The other night, I was on the "Beyond the Edge of Reality Show" discussing tarot reading, paranormal investigations, Lizzie Borden, The Haunted Mansion Retreat, Slime City Massacre and more.
It was a lot of fun, remembering how and why I learned to read tarot to begin with and what twisty paths I've been journeying along. As I talked about how I used to be afraid of tarot cards, I remember just how paralyzing that fear had been. I felt that if I read cards, I'd be dancing with the devil. But once I became educated about what they really are and what they can and can't "do," the fear slipped away.
These days I can't imagine a life without playing with a crystal or peeking at a tarot card. Just because I can see possibilities doesn't mean that I will make the right choices in reaching my goals. Deciphering symbols for other people is always easier, as any tarot reader will share with you. Most readers don't read for themselves. It's too hard to see clearly no matter how open you believe you're being.
Remembering the Lizzie Borden House and some of the mysterious events that had happened there made me want to return more than ever. Lisa Mannetti and I will be broadcasting a show from the Lizzie Borden House in July.
The Haunted Mansion Project also came up and I talked about my paranormal adventures from my two visits.
I had a lot of fun being on the show and am looking forward to being on again sometime.
For an hour before me, there's much talk about haunted dolls with creepy dolls people.
I was on the second half of the show, around the 63 minute mark.
As always, I'm available for tarot readings by email or call me or chat with me on my keen line. You can book a time if I'm marked away. keen . com ariana23
I also was on another blogtalk radio show for a tiny bit. This one had channeller Solana on to channel Lizzie Borden's spirit. Lisa Mannetti was also on giving a history of the Lizzie Borden case as well as relaying experiences that had happened to her on paranormal investigations there.
I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again. Telling Tales of Terror from Damnation Books is a great primer for the budding horror author. This book provides firsthand advice on how to write compelling dark fiction.
As with any writer's manual, the advice contained in this book can be applied to most genres so it's worth checking out.
My own chapter in it discusses how to anchor a story and create atmosphere through setting.
Writers are usually addicted readers as well and this book combines anecdotes and musings as well as practical advice about how to compete in the modern horror field from a variety of authors established in their field.
As you can see, I've changed the cover of the Kindle Edition of Weird Tales of Terror again.
It is now available in print form too and I've kept the price as low as I could possibly keep it for over 350 pages.
It has been just over a year since I published my first e-book. It's been an interesting ride so far. I'm learning so much every time I publish a new book.
I like to think that my formatting and cover designs are slowly improving. After all, I'm a writer, not an artist, not a graphic designer, not a marketing person nor a pr person. However, I find the idea of self-publishing e-books very exciting. I like the idea that I don't have to wait years for my work to be in the hands of my readers.
I'm keeping all the prices of my books very low although I know I could charge more as an award-winning novelist. However, the reason I first started to write was so that I could share my ideas and stories with everyone.
Currently, my only income is from my writing. I don't have a day job or a husband to help me pay the rent. I'm focusing soley on building my business.
If you like my work, please leave me a review. If you've received one of my e-books for free, I would doubly appreciate a review on either Smashwords or Kindle.
I have books available for free all the time on Smashwords.
Today I have a book for free on Kindle for the next few days.
Remember, no matter who your favourite writers might be, you will help them a lot by leaving a review on their book pages.
However, please don't leave silly reviews as the person who left the two star review on my Release/No One Listens book felt inclined to do. I'm not sure why she chose to leave a two star review when she seemed pleased to receive a free book and said that she hadn't read it yet and was looking forward to reading it. But now I have a two star review which looks like someone didn't like my book, when in fact, the person never even read it.
If you want to help your fellow authors, it doesn't cost you anything but a few minutes to write a review for books you've enjoyed.
Many authors don't mention it but we all pay attention to reviews and are always thrilled to see how we've touched our readers, whether it's in a good way or a bad way.
Think of leaving a review for your favourite authors much like leaving them a precious gift. It will be forever appreciated and doesn't cost anything and takes very little time.
Self-publishing is huge right now. It's the new way and everyone is jumping on board.
The stigma of self-publishing is being shed.
In 2005, I started working for iUniverse. There was a big stigma about self-publishing and so, most people who know me have never realized this is one of the ways I earn my living.
Editing the work of self-published authors.
I started off reading manuscripts and writing editorial reports about which services I recommended.
After a while, I was promoted to Developmental Editor.
I've edited well over 600 books in my time.
The quality of work in the raw produced by self-published authors varies greatly. There were some absolutely amazing books and there were ones that weren't so good.
There were books that I felt should have been picked up by "real" publishers.
Other books were niche, so it was understandable why the author chose the self-published route.
A few years ago, several books that I myself had edited were featured in the Toronto Star although neither the authors nor the Star knew that I had anything at all do with the books. It was a piece on self-publishing and featured many iUniverse books.
iUniverse is also connected to Authorhouse, Authorsolutions, Westbow, Trafford and many others. I've worked in every imprint offered.
Every book needs a pair of outside eyes to look it over.
Every author, and I include myself in this, needs an editor.
Some books need guidance in the development phase.
All books need help with grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
iUniverse provides several levels of services including the actual publishing of the book.
Now there are publishing platforms that are easy to use and this means anyone can be a published author. The expense of a company such as iUniverse isn't as practical with the competition of Kindle, Smashwords, Kobo, and Createspace.
If you're finalizing your book for Kindle or Smashwords, consider getting a professional editor to help you.
