Talk about anything…hmmm… I have been known to be able to hold my own in a conversation about darned near everything as I have snippets of all manner of information tucked away… I know a little about a lot but I know a lot about very little. I have to say, however, I was thrown a bit here.
I considered plugging my food and entertaining blog: tonettejoycefoodfriendsfamily.wordpress.com
(“Why don’tcha come over and see me sometime?” ala Mae West).
It’s something that I DO know quite a bit about.
But I think I want to talk about fraternity,(sorority?) among writers.
I have met those who want to start writing, those who have written most of their lives; those who have never shown their work, those trying to be published, those with some success and some of the biggest names out there in the published world today and every last one of them has been friendly and encouraging, not only to me but to everyone who crosses their paths.
Now I dare to guess there are rotten apples in the barrel, but I have yet to run across one in the vast orchards that I have been strolling through these past several years.
[Only one possibility: I had a very dear friend who wrote incredibly well. She wanted to write beautiful stories but never finished them. Linda asked her cousin who was had a book published for advice, (I do not know the genre) …that cousin told her to forget it. Linda was seriously ill and I want to believe that the cousin, who never bothered to find out how well Linda wrote, wished to save her the stress and heartache of being rejected, but it made my dear friend lose heart. Too bad the cousin didn’t opt to give her hope, even if she considered it false hope, instead. I mean, we all know that there is always a chance of success; new books are published every day. Look in any library; I defy you to find any older books other than the most famous,(although not necessarily the best, but that complaint will be aired another day).
So I inherited my friend’s books on writing instead of the books she would have written.]
I knew a few authors when I was very young. I wasn’t looking for help, (I never thought I’d ever really write),but I have to say that they were personally encouraging and kind.. I dabbled in songwriting years ago and found that, even though I managed to win a prestigious award for lyrics, almost no one would look at them, no one would listen, no one wanted to collaborate. One would have to move to a hub of music to live, breathe and wallow in it to get one’s foot in the door; and then there are far more Wanna-bes than there are Ever-weres. Songwriting is a heartbreaking, back-breaking business, so I dropped out fast. But here I am years later, with a few non-fiction articles published, two blogs going and ready to face the world of playwrighting and story writing….and every writer from fellow bloggers to New York Times best-selling authors are kind and generous …to me…and to everyone.
.
One would think that in this day-and-age of short funds and little time, the competition for readers would be cutthroat, but no. Up-and-Comers help others, Newly published lend a hand, Huge Names are approachable and offer advice and assistance. It may be a particularly strong trait of the group in whose company I now blog, the ilk of many of those I know through other blogs, like-people whom I have met as interviewees and at booksignings, that is to say, Romance Writers, who will bend over backwards to help another romance writer,(or we writers of other persuasions). No one seems to feel that there is any competition for fans or buyers, it’s all: “The More the Merrier! Welcome to the ranks! Good luck to you! If you need help, call on me!”
I could not be more pleased …or amazed. Until a few years ago when my niece dragged me to a book signing of a favorite author of hers I used to say that I read “everything except romance novels”; that phrase will never cross my lips again.
For the past several months, I have been taken in by the good folks here to become the Friday Fox; I am still not sure exactly why they asked me. I thank them for the opportunity and the encouragement to spread my wings more and more…and for their camaraderie.
I am proud to be in the company of such fine, selfless and generous writers.
Salute, People!
Angela Schroeder
Patricia Kiyono
Elaine Cantrell
Jeff Salter
Joselyn
Tonette Joyce
Four Foxes, One Hound 
We’re glad to have you here on this ole blog. I agree with you about the supportiveness of the writing community. There are a few divas but for the most part, it’s people helping people. I always have said in my legal job that there’s enough work for all of us and if I can say that in a small town in the south where lawyers carpet the ground, I sure can equate it to the whole world for writers. We are not limited to our geographic area and we also all offer a bit of something different to the readers. I had a fan letter not too long ago from someone who lives about 45 miles from me- where did she hear about my book? From a friend she has in Australia! How wild is that?
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Two things jump to mind, Tonette:
1. I feel so sorry for your dear friend, whose cousin dashed her hopes/dreams. I’m not in favor of patronizingly “humoring’ folks who appear to have no talent (which was NOT the case with your friend evidently), but I still don’t think people should be heartlessly discouraging.
