Heather Hummel Author's Blog

A Cozy Reader's Corner Reviews: Whispers From the Heart

2012-02-11T18:53:00.000-05:00

A Cozy Reader's Corner Reviews: Whispers From the Heart: Author: Heather Hummel ISBN:978-0983030836 Publisher: Pathfinder Publishing Source: Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours Link to Tour Reviews: ht...

Signs from the Universe are Everywhere - Even in Your Rear-View Mirror!

2012-02-05T01:42:00.003-05:00

"I can do all things through Christ,
who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:13

True Story:
Two years ago today I left Charlottesville, VA for California. It had recently snowed two feet and the weather forecast was for another two feet that weekend. My Subaru was filled with my dogs and other essentials, and a small UHaul trailer was hitched to the back, packed with my worldly possessions.
I was leaving a place that had been home for 11 years, but heading to the place that was always home in my heart. Needless to say, I had a lot of mixed emotions.
Only a few days before my departure, I was driving back from running a pre-move errand and was thinking about the move - the weather - what lay ahead. Naturally some worries and fears come up with a big change such as a 3,000 mile move in the middle of winter.
As I was driving, I noticed a little piece of gold sticking out of my rear-view mirror. Curious, as I had never noticed it before, I put the window down, and pulled it out from where it was wedged in the mirror. The picture you see here is the coin that was "stuck" in my rear-view mirror.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
Those who know me (or who have read my book GO BIKE & Other signs from the Universe), know I'm more spiritual than religious. But, they also know that I receive signs like this on a daily basis, guiding me in the right direction. Since my move, I never looked back, this is true, but when people say not to look in the rear-view mirror, I have to disagree.

Keep the faith!

Journals from the Heart: Book Trailers

2012-02-02T11:48:00.001-05:00

WHISPERS FROM THE HEART, New York Book Festival Award Winner and the first in the Journals from the Heart series just launched its book trailer on YouTube:

"'Go read this book' doesn't do it the justice it deserves. Heather Hummel has written such a heartfelt and touching book. Madison Ragnar is such an intriguing character. One of those that makes you want to hug her and tell her it is going to be okay."
- Just Jump Book Reviews

"I recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a beautifully-written chick lit novel that will keep you turning pages eagerly."
- Lost In Literature Book Reviews

"I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, fast, and heart-warming."
- Chick Lit Plus

Buy on Amazon

Heather Hummel is a "photonovelist" who blends her love for photography with her award-winning career as an author. Her published works include:
Journals from the Heart Series:
Whispers from the Heart (2011)
Write from the Heart (2011)
Nonfiction
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (2011)
Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008),
Essays:
Messages of Hope and Healing ( Sunpiper Media, 2006)
Blue Ridge Anthology (Cedar Creek, 2007) with David Baldacci and Rita Mae Brown
Awards:
2009 Mature Media Awards, Merit Award
2009 New York Book Festival, Honorable Mention

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Health, Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. A graduate with High Distinction from the University of Virginia, Heather holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree with concentrations in English and Secondary Education. She is currently earning a Ph.D. in Metaphysical Sciences.

Visit Heather’s website at http://www.heatherhummel.net/
Follow Heather on Twitter @HeatherHummel:
http://twitter.com/#!/HeatherHummel

Back Roads from Bixby Bridge to Big Sur - Old Coast Road

2012-01-22T00:16:00.002-05:00

The Pacific Coast Highway (also known as Highway 1) is famous for its breathtaking coastal views. The segment in the Central Coast that runs from Carmel to Big Sur is, in my experience and opinion, the most scenic stretch. What most tourists and travelers don't know is that if you take a left (when heading south, of course!) at the Bixby Bridge onto the Old Coast Road, the views on that road provide an entirely different perspective.

I hadn't driven this back road route in quite some time, and in my two hour journey today, I captured 95 images...below are the top dozen to show a bit of what this alternate route looks like. As you'll see, I was in my Subaru Outback...AWD or 4 WD is highly recommended. (Don't say I didn't warn you!)

The captions under the images tell the story...

Bixby Bridge from the Old Coast Road


Bixby Bridge - Lovely in Black and White You can see the road/entrance on the right.

The Little Sur River

I set out with my dogs and Canon the day after our first
big storm of 2012. As you can see, trees were down,
but you can't stop a Subaru with a few sticks in the road.

After clearing the road, I came upon this
scenic view of Redwood trees about
a tenth of a mile later. Definitely
worth picking up a few sticks for.

Right about midway, at the peak, the clearing
provides stunning panoramic views, and this
"Rock Pasture" in the midst.

More of the "Rock Pasture" (my name for it!)


Though it's definitely not the Bixby Bridge, it was certainly worth stopping and capturing, especially in black and white!

Also at the peak, I can rarely resist image capturing a fence.

While photographing the fence and other views,
I looked down to see where we were heading...Seriously?
Glad to be in my Subaru!

As the road starts to come down the other
side into Big Sur, the views of the Pacific Ocean
and Highway 1 open up again.

One last peak before descent.

If you're already in Big Sur, you can take Old Coast Road north and just go up a few miles and see these last few views shown. From the Bixby Bridge end, it's quite a drive - about 14 miles of rough roads - through the redwoods and mountains. The experience is very unique compared to what most visitors do, but be sure you have the right kind of car and be ready to be jostled. The captivating views and poetic beauty is worth the trip.

© Heather Hummel
Copyright statement -All photographs are the copyright ownership of Heather H

Publish Post

ummel. Any use beyond viewing them on this blog - that includes printing, distributing, selling, or any other use - is prohibited without written consent from Heather Hummel.

Got Peace? PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF PEACE is FREE on Kindle for 2 days

2012-01-21T14:47:00.005-05:00

"A 300 Year Old Spiritual Classic Gives

Birth to a Contemporary Masterpiece!"

"This gem of a book leaves you thinking

differently about how you look

at and live life. No matter one's faith

or ideology, there is something

for everybody in this book."

On Sunday 1/22 and Monday 1/23
Bear Jack Gebhart's
Practicing the Presence of Peace
is FREE on Kindle.

Can we experience the presence of peace every day, all day, while washing the dishes, feeding the cat, or riding the bus on the way to work? Can we experience this presence when the kids are fighting, the boss is frustrated and the stock market is in tatters? Bear Jack Gebhardt's book, Practicing the Presence of Peace, says absolutely yes, and shows us how!

In the late 1600's a small book appeared, The Practice of the Presence of God, describing the daily spiritual practices of a humble monk named Brother Lawrence. That book, never out of print, evolved into a beloved classic and textbook for "contemplative spirituality." Now Practicing the Presence of Peace updates that beloved classic and shows how the simple practice of peace inevitably leads to:

Better health and physical healing
Happier family relationships
Profitable vocational advancement
The end of the agonizing search for "more."

Help Spread PEACE: Download your copy to Kindle on 1/22 or 1/23 and experience a whole new level of peace.

Know a smoker who has tried and tried to quit? Did they, or you, make a New Year's Resolution to quit and already it didn't work? Download Bear Jack Gebhardts' book How to Help Your Smoker Quit for free, too! Your Smoker (Secretly) Wants Your Help! This book teaches a simple, radically peaceful and non-threatening approach to helping your smoker quit. This book shows you what kind of help your smoker wants from you and, more importantly, what you need for yourself in order to better love your smoker better and inspire and support your smoker's quit attempts! Is this book a magic bullet or miracle cure for smoking? Sorry, no. (Nobody yet has such a cure.) But does this gentle approach actually work to help your smoker quit, much, much better than nagging, complaining, threatening or ignoring? Absolutely yes!
Gently bringing this same peace and freedom to your smoker, Bear Jack Gebhardt is known for his great success with helping people succeed in the "stop smoking game"! He is the author of four books, including the international classic, "The Enlightened Smokers Guide to Quitting" and most recently, "Practicing the Presence of Peace." He presented his cutting edge research at both the World Conference and the National Conference on Tobacco or Health.
"Bear is funny and bright and absolutely spot on. THIS BOOK COULD SAVE NOT ONLY YOUR SMOKER'S LIFE, BUT YOURS AND OTHERS! IF YOUR SMOKER SMOKED TODAY, BUY THIS BOOK TODAY!"

Jen Tucker Keeps You on the Seat of Your Panties: Review

2012-01-16T20:06:00.000-05:00

REVIEW:
The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out

by Jen Tucker

Ride alongside Jen Tucker in her car. Pull up to her kitchen table for a chocolate chip cookie. Get ringside seats to her dogs' escapades. Experience her labor pains - emotional and physical. No matter the chapter, Jen Tucker delivers (no pun intended) a two day dose of reality as a mom, wife and career woman in this memoir of moments. Her use of humor and great sense of humility makes her an engaging author.

Even if you're not married or not a parent, Tucker's story will keep you reading and hoping her husband comes home from his trip overseas...and SOON! I look forward to reading anything Jen Tucker writes...for now I'll settle for her Tweets until her next book comes out.

Heather Hummel
Author, Write from the Heart and Whispers from the Heart

Valentine's Day Contest: Soul Mates and a $50 Amazon Gift Card

2012-01-16T14:50:00.000-05:00

Valentine’s Day means
Romance is in the air!
How would you spend $50 at Amazon?
Flowers? Chocolates? Romance Novels?

Share your soul mate story for
your chance to win!

Tell us about The One you can’t live without, and YOU could win a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a “Kate and Leopold” DVD (Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman)!

Want a second chance entry? Tell us about romance! Share where you and your honey went on your honeymoon or your most romantic trip.

This contest is presented by
best selling authors
Heather Hummel & Van Heerling.
Happy Valentine's Day!

Post your comment(s) here (Heather Hummel’s blog) before midnight February 13^th and on Valentine’s Day a random winner will be picked to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a “Kate and Leopold” DVD starring Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman! Be sure to include your e-mail address in your comment.

Still want extra chances to win?
Like Heather's Facebook Fan Page www.Facebook.com/HeatherHummelFanPage
Like Van's Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/VanHeerling
Follow us on Twitter @HeatherHummel @VanHeerling

ReTweet this post for additional entries and include @HeatherHummel or @VanHeerling (please abide by Twitters anti-spam rules and regulations).

Heather Hummel is the award winning, best selling author of the Journals from the Heart series, Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart as well as her nonfiction best seller GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe.

Van Heerling is the author of the best selling Malaika.

