week 5: Evaluating the writing experience itselfMaking revisionsSending out material
The class will be run by having members sign onto an email loop and lessons will arrive via that loop. Lessons will also be posted in the file section of the email loop so that students can download any missed lessons directly. There will be opportunity for discussion on the loop.
Bio:
April Kihlstrom is an award winning author of 31 published romance novels. She believes Book in a Week is a way to recapture the joy of writing and write faster and more effectively at the same time. Always a slow writer, April was lured into attempting Book In A Week by a group of writers on Genie. Much to her surprise, she discovered it was a technique that worked well for her and she really could write the first draft of a book in a week! Since she began using the book in a week method, Romantic Times has called her a “rising star” and a “diamond of the first water”.
April offers coaching to fellow writers as well as classes and workshops in writing to both romance and non-romance writers and has spoken at many conferences including: the RWA national conference (romance) and the East of Eden conference (non-romance) .
Payment for the class may be made by check or by Paypal. To sign up send an email to mailto:aprilkihlstrom@yahoo.com with Book in a Week in the header and in the body of the email please put: your name and whether you prefer to pay by check or Paypal.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Finances
I have several friends right now dealing with financial crises. They're not alone. Lots of people are. I thought I would post a few things that might be useful when it comes to finances. I'm not an expert. These are strictly lessons I've learned through reading or from experience:
1) 0 interest transfers to new credit cards come with a huge catch. If you charge anything on that card, you pay interest and NONE OF YOUR PAYMENTS go to pay off the interest bearing charges until the zero interest charges are completely paid off.
2) If you are in trouble with your mortgage, talk to your bank but go in with a plan you can show them of how you believe you will be able to pay in the future if they give you a temporary abeyance.
3) If you can't afford to pay cash, you can't afford it. That doesn't mean you can't charge something, only that you need to know you would be able to pay cash if you had to. Exceptions? A house. College loans (within reason). Maybe a car. Unexpected medical bills.
4) Calculate the true cost of what you buy. Everything you buy with credit costs a lot more than anything for which you pay cash—unless the credit card bill is paid in full each month. So when you look at the price of something, tack on the amount of interest you will pay over its lifetime to decide if you can afford it—or really want to spend that much.
5) Financial institutions are out to make money. They will tack on fees and interest any way they can. If a credit card or loan offer looks too good to be true—there's a catch, often a huge one.
6))You don't have good credit unless your credit score is over 750. Otherwise you're going to be charged higher interest on everything.
7) You can sometimes negotiate interest rates on credit cards. Know what interest rate you pay and what the best interest rate is that's currently being offered.
8) There are lots of scammers out there offering to help “fix” your credit or help you with your home that's going into “foreclosure”. You're much better off, in almost all cases, dealing directly with creditors yourself.
9) Don't cancel credit cards. Get the balance down to zero, cut them up if that will help, but don't actually cancel the account (unless there's a fee for having the card). The reason is that the more credit you have available THAT YOU ARE NOT USING, the higher your credit score. The longer you have had a credit card, the better in terms of your credit score.
10) With credit cards look at the true cost of having them—yearly fee (if any, preferably none), interest rates, rules about when an d how they can raise interest rates, late fees and penalties (if that applies to you), etc.
11) Know that with debit cards, businesses can put “holds” on your account for more than the cost of your purchase! This can cause you to overdraw your account even though technically your purchases are within the amount you have in the bank.
12) Get to know which things are luxuries for you and which are true necessities. Separate emotion from your spending. Be realistic about what you can afford.
None of these things are new. Just wanted to share them in hopes that they might help a few people out there.
1) 0 interest transfers to new credit cards come with a huge catch. If you charge anything on that card, you pay interest and NONE OF YOUR PAYMENTS go to pay off the interest bearing charges until the zero interest charges are completely paid off.
2) If you are in trouble with your mortgage, talk to your bank but go in with a plan you can show them of how you believe you will be able to pay in the future if they give you a temporary abeyance.
