Morning Commute on Golden Gate Bridge

I have attended several writing conferences in the past, so why did this Texas-writer- chick select this three-day event  from the hundred or so available each year?  

There were several factors at play in my decision.   Let’s start with the most obvious—the stunning scenery and temperate climate—certainly a vast departure from the triple digits and desert landscape of my home town. Can you blame me? Second, and more importantly, this cozy writers’ get-together addressed some of the more pressing topics on my agenda: Story premise, social platform, and market execution. A tri-fecta in my book.

With a completed, unpublished, an unrepresented fiction novel waiting patiently on my laptop, I needed a conference that would provide me with a reality check and test my story for market compatibility, while at the same time help me hone my agent pitch skills. I’m pleased to report that this conference delivered as promised. Not only was it informative, but it was fun, too. Made lots of new friends and learned a ton of stuff. Thanks Mike and Anne!  Can’t wait until next year.

Here’s a recap of the event: 

Prior to arrival, I filled out the PPE online evaluation form, which automatically entered me in the conference’s Best Manuscript Contest. By the way, “PPE” stands for: Premise (concept/plot/drama), Platform (expertise/pubs/social media) and Execution (voice/narrative/dialogue/novel opening.)   

I waited for official acceptance into the conference and received it a day later.  Yeah—I was in—part of the club—just had to wait a month before I could hop on the plane and head west. Did I mention it was 105 degrees in Texas? My suitcase  seemed to pack itself.   

The conference itself was instrumental in shaping my pitch and presentation to the agents.  The pitch sessions allowed each writer to be in a position to get face time with a number of agents.  There were pitch practices beforehand where writers worked with the staff one-on-one or in front of the group, whichever you preferred.  The feedback was valuable.  The goal is not to sign an agent (I guess that could happen), but to get them to want to see more.  My goal was to be able to bounce my query ahead of all the hundreds of other queries that the agents get each week by putting three words in my email subject line: Requested Material Enclosed. 

On the last day, I met with several agents and they took the time to give me feedback.  One agent even asked to read my manuscript.  Fortunately, I had my laptop with me.  After he read the opening, he asked questions.  He provided some good, straightforward feedback about my work.    I found that to be a personal touch that I had not experienced in any conference in the past.  And yes, he did tell me to send an email marked; RME.

This conference was helpful to responding to what new writers need to work on.  The small audience provided a sense of camaraderie one feels in the presence of fellow writers.  I created connections that can help advance my writing career.    

I learned that as long as my book had sex, death and cats, I’d be sure to get published.  Ok, not really. But I did take away, that you don’t ever want to kill a cat in your story. 

I applaud the Algonkian Writer Conferences for delivering an environment that eliminates the problems of not being interactive.  The presentations were thorough, engaging and there was plenty of opportunity to collaborate.   The conference schedule was packed with two full days of classroom time and study, with a heavy focus on how to perfect our agent pitches—the key to landing an agent.  Class time included guest lectures by published authors and industry professionals. Each guest author told us their publishing story and outlined what to expect after you land and agent and publisher. They were all lively and entertaining, which kept the class time moving right along.

Another reason I chose this conference was that there was a writing contest.  Ok, so what if I’m a competitive writer?  While winning a contest may or may not help me get published, it’s a nice-to-have credential to put in my query letter or to mention in my pitch.  In addition, the pre-work analysis and the contest entry meant someone would be reading the first few pages of my book. And that was a good thing. 

Legendary film producer and literary agent, Ken Atchity announced the winners of the contest.  For a brief moment, in a Hollywood Academy Award style I had the distinguished honors to walk on stage and accept my Oscar, um ― Award Certificate― for my story, PLUSH.  “I’d like to thank my mom and my dad, my family, Michael Neff and Anne Garvin, and I’d like to thank my agent― wait a minute, I don’t have an agent.” 

I’m back at my desk sitting in my favorite writing chair inspired by everything I’ve learned at the conference.   All and all, the conference left me with a sense of new understanding of what I need to do and where to go next with my story. 

One of the wonders of the Algonkian Writer Conferences was the tremendous amount of unselfish volunteer effort contributed by very few people (mainly authors, agents, writers participating) so that many people can have the opportunity for a stimulating learning experience―and a fun time!

I would like to thank the staff for their outstanding conference.  Keep up the good work!

Writers do you want a conference to practice your pitch and meet agents? Check out this writing conference.

http://algonkianconferences.com/        http://writetomarketconference.com/ 

   Have you attended a writers conference?  What did you find valuable?  

