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Scribe & Quill ~ June 2005

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Volume 3 Issue 4
ISSN: 1098-6375

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MASTHEAD
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* Editor & Publisher [ON LEAVE]

Bev Walton-Porter <editor@scribequill.com>

* Guest Editor

Sonali T. Sikchi <sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com>

* Assistant Editor & Advertising Manager

Mindy Phillips Lawrence <mplcreative1@aol.com>

* Humor Editor

Jaden Trinsic <humor@scribequill.com>

* Poetry Editor

Donna "Kai" Wilson <poetry@scribequill.com>

* Book Review Editor

Sonali T. Sikchi <sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com>

* Nonfiction Columnists:

Joyce Faulkner <katieseyes@aol.com>

Jill Vaile <jill@jilleliz.com>

* Fiction Columnist

Rick Chiantaretto <rick@facadeofshadows.com>

* Humor Columnist

Sharon Wren <swren1@msn.com>

* Video Game Reviewer

Jonathan Porter <jonp@scribequill.com>

* Book Reviewers:

Barbara Ardinger <bawriting@earthlink.net>

Judith Woolcock Colombo <judithcolombo@hotmail.com>

J.M. Cornwell <jcornwell@peoplepc.com>

Joyce Faulkner <katieseyes@aol.com>

Ilona Hegedûs <fairylona@yahoo.co.uk>

Carolyn Howard-Johnson <hojonews@aol.com>

Mindy Phillips Lawrence <mplcreative1@aol.com>

Bobbi Linkemer <bobolink@accessus.net>

Anna Morvee <amorvee2004@adelphia.net>

Rita Porter <beepmybeep2@mchsi.com>

Sonali T. Sikchi <sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com>

Laura Tripp <thatgrrl@gmail.com>

Bev Walton-Porter <editor@scribequill.com>

* Guest Writers:

Alyice Edrich <dabblingmum@yahoo.com>

Matt Sinovic <sinovic@gmail.com>

D.M. Rosner <webmaster@6ftferrets.com>

* Guest Book Reviewer

Alyice Edrich <dabblingmum@yahoo.com>

* Mascots:

Isis, the Feline Freelancer <isis@scribequill.com>

Popeye, the Editing Wonder Dog <popeye@scribequill.com>

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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~Editor's Note

~Reader Praise!

~Scribe & Quill Patrons

~Scribes of Note ~ Virtual Quills

~Featured Article

Turn Your Column Into A Book
By Alyice Edrich (dabblingmum@yahoo.com)

~Featured Article

Moving Beyond the Meetings

By D.M. Rosner (webmaster@6ftferrets.com)

~Featured Column
The Writer's Tech Check Quiz
By Jill Vaile (jill@jilleliz.com)

~Featured Interview
Author: Feather Schwartz Foster

By Bev Walton-Porter (editor@scribequill.com)

~Featured Fiction Column

Civil War
By Rick Chiantaretto (rick@facadeofshadows.com)

~Featured Fiction

Be Careful What You Fish For

By Matt Sinovic (sinovic@gmail.com)

~Call for Submissions

~Featured Contests

~Professional Writing Courses

~Quotables

~Book Reviews

--"The Skeleton Man" by Tony Hillerman

--"Song of Susannah" by Stephen King

--"Snowed In With Grandmother Silk" by Carol Fenner
--"Over 100 FAQs Women Asked About Writing" edited by Angel Brown and Sheri McConnell

--"Rich Dad's Escape from the Rat Race" by Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon L. Lechter

--"Highway Hypodermics" by Epstein LaRue

--"The Demon Plague" by Joreid McFate

--"Snap Me A Future" by Connie Gotsch

--"Once Burned" by Jackie Griffey

--"One Blue Star" by Mindy Phillips Lawrence

--"The Stories of English" by David Crystal

--"The Well-Fed Writer: Back For Seconds" by Peter Bowerman

~The Last Word: Recommended Links for Writers

~Contact and Submission Information

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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
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Dear Readers,

Welcome to the June issue of Scribe & Quill and the first summer issue by guest editors.

Our last issue received a great deal of positive feedback. So, we are continuing the "lot more content" trend by bringing you one of our longest issues yet.

Look for Jill Vaile's column to test your readiness for twenty-first century technology. Guest writer D.M. Rosner presents us with valuable first-hand advice on how to turn a formal writers' group into a cohesive, supportive, stimulating and fun fellowship of writers. If you have a bunch of published columns lying in a drawer, dust them off and scroll to guest writer Alyice Edrich's article on how to turn them into a book. Don't miss Bev Walton-Porter's interview with Feather Schwartz Foster, author of "Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities." Fiction columnist Rick Chiantaretto and guest writer Matt Sinovic bring us chills and thrills aplenty. In addition, we have a fantastic offering of book reviews.

So, close the door, choose a comfy chair and plunge right in.

Don't forget: We'd love to write about your triumphs in our "Scribes of Note" section. It's simple to participate. Send an e-mail message to editor@scribequill.com with "Virtual Quill" in the subject line.

All the best to our editor Bev for spectacular success with her writing project.

Keep on writing. Keep on selling.

Sonali T. Sikchi, Guest Editor
sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com

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VOTE!

Please rate Scribe & Quill at the Cumuli E-zine Finder located at http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/vote.html?pub_code=scribe.

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PARTICIPATE!

Share new markets and/or jobs with other writers, find out the latest updates to the "Scribe & Quill" site, announce your newest success or swap information and advice with other writers at the new Activeboard on our site at http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=25937.

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COMMUNITY JOURNAL!

