Friday, February 25, 2011

Interview of Author, Linda Pendleton by Brian Drake


Brian Drake interviewed me about my novel, Shattered Lens: Catherine Winter, Private Investigator on his Blog: “Where an independent author talks about books, writing, and anything else that comes to mind.” Brian is the author of three books, Show No Mercy, Justified Sins, and Reader’s Dozen, 12 tales of Crime & Suspense. I really enjoyed reading his Intro to my interview and he asked me some great questions about writing.

Brian is also a member of Jon Guenther’s Blog, Ctrl+Alt+Pub: "A blog for independent authors interested in self-publishing, alternative publishing, and non-traditional publishing."

You may read my Interview here at Brian’s Blog.

~Linda


Creativity

Singer, songwriter, musician Chris Spheeris has put out some beautfiul CDs. Two of my favorite songs of his are Where the Angels Fly and Walk with Me.

Here is a short inteview with Chris about creativity, and the lyrics of Where the Angels Fly.






Where the Angels Fly Lyrics
Chris Spheeris

I'd like to know the secrets of your heart
I look into your eyes and that's a start ...
Watch over you, all the moments that you are away
It's here we'll meet between the earth and sky
Where the angels fly ...

You'd like to know the secrets of my heart
Just look into my eyes and that's a start ...
You open me to the all the colors of the night and day
It's here we'll dance between the earth and sky
Where the angels fly ...

I'd like to know the secrets of my heart
I journey deep inside and that's a start ...
The mystery and miracle of love that lights the way
It's here we'll dance between the earth and sky



And his Instrumental:





-Linda

Friday, February 18, 2011

Soul Expressions, Poetry Collection, Linda and Don Pendleton




Poetry Collection Linda Pendleton and Don Pendleton, now in Kindle. Coming in the next months to print.

Poetry, A Bridge Between the Physical and Spiritual Worlds.

Poetry is the language of feelings and intuition. As such, it structures the feelings and intuitions of the inner world in a form that can be apprehended by the outer world. Since it uses the mental matrices of emotion, feeling, and intuition, it does not have to conform to any idea of linear logic, which can be the antithesis of spiritual knowingness.

Within this Poetry Collection by Linda and Don Pendleton, you will discover a variety of themes, Life, Love, Family, Angels, and a variety of styles such as rhyme, free verse, narrative, and a few humorous or limerick styles. For the most part, the poems are expressions of ideas, of emotions, without much thought to a specific style or form. Also included are a number of poems inspired and given to Linda by Don after his death.

Don Pendleton (1927-1995) was creator of The Executioner: Mack Bolan Series of action/adventure novels; Joe Copp Private Eye Thrillers; Ashton Ford, Psychic Detective Series; and other novels. He wrote poetry and metaphysical essays for many years. He also wrote nonfiction.

Linda Pendleton has written fiction and nonfiction. Together, Don and Linda wrote the nonfiction books, To Dance With Angels; Whispers From the Soul, the Divine Dance of Consciousness; and the novel, Roulette: The Search for the Sunrise Killer. Linda's novels include Corn Silk Days, Iowa, 1862; Shattered Lens: Catherine Winter, Private Investigator; and The Dawning, a Novel of Mystery and Suspense.

Linda dedicates this book to her family and to young "Heartsongs" poet,
Mattie J. T. Stepanek.

Cover design by Judy Bullard

Wednesday, February 16, 2011


"How a revolution comes to be is a mystery to me," he says. "It's important to credit the brave people that take chances to stand up to regimes. They're the star. What I like to think of services like Twitter and other services is that it's kind of a supporting role. We're there to facilitate and to foster and to accelerate those folks' missions." ~Biz Stone, Co-founder of Twitter


Listen to an Interview with Biz Stone on NPR "Twitter's Biz Stone On Starting A Revolution"
~Linda

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Ozzy Osbourne on Show Biz





This quote today by Ozzy Osbourne can easily be applied to writing, and even the changes in publishing, i.e. e-books, because, after all, as novelist, we are entertaining. people.
“It’s show biz. The only difference between vaudeville and rock and roll is a microphone. It’s just entertaining people. Some like it. You can please some of the people some of the time but not all the people all the time and if you don’t like it, you don’t like it, if you do, you do. It’s show biz, you know.” ~Ozzy Osbourne, February 8. 2011, The Talk Show
~Linda

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Creating a Fictional World


“So unleash your creative power, let it flow in all its beauty.
Yes, Novelist, you are in charge of your own bright world.”
~Don Pendleton, The Metaphysics of the Novel



A few years ago, my husband, Don Pendleton, wrote in his nonfiction book, The Metaphysics of the Novel, The Inner Workings of a Novel and a Novelist:

“One thing that every novel needs is credibility, and as a novelist you must never forget that. Your story must be plausible, meaningful, and entertaining.