Remember, there are many levels of editing that all books that go through publishing houses receive.
Developmental Editing
Content Editing
Line Editing
Copy Editing
Don't skimp on this most important last step. Make sure your book is organized, that it contains the proper front and back matter in the correct order, that the pages are numbered, the chapters make sense, the voice and tenses are consistent and there's a plot.
Most published authors edit on the side. Whether you feel someone is a best seller or not, most published authors who edit have a keen eye for someone else's work. Some authors are better editors than authors. Some books are easier to edit than others.
However, no matter what, all books need to be edited.
I suppose it’s time for another Honey BooBoo moment.
Yes, I’ve been watching the show. Those who know me know
that I never sit and watch TV, I’m always doing something like editing my
Youtube videos when Honey BooBoo or Toddlers in Tiaras is on.
Well, now I see a trailer for UNCESORED HoneyBooboo.
How much more disgusting can this show get? Well, disgusting
to a city girl like me who doesn’t like to get muddy or buggy or even sit on
grass because I break out in hives. And bodily functions just aren’t ladylike,
June! Different strokes for different folks for sure.
So what’s more disgusting than bobbing for pigs’ feet?
Mayonnaise fights?
Throwing up Swiss chard?
Eating snot?
Farting every minute?
Living with a chicken shitting everywhere?
Living with a pig shitting everywhere?
Not taking a shower in over 100 degree weather?
Scooping out pumpkin guts with your hands?
Getting your head stuck in a pumpkin and everyone abandons
you?
Eating whatever the hell it is June mashes in a bowl with bare
hands?
Having a forklift foot covered in gnats?
I don’t know, man. The Thanksgiving episode, I was ready to
puke eleven minutes in!
So I guess I’ll be tuning in to see what could possibly be
more disgusting than the horrors I’ve already witnessed…
As I’ve said before, this family has an incredible bond.
There seems to be a lot of love there despite the barbs and different style of
manners.
I totally give kudos to June for taking on the baby in
stride, with not a second thought of where responsibility lies. She decided it’s
hers and she owns it and I say she has more balls and strength than many
people. We don’t even know who the dad is, I don’t think. I’m not sure, I’ve
not seen every minute of every episode. She also was on Extreme Couponing and
she’s good at that too. We originally met this family, and many more like them,
on Toddlers in Tiaras which I’m watching right now as I write this. Of course,
her stress is manifested in her weight but I think so much of it is that she’s
never had a chance in life. She’s applied to all these shows in hopes of
gaining something more to her life and her wish has come true!
This show could give her a chance to reinvent herself and
empower her to provide even more for her kids.
However, amongst the subtitled jibberjabber and booisms, there is also
a dark undertow of a family that could sure use any money TLC has to give them.
I’m not sure who works or goes to school except Sugar Bear.
But there is reference to school and homework so the girls go. June has
mentioned days off so I think she works too. June talks about how they all
sleep all day.
They sure eat all day.
One of the girls suffered a detached retina when Sugar Bear
tossed the keys at her. We all do that, it was a freak accident. But kind of
bizarre when you consider all the crazy shit that family gets up to. Things
such as being pulled behind a smoke belching tractor giving them cancer for
life and kicking up gravel. Bobbing for raw pigs’ feet in 101 degree weather
can’t be healthy. Teenage pregnancy, absent fathers. Lice. Gnats. Poverty.
Filth. Never ending bowls of junk food. A train behind the house.
It’s a rough life for sure.
TLC should give these people a little new home in a decent
neighbourhood. Even one of those fancy trailer houses. June can work and Sugar
Bear can work or not, depending on that latest accident.
TLC is making big bucks from this family and it would be
nice to see a few episodes of them moving to better digs and creating a new
life. Alana can take dance classes and do better at pageants. June can keep
couponing. The new baby has a hope in hell of a decent future.
A show likes Honey Booboo does make one think. Much like
when I watch the shows about conjoined twins or the guy with a million tumours
on his body. Or the morbidly obese people who often die at the end of the show.
Reality TV is indeed our new freak show. But of course, “freak” isn’t a
politically correct term anymore.
Neither are freak shows.
I’ve seen shows about all the “different” people who were
put out of work when the freak shows were banned. What kind of lives do they
have now? Many were happy to have a role in the world and a good paying job and
home, a family.
I’m old enough to have seen “freaks” at the local fair in
London, Ontario. Werewolf man(fake), the lady who had tubes for a head (fake - she's actually in that video up there too!),
two headed calf, conjoined twin embryos, little people sitting in little stalls
either glaring or watching TV and so on. I’ve been to Niagara Falls Ontario in
the seventies when there were still real dungeons and torture chambers and
freaks of nature exhibits. Some were living people such as the world’s tallest
woman and others were stuffed such as several two-headed creatures. Those
places were always crowded and thirty years later, still are. Although the
exhibits are totally tame and lame now with mostly celebrities and movie stars, people still come to stare and marvel.
The vibe emanating from the darkness of those who are different isn’t there anymore in the new world.
Certainly, Honey BooBoo and family aren’t “freaks” but they
are different enough from most of us that it gives us a chance to see the world
from a different perspective. Whether that’s good or bad, I’m not sure. But the
fact is, these are real people and this is their world.
It’s kind of neat to peek into other people’s world now and
again.
I have to admit that the TLC is having some fun with Season 2. The one dinner scene was epic.
