No writer is an island; no writer is a self-made woman/man.   Our work is influenced by our role models; our work is influenced by our readers/fans.

Thank you to all my friends, colleagues, mentors, advisors, readers/fans, and all dear hearts.

According to the Chase Calendar of Events, the month of October celebrates these causes/issues. For a full list for October or other months, key in the tags [ Chase Calendar of Events ] in your favorite search engine search box.

My mother-daughter love story (Love Made of Heart), published by Kensington Publishing Corp NY, is alive and well because of the issues in the book. Love Made of Heart turns ten years old this month, embracing the issues I’ve highlighted in red.

October is:

• Antidepressant Death Awareness Month
• Depression Education and Awareness Month, Natl
• Disability Employment Awareness Month, Natl
• Domestic Violence Awareness Month
• Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Natl
• Dyslexia Awareness Month
• Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month
• Emotional Wellness Month
• Gay and Lesbian History Month
• German-American Heritage Month
• Global Diversity Awareness Month
• Health Literacy Month
• Medical Librarians Month, Natl
• Menopause Month, World
• Month of Freethought
• Photographer Appreciation Month
• Polish-American Heritage Month
• Positive Attitude Month
• Reading Group Month, Natl
• Self-Promotion Month
• Strategic Planning Month, Intl
• Work and Family Month, Natl
• Workplace Politics Awareness Month

Cheering for writers and readers and everyone who has a story in her/his heart!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://WritingCoachTeresa.com

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

Coach Teresa’s definition of Writer’s Platform:  “Making your name stand for something—to attract targeted consumers—who are likely to buy what you have to sell.”

Hi Teresa ,

I want to thank you for having spoken at the Redwood Writers Club January 2012 meeting.  I regret that a prior engagement did not allow my remaining for the question-&-answer period. Were I able to remain, I would have hoped to ask this:

I recently completed writing and revising my first science fiction novel,   I have begun discussions with an editor and would like to know if it is too soon to acquire my intended illustrations.  I already have people committed to do this.

I very much appreciate any comment you are able to make.  Again, thank you for the valuable advice at the RW meeting.

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Dear Author (I will reveal  your name and URL if you wish),

First, congratulations on having completed your novel!

The publisher of a book is the boss when it comes to what illustrations are used and who creates them.  Of course if you are the publisher, you have final say. If you’re selling rights to a publisher, negotiate a contract that makes you happy.

The owner of the ISBN of a book is the publisher.

Example:  The publisher of my first book (Love Made of Heart) is Kensington Publishing Corp. NY.  My contract with Kensington (John Scognamiglio was the acquisition editor) dealt with my selling them the rights to publish my book and Kensington paid me an advance. My agent (Stacey Glick) negotiated the contract for me.  Even though the Publisher/Author contract  stated “Author to give input to cover design,” I didn’t have final say. The art director (Lou Malcangi) at Kensington had purchased art work from a photographer to produce the cover (Kensington and the photographer entered into a contract. I had no role in that contract).

Seek advice from a literary attorney.  Seek advice from folks at Bay Area Independent Publishers Association and  Northern California Publishers & Authors.

Honor each contract; prevent conflicts by understanding what rights you are selling or buying.

To participate in this blog post, submit a comment by: clicking on the blue title bar of this post, scrolling down to get the boxes, filling in the boxes and click on “submit comment” button — so that thousands of my fans will see your name, URL (your website/blog address if you have one), what themes/subject matters/issues hook you, and, what themes/subject matters/issues you want to spotlight.

I wish you joy, light, and a dancing heart.

Sincerely,
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachteresa.com

Teresa LeYung-Ryan has helped over 1,000 writers. As author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW, she coaches authors before and after publication. As editor/story consultant, Coach Teresa helps her clients polish their manuscripts. Her novel Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. http://writingcoachteresa.com Read her blog.

Coach Teresa, what are some December 2011 Events?

Margie Yee Webb author of Cat Mulan’s Mindful Musings tells me that:

The Writer’s Yearbook 2012 (by Writer’s Digest) is available now! Read about 100 best book & magazine markets for writers, 101 best websites for writers… Chuck Sambuchino shares 5 facts on book publicity, San Francisco Writers Conference – Michael Larsen is the #17 website, Martha Alderson is the #40 website with The Plot Whisperer for Writers & Readers, and Ken & Dahlynn McKowen has their Publishing Syndicate ad for three new anthology series looking for stories and for the free publishing & writing tips e-newsletter! Happy reading and writing!

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Women’s National Book Association

San Francisco, CA Thursday December 1, 2011 6:00-7:30pm

Yours truly Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan will be at the December 1, 2011 get-together at the San Francisco Main Library, Latino/Hispanic Meeting Room–see you there!