Visit Heather's website: www.HeatherHummel.net
Visit Van's website: www.VanHeerlingBooks.com

Must be 18 or older to win. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Chances of winning may vary based on the number of entries received. Winner must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. All rules and regulations are subject to change at any time without reason or notification. Entering this contest is an agreement to abide by all rules and regulations. Prizes are as stated. No substitutions or exchanges. All entrant information is strictly confidential and will not be sold or shared. The contest ends at midnight on February 13^th, 2012 PST, and the winner will be chosen by a random drawing on February 14th. Winner will be notified at that time.One Winner will receive a $50 USD Amazon GiftCard and a Kate and Leopold DVD. Mailing of the DVD is to US addresses only. Amazon Gift Card is in USD.

The Elusive Green Ray: A Magical Beginning to 2012

2012-01-03T18:02:00.009-05:00

2012 is intended by many to be a magical year. So, it may be no coincidence that this image was captured on New Year's Day as it represents a number of themes, including endings, new beginnings, true love, and most of all, magical moments

When I saw the results of my capture, it instantly became my all-time favorite. What I didn't know, however, was about the elusive Green Ray seen in the sunset. Apparently what I have inadvertently captured with my Canon T3i is a rare phenomenon that many have set out to experience. I had no idea of this rare experience until people began responding to my photograph, staring this morning with a Flickr friend who posted this comment:

Atmospheric, romantic shot. You have captured the Green Ray! According to [author] Jules Verne, when one sees Le Rayon Vert at sunset - our own thoughts and those of others are revealed as if by magic.

Then another friend responded with:

The quote mentioning Jules Verne caught my attention. He wrote a book called “the Green Ray” which was actually a sappy romantic novel, but he was making an analogy between the rarity of true love and what we call the green flash. It is my favorite atmospheric phenomenon.

The Green Ray novel's summary:

The heroes are trying to observe the green ray in Scotland. After numerous unsuccessful tries caused by clouds or distant boat sails hiding the sun, the phenomenon is eventually visible, but the heroes, finding love in each other's eyes, don't pay attention to the horizon.

Response and an Artist's Impression:

The response to this photo has been overwhelming. I'm amazed at the number of people who have heard of the Green Ray (also known as Green Flash). I had a few people comment on the leaning horizon, saying that it should be flat. However, when I showed the picture to my cousin, world renowned artist Dick Crispo, he said:

1. The Green Ray is incredibly rare - he has painted it before, but has come up against many naysayers who claim it doesn't exist. He couldn't believe I happened to catch it in an image.

2. I asked him why all of my photos' horizons tend to lean left. He laughed and told me how he tells all of his students that the horizon leans left...go with it. (They often paint the ocean in his art classes here in Carmel.)

This magical image has made the beginning of 2012 a most remarkable one for me, and it's my New Years wish to everyone that 2012 is the most magical year yet!

Ultimate Irony
The ultimate irony of this image, is that I was only able to capture one more after this one before the battery on my Canon died.

To view the image on Flickr click here.

*****

Besides immersing herself in photography, Heather Hummel is a celebrity ghostwriter and an award-winning, best-selling author. Her published works include:
Journals from the Heart Series:
Whispers from the Heart (2011)
Write from the Heart (2011)
Nonfiction:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (2011)
Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008),
Essays:
Messages of Hope and Healing ( Sunpiper Media, 2006)
Blue Ridge Anthology (Cedar Creek, 2007) with David Baldacci and Rita Mae Brown
Awards:
2009 Mature Media Awards, Merit Award
2009 New York Book Festival, Honorable Mention

What a Difference a Decade Makes: 10 Years Later in Publishing

2012-01-02T23:04:00.003-05:00

There are times when the analytical side of this writer comes out, and tonight was one of them. In researching statistics on current publishing trends, I found a lot of data from 2002 - an entire decade ago. Some of the numbers are eye-opening, yet not surprising to those of us who have been following along.

Nowadays books are being written on iPads and uploaded to Amazon, making them for sale in a matter of moments. Yet, these statistics remind us where we were 10 years ago and of the amazing difference a decade can make in one industry:

2002: Online bookstores sold 10% of the books.
-- The Wall Street Journal, June 18, 2003

2002 gross sales:
Barnes &; Noble: $3.7 billion
Borders Group: $3.4 billion
Amazon: $2.0 billion
--Publishers weekly, April 7, 2003.

eBook sales increased 1,442% in January 2003 over January 2002.
--Publishers weekly, March 24, 2003.

Borders returns rates: 26.55% in 2002
-- Foner Books

2002: Borders opened 41 super stores for a total of 404.
Closed 53 Waldenbook stores and opened 4, leaving a total of 778.
8 new stores were opened overseas for a total of 30 super stores and 37 Books, Etc.
--Publishers weekly, March 17, 2003.

2002: $450 million was spent on general-interest books at big-box stores such as Wal-Mart. That figure is up 7.4% from 2000. Costco and other price clubs are taking market share from the bookstores.
--Ipsos Book Trends, reported in The Wall Street Journal, June 18, 2003

2002: Of the $23.7 billion spent on books, only $10.7 billion is spent in bookstores. The non-traditional outlets sell more books.
--Tami DePalma, Marketability.

These are the highlights, but you can read more statistics at Para Publishing

*****

Besides immersing herself in photography, Heather Hummel is a celebrity ghostwriter and an award-winning, best-selling author. Her published works include:
Journals from the Heart Series:
Whispers from the Heart (2011)
Write from the Heart (2011)
Nonfiction:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (2011)
Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008),
Essays:
Messages of Hope and Healing ( Sunpiper Media, 2006)
Blue Ridge Anthology (Cedar Creek, 2007) with David Baldacci and Rita Mae Brown
Awards:
2009 Mature Media Awards, Merit Award
2009 New York Book Festival, Honorable Mention

WRITE FROM THE HEART is FREE on Kindle New Years Weekend!

2011-12-31T10:42:00.003-05:00

"WRITE FROM THE HEART takes readers on a powerful and captivating journey." #Review

New Years Weekend Special WRITE FROM THE HEART is FREE on Kindle Sat 12/31 and Sun 1/1! Happy New Year!
Journals are a woman's best friend...
When Samantha Sounder quits her office manager job the day after yet another boyfriend breaks up with her, the emotional havoc of these two events launches the beginning of her new life.
Samantha dives into therapy with Ragnar Axel, a traditional therapist who explores her failed relationships and sends her on a wild goose chase through her old journals to rediscover herself.
Despite the unsettling reactions of her best friend, Amanda, and Ragnar, Samantha decides to walk away from the corporate world and follow her dream as a novelist. She sets out to craft her first novel, Winter's Truth. Hesitantly, she accepts the unexpected guidance from Craig, an unlikely man she meets at the coffee shop.
Along her journey, Samantha picks up a new journal and titles it her "Positive Journal," declaring to only write positive thoughts in it. Samantha's life transforms from one of despair and loss to hope and faith as she navigates through new territory and explores the possibility of finding love over lattes.

Amazon Kindle

Words of Inspiration with Visual Beauty

2011-12-20T16:14:00.027-05:00

Introducing Heather Hummel's
newly launched Inspirational Photography and Quotes
line on RedBubble.

Inspired by both nature and human nature, all photography is Heather's original work and all quotes are her original thoughts, except for one, which is her grandmother's, Dorothy Crispo (as shown on the left).

Besides immersing herself in photography, Heather Hummel is a ghostwriter and an award-winning, best-selling author. Her published works include:
Journals from the Heart Series:
Whispers from the Heart (2011)
Write from the Heart (2011)
Nonfiction
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (2011)
Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008),
Essays:
Messages of Hope and Healing ( Sunpiper Media, 2006)
Blue Ridge Anthology (Cedar Creek, 2007) with David Baldacci and Rita Mae Brown
Awards:
2009 Mature Media Awards, Merit Award
2009 New York Book Festival, Honorable Mention

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Health, Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. A graduate with High Distinction from the University of Virginia, Heather holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree with concentrations in English and Secondary Education. She is currently earning a Ph.D. in Metaphysical Sciences.
Visit Heather’s website at http://www.heatherhummel.net/
Follow Heather on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/HeatherHummel
"Like" Heather's Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/HeatherHummelFanPage

Facebook's New Timeline and Why I Love It!

2011-12-17T15:31:00.010-05:00

As of December 22nd, everyone's Facebook page will look a lot like a blog. It's the new Timeline layout and it's quite a big change compared to the last round we endured.

My Reaction
I will say right off that I LOVE the new layout. The "Cover" image at the top and the scrolling Timeline is much like the banner images and blog posts we see on people's blogs. As a photographer, I'm especially excited about this new design. As a writer, the new layout also comes in quite handy for promotional purposes.

So many people use Facebook for posting images and videos. I've been on people's walls where that's all they have - shared images and videos from other people's walls. There are days when it seems that the News Feed is filled with them. This new layout is conducive to a very visual environment, which is why I think it works so well. Posts are now side-by-side one another, unless you make a certain post a Highlighted one (see below), much like a column in a newspaper or a magazine. If you want to see a great example, check out Ann Curry's.

Here are my three top fav features for the new Timeline.

Cool Features:

Cover Image
The new cover image, as I said above, is much like a banner picture. SO much better than the 5 thumbnails across the top that were there before and that we had no control over. With the new banner size image, there are limitless possibilities. As you can see with mine, I PhotoShopped in three pictures and added text in the upper left corner to my website...it's subtle. When visitors click on the image, I've added a short bio and a link to my website. This is just one way authors, photographers, and many other people can utilize the new features to their advantage. By the way, the perfect dimensions for a cover photo are 850x315 pixels. If your image is that size, there will be no cropping or adjusting it. Remember that your profile picture will take up a portion of the bottom left corner, too.

This image is the Cover for my photography buddy, Marcel Pepin. He and I have been chatting quite a bit about the advantages of a landscaped image at the top of your page and all the different things you can do with it. From making it a collage of pictures as I did (easy to do in a program like Photoshop), to including a directional link in your photo description as both Marcel and I have done, there can be subtle and even not-so-subtle uses for the banner image. Choosing your image is a personal statement, and we all know a picture says a thousand words...sometimes even more.

Life Events
I chose to update and publish my own page before the December 22nd deadline so that I'd have time to be sure the posts from 2009 that I didn't want to be reminded of were deleted. The new Timeline goes back to the beginning of your Facebook time...including highlighted posts. You can add your own "Life Events" to years going back to when you were born. Most people might add their wedding day, when they had their children, etc. but there are great possibilities for authors, too. For example, I added when both WHISPERS FROM THE HEART and WRITE FROM THE HEART were published to my Life Events (as "Other"). One thing I noticed is that the default for Life Events seemed to be "Public" so I changed mine to "Friends."

