OATMEAL STUDIOS GREETING CARD CO., P.O. BOX 917 - Dept. J, North Adams, MA 01247. Email: dawn-at-oatmealstudios.com. Website: http://www.oatmealstudios.com. Dawn Abraham, Editor. "We sell cutting edge, humorous greeting cards in many styles: humorous photo ideas, many cartoon styles, and more traditional word-play styles of humor. See our website." 100% freelance. Welcomes new writers. Pays on acceptance. Publishes card 6 mo. to 2 years after acceptance. "We request exclusive purchase and use of any idea we buy. We respond within a few days to e-mails and we hold copy for between 3-10 weeks for review (depending on when it comes during our current review cycle). We tell writers what dates they can plan on final decisions." Samples available at the website. Guidelines by email to dawn-at-oatmealstudios.com.
CURRENT NEEDS: "We are currently looking for birthday ideas. We pay $75.00 if we decide to buy an idea. Word count of an average greeting card length. Submit by e-mail to dawn-at-oatmealstudios.com or by snail mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope that covers return postage."
PHOTOS/ART: "If you have illustrations or photos with your ideas send a query first with a description and we will tell you how to best submit. See our website for more info. about art requirements. Pay is negotiable.
HINTS: "Read cards on the racks in stores and try to write something you would buy (and maybe all your friends would buy, too)."
more markets
More paying markets
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
webinar for authors on Social Media
http://www.thebookdesigner.com/hub-and-outpost-webinar/
The Hub and Outpost Method of Social Media Marketing Webinar
Authors: Feel Like You're Spinning Your Wheels in Social Media?
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Five Fun Games for writers !!
Get inspired while having fun!!
Great gifts for kids and adults!
Christmas is just around the corner!!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Book sale trends and how authors can affect them
http://www.livewritethrive.com/2012/10/08/the-cycles-of-book-sales/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LiveWriteThrive+%28Live+Write+Thrive%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
to read the full article, click the link above
Trend Lines Are Pretty Much the Same
The book industry has sales trend lines that have been consistent for the past forty years. Sales are relatively flat on a week-to-week basis for forty-six weeks out of the year. Slight sales increases are seen on the minor sales holidays. This means approximately the same number of books is being read in any given week compared to the previous year. The marketing efforts of authors and publishers generally do not increase the total amount of books that are purchased. The marketing effort is to get the consumer to purchase your product (book) instead of the competitor
to read the full article, click the link above
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Read To Succeed reviews Closing The Gate!
Closing The Gate review by Read To Succeed Rutherford
Review by Laura Beth Payne
When I began reading Deb Simpson’s book, I was prepared for a labyrinth of conspiracy theories and mysterious events about the cult that attracted her brother Jimmy and eventually led to his suicide. Instead I found something familiarly sad and too common: the story of a lost child trying to find a family when his own was falling apart. I found the story playing over in my mind long after I finished it.
More than half of the book is not about Jimmy or Heaven’s Gate at all, but about Simpson’s family, since it is what Simpson believes caused Jimmy to seek “another family” in Heaven’s Gate members. It’s no coincidence that Simpson now, besides her writing, serves as a volunteer for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for children who, just like herself and Jimmy, are members of broken families.
The chapters are written in different voices, alternating between Simpson’s mother, father, brother and herself. I cringed empathetically at the way she captured her abusive father’s own deranged, guiltless point of view, and I grimaced at the mother’s voice. She is not so much of a horrible character as a helpless one, having suffered at the inept hands of psychiatric “care,” rootless religion and abusive relationships. Jimmy’s tone evokes a quiet, contemplative man who is starving for understanding.
While Simpson is eventually able to leave her parents and find healing in her marriage, school, therapy and a job, Jimmy stays at home with their mother and won’t leave despite encouragement from doctors, therapists and Simpson herself. Instead he begins corresponding with those who seem able to give him the spiritual direction he craves—Heaven’s Gate cult members.