Scribe & Quill also has a journaling community on Live Journal at http://www.livejournal.com/~scribequill. Come express your innermost thoughts and feelings about being a writer in this community diary -- stream-of-consciousness and personal journal entries relating to the ups, downs and sideways of the writing life are welcomed! This community is exclusively for the right-brained, abstract side of Scribe & Quillers!

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READER SUPPORT FOR SCRIBE & QUILL
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We have the BEST readers on the planet! It's because of your encouragement that we continue to publish our 'zine for writers. We believe in your writing goals and we are there to support you every step of the way. Thanks, in turn, for lending us support as well!

Here's what readers are saying about Scribe & Quill:

"This issue [May 2005] has amazing articles -- the kind one doesn't see clones of all over the web. Congratulations. Also, your staff is the greatest. I think I know most of them. Judith, Joyce, Mindy, etc. You do yourself proud!"

--Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "The Frugal Book Promoter" (Star Publish), hojonews@aol.com, http://www.carolynhowardjohnson.com

"...Scribe & Quill is excellent work..."
--Rowdy Rhodes, Site Manager, Freelance Writing Organization - Int'l (http://www.fwointl.com/index.html)

"I love Scribe & Quill. It's the best-written writing 'zine out there with the most interesting content."
--Karin Gillespie, author of "Bet Your Bottom Dollar" (Simon and Schuster)

"I really think S&Q has a lot to offer. I've been promoting S&Q's writing courses on my website Femme Erotique […] with one of your banners. I started Femme for the same reasons -- I want to help others attain their goals -- whether it be writing fiction or just improving their lives."

--Ann Melrose, editor of "Femme Erotique" (http://www.femme-erotique.com)

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PARTNER WITH SCRIBE & QUILL
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Developing and distributing a regular publication, either online or in print, requires time and incurs costs such as Web hosting, domain fees, program renewals and operating costs.

We are glad to deliver S & Q to our readers at no charge, but we appreciate any contributions made to show support for this endeavor. Become a patron of Scribe & Quill and help support the continued publication of this 'zine. When you become a patron, we will list your name on our Web site and run a short personal profile of you in our 'zine as our thanks to you for your support.

Contributions may be made in these ways:
* Go to Pay Pal (http://www.paypal.com) and send contribution to editor@scribequill.com
* Using a credit card via Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/paypage/PTBVV59ORYU9J.

Thank you for reading our magazine and for your continued support.

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SCRIBES OF NOTE
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At Scribe & Quill a virtual quill is our way of congratulating scribes of note who have made an article sale, published a book, snagged an agent/publisher or have reported to us a number of other notable successes in writing and publishing.

Our quills are virtual because they exist only in cyberspace. We honor the recipients here with an old-fashioned pat on the back and publication of their news so our readers can celebrate with them!

Have a success you'd like to trumpet to the rest of world? Send your triumph to editor@scribequill.com with "Virtual Quill" in the subject line.

This issue's virtual quills are awarded to:

* Mary C. Fairbanks's "The Affairs of Dragons" was published by Zumaya Otherworlds this month. It is available in trade paperback and E-book formats. She has also published "Murder in the Liberry Building" and enjoys writing poetry and lyrics for children's songs.

* Robert Ferrier's (rferrier2@cox.net ) chapbook "Rhythms" won the trophy award as the best published book of poetry in 2004 in a regional contest sponsored by the Oklahoma Writers Federation on April 30 in Oklahoma City. Robert is the former fiction craft columnist for "Scribe & Quill."

* Martha Jette (marthajette@yahoo.com), former Hamilton, Ontario newspaper and magazine editor, has had her third book accepted for publishing by Saga Books of Calgary, Alberta. "Glimpses 2: It Can Happen To You" presents an amazing 90 strange, but true, paranormal stories about ordinary people having extraordinary experiences. From ghosts and hauntings to voices from beyond, premonitions, angel visitations, past lives and much more, this book is sure to captivate your imagination, if not change your views on life, death and the afterlife forever! For more information on this author and her books, please visit http://www.para-books.com.

* Tsipi Keller's (litwrks@yahoo.com) latest novel "Jackpot" was published by Spuyten Duyvil, a literary press based in Brooklyn, NY, in November 2004. To learn more about the publisher and the novel, please visit the publisher's site at http://www.spuytenduyvil.net/fiction/jackpot.htm. Keller is a novelist and a translator. She is the recipient of an NEA Fellowship, as well as of CAPS and NYFA awards in fiction.

* Joy V. Smith (pagadan@aol.com) has published stories in two recent anthologies: "Kings of the Night II," an anthology of 15 tales of heroic fantasy, and "Magistria: Realm of the Sorcerer." Both anthologies are now available in paperback. Smith's story "The Princess Quest," a light-hearted look at sword and sorcery, is one of the stories in the "Kings" anthology (http://www.lulu.com/content/124134). "Seedlings," a story about plant mages and their sentient plants, is printed in the "Magistria" anthology (http://www.lulu.com/content/125468). Her blog at http://journals.aol.com/pagadan/JoysJournal includes helpful house hints, links and publication news.

* Joy V. Smith's (pagadan@aol.com) book "Building a Cool House for Hot Times without Scorching the Pocketbook" is #8 on the Barnes & Noble list: BarnesandNoble.com / Books / Home & Garden / House & Home / Home Do-It-Yourself / Architecture / Domestic / Amateurs' Manuals.

* Sarah Wagner's (twisteddragon@yahoo.com) short story "Fated" has been accepted for publication in the June issue of "Lyrica," a quarterly webzine that specializes in romantic fiction and poetry. "Lyrica" can be found at http://www.clik.to/lyrica. For more information on Sarah's other published work, please visit http://www.freewebs.com/sarahwagner.

