Posted by Mark Shaw on October 20, 2009
Hello hemingwaywantabes. Hope all is well. Ernest is mentioned prominently in my new Thomas Merton biography, Beneath the Mask of Holiness: Thomas Merton and the Forbidden Love Affair that Set Him Free. It will be published on November 10th by Palgrave Macmillan. More about the book at www.markshawbooks.net. A book trailer may be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4l4ID5LqtU.
For you aspiring authors, there is no greater moment in life than when you hold your completed book in your hands. This occurred today and reminded me that all the hard work is worth it. So get busy and one day you will shout to the world, “I am published.”
Posted in Thomas Merton book | Tagged: Hemingway, Ernest Hemingway, Books, Literary Agents, Editors, Writers, Writing, Agents, Authors, Love, Publishers, Merton, Thomas Merton, Mark Shaw, Beneath the Mask of Holiness, Joan Baez, Ann Lamott, Dalai Lama, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4l4ID5LqtU. www.markshawbooks.net, Eroticism | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Mark Shaw on September 28, 2009
Ernest Hemingway would certainly have agreed with Thomas Wolfe when the latter wrote:
“What is required of a writer is integrity of purpose, a spiritual intensity, and a final expenditure of energy that most people in the world have not conception of.”
Amen!!!
Posted in Hemingway and Thomas Wolfe | Tagged: Books, Bookstores, Ernest Hemingway, Hemingway, Mark Shaw, Moveable Feast, Non-Fiction, Novels, Old Man and the Sea, Writing, www.markshawbooks.net | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Mark Shaw on August 16, 2009
Hey, you Hemingwaywantabes out there. If you want to read the very best in historical biography, don’t miss Lust for Life by Irving Stone. It is the heart-pounding, high-stepping, run-as-fast-as-you-can story of the one of the greatest artists in history, Vincent Van Gogh. What an amazing story, but more to the point, watch how Stone keeps the book going at a fast rate using strong word usage and a flair for the dramatic. Excellent writing all around.
Posted in Hemingway and Vincent Van Gogh | Tagged: Beneath the Mask of Holiness, Books, Ernest Hemingway, Fiction, Hemingway, Mark Shaw, Old Man and the Sea, Poets, Thomas Merton, Van Gogh, Vincent Van Gogh, Writers, Writing, www.markshawbooks.net | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Mark Shaw on July 18, 2009
Certainly Ernest Hemingway never had an opportunity to have his books published in e-form while he was alive, but I will bet he would have loved Lulu, the website where authors can instantly transform a manuscript into an e-b0ok for sale around the world. It’s amazing how easy it is to do with the simple template and instructions provided. And the author can name his or her own price for their book since Lulu only takes their cut after the author has sold the book.
Best of all, transforming the manuscript into an e-book is free. Take a good look and provide any feedback you have pro and con.
Posted in Hemingway and Lulu | Tagged: Books, ebooks, Ernest Hemingway, Hemjngway, Lulu, Manuscripts, Mark Shaw, Novels, Publishing, Shaw, www.markshawbooks.net | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Mark Shaw on June 25, 2009
Ernest Hemingway certainly never heard of Amazon’s Kindle or anything to do with ebooks. But if these methods of publishing books had been available during his lifetime, I will bet the master wordsmith would have taken advantage of them.
Why – because authors now have the opportunity, with little if any cost, to post their copy-edited books on the internet for the world to see and even purchase. Recently, even though I am computer dunderhead, I was able to upload ten of my books into the Kindle format and all are now posted and available for sale at the Amazon Kindle story. It is like some of them have been re-born since many are now out of print. I also was able to post a novel, “Dandelions in the Moonlight” that I believe has great commercial potential. But for now, readers can download it and see what they think about the courage of a German Christian woman who learned that love may overcome hate when she has to trust a Nazi prison guard to save a little orphaned Russian girl during the Holocaust. All of the books are also posted on my website at www.markshawbooks.net.
Re ebooks, all one has to do is check Google to learn about software that makes turning a manuscript into an ebook that may be sold on many internet sites. Easy to do as well.
On advantage of Kindle books and ebooks- if first time authors can build up an audience for their book online, then traditional publishers will come running. Many inspirational stories prove this may occur.
So, hemingwaywantabes, look into internet publishing. Many advantages as you will see.
Posted in Hemingway and ebook/Kindle | Tagged: Amazon, Books, ebooks, Editing, Ernest Hemingway, Google, Hemingway, Holocaust, Kindle, Mark Shaw, markshawbooks.net, Publishing, Publishing Companies, Self-Publishing, Shaw Author, Yahoo | 2 Comments »
Posted by Mark Shaw on June 9, 2009
Hemingwaywantabes, let us not forget the master’s words about what it takes to be a writer:
All good books have one thing in common – they are truer than if they had really happened, and after you have read one of them, you will feel all that happened, happened to you and then it belongs to you forever: the happiness and the unhappiness, good and evil ecstasy and sorrow, the food, wine, beds people and the weather. If you can give that to the readers, then you’re a writer.