I’ve had the opportunity to appear on TV on several occasions, from a brief shot on The Tonight Show, to a 10 minute planned event on QVC in front of 7 million viewers, to a paid extra on the original “Dallas” series.  But the highlight of my TV experiences was last summer when my daughter Courtney, and her friend Morgan, and I were on the set of final episode of Friday Night Lights filmed in Dallas , Texas at the Cotton Bowl.  

After enduring many hot, humid hours in the Texas sun, we had the excitement of being involved in the filming and appearing at the last Dillon football game, The Texas High School State Championship.  OK, “appearing” is a bit of an exaggeration.  A big exaggeration, since our shot lasted a nanosecond. 

Coach Taylor standing next to Number 18

We didn’t even know we made the episode until it aired.  We figured that with the 1000s of fans there, we would end up on the edit floor.  So we were pleasantly surprised while watching FNL finale that aired in February on Direct TV, (tomorrow night’s the NBC finale) to see we made the episode.  There was a lot of screaming and hitting rewind when they flashed the three of us in the stands.   My daughter posted on Facebook a photo taken from her iPhone of our TV of us in the stands cheering.  An ensuing “convo” on that picture started amongst all her FB friends.   I think that photo got more “likes” than the cheerleader mishap photo. (Hmmm, you missed that one too.)

Vince Howard (Actor Michael B Jordan)

 In any case, there’s no doubt that FNL has entertained us for 5 seasons.  And the last throw of the football had a “Hollywood” ending.   After the Direct TV season, we know what happens, BUT that night last summer when filming this episode, we didn’t know jack.  And the producers were careful not to spill the beans.  We filmed three endings to the game.  Spoiler alert! With 3 seconds on the clock, Dillon East is behind by 5 (26-21), the Lions QB (Dillon East) Vince throws a Hail Mary, his final desperation pass,  and it lands… in the STAR actor “Luke’s” hands. We (the fans in the stands) go wild. They film us cheering and screaming.  BUT then they film it again.  AND it’s intercepted by a Hudgins Hawk player. We all BOO & get sad.  THEN they film it AGAIN, and it’s incomplete. SO you won’t know how it ends until the actually airing on NBC.  Spoiler alert # 2, the ball never even lands in any of those places in the final episode.  (It lands in Philly.) How it ends you’ll love it, trust me.  Even though you are hating me right now, giving you a glimpse into the true ending, you’ll still love it. 

Final Seconds to the end of the Game, the season....the series.

For those readers that are not familiar with FNL (then why would you still be reading this blog?), the Emmy nominated series was adapted from the book and movie (2004 starting Billy Bob Thornton) of the same name.  FNL explores a rural West Texas town where the weekly ritual of Friday night high school football games is the obsession.  

The book by H.G. Bissinger’s profiled the economically depressed town of Odessa, Texas and their heroic high school football team, The Permian High Panthers.  The town struggled with a city racially divided and economically dying, but thrived for that one night that gives the town something to live for, Friday Night Football.

Luke (Actor Matt Lagoria) getting instructions for the next play.

The drama series Friday Night Lights since 2006 has explored the cultural scene in a rural town in Dillon Texas that includes the importance of football, dating and church to students at Dillon’s high school.   Even though the series is based on rural America high school issues, it could easily parallel the problems infused in urban high schools.

Our family started watching the series when Tami Taylor (Dillon Football coach’s wife) begins to coach the Dillon girls’ volleyball team.  We found the series engaging and thrilling.  Plus my teens found the lead high school characters “hot”.   I agree the characters, (the likes of Matt, Luke, Vince, Tim, Tara, Landry, Julie…) are beautiful people but they are authentic and served as an alternate reality check to all the TV images from reality MTV pumped into our kid’s culture.   They struggled weekly with the drama associated with high school issues.  

Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler)

As a Texas high school alumnae, and mother to three Texas high schoolers, I have personal experience of the real world of Texas HS football drama that has been depicted in the series.  FNL is an outstanding show that’s only incidentally about football. The drama actually returns each week with a lesson on small-town America touching on issues like race, class, and religion with a rare eloquence. 

Two Fans of Dillon East

The cast has always been about family on and off the field. And after our pleasant experience of spending 10 hours with the cast, I would add behind and in front of the cameras as well. It’s going to be hard to say good-bye to certain cast members.  Pass me more tissues, please.  We’re going to miss them.  So from Clear Eyes, Full hearts, to wet eyes, broken hearts, we say good bye Dillon, Good bye Friday Night Lights!

