Many thanks to Brett for all the hours and creative talent he has donated in support of my literary career. He makes it look so easy, but he labors over every piece of creative he produces whether it’s a book cover or a website design or piece publicity collateral. I literally don’t know what I’d do without him and in addition, he provides endless moral support.

More soon on the paper back release of Volume Two: A Novel – I’ll keep you posted!

ttyl

Wanda

You can watch Apocalypse VARGA live online every Thursday night at 10pm EST using the following link. There’s a USTREAM video player on the page.

http://vargagallery.com/ApocalypseVARGA.htm

NOTE: The site says the show airs every Wednesday but there has been a scheduling update. Don’t be confused and think you missed it.

Since this is a live show airing from the gallery, you have to tune in to watch. I’ll be calling in from the west coast around 10:15pm EST but you won’t want to miss a minute of Varga and Chloe so set your alarm:

Chloe Valentine & Christina Varga

Many thanks to Chloe and Christina (above) for inviting me back for a second appearance on Apocalypse VARGA.  It’s wonderful to see the VARGA Gallery getting ready for its 9th anniversary this summer and I can’t wait!

ttyl

Wanda

“Wanda Shapiro has done it again! She weaves an entire novel to take place in the time-space of a couple’s one-night quarrel. A Proustian examination of the intricacies of relationship and the inner monologs and misunderstandings that bring two people, in turn, farther away from and, ultimately, closer to each other. Told with ironic humor and a veracity of psychological tete-a-tete. A fun read.”

Kenneth Jedding – Psychotherapist and author of Higher Education: On Life, Landing a Job, and Everything Else They Didn’t Teach you in College

Soon Volume Two: A Novel will be available to everyone on my site and in paperback. I’m working with my cover designer to finalize the cover for printing and this week I’m putting together a list of site changes for my web developer. I’m also finalizing the interior book pages and working with my publicist on some new press kit materials. It’s been a busy 2012 so far but I took a nice stay-cation over the holidays and I’m looking forward to getting Volume Two through the publishing pipeline so I can return focus to my third novel, Knock Knock Mr. Vance.

Here’s a picture of me (and Oscar) hard at work on the cover of Volume Two.  Brett Franklin, who does the majority of the actual work during our working sessions, is taking the photo.

Working hard with Brett Franklin (and Oscar) on the cover of Volume Two: A Novel which is coming soon.

Many thanks to all the private release readers and everyone on my indie literature team. I’m feeling particularly grateful this new year.

ttyl

Wanda

VIDEO: Author Wanda Shapiro at 212 Pier Cafe

VIDEO: Author Wanda Shapiro reading from Chapter Nine of Sometimes That Happens With Chicken: A Novel

Many thanks to T. Watson for shooting and editing this video and for adding his name to a long list of One Girl One Novel volunteers.

More videos to come in 2012 and may this New Year bring you all joy and happiness.

Happy New Year!

Wanda

A very large part of me would rather be occupying LA than sitting in my living room with my trusty laptop and my feet up, but I’m finding ways every day to support the 99%. And yesterday’s two month anniversary has inspired me to voice my solidarity.

With every dollar you spend, you make a choice and you make a statement. And unlike the actual voting polls, you get a chance to vote every day when you open your wallet. Think about how many dollars you spend every day and really think about where that money goes.

When you shop corporate, you’re telling the 1% that you don’t mind their spurious business practices and unfair labor agreements. You’re telling them you don’t mind their boringly homogenous, ridiculously low quality, frighteningly ecologically unfriendly products. You’re telling them that you think it’s okay for CEOs to make millions while their employees are facing foreclosure. 

Seriously. Think about it. Every dollar you spend at a corporate chain store of any kind is a vote for the 1%.

On the other hand, when you shop indie, you’re telling the 99% that you’re with them and for them. And when you shop indie, you’re making more of a difference than you realize.

When you shop indie, you’re voting for quality and equality. You’re voting for the redistribution of wealth and sustainable business practices. You’re voting for the environment and the economic health of your own neighborhood or someone else’s. You’re voting for small businesses and hard working individuals. You’re voting for less toxic products and an un-homogenized marketplace.

So…

Me personally, I’ve been shopping at flea markets and farmer’s markets for years. And I’ve been called a pinko commie for being a diehard Starbucks objector. But lately, as I’ve searched for ways to support the 99%, I’ve taken my anti-corporate shopping to a new level.

For example, I need some new bedding which is one of the things I’ve always gone to the big box stores for. And even though I keep going back for more, I’ve been increasingly disappointed by the low quality of the sheets and comforters I’ve purchased. Even when I buy the more expensive products, the sheets and pillow cases don’t ever seem to fit, the color fades almost immediately, and the darn things seem to just fall apart in the washing machine.

This is what the 1% sells us. Crappy products. Crappy products that all look the same no matter where you go. And me personally, I’m sick and tired of it.