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ADVERTISEMENT
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Visit Scribe & Quill's Online Book Gallery

Featured listings include:

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--"First Saturday" by Rosemary O'Brien (fiction)

--"The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't" by Carolyn Howard-Johnson (nonfiction)

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FEATURED ARTICLE
Moving Beyond the Meetings: Having fun and adding quality with group events
By D.M. Rosner (webmaster@6ftferrets.com)
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In 1992, after meeting every other week for three years, The 6' Ferret Writers' Group came to a serious decision -- it was time for a Halloween party. While it might sound like nothing more than a fun evening, that party had an enormous impact on the long-term success of our group. It was the first of many events that stretched us as writers and expanded our ideas of what a group was all about.

The Halloween party concept began during a meeting when we thought it would be fun to write Halloween stories. We had plenty of experience doing writing exercises -- in fact, our name came from a circle story. (That particular story, written a line at a time by each member, continued to pass from person to person long after it ceased making sense. The cry to kill it was answered with, "Just then, a giant 6' ferret driving an 18 wheeler came a long and ran them all over. The end.") A Halloween writing exercise, it seemed, would be easy.

We all went home to write, but at the next meeting, we discovered that none of us had a solid idea for a plot, and the party was only two weeks away. We discussed our story fragments, hammered out a common theme, and each wrote the same story from a different point of view. On the night of the party, dressed as our characters, we read the stories aloud and had a good laugh. The party became an annual tradition, and each year we print up a small anthology of the stories for our members.

Over the years, the Halloween concept evolved, and now we often choose an overall theme for the stories -- past themes have included New Orleans, the New Millennium and even Star Trek. We also draw ideas out of a hat. These ideas are usually broken down by category, such as Odd Object, Animal, Character, Supernatural Element and Food (the chosen foods are brought to the party, which has made for some interesting meals). Some of the stories have been serious, some funny, but we always have a great time with them. We've also learned to avoid vampires as main characters in our stories -- if you're wondering why, try reading twelve pages aloud with vampire teeth.

Don't think that an annual party has no real value -- what started out as a simple extension of the group has resulted in the publication of four of our Halloween stories. Not bad for a writing exercise.

Once we discovered that a group could be more than the sum of its meetings, we began looking for other ways to expand our activities. The next idea we had was something we call "Novels Days." A Novels Day is simply a Saturday or a Sunday set aside to work on our current projects. There is no set schedule of meeting dates -- we simply hold them whenever we feel the need. We meet somewhere for breakfast, and chat about what we hope to accomplish for the day or any blocks we might be having, then adjourn to a member's home to write. It is not a time for discussion, although we do run the occasional question by one another. We continue writing until we run out of stamina, which is often around mid-afternoon.

After a few years, we found that a day simply wasn't enough -- and thus, departed for our first annual retreat. We booked rooms off-season at a seaside motel and devoted three days to our work. That weekend gave us a basic blueprint for our retreats, and each year we refined it until we found the atmosphere and routine we needed.

Our retreats go something like this: Get up, discuss work in progress or read the results of writing exercises over breakfast, then write. Break for lunch. Write. Break for dinner, then write or do writing exercises late into the night. Sleep, rise and repeat.

We prefer bed-and-breakfast inns, because their rich atmospheres are perfectly suited to writing. In the past, we've moved from state to state for retreats, but in recent years we've settled on a wonderful Connecticut inn. Staying in the same place is not only more convenient for us, but our breakfast discussions -- often about such things as disposing of bodies -- frighten fewer innkeepers that way.

The addition of writing time isn't the only way we've moved beyond meetings though. Most of our members are now published authors, and as a result we've had the opportunity to do book readings.

Our first member to have a story published in an anthology brought the book, copies of the advertising slicks and a brief biography to her local bookstore, and asked if they'd like her to do a reading. They agreed. It was really that simple. Bookstores like to have authors do readings, because it draws customers -- so don't be afraid to approach them!

Opportunities for speaking engagements are all around, too. We have spoken at local bookstores about how to build a writers' group and were pleased with the enthusiastic attendance. An added benefit came when two audience members later joined our group.

If your group has an area of expertise -- perhaps a particular genre or favorite subject matter -- take advantage of the opportunity to share your knowledge.

So, speak out. Do a reading. Throw a party. Stretch yourselves. Take your group to the next level, and move beyond the meetings. The results might just surprise you.

[From "The Writing Group Book" (Chicago Review Press, 2003). Reprinted with permission. For additional information, please visit D.M. Rosner at http://www.dmrosner.com and The 6' Ferret Writers' Group at http://www.6ftferrets.com.]  

BIO:
D.M. Rosner's other non-fiction work has appeared in "The Writer, " "Writer's Journal" and "The Writer's Handbook" (2000 and 2001 editions). She also served as editor and co-author of "Don't Forget to Write! " by The 6' Ferret Writers' Group. Her fiction credits include short stories in the "Dead Promises" anthology by Chameleon Publishing, Inc., the "Mensa Bulletin" and an award-winning story in "Inscriptions Magazine."

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FEATURED ARTICLE
Turn Your Column Into A Book
By Alyice Edrich (dabblingmum@yahoo.com)
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Columnists write fresh, new material on a daily, weekly, even monthly basis. But once the column is written, the columnist usually forgets about the piece and moves on to other columns. After a few years, those columns add up to a great collection of material. That material can breathe new life in the form of a book.

Check Your Contract

Before beginning any project, always check your contracts. Make sure you only gave up one-time rights to your column. If you gave up all rights, you cannot resell those columns or compile them into a book, unless you get written permission from the company who purchased all rights to your material.

