Just in Time for the holidays

Normally, when my turn to blog comes up, I talk about writing, or what can be learned from what I've been reading, or other similar topics. Instead, this month, I'd like to give you a helpful hint for the Thanksgiving/December-holiday-of-choice/New Year's holiday feasting season. There will be office parties, family get-togethers, and all sorts of delicacies laid out to tempt you during the frenetic last-minute shopping. Come January, you'll be wishing you'd eaten less, and taken more time to exercise.

I recently picked up a book called Bikini Boot Camp. (I was looking for a replacement Pilates book, having realized after a few hours of searching that the reason I couldn't find mine was that I'd loaned it to someone, and picked up this instead -- I don't know the authors.) It's non-fiction, in the health and wellness section of the bookstore. The book describes the two-week intensive weight-loss and fitness program at a famous tropical health resort. Every day starts with yoga and meditation, then breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner, with time in the middle somewhere for a cardio workout, Pilates workout, and weight training. There's also questions to ask yourself (and answer) in your journal, and a different home spa treatment, so your skin and hair looks as good as the rest of you feels.

I'm a hugely picky eater, because of food allergies. So I was very excited to find a book filled with foods I could eat (no yeast, and non-dairy alternatives). Best of all, it's yummy food!

Get it now, to be healthy, toned and relaxed before the holidays, or ask for it as a holiday gift to help recover from the season. :-)

Hollywood Writer's Strike

I’m sure by now everyone has heard that the Writer’s Guild of America is on strike. Other than some of your favorite shows going on an early hiatus, what does this mean to you?

Say you’re a cake decorator and you’ve spent six months perfecting your recipe and your design. The bakery, who pays your check, compensates you for your time, then proceeds to sell your recipe, your design and pieces of your cake while they rake in the cash. They’re making money (and publicity) off your product while you receive nothing extra.

Messed up isn’t it?

In a simplified fashion, this is what is going on with the Hollywood Writers.
Ten years ago DVDs, internet streaming downloads, and internet purchase downloads didn’t exist. Now that the movie / tv studios are making money hand over fist with these new technologies while the writer is making nothing more than their standard pay.

A good example is the HBO show, The Sopranos. HBO took in 300 million on Sopranos DVD sales then took in another 200 million when they sold the series to the A&E channel. Yes, I said, 500 million dollars.

What did the writers receive?

Nothing. Not even a kiss on the cheek.

The very popular show, UGLY BETTY, can be viewed online for free and there are commercials embedded in the feed. Commercials that advertisers paid for. The studio claims it is promotional while the writers receive…nothing. Now, how can the studios pull in monies from advertising yet tell the writers that is promotional. Trust me, the IRS doesn’t recognize ‘promotional’ income any differently than income from straight sales.

The fiction / non-fiction writing market is also dealing with this issue. Fifteen years ago there were two basic markets, Audio and Print. Now that the electronic media has come into being, what some publishers are doing with regards to paying the authors for this new venue is a crime, IMHO.

A standard NY house pay scale is between 2 – 10% of a paperback sale price. So here comes the e-market which has quite a few advantages for the publisher: – intangible asset, no warehousing required – low overhead, the file is already 90% in line with the ebook format when its sent to the printer. At this point all it needs is a reformat to the standards and it’s a saleable product. – no editing, paper, supplies etc – only space on a website

So how much (on average) are the authors receiving for this new, viable media?

4 – 6%.

Now, reread the paragaph above about the standard NY house pay scales, I’ll wait.

Do you see what I’m getting at? The house is still making the usual paperback rate for this new media (which is crazy IMO – but lets not go there) while the author gets the same or LESS than the rate for a paperback – a product with considerable overhead.

I think it’s safe to say the days of most companies looking out for their writers has gone the way of the dinosaurs. We are no longer artists, we’ve been forced into the role of content providers. What they do is special, magical, and they shouldn’t have to deal with their employers giving their work away for free. While I do not write for the television / movie industry, I support their strike wholeheartedly. It’s past time for writers to stand up and remind the industry of the value of their work.

