My first book writing experience . . .

[Diane]

Wasn't what I had thought it would be - no great novel or autobiography or savvy short stories of life in the city. Nope. My first book was a result of my profession.

As a computer consultant, technical writer and trainer, I had been called upon more than a few times to write manuals and how-to's for hardware and software. Technical writing is usually a totally different beast from trade publishing. You are writing for specific customers with often very unique needs.

However my experiences with deadlines, subject matter experts, research, typesetting and page design in technical document writing has more than prepared me for the new wave in open publishing.

I actually thought that I had just started a new publishing company with my husband and his co-author this past year. In fact I had been writing, editing, designing, and printing my books for years.

Yep, it's hard work, but it so gratifying when you are done.

Have you started yet? What was it like when you finished?

[Kim Wilson]

I'm done. WHen I first starting writing my novel The Spices In Life, it had a different title: Principles and Morals. It seem the title changed all by itself as I developed each character and gave them life. As I went through losing it, hating it, rewriting it, adding and taking away from it, asking folk to read from it for me, becoming disgusted in talking about, loving Christine and all she's going through, feeling it and so; I'm still not done. What done happen now is I loved Christine so much I couldn't let her die because others choose to act fools around her. The half of cyanide pill did its job but not quick enough for Mckenzie to summon the emergency team that fought with the grim reaper for possession of Christine's kife. The follow up is already brewing in my mind as I reach to give 'more' life to the spices that are left. OOWEE