Begin With Your Column

The type of column you write will determine the type of book you write. It will also determine how much work you'll need to transform your column into a book.

Essayists can put together a book of essays within a week. Just sort through your essays, find a common ground and plug them into a word-processing document. There are several options available for essayists, such as:

- The best of "Column Name"

- Essays by theme

- Essays by chronological order

- Favorite essays you've written, with a note at the bottom updating the status of your life or circumstance since the time you first wrote that essay

Essayists can even take their essays a step further by using several essays as the heart of a book written with all new material. In other words, did some of your essays spark ideas for new books? Can you use a few essays as the basis for chapters in a new book?

Question and answer columnists will have a little more work cut out for them, since their answers may not be long enough to become a chapter all by themselves. But having done most of the research to write the material in the first place, adding meat to the chapters should be a breeze. There are several options available for Q&A columnists, such as:

- 105 "Theme" Tips

- X ways to "your theme"

Interview columnists can put together a book of interviews, and increase the book's value by adding photos, background information and lesser-known tidbits about each interviewee.

Food columnists can put together a book of their favorite recipes, giving credit to each chef, cookbook author and restaurant. They can also put together a book of their favorite restaurants and include interviews with the owners, background information about the restaurant's theme, etc.

Financial columnists can put together several money books, each book geared on a specific theme, such as:

- How to get out of debt in less than a year

- How to save for your child's college education

- How to live on XX dollars per month

- How to save for your child's college education

Format Your Book

Formatting your book makes it easier to read your material and to find important information. Formatting your book will vary depending on the size of your book and whether or not you'll distribute your book as an electronic downloadable book or a print book. Formatting consists of page layout, margin widths, font size, picture layout, chapter titles, subtitles, page numbers, table of contents, etc.

Add More Meat

While you may want to just insert your columns and be done, it's wise to take the time to read through your columns. Some information may be outdated, and some information may need clarification. Remember when you first wrote your column, you wrote it for an audience who already had some knowledge about your topic and what your column was about. As an author of a book, you have to take into consideration the hundreds, if not thousands, of potential readers who know absolutely nothing about your topic and decided to pick up your book to gain insight.

Find Expert Quotes

Since you are the columnist and the "expert," you may feel it's not necessary to include expert quotes, and depending on the type of column you wrote, you may be right. If, however, you feel expert quotes will enhance the value of your book, take the extra time to include a few quotes. And don't pull the quotes out of an already published book; try to get fresh quotes by interviewing your sources.

Edit Your Work

Editing is very important. Taking the time to edit your work can make a huge difference in the quality of your work. If you are an essayist and you decide to publish a collection of essays, take the time to read through them before you go to print. While you may feel they were edited and good enough to go to print several years ago, your writing style may have changed. Reading through past essays may allow you to improve those pieces.

Copyright Your Work

Your column may have been copyrighted by the publication you sold first rights to, such as listing you as one of the "licensors." But the material is not officially copyrighted in your name until you take the time to register your works with the United States Copyright Office. Many columnists will save a year's worth of columns and then save them under the name, "Author's Name: Compilation of Essays, Year." The fee is only $30 to register your material and will save you a lot of legal headaches should someone try to lay claim to your work.

Sell Your Book

As a columnist, you probably have many contacts you can use to help promote and sell your book. Take advantage of those contacts. Renegotiate your contract to include a free advertisement in the publication that showcases your column. If you can't get a free advertisement, make sure the byline in your column includes information on how to purchase your book.

In a matter of 14 days you could have your very first book. Happy writing!

BIO:
Alyice Edrich is the author of several work-from-home e-books, including Tid-Bits For Making Money With E-books-where parents earn hundreds of dollars selling information they already possess. She invites you to stop by http://www.thedabblingmumpress.com to order a copy today!

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FEATURED COLUMN
The Writer's Tech Check Quiz
By Jill Vaile (jill@jilleliz.com)
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Where Do You Stand?

The increase in markets for writers is in large part due to the opportunities afforded by the Internet. Writing work in the online community (and increasingly in traditional publishing venues) requires technical knowledge. Rudimentary skills may be sufficient, but in the technical world in which we operate, a little goes a whole lot further.

The questions in this quiz are designed to cover a variety of skills and/or information that are involved in working as a writer in today's market.

It is certainly possible to successfully work in an online environment without having much technical knowledge. However, the problem freelance writers face is the absence of a corporate helpdesk to count on in a crunch.

Reality demonstrates that the time help is needed most is always at the 11th hour, or when losing valuable data has horrendous results. Much like getting your vehicle's oil changed before the engine blows up, investing a small amount of time in understanding your computer and the ways of the online world is only to your benefit.

This quiz will provide you with your very own diagnostic -- and you don't even have to join AAA! (or CAA, for you Canucks!)

Find Out Your W.T.S.Q.!
(Writer Tech Savvy Quotient)

Take this quiz and find out where you stand!

Section I: Your Computer and You: How Well Do You Know Each Other?

1. Do you know where/how to find:
a. The make and model of your system? __yes ___no
b. The Operating System you use? __yes ___no
c. How much MEMORY you have? __yes ___no

2. Which Software Programme(s) do you use to compose your work? (Check all applicable.)
a. Word Processing?  (i.e., MS Word or Apple Works) __
b. Special Writer’s Software? __
c. Text Editor? __
d. Other? __
e. None of the above? __
f.  What is Software? __

3. Do you have any of the following Tools or Options installed or available to use with your composing software? (Check all applicable.)
a. Spell check? __
b. Word Count? __
c. Grammar Check? __
d. Style guide? __
e. Format? __
f.  Create Plain Text Document? __
g. Create HTML Document? __

4. Of the Tools you acknowledged in #3, how many of them do you regularly use? __(#) __(none)

5. Do you have, or have you created, template(s) to use for your writing work? (i.e., article or query template) __ yes __no
(If you answered "yes" go to Question #7.)