Highlight Feature
One feature I really like is the "Highlight" feature. The "Highlight" feature is the Star next to the Edit (pencil) icon in the upper right corner of a post. When you click on the Star, it makes the post spread across both sides of the Timeline - looks cool for pictures and photo albums.

Fewer Ads
Another thing I noticed that's a big plus, is that with the Timeline layout, you actually have a Timeline bar on the right side of the screen - that's where ads use to be! So, now there are fewer ads on the right.

Birthday Wishes
We all love getting Birthday Wishes, but with the new Timeline, the hundreds or thousands of Birthday Wishes you get will now be contained in one Timeline box that lets you scroll through to read them. No more will all those posts dominate your entire page!

When people start posting Happy Birthday Wishes on your wall, Facebook's Timeline bulks them all together into one Timeline box. You'll get to see the first several, and can scroll through them until you get a notice to view additional comments...As you click on, for example "78 Additional Comments" (or close to that!), it will display the next bunch - you'll have to scroll down within that box until you reach yet another notice to click to view more additional comments (however many that may be). Keep clicking and scrolling through until you eventually hit the end of all your wishes. Note that you will see the gray bar on the right side of the box (within the window) and it will scroll down as you go through the list of comments until you reach the end.
Happy Birthday!

My Christmas Wish
My only wish for Facebook is that they do the same type of layout for Fan Pages, which they seem to never change.

Ready to change your Facebook layout? Click Here to learn how.

*****
Heather Hummel is a celebrity ghostwriter and an award-winning, best-selling author. Her published works include:

Journals from the Heart Series:
Whispers from the Heart (2011)
Write from the Heart (2011)
Nonfiction
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (2011)
Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008),
Essays:
Messages of Hope and Healing ( Sunpiper Media, 2006)
Blue Ridge Anthology (Cedar Creek, 2007) with David Baldacci and Rita Mae Brown
Awards:
2009 Mature Media Awards, Merit Award
2009 New York Book Festival, Honorable Mention

Visit Heather’s website at http://www.heatherhummel.net/
Follow Heather on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/HeatherHummel
"Like" Heather's Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/HeatherHummelFanPage

Visit Marcel's Photography at RedBubble

$1 and $100 Launched on KickStarter!

2011-11-15T19:22:00.004-05:00

As of 11/11/11, the $1 AND $100 project has officially launched on KickStarter and is already drawing activity and interest!

The $1 AND $100 project explores how everyone from all walks of life relate to money when it's in their hands. The idea was inspired by people just like you...in fact, it was inspired by a variety of people from all walks of life who have one thing in common – money.

The concept of this novel, appropriately titled $1 AND $100, came to me when I considered the traveling journey of a dollar bill and a one hundred dollar bill…all of the people’s hands, generational eras, and places that they pass through, and yet each of us relates differently to them when they’re in our hands. I thought it would be a neat idea for a novel to follow the bills, making them the protagonists.
Stop by KickStarter and help explore how people relate to money on an emotional rather than tactile level!
PROJECT UPDATE: 11/17/2011 The project has launched and already has several backers supporting it! Much gratitude to all who believe in this project. But, it still has a ways to go and needs the help of anyone who is curious about the emotional relationship we all have with money. If this describes you, stop by and support the project. There are great rewards at each level, and my reward is your belief...

Visit the project on KickStarter

Chick Lit Plus Hosts Whispers from the Heart's Blog Tour

2011-10-18T18:15:00.004-05:00

"Loved, loved, loved this book! Heather Hummel has an amazing way

of keeping the reader completely engulfed in the story from page 1."

- Lost in Literature

WHISPERS FROM

THE HEART

is on a

Blog Tour this month

Hosted by Chick Lit Plus

    Some of the reviews brought even this author to tears...

        Michelle at Just Jump has this to say:

    "'Go read this book' doesn't do it the justice it deserves.

    Heather Hummel has written such a heartfelt and touching book.

    Madison Ragnar is such an intriguing character. One of

    those that makes you want to hug her and tell her it is going to be okay."

    And Lost in Literature gave this glowing review:

    "I recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a beautifully-written chick lit novel that will keep you turning pages eagerly."

    The tour started on October 10th and runs through Halloween. Visit Chick Lit Plus for details.

October 10- Lost in Literature- Review

    October 12- Just Jump- Review

    October 13- Just Jump- Guest Post

    October 15- Books Etc- Review

    October 16- Reviews By Molly- Review

    October 17- Tea and Scribbles- Review

    October 18- Books Etc- Guest Post

    October 19- Amie’s Reviews- Review

    October 22- The Reading Nook- Review

    October 24- Chick Lit Plus- Review

    October 25- A Cozy Readers Corner Reviews- Review

    October 26- Books Like Breathing- Review

    October 29- The Book Bag- Review

    October 30- The Book Bag- Guest Post

    October 31- Jersey Girl Book Reviews- Review & Q&A

"I challenge readers to not only think, but to feel when they read my books. I do not sugar coat and present light, fluffy topics. WHISPERS FROM THE HEART deals with emotional abuse, trust issues, and teen suicide. These are topics that challenge emotions and thought. WHISPERS also provides hope and learning to trust and love again. I aim to not only entertain when I write, but to create an environment that invites the reader to think beyond their current belief system. When someone has an adverse reaction to a storyline, I know it's because I struck a chord in them...I made them feel, perhaps something they didn't want to, but I made them feel. And that's a good thing." - Heather Hummel

**If you purchase your copy of Whispers From the Heart between now and October 31, and send your receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, you will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card!**

Blog Tours are Scarier than Halloween

2011-10-03T06:30:00.014-05:00

As a kid, when I only dreamed of being a writer, what scared me were things like Halloween. Now, as an author and a handful of decades later, I have the same anticipated, nervous excitement of going on a blog tour that I did as a trick-or-treating youth.

My first novel, WHISPERS FROM THE HEART, of the Journals from the Heart series is going on tour this month. Hosted by Samantha Robey at Chick Lit Plus, the tour starts on October 10th and runs through, you guessed it, Halloween. Madison Ragnar's journey in WHISPERS FROM THE HEART will be visiting a dozen blogs in 21 days that will consist of reviews, guest posts and author interviews. (Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!)

But, is there a difference between a blog tour and trick-or-treating on Halloween? I don't think so. Think about it...in each case, much thought goes into initial character development and implementation. Just like a book, Halloween brings out the good-will, generous and inspirational protagonists...Cinderella, Fairy Princesses, Luke Skywalker, Batman and Robin, and Indiana Jones. And then there are everyone's favorite frightening characters, aka the antagonists...witches, zombies, pirates, and Freddy Krueger. And when all is written and done, an author's book and a trick-or-treater's costume are ready for show.

Authors launch their books into to world via book signings, social media, and blog tours and await rewards in the form of reviews and notoriety in recognition of their book's fright or beauty or cleverness, and ultimately to score a few or more sales.

Halloween's tricker-treaters showcase their characters as they go from house to house, knocking on doors and awaiting their rewards in the form of costume compliments, recognition of their fright or beauty or cleverness, and ultimately to score candy.

As WHISPER FROM THE HEART heads out the door this month on tour, the feelings of excitement and nervousness abound. Though it's tempting to turn off all the lights and the television and to hide in the bedroom curled up under a blanket with a flashlight and a good book while others are out there trick-or-treating, at some point there's a need to brave the streets and neighborhoods in hope that there are more treats than tricks. Happy Halloween!

For the complete listing of blogs and more information on the tour, visit Chick Lit Plus.

***
Heather Hummel,The Gypsy Writer, is the author of the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart.

Her nonfiction titles include:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (PathBinder, 2011)
Gracefully Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008)

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. Visit Heather's website at www.HeatherHummel.net

Malocchio: The Evil Eye Murders by Michael Chiaradonna & James T. Vance

2011-09-25T13:50:00.011-05:00

From The Times Herald (Norristown, NJ)

Norristown evil eye murders of the 1960s are inspiration for longtime friends' venture into the publishing world...

...Chiaradonna and Vance co-wrote Malocchio: The Evil Eye Murders, a fictional story based on the facts of the 1960s murders.

Although Vance and Chiaradonna, who met when they were 15 and students at Bishop Kenrick High School, co-wrote the book 33 years ago, “Malocchio” was only published recently. With the help of California-based author Heather Hummel, the duo celebrated an Amazon eBook release on Sept. 1, and a paperback version also is expected out this month..

Read the full article here.

Buy Malocchio on Amazon
Buy Malocchio on Barnes & Noble

Michael Chiaradonna & James T. Vance

*****
Heather Hummel is the author of the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart.

Her nonfiction titles include:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (PathBinder, 2011)
Gracefully Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008)

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. Visit Heather's website at www.HeatherHummel.net

Book Review: ONE SUMMER by David Baldacci

2011-09-23T21:43:00.008-05:00

ONE SUMMER by David Baldacci - Book Synopsis:

It's almost Christmas, but there is no joy in the house of terminally ill Jack and his family. With only a short time left to live, he spends his last days preparing to say goodbye to his devoted wife, Lizzie, and their three children. Then, unthinkably, tragedy strikes again: Lizzie is killed in a car accident. With no one able to care for them, the children are separated from each other and sent to live with family members around the country. Just when all seems lost, Jack begins to recover in a miraculous turn of events. He rises from what should have been his deathbed, determined to bring his fractured family back together. Struggling to rebuild their lives after Lizzie's death, he reunites everyone at Lizzie's childhood home on the oceanfront in South Carolina. And there, over one unforgettable summer, Jack will begin to learn to love again, and he and his children will learn how to become a family once more.

What Heather Says:

I have been a fan of David Baldacci since I happened to pick up TOTAL CONTROL in an airport right before moving to Charlottesville, VA, where the book essentially takes place. Baldacci had me hooked, and I've been a fan ever since. I've met him at several of his book signings, and he's an incredibly likeable guy and an engaging speaker.

As an author in the women's lit genre, I was really happy to see Baldacci expose his softer side with ONE SUMMER - the side I knew was there from having met him all those times.

Jack Armstrong is on his deathbed doing the unthinkable - saying goodbye to his family as he counts his last breaths. Jack's goodbyes are in the form of the love letters he writes to his wife, Lizzie, handling the emotional turbulence of each of his three children who run the gamete of too young, still innocent, and hardened teenager, and coping with in-laws whom you want to hate, but you almost can't.