Besides, when your favorite shows go into repeats, what would be better than supporting your favorite writers and picking up a book? :)

A SOUNDTRACK FOR MY NEW RELEASE

Many people can't listen to any kind of music while writing, especially if it features vocals and lyrics. I'm one of those authors who finds the atmosphere outside, the weather, and the music I'm listening to a real inspiration for my work. Fog and rain and gloomy actually inspire me as much or more than sunshine. Go figure. :) In fact, on my iTunes there is a playlist called LOVE AND DANGER. That's right. The music is set up just to inspire me when I need it and give the story in my head a soundtrack. Just recently I found some intriguing music watching Moonlight on CBS. I hunted and hunted to find out what some of the music was...believe me that took some serious Google time. I was delighted! In fact, I hunted for a long time to locate Evanescence (at the time I didn't know they were a gothic band) with lead singer Amy Lee's song My Immortal. I'd heard it during the end of the first episode of Moonlight and it haunted me. When I found it I knew I'd be able to use it as a background for other things I am writing. Ahem. But I digress.

November 9 is the reissue of a book of my heart, BRIDGE THROUGH THE MIST. I lived in England while I was writing the first drafts of this book, and although the setting for the book is 1318 Scotland, the misty English countryside where I loved was a genuine inspiration. The book came out in 2001. When I submitted to a new publisher in 2006, I went through another round of edits and listened to quite a bit of Braveheart and some Rob Roy music to inspire me. So when you're reading BRIDGE THROUGH THE MIST, I hope you can feel a little of that mystical magic yourself, and allow some Celtic inspired music to serve as a background. Here's the blurb and a snippet excerpt. For more, be sure to stop by Ellora's Cave at www.ellorascave.com and my website at www.deniseagnew.com

When Alenna Carstairs is hurled through time into 1318, Scotland's medieval world brings her face to face with hot, sexy Tynan of MacBrahin. Infuriated with his barbaric manners, and yet sensing vulnerability within him, she vows to discover the heartbreak that has scarred his soul.
World-weary knight, Tynan of MacBrahin lost two loves to the brutality of other men. He can't forgive himself for failing to protect the women who depended on him. When Alenna saves his life, her independent spirit stirs desires so strong within him he can't resist her. A depraved baron soon wants Alenna for his own, and Tynan must find a way to conquer this powerful man to save her. Alenna struggles with soul-staggering desire for Tynan, but most of all, she must convince Tynan his love is not lethal, and she is the one who can bring shine to his armor again.

* *
Most women would run in fear from him. A few inches over six feet, his sheer size swallowed the small room. Did a man this outrageously feral have a concept of tenderness? Of restraint? He looked ready to spring, to dominate. His brutishly handsome face arrested her. Time slowed, and all the fantasies she’d harbored about gorgeous men over the years dissolved, overwhelmed by the sheer male animal presence in front of her.
Unfastening the broach at his shoulder, he allowed his heavy brown cloak to fall open. Under the cloak, he wore a dark shirt of rough material open at the throat. The gap revealed a bit of muscled chest sprinkled with dark hair. Broad of shoulder, his powerful frame demanded attention. His black trousers revealed just enough with their cut to suggest strong thighs and calves. She licked her lips involuntarily. His gaze landed on her mouth and stayed for one stomach-dropping second, then glided over her body with a mix between curiosity and pure male appreciation. His hungry appraisal sent a coil of heat deep into her loins, and a blush to her cheeks. She couldn’t speak and she almost couldn’t breathe.
Taking off the cloak, he settled it over a chair. Crossing the room, he stood next to her makeshift pallet. “Are ye deaf, then, lass? Or mayhap a mute?”
“No,” she said softly, her throat feeling as parched as if she’d crossed the Sahara. His strange questions threw her, and she couldn’t think of a first-class retort.
His brow crinkled, and she noted a deep scar ran down the right side of his forehead, as if he’d suffered a severe blow at one time and never had it stitched properly. He shoved a hand through his inky black hair, and it fell about the top of his shoulders in thick waves.
Turning to the skinny boy, he said, “Clandon, ye had best get back to yer duties. And visit yer sister at the donjon to see how she fares.”
Continuing to look at her as if she might decide to bite him, the boy nodded. He scrambled up from his chair and started for the door.
“She must be a witch, sir,” the boy said, his voice squeaking in his excitement.
The man smiled slightly, a twinkle leaping into his eyes. Before the boy could open the door, the man clasped his arm. “Tell not a soul about the woman.”
Tell not a soul about the woman.
A curl of apprehension wandered along her body.
“Aye, sir,” the boy said in a whisper, and rushed out the door as if the devil were on his heels and fast closing.
Maybe the boy knew something she didn’t. She looked at the door with longing. It really wasn’t far, and Alenna wasn’t that ill. She could dash by this big man and make a run for it.
No. The man had planted his solid bulk in her way. If he caught her, she knew she wouldn’t be a match for him. He possessed a sheer, brutal power she knew could overpower if provoked.
“Why did you send him away?” she asked.
The man turned back to her. “His sister worries about him.”
As he stared at her, Alenna shivered and realized that although her stomach no longer lurched like a drunken sailor a heat wave invaded her. She pushed the pungent fur off her shoulders. Again his eyes traced over her, penetrating and searching. He didn’t guard his emotions well, she realized. She saw unadulterated sexual interest overlaid by curiosity.
Sexual interest? Another warm wave settled over her and then she shivered. God, since when did extraordinary men like this enter her life?
Never.

