You Got The Write Stuff, Baby...

Well last week, I thought I'd gotten an honest to goodness response to my manuscript until it was explained to me that the company in question was a step up from a vanity press. Here's a short explanation to aid in mutual understanding:

A vanity press is a self publishing companies where the writer edits (or pays for the service) their work, creates the cover art, and pays to have to book printed which they then have to market and sell. The writer does all the work and maybe recoups their printing costs if they have a workable marketing strategy that they then, work.

The company a step up provides an editor, designs the cover art and prints the book. But the writer still pays the cost upfront and has to market and sell the book. Again, unless the writer knows how to market said book, they could be out five grand and have five hundred copies of their book sitting in the garage.

Neither option appeals to me at this point, even if I had the money. I think I'll just keep writing. Maybe when I'm dead, my work will be discovered and my posterity will receive the financial gain.

It could happen.

What's In A Nom-De-Plume...

As I was drifting off to sleep last night a random thought popped into my head: there's already an author by the name if Diana Davidson. Okay, it's Diane Davidson and there's a Mott in between, but that's still really close to my name. I think she would probably have the right to keep it because she was here first. That being the case, I need a pen name.

I had thought about it once before and my favorite professor mentioned it as well but what would I use. I've considered D.P. Davidson or D.M. Davidson. I've also considered something completely different than my own name, though I can't remember any right now.

However the name that occured to me last night is a variation of my own name, something that's close enough that one can still find me but different enough to set me apart. Suprisingly I really, really like it.

It's Ana Davis.

Habitat For Humanity = Pain...

Mr. D and I went house building yesterday. It was AWESOME (I'm not yelling, I'm emphasizing). We are sore and a little sunburned and totally happy. There's nothing like building a house to build your self-esteem.

I spent most of the day on a ladder with my arms over my head installing soffit. No I did not make that word up, that's what it's called. Yes, I know it's a valid concern because I do make words up. Soffit is that material under your eaves and overhangs. Eaves and over hangs are the sticky-outy parts of your roof.

As I was saying, I spent the day with my arms over my head. Here's a funny sideline: when you spend a lot of time with your arms over your head, they get tired but when you finally put them down they float up so you walk around looking like a zombie. Add the fact that you're sore from squatting to pick up heavy packages of shingles so you walk stiffly and are moaning from the pain and you really DO look like a zombie. It's quite comical.

Mr. D spent the day on the roof, roofing. He'd only ever done it once, when he was 15 so it was kinda new for him. He had a blast. They had to kick him off twice because he wasn't drinking enough water but as soon as they would let him, he was up there again.

The family whose home we were building were out there as well as a large group of people from his work. That made the experience even greater. So if you ever have the opportunity to help build a house, go do it.

Then when people ask what you did this weekend you can moan "ahhhhhhhh" before stiffly limping away.

How Many Writer's Does It Take To Form A Group...

At least three and the meeting isn't very long.

I went to my first writers group meeting thing last Saturday. Actually, it was the first meeting for all of us so I understand I am one of the founding members. That's actually kind of cool. Now having said that, I hope this thing takes off like a firestorm.

As I said, our first meeting was last Saturday and there were three of us. Our next meeting is in two weeks and there will be six. We've already doubled our membership and need a larger meeting place. Wow!!! Does that count as a firestorm?

Here's where I give you a little info. It will only be a little because I am the least informed of the group so I just smile and nod. We are a new chapter of The American Night Writer's Association (ANWA), a group started out of Arizona, for LDS women writer's. Any LDS woman who writes (this includes journaling) is welcome to come. The goal is to sharpen our writing skills, mentor and encourage each other. Someday, if we get big enough, our chapter leader said we may even have seminars with more well known authors.

This was the part where I smiled and nodded (I was just happy to be there).

So my LDS women author friends, come join us. And bring snacks.