Posts Tagged ‘Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan’

Writers at “Pitch-O-Rama: Meet the Agents, Editors, and Publishers”  – San Francisco, CA

Pitch your novel, memoir, biography, autobiography, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller, graphic novel, romance, how to, children’s book, etc.

 

April 13, 2013 morning in San Francisco “Pitch-O-Rama: Meet the Agents, Editors, and Publishers” – register through Women’s National Book Association (Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Mary E. Knippel and Catharine Bramkamp will be coaching attendees before and after they pitch)

Peter Beren

Nancy Fish

Tory Hartmann

Brenda Knight

Michael Larsen

Linda Joy Myers

Elizabeth Pomada

Lara Perkins

Alan Rinzler

Andy Ross

Brooke Warner

Erin Wiegand

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Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: "Hook attention with your themes, the four Ws (what, who, when, where) and who YOU are . . . when you pitch to agents, acquisition editors, and publishers."

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Coach Mary E. Knippel says: "If you're given only 6 minutes with an agent, use your time wisely. Save 3 minutes for the agent to give you advice."

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**April 13, 2013 in San Francisco “Small Press Publishers Panel & Luncheon” – register through Women’s National Book Association (must also register for “Pitch-O-Rama” in order to attend luncheon)

Brooke Warner of She Writes Press and Brenda Knight of Cleis Press & Viva Editions

 

Betsy Graziani Fasbinder   Fire & Water

Featured Authors: Betsy Graziani Fasbinder and Maggie Oman Shannon

In both her works of memoir and fiction, Betsy Graziani Fasbinder explores the unending complications of people living, working, and loving one another. Her debut novel is a dark love story, lightened with the balm of humor and tempered with the comfort of deep and true friendship. Fire & Water (She Writes Press, March 2013) is Kate Murphy’s story of navigating the treacherous territory of passionate love with friendship and family devotion as the only anchor that can keep her from losing all. Betsy will have her book for sale and signing.

Maggie Oman Shannon is an interfaith minister, spiritual director, and workshop and retreat facilitator. She is the author of five books, including Prayers for Healing. She is serving as the spiritual director of the Unity Spiritual Center of San Francisco. In Crafting Calm: Projects and Practices for Creativity and Contemplation, a D.I.Y. guide to peace of mind, Maggie Oman Shannon explores crafts and creativity as a spiritual practice providing enormous benefits. Shannon takes a rich “potpourri approach” that weaves together interviews, historical facts, “Soul Craft” projects for readers, quotations, and suggested resources with a broad assortment of spiritual practices gathered from crafts communities around the world, as well as from everyday people who have adopted creative forms of spiritual practice.

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**Many thanks to Committee Co-Chair Kate Farrell (WNBA-SF Chapter VP) and Committee Members Linda Lee (WNBA-SF Chapter Co-President), Linda Joy Myers (WNBA-SF Chapter Co-President), Betsy Fasbinder,  Jane Glendinning, Sherry Nadworny, Susan Pace-Kochand, Catharine Bramkamp, and Mary E. Knippel (Past President) ! Many thanks to WNBA-SF Chapter Membership Chair Ana Manwaring,  Blog Editor Patricia V. Davis,  Social Media Manager Frances Caballo, Secretary Teresa LeYung-Ryan, and Immediate-Past-President Lynn Henriksen too!

 

See you there!
Sincerely,

Coach Teresa

Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan cares about helping fiction and nonfiction writers build their platforms and work on their craft simultaneously with ease.  She says: “Wear the dual hats as promoter and writer and be happily published. Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

 

 

 

Superstar Line-up of Volunteers at San Francisco Writers Conference

For a complete list of names and photos of these talented and generous folks, please go to:

http://askmepc.com/sfwc-volunteers/2013-volunteer-directory/

SFWC Volunteer Director Linda Lee!   And Jane Glendinning!

Laura Bean

Laura Bean

 

Laura Bean spent ten years practicing Tibetan Buddhism with a Canadian lama in Kyoto, Japan. She edited a collection of his dharma talks entitled Dharma If You Dare, which will soon be in print. Laura is a published poet, journalist, and performance artist. Her monologues and a play entitled Love, Sex, and Hollow, Holy Places have been performed on stages in New York City, Cali, Colombia, and Kyoto, Japan.

 

Tessa Bertoldi

Tessa Bertoldi

 

 

Catharine Bramkamp

Catharine Bramkamp

 

Catharine Bramkamp is a successful book coach and author. She is a dynamic speaker covering subjects as diverse as NaNoNowWhat? to the Evolution of Language to working through writing blocks. She works with clients creating both fictional works (Three clients have published four books) and non-fiction (one client has published two books).
She holds two degrees in English and Creative Writing and is an adjunct professor for University of Phoenix. She had published a handful of novels and collections including five books in her Real Estate Diva Mystery series, two Chicken Soup for the Soul books and a poetry collection; Ammonia Sunrise. Her writing books are Don’t Write Like You Talk and The Cheap Retreat Workbook.

She lives in Sonoma County with her husband.
Website: [http://www.YourBookStartsHere.com]
Facebook: [http://facebook/catharinebramkamp.com]
LinkedIn: [http://linkedin/catharinebramkamp.com]
Twitter: [http://cbramkamp]

 

marty castleberg

marty castleberg

Website: [http://davelandthebook.wordpress.com/]

 

Paula Chinick

Paula Chinick

 

Paula Chinick, current president of CWC Tri-Valley Branch spent the majority of her career in Information Technology as a project manager working for various Fortune 500 companies. She holds an MBA from John F. Kennedy University in International Business. After the economy collapsed, she decided to retire and pursue her greatest passion – writing. Paula has contributed short stories to several anthologies and is currently working on her first novel, Red Asscher, a three-part spy thriller series.

 

Kellie Edson

Kellie Edson

 

Kellie has her bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing with a minor in Music. She graduated with honors in 2011 and has started the Meeting and Event Planning Certificate Program at CCE.

She is the Academic Programs Marketing Coordinator for the College of Continuing Education (CCE) at Sacramento State. A jack of many trades, she also is also a part time Zumba instructor, blogger and plays softball.

Much how she feels about music, she also loves writing and reading all formats and genres and is still finding her own place in the literary world.

