I managed to sign up for Readly.com but it won't take
my payment as my bank is located in The Bahamas where I live. Does anyone have
other suggestions for where I could subscribe to magazines worldwide like
Readly offers? Thanks!
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I was sorry to learn that Can Stock Photo had closed down, as it was so reasonably priced. I was going to buy some of their vectors to insert between chapters of a children’s book that I’ve written. It was only $6.99 for each royalty-free image. I guess I’ll use Shutterstock now. It has a 10-image free trial offer, but after that it seems that their images would be about $19 each to download. Other royalty-free image companies seem to be about the same.
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On
our way to Starbucks, Harbour Bay, Nassau, yesterday, we passed a crowd of
excited children outside Party Land. Later, when we left Starbucks, we saw why
the children had been so happy. The store had had a Halloween “Fun Day”! I was told
children were able to pick an item to wear from a shopping cart and have photos
taken. In these worrying times, I love to see children enjoying themselves and
not having a care in the world.
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Although I can see where AI can be helpful (in business, for example), in some ways I feel it can stifle creativity. Many writers may become lazy and jump to using AI instead of trying to write from their hearts and their own knowledge. On the other hand, when they see what AI can come up with, some might learn from it.
Personally, having written since I was nine years old, I get great satisfaction when coming up with compelling descriptions, surprising plot twists and meaningful dialogue – all by myself!
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The Melia Nassau Beach Hotel at Cable Beach is being
demolished! I read it was originally opened in 1983 and I know it has changed
hands/names since then a few times. The Baha Mar Resort currently owns it, but
I read an article in The Nassau Guardian that stated Baha Mar have plans for a
more modern replacement.
I
have happy memories of the Melia. In 2016, I met in Starbucks, Melia
Nassau Beach Resort, with six established local authors for a chat about
writing and publishing. Here’s a link to the article I wrote at the time, that appeared
in The Tribune:
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How often do you purchase something on Amazon and then after a decent amount of time you get an email from them asking if you would like to post what you think of the product?
I get these emails all the time and usually try to respond by doing a short review, as it helps other customers with their decision on whether to buy the product or not.
Authors are especially grateful for any comments that their readers find time to make. Actually, it only takes a moment and you don’t need to give a long in depth review.
If the word “review” puts you off, don’t worry. You don’t have to be an expert at reviews. Your grammar doesn’t even have to be perfect! All you need to post are your honest comments about the book. This can be as short or as long as you wish.
Do bear in mind though with
book reviews that the author will probably read your review. As my dear old author
friend and mentor Jan Valpy used to tell her writers’ group - “when doing a
critique remember to be kind to the soul of the writer!”
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I formed the Bahamas Writers Group (BWG) in January 2003, thinking it would just be a few writers meeting monthly over coffee.
The group was a spin-off from my former writers’ website bahamaswriter.com – the link now goes to my blog. You can find a lot of information from this in my writer’s guide, “How to Be the Best Writer Ever!”, available as an e-book and in paperback at Amazon and other online retailers. I cover Writers’ Groups in Chapter 6.
The BWG was born out of a little lunch in Caffé Caribe, Harbour Bay, Nassau, when four local BahamasWriter.com forum members got together for the first time, along with two vacationing forum members from Canada.
The first actual meeting, consisting of nine members, was in the former Le Pasion café opposite Hoffer’s Shopping Centre, Cable Beach. But the BWG grew so much, eventually reaching about forty members (not all of the members attended each time, however), that I relocated our meetings to the former premises of New Providence Community Church, Cable Beach.
The writing goals that I established were:
To have fun writing; enjoy the camaraderie of fellow writers; motivate and inform each other as writers; improve the quality of our writing; have our work recognized locally and internationally; and to get published!
I did structure the meetings though. Prior to each meeting, I would put together an agenda, along with materials to be handed out. And I provided light refreshments at the meetings!
Here are two of
the agendas (click each one to read):
By July 2003, I had become very busy with my family real estate business. The group was going so well, I decided they didn’t really need me to run it anymore and I let the members know. They were disappointed, but understood. During the July meeting, members voted that a team should take over. Eight members volunteered to be part of the new team! The group also voted to maintain the goals and policies of the BWG that I had set up.
We took a break in August and the BWG met again in September, with the new team in place.
I regret to say that the group eventually floundered after this, but nothing can ever replace the camaraderie, encouragement and fellowship from our meetings. I am sure other members, a few of whom sadly have since left this earth, felt the same.
So, if you would
like to start a Writers’ Group, go for it! Although it can be hard work, it’s
most satisfying and can motivate you to write more and get published.
Please note: None of my posts, articles, short stories or books are written by AI! They are written solely by me!
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