The tragic event of Lizzie's sudden death shocks them to the core and the unexpected recovery of Jack creates a new reality for the Armstrong family beyond the realm of what any of them could have expected. I found Jack to be much like Baldacci himself - a likeable guy whom you want only the best for. As Jack rebuilds his life from his deathbed to now raising three children as a widower, they uproot and move to South Carolina to begin anew. The relationship with his daughter, Mikki, becomes the foundation of the story. Yet, each side story - Jack's new and tentative love interest and Mikki's adaptation to southern living - weave back and forth, while stitching their own relationship back together. The in-laws remain a force throughout the book, and the mother-in-law is someone you want to hate, but just can't. There are several characters, including Jack's best friend and the new friends of Mikki, who add depth to their characters by virtue of their interactions. Young adults would enjoy this book just as much as adults due to the many high school characters that come into play.

I very much enjoyed ONE SUMMER and hope that Baldacci continues to write in this genre. I think a lot of the feedback I've seen for this book stems more from people not being used to him writing in this genre than it does from a fair criticism of the book itself.

I don't rate books on a star system because I think that's like rating people on a scale of 1 to 10 and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Therefore, I will simply say that I loved this book and highly recommend it.

*****

Heather Hummel,The Gypsy Writer, is the author of the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart.

Her nonfiction titles include:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (PathBinder, 2011)
Gracefully Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008)

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. Visit Heather's website at www.HeatherHummel.net

Facebook's Favs: Chocolate and Quotes

2011-09-15T00:40:00.005-05:00

Without fail, when I open Facebook and see the sea of status updates in the News Feed, there are two guaranteed themes that compel others to comment. The first one is one I rarely adhere to. The second, I've learned holds merit.

#1 Quotes.
Full disclosure: I am a firm believer in original thought. When someone posts quote after quote, it has two effects: 1) it leaves the impression that they don't have one original thought of their own, and 2) the quotes only become a meaningless blur of ABC soup..People's e-obsession with posting quotes sends creepy-crawling-cat claws up my spine. I did manage to find one other author,Van Heerling, who shares this peeve, so though I'm out numbered, I have a friend in kind.On the rare occasion that I do post a quote, such as "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." - the Help, I always have a caveat to the post. In this case, I noted that I couldn't get the words out of my head, so I was given them away to my friends. They were well received...of course, because people love quotes!

#2 Holy chocolate, Batman!
People love chocolate! Though my other author friend, the unintentional antagonist in this post, Mike Sullivan, has many wonderful Facebook status updates, nine out of ten times that I happen to catch them in the News Feed, they are about chocolate! Mike posts about where he hid the last piece; how he's running out at 10 p.m. after everyone is asleep to buy more; or did you know the freezer is not the safest place to hide chocolate? Full disclosure: Mike lives in a house with his wife and three daughters.

I began to worry about Mike. This man has an addiction to chocolate worse than flies to ketchup on a diner counter top. I also began to notice something else. People were responding! All the time! Here I was writing compelling, thought provoking posts about the demise of Borders really being the fault of iTunes and NetFlix since Borders sold music, videos and books; and yet no responses. Hmmmm. I can't be that far off in my evaluation, can I? But, it didn't matter if I was or not. After 5 p.m. people don't want to think so hard anymore. And since I'm in California, any post I write after 2 p.m. is already dinner time on the east coast. At that time of night, people want other people to do the thinking for them, so they read and post others' brilliant thoughts. And, they want dessert...ideally in the form of chocolate. Add some humor, and you've got a winner!

So, because Mike and I have been friends for a long time now, I messaged him and called him out on his chocolate obsession. I let him know about my thought provoking post at the same hour he posted something about cold milk, chocolate cake and a game...which, by the way, he didn't even mention the sport he was watching! It didn't matter though. What caught everyone's attention was the chocolate cake. So, I interrupted Mike's perfect evening of milk, chocolate cake and what I think was a baseball game...even his puppy was sound asleep at his feet...and asked him flat out - what is the deal with chocolate? Graciously, Mike took a moment between innings or periods or half time to answer my question. And, indeed, his answer was brilliant - and I believe original enough in nature - and it made me smile because he was right. What did he say, you ask? Simply this, "Food with sugar provokes emotional responses!" True that, Mike!

I also let Mike know that right before I messaged him, I tested his food for thought theory by posting a status that pondered if I could make brownies in my new Crock Pot. Within minutes (and not too long after my Borders post), I had a slew of responses...and some wonderful soup recipes.

The "Take Away"
People seek Facebook as a way to bond with friends, commune over shared emotions, and for comfort...be it in the e-sharing of food or the read of a reassuring quote at the end of a hard day. What other platform in the world gives you these to peace offerings with just a click? It is quite compelling that we can have our cake and eat it too. There, I quoted a cliche. Happy now? (Just don't tell Van!)

With love and respect,
Heather

Heather Hummel,The Gypsy Writer, is the author of the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart.

Her nonfiction titles include:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (PathBinder, 2011)
Gracefully Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008)

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. Visit Heather's website at www.HeatherHummel.net

Oz has Spoken! And "Oz" is the Reader! The New Trend in Kindle Tags

2011-08-22T00:55:00.013-05:00

"This new trend of using tags to boycott traditional publishers' high Kindle prices is quite telling of the times." - Heather Hummel

Anyone with enough online experience knows that when you "tag" something - such as a blog post - you're providing a searchable word related to the tagged content. For example, a blog on what to pack for a summer picnic might use the tag words "summer" "picnics" "sandwiches" "blanket" "basket" "flies" - you get the idea.

Any author knows that when their book is listed on Amazon (or other online bookstores) tags can be assigned to describe their book by using the "Tags Customers Associate with This Product" feature. A John Grisham book would likely be tagged with words like "legal" and "lawyer" whereas a Jennifer Weiner book would be tagged with "Chick Lit" and "Women's Lit" etc. When a book is tagged on Amazon, other readers have the option to "agree" with a tag. The higher the number of "agrees" to a particular tag results in better odds of it moving up the ranks in search results for that word. For example, if someone searches "Chick Lit" and one of Jennifer Weiner's books is tagged "Chick Lit" and hundreds or thousands of readers agree, it will rank high in a search. Another author might have "Chick Lit" as a tag, but only a few people check on its box to "agree," causing it to rank lower in search results. It's all very word and click driven!

That was the original concept for tagging. However, what I'm seeing now is an interesting trend in readers using tags to boycott high Kindle prices set by traditional publishers. A Jennifer Weiner paper back might be tagged with "Chick Lit" "Funny" "Women" "Beach Read" and "Relationships" and yet, her Kindle version of her recent book Then Came You is tagged with: "too expensive for kindle, waiting for kindle price to go down, ebook overpriced, outrageous kindle price, publisher greed, 9 99 boycott, jennifer weiner, kindle swindle, no sale, agency 5 price fixing."

This new trend of using tags to boycott traditional publishers' high Kindle prices is quite telling of the times. Naturally, this use of tagging hurts the author because the tags that ought to represent their book aren't being used, but the tags such as the ones above are. Ultimately, the anger being directed at the publishers is punishing the author. My belief is that the publishers aren't even noticing this! A good publisher would ensure that their authors' Kindle books have the proper tags listed since it's such a powerful tool for books sales, but they don't seem to be. Yet, if they did, they'd notice what tags are there instead.

One common misunderstanding that I'll dispel is that Kindle does NOT set the price for its eBooks. The publishers do. I hear many people complaining about Kindle setting prices too high, when in fact the price is set by the publishers. And, clearly the readers aren't happy with any eBook priced over $9.99.

Heather Hummel,The Gypsy Writer, is the author of the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart.

Her nonfiction titles include:
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (PathBinder, 2011)
Gracefully Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008)

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million.

Visit Heather's website at: http://www.heatherhummel.net/
Join her Facebook Fan Page
Follow Heather on Twitter

Journals from the Heart - A New Series by Heather Hummel

2011-08-10T17:17:00.006-05:00

Are you an avid journal writer?

Do you find comfort in knowing love is still
attainable even after putting your heart on a shelf?

Heather Hummel's new series Journals from the Heart threads the powerful theme of journal writing between characters who use the art in many areas of life. From reflection to grief to survival, journal writing carries these characters through challenges and to a place of love and empowerment.

Madison Ragnar utilizes journal writing with her high school students in Whispers from the Heart.

Samantha Sounder in Write from the Heart turns to her past journals and the beginnings of a new one in a mission of self discovery.

The third, and forthcoming, Wisdom from the Heart, will introduce Jamie Jacobs, a fourteen year old girl who finds out she's adopted and depends on her journal entries to guide her through to her adult life.

Both novels are available on Kindle! Wisdom from the Heart will be released in spring 2012.

Buy Whispers from the Heart on Kindle and Buy Write from the Heart on Kindle

Heather Hummel is also a celebrity ghostwriter. Her books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. A graduate from the University of Virginia, Heather holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree and is working toward a Ph.D. in Metaphysical Sciences.

This is Not Your Granny's Volvo!

2011-07-26T20:42:00.006-05:00

It was 1971 when my grandparents left their New York City upper east-side apartment for the storybook town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. I was just six years old when they moved so far away. Naturally I didn't quite understand at that age just how far away California was, but I knew they weren't the short train ride from Connecticut anymore, and that was all I needed to know that life had just changed in a big way for a little girl. Though I visited them in Carmel over the years, it wasn't until ten years later, for my sweet sixteenth birthday, when I flew out to California on my own to see them.

It was during my visit that I took this photo of my grandmother's 1971 Volvo P1800E and silently wished it would be mine some day.

That wish came true in 1999...12 years after my grandmother passed away. I remember the day it came off the tractor trailer full of SUVs. The truck driver told me of all the people who asked about the "beautiful little car tucked behind his cab." He had carefully stowed it there to protect it from the elements.

From the moment I sat in it, I felt the connection to my grandmother again. But, it wouldn't be for a few more years before I started seeing the license plate and other signs that she was sending me.

The first big sign I received, and therefore noticed, from her was through a license plate: CARMEL. Below is the story and excerpt from GOBIKE & Other Signs from the Universe

CARMEL

The Story

My first memory of a strong license plate sign was in the late spring of 2004 while I was on a bike ride in Free Union, Virginia. I had left Grant, my ex-boyfriend of ten years, the previous fall, but in his garage remained my most prized possession—my grandmother’s mint condition 1971 Volvo P1800E. The idea of it safe in his garage was welcomed at the time since I did not have a garage at the house I was renting. But, having to drive my everyday car the 16 miles one way in order to pick up the Volvo whenever I wanted to take it for a spin, coupled with having to see him each time, was growing more and more difficult.