This will be her 4th year volunteering at SFWC, and prior to that she was a volunteer for 3 years at the Maui Writer’s Conference.
Website: [http://kelliejoy.wordpress.com]
Twitter: [http://kelliejoy1588]

 

Kimberly A. Edwards

Kimberly A. Edwards

 

Kimberly A. Edwards (kimberlyedwards00@comcast.net) writes articles for local, national and international markets on cross-cultural issues, lifestyle and seniors, coordinating events, working with boards and committees, and presentation strategies. Print credits amassed over 30 years include: Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Senior Spectrum, The Times of India, International Travel News, Sacramento News and Review, The Sacramento Bee, and Independent (Book Publishers Association, IBPA), and sales magazines. Recently, her “Tapping into Twitter Expertise ” was selected for IBPA’s ebook, The Book Publishers Toolkit: 10 Practical Pointers for Independent and Self Publishers. Work continues on her novel, The Year of Black and White, inspired by true events in 1960. Kimberly serves as an officer for the California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch. She heads the Seminar Committee, bringing known names to the community. Recently she retired from the California Department of Education where she enlisted corporate sponsors; put on large conferences; coordinated California Teachers of the Year, National Blue Ribbon Schools, the Milken Family Foundation Educators Program; and crafted a “Noon Hour with a Local Author” series.

 

Audrey Fairchild

Audrey Fairchild

 

Audrey is a full time English teacher in Hillsborough, and a crisis intervention and suicide hotline counselor for San Mateo County. She received her Ph.D. in 2001, and her counseling practice is in downtown San Mateo. She attended Santa Clara University for her Counseling Psychology and MFT licensure. She is an active member of the National Academy of Neuropsychology and the Northern California Writer’s Association. She is currently writing a self help guide for parenting preteens and provides presentations on a variety of parenting topics.
Website: [http://www.AudreyFairchild.com]

 

Tara Farquhar

Tara Farquhar

 

Writing is the one staple that has stayed with me throughout my life. Writing is breath, sanity and joy. I have an MFA in English and Creative Writing from Mills College. I write memoir, fiction and poetry.
Website: [http://www.thepennedartist.com]

 

Kate Farrell

Kate Farrell

 

Kate Farrell earned a Masters degree from UC-Berkeley; is an author, teacher, librarian, and storyteller and has published numerous educational materials. Kate is the founder of Wisdom Has a Voice memoir project http://wisdomhasavoice.com/ and editor of the anthology, Wisdom Has a Voice: Every Daughter’s Memories of Mother, 2011. She’s a member of the Redwood Branch of the California Writer’s Club, Story Circle Network, the National Association of Memoir Writers, and is Vice-President of the Women’s National Book Association, San Francisco Chapter. Currently, Kate is working with Linda Joy Myers and Amber Lea Starfire on a new anthology: Times They Were A-Changing: Women Remember the 60s & 70s to be released in June 2013.
Website: [http://www.wisdomhasavoice.com]

 

Betsy Graziani Fasbinder

Betsy Graziani Fasbinder

 

In both her works of memoir and fiction, Betsy Graziani Fasbinder explores the unending complications of people living, working, and loving one another. As a practicing therapist for more than twenty years, she has been witness to the heartbreak, healing, and heroism of people from all walks of life. She strives to create stories that bring the emotional truths she’s experienced and observed to the pages in all of her writing.

Betsy has been awarded the Floyd Salas Award for Fiction, and has been honored with a Jack London award and two East of Eden awards for both fiction and memoir pieces. Four of her works have been produced as Readers’ Theater in the historic Nevada Theater in Nevada City, California. She is the co-producer of The Women’s Writing Salon in Nevada County. Her first novel, Fire and Water, will be released by She Writes Press on March 1, 2013. She’s working now on a collection of memoir stories and a new novel set in California’s Wine Country, a great excuse for some wine tasting. Research, only for research.
Website: [http://www.betsygrazianifasbinder.com]
Facebook: [http://www.facebook.com/BetsyG.Fasbinder?ref=ts&fref=ts]
Twitter: [https://twitter.com/WriterBGF]

 

Lynn Henriksen

Lynn Henriksen

 

Lynn Cook Henriksen, aka The Story Woman, discovered a profound way to keep our mothers’ spirits alive by helping hundreds of daughters and sons capture in brief memoirs the memories and feelings they never thought they could record. She is the author of the award-winning guidebook, TellTale Souls Writing the Mother Memoir: How to Tap Memory and Write Your Story Capturing Character & Spirit.
Website: [http://www.telltalesouls.com/blog/]
Facebook: [http://www.facebook.com/lynn.henriksen.3]
LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/pub/lynn-henriksen/5/336/952]
Twitter: [https://twitter.com/lynnhenriksen]

 

Julaina Kleist-Corwin

Julaina Kleist-Corwin

 

Julaina Kleist-Corwin has won five short story contest awards. She is a writing teacher for the City of Dublin, CA and a field Supervisor for teachers working toward their credentials. Her short stories are in several anthologies, the most recent is Harlequin’s A Christmas Miracle. Current writing projects are a novel called Hada’s Fog and an anthology, A Class of Muses, due to be published this year.
Blog: timetowritenow.wordpress.com
Website: [http://julaina.homestead.com]
Facebook: [http://www.facebook.com/julaina.kleist]

 

Danine Manette

Danine Manette

 

My name is Danine Manette and I am a seven year volunteer for the SFWC. I am an infidelity expert and the author of Ultimate Betrayal: Recognizing, Uncovering and Dealing with Infidelity. Working at the SFWC provided me with an opportunity to connect with countless contacts. Additionally, I learned how to develop a platform that enabled me to go from being a self published author to landing a book deal and appearing on a host of television programs such as the Oprah Winfrey Show and NBC’s Today Show. I look forward to continuing this journey in 2013.
Website: [http://www.ultimatebetrayal.com]
Facebook: [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Danine-Manette-Media/56254129521]
LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/pub/danine-manette/7/289/776]
Twitter: [http://twitter.com/DanineManette]

 

Rebecca Martin

Rebecca Martin

 

Rebecca Martin, founder and CEO of California based dear jane Inc. a career services company, believes that people can succeed in navigating through corporate and business environments, as well as their career transitions if they can first identify what is right for them. She is dedicated to helping and coaching management and individuals, and is extremely passionate about the career management and human capital industries.
Today, dear jane Inc. develops and delivers career management training classes, workshops, seminars, and coaching to Fortune 1000 companies as well as individuals throughout the United States. Since its inception, dear jane Inc. has enjoyed a very high success rate in coaching clients through career transitions, navigating corporate environments and working with today’s job market.
She has appeared on the View from the Bay San Francisco’s ABC afternoon show, Beyond the Headlines with Cheryl Jennings, and Conversations with Robin Fahr, a local channel 30 television show. A USC graduate with a B.S. in Business Administration, Rebecca has written and published the booklet “83 Tips on How to Successfully Work with Corporate and External Recruiters.”
She belongs to the Women’s National Book Association and is a volunteer for the San Francisco Writer’s Conference.
Website: [http://dearjane.info]
Facebook: [http://rebeccamartin]
Twitter: [http://dearjaneadvisor]

 

Carmen Micsa

Carmen Micsa

 

Born and raised in Romania, Carmen Micsa moved to America in 1995 and chose to write about her old life in communist Romania and her new life in America. She earned a BA and MA degree in English (Creative Writing) from Sacramento State University. Besides writing, Carmen MIcsa enjoys being a mother to her two beautiful children Alex and Sophia. She owns her own real estate company and prides herself for being organized and efficient in leading a balanced life. Freedom Rocks is Carmen’s first book/memoir that she’s hoping to publish in 2013. She also writes short fiction, travel articles, and picture books. When she is not reading and writing, Carmen Micsa and her children train in Taekwondo and are close to receiving their black belts. She also was one of the top five in Northern California Women’s 4.00 Tennis in 2011 and 2012. Besides tennis, Carmen loves to bike and has done 100K and century (100 miles) bike rides for the last 6 years in a row for Diabetes Tour de Cure in memory of her beloved father.

