Rebeca Schiller

While I continue my research on all the numerous topics that Julius touches upon, I’ve taken the presumptuous luxury of daydreaming of what the book’s cover would look like if I actually finish it and if it ever gets published (presumably if you envision your goals, it helps with achieving them.)

Pretty spiffy, Huh? But what’s it all about? I’ve been dreading to write the synopsis because it’s about so many things. However as Keith Recker, editor, founder, my boss, and colleague at HAND/EYE Magazine wisely said, “Don’t be afraid of what you have to do.”

So here goes . . .

Set in New York City’s Lower East Side in 2006 and 2007, Julius is the story of Corinne Sand and Jake Wells, a marketing communications executive and an attorney, who hate their lucrative occupations and dream of

This past Friday evening I attended an event at our local library on how to sell your book. The panel of experts consisted of two agents and two editors. For the most part much of what they said I knew, but I figured I would attend because they are folks in the industry that live here (actually they have second homes. They all live in Manhattan) and I figured it would be smart to schmooze a bit.

The one thing that stood out was the discussion of Ghost Editors. It seems the two editors on the panel would rather see most of the work polished by the author rather than receive a manuscript that has been doctored. These editors believe that with the agent making her tweaks, then having an editor make more tweaks, the author’s voice is lost.

One of my writing mentors strongly believes

Last year I read all three of Stieg Larsson’s books–The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl who Played with Fire, and The Girl who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest--and when I learned the first book was made into a film in Sweden, I was curious of how it would play on the silver screen.

Thanks to Netflix, I had the chance to watch The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Impressions? Had I not read the book, I would have thought it was a bit on the slow side. Playing the role of critic, I would have liked the characters more drawn out, and know more of their back story. The secondary subplot–Blomquist’s slander trial–was almost swept under the carpet, and the conclusion to me seemed rushed.

However I did read the first book (to read my review go to Alvah’s Books), and