During one particular bike ride I contemplated whether or not I should permanently retrieve the car from his garage, and if so, how would I protect it from the elements of the varying degrees of central Virginia’s seasons? Within a mile of my internal conversation, a car approached…the only car I had seen for several miles…and its license plate was CARMEL. Instantly I knew that my grandmother was speaking to me through the license plate and that she wanted me to retrieve the Volvo.

Carmel, where I live now, is a quaint tourist town on the Monterey Peninsula in California, and is where my grandparents lived for most of my life and until Mima passed away in 1987, leaving Poppy on his own. It is also where Mima bought and drove the Volvo, and where I first silently declared while visiting them at the age of 16 that I wished to have that car some day. I still have the photo I took of it in their carport that trip.

My dream became a reality in 1999, seventeen years later, when I moved to Virginia and had a garage. My father shipped the Volvo from Carmel to me in Virginian, and that day, a few years later, in Free Union Mima was telling me to bring her car home. I did.

I researched and selected a portable garage, and it was happily protected and driven by me much more often than it had been while at Grant’s. As for the CARMEL license plate sign, it was powerful enough that I took notice. It was the first sign that I knew undoubtedly came from her, and one of many more to come.

*****

NOTE: Sadly, my grandmother's Volvo is being held "hostage" by "Grant" - who will not relinquish it back to me. I am taking whatever steps I can to have my Volvo P1800E returned to me in Carmel, where it belongs.

To read more vignettes from GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe, you can download it to Kindle or a Kindle App for just $2.99. 60% of the proceeds are donated to the ASPCA.

Heather Hummel is a Celebrity Ghostwriter and the Author of Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best At Any Age and the Journals from the Heart Series featuring Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart (Wisdom from the Heart is forthcoming). She has never smoked a cigarette or drank a cup of coffee.

Find Heather Online at:

http://www.heatherhummel.net/

Join her Facebook Fan Page

Follow Heather on Twitter

GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe on Kindle for $2.99!

2011-07-25T18:58:00.007-05:00

If you've ever felt deep love and then lost it; if you miss a grandparent who has passed away; if you ever had to put a pet down; or if you've ever seen your own Signs from the Universe, you'll "get" this book.

GO BIKE and OTHER SIGNS FROM THE UNIVERSE is a series of vignettes that exemplify events that most would see as “coincidences,” but, as will be understood, there are no such things as a "coincidences." This book highlights the author's uncanny knack for seeing Signs from the Universe, most of which are delivered to her in the form of license plates. From GO LOOK to URDSIRE to GO BIKE to CARMEL to THYKNGDM to HOT4LP and more, the author was shown these license plates only moments after having a related thought or question. As an avid cyclist, for cycling is her muse, she became noticeably aware of license plates while out on daily rides. When she realized these plates were practically screaming at her, she awakened to the Universe’s mode for delivering messages she needed to know. After eight years of compiling the most compelling vignettes, some of which occurred right up to the final draft of this book, she is now releasing them in this inquisitive and fun book.

NOTE: 60% of the proceeds benefit the ASPCA the other 40% go toward efforts to get my grandmother's car back from my ex. Once I have it back, 100% of the proceeds will benefit the ASPCA.

Buy on Kindle now for just $2.99

Heather Hummel is a Celebrity Ghostwriter and the Author of Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best At Any Age, Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart. She has never smoked a cigarette or drank a cup of coffee.

Visit Heather's website at: http://www.heatherhummel.net/

Join her Facebook Fan Page

Follow Heather on Twitter

Casey Anthony's Potential Book Deal

2011-07-06T20:51:00.024-05:00

It's bad enough the prosecutors did a complete injustice to Caylee Anthony, but to further an already awful situation, there is now talk of Casey Anthony acquiring a book deal. As a ghostwriter for celebrities and public figures, I would not touch this book deal with a 3,000 mile long golden pen. But, when I saw an article on ABC's website about a potential book deal, I was compelled to read it. (Never mind that the article was listed under "Entertainment" and not "News"!)

But, there are literary agents and publishers who not only expect to see a book deal out of this catastrophe, but who would welcome it. One agent interviewed in the article is quoted as follows:

Konner said that it's "not impossible" to expect Anthony to get an advance between $750,000 and $1 million for her memoirs. On top of that, Anthony would receive a cut from the sales of the book. If a TV or film studio acquires the rights to it, she would profit even more.

I'm not the least bit surprised by this, just appalled. But, what's just as disturbing to me is how the concept of publishing and the way Casey Anthony would make money by writing a book is presented in this quote. The fact of the matter is, which is not made clear here, that Anthony (and her ghostwriter, who would likely receive a good percentage of the advance and royalties - and probably movie deal) need to earn out the advance before they get a "cut from the sales of the book."

I find it irresponsible to report that she could receive a hypothetical $750,000 to $1,000,000 advance and make it sound like the minute the first book sells, she's adding to her bank account. That's not how it works, and the proper term for "receiving a cut from the sales of the book" is called a "Royalty." Royalties are paid after the advance is met. So, any "on top of" means that Anthony's book will have to have sold a pretty darn good number of books before she sees more money. Ghostwriters can sometimes receive public credit for the works they pen (i.e. when there's a "with" credit), but often times ghostwriters barter for a larger percentage of advance and royalties with no public credit. Often the celebrity does not want any public credit given to the ghostwriter, so it's a moot point and the ghostwriter is under contract to not publicly disclose their clients.

In the case of Casey Anthony, I can't imagine any writer taking on this book and still being able to sleep at night and look at themselves in the mirror. And, if that many people want to read such a book, that's their prerogative. But, as a ghostwriter, I like getting my eight hours of uninterrupted sleep and working with clients who bring inspirational messages to readers...you could not pay me a million dollars to write Casey Anthony's book.

Click Here to sign the petition to create Caylee's Law

I'm proud to be a Californian where then have already enacted the Caylee Anthony Law!

Heather Hummel is a Celebrity Ghostwriter and the Author of GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe, Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best At Any Age, Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart. She has never smoked a cigarette or drank a cup of coffee.

Visit Heather's website at: http://www.heatherhummel.net/

Join her Facebook Fan Page

Follow Heather on Twitter

The 1970s Coca Cola vs Pepsi Commercial Battle - in Honor of 4th of July and Universal Connectedness

2011-07-02T01:13:00.006-05:00

Remember the Coca Cola and Pepsi commercials from the early '70's? Pepsi warmed our hearts with countless puppies climbing all over an adorable, giggling little boy. Coca Cola made us feel universally connected, long before e-mails, Twitter and Facebook, with their hilltop crowd singing "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing." Over forty years later those commercials have proven to be timeless.

As I was writing my third novel, I needed to reference a commercial from the early '70s and for some reason the Pepsi Puppies came to mind, but "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" played in the background of the vision of scrambling puppies and childhood giggles. Using today's technology, I went right to YouTube and found both commercials. Instantly transported to my childhood, I sat back and watched them a few times over. The nostalgia of this 4th of July weekend, enhanced by the Pepsi summertime theme and Coca Cola's reflection of what is now our incredibly global society, made for a good time to revisit these relevant messages.

If you're old enough to remember them, enjoy! If you're too young, well...then here's a chance to see what your parents' commercials were like. Schmaltzy, I know. But, damn they were not only good but timeless themes. Not many commercials these days have both of those qualities.

I'm taking a poll on Facebook if you want to stop by and share your two cents by clicking "like" on the commercial's video post click here, or post a comment below!

Heather Hummel is a Celebrity Ghostwriter and the Author of GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe, Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best At Any Age, Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart. She has never smoked a cigarette or drank a cup of coffee.
Visit Heather's website at: http://www.heatherhummel.net/
Join her Facebook Fan Page
Follow Heather on Twitter

Would You Recognize Your Favorite Author in Person?

2011-05-14T14:23:00.009-05:00

Have you ever bought a book based on the author's photo? Would you recognize your favorite author if you bumped into them at the grocery store? For a writer, their author photo is the one visual expression that says, "This is who created the work you're about to read!"...unlike an actor who comes to life on the screen.

In all of my years of research in the publishing industry - from traditional publishing to self publishing to finding an agent to e-books and to promotion, one of the most important aspects of being an author often slips through the cracks...the author's photo. Indeed, there are very professional, well done photos out there. For many of them, body language enthusiasts would have a hay day though! Some authors are so serious - as though such an expression depicts intelligence and print worthiness. Other authors candidly place their hand on their chin or temple...surely an expression of thinking, which is true - thinking about what to write next is a huge part of this gig.

A lot of the older generation male authors still tend to favor black and white images, and the women usually tilt their head to the side, gazing at the camera or off into the distance. I've seen images with merely a white wall behind the author...a popular pick along with standing in front of shrubbery (oops, did I just describe your own author photo?). The ones that frighten me the most are the ones where the flash lights up their face in all the wrong areas. I think that as an author, the one shot we have to connect with our audience beyond our writing is with our author photo, and since those images are long lasting on our books, it's worth making sure they're great!

Not sure what your favorite author looks like? Google "Author Photos" and you'll see some examples. JK Rowling and James Patterson (who covers his mouth with his hand) are prominently displayed.In my recently updated author photos, done with portrait photographer Doug Ellis, who took my original author photos, I wanted to update my image as well. Since I've relocated to California, my career has taken a new direction as a celebrity ghostwriter. Doug captured the essence of my new presence during our shoot, and I was left with a few great options...one horizontal one for internet and one vertical one as a portrait and for print.

Naturally with the internet and new media trends, such as book trailers, there are more opportunities as an author to promote themselves as a persona, which lets their audience connect with them on an entirely different level that wasn't available ten years ago. We now have much more interactive mediums, which can either hinder or enhance an author's platform depending on their approach! At the end of the day, though, an author wants to be recognized for their writing. That's where their passion lies...and is why their author photo is usually at the back of the book.

In celebration of Summer Vacation, because Madison the English teacher in Through Hazel Eyes wouldn't have it any other way, both of my novels - Through Hazel Eyes and The Universe Is My Sugar Daddy - are available on Kindle for 99 cents!

