Tag Archives: Author

Communication, Freelance writing, My community

Freelance Writing

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Seeing my name in print still gives me a shiver. A few months ago I started freelancing as a writer and photographer for a county magazine. June showed two of my articles while July had one. I know this is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things but it still amazing to me.

I get to go out and talk to people and learn about how they are helping our community. You would think talking to people would be second-hand to me. But this form of communication is different. Each interview I gain a bit more confidence but I have a way still to go. Last week I spoke to a woman who works with a local foundation for Alzheimer’s. This really hit home for me for I have family members right now who have this devastating disease and have lost some to it.

Next week I will be setting up an appointment to meet up with a lawyer, a retired soldier, who works against domestic abuse and violence. This shall be interesting to say the least as I learn about how she gives back as she fights this part of our culture.

All of this helps me not only as a writer but also as a person as I learn about the people around me in my area. It is not just about me and my family but those who construct and run the city I live in. By becoming a freelance writer and photographer, my eyes have been open to avenues that would otherwise have been hidden from me.

I still get nervous before any interview and tend to breathe a sign of relief once I am back in my car once it is over. Will that ever subside I am not sure. But I will continue, for now, to explore the world that is my home in North Carolina. Hopefully it will help me grow as a person in different levels. If nothing else, I walk out of each interview a little different then how I entered.

 

Amazon Parrot, ebook, Spring Fling

Spring Fling

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SharronSF(1)

 

My publisher is tossing a Spring Fling for her authors. From April 15- May 15 the ebook, “Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure” will be slashed from $5.99 all the way down to $1.99. While I already have a copy of my own ebook, this will give m a chance to check out the other authors that are part of my publishers umbrella.

If you have not had a chance to check the book out, here is a great opportunity to give it a whirl. Even if you don’t like it, you can’t beat the price. But I hope you do enjoy the story within the electronic pages that comprise volume one of my Jasper series.

 

Echo smat pen, Gadget, Writing

A Writer’s Friend:Echo smart pen

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This is my new best friend. It’s the Echo smart pen. Thanks to the literary grant I won last November, I was able to purchase this marvel and the accessories that go with it.

Let me give you a short history of my writings. I write all my books and short stories by hand. I am more creative this way then sitting in front of my computer. The times I have tried to do it via computer from the get go proved futile with nothing being written. As someone who has fibromyalgia where repetitive motion or action activates a fibro attack, this can wreak havoc on one’s body and one’s writings. I was introduced to the Dragon program. This little nifty item allows one to speak into a microphone as the computer types out what you are saying.

AWESOME!

Well it would be awesome if it worked for me. Getting the program, I was so excited to give it a try to save my arms, shoulders and neck from the pain. It didn’t work. Either I spoke to fast or my accent was getting in the way. It didn’t help that my husband and son gave it a whirl and they had no problem being understood. Lovely.

It was not until recent that I came across smart pens as I prepped the proposal and proper forms as I applied for a literary grant in 2013. According to the reviews and information gathered online this was the way to go for me. For you see in theory you would use the pen to write your stories, notes or what have you on paper designed for this pen. The software program that one uses for the pen would translate it into text for you. Which would eliminate me having to type up my stories. It also had a recording function to where you could speak into the microphone and again the software would translate it into text. I was weary of this but used some of the grant money to purchase the pen.

Trying it out for the first time this week, I’m happy to report it works amazingly well. In fact it works better than the Dragon program. It understood every word I wrote or spoke and translate it with ease.

AWESOME!

This is a wonderful piece of equipment that will save me time and pain as I translate my manuscripts into text. If you are in the same situation that I was you might want to check this out. My new best friend is named Jake and may he and I have lots and lots of fun together.