6. If you answered "no" in #5, why don't you have them?
a. Can't be bothered __
b. Don't know how __
c. Don't care __

7. Have you ever created your Resume? __yes __no
(If you answered "no" skip to Question #9.)

8.a. When making your Resume, did you use a template from your Word Processing program?  __yes __no
b. Do you have more than one Resume?  __yes __no
c. Is your Resume "web-ready"?  __yes __no     What's "web-ready"?  __

9. Have you ever posted the Resume you created to an online Job Board? (i.e., Monster.com) __yes __no

10. If  "yes" by what method did you do this? (Choose one answer only.)
a. Cut and paste?  __yes __no
b. Type onto provided form?  __yes __no
c. Both?  __yes __no
d. Don't know  __

11. Have you ever submitted your Resume in response to an online job ad via E-mail? __yes __no

12. Read the following formats. Check those you understand and are able to do:
 a. send as an attachment?  __understand __ huh?
 b. send in the body of an E-mail? __understand __ huh?
 c. send a link to your posted online Resume? __understand __ huh?

13. Check the Software Programmes you are able to use:
a. MS Word or Apple Works? __
b. MS Power Point? __
c. Adobe .PDF? __
d. Pagemaker? __
e. Framemaker? __
f.  MS Excel? __
g. Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop CS or other Graphics Programme? __
h. Animation creator?  (i.e., .gif Builder) __
i.  MS FrontPage or other WYSIWYG programme? __
j.  MySQL or PhP/File Maker or other database programme? __
k.  STUFFIT Expander? __
l.   ZipIt? __
m.  Virus Protection Program? __
n.  ADAWARE Detection? __
o.  Spyware Detection? __
p.  Firewall? __

14. Can you state the names for these acronyms?
a. HTML? __
b. CSS? __
c. MS? __
d. WYSISYG? __
e. .PDF? __
f. .DOC? __

g. .DOT? __
h. ISP? __
i.  URL? __
j.  FTP? __
k. RSS? __
l.  RFID? __

15. By what means is your computer connected to the Internet? (Check applicable option.)
a. Dial-up? __
b. DSL? __
c. Cable? __
d. Satellite? __
e. No idea! __

16. Situation: You are working against the clock on an important article. Deadline is here! Suddenly, you cannot get online! Do you:
a. Know how to troubleshoot and probably solve the problem? __yes __no
b. Know how to contact your ISP for assistance? __yes __no
c. Freak out and have a complete meltdown? __yes __no

17. Do you have the following information written down and filed somewhere where you can access it quickly if needed?
a. Contact for computer manufacturer, serial #, model #, original bill of sale? __yes __no
b. Service contract details? __yes __no
c. ISP contact? __yes __no
d. DNS settings? __yes __no
e. IP numbers? __yes __no
f.  Incoming and outgoing server settings? __yes __no

Section II: Online

1. Do you know how to access your E-mail from the online web mail at your ISP? __yes __no

2. Do you have a Web site? __yes __no

3. Do you have a Blog? __yes __no

4. Do you own or moderate an online Group? __yes __no

5. Have you ever heard of:
a. Search engine optimization? __yes __no
b. Google Ad Sense programme? __yes __no
c. Click-thru/ClickZ programmes? __yes __no
d. Meta Tags? __yes __no
e. The "invisible" web? __yes __no
f. Cookies? __yes __no (not for snacking!)
g. Tracking beacons? __yes __no
h. Hacking? __yes __no (not your coughing!)
i. Worms? __yes __no (not your bait!)
j. EFF? __yes __no
k. Digital Divide? __yes __no
BONUS: 5 Points: If you can define and/or explain each of the above.

6. If asked by an Editor, could you:
a. Download and use the publication's article template? __yes __no
b. Download and use the publication's Editorial Calendar in .XLS format? __yes __no
c. Submit required photos as per the publication agreement with your article? __yes __no
BONUS: 5 points: Can you state the optimum print resolution? __

7. Do you maintain a collection of your favorite resources, research, Web sites, and information sources? (i.e., bookmarks or dB) __yes __no

8. Do you use an online calendar?) __yes __no

9. How do you track your Submissions?
a. A programme? __yes __no
b. Make notes (i.e., calendar) __yes __no
c. Don't track __yes __no

10.a. Do you use a Signature in your E-mails? __yes __no
b. If "Yes" how did you obtain it? (Choose one only.)
E-mail program created it? __ From scratch with HTML?__

11.a. Do you know what BCC is? __yes __no
b. If "Yes" have you ever used it to contacts editors or magazines? __yes __no

12. Do you use your ISP's SPAM blocking options? __yes __no

13. Do you know how to obtain a receipt for an E-mail you send? __yes __no

14. Do you know how to locate a site owner via "whois"? __yes __no

15. Do you have a resource to verify if an E-mail is a hoax? __yes __no

16. How often do you back up your data?
a. Once a week? __yes __no
b. Once a month? __yes __no
c. Sometimes? __yes __no
d. Don't back up data? __yes __no

17. If you do back up your data, what method do you use to accomplish it?
a. Zip drive? __yes __no
b. CD/DVD? __yes __no
c. Online site? __yes __no

d. Tape? __yes __no

18. Can you:
a. Burn a CD/DVD? __yes __no
b. View a Web site's source code? __yes __no
c. Verify links on your web page? __yes __no**
d. Verify the code your web page is written in? __yes __no**
** you need to have a Web site to answer these questions

19.a. If you quote authors and/or their works, do you know how to properly cite them? __yes __no
b. If "yes" can you locate citations online? __yes __no

20. Are you able to comply with the AP and/or Chicago styleguides using their online sites? __yes __no

21. Do you find yourself surfing the web when you are supposed to be writing? (No answer required....)

The End!! Now, let's see just how you did....