Visit Heather's website at: http://www.heatherhummel.net/

Join her Facebook Fan Page

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To E or Not To E - The eBook Revolution

2010-12-13T16:35:00.011-05:00

"eBooks are like microwaves...microwaves didn't replace ovens, but gave us a new choice for cooking. eBooks won't replace books, but they give us a new choice for reading." - Heather Hummel

To E or Not To E?
The obvious answer is To E – to join the eBook revolution of Kindle, the Nook, iPad, Sony Reader, and others. Those who resist will only regret. It doesn't mean you have to give up your coveted hardcovers and paperbacks...just like you haven't given up your oven just because you got a microwave. It does mean that whether you're a reader or an author, if you don't join in on the eBook revolution, you're missing out.

As an author, I am quite pleased that the question isn’t To Read or Not To Read! In fact, the eBook revolution has brought quite a bit more attention to books and the different options for acquiring, reading, sharing, and enjoying them…and that’s a very good thing!

Authors today have more flexibility than ever in regards to where and how their books are sold. Gone are the days where book sales depended on the author plotting a tour around big cities and niche neighborhoods to sell their books—usually at $25 in hardcover. Instead, a Tweet, Facebook post, blog, or e-announcement delivers the word (no pun intended) to the world that their book is available. Feedback is almost instant from readers in almost the exact formats that they heard about the book in the first place...if a reader loves your book, they will often post a mini-review on their Facebook page or Tweet it…some even blog about it. It’s only natural that eBooks are promoted, read, and reviewed all in the one-stop-spot of our electronic devices.

The name Kindle is actually quite brilliant. The word itself subconsciously conjures images of sitting fireside curled up with a book. Adding that warm element to an electronic device has successfully enticed even the hardcore “gotta hold it in my hands” book lovers (I have seen many an elderly gentlemen at coffee shops reading their Kindles). Those who are vision impaired appreciate its option to increase the font size. Saving trees, convenience, and the continued lowering prices of the device and the books sold on it make it an easy sale.

Remember, there are nearly 300,000 new book titles published each year. This increase is greatly due to the ease and convenience of self-publishing. Traditional authors’ titles are automatically converted to eBook format by their publisher. My book Gracefully has been on Kindle since it was published by McGraw-Hill in 2008. My novels, Through Hazel Eyes and The Universe Is My Sugar Daddy, as well as my clients’ books are the titles that I’ve been responsible for loading to eBook formats. With approximately a dozen eBook formats available (including some of the originals like HTML and PDF versions), it’s almost a full-time job ensuring your books’ are available in this not-so-new-anymore venue. For many authors, the questions are, “Is my book automatically in eBook format?” and “How do I load my book to eBook formats if I’m self published or my publisher hasn’t or won’t do it?”

Fortunately, sites and services like Smashwords, take on the eBook formatting role for those who are responsible for their own eBook creations. However, their formatting requirements are quite stringent and if not done properly, can result in an eMess. Having done quite a few books to eBook transitions for my own books and for clients, I can say, it’s a learning experience I didn’t think I’d be going through when I started my publishing company six years ago!

I am most pleased that the quandary is what format to read—not whether or not to read. The world of books for readers and the joy of writing for writers is one of the few Ying and Yang experiences that this world continues to benefit from. And for that, I’m happy.

Heather Hummel is a Celebrity Ghostwriter and the Author of GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe, Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best At Any Age, Through Hazel Eyes and The Universe Is My Sugar Daddy. She has never smoked a cigarette or drank a cup of coffee. http://www.heatherhummel.net/
Her novels are available for 99 cents on Kindle.

What's in a Name? 10 Tips on Writing Your Author Bio

2009-12-04T13:32:00.006-05:00

What’s in a Name? 10 Tips on Writing Your Author Bio

Besides their first query letter, the hardest words a new author has to write is their author bio. It’s also the first writing assignment I assign when I teach my workshops. The cringing, seat shifting, pen tapping task gets them every time!

Here are 10 tips for writing a quality author bio:

1. You will need a few versions of your bio. Thought you’d love to hear that! Write an extended bio for your website, proposals, interview sheets, and media kits; a medium length bio for queries, guest spots on other websites, and shorter marketing material; and a brief bio as a byline or on limited character websites.

2. Go ahead – brag! Start with your greatest writing achievement. As an aspiring author, even one published article in the local paper counts and should be highlighted.

3. Unless you’re an established author, leave your demographics, personal data for the end, and keep it brief. Though the mere fact that you were born is awsome, as a new author, it’s more important to establish yourself as a writer first.

4. When listing book publications, should you have any, italicize the title (do not put in quotation marks), and include the publisher and year published in parentheses after the title.
i.e. Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw Hill, 2008)

5. Refer to yourself in the third person. Use she/he thereafter for short bios. On the longer ones, I personally like to interject “Heather” a few more times.

6. Note only awards that are for your writing or if related to your writing. For example, if you write about gardening and you won an award for your outstanding garden, then you can brag about it. If you won a blue ribbon at the county fair for your brownies, but you write Science Fiction, leave out the ribbon (but feel free to send me the brownies!). When both of my books won awards within the same month, I immediately updated my author bios on my website and other places. The credibility an award gives a book can change the life of it!

7. BS? BA? BIS? Ph.D.? When it comes to education, much like awards, if your degree is relevant to writing or what you write, then note it. If you have a Ph.D. in psychology and are writing a book on teenage bullying, then certainly note it—it’s a credential (I’m guessing if this is your case, you know this!). Alternatively, if your degree is in architecture and you changed careers to write children’s books, unless it’s about how to build the coolest Lincoln Log cabin on your block, leave the degree out. I have a BIS degree in English and Secondary Education from the University of Virginia. These credentials support me as a writer, writing coach, and workshop instructor, so I use it in my long bio.

8. Your bio will change dramatically as your career advances. Below are my current author bio and my bio from 2007. Note: I learned that where you live isn’t important when you’re just starting out. Noting that I “reside in the midst of the Blue Ridge Mountains” sounded really cool and literary at the time, but it was the publishing credits and my writing that advanced my career. Think of it like this—it’s not where you write, it’s what you write!

9. If you can, have a professional (or at least a really good) photographer take a quality author photo of you. I used a photographer in Colorado and it took more shots than there are cowboys out there to get the perfect shot. Once you have it, use it shamelessly. Most authors are not recognized by what they look like unless they’re John Grisham (who resides here in the midst of the Blue Ridge Mountains). But, an author photo is needed for your book’s jacket, your website, and press kit (at the very least). Your 10-year-old’s camera phone doesn’t cut it..take the time to do it right.

10. Browse the internet and look in the books on your shelves at other authors’ bios for ideas. Especially read the bios of authors who write in your genre.

11. Bonus tip: Read your bio out loud when you’re done writing it. You’ll know immediately if something doesn’t sound right.

Heather Hummel – Author Bio

Heather Hummel is an award winning author whose published works include:

Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw Hill, 2008)
– Merit Award of the 2009 Mature Media Awards
Through Hazel Eyes (PathBinder Publishing, 2008)
– 1st Honorable Mention of the 2009 New York Book Festival

Heather has completed her second novel, The Universe is My Sugar Daddy.

Heather has been a guest author to a variety of audiences, including Victoria Moran’s radio show, “A Charmed Life.” Heather and/or her books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living—a combined circulation of nearly 15 million.

Heather is a writing coach and writing workshop administrator for aspiring writers both independently and through Barnes & Noble. A graduate from the University of Virginia, Heather holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree and is working toward a Ph.D. in Metaphysical Sciences.

Visit Heather’s website at www.heatherhummel.net

Heather Hummel – Bio – 2007

Heather Hummel resides in the midst of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Charlottesville, Virginia. Heather penned her first novel, Through Hazel Eyes, and is presently working on her memoir, Coffee with Middle and her second novel, The Universe is My Sugar Daddy. Her published works appear or are forthcoming in Blue Ridge Anthology: Poetry and Prose of Central Virginia Writers, Messages of Hope and Healing, and Albemarle Family Living.

Heather is a winner of the 2006 National Novel Writing Month competition. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Heather's 2011 short bio:
Heather Hummel is a Celebrity Ghostwriter and the Author of Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best At Any Age, Through Hazel Eyes and The Universe Is My Sugar Daddy. She has never smoked a cigarette or drank a cup of coffee.
Visit Heather's website at: http://www.heatherhummel.net/
Join her Facebook Fan Page
Follow Heather on Twitter

Curled up with a Good Book Reviews Gracefully

2008-08-29T08:33:00.004-05:00

Curled up with a Good Book

Thanks to Lillian Brummet for posting this review of Gracefully on her site:

Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age by Valerie Ramsey is a self-help guide for women around the globe. Readers will be pleased to find Susan Lucci's foreword and Heather Hummel's preface at the very beginning of the book useful, providing insight as to how other women feel about the content of Ramsey’s book.

A privileged life can still come with chains, and life issues do not avoid those in this position. Valerie Ramsey has had her share of life issues over the years, but she maintained a healthy marriage and raised six children as a stay-at-home mother. She began a career as a marketer in her mid-fifties for a resort community before retiring from that to begin a fresh career in modeling at the age of 63.

Gracefully offers numerous beauty tips that models use and defines various less invasive beauty-enhancing surgeries. Ramsey briefly covers finding the right clothes for the right age and how to minimize the variety of your wardrobe, saving some money and looking great at the same time. Readers also learn common fashion mistakes and the proper use of accessories. Nutrition, water intake, sleep and meditative exercises, including yoga and walking, are briefly covered in the book as well.

The book is generally what has been seen in various beauty and health magazines over the years but is provided in a friendly condensed guide that today’s busy women are sure to appreciate. The encouraging conclusion is worth the price of the book. Ramsey provides us with a wonderful example of how age is no longer a barrier to living a fulfilling life.

Eco-minded readers will be thrilled to know that the hardcover edition of Gracefully is not only durable, it is also printed on acid-free paper.

Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at www.curledup.com. © Lillian Brummet, 2008

Publishers Weekly Recommends Gracefully this Summer!

2008-06-30T09:49:00.002-05:00

The famed Publishers Weekly included Gracefully in a select group of books for June's "Books for Grownups"

Click Here

Valerie Ramsey on CBS News NYC

2008-06-01T09:58:00.004-05:00

Click Here to watch Valerie Ramsey on CBS News discussing the secret to aging Gracefully based on our coauthored book, Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age!

Readers' Reviews Praise Gracefully!

2008-05-16T11:04:00.003-05:00

Reviews posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

Think you're too old to reinvent yourself and start a new career?

