America's Most Disillusioned Generation

Generation X is all grown up, but with one hell of an inferiority complex.

by 

Phil Stern

We were supposed to conquer the world, our first million in the bank by age 25. At worst, we’d live in plush homes, firmly established within lucrative, interesting, stable careers. Anything less was unthinkable.  

Of course, running companies was more our thing. Hey, the corner office was already picked out. A couple of years of business school, a few boring years paying our dues…and then our inner genius would take care of the rest. No problem.

Divorce? Screaming and yelling over the dinner table? That was our parent’s scene. We knew better, had a far greater understanding of human nature. We’d all be in stable marriages with loving, supportive spouses, our children paragons of health and well-being.

Not so long ago, say back in the 1980s and 1990s, fame and fortune was our birthright. Now, we’re all just struggling to pay the mortgage.

A day in the life of an Author

but not this day!

Pink and fluffy chick lit
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Really struggled to get out of bed. Had a late night trying to finish an awkward scene on a novel I’m working on, but ended up playing chess with the computer. This resulted in a tense stand-off with several more games until I was satisfied that the computer was sorry that it beat me in two moves on the first game.

Make coffee, and turn on computer. I can hear it groan. No, that’s my stomach. I haven’t eaten since, er, Saturday (it’s Monday). Funny, I’m as porky as ever. Must be the constant supply of Hobnobs. In the kitchen I pour flakes into a bowl, and top it with milk.

Spooning said flakes into my mouth, I open my email. Spam. Spam. Spam. And more spam. Oh! Win a holiday with one click.

I click. And read. And imagine I’ve won the holiday. I think about the new clothes I would have buy. Would have to buy a new suitcase, too. And lose weight. My dream ends, and the very nice, but very loud Chris Evans declares it’s nine. Already?

I make another coffee, the previous cold, and delete the spam and the holiday. A new email comes in. It’s from a lady whose work I was editing. She’s not happy with the edits. Thinks I was too harsh. Harsh? Learn how to punctuate, muppet!

Another email comes through from an agent I was hopeful on bagging. No, she isn’t going to pursue with my submission after all. I hit the minimize button. Too early in the morning to deal with, and I don’t feel strong enough. Insufficient caffeine circulating the blood stream for a start!

I glug the coffee, but still don’t feel like reading the agent’s email. I wonder about deleting it. If I call her and act like I haven't seen it, maybe she’ll change her mind?

I open last night’s scene. Then immediately minimize it, and click on Twitter. Ah, I’ve several messages and RTs that I need to reply to/thank. Oh no! Kate Moss is trending. Has she died? I click and see that it’s her birthday. I wish her happy birthday.

I go into #wip to see how everyone is getting on with their writing. @Flashgit has managed 5k this morning. I unfollow @Flashgit.

@Bitchfeatures is still editing her  novel. She said she wrote in the whole damn thing in the NaNoWriMo month. I don’t believe her. I report her for abuse.

I type: On second coffee and still can’t get started #wip

Beauty and the Beast
for grown ups
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I open up The Scene and re-read aloud to see if it sounds any better. It doesn’t.

Back on Twitter I see if anyone has answered me. They have. @pruebatten suggests I go for a walk to think things over in my head. Good idea actually. The “me time” is very, very important. Note to self – make more “me time”.

I shower and dress, and immediately feel better. I grab my bag and car keys and out I go. Walk? Is she frigging joking! I head to the shops. Nothing like retail therapy for “me time”.

Several hours later, and a lots of pounds lighter (money, not weight – I wish!) I come home. I’ve bought a pair of boyfriend jeans and a T-shirt. I go to dump the bags in my wardrobe, but as I open the door a pair of jeans, with the label still on, fall out. I pick them up and remember I bought them last week. They are EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ONES I’VE JUST BOUGHT!

Bugger.

Back at my computer I check my emails. The agent one is still there and I open it sulkily: “the round table isn’t keen on your concept and doesn’t think it’ll sell”. Round table? What is she, bloody King Arthur?

Welcome to the dark side
of chick lit
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I open Twitter to pour out my woes: Rejected again #wip #submission #reject #author Might hit the bottle later.

I glance at clock to see if this idea is doable. Almost mid-day, a little early, even for me!

I notice I’ve lost three followers. Really depressed now. I call my friend and tell her all about my horrendous morning. She can’t really talk because her house was burgled last night, and the police are there taking statements. Still, she could have been a little more sympathetic, selfish cow.

At the computer I open The Scene.

You know, it reads really good now. Think I’ll keep it after all.

Why Book Blogs Matter, And Why They Should Matter to More People by Ellen Rhudy

Why Book Blogs Matter, And Why They Should Matter to More People 

by Ellen Rhudy

Every few months an article comes along about book blogs: about the influence blogs and bloggers can exert over internet-addicted book lovers, about the ways in which book blogs can’t meet up to the standards of ever-dwindling newspaper books pages, about the relationships between bloggers and authors and publishers. Attempts to fit book blogs into some standard narrative of bookish publicity never works, though, because book blogs are so different from (so much better than, I’d say) “traditional” venues for book publicity.

More often than there are articles and attempts to somehow chart book blogs, what they mean and what they’ll be for readers in the future, there are articles about the decline of reading: men don’t read, children don’t read, no one reads “good” books, ebooks are destroying books as we know and love them.

What book blogs show, in this age of cancelled book review sections in newspaper after newspaper, is that people do read, and that readers are increasingly passionate about sharing their reading with others. Sure, there are book clubs and there are literature courses, but only the luckiest reader has a group of friends he or she can discuss literature with on a regular basis. Book blogs, though, give a voice to the reader who before responded to books more privately, giving your average reader of literary fiction or science fiction the chance to expound on the qualities of a novel, how it fits into genre conventions or the conventions of their own reading habits (if not both).