**
Denise A. Agnew

Web Design for Authors: The Quick and Dirty Guide, Part 2 of 3

Last week, I listed a number of common mistakes that decrease web usability. This week I touch upon tips and tricks that will improve--naturally--usability and save you time, which can be better spent writing. As much as I would love to--and I do because I'm a geek--I don't get into the nitty gritty technical details because numerous websites already provide this service.

Tips and Tricks

from Ann Bruce

• Like with any system design, sit down and write out the specs. Draw out what you want the site to look like. Don't start coding until you're completely happy with the design. This step will reduce rework.
  
  
• White space is good. Really. It's not a waste of space. Long passages of edge-to-edge text look cramped and can tire eyes. Give your text breathing room.
  
  
• Use the TITLE tags on ALL of the pages. It allows users to (1) know where they are by simply looking at the top of the browser instead of having to scan the page and (2) bookmark pages easily without having to rename the page.
  
  
• Use the ALT attributes for images. Users may have images turned off on the browser, so the ALT attribute will let them know what those large blank spots on the web page should be.
  
  
• Be consistent. Decide upon a design and apply it throughout the site. Consistent design makes it easier for users to navigate. The best way of maintaining design consistency is through the use of cascading style sheets.
  
  
• Server-side includes are your friends. They allow you to include the contents of a page in another page. Don't want to have the code for your header, footer, and menu repeated on every page, which can make updating a nightmare? Create separate pages for each and pull them into the other pages using server-side includes!
  
  
• Test, test, and test again. And test on different browsers and platforms. What works in Firefox and Opera might not work in Internet Explorer. What works on Windows might not work on a MacIntosh.
  
  
• Update--and update often! This tip doesn't save you time, but it will bring users back to your site more frequently.
  
  
• Learn from others. Any site’s HTML is easily accessible by viewing a page’s source code. See how others have done things and apply their methods to your own work.

Edited to add:

• Write descriptive comments within the code. If other people have to edit your page, the comments will serve as a guide for them--and for you. Trust me, your memory is not as good as you think it is.
  

Helpful Sites

• Jakob Nielsen


• HTML Goodies


• Word Wide Web Consortium

Next week, I will decode a tiny part of PC World's worst website winner: MySpace.

Wanna Read About Me? Looking for more to read?

Then head straight on til morning to Paranormal Romance. They did a wonderful interview with me.


And Loose Id released the first two Veterans' stories yesterday. Liz Andrews Through the Fire is a great story of man in pain and the woman who pulls him through the fire. It's a mulitcultural erotic romance. Rachel Bo's *squee* Risen from Ash is a BDSM tale about a dominant recovering from his pain and the woman whose "bound" to help him rise from the ash.

I'm really pleased to have been a part of this series. And yes, next week, two more will release. Bobby Michael's and mine!

Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen

The Waiting...

This should be my theme song:



(Can you believe how young Tom Petty and Mike Campbell look on this?)

So much of being an author involves long hours writing, writing, writing, and it seems like almost as many hours waiting, waiting and waiting some more.

You wait to hear back from your agent or editor whether they like the proposal or book. You wait for the contract. You wait for the edits. You wait for the cover. Then you wait for the book’s release. And finally… A few days of excitement and happiness. Then you wait for the reviews and the feedback.