Valerie Ramsey says, 'Think Again'
Margaret Ferris, A reviewer, 05/08/2008

"Valerie Ramsey is a traditional woman that every modern day person can relate to. She is a great beauty inside and out..... tenacious, unselfish and inspirational, she gives us hope and practical advise on everything from raising a family of six children to selling golf balls at Pebble Beach. Her motto 'don't be afraid to start at the bottom and work your way up' is 'spot on'. I loved it."

Motivational and Practical

"I found this book to be so easy to read with practical useful advice on creating a life that you want. It was inspirational at the same time, making me reaffirm my beliefs that one can accomplish whatever one puts one's mind to. I have passed this on to my mother and recommended to my girlfriends and aunts, but the over-riding message of this book is applicable to both genders. Worth the read. I took away tips to apply in daily life as well as future planning/dreaming." LMC, Charlottesville, VA

Wonderful and Inspiring

"This is a book that is as fresh as a glorious spring day! Valerie Ramsey and Heather Hummel are two special women who share not only an inspiring mother-daughter relationship, but also a zest for life that touches and inspires others. Beautifully written, it's a book that you'll want to read more than once."

Buy Gracefully on Barnes & Noble
Buy Gracefully on Amazon

Valerie's Guest Appearance on the Steven and Chris Show!

2008-05-14T09:34:00.000-05:00

Valerie recently finished the Canadian leg of the Gracefully tour and had a great time as a guest on the Steven and Chris show! Steven, Chris and Valerie discussed makeup, marriage, nutrition, positive thinking, and so much more of the powerful messages written about in Gracefully!

WATCH the Video

READ the Article

LA Times Festival of the Book Photos

2008-05-04T12:31:00.003-05:00

Valerie and Heather
Display inside the Borders' Tent
Signing with Martha Beck

Santa Monica Beach

Watch the Today Show Segement

2008-04-30T13:11:00.000-05:00

From the Today Show Website:

5 tips on aging gracefully

April 30: Valerie Ramsey, who launched a modeling career at age 63, visits TODAY to talk about her new book "Gracefully" and share her top 5 suggestions for looking great at any age.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24386673#24386673

Bill Simmons of ESPN2 Recommends Gracefully for Mother's Day

2008-04-30T12:41:00.003-05:00

Bill Simmons, the popular ESPN 2 Page 2 writer, aka The Sports Guy, recommends Gracefully to his readers!

He Writes:
BONUS LINK: POTENTIAL MOTHER'S DAY GIFT CROSSED WITH A SHAMELESS CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND A GRATUITOUS PIMP
This book about beauty secrets for older women was written by Valerie Ramsey, the mother of my buddy Gus and the wife of my ninth-grade basketball coach and eighth-grade English teacher (as well as the creator of the Hall of Fame Pyramid), Wally Ramsey. Come on, your mom would love this book!

Monterey Herald Article - Gracefully

2008-04-18T14:14:00.001-05:00

The Monterey Herald ran a terrific article on Valerie's and my collaboration on Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age

Cover Page

Inside Article Page 1

Inside Article Page 2

USA Today Recommends Gracefully!

2008-04-17T15:21:00.002-05:00

Today's (April 17) issue of USA Today recommends Gracefully as one of the newly released books that focus on the beautiful side of aging...

"How-to books make aging a thing of beauty"

Gracefully is already a Bestseller!

2008-04-07T10:30:00.002-05:00

Gracefully is now a Bestseller on Amazon in their "Aging" and "Retirement Planning" categories!

Don't forget Mother's Day is May 11th! Surprise the special Moms in your life with Gracefully!

Packed with 18 inspiring chapters on topics such as: nutrition, exercise, friendship, learning something new, and loving yourself, there's more than just something in there for everyone.

LA Times Festival of the Book

2008-04-05T09:05:00.002-05:00

Meet the co-authors of Gracefully - Valerie Ramsey and Heather Hummel - at the LA Times Festival of the Book!

Event: Book Signing
Date: Saturday, April 26th
Time: 4:00 pm
Place: Borders booth #301, located on the west end of Dickson Plaza near Royce Hall.

Meeting Mike Farrell

2008-04-02T10:08:00.003-05:00

Mike Farrell was a particant of the VA Festival of the Book and gave a lively discussion at the Paramount theater. He is still as handsome as can be, projects a wonderful spirit and a strong message that we all want to be loved and respected.

Thank you, Mike, for bringing your message to our quaint, adademic town!

Alan Alda surprised us all by being in the audience with is wife, Ada. He certainly added flair to the evening!

Body, Mind, and Soul Patrol Praise...

2008-03-12T18:45:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all of you who have responded so nicely to the Body, Mind & Soul Patrol newsletter:

"I just LOVE your Body, Mind & Soul Patrol newsletters! Each one just seems to hit a special point that I can relate to!" - Gemma, England

"Love your e-newsletter!" - Grace, NYC

"This is just what I needed today!" - Joan, Charlottesville, VA

"Thanks for including me on the Body, Mind, &Soul Patrol newsletters. It is always so fascinating to get in on people's deeper thoughts and ideas, like what you write and share." - Robin, California

Body & Soul Magazine lists Gracefully as an "Editor's Pick"

2008-03-06T17:54:00.001-05:00

Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age chosen as an "Editor's Pick"!

The April issue of Body & Soul magazine lists Gracefully as one of "Four new titles that offers guidance on how to maximize good health at every stage of life"! (pg. 134)

How to Journal to Create the Life You Want

2008-03-06T13:58:00.006-05:00

How to Journal to Create the Life You Want - an E-Class - is a 7 week e-class that expandsupon the concepts in the Journaling and Visualization chapters in Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age.

I have been a journal writer for thirty years. It wasn't until about two years ago that I woke up one day and realized that all of my journal writing was having a major impact on the outcome of my life, and not always in a good way.

From that moment on, I chose to only journal positive thoughts, gratitude, and the goals I wanted to acheive in life.

Within a few months of changing what and the way I wrote in my journal, I:
1) signed with a literary agent in New York City (after having looked for one for over a year),
2) landed a book deal with McGraw Hill within a few months,
3) and am now the author of an already bestselling book,
Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age.

I learned that through changing the way I wrote in my journal, my life began to change for the better.

How to Journal to Create the Life You Want will share with you the tools for writing in your journal in such a way that your life will begin to change for the better.

You will be guided through a variety of journaling techniquesthat will inspire action and results in your life based on your journaling.

Personal, yet informative and enlightening, thise-class is designed to allow you to:

** Become comfortable with the art of journaling bybreaking down barriers and misconceptions

** Create enriched and happier lives throughgratitude and desire-based journaling

** Discover the joys of journaling** Enhance current positive journaling techniques

** Experience a comfortable, safeenvironment to grow as a journal writer

**Flexible, inspiring assignments

What the Course Offers:

Weekly readings and assignments

Personal attentionEncouragement and freedom to grow

In addition, each participant will receive a free copy of Gracefully!

Go to: http://www.heatherhummel.net/writing/journalingtocreateyourlife.html to register and start creating the life you want!

Heather Hummel
Co-Author, Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age

p.s. What did you write in your journal last night? Last week? Was it positive? Did you feel good writing it? If the answer is "No" than this class might just be for you!

Publishers Weekly

2008-02-28T11:54:00.003-05:00

Publishers Weekly wrote this review for Gracefully:

Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age Valerie Ramsey with Heather Hummel, foreword by Susan Lucci. McGraw-Hill, $24.95 (304p) ISBN 978-0-07-154623-2

Ramsey's best friend in high school was the beautiful Ali MacGraw, who “hopscotched right over the gawky stage” of adolescence. With such a friend, Ramsay says, “you couldn't help but feel insecure.” Readers might be tempted to feel the same as Ramsey describes hopscotching over her own gawky, aging stage. Beautiful and accomplished, she has gone from happy stay-at-home mom of six (of whom coauthor Hummel is one) to older career woman and runway model in her 60s. But while few women have her genes, or her success, they may benefit from Ramsey's frank advice and beauty tips. She includes such useful information as how to pose for a photograph, strategic uses for Botox, what to eat, how to exercise, what makeup to use, the advantages of meditation and how to stay sexual in a long-term marriage. None of it is particularly original, but it is heartfelt and admirably health conscious (except perhaps for the Botox). Not everything has been roses for Ramsey. She's a survivor of uterine cancer and was diagnosed with a weak heart. How, then, does she do it? Ramsey attributes much of her success to the power of positive thinking. And then, of course, there are those genes. (May)

Publishers

2008-02-28T11:54:00.001-05:00

John Grisham - Write a Page a Day

2008-02-08T11:09:00.002-05:00

Last week fellow Charlottesville author, John Grisham, was on the Today Show. In his interview with Matt Lauer the question was asked, "What advice do you have for aspiring writers," to which Grisham, in his writer-wisdom tone, responded, "Write a page a day." He was quite matter-of-fact in his response.

Matt followed with, "What if they can't think of anything to write?"

Again, in a flat-matter-of-fact tone, Grisham responded, "Then they won't get published." He continued to point at that a page a day is the equivalent of writing a book a year.

The interview reminded me that there are people who believe there's a magic formula to being a writer. Yet, it's really as clear-cut as Grisham indicated - write. It helps to be good at writing, of course, but the more you write, the more you grow as a writer. As with any profession, if you're not doing it, then you won't make it.

My personal goal is 2,000 words per day (2KWPD), and I don't believe in writer's block.

Heather Hummel is a Celebrity Ghostwriter and the Author of Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best At Any Age, Through Hazel Eyes and The Universe Is My Sugar Daddy. She has never smoked a cigarette or drank a cup of coffee.
Visit Heather's website at: www.HeatherHummel.net
Join her Facebook Fan Page
Follow Heather on Twitter

Eat, Pray, Love Paired with Gracefully on Amazon!

2008-01-25T12:28:00.000-05:00

Amazon has paired Gracefully with Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert so that buyers can purchase both together...We are grateful to be in such wonderful company!

Christiane Northrup, MD Says Gracefully is "Simply Wonderful"!

2008-01-05T19:18:00.001-05:00

“Gracefully is simply wonderful. Valerie Ramsey is living proof that being older than 50 can be exciting, healthy, and sexy.”

-Christiane Northrup, MD

Author of Mother-Daughter Wisdom, The Wisdom of Menopause, and Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom

Golden Endorsement from Golden Girls' Rue McClanahan

2008-01-05T19:17:00.002-05:00

Gracefully

“I like the snappy way this gal thinks. She sends out a powerful message!”

