“The principle mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers.”
–Arthur Koestler
Recently, someone called me and asked if I thought we had launched my radio show too soon, because I stepped back and slowed up for a moment (the year I had 3 grandbabies born within 8 months.) No, I told her all major companies roll their products out, (take action), then go back and do corrections.

How many glitches did Microsoft have in all its products when they rolled out Windows 98, XP, then even Vista? To get the lead on your competition, you have to leap and rest assured, that the net will appear.

You can’t wait for perfection. Don’t wait for the perfect time to start a business or take an action step towards an idea. Just like there is never a perfect time to have a baby, given our economy, there is never a perfect time to make a change that could transform your life.

In the case of the Internet radio shows I’ve done, I think they have helped up the standards of the publishing industry for both self-published and African American writers.

Become a thought leader! Push your given industry to the next level.

“I am willing to take risks and do what I need to do NOW.”

Hostage of Lies Book Promo

Reader Engagement: A secret ingredient for Keeping Readers Glued to the Page

When I hear comedians make fun of the Black audience’s verbal response in a movie theater, I laugh. This reminds me of the call and response, which takes place in the Black Church.

Now I’m looking at it differently. This could be a good thing for you as a writer. When you write, you want the reader to have an interactive experience, which I believe is why the social networks have taken the Internet to a whole new level. That is–the ability to interact with people who have similar interests.

This really helps me as an editor. Recently I edited a writer’s manuscript and she questioned some of my comments, which were things like “Now here’s the heat,” or “This is juicy.” Her questions started me to thinking.
Why do I use comments like these? Because, hopefully, these are the types of responses a future book reader will get.

How can you make the reader interact with your story?

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/SplitsvilleLGC.html

SPLITSVILLE by Shelia M. Goss
Category: Contemporary
Age Recommendation: Grades 9+
Release Date: 10/1/09
Publisher: Urban Books
Reviewed by: Jaglvr
Rating: 4 Stars

SPLITSVILLE is Volume 2 in THE LIP GLOSS CHRONICLES. In the first book, the reader gets a glimpse
inside the life of Britney. For SPLITSVILLE, the reader now gets to know more about Jasmine, Britney’s friend
from THE ULTIMATE TEST, and the girl who DJ Johnson was bothering.

Jasmine’s life is out of control these days. She’s practically failing geometry, so she engages Cecil as her tutor. DJ
is still on her case at school. She interacted with TallandFly on the Internet and now he won’t stop texting and
calling her. And last, but certainly not least, her parents are constantly fighting and it looks like they’re headed for
divorce.

Thankfully, Jasmine has her friends. They insist on accompanying her to the mall to meet the boy from the Internet.
They stand by her side when DJ gets in her face again. They tell her she’s being too tough on Cecil, her tutor, who
obviously has a crush on her. And they help her out when she gets her parents to agree to go on a new reality show
that offers marriage counseling, Situation Number Nine.

As the reader can imagine, with all of these things going on, something is bound to happen. But I’m not one to give
away such exciting plot twists. You’ll just have to pick up SPLITSVILLE for yourself and find out what happens to
Jasmine!

This second installment of the series continues the story of Jasmine, Britney, and Sierra nicely. It’s easy to pick up
from where the first novel left off. And if you’re discovering THE LIP GLOSS CHRONICLES for the first time,
you’ll easily figure out all of the characters. It was also nice to see a different point of view in this novel as
compared to THE ULTIMATE TEST.

When I read these words over forty years ago, they changed my life.
Well, it’s spring. I’m starting a new novel, at a point of burn out.

My character, Z, is beginning to talk to me. I’m going to let her tell me where she’s going to go.

After I get a decent chapter, I might blog a little about Z.