tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122391222009-10-13T00:41:44.966-04:00Lions and tigers and books! Oh,yes.Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-86002309990734673832007-08-13T17:46:00.001-04:002007-08-13T17:50:24.613-04:00

Please join me at Creative Writer US for news about the word world. We cover everything from inspiration to publication and what falls in between.If you live in Florida or like to visit the Sunshine State, drop by Covering Florida. We post a daily story related to news, travel, health, cultural events and/or issues. We also cull Florida headlines, selecting links to at least 4 stories for you to

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-79337100706304690852007-03-19T11:10:00.000-04:002007-03-19T11:14:43.971-04:00

Please adjust your bookmarks.Book Beat has merged with Creative Writer US: http://creativewriterus.blogspot.comWe've retained our listings of great writing links and expanded our categories.We'll cover the same issues, with expanded coverage on news related to all aspects of media.Come visit us!

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-73123458824254615332007-02-04T20:55:00.000-05:002007-02-04T21:06:50.374-05:00

For columns published after February 1, 2007, please visit Creative Writer US.______________________I started writing Bookbeat about two years ago. I originally planned to keep the focus on books. But ideas came along and I found myself blogging about many different aspects of writing.I also founded a site Creative Writer US as a resource for aspiring and veteran writers. And because a lot of

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-30713975032130199992007-01-26T23:04:00.000-05:002007-01-26T23:09:35.997-05:00

I've received questions and the blog has received searches for an entity called "Bookbeat TV."This blog is unrelated to any other media organization. I've been writing my Book Beat column since 2005.So whatever the television outfit is, it's got nothing to do with us.Best to all, Kay B. DayP.S. If you're an author and you want to be on television with your book, pitch a mainstream station. Or

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-56368123117690113472007-01-25T21:10:00.000-05:002007-01-25T21:15:51.702-05:00

First in a series of meditations on options for authorsSelf-publishing causes more waffling than a politician can exhibit.Many mainstream reviewers won’t touch a self-published book, and many bookstores won’t stock them. I’m not sure why reviewers won’t touch them, because many books that go through a publisher and a filter aren’t much better than vanity books, and nor are they more honorable.

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-32046301543752592472007-01-14T17:44:00.000-05:002007-01-14T18:02:54.388-05:00

Ray Nielson, a Jacksonville poet (far right), enjoys a stroll with his dog and a talk with some friends, after Dorothy Fletcher and I read at Walter Jones Historical Park in Mandarin. If you’re a poet, this is a great way to spend Saturday morning. Coffee and muffins in a room that shines with old things—Civil War artifacts, an arrowhead honed by the Timucuan, a rifle so tall a short soldier

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-75644356981134028612007-01-04T15:55:00.000-05:002007-01-04T16:00:30.705-05:00

We were unwrapping presents Christmas morning, and I came across one that said, “To Dad from Dad.” My husband gave himself a video.I liked his idea so much I picked up a gift for myself the next day. I’d gone to get a book for a friend who was coming to visit. So I bought myself one too. I’ve been buying Greg this book for Christmas for at least 20 years. I figured it was time to see why he likes

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-7385952537451513592006-12-15T16:46:00.000-05:002006-12-15T17:07:59.439-05:00

I spied a traveler holding the book "Guns, Germs, and Steel" as we boarded a plane for Washington. Then my traveling partner and fellow author Dorothy Fletcher told me she heard it was a good book. We were in D.C. for several days, and happened to spy a bookstore The Trover Shop. So I picked up a copy of Jared Diamond’s nonfiction book about, as the subtitle says, “The Fates of Human Societies.”

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-496043763955577782006-12-10T19:21:00.000-05:002006-12-10T19:26:19.927-05:00

The other morning I saw a guest on one of those morning talk shows. I don’t remember the name of the show; they all sort of meld into one another they’re so much alike. A music group, a health segment, light politics, and the latest kidnapping, serial killing, or bombing. I figure broadcast curricula in colleges must include the course, “Formula for pre-commute shows.”This guest was an

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-48916518879524685522006-11-27T17:50:00.000-05:002006-11-27T18:12:53.980-05:00

He's not a writer, but he lives with one. Shadow likes opening his gift each Christmas, and he always appreciates whatever he gets, especially if it's edible. There are a number of writers on my gift list, and I thought I’d share some of the more successful gifts I’ve given friends and associates in the past.Most writers will appreciate paper. Although we’re supposed to be moving towards a

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-595213765946723022006-11-18T11:38:00.000-05:002006-11-21T10:36:49.662-05:00

I was talking to my friend Dorothy Fletcher this morning about magazine subscriptions. I have too many. So this is the season, as the fiscal year ends, to take a look at my subs and decide who stays and who goes.Dorothy's a writer, so we talked about a few publications she might subscribe to. I told her if I had only one subscription to a writing magazine, it'd be to The Writer. Before you

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-89049231601197789502006-11-14T13:11:00.000-05:002006-11-14T16:29:25.608-05:00

My first Poetry Beat column for The Writer is now live. Read about poet Lee Slonimsky and how his poems are woven into his wife’s popular mysteries. I discovered Slonimsky’s sonnets while reading Carol Goodman’s The Ghost Orchid. I talked about the book here on my blog. One of the poet’s workshop students read the blog. Soon I was corresponding with Lee Slonimsky. Concurrently, we were developing

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-12330898421980153622006-11-08T19:48:00.000-05:002006-11-09T11:29:18.873-05:00

Each month when my issue of Poetry comes, I keep it on my desk. When I take a break or have lunch, I like to thumb through the magazine and enjoy the poems. In the November, 2006, issue, there’s a poem that stopped me in my tracks. It’s one of those poems that lingers like the scent of a garden rose, powerful yet delicate and pleasing.I’ve read it to my daughters, my husband, and visitors.