-Rue McClanahan, Actress

Ken Dychtwald of Age Wave Says Gracefully is "Uplifting and Informative"!

2008-01-05T19:16:00.000-05:00

Gracefully

"Valerie Ramsey is the new face, style and attitude of aging. In Gracefully, she inspires us to bring out the best in ourselves - physically, mentally, and spiritually - in order to make the 50+ years the best years of our lives. A terrific, uplifting and informative book."

-Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., President and CEO of Age Wave and Author of Bodymind, Healthy Aging, Age Wave, The Power Years: A User's Guide to the Rest of Your Life

Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age

2007-12-05T12:27:00.000-05:00

Valerie and I were in New York City last week meeting with my agent, our editor, and publicist. What a beautiful time of year to be in the Big Apple. Rockefeller Center had its tree lighting the night we arrived and all of the stores were dressed to the nines in their holiday decoration attire!

The big news is that Gracefully is nearly ready to launch! It is on Amazon and Barnes & Noble for pre-orders and more information is available on my website: http://www.heatherhummel.net/.

Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert

2007-12-05T12:18:00.000-05:00

It was great to see Elizabeth Gilbert on Oprah yesterday. The impact Eat, Pray, Love has had on the role of spiritulity in many lives is timely and refreshing. The beauty of Eat, Pray, Love is that there are so many out there with their own story who can relate, through her words, to her feelings and spiritual beliefs. I commend her for her honesty and incredible story telling ability.

Check out her website at: www.elizabethgilbert.com

Writing Workshop Etiquette: Top 10 Tips for Writing Groups

2007-11-11T11:53:00.012-05:00

"Workshop feedback is not meant to be the equivalent of clicking 'Like' on Facebook. Writers need real feedback." - Heather Hummel

One way for writers to advance their craft is to join a local writing group or sign up for a workshop. Sounds easy enough – do a Google or Meet Up search for local writing groups, or check with nearby writing centers for their class schedule, then show up with your masterpiece and sit back while everyone raves about how it’s the next Great American Novel. Accept your applauds, offer autographs, and decide you no longer need your group because you have an agent to find. It could happen. Never doubt the power of positive thinking.

However, should you end up in a writing group or class for an unforeseen amount of time, there are some general standards that tend to be the foundation for sharing your own and critiquing other members' work. Besides attending several workshops and critique groups that followed these standards, many of my University of Virginia education and English classes involved modeling proper work-shopping techniques. In my former days as an English teacher, my 9th and 10th grade English students proved to be more than capable of learning appropriate etiquette and how to give and receive feedback within the walls of our classroom, so I imagine you can too.

These are general guidelines:

1. Read Only! Read through the entire piece that you’re critiquing and then reread it before marking your comments.Why? Because you may write a comment early on that is addressed or answered later. A bunch of crossed out words (retracted questions or comments) on the paper doesn’t look so good blended in with your good ones...which leads to #2.

2. Out with the Old. Type your comments on separate sheets of paper appended with paper clips or stapled.Why? There is no need to mark papers with red ink. Red ink went out with, well, typewriters. Another alternative is to use the "Track Changes" or "Comments" feature in Word (use the Help feature to learn about these incredibly valuable tools). Be sure your group is familiar with these features before you use them, and it's most beneficial if you can send the electronic version to them at some point after the critique session.

3. Say What? Start your comments by acknowledging what the author is writing about.Why? This lets the author know that you understood their piece. It also starts the feedback on a positive note, which should be a rule, not a guideline.

4. Facebook? NOT! Note how the piece grows paragraph by paragraph. Comment on strong images, phrases, or tensions.Why? This idea relates to actually writing comments – give the author feedback they can work with other than a generic, “I like this!” Workshop feedback is not meant to be the equivalent of clicking "Like" on Facebook. Writers need real feedback. Noting how the piece made you feel, what images it brought to mind, and other personal touches gives the author valuable feedback.

Each reader will respond to each piece differently and the author would rather hear that range of emotions evoked than ten, “I loved this!” or "Needs work!" comments. Feel free to follow your comment with a question, if needed. For example: “Your image of the teacher sipping tea while grading papers may be realistic, but it also tends to pigeonhole her character into a stereotype - is that your intention?”

5. Digging Deeper. Give an interpretive summary of the paper.Why? As with #3, giving the author your interpretation of their piece lets them know if their message was relayed the way they intended. For example: If you read an essay on cycling and only picked up that the author loves to ride her bike but missed the parallel that relates to a more in-depth topic, such as the author/cyclist uses cycling as their muse and that's why they like to ride, then the author needs to know that her point didn't come through clearly.

6. Essence. When making suggestions for revisions, be supportive, not derogatory. You can help by making suggestions for revisions by using some of these approaches:

Ask for specific kinds of additional information;
Envision the piece in a different, transformed form of discourse;
Suggest quality deletions or paraphrasing;
Ask questions about anything in the paper that puzzled you. If you're puzzled, someone else might be too;
Suggest anything else, within the essence of the piece, that you think the author should consider.
Respect their vision - this is very important - it is their piece and needs to reflect their voice and agenda.

Note: When making revision suggestions for excerpts from a novel (i.e. if you are only reading one or two chapters), bear in mind that you are only reading a small portion of a larger piece that can take place anywhere within the novel. It may be that your questions are addressed before or after the section that you are reading. (There are times that the author will provide critical information in these cases, but not always.)

7. #2 Pencils! If you choose to mark on the paper directly by commenting and highlighting certain parts, use pencil rather than pen.Why? For the obvious reason that pen is permanent...you can erase pencil marks. It only takes one time of wanting to erase a pen mark to learn this valuable tip. If you're in a group that is electronically challenged, or simply prefers the old style of using hard copies for critiques, this is especially important.

8. Be Charitable! Make your suggestions for revisions charitably; you want to avoid sounding patronizing or presumptuous.Why? Because ideally you’d want the same consideration when your turn to be critiqued comes about. The writing part is easy – it’s learning to take and give constructive feedback that is often the largest hurdle for beginning work-shoppers.

9. As the Recipient of Constructive Criticism...the best gift, and often the hardest, you can give yourself is to learn to detach from your story enough to hear other writers' suggestions. It is recommended, and often general procedure, that the author must endure listening to all others discuss and provide feedback for the first part of the critique session. In other words - no talking until the critiques are complete. Learning to bite your tongue and not send daggers across the room at the slightest bit of negativity during this time is critical to surviving a workshop. Remember that you signed up to hear what others think and feel about your work and to gain knowledge from the experiences they had while reading your piece. To interrupt would be the equivalent to telling your mechanic what is wrong with your car and how to fix it while they're working on it. Sit back, listen, take notes, chew gum, sit on your hands, do whatever you need to do to absorb what they are saying — your turn to ask questions and explain or defend, if needed, is at the end.

10. Wait it Out. Typically, as the writer being critiqued, you will leave with all the copies of your piece loaded with the suggestions, marks, and possibly questions from your group. When you get home, instead of sitting down and reading them (after all, you just heard most of the comments), set them aside and wait about a week before reading them. By then you will have a fresh head and will be better able to soak up their comments, praise, and suggestions—some will make you wince, some will make you grin, some will utterly confuse you and will make you wonder if the person actually read your story, but all of this is normal and you’re not required to take any or all of their advise.

Once you’ve made it through that process, you’ll be ready to forge ahead and the next time it will be all the easier to endure.

Note on Point of View: One of the most valuable parts of writing that beginners learn from critique groups is point-of-view. This is something that most advance writers will pick up on immediately if they see a piece that has constant point-of-view shifting. If you are not clear on point-of-view, research it before attending a workshop…it will save a lot of comments and time. In a nutshell, most point-of-views are third person, in which case only the main character can see and think (of course they can act and speak as well) — secondary characters can only act and speak. For example, if the main character is a teacher, her student shouldn’t be able to think, Why do we have to have all of this homework? He can say/ask it, but the story can’t be told from inside his mind since it’s not his established point-of-view. There are ways to have omniscient points of view, but the rules need to be clearly established by the author to the reader.

*****

If you're an aspiring author, you may want to check out Heather Hummel's novel The Universe Is My Sugar Daddy. Samantha Sounder, the protagonist, quits her day job as an office manager to follow her truth as an author. While writing her first novel in a coffee shop will Samantha sell her book and manage to find love over lattes while in the process? The Universe Is My Sugar Daddy is just 99 Cents on Kindle! Also available in paperback.

If your an English teacher, you'll especially love Heather's first novel, Through Hazel Eyes. Madison Ragnar is a high school English teacher who is struggling to recover from a previous relationship. Madison's speckled view of the world is seen through her troubled students, a fellow teacher, an intriguing man who enters her life, and a haunting past. Yet everything comes into focus when she learns to trust in herself for the first time in thirty years. Through Hazel Eyes is also just 99 Cents on Kindle! Also available in paperback.

Heather Hummel is a Celebrity Ghostwriter and the Author of GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe, Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best At Any Age, Whispers from the Heart and Write from the Heart. She has never smoked a cigarette or drank a cup of coffee.
Visit Heather's website at: www.HeatherHummel.net
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Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age

2007-08-08T14:41:00.000-05:00

We are thrilled to show the cover for Gracefully. The team at McGraw Hill did a remarkable job of capturing the perfect cover!

The release date is scheduled for April, 2008.

A special thanks to Susan Lucci for writing the Foreword.

Preorders are available on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

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Malocchio: The Evil Eye Murders by Michael Chiaradonna & James T. Vance

From The Times Herald (Norristown, NJ)

Norristown evil eye murders of the 1960s are inspiration for longtime friends' venture into the publishing world...

...Chiaradonna and Vance co-wrote Malocchio: The Evil Eye Murders, a fictional story based on the facts of the 1960s murders.

Read the full article here.

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Bill Simmons of ESPN2 Recommends Gracefully for Mother's Day

Monterey Herald Article - Gracefully

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Gracefully is already a Bestseller!

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Body, Mind, and Soul Patrol Praise...

Body & Soul Magazine lists Gracefully as an "Editor's Pick"

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Eat, Pray, Love Paired with Gracefully on Amazon!

Christiane Northrup, MD Says Gracefully is "Simply Wonderful"!

Golden Endorsement from Golden Girls' Rue McClanahan

Ken Dychtwald of Age Wave Says Gracefully is "Uplifting and Informative"!

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Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age

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