One second on FNL

Have you appeared as an extra on TV? 

 Are you a Fan of Friday Night Lights?

I was a trained lifeguard and spent my summers overseeing neighborhood pools in Houston.  Fortunately, I only had to give mouth-to- mouth CPR once in my lifeguarding career.  A five year old threw up water in my mouth, while his mom screamed in my ear. She was in shock that she hadn’t realized her son was drowning in the baby pool three feet in front of her. I was sixteen years old. 

Years later, after I graduated from college, I was dating a guy who also was a trained lifeguard.  We had a hot date planned.  I was dressed to the nines in my Manolo Blahnik sandals, trendy sundress and fashion accessories.  My date was looking hot  too.  We made an attractive couple.  We stopped at a pool party at an acquaintance’s house before hitting the dance clubs in uptown. 

We sat on two lounge chairs next to each other, drinking cocktails, our eyes darting to the pool in front of us filled with kids and adults.  We were talking and glancing at the pool, and without even a word to each other, we both jumped into the water without any hesitation, Blahnik sandals and all.  We saved a little boy’s life.  Both of us saw he was drowning just two feet next to his mom and she hadn’t recognized the signs of her son drowning.  

Do you know what drowning looks like?  Drowning doesn’t look like drowning. 

My great Uncle sent me an excellent article from Captain G that overviews the signs that a person is drowning―you may be surprised.   
“… of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drowning, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening.” (source:CDC)

What did my date and I know, from 20 feet away, that the mother couldn’t recognize from just three? Did you know that most people who are drowning don’t look like they are drowning?  We stereotypically think of someone thrashing about and yelling for help, but actually, it is much more difficult to distinguish when a person in the water is in distress, especially children.  Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. My date and I were trained to recognize drowning.  The mother, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching TV.  If you spend time on or near the water, which is most of us, then you should make sure that you and your group knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until the little boy was rescued and cried for his mom, he hadn’t made a sound. Drowning is usually a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning TV prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.

“ The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D.,  is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water.  And it does not look like most people expect.  There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind.  To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this:  It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under just behind vehicle accidents.   Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:

1. Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
2. Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
3. Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
4. Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
5. From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.

(Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006)

This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing  aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue ― they can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

• Head low in the water, mouth at water level
• Head tilted back with mouth open
• Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
• Eyes closed
• Hair over forehead or eyes
• Not using legs – Vertical
• Hyperventilating or gasping
• Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
• Trying to roll over on the back
• Ladder climb, rarely out of the water.

So if a family member falls overboard and every looks O.K. ― don’t be too sure.  Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning.  They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck.  One  way to be sure?  Ask them: “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all ― they probably are.  If they return a blank stare – you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them.  And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why. “     (Source: gCaptain Blog forums May 2010)

For more water survival tips be sure to visit USCG rescue Swimmer Mario Vittone’s gCaptain Page.

Please pass this article along to others that spend time at the pool or the lake this summer.

This recall involves Quick Kids 23-inch aluminum junior tennis racquets with orange tape on the hand grip. Recalled racquets have lot number”F:3:10:08″ stamped onto the bottom of the racquet grip below the “G.”

Consumers should immediately take the recalled tennis racquets away from children and contact GAMMA Sports for a free replacement grip kit.  For more information, contact GAMMA Sports at (800) 333-0337 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.gammasports.com

Child's Tennis Racket Recalled

For additional information, email Kahn Enterprises at info@beeni-kids.com, visit the firm’s website at www.beeni.net or call the firm collect at (612) 310-4053.

Kahn Enterprises will provide consumers with a postage paid label to return the product.  Do you know of any other recalls to report? 

