CINDY APPEL NEWSLETTER FOR MAY 2004
IN THIS ISSUE:
My monthly column update
Book Happenings
Q & A Time

Happy Mother’s Day!

I can’t really believe it myself, but it’s been six very full years since I started writing “Every Day *Is* Mother’s Day”, first as a weekly column for the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram Online and then as a monthly for Miscellaneous Ramblings. It all began in May and—you guessed it--my first column was all about being a mom, hence the title. (The “Is” was originally italicized to emphasize that “Mother’s Day” is an every day occurrence once a woman becomes a mom. But for some unknown reason the italics always get lost in the coding of this newsletter. Go figure!)

This month marks another anniversary of sorts, too. This online newsletter began in May of 2001. Wow, and they said I’d never keep it going. Thanks to all of you I have. You’re a terrific audience. :-)

This month’s column honors us moms who put up with a lot from our kids (especially our teenagers) but we keep on loving them anyway.

“Every Day *Is* Mother’s Day” for May: “Still Your Mom” now online at:
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/cynthianna/momsday_index.html
(You may have to copy and paste the above URL into your web browser to get it to work. And don’t forget to “share it with a friend” by passing the link along.)

And, as always, I appreciate your feedback.

Last month’s column about my take on Mel Gibson’s “The Passion” inspired quite a few of you to write. Here’s a sampling of your comments:

Hi, Cindy, I so enjoyed your review of "The Passion". Beautifully done! I've sent it along to everyone on my list. Elaine R.

That was awesome! Carolyn H.

WOW! I think I will see the "Passion" today, have been putting it off. Kitty

What an article! Thanks.I couldn't put my thoughts in to words like that. Joann


~~BOOK HAPPENINGS~~

I’ll be in Festus, Missouri, on Saturday, May 8, to speak with the Jefferson County Chapter of the Missouri Writers Guild about--you guessed it--manuscript preparation and submitting. If you happen to be in the area, stop by the meeting and be sure to introduce yourself.

THE MANUSCRIPT-EATING SLUSH PILE MONSTER (my funny “how-not-to” get published book) isn’t quite on the shelves yet. (Sigh!) As soon as I know the exact release date, I promise I’ll let you know. (Read how you can get your name in a drawing to win a free copy in the Q & A section of this newsletter.) :-)

My humorous parenting essays, “The Buck Stops Where?” and “Survival of the Field Trip Fittest,” are featured in a new anthology entitled MISADVENTURES of MOMS AND DISASTERS OF DADS from Moms-in-Print Books. You can catch the delightful cover, check out the authors featured and find out how you can order a copy by hitting the link below.

http://www.momsinprint.com/books.html

P.S. It’ll make a great Mother’s Day gift! And, as an added bonus, proceeds from the book are being donated to the fight against breast cancer. :-)

And believe it or not, you can still order my two romance novels online or by special order through your favorite bookstore.

COUNTRY BOY, CITY GIRL (ISBN 1-58851-918-X)
Publish America Inc. http://www.publishamerica.com
(trade paperback edition—available through Amazon.com, BN.com, Wal-Mart.com and other online booksellers. Electronic formats available at Wings ePress.)

THE FIXER-UPPERS (ISBN 1-59088-984-3)
Wings ePress http://www.wings-press.com
(trade paperback and electronic editions)

It’s time for everybody’s favorite—

~~Q & A TIME~~

Q: Hi, I enjoyed your newsletter. I would like to know what inspired you to write the book, THE MANUSCRIPT-EATING SLUSH PILE MONSTER? I love that title by the way! Those monter's are only prevalent where you live, I hope. *G* (warily checking under my desk...)Teresa H.


A: That's a great question, Teresa. Thanks for sending it in. (I'll put your name in the hat for the book drawing, too.)

The biggest inspiration I had for writing THE MANUSCRIPT-EATING SLUSH PILE MONSTER was
the desire to give out a few "inside tips" to help writers increase their chances of getting their books
considered seriously by publishing professionals.

I know when I started submitting my novels I was often discouraged by the entire process. (And, to be honest, I'm still am.) It seemed to me that many editors and agents never read beyond the first few pages or chapters of my manuscript before making a judgment. How could I get them to at least consider the whole
she-bang?

It wasn't until after I took a job reading manuscripts for an editorial listing service that I started noticing a similar pattern in rejected manuscripts. These relatively small (yet powerful) handful of problems kept popping up over and over again... I thought, "If only people knew what to avoid, what to look out for, and how to improve their manuscripts how much more successful they could be!"

Now, I may sound like I'm pursuing a noble cause, but in reality I'm not. I'm basically selfish. I don't want to continue rejecting the majority of manuscripts I read in the future. It's really no fun. I want to see writers succeed so I--and the rest of the world--can enjoy the fruit of their creativity. I mean, it really hurts to have to reject a potentially good story and great characters if the author can't construct a decent sentence or follow submission guidelines.

After all, I've learned that publishing professionals are very busy people. The main reason they only read a few pages is that if a writer doesn't "hook" the reader in those important first pages and inspire confidence in his/her story-telling craft then the sheer volume of the slush pile is working against that book. There are other manuscripts to consider--and toss. It's cruel but true.

I sincerely hope that armed with the knowledge in THE MANUSCRIPT-EATING SLUSH PILE MONSTER the "monsters" will never-ever haunt your writing desk! :-)

Thanks again for your question. Happy writing always,
Cindy

Anyone who emails me a question--any question, related to writing, publishing or whatever--from now until THE MANUSCRIPT-EATING SLUSH PILE MONSTER release date will be entered into a drawing for a free copy. So, don’t be shy! Email your questions to me at cynthianna@hotmail.com.(Do not hit "reply" to this newsletter or your email will bounce.) Results guaranteed or double your money back. ;-)

Check out answers to previous questions online at: http://pages.sbcglobal.net/cynthianna/writingtips.html

Enjoy the “May flowers” and don’t forget to give your mom a big hug this Mother’s Day—and every day. She deserves it!

God Bless--
Cindy
(aka Cynthianna Appel)
My web site: http://pages.sbcglobal.net/cynthianna

P.S. Feel free to forward this newsletter on to all your email friends. Better yet, tell them to sign up to receive a copy in their own email box. You'll be glad you did! (If you do forward it, please forward the entire contents and not just bits and pieces. Thank you.)