An enthusiastic, energetic, and outgoing mother, wife, daughter, writer, real estate broker, and friend, one of Carmen’s favorite quotes is Ralph Waldo Emerson’s: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” She also applies the lessons learned from Anatole France, who said: “To accomplish one’s goals, one must dream, as well as act.”
Website: [http://carmenmicsabooks.com]
Facebook: [http://www.facebook.com/cmicsa]
LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/pub/carmen-micsa/26/191/b36]

 

Lori Noack

Lori Noack

 

Associate Director of the Afghan Women’s Writing Project, Lori Noack has over twenty years of non-profit leadership experience, along with independent writing, editing, consulting, and arts management expertise. In addition to serving on governing and cultural boards from local to state levels, her professional positions have included executive director of nationally recognized music festivals in Oregon and San Francisco, newspaper editor, founder of an arts management agency, university lecturer, and writing instructor. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing in 2009. Today, Lori applies her expertise in building AWWP’s North American team to ensure program excellence and enhance public awareness for the benefit of women’s rights in Afghanistan.

 

Andrew Rose

Andrew Rose

 

I am a first teacher in Sacramento. I grew up in Modesto, California. After high school graduation, I worked as a clown for two years in the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. I then obtained a BA degree in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts from San Francisco State University. I also earned a teaching credential there. In addition, I hold an MA in Communication at CSU Stanislaus.

 

Sue Ross

Sue Ross

 

It is rumored that the first word SUE ROSS ever uttered gave her such satisfaction that she said it twice, “Author! Author!” Finding stories in everything she does, Sue has made her living as a non-profit administrator and small business owner throughout her career. Her checkered past has provided her with opportunities to revel in language, whether through structured business plans, reports, grant applications, marketing materials (print and online); or speeches, presentations, and letters that lift and inspire.

Currently, she is revising her manuscript for GOLANSKI’S TREASURES, a character-driven novel about a Holocaust survivor who travels to Poland to reconnect with his past, and discovers that the choices we make frame our destiny – and the treasures we seek are not always what we might anticipate. To avoid postpartum blues, once the book is finished work will begin on a prequel to the novel. Sue is intent in focusing her life on writing and is a member of: the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA – SF Chapter,) California Writers Club (Redwood Writers), and a Sonoma Scribes critique group. She had two extraordinary recent experiences that expanded her understanding of the world of writing and publishing in today’s rapidly changing world — her second (2012) SF Writers Conference and a 2012 “Meet the Agents” event presented by WNBA.

Sue also sits on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Sonoma State University, is a member of Congregation Shomrei Torah in Santa Rosa, California, and served as the Vice President for Development and Public Relations at Spertus Center for Jewish Learning in Chicago. Sue currently lives in Santa Rosa with her fiancé, dog and two cats..

Sue’s writing is inspired by one of her personal heroes, Holocaust Survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner, ELIE WIESEL, who said, “Are we so naïve as to think that we can bring peace to the world through words? Yes we are. What else do we have?”
Website: [http://GolanskisTreasures.com]
LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=37030939&trk=tab_pro&_mSplash=1]

 

Angela Tung

Angela Tung

A former corporate cog, Angela Tung now writes full-time. Her work has appeared in CNN Living, The Frisky, Asian Cha Magazine, Matador Life, The Nervous Breakdown, and various anthologies, including The Beautiful Anthology which was recently featured in The New York Times’ Best Bathroom Books of 2012. She also blogs about words and language for Wordnik.

Her latest book, Black Fish: Memoir of a Bad Luck Girl, chronicles the failed marriage between a Chinese woman and Korean man, both American-born but bound by old world traditions. Black Fish has been called “a work of dark enchantment, in which history, magic, and fate loom as large as character and desire,” and “a beautiful, cultural tapestry that keeps the reader riveted.” It was shortlisted for the 2010 Graywolf Nonfiction Prize. Black Fish is available now in both paperback and ebook.

She has an MS in Library Science from the Pratt Institute, an MA in Creative Writing from Boston University, where she was the fiction fellow, and a BA in English from Barnard College.
Website: [http://blog.angelatung.com/]
LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/pub/angela-tung/2/872/912]
Twitter: [https://twitter.com/tung_angela]

 

Margie Yee Webb

Margie Yee Webb

 

Margie Yee Webb is the author/photographer of Cat Mulan’s Mindful Musings: Insight and Inspiration for a Wonderful Life, a gift book for cat lovers and their finicky friends! The Sacramento Bee wrote: “The El Dorado Hills writer-photographer imparts words of wisdom, accented with pictures of her rescued cat.”

As a co-creator of Not Your Mother’s Book . . . On Cats, she is seeking true, funny, silly and endearing cat stories of between 500 to 2,500 words. The submission deadline for Cats is May 1, 2013. Not Your Mother’s Book (NYMB) is a new anthology for a new century from Publishing Syndicate, with 30-plus titles needing hip, fun and modern stories. Titles released by Publishing Syndicate include NYMB . . . On Being a Woman, NYMB . . . On Being a Stupid Kid and NYMB . . . On Dogs. For submission guidelines and to submit stories, visit www.PublishingSyndicate.com.

Margie is past president of California Writers Club–Sacramento Branch (CWC–Sacramento) and received the Jack London Award for outstanding service. Currently, she serves on the CWC–Sacramento board of directors and as CWC vice president. She is also a member of Cat Writers’ Association (CWA), Northern California Publishers & Authors Association (NCPA), Women’s National Book Association–San Francisco Chapter, and Bay Area Independent Publishers Association.

In the CWA 2011 Communications Contest, Margie was awarded Certificates of Excellence for “Gift” and for “Color Photographs (series)” for Cat Mulan’s Mindful Musings. She received “Best Nonfiction 2012-Gift” and “Best Book Design 2012, 2nd Place” in the NCPA Awards.
Website: [http://www.catmulan.com]
Facebook: [http://facebook.com/MargieYeeWebb]
LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/in/margieyeewebb]

 

I so look forward to seeing Everyone involved with SFWC!  This is the 10th anniversary too!

