Author Gives Phone Number to Readers, Asks for Advice

Michael T. Owens, a self-described scatterbrained writer, is asking the world to help with his next novel. He encourages people to call (815) 642-9687 to leave messages with ideas for main characters, settings, and basic plots.

"My problem is I have too many ideas. That's why I'm letting the people decide."

As a scatterbrained writer, Owens said focusing long enough to write a book is difficult but rewarding. "When I give lectures or speak to aspiring authors, I tell them how writing changed my life. I was on government assistance and eating Ramen noodles when I wrote my first book," he said. "That was six years ago. I've been writing books ever since."

When it comes to his writing, Owens is no stranger to out-of-the-box ideas. In 2005, he used eBay to auction a page of advertising in his novel A Dream Come True. The auction received national coverage by media outlets such as Yahoo News and Adweek Magazine.

An author of urban dramas, romantic comedies, and sci-fi adventures, Owens said he writes various genres to challenge himself. "This will be very challenging but I can't wait to get started," he added. "This is a writing exercise on a worldwide scale."

At the end of April, Owens will post the best ideas on his blog. Readers will then select which character, setting, and plot he should use. Owens added, "The more outrageous the ideas, the better!"

About Michael T. Owens
Michael T. Owens graduated from Florida State University. He has written several novels and short stories. His works appear in various anthologies and national publications. Visit him at: http://scatterbrainedwriters.blogspot.com/.

Bill Loehfelm Named Winner of Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award

Amazon.com, Inc., Penguin Group (USA) and HP named Bill Loehfelm the winner of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, the contest in search of the next popular novel. The winner, who will receive a $25,000 publishing contract, was revealed in a ceremony in New York City this morning attended by Elizabeth Gilbert, the New York Times-bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love.

The novel will be published by the G. P. Putnam's Sons imprint of Penguin Group (USA) in Summer 2008, and is available now for pre-order on Amazon.com at www.amazon.com/abnawinner.

The Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, sponsored by Amazon Services LLC, Penguin Group (USA), HP, and CreateSpace, launched on October 1, 2007 and received nearly 5,000 qualified submissions, with representation from approximately 2,000 cities around the world and in every state in the United States.

Sedona Author Albert Clayton Gaulden Offers Book for Free on Web Site

Sedona author, Albert Clayton Gaulden, offers his book You're Not Who You Think You Are free on his web site, http://www.sedonaintensive.com/.

Originally self-published as a 259-page hardback, Albert Clayton Gaulden's third book, You're Not Who You Think You Are, sold several thousand copies. But since publishing heavyweight Simon and Schuster recently picked up the book and will release the new version this December, Gaulden decided to give away the remaining original, self-published copies for free on his web site, http://www.sedonaintensive.com/.

"I decided to give them away off the Internet for free, while they last," Gaulden said. "This way people can have the chance to get to know me better - warts and all - and decide whether an 'Intensive' is right for them".

Sports figures, actors, royalty, Wall Street executives and people from all walks of life seek the guidance of Albert Clayton Gaulden. World-renowned astro-intuitive, author, transpersonal psychologist and founding director of the Sedona Intensive, Gaulden has quickly emerged as the face of mainstream self-help and spirituality.

Best-known for his no-nonsense style and direct approach, Gaulden helps people crack-open the self-beliefs that constrain them. In his new book, You're Not Who You Think You Are, to be published by Simon and Schuster this December, Gaulden takes a fearless approach at helping people uncover their authentic selves.

HarperCollins Book to Develop and Launch a New Global Publishing Program

HarperCollins Publishers has signed publishing veteran Robert S. Miller to develop and launch a new global publishing program based on a non-traditional business model. Miller will start at HarperCollins on Monday, April 14, 2008, at the London Book Fair, and will report directly to Jane Friedman, President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide.

After founding and building a very successful publishing company for Disney, Miller will join HarperCollins to develop an innovative and creative publishing "studio" that challenges conventional trade publishing standards. As President and Publisher of the yet-to-be-named entity, Miller will publish approximately 25 popular-priced books per year in multiple physical and digital formats including those as yet unspecified, with the aim to combine the best practices of trade publishing while taking full advantage of the internet for sales, marketing and distribution. Authors will be compensated through a profit sharing model as opposed to a traditional royalty, and books will be promoted utilizing on-line publicity, advertising and marketing.

Miller joins HarperCollins from a 17 year career with ABC's Hyperion Books division which he founded in 1991 for the Walt Disney Company. Hyperion has published such bestsellers as Richard Carlson's "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff," Oprah Winfrey's "Make the Connection," Caroline Kennedy's "The Best-Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis," David Halberstam's "The Coldest Winter," Steve Martin's "Shopgirl," along with humor by George Carlin, Tim Allen and Chris Rock, and cookbooks by Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson and Mollie Katzen.

Prior to Disney Miller held editorial positions at Delacorte Press, Warner Books and St. Martin's Press.

Writers Find New Route to Publishing via Creative Byline

Writers have a new way to get book manuscripts in front of interested editors after the December 2007 launch of Creative Byline, Inc., a new web-based service. Specially developed software helps writers target editors and track responses. The same software lets editors communicate what kinds of manuscripts they're looking for.

"It's not uncommon for writers to wait for months to hear a response after they send a manuscript off to an editor," says Creative Byline founder Brad MacLean. "And then what they often hear from that busy editor is just 'no thanks.' I had to believe that with technology and the internet, there could be a more satisfying experience."

