Coming Blog Stop: Frankie the Walk 'N Roll Dog

On June 24, I'll again be hosting Barb Techel, author of the charming children's picture book, FRANKIE THE WALK 'N ROLL DOG. Be sure to stop by as she shares her Top 10 Reasons Living with a Disabled Dog is a Blessing.

Here is some information on the upcoming tour:

Frankie the Walk 'n Roll Dog Virtual Book Tour - June 2009

Frankie the Walk 'n Roll Dog, an Inspiring Story About Overcoming Adversity, Tours Cyberspace


In June Barbara Techel will tour cyberspace to promote her multi-award winning picture book, FRANKIE THE WALK 'N ROLL DOG. The book tells the true story of her dachshund, Frankie, who was paralyzed by an injury. Frankie recovers, thrives, and keeps on rolling with the help of a custom-fitted wheelchair.


About FRANKIE THE WALK 'N ROLL DOG

The story is told from the point of view of Dachshund Frankie, who survives the normal challenges of puppyhood, including a struggle with house training, after Barbara and John adopt her.

After a spinal injury, her human family nurtures her through a long period of rehabilitation and buys her a custom-fitted wheelchair. It takes a while to adapt to her new wheels, but soon she is joyfully rolling and playing.

Barbara wrote this book to offer hope and inspiration to people who face challenges. A lifelong animal lover, she realized Frankie's paralysis was an opportunity to spread a positive message.


The book's themes include:

* Teaching children and adults about compassion

* Helping readers learn to overcome adversity

* Providing encouragement to children with disabilities and their families

* Helping people see challenges as a way to learn and grow.

* Showing animals with disabilities in a positive light

* Helping dachshund owners (and many vets) understand disc disease in doxies and know that a wheelchair is a viable option


About author Barbara Techel

Barbara is a writer and animal lover. Her column, "For the Love of Animals" has appeared in the Depot Dispatch. Frankie the Walk 'n Roll Dog, her first children's book, was awarded the 2008 National Best Book Award (children’s picture book soft cover) from USA Book News, the Merial Human-Animal Bond Award from the Dog Writer’s Association of America, and the Editor’s Choice Award from Allbooks Review. It was also a finalist in the 2008 Indie Excellence Awards. Frankie was inducted into the 2009 Wisconsin Pet Hall of Fame.

* See the tour schedule

* For more information see Barb's website

* Check out Frankie's news at Barb's blog

* Get the book at: Amazon.com

Halloween in Miniature Early!

Remember my little witch I shared earlier? Well, she has company!

I make no claim as to being a great doll dresser, but it is fun to do. For a real kick, check out the amazing miniature Halloween dolls made by other contributors from the Mini Doll List. The costuming and imaginative details are incredible!

The dolls will be displayed at a miniatures museum. I'll share the details as soon as I find out more.

Anthony Nominated Short Mystery Stories

The annual Anthony Awards for books, short stories and other mystery categories will be given at the 2009 Bouchercon in Indianapolis in October. Several of the short story winners can be read online, so enjoy. See the Bouchercon site for other category nominees.


"The Night Things Changed" by Dana Cameron, Wolfsbane & Mistletoe (Ace)


"A Sleep Not Unlike Death" by Sean Chercover, Hardcore Hardboiled
(Kensington)

"Killing Time" by Jane Cleland, Alfred Hitchock Mystery Magazine -
November 2008


"Skull and Cross-Examinations" by Toni L.P. Kelner, Ellery Queen
Mystery Magazine - February 2008


"Scratch a Woman" by Laura Lippman, Hardly Knew Her (William Morrow)

"The Secret Lives of Cats" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Ellery Queen
Mystery Magazine - July 2008

Duckling Rescue

The story was shared on ABC News and is posted all over, but it's so cute I just had to share it. Guaranteed to make you smile! Aren't they adorable?

Writing Tip: Flat vs. Fluffy

Back to adding a new writing tip each week.

The question: Is your writing flat - or fluffy?

The little bear on that Snuggle fabric softener commercial has the right idea - fluffy is better.

How do you get fluffy writing, you ask? Simple.

1. Describe. Give the reader a mental image, but don't overdo it.

It's easy to just write and fill in the blanks, watching your word count pile up, only to end up with serviceable, good sentences that are kind of blah. They're flat on the page.

2. Fluff up your writing by reading authors you like, and even a few you don't like.

Watch other authors' word usage. Remember: a car isn't just a car in fiction - it's a gleaming red hot rod or a burgundy-striped clunker. Flat: car. Fluffy: color and type.

I started thinking about fluffy writing as I'm reading one of Elaine Viets' latest in the Dead End Jobs series, CLUBBED TO DEATH. No criticism meant; I love her books. (Elaine, I mean fluffy as a compliment. Her book was the one at hand at the moment. Any examples of hers are in quotes.)

I'm enjoying the story, but when I read I always take note of the writing, too, in this case, the descriptions. Example: hair isn't just hair: it's "long, chestnut hair."

3. Another example: give a mental image of the person - Flat: He strolled. Fluffy: "...had a bulldog walk..."

When you're writing, it's sometimes easy to forget this and rely on those tired old favorites. (Mine is walked, and sometimes nodded.)

4. Use a fine-tooth comb.

As a few other writers have mentioned, it's a good idea to go back and do a search in Word for your favorite over-used phrase or word. See how many times you used it, then think up a few fluffy new examples. Your writing will only be the better for it.