SFWC Co-Founders & Co-Directors:
Elizabeth Pomada

Michael Larsen
Marketing/Newsletter Director: Barbara Santos
Registration/Website Director: Richard Santos
Finance/Auction/Contest/Tech Director: Laurie McLean
Volunteer Director: Linda Lee

SFWC Freelance Editor Coordinator Mary E. Knippel

SFWC ADVISORY BOARD 

Kathleen Antrim, Author/ThrillerFest VP National Events 
Andrea Brown, Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Constance Hale, Author/journalist
Evan Karp, Quiet Lighning
Harvey Pawl, businessman
Sheldon Siegel, New York Times Best Selling Author/Attorney
Alan Rinzler, consulting and freelance editor
Elisa Sasa SouthardAuthor/speaker
Joyce Turley, Dimensional Reading
Peter Wiley, Chairman of the Board, John Wiley & Sons

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Friday Feb. 15, 2013,   9:00-9:45am   at San Francisco Writers Conference

“GETTING TO FIRST BASE BY BUILDING YOUR FANBASE”

presented by:  Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase in 22 Days  and  SFWC Advisory Board Member Elisa “Sasa” Southard, Break Through the Noise: 9 Tools to Propel Your Marketing Message (balloons in this interactive session)

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Sunday Feb. 17, 2013,   10:00-10:45am   at San Francisco Writers Conference

BE YOUR OWN EDITOR:  Ensuring Agents and Editors Love Your Work”

presented by:  Writing Coach/Manuscript Consultant Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase in 22 DaysLove Made of Heart  and Your-Writing-Mentor/The Writer Unleashed Mary E. Knippel, The Secret Artist: Give Yourself Permission to Let Your Creativity Shine!

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Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

“Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”   http://writingcoachteresa.com


Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan on CBS Bay Sunday with Host Frank Mallicoat

Writers’ Platform & Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryansays:

Click here to read the interview with Coach Teresa for StepByStepPublishing

 

 

 

 

Writing Workshop & Art Collage with Marlene Cullen

 

Sunday, January 27, 2013,  1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

 

Location: The Sunflower Center, 1435 No. McDowell Blvd. (in the Redwood Business Park, behind Applebee’s), Petaluma, CA

Cost:  $25 pre-registration; $30 at the door

Registration:  Marlene Cullen’s email address at comcast.net is: mcullen   or call her at 707-762-6279

The first part of this workshop will be an exploration of significant events through writing. The second part features art collage as a fun way to discover personal paths.

No special writing experience needed. Bring a notebook and pen.  Material for art collage will be provided. You are welcome to bring a poem, magazines or any other material you would like to use for collage. 

Marlene Cullen is a cheerleader for writers and founder of Writers Forum of Petaluma. Her workshops provide essential elements for successful writing, where participants often experience transformational changes. 

Please visit Marlene’s website for more information: www.thewritespot.us

 

“By writing our stories, we begin to understand what was formerly unclear.”  

                     — Louise DeSalvo, Writing As A Way of Healing

 

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

“Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”   http://writingcoachteresa.com

As coach and author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW , Teresa says: “Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.”

As author of Love Made of Heart, creator of Love Made of Heart gift items and the Talking to My Dead Mom Monologues, Teresa encourages writers to speak out (in print) for those who cannot speak for themselves.

 

The Plot Whisperer aka The Plot Guru aka The Martha Alderson!

Book Launch PARTY

The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing is here! If you’re NOT in Northern California Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013 to celebrate the official release of latest book in The Plot Whisperer series with Martha, you can still have an autographed copy. See below. You’re invited. Bookshop Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 7:00pm. Come for the cake. Stay for the plot tips.

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Live PLOT WORKSHOP

California Writers Club (CWC) South Bay Writers Present:

Martha Alderson, The Plot Guru

author of Blockbuster Plots and The Plot Whisperer books

Sunday, January 27, 2013 in San Jose, CA
9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Start the new year out right. Give yourself and your writing the gift of an intense look at the plot and structure and communication your story conveys. Devote a disciplined 5 hours exclusively to the character emotional development plot, dramatic action plot and the thematic significance plot and take your story to the next level of excellence.
To sign up for the plot intensive, visit: http://southbaywriters.com/wordpress/blockbuster-plots-workshop/

 

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For a schedule of upcoming plot events: http://www.blockbusterplots.com/resc/workshops.html

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The Plot Whisperer says:

WRITE A NOVEL, MEMOIR, SCREENPLAY with ME

The latest Plot Whisperer book beckons me from teaching writers how to plan and test a story with a plot to the actual writing a story with a plot from the beginning to the end. Use The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing and write a novel, memoir, screenplay with me one prompt at a time. Join me. Plot support on my blog.

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3 books – the set!  the kit!
The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing
The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories 
The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master
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Coach Teresa here . . .  My mother-daughter novel Love Made of Heart would not have hooked super agent Stacey Glick in 2000 if Martha Alderson had not taught me how to plot and understand the functions of front story and back story.  Thank you, Plot Whisperer Martha!
I advise every writer to consult with Martha Alderson at least one time after you have written your first draft.  Her books = survival kit for writers.

Cheers to The Plot Whisperer aka The Plot Guru aka The Martha Alderson!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

“Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”   http://writingcoachteresa.com

As coach and author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW , Teresa says: “Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.”

As author of Love Made of Heart, creator of Love Made of Heart gift items and the Talking to My Dead Mom Monologues, Teresa encourages writers to speak out (in print) for those who cannot speak for themselves.

 

Give yourself a New Year gift.  Give a friend a New Year gift.

Even if you are employed, please take a look at the table of contents of What Color Is Your Parachute?  A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career Changers 2013 edition, published by Ten Speed Press.

This miraculous book is updated every year by Mr. Richard N. Bolles (I call him the Yoda for job seekers)

Coach Teresa says: “What Color Is Your Parachute? is for Writers and Artists”

Go to http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/  for resources and be inspired by Mr. Richard N. Bolles’s warm and engaging writing style.

**

‘You’re Hired!’ television show episode #45: Host Steve Piazzale, Ph.D. interviews Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?  2007 edition  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxrhyo2MlWo&feature=related

Mr. Richard Nelson Bolles loves to give us hope.

Richard Nelson Bolles (What Color Is Your Parachute?  2012 edition) describes career as being the expression of “an artist at work” and reflects on the medium he most enjoys working with in this information conversation with Jenni Proctor  of Clarity Career Management  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NruYX0V9LTY

Mr. Richard Nelson Bolles loves to help us express who we are.

