Just Call Me James.

This weekend, I was in a big city and able to visit some bookstores.  This is a luxury for me considering the tiny bookstore in our town. 

I love walking down the aisles and smelling the books around me, which is what I was doing when I came across James Patterson's wall.  Yeah, WALL.  I almost fell over.  I've never seen anything like it before.  Not only did his books fill every shelf in that section, but there was clear plastic on the edge of each shelf with a printed tagline label stuck to it.  In-cre-dible.  What the publisher must be paying for that display, I can only imagine.

And have you seen James Patterson's commercial?  A TV commercial for a book.  I can't say I've ever seen that before either.  Have you?  Check it out on his website.

After witnessing all the publicity put behind James Patterson, I've decided to change my name.  Just call me James.

Seriously though.  Have you ever seen this kind of marketing for Stephen King, Nora Roberts, or any other big time best selling author? 

Is It That Time?

I can't believe Thanksgiving snuck up on me.  (This coming from the gal who has already finished most of her Christmas shopping.)  In any case, since one of the twins has the stomach flu and I have to take care of her, and with the holidays and travel coming up, I won't be posting this week.

I've sent e-mails out to everyone in regards to their critique partners/groups.  If you were a part of this matchmaking event and haven't heard from me this weekend, send me a message.  Congrats to all of those who now have new critique families.

Next week, I'll post a series about critique groups.  Watch for it.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Fun Friday

Today's the last day I'll be accepting e-mails for my matchmaking project, so if you know any writers who need a critique group, send them my way ASAP.  If you've just tuned in and don't know what I'm talking about, go here.


Here's your puzzle for the week.  Doesn't it suit us readers and writers?  I thought so. 



My time: 3:42    What was yours?  Have a great weekend!

Word Search and Destroy

If you or someone you know is in need of a critique group, check out this post. I’m accepting e-mails until tomorrow night.

Sierra Godfrey had a great post today about certain words to search for and delete in our manuscripts. Here’s the list she posted:

• about
• actually
• almost
• like
• appears
• approximately
• basically
• being
• even
• eventually
• exactly
• finally
• just
• just then
• kind of
• nearly
• practically
• really
• seems
• simply
• somehow
• somewhat
• sort of
• suddenly
• truly
• utterly
• were


Can you add to the list? What words creep into your stories a little too often?

Monday Me: A Little Late... Oops!

The critique group matchmaking is going well. I’m accepting e-mails until the end of the week, so if you know anyone who’s looking for a critique group, send them my way.

With all of this matchmaking, I totally forgot to do Monday Me. Oops! Some of you have asked how my writing’s going. Well, I’m starting over. Again. I’m okay with that, for the most part. The rest was practice until I found my voice, which I’ve now done. Unfortunately, that means changing a lot since I decided another character was better suited as the killer. The stalker I was using just couldn’t go dark enough because… Well, I’ll just leave it at that in case I change my mind and go back to the original killer.

While it’s frustrating to have to start over (this will be my second time), I love the story and characters too much to drop them just yet. They deserve a real chance and until I had my voice, I couldn’t give that to them. I figure if Allison Brennan can admit her first 4 novels will never be published, then I’m okay with accepting I have to rewrite this one again. Even bestsellers had to practice before getting it right. And since I’m going to be one of them some day, I don’t mind taking the time now to figure it out. Besides, I’m excited about this new killer. Very. Sick. Puppy. Now, all I need is the time to write… But that’s a whole other story.

Have you found your voice? How did you discover it?

WOW and The Great Critter Search

Over the past few months, I’ve had a few writers ask me about my writers’ support group Writers on Writing. Some have been excited about the networking opportunity from WOW, while others were disappointed when I explained critiques were not permitted on the loop. WOW is all about supporting writers through their journey. We give cyber hugs when someone’s been rejected, celebrate the acquisition of an agent, and party with the sales or releases of new books. We also love to talk about writing. We draw attention to great blogs, announce irresistible online writing classes, and point the way to some eye-catching articles about the craft or industry. If this sounds interesting, send me an e-mail to lynnette_labelle (at) hotmail (dot) com. Make sure you spell my name with two n’s or I won’t get your message. Please put “WOW” in the subject so I know it’s not spam.

