Your time is limited. Live your life!

*Given the events of today, this is incredibly timely & on-point wisdom*: "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." —Steve Jobs

Fifteen years -- and counting! :-)

This month I'm celebrating my 15th year as a professional author/editor/writing instructor. Proud to say my first editing client (Howie) is still in contact! Also pleased to say I recently worked on a book written by a famous rock star's sister. :-) People either think of me as a writer or an editor, but never both (it seems). That annoys me. I'm able to do both, and I have years of experience. I don't have to be one or the other. I'm also a publisher, most recently with the launch of Triple Crow Publishing. Guess what I'm trying to say is I don't like being put into a box when I do more than one thing. Some people can write, but they can't edit well. Some people can edit, but they can't write well. Fortunately, I can do both. Next time you need a writer OR an editor, please consider working with me. I'd appreciate it. This isn't a hobby for me, it's a career. I take it seriously. Plus, you can bribe me with chocolate! :-)

EM's Word of the Week for 4.20.11 -- insensate

Word of the Week for 4.20.11: insensate

Define the word, then use it in your writing, whether in a sentence, paragraph or short story. Enjoy!

Word of the Week for 4.13.11: Larrikin

Word of the Week for 4.13.11: Larrikin.

Define the word, then use it in your writing, whether in a sentence, paragraph or short story. Enjoy!

Elemental Muse's Word of the Week for 4.4.11 -- pleonasm

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to find out what that word means, employ the word in a sentence (or paragraph) and use it to jump-start a freewriting session. Build a short story from it, build an article from it, build *something written* from it. The main thing is to USE that word to think about what the word means, how it feels to you as a writer, how you could use that word in a piece of writing (could be a sentence, could be a longer piece) and go from there.

This week's word is pleonasm

Have a good week, everyone! :)

New ebook formats for Secrets of the Professional Freelancer & Shadows of the Soul

Hi everyone,

I'm working on converting the rest of my books to various ebook formats. Secrets of the Professional Freelancer and Shadows of the Soul are both now available. Use the coupon below to get 10 percent off Secrets till May 1st!:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/49033

Get Secrets of the Professional Freelancer, the book I wrote based on my long-running online course, for $2.69, or 10% off the regular price, until May 1st. Use this coupon code when placing your order: AX72R. Enter the code prior to checkout. If you've wanted to become a freelance writer, but weren't sure how to begin, my book can help you achieve your goal.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/48849

Shadows of the Soul is a collection of poems that explores the ebb and flow of human life with all its joys, sorrows, surprises and triumphs. Written during a dark and transformative period of Bev Walton-Porter's life, just prior to and after the death of her first husband, this collection addresses the raw and exposed core of existence that pulses beneath the surface of every human being.

Last Word of the Week for 3.4.11: suffumigation

Last Word of the Week for 3.4.11: suffumigation

Definition:

–noun
1. The act of fumigating, literally from below; fumigation.
2. The act of burning perfumes: one of the ceremonies in incantation.
3. A fume; especially, a preparation used in fumigating.

Source: Wordnik.com