Susan Gabriel's Blog, page 17
October 13, 2014
From the Front Porch: Southern Novels
I write novels. I’ve even been known to write southern novels. And what makes southern novels “southern” is their sense of place.
Not only are the characters quirky and sometimes bigger than life, but they are all also grounded in the landscape. Throw in a crackpot, an old wise woman and a preacher and we love it even more.
We...
October 7, 2014
How Author Ann Patchett Makes Me Miserable
At least once during my six week Fearless Writing Workshops, I say to the women attending: Comparison is the key to unhappiness. And while I know this is absolutely true, I still do it.
If I want to take a fast train to feeling miserable, all I have to do is compare myself to the novelist, Ann Patchett. To me–a novelist of literary...
September 30, 2014
Congratulations Audiobook Winners!
Audiobook winners of the free audiobook version of Quentin and the Cave Boy: A Humorous Adventure Story for Kids 8 to 88 that is on sale on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes are:
Dana H.
Kerri
Laurie E.
Gerri K.
Cindy C.
About Quentin and the Cave Boy:
The Stone Age meets the teenage! Quentin Moss is an average 13-year-old boy with an...
September 16, 2014
Writing by the River: A Short Video
Writing by the river is one of my favorite things to do, so I took a (less than) 3 minute video to share with you as a blog post. It gives you a sense of one of the things that inspires me to write.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to live in some beautiful places: Charleston, South Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina, Fort Collins,...
September 9, 2014
Bloopers Made Recording an Audiobook
Bloopers. We love them. They give us a laugh. Why? Because we’re all human. We all make mistakes. But here is a kind of non-traditional blooper real.
Recording an audiobook is a long and arduous process. (I’ve done four now, and I speak from experience.) Mistakes are inevitable, especially after an hour or so of recording....
Recording an Audiobook: Bloopers
Recording an audiobook is a long and arduous process. (I’ve done four now, and I speak from experience.) Mistakes are inevitable, especially after an hour or so of recording. Thankfully, all of these mistakes are edited out and what you are left with is an audiobook free of error; the listener never knowing what went on in the studio...
September 4, 2014
Audio Book Giveaway!
(This blog post is a copy of a newsletter I sent out recently. You can also register to win free audio books by making a comment on this blog.)
Audio books bring a novel to life and let fiction lovers enjoy a great story while driving, riding the subway, exercising, etc. Almost all of my books are available in audio format, and I’m happy to...
Raffle for Free Audio Books
(This blog post is a copy of a newsletter I sent out recently. You can also register to win free audio books by making a comment on this blog.)
Audio books bring a novel to life and let fiction lovers enjoy a great story while driving, riding the subway, exercising, etc. Almost all of my books are available in audio format, and I’m happy to...
August 27, 2014
7 Picasso Quotes About Art
As one of the most famous artists of his generation, Pablo Picasso had a lot to say about art. Here are a few Picasso quotes about art, painting and artists that I thought you might enjoy.
Picasso Quotes About Art:
“Everyone wants to understand art. Why not try to understand the song of a bird? Why does one love the night, flowers, everything...
August 19, 2014
Perfectionism is the Voice of the Oppressor
Writer Anne Lamott says in her popular book on writing, Bird by Bird:
Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft.
She also says:
Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the...