This brings me back to the writers who were really looking for an online critique group. Since I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve had two contests in search of writers for my own critique group. At the moment, we don’t have any openings, so this isn’t another one of those contests. Instead, I thought I’d take the time to reach out to fellow writers in search of a critique group or partner and help them find their way to each other. If you or someone you know is on the lookout for a crit friend, then read yesterday’s post for details and please spread the word. The more writers I have “on the table”, the better the matches will be.

For those of you not on the great critter search, how’s your writing going?

Looking for a Crit Partner or Group?

Are you searching for a critique partner or group?  Roni from Fiction Groupie held a matchmaking session for her readers not to long ago and it seemed to go over well.  I thought I'd see if I could play the game and get some of you folks together, too.  If you're looking for an online critique partner or group, send me an e-mail to: lynnette_labelle (at) hotmail (dot) com and put "Crit Partner" in the subject so I don't think it's spam.  In the e-mail itself, answer these questions:

1) What genre(s) do you write?
2) Have you been published?  If so, when and where?
3) How many novels have you written (complete, but may be in draft form)?
4) What genre(s) do you read on a regular basis?
5) Are you looking for a critique partner or a group (or doesn't it matter)?
6) How often do you want to exchange pieces?
7) Have you ever been in a critique group before?  What did you like or dislike about that experience?
8) What are your strengths as a writer and a critiquer?
9) What are your weaknesses as a writer and a critiquer?
10) Would you consider your writing ability to be at a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level?

Please pass this on to your writing friends.  Obviously, the more participants we get, the better the matches.  Good luck!  And don't worry if you've never critiqued before.  We've all been there once.  Just send your questionnaire and I'll match you up.

Make sure you spell my name with two n's or I won't get your e-mail.  Thanks.  Also, once I receive your e-mail, I'll send you a note so you know.  If you don't hear from me within 24 hours, try again or post a message on my blog.

Fun Friday

Since it's Friday the 13th and I've heard butteflies bring luck, I thought I'd pass some goodness along with this puzzle.  My time was 3:38.  What was yours?





Have a great weekend!

Who Can You Count On To Edit Your Novel?

I finally started to read “Writing the Breakout Novel” by Donald Maass and was a little surprised by something he said. He was debunking myths about the business of writing and how to become successful, when he mentioned editors won’t necessarily make your novel shine anymore. What? If we can’t count on our editor to make our novel the best it can be, who can we count on?

Before you fall off your seat, if you haven’t already, Maass does state that there are editors out there who will help you fix the problems in your book. However, there are many who are overworked and simply don’t have the time. Have you ever read a best-seller and wondered how those obvious grammar errors were not caught? Or what about the fact that the heroine had blue eyes in chapter one, but by chapter ten her eyes were brown? I've noticed flaws in best-selling novels quite often and thought the editors were simply afraid to touch the author’s masterpiece. Granted, that does happen, but the problem tends to stem more from too much work than anything else. Maass goes on to state that paperback editors can be responsible for three novels a month and one editor he knows has a hundred titles annually. Could you imagine?

What are authors doing to help solve this problem? They’re submitting work that is as near polished as possible. Sometimes they use a critique group to help them get to that point and other times they hire an outside editor.

It's disappointing to see the publishing industry has changed so much.  Gone are the days of promoting each and every author, and now editing is not even guaranteed. Wow. That was a shocker for me. Such a shame.  But, let me be clear, I'm not blaming the editors or even the industry.  Publishers are doing what they have to do in order to survive.  Editors simply can't do more than what's humanly possible.  Unfortunately, this affects all of us.  When an unedited book is printed with flaws/errors/mistakes (whatever you'd like to call them), this reflects upon the author, the editor, and the publishing house.  None of which is good for sales.

Have you read novels that obviously hadn’t been edited? As a writer, how does that make you feel?

Query Letter Bio

Great news for writers struggling with the bio section of the query letter. Agent Jessica Faust blogged today about this very topic. She says if you don’t have a writing background other than being involved with a critique group and writing organization, that’s okay. If she’s impressed with the query, she might not even read the bio. However, if you have experience with the subject you’re writing about or if you’ve recently won awards for your writing, you should include those because that might be enough to convince the agent (if she’s on the fence) to request more material.