Other Books by Richard N. Bolles

The Job-Hunter’s Survival Guide: How to Find Hope and Rewarding Work, Even When “There Are No Jobs” (2009)

How to Find Your Mission in Life (2005)

The Three Boxes of Life, and How to Get Out of Them: An Introduction to Life/Work Planning (1981)

Books by Richard Bolles with Co-authors

The Career Counselor’s Handbook (2007, Second edition)
(Howard Figler is co-author)

What Color Is Your Parachute? For Teens (2010)
(Carol Christen, with Jean M. Blomquist are co-authors)

What Color Is Your Parachute? For Retirement (2010)
(John E. Nelson is co-author)

Job-Hunting Online (2011)
(Mark Emery Bolles is co-author)

Job-Hunting for the So-Called Handicapped (2001, Second edition)
(Dale S. Brown is co-author)

Where Do I Go from Here with My Life? A systematic and practical workbook for counselors, instructors, and job club leaders. (1974; essentially out of print)
(The late John C. Crystal is co-author)

**

Coach Teresa here . . .  Recently I found a treasure – a letter to me from Mr. Richard Nelson Bolles dated April 1, 1994!  That letter (along with current emails from the Yoda  for job seekers) has given me new inspiration in my own work.  Thank you, Mr. Bolles!

**

I’ll be blogging about Rebecca Martin, Founder/CEO of Dear Jane Inc. soon !

http://dearjane.info

Dear Jane Inc.’s mission statement:   dear jane… is a comprehensive career advisement company dedicated to helping individuals and corporations meet their personal and financial goals in order to improve the overall quality of the global workforce.

By training, coaching and educating individual workers, as well as companies, dear jane… is committed to improving human welfare, values and dignity.

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: “Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”   http://writingcoachteresa.com

As coach and author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW , Teresa says: “Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.”

As author of Love Made of Heart, creator of Love Made of Heart gift items and the Talking to My Dead Mom Monologues, Teresa encourages writers to speak out (in print) for those who cannot speak for themselves.


 Coach Teresa says: “Fortify Your Platform with New Tags for Your Books and All Your Writings.”

How do you attract new fans?  When your friends and colleagues brag about you?  Yes!   What else?  How do you help your prospective fans find you?  By making your name synonymous with the issues / themes / subject matter you write about?  Yes!!  After all, when folks need something, don’t they go to search engines and type keywords and key phrases (aka “tags”) to find what they need?  Those folks will find you through the tags associated with your name!

Here’s an excellent examplelet’s look at author Wendy D. Walter and her tags.  Wendy writes fantasy / adventure stories for young adults / teens.  Her protagonist is fourteen-year-old Ambril Derwyn.

I hosted Wendy D. Walter (author of Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith) in a live-blog event on January 5, 2013.  Nineteen fans (old and new) showed up to greet her and cheer for her and to ask questions.

Thank you, Anne M. Beggs, Bardi Rosman Koodrin, Christopher Wachlin, Deborah Taylor-French, Diane LeBow, Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, Eugenia Budman, Eve Visconti, Janine, Jean Morrow, Kate Farrell, LakshmiLove, Linda C. McCabe, Margie Yee Webb, Maria, Tera, Thonie Hevron, Yolande Barial, for participating on January 5th, 2013!

To see complete questions and answers and  comments from please click on: http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/please-help-me-welcome-author-wendy-d-walter-to-this-live-blog-appearance/

To read my interview with Wendy, please click on:

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/coach-teresas-interview-questions-for-author-wendy-d-walter-ambrils-tale-the-return-of-the-dullaith/

Here are some tags associated with Wendy D. Walter’s writings

  • Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith
  • father’s death
  • half-truth
  • ancient Celtic magic and nature-based magic
  • introverts
  • Global Warming, rising seas, raging storms
  • Utah in the middle of winter
  • taking on the bullies
  • fictional California town Trelawnyd
  • fantasy stories
  • monsters
  • young adult Y/A
  • secret warriors
  • human morality

Thank you,Wendy, for having written a compelling story. What a page-turner!

Look for more “tags” in Wendy D. Walter‘s answers to the questions asked by fans:

“My all time favorite writer is Jane Austen. It’s been over 200 years since she was first published and her stories still enthrall me. From her books, I learned that the most important thing a writer can do is to make your readers care about what happens to your character and to never underestimate your reader.”

“I’m also a great admirer of Diana Wynne Jones, my favorite fantasy writer. She also never underestimated her readers and gave us incredibly intricate and original stories. Her books are often funny as well!”

“And that is why Ambril’s Tail has a very robust plot, with lots of twists and turns and strives to be humorous as often as possible!”

“Some of my characters are right out of my imagination, but some of them have roots in mythology. The Aunties, for instance, are the seers of the story, who share one pair of glasses. Perseus runs into three crones who share one eye and a tooth in one of his adventures, but groupings of three witches/hags/seers appear in all sorts of ancient Nordic and Germanic stories as well!”

“The Cerberus, the guardians of the underworld, is one of my favorite Greek legends.”

“I’m not sure why this is, but if you take a simple bullying exchange off the playground in our world and give the characters fangs and fairy wings, the issue becomes much clearer. In fantasy, we get a bit heavy handed at times and tend to make our bullies actual monsters (it’s more fun that way). Also, as bullying is an obvious abuse of power, it works well within worlds where it’s clear who the good and bad guys are, at least most of the time! Check out the Q & A Teresa posted on this blog for more on bullying: http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/coach-teresas-interview-questions-for-author-wendy-d-walter-ambrils-tale-the-return-of-the-dullaith/  Bullying appears to be a behavior that some mistake for strength, particularly the immature (of all ages).”

“And there is a great male main character called Ygg. My beta readers all chose him as their favorite character!”

Ambril’s Tale is for the 10-14 marketplace, just right for middle schoolers!”

Get your copy of Wendy D. Walter's book or ask your library to carry it!

Where to Find the book Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith:

http://www.amazon.com/Ambrils-Tale-Return-Dullaith-ebook/dp/B008EALE3A/

Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith at Barnes and Noble

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/174750

“Book 2, Ambril’s Tale, Riding the Cursed Shoots, is coming out in March, 2013!”

 

Cheers to Wendy D. Walter, protagonist Ambril and everyone she cares about!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: “Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”
http://writingcoachteresa.com

As author of Love Made of Heart, creator of Love Made of Heart gift items and the “Talking to My Dead Mom Monologues,” Teresa encourages writers to speak out (in print) for those who cannot speak for themselves.

As coach and author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW , Teresa says: “Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.”


 

 

 

Wendy and Everyone!

I humbly thank you all for showing up to create a fun 3-hours.
You can still leave comments and tell your friends to leave comments on this post; I will ask Wendy to look for new comments in the next 4 days.

Your submitting comments today January 5th, 2013 qualified you to enter a contest. Wendy will be giving away a prize — a copy of one of her books (paperback or e-book).   On January 9, 2013 I will put your names in a pouch and ask Aster or Sid (Ambril’s guardian angels) to reach it and pull out the winner’s name.  The winner will get an email from me.

Also, you can enter Wendy’s End-of-Tour Grand Prize Giveaway of a hand-painted gnome, hand-painted by Wendy herself!  Go to  http://wendydwalter.com/blog-tour/ and scroll to bottom of that page.