* Your Turn: Ok, writers admit it: What's your tired old favorite word or phrase?

The Good, The Bad and the Revisions

Reading a recent post on first drafts by author LJ Sellers had me glad that I was on the right track, at least in some ways.

Writing is individual, of course, and everyone has their own method. Stories or books, I tend to do the same thing. I admit it; I'm an outliner.

1. Outline

Yes, not everyone's cup of tea. But once the idea comes, I like to write it out. I put down all the main events and can fill in the rest as I write. For a book, I outline chapter by chapter so I know where to go next. Things do change as you write, and things are added or deleted as needed.

2. Make a Plot Chart

I outline keeping a chart in mind that another writer had told me about - Make a chart of 5 boxes across with 5 rows. Keep turning points in mind for the 5th box (chapter 5), the 10th and especially the 15th. Initially I use the box method, then I write out the action and plot points per chapter and print it out.

3. Revise later

One thing I can't seem to do. A bad habit - I tend to go back and go over things. This is a rewrite, of sorts. I catch mistakes, change things, but it can halt your progress, too. A better idea: reread the last few graphs to get you back in the story and continue.

Resist rereading and revising until the end of the next chapter. (Even better, don't reread until you write The End if you are that disciplined. I confess, I'm not.)

4. Get Organized

LJ offers a good suggestion about making a character database. Good idea. I have things written in my outline and have them in mind since I'm still working on the book. Bad idea to trust my faulty memory. I'll have to work on this once the book is done since I won't recall everything later. A character chart will help in keeping everything straight for future stories.

5. Keep the flow going

It can be hard to pick up where you left off when you are writing a few days, then stopping and going back (hence the rereading habit). The outline helps keep me on track and writing even a few hundred words keeps me going. (Better than zero words).

What usually works better is to make a writing goal of a certain amount of words per day. Relocating to another area, like the library or coffee shop might help. A schedule change can help spur a better word count since time then has to be used more productively. Of course, some days it doesn't work. Sometimes writing out of sequence - getting parts down for a future chapter can help. You can always flesh it out later. And yes, sometimes it's best just to go write something else for awhile.

** Share your writing style. How do you keep focused? Do you outline? How do you keep going on a book or story?

Miniature Little Witch Girl

Thought I'd share a miniature doll I recently dressed that will be used, along with several other dolls, in a Halloween exhibit at a miniatures museum. Details to be shared later.


I saved these little dollar store dolls as I liked the simple faces and thought they'd be fun to re-dress. (And yes, aren't the outfits horrid?)



My miniature witch is dressed in black silk with black silk shoes. She has part of a beaded ribbon on the top of her dress and black net for stockings. This net also had some glitter sparkles in it. The black silk was a neat piece from a old women's bodice that had pin tucks in it so I kept the lines in for a design.

The silk hat was made from a witch hat pattern and tutorial by miniature doll maker Gina Bellous.

There is also a pattern for a witch hat at About.com.

Upcoming Searching For A Starry Night Events

I've got some fun things coming up in connection with Searching For A Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery.

* May 18: Beginning this week, Teacher Cara Gorr's 4th grade class at Nash Elementary, Kenosha, WI, will be reading Searching For A Starry Night as a class project. The students even made a wall mural and their own miniature Starry Night paintings! I'll pop in a few times to share my minis and join their discussions.

I'll share pix here at the blog.

* June 6, Printer's Row Lit Fest, Chicago; Come say hi at the Quake - Echelon Press tent!

* June - Date TBD. Book discussion and signing, Girl Scouts, Camp Alice Chester, E. Troy, WI.

* June 25: Schaumburg, Ill. Township Library, book discussion and kid's craft, Make a Dream Room. Kids working in miniature!

If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello!

Books and Reading Lists

I've been a big reader since I was a kid, the family "joke" being that the house could explode and I'd have my nose in a book.

Like other readers (and writers) I have a l-o-o-o-ng to-be-read list. I have several books going - one in my purse, three on the nightstand, and book piles everywhere. Then there's my own book in the writing process. So, I thought I'd share a few books I'm reading and have finished.

Books I've recently finished include:

Echoes - Danielle Steel
Susannah's Garden - Debbie Macomber

Books I'm reading now:

Dyer Consequences - Maggie Sefton
The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson
Mayhem in Miniature - Margaret Grace
Doomed Queens - Kris Waldherr


I'll share some reviews when I finish.

** Share some of your favorite or current reads. What's in your to-be-read pile?

New Miniature Finds and Surprises

Katie at Katie's Clay Corner sent me this cute pair of little bags. Thanks, Katie, a nice surprise (and now I'm even further behind on getting a swap back to you. haa! Well, things are being made, then I finish something else and try to get writing done and a story and...)

Haven't been blogging as much since I'm trying to keep the ideas focused on the book I'm trying to finish. It's coming along, though not as fast as I'd like. I won't even say when I started this!

Thought I'd share a miniature find. Found this neat cabinet at a garage sale. It has acrylic panes and lifts off to hold a plant, but gee, why would I use it for that? I'll add a floor and put in some half-scale furniture. Thought it'd be nice to do a matching yellow/green scheme. Yeah, add it to the list of someday projects. (The list is getting longer.)

** Make me feel better. Share a few of your someday projects.