Tag Archives: Fuchsia

What is a Readers Responsibility

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I am a writer. I write books, newspaper articles and an opinion column. I am also a reader. I love to read. I must admit I like fiction better than history. I like romance better than war. I like Cozy Mysteries better than gore and violence.

I also feel as a writer and a reader it is important to leave reviews of those books and articles I have read. As a writer I also receive reviews on what I have written. As I was reading those reviews some great, some good and some not to good I started thinking about my responsibility as a reader when leaving those reviews. How can I  give a review that describes my feelings about a book, especially if it is one I am not fond of, without being destructive and brutal.

We’ve all had those destructive and brutal reviews. It could be our writing is not up to snuff but as I investigated my reviews and the reviews of other authors, I found that many of the brutal reviews, even for best selling books have a piece of the story about the person doing the reviewing that is not being told.

When Oprah had her book club, this was before the Kindle, I would buy some of the books Oprah recommended. She loved the books and her fans did too. Without mentioning any of the names of the books, I will tell you that more times than not I did not like the books. They were best sellers but I would read them and they left me flat. This was before it was so easy online to review books. If I had been reviewing them on Amazon I would have had to look hard and long for honesty in my review. Did I not like the books because they weren’t any good or they weren’t well written? No, I did not like the books because they weren’t the type of book I usually would read. It would not have been fair of me to trash the book and give it a bad rating. The fault was not in the book but in the choice of a book for me to read.

I recently ordered some tea for a gift for a person. I didn’t take the time to look at the description of the tea. I, who know nothing about tea, thought the name sounded cool so I ordered it. It turned out it was tea smoked with Pine Tar and we thought we could actually smoke ribs with this tea. Other people raved about the tea. It was not the right type of tea for the person that was receiving it. Was it the fault of it being bad tea, no. It was the fault of the person that ordered it and that happened to be me. I did not pay attention when looking for a tea. I got excited about name and not a description.

I have learned, when ordering tea and when ordering a book on Amazon or downloading a free book, I need to check the description, length of the read or flavor of the product and then make a choice. I still read some books I normally would not read. Occasionally I will pick up a history or geography or something very out of my realm. Recently I downloaded a book from Amazon. It cost me $4.99. It was the work of an author I had previously read. I absolutely did not like the book because of the content. Did I ask for my money back? No. I made the choice. Did I leave a bad review. No. I felt I had to be fair. I gave it a three and explained it probably deserved better but it was not the type of book I normally read or liked and if someone liked that genre of book it probably deserved a better rating.

Then there are the books that I start reading but do not finish. If that happens I usually do not leave a review at all. However if I see it as a book problem I will find the author and email them and discuss it with them. Maybe I am wrong. If I can’t reach the author and I do leave a review I usually explain gently my feelings about the book.

When buying a book online I would offer this advice to readers. Check out the book details, check out the reviews. If you see a bad review, check out the reviewer. This has to do with the there is more to the story that I mentioned above. It has been my experience that the bad review has more to do with the fact the reader doesn’t like that type of book. If you look at the readers reviews check out the books they gave high reviews vs the ones that got low reviews. You may find there is a pattern. There are also the reviewers that trash every book they read. Before you exclude a book that you had previously been excited about owning, look into the entire story behind the reviewer.

I have asked myself at times when looking at someone’s reviews when they had trashed a book, why they had even chosen that book to read because it was clear it wasn’t what they liked. I might add if you are one of those that leaves a scathing review with no tact, think about the person on the other end of the review. What if it were you and it were your book? Does it may you feel good to make someone feel bad? Authors have pretty thick skins but it doesn’t mean once in a while that the barb hits. There are times criticism in a review as long as it is tactful and constructive is a good thing.

Just a little musing as I was leaving a review. The next time you choose a book, check out the details. Is a mystery? Is for kids or adults? Does it have enough pages for you? Does it contain any type of material that you would not like? Know the facts before your buy.

cropped-collage.jpgThe next time you read a book and you leave a review I challenge you to ask yourself what your responsibility is as a reader. Is it to bash and trash, fling and sting or heighten and enlighten? Only you know for sure.