Calculate Your Score for Section I

1. Score 3 points for each "yes," 0 points for "no" 
2. Score 3 points for "a," 3 points for "b," 2 points for "c," 1 point for "d," 0 points for "e," -5 points for "f"
3. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
4. Score 2 points for each "#,"  0 points for "no"
5. Score 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
6. Score -5 points for "a"  and "b," -10 points for "c"
7. Score 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
8.a. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no" 

b. Score 2 points for "yes," 1 point for "no"

c. Score 5 points for "yes," 2 points for "no" and -3 points for "don't know"
9.  Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
10.a. Score 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

b. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

c. Score 10 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
11. Score 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
12. Score 3 points for each "understand." Score -3 points for each "huh?"
13. Score 3 points for every "yes," 0 points for "no"
14. Score 3 points for each answer below that you got right:

a. hypertext markup language
b. cascading stylesheets
c. Microsoft
d. what you see is what you get
e. portable document format
f.  MS document
g. MS document template
h. Internet Service Provider
i.  universal resource locator
j.  file transfer protocol
k. really simple syndication
l.  radio frequency identifier
15. For "a" to "d" score 3 points each, score -5 for "e"
16.a. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

b. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

c. Score -3 for "yes," 0 points for "no"
17. Score 5 points for each "yes," 0 points for "no"

Calculate Your Score for Section II

1. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
2. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
3. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
4. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
5. Score 2 points for each "yes," 0 points for "no." Score 5 points for correct Bonus answer
6. Score 3 points for each "yes," 0 points for "no." Score 5 points for correct Bonus answer (600 dpi)
7. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
8. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
9.a. Score 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

b. Score 4 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

c. Score -5 for "yes," 0 points for "no"
10.a. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

b. Score 3 points for "E-mail," 5 points for "HTML"
11.a. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"  

b. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
12. Score 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
13. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
14. Score 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
15. Score 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
16.a. 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

b. 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

c. 1 point for "yes," 0 points for "no"

d. -5 for "yes," 0 points for "no"
17. Score 3 points for each "yes," 0 points for "no"
18. Score 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
19.a. Score 3 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

b. Score 2 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"
20. Score 5 points for "yes," 0 points for "no"

End Section II

Total all your points.

Interpretation:
250-300: Congrats! You are a bona fide geek! Ever consider Tech Writing? WooHoo!
175-249: You're good! Check the area(s) you are not quite perfect in. Soon you'll work your way up to total pocket protector status!
150-174: Not bad, not great. Find your weak spots from your answers, and brush up on those skills. You'll soon be earning more money!
100-149: You need to spend some quality time alone with your computer. (Get a lot better acquainted.) Look into some basic online skills sites, and once you know your greatest area of need, start there. You'll be up to speed pretty quick!
0-99: Ouch! Bet you've been having trouble getting writing work! Start at the beginning and work through these answers. Go to some online sites to get web savvy! Practice your programmes, read up, and you’ll get the hang of it before you know it. Then start selling some writing!

No matter your results, please feel free to contact the author at jill@jilleliz.com with any questions, comments, or for assistance. Stay "tuned"! The Writer's Tech Course will soon be available through Scribe & Quill!

BIO:
Jill E. Vaile is a freelance photojournalist with a passionate devotion to electronic rights issues. Her photographic interests range from shooting beautiful California landscapes to her fave rock bands and her 200-pound Newfy Companion, Ralphie (who is also the inspiration behind her design company, NEWFAngled Designs.) Jill writes columns, articles and books on subjects, including rights, legal issues, tech, gardening, cooking and restaurant reviews. She is also the Editorial Manager at Moondance.org. Jill can be contacted at jill@jilleliz.com. You can see some of her pictures at her galleries http://www.jilleliz.com/Galleries.html.

~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED INTERVIEW
Catching up with Feather Schwartz Foster, author of " Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities"
By Bev Walton-Porter (editor@scribequill.com)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**

Experience, coupled with 35 years in advertising and public relations, equipped author Feather Schwartz Foster with the right talent and experience when time came to write her first book, "Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities." A presidential historian of over three decades with an extensive library spanning over 1,200 books, Feather recently took some time to share her thoughts on writing with the readers of Scribe & Quill.

Scribe & Quill: When did you decide to become a writer?

Feather Schwartz Foster: I wrote my first song -- music and lyrics -- when I was around 12. That did it. Writing "prose" didn't start till much later.

S & Q: Talk about your former career -- how did it prepare you to become a writer?

FSF: Writing songs is a wonderful preparation for writing anything else, since it teaches you, above all, economy of words. I became accustomed to getting the entire thought introduced, stated and concluded in 32-measures. You cannot have any non-needed thoughts or words when you write a good song. (And it took a long time until the songs started being good.) I have high standards. When you transfer that mindset into prose, you can structure whatever you want to write more easily. Once I get the skeleton, it is easy to flesh out where I need to expand. My 35 years in advertising and PR is also helpful vis-à-vis getting to the nub of things quickly. I think a lot of fledgling writers have the common problem of writing all over the place and not getting to the real point they need to make. It takes practice.

S & Q: Name other people who have influenced your writing.

FSF: Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Alan Jay Lerner, Stephen Sondheim and the late, and sorely missed, Fred Ebb. Those are the lyricists. I like Gore Vidal's writing immensely -- and Max Byrd. They both are wonderful with language!

