Our “rape culture” and how to change it.


This needs to stopNo, there is nothing magical or beautiful about that title. And the magic will only come with the change. I have posted many things about this topic, reposted many pictures and voiced my outrage many times.

This is a personal subject to me, as I know it is to millions. If you haven’t been affected by rape at some point in your life, you love someone who has, I guarantee it. But we keep teaching the wrong thing to the wrong set of people. Teaching our girls they have to live in fear, they have to be sure they don’t dress a certain way or speak a certain way or drink at a party… this does nothing if we don’t teach our boys. And “no means no” is NOT good enough. Just ask her:

Innocent victims

The message needs to be “Only YES means YES” and it needs to be taught to our boys and girls alike.

I found this post today, written by Rebecca Yarros – a superhero -  and it had me reduced to tears in minutes. Oh, if only all the moms in all the world would write this letter to their children.

Please read this post, and please share it. This is important. This is important right now.

Rebbeca’s post: “Dear boys, we protect those who are smaller.”

I would love to hear your thoughts on this, I would love it even more if you shared Rebecca’s post with the world.

CHARMING Cover Reveal!


It’s been a while, I know. I’ve had so much amazing, magical and beautiful news but not enough time to share it. But here is something magical and beautiful I want to share with the world! The cover for CHARMING by my wonderfully talented client Elliott James.

Here is the amazing cover, designed by Wendy Chan over at Orbit! Read to the end for a chance to win a galley copy of Charming! Continue reading →

Auction Item #21 – Full Manuscript Critique by Susan Breen


Susan Breen is the author of The Fiction Class, published by Plume/Penguin. She teaches novel-writing at Gotham Writers Workshop and was a conference leader at SCWW. She is offering a full manuscript evaluation with up to a 5 page report. Amazing!

For information about the auction, see the original post here.

Please leave bids in comments. Thank you!

Auction Item #20 – Signed Copies of books for parents.


John-Richard ThompsonDo you have a child with learning disabilities, or know anyone who has a child with LD?   Authors Anne Ford (great grand-daughter of Henry Ford) and John-Richard Thompson will donate signed copies of their three books published by HarperCollins and Newmarket Press: Laughing Allegra, On Their Own, and A Special Mother.  All three were designated finalists in the Books for a Better Life Awards by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

A cover quote from Tom Brokaw says: “This smart and welcome book is a gift for all parents, not just those with children with learning disabilities.”

For information about the auction, see the original post here.

Please leave bids in comments. Thank you!

Auction Item #19 – One Act Play Critique or Page to Stage Consultation by John-Richard


John-Richard ThompsonFROM PAGE TO STAGE:    Ever thought of writing a play?  Or maybe adapting one of your short stories to the stage?  Award-winning playwright and director John-Richard Thompson, veteran of seven plays produced in New York City, will donate a detailed critique of your one act play or two one-hour phone (or in person if in NYC) consultation sessions for your adaptation from story to stage (one before or in the early drafts of the adaptation, and one to critique and polish the final result).

For information about the auction, see the original post here.

Please leave bids in comments. Thank you!

Auction Item #18 – Personalized Poem by Arlene Lagos


Arlene LagosAuthor and Poet, Arlene Lagos has been writing for over 20 years. She started writing poetry at the young age of 10. By age 17, she had her first poem, “Revolution” published in the International Society of Poets Anthology, “River of Dreams”. Since then, she has spent many years hosting tables at different venues giving others the chance to honor their life stories and memories in a framed personalized poem.

Maybe it’s a memory of your honeymoon, or a first date? Perhaps you would like a poem to give to a child going off to college, or to a parent or a friend who has helped you through a difficult time?  Bid on this item and if you win, Arlene Lagos will speak with you online or over the phone to get as much detail as possible to make this personalized poem something you can frame on your wall, or even pass down through generations.

Here are some samples:

http://beyondearthseries.com/2012/12/24/little-angels/

http://beyondearthseries.com/2013/01/16/blink-once/

For information about the auction, see the original post here.

Please leave bids in comments. Thank you!