3) If you can't afford to pay cash, you can't afford it. That doesn't mean you can't charge something, only that you need to know you would be able to pay cash if you had to. Exceptions? A house. College loans (within reason). Maybe a car. Unexpected medical bills.
4) Calculate the true cost of what you buy. Everything you buy with credit costs a lot more than anything for which you pay cash—unless the credit card bill is paid in full each month. So when you look at the price of something, tack on the amount of interest you will pay over its lifetime to decide if you can afford it—or really want to spend that much.
5) Financial institutions are out to make money. They will tack on fees and interest any way they can. If a credit card or loan offer looks too good to be true—there's a catch, often a huge one.
6))You don't have good credit unless your credit score is over 750. Otherwise you're going to be charged higher interest on everything.
7) You can sometimes negotiate interest rates on credit cards. Know what interest rate you pay and what the best interest rate is that's currently being offered.
8) There are lots of scammers out there offering to help “fix” your credit or help you with your home that's going into “foreclosure”. You're much better off, in almost all cases, dealing directly with creditors yourself.
9) Don't cancel credit cards. Get the balance down to zero, cut them up if that will help, but don't actually cancel the account (unless there's a fee for having the card). The reason is that the more credit you have available THAT YOU ARE NOT USING, the higher your credit score. The longer you have had a credit card, the better in terms of your credit score.
10) With credit cards look at the true cost of having them—yearly fee (if any, preferably none), interest rates, rules about when an d how they can raise interest rates, late fees and penalties (if that applies to you), etc.
11) Know that with debit cards, businesses can put “holds” on your account for more than the cost of your purchase! This can cause you to overdraw your account even though technically your purchases are within the amount you have in the bank.
12) Get to know which things are luxuries for you and which are true necessities. Separate emotion from your spending. Be realistic about what you can afford.
None of these things are new. Just wanted to share them in hopes that they might help a few people out there.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Who Are You?
In life, we often wear masks. As a speaker I heard this weekend said, there's Who we are, Who we THINK we are, Who we pretend to be, and Who others think we are.
In novels, this is also true for the characters we create. And often it is the differences in those 4 images that generates plot. If you're a writer and you're stuck planning out a story, a useful exercise might be to write down for each major character the answer to those four categories.
By the same token, in real life, it can be useful to look at those four categories about ourselves. Looking at the discrepancies might give us insight into what might be causing problems and how maybe, just maybe, we can address the issues and resolve some of them. It's not for the faint of heart, of course, but the results can be very powerful.
In novels, this is also true for the characters we create. And often it is the differences in those 4 images that generates plot. If you're a writer and you're stuck planning out a story, a useful exercise might be to write down for each major character the answer to those four categories.
By the same token, in real life, it can be useful to look at those four categories about ourselves. Looking at the discrepancies might give us insight into what might be causing problems and how maybe, just maybe, we can address the issues and resolve some of them. It's not for the faint of heart, of course, but the results can be very powerful.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Online Public Speaking Class
If you've taken any of my online classes or ever heard me speak, then you know that my goal is to always make material easy, intuitive and fun. I'm about to offer a class on public speaking for writers (though anyone might find it useful). Lessons will be short, easy to follow, and give you real tools to be effective as a speaker and maybe even have fun doing so. I'll talk about pitching to an editor/agent, giving workshops or other presentations, handling interviews with print reporters as well as on radio and television.
Here's the information. The class is being offered through the Outreach chapter of RWA so you'll need to use the link to their website if you are interested in signing up!
TITLE: Public Speaking for Writers
DATE: July 7 – July 18, 2008
INSTRUCTOR: April Kihlstrom
LEVEL: Beginner to Advanced
COST: $10 Outreach Member/Others $20
Deadline to receive application and payment: July 5, 2008
Course Description:
Does public speaking make your stomach clench and your skin go cold? Do you panic at the thought? This 2 week online course will show you simple techniques to make anyone a more relaxed and effective speaker.