S & Q: Of all the traits of the successful writer, what's the one thing you must have in order to reach your goals and succeed?

FSF: Luck helps. Luck helps a lot. So does tenacity. I wish I had a little more of both.

S & Q: In your book, "Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities," your concept was to have the First Ladies talk to each other through the centuries. Tell us about the genesis of that idea and how you developed it.

FSF: I am a presidential historian by avocation -- i.e., non-academic. I am not a professor. I have, over the past 35 years, amassed a very large presidential library of more than 1,000 volumes on the individual presidents, plus another couple of hundred on ancillary subjects, such as elections, the White House, the presidency, First Ladies, et al. Since my background is songs -- and in particular, theatre songs -- I naturally planned to do "Ladies" as a play. Anyone who reads it will immediately agree with that, of course! It should be a play! Maybe not. I tried for five years to make it work on stage, but: a) it was nine and a half hours long (a small drawback); and b) very confusing -- even with nametags. In trying to make it work as a play, I would have to lose practically all of what I wished to accomplish: having them talk to each other. All of them. Not just a select few. After a few readings, etc., several people told me I ought to write a book.

I'd never written a book before, and my first attempt was as pitiful as it could be. It was just as confusing. It was boring. And I was falling all over myself with the "she said this" and "she sat down" or "she walked to the window." So I gave up. Then, one sleepless night, a voice came to me. She said she was Lucy Hayes, and I believed her (after all, why would she lie?). She said, "So when are you going finish the book, Feather?" I said never, because I just spent five years trying to make it work and it was impossible, and go away and leave me alone. She said, "We want you to finish the book, dear." And I said, "If you want it done, do it yourself."

That did it. A few days later, I found myself pen in hand, writing on the top of a yellow pad, "Lucy Hayes." And I decided that she could write her own memoirs, so to speak. So the pen started moving, and she started writing -- not very well; she was a poor writer. Then another voice (who identified herself as Nellie Taft) said, "Gimme that pen, I can write better than Lucy!" So she started writing her section. And so on and so on. Pieces of sections, snippets of conversations, bickering, supporting, having a good time. And that's how.

S & Q: What is the one obstacle you've had to overcome the most in order to become the most productive writer you could be?

FSF: Laziness. And I haven't succeeded very well either.

S & Q: What's the most important lesson you've learned so far in your writing career?

FSF: People read what they like to read. Not everybody is interested in historical fiction -- or presidential history -- or anything of that nature. Even my closest friends who bought my book haven't read it. They like science fiction or murder mysteries or some such. So I write what I like, and hopefully I will find a few others to hop on my train.

S & Q: Tell our readers about "Garfield's Train," due to be published soon, as well as your forthcoming E-book.

FSF: President Garfield was assassinated in 1881, after only six months in office, three of which were spent dying. He died in Long Branch, NJ, and when they brought him to the Shore (in was the heat of summer), the entire town helped to build a railroad spur of 3/4 mile between the train station and the house where he was staying. I thought it would be a great story! I originally intended to do a serious piece of history writing, but there was very little record about the actual night the town came together. So I invented a fictional family to interact with the historical characters and hoped that I gave a pretty good movie-in-the-mind of what went on in the glory days of Long Branch. I think people will find it an engaging read.

S & Q: Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

FSF: Read voraciously. Choose your words sparingly. And keep at it!

S & Q: Thank you for taking the time to speak with the readers of Scribe & Quill. I know they will appreciate it.

FSF: Thanks for asking me!

For more information on Feather, or to find out more about her books, please visit http://www.authorsden.com/featherschwartzfoster.

BIO:

Bev Walton-Porter is a Colorado-based freelance writer who has had hundreds of columns, articles and reviews featured in numerous publications, both online and offline, since she began freelancing full-time in May 1997. She is the co-author of "The Complete Writer: A Guide to Tapping Your Full Potential" (Red Engine Press, August 2005) and the author of "Sun Signs for Writers" (Writer's Digest Books, August 2006).

~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED FICTION COLUMN
Civil War
By Rick Chiantaretto (rick@facadeofshadows.com)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**

Dig, dig, dig. It was the only thing on his mind. Dig, dig, dig. It consumed him; the memory of the horrible thing he had done pounding mercilessly in his head. It hurt so badly. He was a sergeant! How could he do this to a private in his company, even if he was a secesh? Dig, dig, dig. Lousy confederate sympathizer.

He remembered the day well, his company perfectly in position, ready to attack the confederate graybacks. He gave the order, and his soldiers charged!

All except one.

Private Adams remained motionless. His face had a blank expression that wasn't fear or pride. He flicked a lit cigarette into the grass, then stood frozen, standing with his lips pressed together in a smug smile. They had an argument later that night -- a fistfight, really. The sergeant beat the mudsill until his shoddy was soaked with blood. That was one of the voices in his head…he could still hear Private Adams scream. Adams claimed it was respect for human life that stopped him from charging. The battle was lost that day, and although Adams was only one man amongst many who caused the loss, the sergeant blamed none other.

Dig, dig, dig. He had to make sure Adams was really dead. Two weeks he had searched for his grave, two weeks he had lived with Adams's screams in his head. Adams had plagued more than his dreams. The sergeant would see him looking in the windows at his office and behind him in his reflection in the mirror. He had to shut him up! Now he finally found his grave: number A-170 at the Fort Snelling cemetery in Minnesota. He didn't doubt Adams's death, but he had to see for himself. Searching -- being totally reclusive for two weeks -- caused a stir among the officers; they began to question what he was looking for. Now it wouldn't matter that he had been AWOL for the last few days, let the consequences fall where they may. He had found what he was looking for.