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-33327749007098956622006-11-02T17:47:00.000-05:002006-11-02T17:50:38.541-05:00

My new bimonthly column Poetry Beat will launch in mid-November at the Internet site for The Writer magazine. The column will focus on the topical aspects of poetry. We’ll feature esteemed poets who’ve made their mark in the canon, as well as emerging poets who are taking poetry to the people in unusual ways. Opportunities, contests, and events will all be part of our coverage. A special

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-28466738187451784762006-10-27T13:48:00.000-04:002006-10-27T13:50:59.932-04:00

I just finished John Grisham’s The Innocent Man. I have a stack of books people have sent me, but I bought this one in hardcover. As I read, the book made me think of a young man here in Florida. He was convicted of felony murder years ago. Although he played no direct role in the crime, he received a life sentence. I blogged about the case for over a year on a site that is no longer public.

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-1161349805530363352006-10-20T09:06:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:11:57.964-04:00

I was speaking at a writing/publishing seminar arranged by my publisher at Borders Books. The place was packed, and everyone there had an interest in some type of writing, with the majority of those present interested in fiction. My topic was “Research and Fact-Checking.”Someone asked how we go about writing a book. Besides my publisher Frank Gromling, founder of Ocean Publishing, poet Michelle

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-1160442804649535942006-10-09T21:09:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:11:57.887-04:00

A couple days ago, I was talking to a friend about novels. I mentioned how much I enjoyed reading Carol Goodman’s books. So when news of her new novel The Sonnet Lover came, I pre-ordered the book.Goodman usually works mythology and poetry into her books. I’ve read each of her novels, and her voice and style have steadily grown stronger and more distinctive. There’s an interesting interview at

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-1159827055110411852006-10-02T18:02:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:11:57.814-04:00

Every day my high school senior comes home and regales me with stories. It’s one of the highlights of my day, sitting down around 4 p.m. with her. As she packs in the food, I listen, appreciating not only her storytelling skills but her perspectives as well. I also appreciate the blessing of thin people who can eat multiple servings of carbs and never gain a pound.Today, it came as a complete

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-1159322283660461362006-09-26T21:56:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:11:57.741-04:00

I write a column for a site with a focus on homeland security. When I’m checking facts, or trying to learn more about global political events, I have to rely on whoever translated if the site is from a country whose language I can’t speak. I recently discovered the site MEMRI: The Middle East Media Research Institute. I found translations from media in many different countries. The site is

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-1158614713170774332006-09-18T17:23:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:11:29.622-04:00

“CHICAGO — The Poetry Foundation will inaugurate the nation’s first Children’s Poet Laureate: Consultant in Children’s Poetry to the Poetry Foundation, as part of the third annual Pegasus Awards ceremony in Chicago on September 27, 2006.”—news from The Poetry Foundation September 18, 2006John Barr, president of The Poetry Foundation, says children’s poets go unrecognized. I’d have to agree with

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-1157672211268898132006-09-07T19:34:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:11:29.555-04:00

My publisher sent me a critique from several judges after he entered my memoir in a book contest. I finally got around to reading it, and was surprised at what I found. I got high marks for editorial and writing; the book got low marks for cover design and for interior graphic design. One judge even recommended the book to her friend.That experience led me to think about book buying in a

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-1156899142339807732006-08-29T20:47:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:11:29.490-04:00

Maybe it’s because of the end of summer, fall easing up like a familiar friend. But in the last two weeks, I’ve gotten about six or seven emails asking me how you can become a writer.I can’t get around to answering all the email—most people can’t. And there really isn’t a quick answer to the question.I think you just write down what you think about and all else follows. A popular buzz phrase

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-1155215698873485182006-08-10T09:08:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:11:29.420-04:00

It’s good to be back on the blog. Summer is on its final roll, and because of professional and personal constraints, I haven’t had a lot of time to update my column here.When I wasn’t writing or taking time off,books about Judaism,Christianity, and the Middle East in general occupied my time. I’m doing a column for Family Security Matters, and wanted to learn more about the areas, cultures, and

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-1150424907059700562006-06-15T22:23:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:11:29.346-04:00

When June rolled around,it looked like things would slow down. Many editors take early summer vacations. I envisioned having time to work on some creative projects. Well, this isn’t the first time a bubble burst. June has taken off like one of those skinny little rockets we light on July 4th and send zooming skyward. I just signed on as a contributing editor for a site, Family Security Matters. I

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12239122.post-1148649390656142672006-05-26T09:14:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:11:29.284-04:00

The big “do”, as we say in the South of any event that is significant, in the book world just concluded, and guess what? The book world has changed. John Updike says so. It must be true.A release about Book Expo America from the Associated Press quotes Updike as saying the written word is “supposed to speak for itself and sell itself.”I reckon if you’re John Updike, you can endorse an attitude

Kay Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18275071321640008940noreply@blogger.com3