I’m Not Too Old For A Pillow Pet!

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0310_peaceful_bear_Column: Something About Nothing, by Julie Seedorf  Published in the Albert Lea Tribune and The Courier Sentinel week of March 8, 2014

I have a Pillow Pet. I asked for a Pillow Pet for Christmas. The name of my Pillow Pet is Peaceful Bear. Peaceful Bear is a rainbow of colors with a peace symbol on his paw. He was a gift from my Granddaughter and Grandson.

For those of you that don’t know what a Pillow Pet is I will explain.  Pillow Pets were invented by the Telfer family. The children of the Telfer family would take their stuffed animals to bed and try to squish them up and use them as a Pillow, but they were too hard. So the Telfer family invented their Pillow Pet which has Velcro straps that bundle the stuffed animal up like a Pillow so you can use it to sleep. The first Pillow Pet was Snuggly Puppy. From the first years of Pillow Pets the product line has expanded to Glow Pets, Dream Lite and other items along the same venue.

Pillow Pets were made for children. I am possibly in my second childhood. I have been buying Pillow Pets for my grandchildren since their invention. I do want to say I have found that the knock off brands can’t compare to the real thing. I didn’t test the Pillow Pets when I bought them. I thought they were adorably cute. They come in many different varieties with names and cuteness of different animals.

I happened to be staying at my son’s and forgot my pillow. I picked up the Viking Pillow Pet and used it for my night’s stay. I didn’t want to give it back. It was soft and cuddly and I slept great. It scrunched up perfectly for my head. I wallowed in its softness. I wanted to take it home. I tried to talk my granddaughter out of this pillow, after all they have more. It didn’t work.

I came back home to my regular pillows. I like feather pillows but a couple of years ago they decided they didn’t like me and they added to my discomfort with my nose at night. I had to switch to foam pillows but I never could find one that let me sleep like a baby. I tried all sorts of brands. I finally settled on a Sleep Number pillow that I do like because it has air inside. I can adjust it to be harder or softer. I must admit I haven’t tried the My Pillow. That was going to be my next step to a better night’s sleep.

Every time I visited my son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren I asked for the Pillow Pet. Perhaps it also because I have never gotten over my love of stuffed animals. I have given most of my stuffed pals away over the years but there are some that forever will live in my heart and my home, such as my first teddy bear. He is now at least sixty years old but I can’t call him cuddly because bears in the olden days were cute but kind of hard.

I have taken quite a ribbing because of my love for the stuffed creatures over time. Apparently as an older adult, my love for these cute stuffed creatures is supposed to go away. It didn’t happen in my case.

Christmas came along and I had forgotten my request when asked what I wanted for Christmas. Most people in my family hadn’t taken me seriously anyway. My grandchildren did. I was so excited when I took Peaceful Bear out of the box. Peaceful Bear has given me a good night’s sleep. Not only that, when I look at peaceful bear he makes me feel better. When I am sad or tired I usually snuggle a live cat but now I can also hug Peaceful Bear. His colors brighten my mood.

If you are an adult reading this, I give you permission to huggle and snuggle with a soft and cuddly stuffed creature, although my permission doesn’t mean a thing. I don’t have authority to give permission on huggling and snuggling with a stuffed animal friend.  I can advise you to find one that speaks to your heart. Feel it’s softness as you take a nap, snuggle in for a good read or a good television show or use the Velcro strap and let it adorn your bed or your couch. It might even make a good companion for your cat or dog to snuggle on. Like Mikey from the old Life cereal commercials, try it, you might like it.

Peaceful Bear makes me feel peaceful. Mother Teresa said that peace begins with a smile. Peaceful Bear also makes me smile and how can anyone go wrong with that?