Does that help or confuse us more? I’m glad she’s okay with us mentioning critique groups and awards. I’ve recently been instructed to not include those things. I guess it’s all subjective, just like everything else in this business.


What have you heard about query letter bios?

Out of Order

My brain is officially out of order today.  I have a major headache and can't think.  It doesn't help that the twins have been fighting, screaming, whining, and crying for the past couple of days.  I really need a break.

 Sorry, I just can't function enough to come up with a blog post (other than this one).  Hope you're having a good day and that things will be back to normal tomorrow.

Monday Me: I Survived HELLP Syndrome

When I was pregnant with the twins, I expected them to come early, but figured that meant a month, not six weeks. So, at my weekly check up, I was more than shocked when my doctor told me I was going to be a mom that day. I had HELLP Syndrome for which the only cure is immediate delivery.

My doctor knew me pretty well. His decision to not explain HELLP Syndrome to me was a wise one. If I’d known my life was in danger, I’d have freaked out. HELLP Syndrome, which stands for hemolysis (the destruction of red blood cells), elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count, is a rare complication of preeclampsia, but often occurs before symptoms of preeclampsia appear. That’s what happened to me. I had no idea my organs were shutting down. In fact, I’d just gone for an ultrasound and the twins had passed all their tests, so I was ecstatic. Not to mention, I felt FINE.

I wasn’t fine though. My blood pressure was high, so the nurse had me lay on my side. When it didn’t return to normal, I was instructed to go to the lab for urine and blood tests. At this point, I still had no idea there was a problem. It wasn’t until the doctor came into my room announcing it was the twins’ birthday that everything started to unravel. Because I live in a small town that isn’t properly equipped to handle premature babies, I was rushed by ambulance to the nearest large city, an hour away.

I’m thanking my lucky stars that I had an appointment that day. Otherwise, I would’ve died. Kind of scary. Even writing about it years later still affects me.

Fun Friday

Here's your puzzle for the day.  I couldn't resist a pink duck.  My twins love ducks and if they saw this pink one, they'd have to have it.  My time was 4:04.  What's yours?  Have a nice weekend!

Are Blog Awards a Good Idea or a Waste of Time?

Are blog awards a good idea or a waste of time? Granted, it takes me a while to pick the nominees and link their blogs to my post, but I definitely feel these awards are worth every minute.


Here are the reasons I came up with:

-When you nominate others for blog awards, they’re supposed to put a link from their blog to yours in acknowledgment. That’s a bonus for you because their readers might jump over to check out your blog. Free advertising.

-When someone nominates you, they have a link to your blog from theirs, so their readers can see how great your blog is. More free advertising for you.
-Bloggers who’ve been nominated by you feel special and may follow you (if they aren’t already) or send you an award the next chance they get. They may comment more often and visit more frequently, too.

-When you stop by someone’s blog who has nominated others, you have the chance to meet new bloggers and read their posts.

-It feels good to be able to give to your blogger friends.

Rebecca A. Emrich awarded me an award yesterday.  This one goes out to all my readers because I luv you.  Thanks, Rebecca.

What do you think? Are blog awards worth you time? What do you like about them?

Handing Out Awards

Ash. Elizabeth created an award because she felt a need for it.  The award is the Helpful Blogger Award and she was kind enough to nominate me.  Yay!  Thanks.  Now, it's my turn.  But first, the rules:

-Include the award logo in your blog or post.

-Link to post where you received the award.
-Nominate seven blogs that you feel are helpful to others.
-Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
-Let them know they've received the award by commenting on their blog.
-Share one thing that no one knows about you & quote a sentence from your favorite book.


I nominate:

-Lori Brighton
-Amber Argyle
-Rebecca A. Emrich
-Janna Qualman
-Tess Hilmo
-Shelli
-Travis Erwin

Something about me:  I had HELLP Syndrome and almost died when pregnant with the twins.  Cheery thought, isn't it?

I just read a great quote the other day, so I'm glad I can share it now.  This is from Anne Perry in the forward she wrote for Donald Maass's book "Writing the Breakout Novel".