The first response a writer receives from Creative Byline is from one of the company's own readers, who review submissions to make sure they're ready to be reviewed by an editor. While not a complete and detailed critique of manuscripts, the review gives the writer enough information to complete or polish his or her work. "Writers have heard back from our readers in two or three days," MacLean says.

The writer can search the Creative Byline site for editors with specific interest in their genre. Once a manuscript, approved by Creative Byline's first reader, is submitted to an editor, Creative Byline guarantees that editor will review the manuscript within three weeks--or the writer can select another editor. The Creative Byline review and submission to an editor costs $19 for full-length manuscripts and $9 for children's picture books.

The Creative Byline website also contains helpful instructions for writers putting together a submission package, as well as links to resources that will help them develop their writing craft--or plan their next writing project.

Three well-known publishers have already signed on to Creative Byline: Dutton Children's Books, St. Martin's Press, and Tor/Forge. "They clearly see benefits for their editors," MacLean says, "that make it worthwhile to subscribe as publishing houses." Among the benefits are Creative Byline's assurance that projects are truly ready for an editor's review and the ability for editors to explore writers in new genres as the market's appetites change. The company is actively working to engage additional publishing clients.

MacLean was introduced to the publishing industry by his wife, Christine Kole MacLean. Having published half a dozen books for children and young adults, she provided an ongoing case study in the frustrations of the traditional process and communication methods. With the problem clear, MacLean made use of his background as an executive with over 20 years of experience working for a Fortune 500 company.

Before launching CreativeByline.com, MacLean spent two years researching the industry, interviewing editors, heads of publishing conglomerates, and writers. "I was sure it could be done better and faster," he says.

Website: http://www.creativebyline.com/

Profile of a (Book) Composer by Hans Bool

The process of writing a book could be compared with composing. The composition of a song or more complex that of a symphony, for example. The parallel fits not completely because in composing the goal is to use the composition as a guide for distributing musical resources in the orchestra. The book composer writes with a single resource and not with the goal to use the work as a musical guide.

There is one book however where the term composition fits quite well. This is a book that "took neither pen, nor a word processor, only a sharp knife and a bottle of glue were used." It resulted in a "collage" novel named "Down Below" and was entirely composed from found sentences, gathered together from books.

"By means of a time-consuming" -- this writing process took about 15 years -- "process of clipping, shoving and pasting, Paul Bogaers managed to compose an entirely new and original story out of exclusively 'used' material."

Even the original paper of the sentences was used and shows how the novel was compiled. Yet the novel reads as a normal book.

There is a saying that it is hardly possible to write a really new book. Basically over all the years everything that could have been said has been said. It is the style that makes the difference. In this case, the style is very unique. First of all no sentence is from the author (the author, or artist, used up to 250 books to select the sentences), but the book on itself is. The style of a book is about the way to tell and express things, but after this experience the style is somehow absorbed in the composition itself.

Perhaps the true value is in the making of the book, in the process rather than in the result - I have to admit not to have read it yet. A work that took fifteen years to complete must be a real piece of art.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hans Bool writes articles about management, culture and change. If you are interested to read or experience more about these topics have a look at: Astor White.

Young Adult Fiction - Literature or Fad? by Joy Cagil

In oral or written literature, telling the tales of adolescents is probably as old as human history. The type of fiction called young adult fiction, on the other hand, is the joint creation of the American experience and the second half of the twentieth century.

From ancient Greek myths like Daphnis and Chloe or Persephone to later works of drama, men and women have become the protagonists of adventures in their teen years. When Shakespeare told the tale of Romeo and Juliet, he was talking of adolescent lovers. After that time, novels and stories like Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Heidi, Little Women, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables and Rebecca of the Sunnybrook Farm found fascinated readers for decades.

What we call young adult fiction, shortened to YA fiction, came into existence after the Second World War with the onset of the Rock'n Roll era. The stories of young adult fiction are written for teenagers and are told from the point of view of teenagers. The protagonists are adolescents and a good number of the plots involve teen problems and the way the teens face and overcome them. Since with each decade the teen problems have changed, the stories portraying those problems have also changed.

From the inception of the young adult fiction, sociologists praise its stories, because the teens find out how problems similar to theirs can be handled. These problems can be loneliness, weight or health issues, family and peer troubles, teen pregnancy, or depression.

In contrast to those who applaud young adult fiction, a very small group claim that reading too much young adult fiction has been alienating the teen readers from real literature. Yet, the study of literature challenges these critics, because good fiction cannot be classified. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, some Stephen King novels like Carrie, and Lord of the Flies by William Golding may fit inside the definition of young adult fiction, but time has proven them to be a lot more than popular fiction of the moment. These books are classics.

In addition, quite a few young adult fiction awards have caused young adult fiction to qualify as literature. Some of these are: Newberry Award, National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction, William C. Morris YA Debut Award, Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult Novel, Michael L. Printz Award, Margaret A. Edwards Award, etc.

First young adult novels in the US came into being during the forties and fifties. Then, between the sixties and the nineties, young adult fiction flourished. Writers like Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume led the way in addressing teen dilemmas to become the icons of such literature.

Today, with the advent of e-books, religious fiction directed to teens, manga, graphic novels, and techno-thrillers, young adult fiction is branching out into subcategories and becoming more deeply rooted in popular literature. Some of these stories, like that of J. K. Rowling's and Gabriel Zevin's, challenge the imaginations of teen readers by removing their plots and characters far away from reality into fantasy.

The history of young adult fiction may not be too old, but its future appears to be very bright. Since the best books are those that the readers can relate to, multitudes of teens have turned to reading voraciously, leaving unbeneficial pursuits aside. On the whole, this is no measly feat.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joy Cagil is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/joycag.