What genre(s) of writing are your books?

Chasing a Dream in the Galápagos: A Personal Evolution, my first book, is a travel memoir written in the present tense. It just won the San Diego Book Awards Association award in the “best travel” category.

What first attracted you to this/these genres?

I wanted readers to accompany me on this journey to the islands Darwin made famous, and the best way to achieve this personal quality was through the memoir genre. I went to the islands in 2000 with my two adult daughters and my cousin, but the dream began 25 years before that.  I delayed the trip because life got in the way and I had (still have) fears and a tendency to procrastinate. This journey flung me into a world of giant tortoises, tiny penguins, blue-footed booby birds, and parades of marine iguanas flinging themselves over rock ledges into the sea. Chasing a Dream in the Galápagos is not only the story of the islands, but also of family bonding and self-discovery.  Communing with wondrous creatures, both non-human and human, showed me an unknown side of myself, just waiting for its own personal evolution.

How did you hear about Read Local San Diego, and how has the organization played a role in your success?

My publisher, Sunbelt Publications Inc., told me about Read Local.  I enjoyed meeting my fellow local authors at the Horton Plaza kick off last November and even sold six books during the event. With all the competition we writers face today, we need Read Local to helps us connect with our target audiences and with each other. Other writers are a tremendous resource.

What are you working on now?

I am writing a book of short stories about family relationships. Working title: In a Family Way. Even though the stories are fiction, I am writing most of them in memoir style—in the present tense to give them a sense of immediacy and authenticity.

Are there any upcoming events where people can hear you speak and meet you?

Tuesday, July 13 at 1:00 I will do a book talk-slide show for the San Diego Kiwanis at the Bristol Hotel in Downtown, San Diego.  On Saturday July 17, I will be doing a podcast at 9 a.m. on the Suncera Talk Radio Interview show. On September 10 at 1:30, I will be presenting for the Rancho Bernardo Travel Club at the Seven Oaks Community Center. For more information, you can go to my website atwww.betteblaydespegas.com.

What guidance or lessons learned can you offer prospective writers?

Never assume you will remember a good idea for a story.  Take notes when you get excited about something.  Fleeting thoughts can spark articles, stories and books.  When writing fiction, even if you don’t plan to write in first person, draft a section of your story or book in first person to get inside your main character (s).  When writing nonfiction, establish yourself as an expert by volunteering to give presentations for service groups, libraries, and professional organizations that relate to your topic.  In this competitive market, agents and publishers want to know that you have a name and that you are experienced in marketing yourself. Join a group of writers whose work you respect, writers who will tell you the truth about your writing and support you during the re-writing process.  Ask a professional editor to review your manuscript before submitting it to a publisher, and follow the recommendations you feel will improve your writing. You are the ultimate judge.

Bette, thank you for the wonderful advice.  I’ll definitely have to put this book on my reading list.

Thanks for reading, now start writing.  Oh yeah, and this week my blog is on, “Listening to the Conversational Web.”

Erick

http://seobridges.com

http://www.facebook.com/seobridges

http://www.twitter.com/seobridges

Read Local San Diego (RLSD) is a nonprofit marketing coalition whose mission it is to raise awareness of the expansive literary community throughout San Diego County, to foster a meaningful connection between local authors and readers, and to enrich the lives of readers through ongoing events and outreach programs.

➢ To raise awareness of San Diego’s literary community, Read Local San Diego will establish a market for books and published material created by San Diego residents that nurtures these local authors, publishers, and reading. At the same time, we bring cohesion to San Diego’s diverse literary community.

➢ To foster a meaningful connection between readers and authors, Read Local San Diego will offer authors valuable opportunities to create excitement about their books. We provide an expanded market for publishers and authors. We support readers and reading by creating opportunities for readers to “touch greatness”—to develop a personal relationship with authors.

➢ To enrich the lives of readers, Read Local San Diego will offer ongoing events and outreach programs. We encourage the process of discovery—by delivering books to a new audience of readers and expanding awareness of our wonderful, homegrown authors.

Writers dream of creating connections with readers.

Readers cherish books to which they feel personally connected.

That’s what Read Local San Diego is all about—connection.

GET CONNECTED NOW!

Thanks to all the  authors who participated  and all the volunteers, as well as readers who came by to support local authors. The literary talent in San Diego is truly amazing.

Thanks, too, to Horton Plaza, O’Brothers Restaurant, Russ Zinzer of Side Jobz for the tremendous music throughout the day, and Rob Carona for entertainment during the reception.

Here is a video of snapshots put together by Carolyn Matteo. Thank you, Carolyn.

Read Local San Diego Kickoff Event November 14, 2009

Thank You Marj for the Photo Album!

Click here to see a photo album from the Kickoff Event.

______________________________________________________________________

What is Read Local San Diego?

Read Local San Diego (RLSD) is a nonprofit marketing coalition whose mission it is to raise awareness of the expansive literary community throughout San Diego County, to foster a meaningful connection between local authors and readers, and to enrich the lives of readers through ongoing events and outreach programs.

➢ To raise awareness of San Diego’s literary community, Read Local San Diego will establish a market for books and published material created by San Diego residents that nurtures these local authors, publishers, and reading. At the same time, we bring cohesion to San Diego’s diverse literary community.

➢ To foster a meaningful connection between readers and authors, Read Local San Diego will offer authors valuable opportunities to create excitement about their books. We provide an expanded market for publishers and authors. We support readers and reading by creating opportunities for readers to “touch greatness”—to develop a personal relationship with authors.

➢ To enrich the lives of readers, Read Local San Diego will offer ongoing events and outreach programs. We encourage the process of discovery—by delivering books to a new audience of readers and expanding awareness of our wonderful, homegrown authors.

Writers dream of creating connections with readers.

Readers cherish books to which they feel personally connected.

That’s what Read Local San Diego is all about—connection.

]]> http://sandiego.readlocal.org/2009/08/28/best-summer-reads/feed/ 0 http://sandiego.readlocal.org/2009/08/20/hello-world/ http://sandiego.readlocal.org/2009/08/20/hello-world/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:52:45 +0000 admin http://sandiego.readlocal.org/?p=1 test