1st Professional Interview

Yesterday was the big day! A videographer contracted by Iuniverse came to my home today (my clean home), and did a professional interview. It was a lot easier than I expected, and much more fun than anticipated. There were a few snags: barking dogs, tap dancing six year olds, fire engines roaring by, and ringing house phones.

It was fun doing takes and having to clap because the scene sign didn’t have the clapping thingy. Wow! Shows how much I know about all this stuff. I answered some pretty standard questions about the book, about being somewhat indie, and of course about using Iuniverse. What I loved best was being able to tell why I chose to use Lou Gehrig’s Disease as the disease my main character has.

Running a close second in excitement was being able to bring my daughter in on some of the action for B-roll footage. Yes, I now know what B-roll footage is. Heck, I’m practically on the Hollywood inner circle. 😉

All-in-all, this was a fun day. The make-up, the light checks, the mic checks, and the B-roll footage scenes. Matt was very professional, and made me feel very comfortable. Let’s do it again!

Thanks to Iuniverse for affording me this great opportunity. By the way, I had already created my own author interview awhile back using an HD GoPro cam and Windows Movie maker. If you haven’t created your own interview, you should. It is a great tool in your box.

Tania L Ramos, RN and Author Celebrating her Fifteen Seconds

The interview look was purple

FB        Twitter       Amazon

Yay Accomplishments

A few posts ago, I announced that Iuniverse contacted me to do a video interview at their expense. That was a wonderful surprise. Today, I was contacted to set up a video interview date, which will be in two weeks, and I couldn’t be more excited. Hopefully, I will be over this cold. Can you imagine sounding all nasally and hacking during your video interview? Heaven forbid.

Then, again tonight, I received news that Surviving the Writing Apocalypse is a finalist for Education & Reference Book Cover of the year 2013 over at Authors DB. I was ecstatic! This is fantastic news and couldn’t make me more proud of the team that helped on that project: Blackbird LSD for publishing the book and Blue Harvest Creative for doing my cover design. So much appreciation to everyone.

People say awards aren’t everything, and it is certainly true. But being able to give a shout out to all those who helped me along the way makes it a wonderful opportunity. So to all of you who have in some way been involved with the publishing process of Be Still [Iuniverse] and Surviving the Writing Apocalypse [Blackbird LSD], thank you from the depths of my heart.

Surviving The Writing Apocalypse 2013 Finalist

Recognition to:
Blackbird LSD who celebrates the arts
Blue Harvest Creative for having a gift with design
Iuniverse for their services
Authors DB for their fantastic author database

Tania L Ramos, RN & Author Proud of Her Accomplishments

Live Bat in Your House Kind of Day

Ever have a really bad day and think it just can’t get worse than this? I had that week. Suckish paycheck. Two week headache with sinus pressure. Sick kid. I start feeling sick. Writer’s block on top of editing. All thrown into one big giant migraine salad sprinkled with a cancelled trip to Tampa.

Could it get worse? I heard meowing at my room door. Not the typical, “hey let me in, I need to be scratched,” meow (yes, I know the various meows). This was the one, “Hey, let me in because I have a surprise for you,” meow. This could be good or bad. I take that back, it could be mediocre or, “Hey, look momma–I caught a live bat and let it loose in your house,” kind of bad.

I ignored the first meows and realized she had gone away. Five minutes later she was at my door with the same noise. Realizing there could be a shrine of carcasses at my door, piling up, I decide to go see the fuss. Could it get worse? At the door, looking rather curious and harmless, was my cat with her tauntings: a pencil and a guitar tuner.

I have writer’s block and my cat wants to write music. Figures! Well, when life gives you lemons, you get your musically inclined cat and start a band called Kitty and the Lemonade Stand. Could it get any worse? It could, but after writing our hit single The Dog Ate my Cat Food, I felt surprisingly better. Time to get writing.

Tania L Ramos, RN and Author Singing Backup

FB       Twitter     Website

Why Would He Kill His Son?

I’ve been talking with a few other authors about the Young Writers Online Program. We went back and forth with questions and answers about a starting age, and just how much a young person of, say 13 years old, can create. I’m proud to say my six year old daughter put all my fears to rest tonight.

We were watching the book trailer for Be Still. Usually, she doesn’t like watching it because the music scares her, but this time she asked me to play it so she can see it. She read the words, because … well … she’s kind of a genius (yep, biased). When it was over she said this, “Why didn’t the dad just kill his son?”

And of course I’m like, “What?” My eyes kind of bulging and scooting a bit away to create some distance between my prodigy child and I. “Why would he kill his son?” I asked from across the room, sans crucifix, silver bullet, or priest.

She answered, “I know he loves his son, but he misses his wife and daughter. Well if the wife and daughter are dead and the father is dying, he can kill his son, and then they can all live together in heaven. Or the place that you put his dad with the magic and stuff. You know, so they can all be happy.  And a family.” (on a side note, my daughter has sat through the reading of several chapters, and questions all of it.)

Not that I was looking for an alternate solution to the enigma of my story plot, but that kid kind of made sense–in a twisted, sleep with one eye open, and hide the knives kind of way. Ah, just a chip off the ol’ block.

In answer to the question: Can a 13 year old come up with good material? I don’t know. But I’m certain they can definitely come up with some great alternate endings. 🙂

This is what a beautiful mind looks like

 

For more info on the Young Writers Online Program, email authortanialramos@yahoo.com

 

 

 

Tania L Ramos, RN and Author With Hugs From Across the Room

FB     Twitter     Website    Book

The Young Writers Online Program | PRLog

The Young Writers Online Program | PRLog.

The above link will give you information into a new online writing program I have finally been able to develop and get the manpower for. Do  not let the name fool you, the class is open to all writers, however the prompts and sections are geared toward young writers. This only means that the program will be basic and start with the basics.

These are some examples of courses within Section 1:

Point of View review:
Assignment: write your bio as a story line in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person

Character building:
Assignment: choose a picture and write a story line bio for that person. Be sure to include age, back story, something about the present. Do not include too much physical detail (that is the next course). Write this in the 1st person and then 3rd person

Direct & Indirect Description:
Assignment: Choose a picture then write the physical traits of that person using direct and indirect descriptions.  Write this in the 1st person and then the 3rd person.

 

There will be one standing assignment due each week, plus a month long assignment due each week. For Section 1 the month long assignment is to find a group of 2-3 people and capture a picture (the picture can be taken from an advertisement or from real life). The student will create a short story as to what this group is doing. A lesson in people watching and finding your stories.

For more information please email me at authortanialramos@yahoo.com

Also, please Tweet, FB, share, and all those other wonderful sharing methods to help promote the education of future authors. Thank you.

Tania L Ramos, RN and Author with a Vision