To see the discussions (comments) from today, please click on the blue title-bar (header) of this post and scroll down your screen.

Thank you, Wendy, for your appearance!

Thank you, Everyone, for helping me welcome Wendy!

Please tell your friends about Wendy’s wonderful book  Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith!

Cheers!
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan
http://writingcoachteresa.com
“Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”

Ambril's Tale,  magical garden, Derwyn

Welcome, Everyone!  Thank you for being here!  It’s fine if you’re here early  :)

Author Wendy D. Walter will be here 10:00am to 1:00pm PST to answer your questions about her wonderful book Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith, her spunky protagonist Ambril Derwyn, and her own writing life.

First, please click on the blue title-bar (header) of this post and scroll up and down your screen; you’ll see empty boxes at the bottom of this post. I’ll tell you more about how to fill in boxes later.

Wendy did the illustrations in her book.  Above is the gazebo in The Derwyn Garden.  I invite you to take a seat in the gazebo and wait for Wendy’s arrival.

Wendy says: “Ambril discovers that the garden is more of an overgrown jungle, as she wanders its rumpled paths seeking clues to her family’s mysterious heritage.”

 

   **

Wendy D. Walter uses her book Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith to:

help young adults transform grief into courage

*  inspire readers to step into their unique inherent gifts

* show teens how to overcome obstacles, including battling foul-breath monsters (and bullies in any human form), and find their way home

From 10:00am to 1:00pm PST on January 5th, 2013 you’ll be experiencing live-blog (because Wendy and I will be at our stations).

You can  participate before 10:00am or after 1:00pm PST January 5, 2013; Wendy will still answer questions if you get here after January 5th; it’s just that  you would miss out on the live-blog-experience.

How to participate (by filling in the boxes below)  . . .  If you do not see empty boxes . . . remember to click on the blue title bar/header of this post and scroll down the screen.  You submit your comments/question; I publish them so that Wendy can see them; she’ll respond by submitting comments and I publish them.  And that is how a live-blog appearance works:

In the appropriate boxes, give:

  • your full name
  • your email address [the box is labeled "Mail"] – you do need to fill in that box
  • your website/blog address if you have one [leave that box empty if you do not have a website address]
  • in the large box, you ask your question or just welcome Wendy if you do not have any questions; tell Wendy what city you’re in [perhaps you're halfway around the world from San Francisco]
  • then click on [Submit Comment] button. [If you do not press that button, it would be as if you’ve written your question for Wendy on a piece of paper but lost it . . . ]

Every few minutes between 10:00am and 1:00pm PST on January 5, 2013,  I will look for incoming comments and publish them so that everyone can see them. How fun is that!

If long minutes have gone by after you clicked on [Submit Comment] and you do not see your comment or Wendy’s response, it could be that you need to refresh your screen.  How do you refresh your screen?  Either click on the “Reload” icon on your tool bar on your screen  OR  press your F5 key  OR  press your Ctrl key and the R key at the same time.

 Ambril’s Tale, The Return of the Dullaith has received great 4-5-star reviews.

Fourteen-year-old Ambril Derwyn struggles with the mystery surrounding her father’s death when she moves back to the mysterious town where she was born. When she accidentally uncovers a secret which threatens to destroy her entire family, she continues her quest, against all odds, to clear her father’s name. But will she be able to claim her magic and heal the rifts in her family?

Ambril's Tale,  fantasy, mystery:Aster and Sid

Aster and Sid
A fat blue-eyed squirrel and an old Crow take up the daunting task of watching over Ambril and keeping the monsters at bay.

 

Your submitting comments qualifies you to enter a contest. Wendy will be giving away a prize — a copy of one of her books (paperback or e-book).   On January 9, 2013 I will put your names in a pouch and ask Aster or Sid to reach it and pull out the winner’s name.  The winner will get an email from me.

Also, you can enter Wendy’s End-of-Tour Grand Prize Giveaway of a hand-painted gnome, hand-painted by Wendy herself!  Click on http://wendydwalter.com/blog-tour/

Thank you, Wendy, for stopping by my blog!

Thank you, Everyone, for helping me welcome Wendy!

Please tell your friends about Wendy’s wonderful book.  

Where to find Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith:

http://www.amazon.com/Ambrils-Tale-Return-Dullaith-ebook/dp/B008EALE3A/

Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith at Barnes and Noble

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/174750

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: “Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”
http://writingcoachteresa.com


 


If you are looking for the live-blog experience on January 5, 2013 , 10:00am – 1:00pm PST, please go to  http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/please-help-me-welcome-author-wendy-d-walter-to-this-live-blog-appearance/  now.  Thanks!

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here . . . wishing you a  Happy New Year!  Below is the  interview with delightful Wendy D. Walter, author of Ambril’s Tale, The Return of the Dullaith (compelling story for teens . . . any age really).

About Ambril’s Tale, The Return of the Dullaith

Fourteen-year-old Ambril struggles with the mystery surrounding her father’s death when she moves back to the mysterious town where she was born. When she accidentally uncovers a secret which threatens to destroy her entire family, she continues her quest, against all odds, to clear her father’s name. But will she be able to claim her magic and heal the rifts in her family?

Ambril’s Tale, The Return of the Dullaith has received great 4-5-star reviews. Readers are impatiently demanding Book Two, which will be out early Spring 2013.

Be sure to come back to this blog on January 5, 2013, 10:00am-1:00pm PST

Wendy will be giving away a prize — a copy of one of her books (paperback or e-book).

Also, you can enter her End-of-Tour Grand Prize Giveaway of a hand-painted gnome, hand-painted by Wendy herself!  Click on http://wendydwalter.com/blog-tour/

What to expect on January 5th?  Click here.

author Wendy D. Walter

 

Coach Teresa’s Interview-Questions for Author Wendy D. Walter

Ambril's Tale, Return of the Dullaith

Coach Teresa:   Wendy, what is the symbolism behind Ambril and the Dullaith?

Wendy:    When protagonist Ambril moves back to the weird, little town where she was born, she is immediately attacked by a smelly, smoky, demon called a Dullaith. But the demon is more than just a salivating monster who wants to make Ambril a bedtime snack. Ambril soon finds that there’s a connection between it and her father’s death.

Smoke swirls around the Dullaith, just as lies cloak the truth about her father’s death. Ambril realizes that she must choose between acceptance in her new home town, and shining a light on the dark truths surrounding her father’s mysterious death.

We, as humans, tend to protect the status quo, no matter how rotten, to avoid  destabilizing events. The Dullaith represents how a festering half-truth can balloon to demonic proportions. All it requires is for us to close our eyes, and look away. It’s so easy . . . until it turns around, shows its jaggle tooth grin, and chases us.

Coach Teresa:   What makes  fantasy tick?