For more go to:

Why Book Blogs Matter, And Why They Should Matter to More People by Ellen Rhudy

Children's writer and illustrator Joanna Cook with her second in the series of The Wrenolds

 The "Wrenolds," a family of wrens, have survived a tornado and rebuilt their home just in time to celebrate Grandma's birthday.  

5-12 years.

This is the second story in the delightful and whimsical series about a bird community.  Join the cardinals, Sir Al and Alberta, the robins, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, and the elegant hummingbirds, Tony and Mary Hummingway, and others.  

See what happens when Jackie Wrenolds finds the perfect birthday gift for Grandma and the story takes a mysterious turn.

Children will delight in this charming story written from the perspective of birds - and learn something too!


Published by Mirror Publishing:  www.pagesofwonder.com Written/illustrations by Joanne Cook. 


Join "The Wrenolds of Elm Tree Cottage" on Facebook
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10 Novels That Nail the College Experience

Is there one single novel that captures the college experience? Well … no. The institution you decide to attend, the subjects you choose to study, and your own predilection for hitting the books versus enjoying all of the other , ahem, distractions that college has to offer, all help to define your personal "experience" of college. But, though one novel alone doesn't tell the whole story, we've found 10 that each nail at least some aspect of the college experience. Have a look:


http://www.toponlinecolleges.com/blog/2012/10-novels-that-nail-the-college-experience/

From agents offering editing services to Amazon Jimmy Gordon offers his entertaining view of the publishing world.

I must say I have been completely lost as far as topic for today’s post goes. But, since this seems to be more of a site for writers than readers I thought we might discuss just where we are going, where our lives in literature are concerned.

GUEST POST BY JIMMY GORDON

author of Dartboard

I often read that changes in the field of literature move along at a pretty slow pace. However, I can’t agree with that I have witnessed the dynamic of this business change, well, dynamically! Once I had blundered through that first book, upon the strike of the very last key, I really had no idea where to move from there. How does one get a book published? I turned to the internet and typed in a simple search: ‘how does one publish their first book’? Naturally, one of the vanity presses popped up, and not knowing any better, I jumped on board without any idea that an author taking that road for publishing would be scorned, dragged out into the streets, their books burned, and their backs lashed out in the courtyard just for having the nerve to ask a bookseller to sell their self-published stuff, even on consignment!

That was just ten years ago, and look what’s happening now: there are folks like J. A. Konrath setting the traditional form of publishing aside to self-publish on their own. And other big name stars seem to be following his lead. But how does that help the small fry? I’ve read Joe’s blog, and don’t get me wrong, I love the guy. In fact, his name and words are on the cover of my current book in the form of a blurb. In his blog he talks about the sales he’s making without the need to cut an agent or a publisher in on his booty. I imagine for many of us, all of us who have insulated our homes with rejection letters from publishers and agents, it offers a little bit of hope that we can make it big. But should it? After all, yes, these folks are self-publishing, but they’ve had the benefit of publishing with a large publishing house. They didn’t enter the self-publishing arena as a complete no-name starting from scratch. Their audiences had already been built. So I ask, is this new trend one to be embraced? Or should we stiffen up our backsides and keep sending out those emails and letters to publishers and agents?

Free paranormal novel by Lisa Graves.

What would you do if you thought your boyfriend were a figment of your imagination? That is Lilly’s problem. 

YA Paranormal Romance / Mystery
 by Lisa Graves

Sure he randomly seems to appear and disappear out of nowhere.  

Perhaps he is cryptic and evasive when it comes to details of his past?

But what if you can feel in your soul that you are meant to be together?  

Would that tiny detail matter?

Buy Atlantis FREE from Smashwords using this coupon: XR67Y coupon expires 31st January.

Excerpt from Atlantis:

My eyes looked at the ground. I didn’t want to, but I made myself say it. “You’re not real.”

Elliott was quiet. I looked up to see what he was doing. He continued to sit on the grass but he looked shocked. “What do you mean by that?” I noticed a cautious tone in his voice.

I dove into my brain trying to find the right words to use when breaking up with yourself. I came up empty handed. The fact that I desperately wanted to stay and live in my fantasy land didn’t make it any easier. My torrent stream of emotions was giving me away. I bit my lip, trying to keep my face from exposing all of my secrets. Strangely, he did the same.

“What do you mean, I’m not real?” Elliott asked again. He gently placed his hand on mine. The usual sensation of electricity flowing through him to me, pricked my mind and made me doubt my hallucination theory. He wasn’t helping me.

It was probably a combination of my emotions keeping me an inch from tears, and his penetrating eyes bearing down on my soul, but I had overflowed. I couldn’t stop the words from pouring out.

“YOU ARE NOT REAL!” I yelled, more at myself than at Elliott.

I stood up. His mouth gapped open at me as I paced the cove and continued.

“You are too perfect. And good looking. And sweet...”

He looked as though he was going to argue, but I went on.

“No one has seen you but me.”

He whispered something to himself and shook his head.

“You appear and disappear out of nowhere.”

I turned again at the edge of the cove, racking my brain for more proof of my theory. When I resumed my pacing, he spoke.

“I know,” he said in a soft, apologetic purr and looked straight at me.

Elliott caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected my hallucination to agree with me. “What do you mean you know?"

Find out more from Lisa Graves at: http://www.lisagravesbooks.com/