Los Angeles, CA

Seattle, WA

Nashville

Charlotte

Detroit

Boston

New York

Washington D.C.

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California Writers Club  19 branches in the state

Ann Foster of California Writers Club–SF Peninsula Branch tells me:

DON’T MISS THE SF/PEN WRITERS

HOLIDAY PARTY & FAULT ZONE PRE-LAUNCH HULLABALLOO

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011
Peninsula Regent, One Baldwin Street at El Camino, San Mateo, CA
(Baldwin is one block north of 2nd Avenue).

5:00pm – 8:00pm
Donation $10 for members and non-members

RSVP: pres@sfpeninsulawriters.com

Parking in the neighborhood, or go down the ramp under One Baldwin, press the button and tell the attendant you are there for the CWC Holiday Party (Ida Lewenstein is our Peninsula Regent host.) Only park in visitor spaces, please.

No host bar. Coffee, tea, and hors d’oeuvres provided.

Copies of Fault Zone will be for sale for $7.50 (plus tax). Bring your checkbook! We’ll have an autograph party! Bring your camera! Bring your mother-in-law!

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Kim McMillon founder of Arts in the Valley tells me that:

PEN Oakland — 2011 Josephine Miles National Literary Awards

Saturday December 10, 2011, 2:00pm at Oakland Public Library, Rockridge Branch, 5366 College Ave., Oakland CA  94618

I met Mary Monroe when she received this award for God Don’t Like Ugly.  Later when my novel Love Made of Heart was published by Kensington Publishing Corp. NY, I found out that Mary Monroe was/is a superstar at Kensington. I’ve met so many talented artists through Kim. Cheers to Kim McMillon, Mary Monroe, all the authors who have received the Josephine Miles award, and everyone involved with PEN Oakland.

PEN Oakland “The Blue-Collar PEN”

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Remember to give yourself a gift if you’re going to give presents to loved ones and friends. Here’s one that won’t cost any money. Do the 2 exercises for Day 1 in my workbook by clicking on the book title: Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW

Then, if you want to own the workbook, ask your loved ones & friends to chip in $1 each.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachteresa.com  Click on Coach Teresa’s Blog

Sometimes the author is asked by the publisher to write the jacket copy/marketing piece. Sometimes the publisher has staff to write them or they hire freelancers.

Years ago Libba Bray freelanced for publishers; her job was to read manuscripts/galleys/advance reading copies and write  jacket copy.  I remember when Editor-in-Chief at Kensington Publishing Corp. NY John Scognamiglio sent me the jacket copy that Libba had written for my novel Love Made of Heart, I cried and cried thankful tears.  Thank you, Libba!

Love Made of Heart – Twenty-seven-year-old Ruby Lin has what many women envy: a beautiful apartment in one of San Francisco’s best neighborhoods, a busy social life, and a coveted position as manager of special events for the tony St. Mark’s Hotel. But it’s Ruby’s personal life that’s become unmanageable ever since the day her mother’s emotional breakdown forced Ruby to hospitalize her, shaming the family. Now, Ruby is caught in the crossroads between two vastly different cultures—one in which she is the American girl, raised on kitschy television shows and black-and-white movies, and one in which she is known only as Daughter, the eldest, fulfiller of responsibilities.

In putting together the pieces of her mother’s life, Ruby finds herself exploring the wounds of her own past. Starting with a forbidden locked tin box and the yellowing photograph inside, Ruby embarks on a startling journey of self-discovery that takes her through a family history rife with violence, betrayal and loss that reaches back through generations, from China to America, and finally to the secret pain of a mother’s sacrifice. Like the Chinese calligraphy that adorns her walls, Ruby comes to see that “life is not a straight road,” but a language drawn with many brush strokes, where every misunderstanding must yield to the simple message of the heart.

Filled with warmth and wisdom, this luminous debut novel heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice in fiction as it explores the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, the choices that divide us, and the love that brings us home.

Libba Bray has become a beloved author of novels for young adults/teens. Her literary works include:

A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1)
Rebel Angels (Gemma Doyle, #2)
The Sweet Far Thing (Gemma Doyle, #3)
Going Bovine
Beauty Queens

I am so happy for Libba!

I encourage everyone to write a book jacket for your manuscript.  The piece will help you answer the questions: “Is my story as enticing as the book jacket?” and “Does the jacket copy follow the plotline of my story?”

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW (print edition $12.96  & eBook edition $9.81)

and the novel Love Made of Heart (inspires adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas and find resources for their families)

I love helping writers identify themes and archetypes in their manuscripts and make their names synonymous with the subject matters/issues they write about to a attract agents, editors, publishers, readers, and media attention before and after publication. Reach out, not stress out, when pursuing your dreams!

Please visit my website http://writingcoachteresa.com

If you wish to email me, I’m writingcoachTeresa at gmail.com