Well, I made it through March–barely. If you saw my FB post, you’ll know my computer crashed on Friday! Anyway, this is my last post for the month, and next month I’ll be posting on Tuesday, April 3 for the #YASH (Young Adult Scavenger Hunt). Come see. There are over a hundred book being given away. AND IT’S FUN.
On the first Wednesday–#IWSG–I’ll be at Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime. We have a super blog, so please come for a visit. I’ll leave a reminder here with a link, so I hope you’ll pop over and see what’s up there.
I’ve featured authors who are in that anthology, and today we have the last author of the month and a chance to chat about the publisher, Dancing Lemur Press. Take it away.
This is the third Insecure Writer’s Support Group anthology we’ve published, the first two being Parallels and Hero Lost. There are both challenges and delights when dealing with an anthology.
Juggling all of the authors can feel like herding cats sometimes. We have to keep track of each story’s edits, author information, and coordinate marketing with a group rather than an individual.
What’s refreshing is the variety that comes with so many viewpoints. Ideas pour forth in terms of promotions. Each writer is in a different location, broadening the marketing reach. Yet they all come together into one powerful dynamo.
For some of the writers, it’s their first publication, and that is just a joy to behold. Plus the stories are unique, which adds a little spice to the editing process. That will also add some spice for the readers.
Thanks for back story from the publisher’s point of view! And what you wrote about spice is so true. I read all of the stories, and each of them has a unique take on the theme. There’s something for every reader, and yet all will appeal because they are well-written.
Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.
Freedom Fox Press
Our trademark is not just a logo – the Dancing Lemur represents optimism, enthusiasm and belief. Our goal is to provide hope for the reader’s dreams and aspirations. Share the vision and come dance with us!
http://www.dancinglemurpressllc.com/
And now here’s Mary Aalgaard.
This is my first publication outside of magazine stories and producing my own play, and what a great way to start! The other authors are all creative and supportive. We’re working together to promote the book with such great energy.
A little about my story, One More Minute.The short story I wrote for the Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime anthology is about a woman who is making a major change in her life. She faces great danger in doing so and has a limited amount of time to pack up her life and leave.
I can’t believe I agreed to get a puppy! Honestly, I have enough people to take care of. The boys are only 8-years-old, and they can promise until they’re blue in the face that they’ll help take care of him, but I’ve seen their room! Ha! They can’t even remember to make their beds in the morning or put their dirty underwear in the clothes hamper in the bathroom – come to think of it, neither can their dad! If I had a dollar for very pair of dirty boxers I’ve handled!
Of course, Grayson got the boys’ hopes up by talking about the dog and showing them pictures of Golden Retrievers. I hope he doesn’t try to push all the work off on me like he does with the boys. I could count on one hand the number of dirty diapers he changed or school lunches he’s packed. He’ll have to be the one to train him for hunting.
Later that day…Well, who can resist a face like that!?! The boys absolutely fell in love with the puppy as soon as the owners introduced us to him. After much debate, and a family vote, we decided to name him Bo. Jake wanted to name him Cheerio and Justin was pushing for Vader. Grayson shot those names down, a little unkindly, IMHO, but when I said, “Bo,” he actually said he liked it.
Bo napped tucked up against my leg this afternoon. I couldn’t help but fall in love
Mary Aalgaard is a playwright and piano/theater teacher, living in the heart of Minnesota. She writes theater reviews and supports the arts through her blog Play off the Page. She teaches youth theater workshops in the Brainerd lakes area, writes articles for regional magazines, and works with both seniors and youth in multi-generational programs to enhance quality of life and build community. Her website is PlayoffthePage.com. You can follow her on her Play off the Page Facebook page, @MaryAalgaard on Twitter, and email her at Mary@playoffthepage.com.
I’m not doing a quiz this week…I know how disappointed you are, but it’s time for a spring break. Class dismissed.
Did you guess the authors for each of these justice themed books? Here are the answers.
A. Absalom,Absalom! is William Faulkner’s masterpiece. Its complex, fragmented structure is a reading challenge, but wow, does it belong among the literary greats in America.
B. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee hits the themes of racial injustice and the destruction of innocence. This author went to core issues of “class, courage, compassion, and gender roles in the American.”
C. The Dispossesed by Ursula K. LeGuin tackles the fight for social justice, economic inequality and racial inequality in this futuristic novel.
S. In The Crucible Arthur Miller used the Salem Witch Trials as an allegory for the anti-communist Red Scare and the congressional hearings of Senator Joseph McCarthy going on in the United States in 1953.
Quote of the Week: “I tend to be drawn to the weirder, darker stuff. Horror and sci-fi anthologies.” Unknown
Everyone needs their own special corner…