"Sometimes I am asked, 'Is it true you should write what you know about?'  I say, "No, write what you care about.  If you don't know, you'll find out.  But if you don't care, why should anyone else?'"

Do you have any quotes you'd like to share?

Monday Me: Janna's Question Part 2

I’ve taught everything from kindergarten to grade 8, but I must admit, I preferred teaching the older kids. I connect better with them and there’s a lot less crying. I really don’t have much patience for crying, which is funny considering I have twins who do a heck of a lot of crying and fighting. Guess I forgot to mention no crying when I put my order in. They got the long eye lashes I requested, so I know the memo went through. Oh, well.

The other thing I liked about teaching grades 7 and 8 is that I was able to specialize by choosing which subjects I wanted to teach. I’ve never been a math and science gal, so I always avoided teaching those subjects whenever possible. Instead, I focused on French, English, Social Studies, and Drama.

What would it take to get me back into the classroom? A heck of a lot. Now that I live in the US, I’d have to go back to school so my credentials would fit what’s expected of American teachers. But what would I teach? French isn’t exactly an option here because the level is so elementary and, from what I’ve heard, most kids don’t want to be there. It’s very frustrating for a teacher to have unwilling participants. As for Math, I’d have to learn the imperial system. We learned metric in Canada. I’d have to become more familiar with American history and geography if I wanted to teach those courses. Not to mention, there aren’t exactly openings in our little town, so I could go through all that schooling only to end up unemployed.

If I were to teach again, it would be writing. Years ago, I ran a writing club with pre-teens and loved that. Teaching online courses or workshops about writing would be a good fit for me. I’m seriously contemplating those sorts of things for 2010. We’ll see what life brings.

As for picking between writing and teaching? That’s easy. Writing wins by a mile.  Although, teaching writing is the next best thing.

Thank, Janna for the great questions. If you’d like to know more about me, just ask.

Any other teachers out there?

Monday Me: Janna's Questions Part 1

Janna Qualman asked: “You've mentioned in passing you used to teach (which no doubt changed when your twins were born). What subject and grade did you teach, and what would it take to get you back into the classroom? Would you ever be able to pick between teaching and writing? (Horribly unfair to ask, I know.)”


Back in the days when I wasn’t married and didn’t have children, I was a teacher in Canada. Yep, I’m a Canadian now living in the US. I taught in French Immersion schools, which means English speaking children are plunked into a French environment where everything (except English class) is taught in French. That’s right, everything, even gym and music classes are in French. So, if you didn’t already figure out from my last name (Labelle), I’m a Frenchie. Well, sort of. My mom doesn’t know much French, even though she tried to learn when we were little. And because of this, my dad didn’t really speak to us in French either. We had to learn it all in school.

I love teaching. I really do. I love the smell and feel of being inside a school. I love the kids. I love being the center of attention. Hehehe Well, in front of kids anyway. Not so much in front of the parents during our open house presentations. I found that to be rather intimidating. Because they were THE PARENTS and I just knew they were judging me. Except maybe the single father who was attempting to flirt with me, but that’s a whole other story. Unfortunately, I have a few of those stories.

What I love most about teaching is finding creative ways to present the information and methods that made learning fun for the kids. I achieved this. The kids and their parents told me that every year. However, being in my class wasn’t easy. I pushed the kids harder than they’ve ever been pushed before. Something they didn’t like when they first met me, but appreciated by the end of the year. Not that it took me that long to win them over though. I wasn’t a mean teacher. I just knew the value of hard work. Granted, I was more strict on the older kids than the younger ones because the 7th and 8th graders I taught needed to be prepped for the big school. With me, they technically couldn’t fail because of the “no child left behind” policy, but once they left our school, they were in for a shock. Homework not completed = fail. Tests not studied for = fail. Poor grades = fail. I didn’t want those kids to figure it out the hard way, so I showed them what kind of expectations their teachers would have in the following years. I’ve run into some of those students, who’ve since graduated, and they thanked me for showing them the way. They said without my help, they surely would’ve failed their first year of high school. What teacher’s heart doesn’t turn to mush when they hear stuff like that?

Come back tomorrow for part two of this post.