Wendy:    It isn’t really about gnomes and fairies. Fantasy provides us with an opportunity to flex our creativity and dream big. It’s also the perfect platform for dealing with human flaws. In fact, we fantasy-writers have it easy. If it suits us, we can dress up our bullies and despots as demons, give them breath so bad that it singes everyone’s eyebrows, then trounce them in battle…soooo satisfying.

We get to the heart of the matter with less fuss this way. This allows us more time to spend showing, rather than telling, how to deal with the sometimes monstrous behavior of our fellow humans.

Coach Teresa:   Bullying behavior is a hot topic today, tell us how you deal with it in Ambril’s Tale.

Wendy:    I have to admit, bullying is overused in YA fantasy books. Why? Because it works so well, as we’re allowed to paint human emotions with a broad brush. Bullying is an obvious abuse of power, it works well within worlds where it’s clear who the good and bad guys are, most of the time. But because it’s overused, it has to be done…delicately. That’s why, when I chose to sprinkle bullies throughout Ambril’s Tale, I did so with caution. But I did it, because I wanted to use them to expose nastier forms of abuse.

Bullying is just as rampant in Ambril’s world as it is in our world. Lance, one of Ambril’s schoolmates, is a classic bully. He shoves kids around and gleefully abuses his brother. But Lance has a reason for doing this, his fate hinges on his relationship with his father and brother, and how his family relates to the village of Trelawnyd.  Because the abuse of power becomes especially bad if it’s allowed to fester, the secrets of Trelawnyd threaten to bring everyone to their knees.

The only method of ridding ourselves of bullies and despots of all shapes and sizes is through education, intervention, or by forcing the bully to live with the consequences of his/her behavior. Lance’s behavior sets in motion a power greater than his own, and it changes him. Whether it’s for better or for worse, you’ll have to keep reading!

Coach Teresa:  Ambril’s Tale has many references to ancient Celtic magic and nature based magic. Why is that?

Wendy:    A while back, I stumbled on a genealogy website. As a child of the melting pot, I had never thought past my American heritage. But I was intrigued, so I started clicking and soon found myself back in a small Welsh village. The place where my ancestors had stumped around in Wellies—and whatever came before Wellies—for nearly 500 years. It was a little place, a village called Trelawnyd.

Nature and magic. This is where it all began for us humans. Around the globe, religion started out as a way to tame the elements, and to minimize the damage nature often exacts. In honor of my newly found heritage, I named my fictional California town Trelawnyd. There, Ambril finds that nature based magic is alive and well.

We live under the threat of Global Warming, rising seas and raging storms. I thought that by using the ancient magic of the Celts, and their firm belief that a balance of nature must be maintained,  it might help us gain the courage to face our man-made demons and make some much needed changes.

There are little bits and pieces of Celtic magic everywhere in Ambril’s Tale. The  demons in Ambril’s Tale take the form of unbalanced nature. The Dullaith is made of noxious smoke and the big, bad guy in the series, Moroz, is something only a mad scientist would be proud of; a toxic mesh of humanity and tortured tree. I don’t want to say anymore as I’ll probably ruin it for you, Book 2, Riding the Cursed Shoots will be coming out in March!

Coach Teresa:   Is there a particular human flaw that you most wanted to address in Ambril’s Tale?

Wendy:    Every writer has issues to put forth in their books. One of mine centers around my experience of moving to Utah from California at the age of ten.

Before I go any further, I have to say that this is a human problem, not a religious one. In fact, there are football fans who exhibit what we’re about to discuss.

Coming from California, Utah felt cold and closed. I found it hard to fit in. Why? Was I weird, were they, or was it something else? I’ve thought long and hard about this and, although I am a little weird, I think that it was something else. For when 90% of your neighbors, the kids at school, and your parent’s friends share a restrictive belief system, everything is just a bit skewed. People strive to cover up their idiosyncrasies, they hide away their family secrets and desperately pretend to be normal.

In Ambril’s Tale, Trelawnyd mirrors the environment I found in Utah. It is a village obsessed with pretending to be something it isn’t, normal. Magical beings are everywhere, in the forests, the skies and among the villagers. But no one ever talks about them. Keeping this secret has made the villagers fearful and suspicious of outsiders. Though Ambril has roots in Trelawnyd, most villagers regard her as an outsider. She has to tread lightly as she tries to unlock the secrets surrounding her father’s death.

Coach Teresa:  Tell us about Ambril’s source of power and why you created it.

Wendy:    Magical objects imbued with power, are a great way to showcase just how much power corrupts. In fantasy, we use them to convey power exchanges.  They get stolen, destroyed, ransomed, enslaved—etc. In real life, we exchange power in conversation, body language and transactions. But real life is complicated,  it is difficult to tell if someone behaved honorably when he’s caught holding your wallet. Did he really pick it up off the sidewalk or did he pick your pocket? Because he’s your cousin, exactly when do you ask him about the missing $100 bill? In front of the cops? At Thanksgiving?

It’s often a relief to see how well our moral compasses work when given clear choices. And with practice, perhaps it may even work better in real life, so that you can find a way to recover your $100 and remain friends with all of your cousins.

Coach Teresa:  Some believe that the violent nature of fantasy stories is too extreme. What are your thoughts?

Wendy:    Death, destruction, mayhem—it’s everywhere in fantasy stories. Without them, the good guys don’t shine nearly bright enough. Stories of all genres require a broad spectrum of life to ring true, particularly so with fantasy stories.

Physical violence and emotional abuse are all too common in our world. If we practice dealing with it in a world where we can’t personally get hurt, it helps us deal with real life bullies, thieves and people on the verge of going postal.

I have had my share of dragon bosses, ferrety friends and relatives who would give the Wicked Witch of the West pause. Fantasy characters may look different, but most of them are human inside.  Learning how to deal with monsters in a fantasy world such as Ambril’s might help everyone deal with the nasty’s in their life. I know it’s helped me. Practice, practice, practice.

Coach Teresa:  In your book Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith . . . Ambril heals her family.  Did you set out to write this familiar theme in your YA (young adult) novel?

Wendy:    All those with perfect families please raise your hand…Yeah, I thought so, are there any? Let’s face it, we all have family issues;  crazy uncles,  aunts who drink too much at Christmas, and the occasional incarcerated cousin. Kids fantasize about fixing these problems. If only Mom and Dad would fall in love again, then we would all live happily ever after…If only Dad stopped drinking…If only Mom wasn’t working so hard…if only, if only…

Ambril is no different than any other kid. There is a secret hidden in Ambril’s family, a secret that no one is willing to talk about. Ambril realizes that if she can drag this secret into the light, her family might begin to heal. She is desperate for this, and risks everything to reveal this one secret including: losing her friends, her future in Trelawnyd…even her life. All for the chance of knitting her family back together again.

Coach Teresa:  What specifically is empowering to women in Ambril’s Tale?

Wendy:    It’s electrifying to see through the eyes of a demon slayer and share the triumph when power is snatched from the hands of the evil overlord, isn’t it?