The Crazy World of Authors

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It’s a crazy world to keep up with. I am not referring to the violence, the weirdness or whatever your mind thinks when you hear those words, it is a crazy world. I am referring to all the social media that needs taking care of in the life of a writer and an author to keep their name front and center.

Yesterday I spent mostauthor collageedit of the day working on a book trailer for my book “Whatchmacallit? Thingamajig?. It is book I wrote for my grandchildren putting them in adventures of helping their Grandma out of trouble. Along the way they learn a little more about their grandmother when she was young. I will admit it is not my best work but when I first wrote it I was only publishing it to have a hard copy for my grandchildren, but low and behold, it is selling.

I have a Twitter account. Twitter is fun. I have a Pinterest account, so many ideas, so little time. I have a Stumbler Account, a Tumbler Account, a Facebook account, a LInked In Account, a Reddit Account and an Instagram account. I must admit I don’t know what to do with all of them, but they are important to get the word out about my writing. I am sure other authors may feel the same way. Each of these accounts are fun but the time that I spend on these accounts take away from the writing.

Of course, add this blog, add my website julieseedorf.com and it is my crazy world.

Then of course, I am waiting for my second book to be published which is “Granny Skewers A Scoundrel.” Then I will need to add more media for that book. I am also writing my second young reader book called Snicklefritz. Add my newspaper column, “Something About Nothing,” the articles I write for newspapers each week, and the third book I have started in my Fuchsia Minnesota series. Wow, I am tired reading this.

I forgot about Goodreads. I love Goodreads. I love to read. My Kindle is full of books waiting for my sleepy eyes to be fixated on them so I don’t get any sleep at night. I am too intriqued by whatever story I am reading.

I also decided to design cups and apparel to go with my books. I have the accounts set up and have a few things designed. The shop name is Hermiony after my character from the Fuchsia, Minnesota Series.

Let’s not forget about book signings and blog tours. A few of the Cozy Cat Press Authors and I are starting a tour this spring introducing all of you to our unique fictional communities and our characters.

Don’t feel sorry for me. The time I don’t have and the stress of all this is keeping me alive and breathing. Someone said to me recently on an interview on starting her new business, “I
heard a commercial and it said if you love what you doing and you get paid for it, it is called retirement.  This is my retirement.” I agree with her statement. After leaving a career in computers and finally doing something I love, I can breath.

Why am I writing all of this? I want people to know that writing is not an easy career. The authors that you see and hear and read about, aren’t like the ones in the books and movies where the scenery is beautiful and they work in a peaceful place and tap away on their keyboard. Writers have to market their wares and they have to keep writing. It is a job. Interruptions are hard because they break your train of thought. There is also writers block but they keep writing through that block until they find their inspiration again.

To be successful writers have to write. They have to market their books and they are busy people. It might not be the type of busy that those that punch a time clock or work in the corporate world know. How hard is it to sit at a computer and write all day? To those that work in the world it looks easy. Ask a writer and see what they say. It is important if you have a writer friend to  understand that they do have a career and they need the time to work at their career.

We love books, we love inspiration and we love the creativity that is in those books but look past the pretty, the fun, the creativity, and look at the hard work that goes into those words. The blood, sweat and tears of parts of those authors are in their books. Their soul is in their books. Those books are released into the world for all to read and critique. Does that happen in most peoples jobs that the entire world can critique their performance?  Writers are willing to take that chance that the world may  not be kind. The world will love them, hate them, or toss them aside. Writers have courage. They let the world know who they are and they work hard to bare their imagination to that crazy world.

Thank an author today for bringing you writing that challenges you, makes you laugh, helps you understand, moves your heart or makes you mad.  Thank an author today if they took you to a fantasy world that let you leave the real world and all your problems behind for a few moments. They may have changed your life in some way. They will appreciate it.

In case you are interested. http://www.facebook.com/sprinklednotes
Twitter:  julieseedorf@julieseedorf