We Pause Now For Blatant Self-Promotion
Friend and fellow toastmaster Jean Bailey Robor invited me on her blog-talk radio program, Celebrate Life! as a guest this past Monday. We had a lovely 15-minute chat where Jean asked me about being a writer, what motivates me, and details about the upcoming release of Who Moved My Mouse? Many thanks to Jean for a lovely interview and for allowing me to work off some off that blatant self-promotion that builds up in every author. (You either have to go on a talk show or run laps to work it off.) The interview is 15 minutes and Jean has exciting guests each week. Be sure and check out her show!
Seeking Feedback on WMMM Website
It's here! I've spent this week working with uber website designer Melody Watson on the website for Who Moved My Mouse? There are still a few graphics and details to deal with and I have no idea what I'm going to do with the blog, but it's 80% there. Have suggestions or feedback? Contact me!
Click on the image below or visit www.selfhelpforcats.com.
Friday, July 30, 2010 at 3:25 PM | Dena Harris | 3 Comments | Email Article | Share via Digg | Print Article | tagged cat humor, gift book, humor, self help for cats, who moved my mouse in Cat Stuff, Writing, General Writing A Short Story
I've spent the last week immersed in writing a short story. I'm at about 3,000 words in and the first draft is almost finished. Sci-fi. An idea I've had for years as a novel that I'm testing out first as a short.
What I've discovered is that while my head is in the world of story, I don't feel much like doing other writing and my blog is taking a hit.
Just to throw something new on the page, here's a quick list of highlights and lessons from this past week:
- Lesson #1: All soy chicken is not made equal. Last week I made "chicken" burritos that had us salivating for more. I made them again last night with a different brand of soy chicken. Absolutely gross. Who knew?
- There be squash! Our square garden has LARGE LEAFY GREEN THINGS growing in at least half the squares. I told Blair I hoped we harvested a lot of squash. His reply: "This is further than we've ever come before so everything could die tomorrow and I'd still count it as a win." Love that man of mine.
- Lesson #2: I CAN and WILL kill most plants under my care. One of three of the rose plants I planted is already dead. Pretty sure Iris Sutcliffe owes me some money on that bet.
- Lucy has taken to hiding in the back of my office closet. Hurt feelings? Not feeling well? Needs a quiet, restful place to plot my demise? Hard to tell...
- My editor sent me the back cover copy for my book. Can't wait to see the whole thing put together.
- Lesson #3: I have GOT to figure out a way to get more yoga back in my routine. I bent at the waist the other day and hamstrings were so tight I couldn't touch the floor. NOT GOOD.
- Lesson #4: It's time to stop fooling myself that I'm going to prepare a large salad for lunch each day with gourmet greens and a wide assortment of vegetables. Food is rotting in my fridge as I pour myself a second bowl of cereal each day at noon and vow to do better tomorrow.
- Watching the Biggest Loser finale last night was great, but it seems like 90% of the former contestants they bring back have regained some serious weight. So what's the point of the show?
You're now pretty much up to speed on the exciting life and times of Dena. Stay tuned for our next episode where Dena shares how she did some laundry and more than likely killed yet another plant.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 6:59 AM | Dena Harris | 7 Comments | Email Article | Share via Digg | Print Article | tagged cooking with soy chicken, square gardening, who moved my mouse in Cat Stuff, Home Life, Vegan, Writing, General, cooking I'm A Pit: Learning to Deal with Negative Reviews
So the other day I'm hanging out at my desk, pretending to work but really surfing the web for low-carb vegan dinner entrees (don't ask) when a Google Alert e-mail pops up, alerting me that a website called The Second Pass has posted something about my upcoming book, Who Moved My Mouse? Self-Help for Cats (Who Don't Need Any Help). Yea! How sweet.
Or not. Turns out I'm a pit. A pit is a book not eagerly anticipated by the site's editor, John Williams. A pit is BAD.
Oh, cruel reviews! It's an arrow to the heart. Only, not really. Mr. Williams hasn't read my book--he just didn't like the title. (Maybe he had a bad experience with a cat as a child. Or maybe a bad experience with a cat as an anal-retentive adult. Whatever.) And considering the site reviews some bind-busting books of a high-minded literary nature, I'm quite pleased I even made the radar. Go little cat gift book, go!
Here's the lesson: Once the book is released (or sooner--hey Mr. Williams!), reviews will be coming my way, both good and bad. The trick is to not read too much into either of them and just keep writing. I shared with a friend that I thought the best course of action would be to not read any reviews that come out, period. He laughed in my face. "Yeah, good luck with that," he said.
He's right. I'll read 'em. And laugh. And weep. And then, hopefully, keep writing.
I may make a special effort to send Mr. Williams an autographed copy though. Packaged in kitty litter. Poor man sounds like he could use a good laugh. >^..^<
Monday, March 15, 2010 at 11:18 AM | Dena Harris | 6 Comments | Email Article | Share via Digg | Print Article | tagged Second Pass, book reviews, who moved my mouse in Cat Stuff, Writing, General ♫ Bow-Chicka-Bow-Wow... ♫
By contract, I am required to supply my publisher with a photo for the back-of-the-book author shot. No problem. I e-mail my editor the photo I had professionally taken a few years ago and that I will probably still be using when I'm 90. It's lovely, she says, but given that this is a cat book, might I have some pictures of myself with my cats we could use?
I do not. Not only do our cats not cooperate in the picture-taken process, they actively sabotage it. Plus...
Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 5:00 AM | Dena Harris | Post a Comment | Email Article | Share via Digg | Print Article | tagged author photo, christopher laney, who moved my mouse in Cat Stuff, Writing, General