August 2010

The Wow Principles

Aug. 31, 2010 – I had the good fortune recently to meet Dahlynn McKowen (courtesy of author Terri Elders). Dahlynn has published more than 2,000 articles as a freelancer, and she is the primary coauthor for Chicken Soup for the Entrepeneurial Soul. She and her husband, Ken (a photographer, writer and retired California State Park Ranger), run the Publishing Syndicate. If you are a writer, you should sign up right now for their free Wow Principles e-newsletter, which focuses on anthology story publishing opportunities. After you sign up, be sure to read the current issue of the newsletter, which features an interview with yours truly about Dream of Things. -Mike O’Mary

100 Best First Lines

100 Best First Lines From Novels

from American Book Review

My favorite is 25:
“Through the fence, between the curling flower spaces, I could see them hitting.”

I like 12 & 38, too.

What about you?

The Note Project

An inspiring campaign to “make the world a million times better” by helping people share notes of appreciation. Sign up today. There is no cost to participate!

Submission Guidelines for Authors

We are currently seeking creative nonfiction for several anthologies. Visit the Workshop page for a complete list of topics, submission guidelines and payment information.

Everything I Never Wanted to Be

August 11, 2010 — Hello Friends! I am very pleased and proud to announce that pre-release copies of Everything I Never Wanted to Be by Dina Kucera are now available. Visit www.everythinginever.com to learn more about this amazing memoir. To order your copy now, click here:

I first met Dina last January on Facebook. I followed a link to her blog, and told her I liked her writing. I was not alone. James Frey also wrote to her. His message was short but sweet: “You are a good writer. No doubt.”

Dina told me her blog posts were excerpts from a memoir she was trying to publish. I read the entire memoir and was blown away. It’s an amazing story. I encouraged her to try to find a major publisher. I also told her that if nobody else would publish her book, I would.

A couple of months later she came back to me and said, “Let’s make a book.” The result is Everything I Never Wanted to Be. In all, her manuscript was turned down by 74 agents and publishers. They’re all going to be kicking themselves when they see this book. And it all came to be thanks to persistence – and a few blog posts.

Everything I Never Wanted to Be is the true story of one family’s battles with alcoholism and drug addiction over four generations. It’s a story that is alternately horrifying and hilarious, told with uncanny honesty.

“This book is an exact replica of my life,” says Dina. “The truth—plus the funniest thing I could think of to help me survive the truth. I’m confident people are bright enough to tell the difference between me telling the truth and me being funny. In this book, you get both.”

For more information, including excerpts, info about the author, and an early review from publisher and movie producer Mark Shelmerdine, click here.