Topics will include handling interviews, offering pitches at conferences and presenting workshops. Everything from creating content for an effective presentation to how to dress to handling those pesky physiological responses will be covered.
By the end of this class, you'll be able to enjoy getting up in front of a crowd—or at least know you'll be okay.
Bio:
April Kihlstrom is the author of 31 published romance novels. She has achieved the rank of ATM Bronze in Toastmasters, won speaking contests, taught public speaking in California, been interviewed on television and presented highly acclaimed workshops at both national and regional conferences.
To sign up, please go to Outreach International Online Campus. Click on current classes then look at July to find mine.
I hope you will consider signing up for this course--especially if public speaking in any way intimidates you. It doesn't have to! As I said above, my goal will be to make this fun, easy and intuitive.
Here's the information. The class is being offered through the Outreach chapter of RWA so you'll need to use the link to their website if you are interested in signing up!
TITLE: Public Speaking for Writers
DATE: July 7 – July 18, 2008
INSTRUCTOR: April Kihlstrom
LEVEL: Beginner to Advanced
COST: $10 Outreach Member/Others $20
Deadline to receive application and payment: July 5, 2008
Course Description:
Does public speaking make your stomach clench and your skin go cold? Do you panic at the thought? This 2 week online course will show you simple techniques to make anyone a more relaxed and effective speaker.
Topics will include handling interviews, offering pitches at conferences and presenting workshops. Everything from creating content for an effective presentation to how to dress to handling those pesky physiological responses will be covered.
By the end of this class, you'll be able to enjoy getting up in front of a crowd—or at least know you'll be okay.
Bio:
April Kihlstrom is the author of 31 published romance novels. She has achieved the rank of ATM Bronze in Toastmasters, won speaking contests, taught public speaking in California, been interviewed on television and presented highly acclaimed workshops at both national and regional conferences.
To sign up, please go to Outreach International Online Campus. Click on current classes then look at July to find mine.
I hope you will consider signing up for this course--especially if public speaking in any way intimidates you. It doesn't have to! As I said above, my goal will be to make this fun, easy and intuitive.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Father's Day
Today, of course, I find myself thinking about fathers and I came up with a list of some of the qualities of a good father (or mother, for that matter...)--whether in fiction or in real life:
1)Sees and nurtures the best in the child—and helps the child build on those strengths.
2)Encourages the child to believe in him or herself.
3)Loves deeply and gives of himself AND sets good limits on the child's behavior.
4)Helps out the child whenever it's a good idea AND knows when to step back and allow the child to discover what he or she can do on his/her own.
5)Admits mistakes and knows how to apologize.
6)Cheers on a child's success AND knows that surviving failure can be just as important and sometimes more so and helps the child know that failure is NOT the end of the world but only a beginning to the next steps forward.
7)Teaches the child financial responsibility, how to handle credit and the value of deferred gratification.
8)Reads and reads to his child and encourages a love of learning—whether book learning or life skills.
9)Encourages a child to be true to him or herself AND to think about others as well.
10)Sets an example of moderation in all things.
11)Is willing to be silly and play like a child.
12)Is willing to be a grownup and make the hard decisions when that's what's called for.
13)Cares enough to set limits and hold to them.
14)Shows the child how to be as safe as possible in a sometimes uncertain world AND encourages that child to LIVE, really LIVE even if that sometimes entails risks.
15)Understands that the harm a parent does goes far deeper than any harm anyone else can do and the good goes deeper as well--and he chooses to do the good.
I have known some wonderful men in my life. I am profoundly grateful to those men who helped me feel safe or helped me to grow to become the person I am now. Some of those men have done both. Some have been friends or married to friends and it was/is a joy to watch how loving some relationships can be.
Today I honor all those men who have been truly loving fathers—or tried their best to be.