2. I have also been extremely impressed with the camaraderie (?sp?) among the writers I’ve encountered. Many/most of those I’ve encountered have been friendly & encouraging & helpful — far beyond what I would expect from any particular statistical slice of our populace. [One exception is anonymous contest judges, a FEW of whom are — I believe — hostile & frustrated & rigid — but we’ll save that conversation for a later date. Please note that I am not critizing ALL contest judges, because I know many are objective, thorough, and considerate.]
One of the reasons for the hospitality we’re discussing here is that people know each other. You can hardly bump into a new writer without finding out she/he knows another writer that you already know. I call it “two degrees of separation”.
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Jillian, Thanks for EVERYTHING you’ve done for me…yes,that is wild about a fan half-way around the world nudging your ‘neighbor’…small world! Continued good luck to you in both professions.
BTW, the offer I made to Jeff and Danica is for EVERYONE:Come on up and see me sometime on Food,Frieds,Family: do a guest Guest Blog,(talk food, talk hosting, tell a food or hosting story, give ideas… on either or both), and plug your works.You never know where or when you find a new reader.Think about it…or let me know if someone else might be interested. It’s one way I can offer to ‘pay it forward’, or return a favor.
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Jeff, you are right.There is a young woman in my area who was pushed to “go ahead and write” a ‘clean’ romance novel.everyone told her it was good; our clergyman touted it…it’s terrible.It is one of the worst things I have ever read.She knew nothing and was roped-in and ripped-off by the first ‘publisher’ she found online; a vanity press who should be ashamed of themselves.The book is juvenille and repetative with inconsistent characters and inconceivable,inaccurate secondary situations. When the school she was teaching in was consolidated with another, she did not go looking for another teaching job because everyone told her that she could write. It’s a shame on everyone involved;I didn’t know until the book was being printed.
[ believe you are right;I think judges often have an axe to grind, much like many movie reviewers and art critics.]
On the other hand, my friend was possibly,(and factually), terminally ill.Even if her writing was not great, why not give her something to hope in?
And boy, isn’t it a fact about ‘degrees of separation? How did I end up here, except by Jillian , whom I knew through you and you, through someone we both knew, who had interviewed someone I knew, whom my writing niece introduced me to….LOL! We seem like a giant clan at this point.
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Let’s see: I think I met you through Sarah Ballance, whom I met through Renee Vincent, whom I met through Tonya Kappes, whom I met on the Chick Lit Chapter group mail.
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I met you through Bethany Averie, whom I met through an interview with Mary Janice Davidson, who my niece introduced me to.I(f you ever get to meet MJ, you woud love her.She is so funny! She has a smart-mouth, but there is a good heart underneath it.) I met Sarah through you.
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just goes to show — small world and everybody you meet knows somebody else you already know.
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I’m late to the party here, but we are thrilled to have you! (My Fridays zip by along with the weekend.) As far as knowing “a little about a lot and a lot about very little,” that’s pretty impressive for someone like me who is sort of the same except what I know is a lot less than that. (I know tidbits about a lot of stuff but not much more than that.) I have also found that the fraternity/sorority of writers is fantastic. Among my fellow YA friends, it’s reassuring and amazing to hear my experiences aren’t isolated. (Quite a few of us still worship the ground Jon Bon Jovi walks upon.) I love my writer peeps, especially my fellow blogmates here at the Four Foxes One Hound. We’re glad you’re with us.
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Thanks, Micki! I have a lot of fun here…and I enjoy the challenges…and you people.
Nope, writers are the best in any field for help that I have run across…big name, huge names..and those who ‘should be’ contending for readership.(the offer is there for you,too Micki,to guest on Food, Friends, Family any time. Especially, (maybe), since you don’t consider yourself a gourmet cook. I also show easy-entertaining tips and meals,( I KNOW you have something up your sleeve.)
I love YA books!
Did you know that AARP magazine gave YA a plug for those who are looking for a good story, a good scare, or a short mystery without wanting too strong ‘adult’ or gory scenes in their books, or for those who want shorter, light reading to carry along? Look for we ‘over-fifties’ in the YA sections.
(And Bonjovi is more than worth listening to;just LOOKING at Jon is good for me!)
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