Meanwhile, you’ve likely sent in another proposal or book and you’re waiting, waiting…

Web Design for Authors: The Quick and Dirty Guide, Part 1 of 3

I started my own web design business when I was 13. It was fairly successful and I kept it up until I was 16, when I got really distracted by romance novels. (Damn you, Laura Kinsale! I could've been the female Bill Gates!)

I spent a few years in my late teens and early twenties working on the web teams of a number of companies whose revenues are in the billions. So, yes, I have some experience in this area.

After seeing a number of requests for web and MySpace help from authors on the mailing lists to which I belong, I decided to put together a trilogy of blog entries to help out my fellow authors who are interested in this topic.

Common Mistakes

According to Ann Bruce

Readability

• Serif fonts--the fonts with the little flourishes at the end to help the eye travel to the next word--should be used for print only. For the web, since screen resolution is not as high as print, stick to sans serif fonts because serif fonts tend to blur together, making it difficult to read. The most popular fonts for the web are Arial and Verdana. The latter was created specifically for web use.
  

• Fixed font sizes must be avoided. Users need to be able to adjust the font for comfortable reading.
  

• Justified text usually results in uneven spacing and makes reading more difficult. Yes, I know text in books are usually justified, but remember the web is an entirely different medium.
  

• Light text on a dark background is inherently less readable than dark text on a light background. That's not to say all dark backgrounds are bad, but unless the site is graphic intensive, like a photographer's site or a movie site, stick to light on dark. And never use dark on dark. Really, you want to sell reading material. If users can't read the content, such as excerpts, on your site, you're going to lose potential sales.

• Text on textured backgrounds is WORSE than light text on dark backgrounds. It's not easy for the human eye to distinguish and read text when the background is busy. Sometimes, it actually HURTS!
  

Navigation

• Drop-down menus don't allow users to see all the navigation options right away. They hide information the users are looking for and can be confusing.
  

• Non-standard menu headings confuse users. Really, users do not intuitively go to "Muse" to find a listing of available books. (This author's site was so confusing that instead of searching and buying up her back list list like I originally intended, I stopped reading her altogether.)
  

• Image maps are wrong. Do you enjoy running your mouse all over the cute picture of someone's office to find the link to a book listing page? No? Then why do you think other users would? And really, it's not intuitive to have a desk lamp link to a bio page.
  

• Users sometimes get lost in a site. Have a link to your home page on every page so they can find the starting point if they get in too deep.
  

• Underlined non-link text is deceptive. Users have been trained--yes, trained--to associate underlined text with hyperlinks. If you need to emphasize something, try bolding or italicizing it.
  

Bells and Whistles

• Big graphics = long loading times.
  

• Animated graphics. Yeah, I used animated graphics...when I was 13 and just starting out.

• Music increases the loading time and, frankly, not everyone shares your taste in music. I listen to Tool, 30 Seconds to Mars, Nine Inch Nails, etc. How many people would like to hear "The Kill" when they go to check out a romance author's site? Probably not many. But if you MUST ABSOLUTELY have music on your site because your life would not be complete without it, let the users start it. Unless you're doing a music band's website, don't ambush users.

• So, you've won award or are part of a special network. Great! And you want to share it with the world. Great, again! But do you really need to clutter up your main page with EVERY SINGLE thing you've won? I came across an author's website and the home page with its 17--yes, 17--badges made me think they were ads so I skipped over every single one of them. Have the most current award and put the rest elsewhere, like on the bio page or have a separate awards page.

Just Say No and Other Miscellanea

• Frames are evil and clumsy. Bookmarking doesn't work properly, causing problems when users try to return to the site. And if the users enter a framed page, navigation might be missing because it is located in another frame.

• Opening new windows pollute the users' screens and breaks the BACK button. Do NOT break the BACK button. Let the users decide where they want to go. If they want to go back to your site, they will...by using the BACK button.

• Horizontal scrolling. Do I really need to explain why this is wrong?

• Re-size my browser and I curse your name because I should be the only person in control of my browser.

• Front Page and other cheap HTML editors create poor code riddled with bugs that may be incompatible with different browsers. Do NOT use them. Notepad should be your best friend if you don't want to shell out $$ for a good editor.
  

• Typos are very ironic when found on an author's website. Proofread.

Agree with me? Think I'm off my rocker? Want to share something that irks you (e.g. text links that change size when the mouse rolls over them)? Please do so!

And next week: Part 2 - Tips and Tricks.