“Before the final draft of any story is set to paper, you must have resolved all your story problems and structure problems. Then, and only then, can your characters have the freedom they need to carry the story, to handle their conflicts, and to finally reach resolution.

“As you review your manuscript, begin by studying your opening paragraph. Read it and re-read. If it sounds weak as you read it silently, and then out loud, rewrite it. Study it again. Polish it until it shines.

“If you discover you have "padded" your story with unnecessary dribble, or if you come upon a place where you wonder where the hell it is going, it is because you did not know where you were going. So get out the scalpel and start carving away. Do it delicately but deftly until you feel you are in command as god of your novel.

“Watch for the spots where you come across even a page or two of nothing. If nothing was happening, change it, make something happen.

“Make sure your dialogue is sharp, and real. If it is not, beef it up until you hear the voices singing. Be sure those characters talk like real people.

“Are you satisfied that you have properly dimensioned each character? If you have villains in your story make sure you have made them powerful and resourceful, not reduced to the idiot level. In real life, the bad guys are highly formidable and dangerous individuals. Real life is full of grim games played by grim people. So should your fictional world be, if that is the type of story you are presenting. Do not indulge in some juvenile misunderstanding of the forces that move and shake this world. Some people are dangerous, not because a gun is in their hand, but because something cold and deadly is in their hearts. So make sure you are presenting a credible world with the world of your novel.

“The paradox of good fiction is that the fictional world must seem more understandable and coherent to the reader than the world in which he lives daily. So to connect with the readers, the writer had better be in complete charge of the world he creates at the keyboard. Pointless defiance of real world logic is available all the time on television. Don't expose your readers to anything but a setting of characters in a logical cause and effect world.

“When you have edited your manuscript to a high polish, when you love every word you have placed there, set it aside for a few days. When you pick it up again, and you find you still love every word there, you are then ready, novelist, to present it to the world.
“But brace yourself. Your presentation may not be received with the open arms you expect and hope for. The days ahead can be filled with frustration and rejection. In those times, though, the important thing to remember is, you have fulfilled your dream of becoming a novelist, and you have taken your vision from that place inside, to that place where books really are–outside.”

Don went on to write about marketing your book and hopefully selling it. At the time he wrote the book, the only way to publish was via a traditional publisher, or with original vanity publishing which could cost you a small fortune, or self publish and sell your books out of the back of your car, as a few well-known authors have done. James Redfield and The Celestine Prophecy comes to mind, as does Richard Paul Evans who also wrote another best-seller, The Christmas Box; and a more recent book, The Shack.

Today we consider the Internet and the incredible technology to be so much a part of our lives, and I believe if Don were still alive he would be in favor of what many authors are now doing with self-publishing and e-books.

He wrote: “Play the game and give it all the artful attention you possess. I shudder to think of all the talented writers I have known who are still unpublished because they never learned to play the game to their best advantage. In a card game, you know, there is a time to sit tight and a time to fold. Play your publishing moment to its best advantage.

“If you have not yet found that moment then you need to get actively involved in your own destiny. Even a moment that may be pre-ordained needs a willing and active interest in those whispers from the muses, a driving force that propels you into that fateful encounter. It will not come looking for you unless you have already "prepared the soil" for a fertile encounter.

“Develop an understanding of the publishing world. “

Get actively involved in your own destiny. Yes, Don would be in favor of self-publishing especially when you know you have produced a credible and quality work. You have a choice and you don’t have to waste time and seek permission to share your book with the world.

The time can be now! Go for it!

Kindle, Smashwords, Createspace, not only give us darn good royalties that are not found in traditional publishing, but give us opportunity to share our works worldwide.



The Metaphysics of the Novel is available at Kindle, Smashwords, and other ebook online stores and in print at Amazon.com
~Linda