1)Sees and nurtures the best in the child—and helps the child build on those strengths.
2)Encourages the child to believe in him or herself.
3)Loves deeply and gives of himself AND sets good limits on the child's behavior.
4)Helps out the child whenever it's a good idea AND knows when to step back and allow the child to discover what he or she can do on his/her own.
5)Admits mistakes and knows how to apologize.
6)Cheers on a child's success AND knows that surviving failure can be just as important and sometimes more so and helps the child know that failure is NOT the end of the world but only a beginning to the next steps forward.
7)Teaches the child financial responsibility, how to handle credit and the value of deferred gratification.
8)Reads and reads to his child and encourages a love of learning—whether book learning or life skills.
9)Encourages a child to be true to him or herself AND to think about others as well.
10)Sets an example of moderation in all things.
11)Is willing to be silly and play like a child.
12)Is willing to be a grownup and make the hard decisions when that's what's called for.
13)Cares enough to set limits and hold to them.
14)Shows the child how to be as safe as possible in a sometimes uncertain world AND encourages that child to LIVE, really LIVE even if that sometimes entails risks.
15)Understands that the harm a parent does goes far deeper than any harm anyone else can do and the good goes deeper as well--and he chooses to do the good.
I have known some wonderful men in my life. I am profoundly grateful to those men who helped me feel safe or helped me to grow to become the person I am now. Some of those men have done both. Some have been friends or married to friends and it was/is a joy to watch how loving some relationships can be.
Today I honor all those men who have been truly loving fathers—or tried their best to be.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Sewing and Life
I'm probably late posting again. That's because I've been sewing. My daughter is going to a friend's wedding and I've been making a dress for her to take with her. She is so beautiful these days and the dress looks so lovely on her. And...it's finally done.
As I was sewing, I found myself thinking that just as with writing, asking the right questions beforehand can save one a lot of grief when sewing. Questions like:
What will she wear this for?
What will the climate be?
What is her personal style?
What colors look best on her?
What fabric drapes well for the kind of dress I want to make for her?
What's the optimal strategy for THIS pattern with THIS material?
And when the unexpected happened—as it always does, whether in sewing or writing or life—what's the optimal way to address THIS challenge?
The upshot is that my daughter now has a dress she says is the nicest thing she's ever owned. She's thrilled, she looks great in it, it should be perfect for the climate and situation.
You'll notice that most of the questions are about what was right for HER. And that's the key. We're all different, our situations, emotional states, etc. are unique to who we are. If we start with what's right for us and go from there, we have the best chance of figuring out something that will work effectively in any situation—sewing, writing or life. (Note: This doesn't mean being utterly selfish! If relationships are important to us, then that goes into the equation, too..... And if we begin with knowing ourselves and what's right for us, then we're more likely to find ways we can stretch in new directions and be able to help others, too.)
As I was sewing, I found myself thinking that just as with writing, asking the right questions beforehand can save one a lot of grief when sewing. Questions like:
What will she wear this for?
What will the climate be?
What is her personal style?
What colors look best on her?
What fabric drapes well for the kind of dress I want to make for her?
What's the optimal strategy for THIS pattern with THIS material?
And when the unexpected happened—as it always does, whether in sewing or writing or life—what's the optimal way to address THIS challenge?
The upshot is that my daughter now has a dress she says is the nicest thing she's ever owned. She's thrilled, she looks great in it, it should be perfect for the climate and situation.
You'll notice that most of the questions are about what was right for HER. And that's the key. We're all different, our situations, emotional states, etc. are unique to who we are. If we start with what's right for us and go from there, we have the best chance of figuring out something that will work effectively in any situation—sewing, writing or life. (Note: This doesn't mean being utterly selfish! If relationships are important to us, then that goes into the equation, too..... And if we begin with knowing ourselves and what's right for us, then we're more likely to find ways we can stretch in new directions and be able to help others, too.)
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