As part of the Memorial Day Celebration, enjoy these quotes. And other Random thoughts:

• I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.   -Lee Greenwood
• It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. — General George Patton
• Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. – John F. Kennedy
• The greatest glory of a free-born people is to transmit that freedom to their children. -William Havard
• For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity. -William Penn
• The patriot’s blood is the seed of Freedom’s tree. – Thomas Campbell           
• The costs this Memorial day; the price of hotdogs 2.30, the price of gas 4.00 /gal , the price of freedom…priceless.  Thank you to all that serve.
• Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue. -Senator Barry Goldwater
• When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,  For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today - The Kohima Epitaph
• On thy grave the rain shall fall from the eyes of a mighty nation! -Thomas William Parsons
• The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men. -Minot J. Savage
• We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them. -Francis A. Walker
• The dead soldier’s silence sings our national anthem. -Rev. Aaron Kilbourn
• The cost of liberty is less than the cost of repression. -Web Dubois
•  With the tears a Land hath shed. Their graves should ever be green. – Thomas Bailey Aldrich
• They fell, but o’er their glorious grave , Floats free the banner of the cause they died to save. – Francis Marion Crawford
•  The purpose of all war is ultimately peace. -Saint Augustine
•  As I approach the gates of heaven; St. Peter I will tell; One more soldier reporting sir; I’ve served my time in hell. -Mark Anthony Gresswell
• Peace is more important than all justice; and peace was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace. -Martin Luther
• Memorial Day afternoon and the aroma from the barbeque smoke & freshly mowed lawn is stronger than all of nature’s air fresheners.  

What are some of your favorite Memorial Day memories?

Another Great Cartoon by Bill Lamere

What are some of your favorite Memorial Day Quotes?

Whether you’re a mom or you just have a mom, here’s some fun quotes for this week.

• I sterilized my first baby’s pacifier by boiling it and my third baby’s pacifier by blowing on it.
• This year our Mother’s Day dilemma is do we spend $100. to buy mom flowers, or spend the $100 on gas to fill our SUV  to drive across town to see her.  Hmmm? 
• My favorite t-shirt to wear when running errands with my kids says,” Who are these kids, and why are they calling me mom?”
• The term “Whoops” in our house, really means “get a sponge.” 
• Life is way too short to deprive yourself of chocolate. 
• My daughter takes after me.  She left me this voicemail, “Mom, if you get this message, call me; if you don’t, then don’t worry about it.”  
• I learned that on Mother’s Day, not only am I in charge of buying my mom’s gift, but my mother-in-law’s present as well, and I can’t forget to forge his signature on the card I bought for my MOL from him.
• You know you’re a mom when you automatically double-knot everything you tie.
• I learned that that I should never put my son on the top bunk when he’s wearing his Superman pjs.
• It’s true; you still need to do chores on Mother’s Day!
• I learned that my kids think my worst feature is my singing.  “Stop it” or “Shut up” usually follows when I attempt to mutter along with the radio.
• I learned I turned into my mom , when I found myself saying things like; “You’re sitting to close to the TV.”  “Turn off the lights, you’re wasting electricity.” “Just because Ethan’s mom said it’s OK, doesn’t make it OK.” 
• I learned I can be a tough mom, really.  I can put the fear in my kids with just one sentence.  “Just wait until your dad gets home.”
• “When your mother asks, ‘Do you want a piece of advice?’ it is a mere formality. It doesn’t matter if you answer yes or no. You’re going to get it anyway.” Erma Bombeck
• “I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.” Phyllis Diller
• Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-traffic controllers with ease, while sleeping.
• “You don’t really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around – and why his parents will always wave back.”  William D. Tammeus
• The only reason men are alive is for lawn care and vehicle maintenance.
• Anytime you worry that you weren’t a good mom, remember at least your kids didn’t turn out like Bin Laden. 
• Bin Laden is buried at sea, once again surrounded by seals.  Osama Bin Laden is finally rotting in HELL with Hitler.
• And why are they worried about the Bin Laden photos being too gruesome, most Americans would want to use it as their screen saver.  JL
• The menu in my house growing up had two choices ; eat it or starve.
• I know I’m a mom, when I draw smiley faces on the bananas I packed in my kids lunches. 

What are some of the crazy things your mom has done? What crazy things have you done as a mom?

This recall affects Toy Story 3 Bowling Game Rugs with a batch marking of JA 148.

The package contains six white plastic bowling pins with two red stripes painted on the necks, one black plastic ball, and a 68 inch x 26 inch nylon game rug with a print of the character Buzz Lightyear on the front. The batch marking JA 148 appears on the bottom front of the packaging just above the bar code, and is also located on the tag attached to the rug.

The toy manufactured in China was sold at Walmart Stores in the U.S. between September 1, 2010 and September 25, 2010 for about $18.

Please Do NOT let your kids or pets suck on these plastic pins!

Consumers should stop using the bowling pins immediately and contact the manufacturer for a free replacement set.  For additional information, contact G.A. Gertmenian and Sons LLC toll-free at (888) 224-4181

Red Paint Stripes on bowling pins