One of the things that I find thrilling is the proliferation of female warriors today. In our world, there are few outlets for women to be warrior-like as it counters our nurturing image. Secretly, I suspect that the women of the world would love to try it once in a while, and fantasize about it when they can.

I’m one of those secret warriors. Secret, because it never works in real life for me. When I take up a cause and go once more, into the breach, I usually find myself going off a cliff and into the mud…amidst laughter. It’s so humiliating. Fantasy books allow me to be physically adept and best the bad guys, occasionally.

In fantasy, the rules are clear and the tasks simple: save the universe or everyone dies. There is absolutely no ambiguity. It allows us to escape the shifty, gray edges of human morality. When we root for the good guys, it refreshes our view of reality. Because we all know we can’t slug our overbearing, bombastic bosses in real life. But besting demons in Ambril’s world feels almost as good. It’s exhilarating and empowering.

 

Be sure to come back to this blog on January 5, 2013, 10:00am-1:00pm PST

Reward Number 1 for showing up on this blog on January 5th:  Schmooze with Wendy D. Walter!

Another reward:  Wendy’s publisher will give away a prize — a copy of one of Wendy’s books (paperback or e-book).  The giveaway ends five days after my blog post goes live.

Another reward:  Over 6,000 readers visit my blog each month. Introduce yourselves and ask Wendy questions, so that everyone will get to meet you too.

About The Author:  Wendy D. Walter

Writing was an early passion for Wendy. As a kid, she wrote lots of stories, but being shy, those  usually ended up under the mattress. When she finally set out to tell Ambril’s Tale, she decided not to write a story but a world, full with her own marvelous illustrations. She considers The Return of the Dullaith as just the curly tip of the fairy boot. Wendy lives near San Francisco with her husband, daughters, cat and border collie. More information about Wendy’s book and art, check her site: http://wendydwalter.com

Ambril's Tale, Return of the Dullaith

Where to Find the book Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith:

http://www.amazon.com/Ambrils-Tale-Return-Dullaith-ebook/dp/B008EALE3A/

Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith at Barnes and Noble

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/174750

See you on January 5th!

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: “Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”
http://writingcoachteresa.com


 

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here, with exciting news!

 Wendy D. Walter uses her new book Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith to:

help young adults transform grief into courage

*  inspire readers to step into their unique inherent gifts

* show teens how to overcome obstacles, including battling foul-breath monsters (and bullies in any human form), and find their way home

Ambril's Tale, Return of the Dullaith by Wendy D. Walter

 

Please mark your calendars.  Come by my blog  http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog on January 3rd and 5th, 2013.

On January 3, 2013  I will publish my interview with delightful author Wendy D. Walter!

author Wendy D. Walter

Then, on January 5th, 2013, 10:00am – 1:00pm Pacific Standard Time -  Wendy D. Walter will be here, live on my blog!

What does that mean?  That morning, I will publish a post at http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog with instructions for you to submit comments.  Your submitting comments is how you would “show up” to greet my guest-author and ask her questions.  I will be at my computer, publishing your comments (making your comments “live”) . . .  so that you, Wendy, and everyone who submit comments (“showing up” during those hours) will see what everyone else is saying.  Wendy will be at her computer, submitting comments too . . . that’s how she would “show up” to say hello to you and answer your questions.

You might be asking:  “Coach Teresa, what if I cannot be at my computer during those hours on January 5th to greet Wendy?”

Answer:  “You can participate anyway . . . by submitting your comments when you do show up after Jan. 5th 1:00pm PST; I will check my blog within 48 hours after the event, publish your comments, and notify Wendy that there were guests who showed up after the live-event . . . then she will respond by submitting her comments . . . I will publish within 48 hours.”

Reward Number 1 for submitting comments:  Schmooze with Wendy D. Walter!

Another reward for submitting comments:  Wendy’s publisher will give away a prize — a copy of one of Wendy’s books (paperback or e-book).  The giveaway ends five days after my blog post goes live.

Another reward for submitting comments:  Over 6,000 readers visit my blog each month. Introduce yourselves and ask Wendy questions, so that my fans will get to meet you too.

Where to Find the book Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith :

http://www.amazon.com/Ambrils-Tale-Return-Dullaith-ebook/dp/B008EALE3A/

Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith at Barnes and Noble

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/174750

What is Kirkus Review saying about Ambril’s Tale, Return of the Dullaith ?

Normal teenagers are thrust into a world of magic in this heartfelt, occasionally hair-raising story for the Harry Potter set…The cliff-hanger ending will leave readers craving the next installment. Bound to satisfy young readers hungry for tales of magic, adventure and friendship.  – Kirkus Review

To see complete schedule of Wendy’s blog tour:  http://ambrils-tale.com

I am very happy for Wendy and so excited that she will be here on January 5th!

See you all then!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://WritingCoachTeresa.com

Teresa LeYung-Ryan at LinkedIn

http://www.facebook.com/Teresa.LeYung.Ryan

http://www.youtube.com/teresaleyung

Thanksgiving Day for me (Coach Teresa) marks the beginning of “the season for wonderment.”  I especially like this time of year – rainy days; pumpkin pies, sweet potato pies; leaves turning yellow, orange, red; cards from friends; more rain.

It’s also bittersweet – the ending of a year; what projects didn’t get done?

It’s also extremely sad – people we care about getting sick, suffering, dying.

As I give thanks to every living being who has helped me come this far in life, I give thanks to every angel who has inspired me to find joy in work.

This year, I am extremely sad for these heroes who have suffered and died. These dear hearts are: Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Jacquelyn Amira Hayes, Dr. Pamela Rogers, Miriam May Meyer Pollock, and Lori Hope.  Thank you, Kathi, Amira, Pamela, Miriam, and Lori, for all that you did to help people and for the legacies you leave behind.

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Kathi Kamen Goldmark

Did you know that the City of San Francisco had declared Nov. 8, 2008 as "Kathi Kamen Goldmark Day"? That same day, Kathi received the Women's National Book Association (WNBA) Award.

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On her facebook profile, beautiful Amira Hayes's response to "Religious Views" was: "Love"

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Vibrant Dr. Pamela D. Rogers helped women understand and enjoy their own sexuality

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A smile from Miriam Pollock would make one's whole day bright.

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Author Lori Hope would ask: "What do you say to someone with cancer — how do you show how much you care?"

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Two other beautiful hearts have left for their next journeys – my husband’s cousin Sue and twenty-three year old Leah.

I miss you all so much; and, I am so sad for your loved ones.

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

As author of Love Made of Heart, creator of Love Made of Heart gift items and the “Talking to My Dead Mom Monologues,” Teresa encourages writers to speak out (in print) for those who cannot speak for themselves.

As coach and author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW , Teresa says: “Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, make your name synonymous with the issues you write about.”

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