So instead of just complaining about the comforter that is falling apart and how the next one is going to do the same, I’m shopping for my new bedding on Etsy. I’m in conversation with Alissa in Ontario about a mattress pad from thewOOlyOwl shop which sells upcycled wool alternatives for conscientious families. And I got a message back from Kim at OrganicComfort in Wisconsin about a quilted mattress cover.  I’ll also be reaching out to a woman named Nurdan who makes sheets and duvets at her home in Istanbul.

I’ll spend a little more money than I would at Bed Bath & Beyond or Crate & Barrel, but my bedding will all be handmade, I’m sure the sheets will fit, and they’ll probably last forever. The money I spend won’t go to some giant corporation and no CEO’s salary will get a cut. My hard earned dollars will go to three hard working, talented women who are the 99% just like me.

Seriously. Think about it.

Unfortunately, the 1% has complete control over a lot of things they shouldn’t. But they really don’t control your spending unless you let them.

Don’t be lazy.

Don’t be held hostage by convenience.

Don’t give yet more of your money to the 1%.

Shop indie (not corporate) and support the 99%.

srsly

Wanda Shapiro – one of the 99%

I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite comments so far without mentioning where they came from or who wrote them.

“Thanks for the advance on your book! It’s very captivating so far & I’m only 20 pages in.”

“Wanda Shapiro has done it again!”

“It is fun and I am enjoying it. I think you have an other winner on your hands, Bravo girlfriend. So proud to know you.”

“I love your use of body language. You are a master!!!”

“I’ve already started it. Nice job. Fast moving!! Fun, relatable. Love, love, the T-shirt passage on pg 17. You go girl!!”

“I am reading new sneak peak of @WandaShapiro awesome 2nd book”

One of my favorite comments was on facebook within hours of this private release hitting the inboxes of my newsletter subscribers.

“You should have waited until we were done working! If everyone else is like me, we’re gonna need to go home early!! ”

Many thanks to everyone who is providing feedback during the private release phase of Volume Two. Next, the free pdf will go live on my site and shortly there after the paperback and kindle versions will be available. 

Apologies to those of you who didn’t sign up to my newsletter in time for this private release. My publicist and I were going to try to reach out to all of you individually but I got too many of those messages and subscriptions in the days after the release to keep up. 

But rest assured, Volume Two will be totally public soon and you’ll all have a chance to dig in.

Thanks again!

Wanda

Go to my website. Enter your email address. And click join. It’s that easy. And if that’s not clear enough, here’s a picture…

Many thanks to everyone who has reached out to me with encouraging words at this milestone moment in my life. In a way, it’s been a walk in the park compared with the effort it took to bring Chicken to market, but in another way, it’s been much more trying.

Your encouragement is endlessly appreciated and I can’t wait to get cracking on number three!

ttyl

Wanda

This social media extravaganza was organized by George Davis (aka @virtualDavis and @RosslynRedux) – a fellow writer, a long time tweep, and a fan of Sometimes That Happens With Chicken. George invited  me to be part of a panel discussion regarding the intersection of social media and publishing which was expertly moderated and immediately interesting.

The panelists came from a broad spectrum of backgrounds, giving the audience a panoply of perspectives when questions were fielded. I was joined on the panel by John Warren, Sarah Wilson and Amy Guglielmo.

A 25-year veteran media professional, John Warren (@adkalmanack) is a journalist, author, and historian whose work has ranged from traditional to new media. He is the founder and editor of two popular online magazines, Adirondack Almanack and New York History, the author of two books of regional history and a weekly contributor to North County Public Radio.

Sarah Wilson (@swbizcom) collaborates with agencies, executives, and authors on how to navigate an increasingly fragmented media landscape with a targeted and effective approach. She is Supervisor for Content, Public Relations & Social Media with AdWorkshop/Inphorm, an award winning employee owned digital marketing agency. She is also a PR & Social Media Consultant with YouCast, a premiere NYC social media start up. And, Sarah is a Preferred Provider for marketing & PR content for SheWrites.com, an online community of over 15,000 women writers. 

Amy Guglielmo (@amyguglielmo) is an artist, teacher, and co-author of the best-selling Touch the Art (@touchtheart) children’s series (Sterling 2006, 2009, 2010). After actively and successfully marketing Touch the Art with traditional techniques she has adopted social media as her primary platform building strategy. Amy recently completed her first novel, and is using Twitter and Facebook to foster new connections in the changing world of publishing. Amy is one of the founders of the blog WhyNoKids.com. She lives in Plattsburgh, New York and Tamarindo, Costa Rica with her husband, a freelance writer. 

Thankfully, the panel discussion was filmed and a wonderful highlight reel was put together by Josh Clement (aka @josh_clement). Use the link below to watch the video and many thanks to Josh.