A full moon had risen high into the sky, causing shadows from the grave markers to stretch across the cold dirt. “We finally found him, Maibe!” the sergeant gloated, glancing down into the eyes of his trusted companion, not slowing the digging.

The red-haired Labrador just wagged her tail and licked her chops while beads of sweat dripped from her master's forehead. She was deftly trained, ready to do her job on her master's command. She waited patiently, knowing full well that her time would come. Maibe knew what to do. She yapped playfully, acknowledging her master.

The moon became darkened as a soft cloud obscured it. Eerie mist crawled along the ground. The trees whispered their secrets to each other in the wind while the night grew darker under a blackened sky.

“We'll take care of it, Sergeant,” he remembered his two trusted confidants saying -- not even he would dare to do something like this alone. It had to look like an accident, and with Private Adams being so bruised from the night before, his murder had to be taken care of quickly. The Sergeant could trust those two to take care of his problem; they were the type of men that liked devising new ways to murder. Guys like that came in handy from time to time.

“Make sure you do,” was his response. He didn't know what they were going to do, and he didn't want to know where they were going to do it. He didn't want to care…until the deed was done. The sergeant tried to justify it to himself. War is a justifiable cause, and after beating Private Adams he had to lock him away so no one would know. If a general found out that he had lost his temper, he would lose his status. It had to be done.

Private Adams disappeared, and even the sergeant didn't know to where he had vanished. Then the pounding started. Why? Because he knew Adams was dead. Should he feel guilty? No. He didn't; he wouldn't; his pride wouldn't let him. The pounding continued to grow intensely until tonight when he could hear nothing else. Even when his trusted dog yelped, the sergeant didn't hear it. All he heard was death. All he heard was Private Adams screaming death!

So he frantically scoured paperwork, trained his dog and searched cemeteries. Finally, after two weeks of constant hunting amongst the pounding "death, death, death," he found him! Dig, dig, dig. He knew he could end the pounding. He had a plan to make the pounding stop, even if he had to beat Adams until his spirit felt it in the afterlife!

The sergeant had visited someone earlier that week, an old friend, someone who he could trust with this kind of matter. He asked her how to get a spirit to cross over that didn't want to -- how to force them.

Dig, dig, clunk! He let out an audible sigh of respite. By this time his blacker-than-night hair clung to his forehead, wet with the sweat that continuously poured down his face. His hands were coarse, blistered by the shovel handle, and splinters of wood had chewed his hands to the point of drawing blood. He didn't feel the pain in his hands; the constant thumping in his head numbed them.

He tapped the shovel in a few different places, satisfied to hear, “thump, thump, thump.” A slight grin curled his lips, and after just a moment of hesitation, he dropped to his knees and began excitedly brushing the remaining soil off of the plain pine box. The night fog crept into the freshly dug hole, reaching its smoky tentacles to aid the sergeant. Its icy fingers touched his hands, like a soul with no body, lost and confused.

Private Adams wasn't lost, wasn't confused. The sergeant knew Adams was plotting against him, trying to drive him to insanity. What a beast! What a horrid person. What a man too much like himself.

The pine box coffin was now fully exposed. It glowed almost white under the gloomy moonlight. The sergeant lit a small lantern, the kind with only one window that directed the light. He examined the surface of the coffin carefully. “A-170,” he read aloud. That was all that was carved into the wood. “Is it you in there?” the sergeant scoffed, knocking on the coffin surface. He waited, halfway expecting a knock in response, but heard none.

The twisted trees seemed to bend over and peer into the open grave as the sergeant pulled a large knife from his tall boot. He tapped the blade on the edge of the box a few times, as if pensively deciding whether or not he should open the lid. A blank look crossed his face as he glanced wildly around him. “See that, Maibe? We're all alone, right?”

The dog stood, and wagged her tail frantically with excitement.

In almost a stabbing motion the sergeant thrust the knife under the wooden lid. Using his weight he pried the lid upward. The nails holding down the lid shrieked under the pressure of being disturbed, while the box seemed to breathe in the fresh air with a deep swoosh.

The sergeant shined the light into the coffin, partially choking on the smell of rotting flesh that begun to permeate the air.

The body looked familiar, even with the flesh rotting off in chunks. It had to be Adams's twisted body in the box. His legs were dislocated at the knees. Ominously haunting, his eyes were still open, now dry, shriveled, and as cloudy as the sergeant's judgment. A clearly broken jaw hung loosely from Adam's swollen face, and the cold flesh on his cheek hung limply in chunks. His face appeared twisted in horror, no doubt frozen from the moment of his death. The sergeant chuckled slightly, happy that this soldier's last memory was of two brutes murdering him.

“Do you know the grief you have caused me, Adams?” the sergeant asked, looking at the tip of his knife in the moonlight. He tapped it lightly on his temple, feeling its cold point. “Do you know what it feels like!?” he cried, slamming the knife through the dead body's head. “That's what it feels like.”

The body only twitched in response.

The sergeant whimpered. Using one hand to brace the head, he pulled the knife from the skull with the other. Then, after closing the lid of the coffin quietly, he began almost nonchalantly chipping a shape deeply into the wood. It was something she had taught him: a symbol, a banishment. “Shut up, shut up, shut up,” was all he could say while he carved the pentagram. When he finished he pulled a crumpled paper from his deep pocket. On it was a scrawled incantation she had given him. He wasn't sure he'd need it, but he was going to try. He placed his hand on the center of the carved pentagram and recited:

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust

On the power of three I call

Take this spirit, seal his fate

Away with him and all his hate.

Darkness leave! Darkness fall!

In the gods I place my trust.”