Spending a period of time at the compound gives Jimmy a sense of belonging and community that his own family had not given him, but he leaves when he realizes that he was not “as spiritual” as the other members. It was not until after the mass suicides that Jimmy decides he wanted follow his “family” to the next spiritual level: death. He shot himself through the heart in his apartment.
Yes, the story is haunting; I don’t think a story involving a suicide and cult activity can be anything less. But even more sobering than the events leading to Jimmy’s death are Simpson’s reflections afterwards:
“I believe [Jimmy] was looking for someone to show him the way . . . but no one did. We were all too caught up in our lives to understand the depth of his struggles. I will forever regret my own blindness to his pain, and his inability to tell me.”
Readers of Closing the Gate will find much to ponder from Simpson’s portrait of her family, her own escape and her brother’s descent into cult life. But if Simpson is successful, readers will also find a piercing reminder of the significance of our relationships and our human mandate to engage with the struggles and pain in those around us.
Deb Simpson is a Murfreesboro resident and the current president of the Tennessee Writers Alliance. For more information on her and her work, visit debsimpsonbooks.com.
Closing the Gate: Inside Heaven’s Gate, by Deb Simpson
Review by Laura Beth Payne
When I began reading Deb Simpson’s book, I was prepared for a labyrinth of conspiracy theories and mysterious events about the cult that attracted her brother Jimmy and eventually led to his suicide. Instead I found something familiarly sad and too common: the story of a lost child trying to find a family when his own was falling apart. I found the story playing over in my mind long after I finished it.
More than half of the book is not about Jimmy or Heaven’s Gate at all, but about Simpson’s family, since it is what Simpson believes caused Jimmy to seek “another family” in Heaven’s Gate members. It’s no coincidence that Simpson now, besides her writing, serves as a volunteer for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for children who, just like herself and Jimmy, are members of broken families.
The chapters are written in different voices, alternating between Simpson’s mother, father, brother and herself. I cringed empathetically at the way she captured her abusive father’s own deranged, guiltless point of view, and I grimaced at the mother’s voice. She is not so much of a horrible character as a helpless one, having suffered at the inept hands of psychiatric “care,” rootless religion and abusive relationships. Jimmy’s tone evokes a quiet, contemplative man who is starving for understanding.
While Simpson is eventually able to leave her parents and find healing in her marriage, school, therapy and a job, Jimmy stays at home with their mother and won’t leave despite encouragement from doctors, therapists and Simpson herself. Instead he begins corresponding with those who seem able to give him the spiritual direction he craves—Heaven’s Gate cult members.
Spending a period of time at the compound gives Jimmy a sense of belonging and community that his own family had not given him, but he leaves when he realizes that he was not “as spiritual” as the other members. It was not until after the mass suicides that Jimmy decides he wanted follow his “family” to the next spiritual level: death. He shot himself through the heart in his apartment.
Yes, the story is haunting; I don’t think a story involving a suicide and cult activity can be anything less. But even more sobering than the events leading to Jimmy’s death are Simpson’s reflections afterwards:
“I believe [Jimmy] was looking for someone to show him the way . . . but no one did. We were all too caught up in our lives to understand the depth of his struggles. I will forever regret my own blindness to his pain, and his inability to tell me.”
Readers of Closing the Gate will find much to ponder from Simpson’s portrait of her family, her own escape and her brother’s descent into cult life. But if Simpson is successful, readers will also find a piercing reminder of the significance of our relationships and our human mandate to engage with the struggles and pain in those around us.
Deb Simpson is a Murfreesboro resident and the current president of the Tennessee Writers Alliance. For more information on her and her work, visit debsimpsonbooks.com.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Who Gets Your Book(s) When You Die? - Yet Another Case of Heirs Fighting Over an Author's Copyrights
Who Gets Your Book(s) When You Die? - Yet Another Case of Heirs Fighting Over an Author's Copyrights
http://writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/007496_08082012.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+writersweekly+%28WritersWeekly.com+-+Freelance+Writing+Ezine%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
http://writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/007496_08082012.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+writersweekly+%28WritersWeekly.com+-+Freelance+Writing+Ezine%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
Monday, July 23, 2012
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