VIDEO:

ADK827 – A Discussion on Writing, Publishing, & Social Media in The Adirondacks

http://youtu.be/YFcPCoYZxzQ

Another highlight of #ADK827 was the appearance of Dino Dogan, founder of Triberr – a completely new kind of social media platform designed specifically for bloggers. Dino gave a presentation during the social media luncheon about how bloggers can use Triberr to multiply their reach. You can use the link below to watch Dino explain Triberr and its benefits.

VIDEO:

Triberr founder Dino Dogan speaks at ADK827

http://youtu.be/pOMWY8xwaEs

You can see my pics from this event at on my Flickr photo stream though I wish I had taken more pictures. We were too busy talking to take pictures but we were in a particularly beautiful place.

ONE GIRL ONE NOVEL FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/onegirlonenovel/sets/72157627849967784/

If you’re ever in the Adirondacks, I highly recommend a few days in Essex, NY. It’s a beautiful little town on the shore of Lake Champlain with breath-taking vistas and a ferry that will take you across the lake to Vermont.

I also highly recommend you follow all of the tweeps in attendance at #ADK 827. Not everyone in attendance is active on Twitter but I’ve listed the ones who are below. And some folks have two twitter accounts so I’ve attempted to list them all.

Many thanks to George Davis and his wonderful wife for organizing and hosting this event. They opened up their town and their boat house and their home to us all and it was greatly appreciated by many. Thanks also to my fellow panelists and event goers for making #ADK827 an amazing day. I’m so glad I took the time to fly east for this social media extravaganza and I look forward to all the ways the people I met there will inevitably enrich my life.

ttyl

Wanda

On Saturday, August 27, social media stars from throughout the Adirondack region will gather in Essex, New York (@EssexNY) for #ADK827 – an afternoon and evening of networking, brainstorming and celebrating. George has a whole day of events planned and I will be one of the panelists for the afternoon panel discussion: At the crossroads of writing, publishing and social media.

Here’s a link to George’s blog with all the event details:

George was, “…unabashedly, irreversibly seduced by Rosslyn, a sagging-but-still-stately, almost two century year old property on the Adirondack shores of Lake Champlain.” After you check out his #ADK827 post, I highly recommend you poke around his site – Rosslyn Redux – where you can live vicariously through this Adirondack renovation adventure. Personally, I can’t wait for his book to come out.

This kind of event invitation really gets to the heart of indie literature, which is all about readers. It’s readers like George Davis who will make or break indie literature, and for me personally, it’s fans like George who keep me going.

And speaking of keeping going, Volume Two is days away from private release. I’ll be sending the first digital copy of Volume Two: A Novel to my loyal newsletter subscribers next week. More info coming soon and if you haven’t already joined, sign up for my newsletter above. Enter your email address and click join to get your name on the short list.

This weekend I’ll be busy working, but next weekend I’ll be here…in Essex, NY.

Rosslyn Waterfront in Essex, NY (photo by Betsy Bacot-Aigner)

Many thanks to George Davis for this invitation and for all the planning that’s gone into this social media extravaganza.  #ADK827 here I come! 

ttyl

Wanda

I wish I had better pictures of it, but here’s one that gives you a view of the both my writing tools.

Here’s another one that gives you a closer view of the timeline.

And here’s an extreme close up.

My timeline for Chicken covered 100 years, from 1900 – 2000, and included historical events along with the key dates for each of the characters. The information on the timeline was drawn from many sources and it had some extensive color coding. I wrote everything in fine point sharpie and it was a work in progress for many months. It was hung on the wall with an absurd number of tacks and I used to have nightmares about fires–smoke would be creeping in the room and there I’d be with a butter knife, furiously prying tacks out of the wall.

That timeline now lives in my closet, scrolled up on two big dowels, in a plastic case I fashioned for it. I don’t have nightmares about losing it in a fire anymore, though I would definitely try to grab it if I woke up and smelled smoke.

This time, for Knock Knock Mr. Vance, I’ve decided to go digital. I’m using Timeline Maker Pro (http://www.timelinemaker.com/), which I hope I don’t regret. This time, no one but me will get to see my timeline grow, but the digital data entry is much more forgiving and much less time consuming. Since Knock Knock Mr. Vance involves violin history, I’ll be covering more like 500 years of history, not just 100, which is why it still seems giant, even with out the big roll of paper. This software I found seemed like the best option since my timeline will now be portable and backed up six ways to Tuesday.

I promise I’m working on the editing of my second novel in parallel, but I could no longer restrain myself from jumping back into my third novel. I’m enjoying this research endlessly and Volume Two is moving along nicely. The hard edit is completely done now, so we’re down to proofreading and the cover.

Make sure you’ve signed up for my mailing list if you want to be included in the initial private release of Volume Two: A Novel, which is coming soon.

ttyl

Wanda