Amen!!!
Posted in Hemingway and True Writers | Tagged: Agents, Books, Bookstores, Ernest Hemingway, Fiction, Hemingway, Mark Shaw, Novelists, Publishers, Shaw Author, Writers, www.markshawbooks.net | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Mark Shaw on June 4, 2009
If you are interested in more information about my latest book, Beneath the Mask of Holiness: Thomas Merton and the Forbidden Love Affair that Set Him Free, please check our website at www.markshawbooks.net. There is an interview with me about why I wrote the book, sample excerpts and quotes, photographs, and even a “book contest” page. The book will be published by Palgrave-Macmillan in November. Pre-orders are available at Amazon.com.
Also, don’t forget Hemingwaywantabes, that my book, How to Become a Published Author: Idea to Publication is available free on my website. Just click “Literary Consulting” and the free download of book.
Posted in New Mark Shaw Book Excerpts and Quotes | Tagged: Beneath the Mask of Holiness, Book Proposals, Books, Catholics, Ernest Hemingway, Fiction, Gethsemani, Hemingway, Literary Agents, Love, Mark Shaw, Non-Fiction, Novels, Publishers, Shaw, Shaw Author, Writing | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Mark Shaw on May 13, 2009
Looking for some zesty quotes, hemingwaywantabes? Well, look no further than the terrific biography of legendary writer Thomas Wolfe by Andrew Turnbull. Here are some examples:
“The creative life is often a groping, a terrible stumbling until the artist finds himself doing what his subconcious has demanded all along.”
“The most reckless people, I believe, are those who never gamble at all.”
“Tenacity is one of the chief elements of talent – without it there is little damn talent, no matter what they say.”
“You can change your skies but not your souls.” (Horace)
“What is required of a writer – integrity of purpose, a spiritual intensity, and a final expenditure of energy that most people in the world have no conception of.”
Wow, good stuff, right. And here’s another quote I read recently. Can’t recall who said it. Perhaps you can help me:
“If you can’t be great, at least be interesting.”
Posted in Hemingway and Great Quotes | Tagged: Author, Books, Editor, Ernest Hemingway, Fiction, Hemingway, Literary Agent, Mark Shaw, Non-Fiction, Publisher, Shaw, Writer | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Mark Shaw on May 6, 2009
Hello Hemingwaywantabes – hope all is well. And that you are writing away toward that day when you hold your published book in your hands. All the hard work is then worth it as you clutch the book to your chest like a newborn baby.
Recently, I noticed a good interview with literary agents in Poet’s and Writers’ Magazine, a terrific read for aspiring authors. One simple piece of advice: “When you think your book is completed, spend another year on it.”
I’m not sure a year is required, but the point is that when someone says their book is “done,” it probably isn’t. One common mistake aspiring authors make is to submit material before its time. Then rejection is the end result, when perhaps with some more hard work, the manuscript could have been improved significantly.
I noticed this recently when reviewing a manuscript I’ve written about the JFK assassination. While perusing my text, I was amazed at how much I could improve the flow. Every time we revise, the book gets better, and I would encourage you to re-write, re-write, and then re-write some more. In fact, when people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them I am a re-writer.
Posted in Hemingway and Simple Advice | Tagged: Agents, Books, Editing, Ernest Hemingway, Fiction, Hemingway, Literary Agents, Merton, Non-Fiction, Publishers, Re-writing, Thomas Merton, Writers, Writing | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Mark Shaw on April 20, 2009
No, hemingwaywantabes, our beloved writer never had the opportunity to know anything about something called blogs. Can you imagine it – Ernest blogging away during one of his sojourns to Africa, or while he was sipping a spice of wine in Venice. No way!
But that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of blogging. Good article in the NYT yesterday about how bloggers are becoming authors. Publishing companies are apparently paying attention to blog sites where there is a good idea that is book fodder. One reason is that many of these bloggers have built up a nice audience already and this can translate into people who buy a book based on the blog theme. Being creative is the key with new ideas posted every day.
Also, bloggers may showcase their writing ability to literary agents and publishers. You thus want to make certain your blog is checked and re-checked to make certain what you have written is first class. Remember – you are what you write – so write well and blog away. A publishing deal may be on the horizon.
Posted in Hemingway and Blogs | Tagged: Agents, Blogs, Books, Ernest Hemingway, Fiction, Hemingway, Literary Agents, Non-Fiction, Publishers, Writers. Mark Shaw, Writing | 2 Comments »
