tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post7334266884163384721..comments2023-10-29T03:17:13.943-07:00Comments on Anthology News and Reviews: Review of Jim Musgrave's The President's ParasiteDonna Sundbladhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03931096970113616734noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-8411061365268444132008-07-16T03:46:00.000-07:002008-07-16T03:46:00.000-07:00Thanks, Jim! And thanks, Donna!:DThanks, Jim! And thanks, Donna!<BR/><BR/>:Dbenninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12883327259794768568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-28097861375588983212008-07-15T19:59:00.000-07:002008-07-15T19:59:00.000-07:00It was fun for me as well. Any buzz I can get abo...It was fun for me as well. Any buzz I can get about my book is okay by me! See you on the virtual book trail!musgravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12776251414225514169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-55132583207847299132008-07-15T19:56:00.000-07:002008-07-15T19:56:00.000-07:00Jim,Thanks for stopping by Anthology News and Revi...Jim,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by Anthology News and Reviews. It's been great to learn more about you.<BR/><BR/>DonnaDonna Sundbladhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03931096970113616734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-34991028460301483472008-07-15T19:04:00.000-07:002008-07-15T19:04:00.000-07:00benning,I am also a publisher, so it's not too dif...benning,<BR/><BR/>I am also a publisher, so it's not too difficult either way. I have sold some stories to literary magazines and ezines.musgravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12776251414225514169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-38209499973095099032008-07-15T14:43:00.000-07:002008-07-15T14:43:00.000-07:00I, too, am stopping by from WVU. Hi, Jim!Do you fi...I, too, am stopping by from WVU. Hi, Jim!<BR/><BR/>Do you find it more difficult getting your short stories published rather than longer works?benninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12883327259794768568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-26601536957699564942008-07-15T14:07:00.000-07:002008-07-15T14:07:00.000-07:00Hi Jim,I guess the thread would be your muse. Your...Hi Jim,<BR/><BR/>I guess the thread would be your muse. Your work shows originality that is hard to find these days.<BR/><BR/>DonnaDonna Sundbladhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03931096970113616734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-58681702218859692622008-07-15T13:04:00.000-07:002008-07-15T13:04:00.000-07:00Hi Donna and welcome from West Virginia!I collecte...Hi Donna and welcome from West Virginia!<BR/><BR/>I collected the stories over 15 years and I chose the title because the stories seemed to fit my frame of mind after eight years of the Bush Administration. If people can find the "golden thread" that ties these stories together then they deserve an "A" for critiquing my work.musgravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12776251414225514169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-2733909166394680032008-07-15T13:00:00.000-07:002008-07-15T13:00:00.000-07:00Jim,I noticed the typo but wasn't going to say any...Jim,<BR/>I noticed the typo but wasn't going to say anything. :-)<BR/><BR/>I did like Stephen Kings, On Writing, but I learned more about him the man than I did WRITING.<BR/><BR/>What you're saying is I need to work on my grammar (my spelling is exceptional) and learn how to have fun telling lies?<BR/><BR/>I mean, Tell Lies for Fun and Profit?<BR/><BR/>Which is basically what we do as writers when we take a non-fiction tale, and spin a web of, intrigue, and call it fiction.<BR/><BR/>I await your answer to Donna! <BR/><BR/>Good one Donna! <BR/>Jonijonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03401569094090026684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-31869239410333086342008-07-15T12:23:00.000-07:002008-07-15T12:23:00.000-07:00Hi,Visiting from WVU. The title of this book is ce...Hi,<BR/><BR/>Visiting from WVU. The title of this book is certainly intriguing. How important do you think a title is?<BR/>I also liked your suggestion to "start in the middle" sometimes."<BR/><BR/>ShirleyShirley E. Watsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03635372152170248582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-41657955585542338712008-07-15T10:27:00.000-07:002008-07-15T10:27:00.000-07:00You know, Jim, if you don't mention misspelled wor...You know, Jim, if you don't mention misspelled words, most people don't even notice them on blogs. :) But I believe students may look at it all with a more critical eye.<BR/><BR/>One question I have for you deals with the fact that this is a collection of short stories. Did you write these stories with an anthology in mind, or did you have a collection of short stories in your files and decide to pull them together into <I>The President's Parasite and Other Short Stories</I>?<BR/><BR/>Oh, one more question...how did you come to settle on the title?<BR/><BR/>DonnaDonna Sundbladhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03931096970113616734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-36566556580486733232008-07-15T10:00:00.000-07:002008-07-15T10:00:00.000-07:00Sorry for the spelling and missed words! My stude...Sorry for the spelling and missed words! My students are laughing their collective "arses" off.musgravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12776251414225514169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-11899446537096517232008-07-15T09:58:00.000-07:002008-07-15T09:58:00.000-07:00Hi Joni,Thanks for stopping by. Your questions ar...Hi Joni,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by. Your questions are excellent. For the first, some of stories are directly based on actual events, and it's rather obvious when you read them. However, I make them fiction by taking the voice (or point-of-view) of a specific character to give the story a unique "feel." For example, I wrote a baseball story recently (not in the collection) about a Mayan woman who learns to through a knuckleball and becomes the first woman signed to a contract in the major leagues. I wrote it from the point-of-view of her agent, in the first draft, but an editor suggested I tell it from her viewpoint, and this worked a lot better! With real-life incidents (this was not real-life), the choice of narrator is extremely important to the story's impact.<BR/><BR/>Secrets? Since I'm a college composition and writing teacher, I must say "learn your basics first," meaning grammar, punctuation and spelling. The next best secret is to get a good "manual" of technique, such as TELLING LIES FOR FUN AND PROFIT, but Lawrence Block. Stephen King's book on writing, although entertaining, is really not a book on how one hones the craft.<BR/><BR/>Thanks, and keep on truckin'!<BR/><BR/>Jimmusgravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12776251414225514169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-70390192826083393492008-07-15T08:44:00.000-07:002008-07-15T08:44:00.000-07:00Hi Joni,Jim will be here in a bit to answer your q...Hi Joni,<BR/><BR/>Jim will be here in a bit to answer your questions. Thanks for stopping by, it's always good to have you.<BR/><BR/>DonnaDonna Sundbladhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03931096970113616734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-445971689729349640.post-21644793904849905892008-07-15T07:47:00.000-07:002008-07-15T07:47:00.000-07:00Good morning Donna,I had to visit. I like it when ...Good morning Donna,<BR/>I had to visit. I like it when I have the chance to win something and this book looks very intriguing!<BR/><BR/>I'm a Twilight Zone kind of gal. <BR/><BR/>Jim, <BR/>Two questions:<BR/>Are the stories all fictional tales or are they loosely based on true stories?<BR/><BR/><BR/>Do you have any advice for the up and coming writer? I think you’ll say persistence in learning the craft, but I think I’m asking is there any little secrets that we as ‘newcomer’s’ are not aware of yet?<BR/><BR/><BR/>Thanks in advance for your precious time,<BR/><BR/>Jonijonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03401569094090026684noreply@blogger.com