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Posted on October 10, 2015 by JMB — Leave a comment

Book Signing at The Last Word in Charlotte

I just wanted to post a big “Thank You” to the gang at The Last Word in Charlotte, North Carolina. They hosted me for a book signing on October 10, 2015 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm, and I had a great time. If you are looking for a great bookstore, check them out when you are in Charlotte. Stay tuned to their website, as they are getting some new digs in a few weeks!

Here are a few photos from the event, and I want to say a special “Hello!” to Jeannie from New York. I love meeting another Jeannie, and I hope you love the story of Kirby and Sage.

Here I am at my festive fall table for Manual Exposure. I made some vegan caramelized onion dip to eat on “leaves” of Healthfull seeds and nuts bread.

You never know when I might bring food to an event!

I love being accessible to my readers and meeting them at book signings. I appreciate each and every person who stops by my table.

Sherlock drawing Cumberbatch — The Last Word offers local artists space to sell their art. Check out this cool piece of Benedict Cumberbatch! I’m sorry I couldn’t see the name of the artist.

and finally, I had to get a photo with the infamous “Frankie” at the store.

Posted on October 30, 2013 by JMB — 4 Comments

Edit Your Manuscript While Listening to Text-to-Speech Readers

Thanks to The Digital Reader, I read the post by Morris Rosenthal of Foner Books that detailed how he uses the text-to-speech (TTS) function on his Kindle as a proofreading aid for his writing. I don’t have a Kindle, so I wondered if I could do the same with Microsoft Word, and after a quick search, I found the helpful instructions that got me on my way. I used the same method to activate the function in OneNote, which is my favorite writing program. Play around with the speed settings and find the right speed for your reader. I needed to adjust mine, as she was reading too fast, and it caused some words to run together.

Hearing your words spoken, even by a computer voice, can help you find errors your own voice or eyes may have missed. When a writer reads their own work, it is easy to overlook misplaced or missing words. Our eyes can easily deceive us, since our brains want to supply the words we had intended. Our ears are much more reliable. I love having more tools to help me edit and proofread my work.

Here are a few other sources I found that you may find interesting.

WordTalk is a free Widows text-to-speech plugin for Microsoft Word, and if you fancy, you can download a Scottish voice to read text back to you (free w/restrictions, or pay).

NaturalReader is a program that offers a free “cut and paste” and type reader with two male voices and three female voices (limits you to 200 words). They also have a free version you can download in addition to the other packages available for purchase.

Another free program is YakiToMe! that touts it is the world’s leading unrestricted, free text-to-speech (TTS) website. You can “cut and paste” and type your text into the provided box, or upload a file, including a PDF. I typed in a simple sentence and enjoyed the robust reading and clear voice that read my words back to me.

Happy editing! Feel free to share any TTS programs that you use.

Posted on September 28, 2013November 12, 2013 by JMB — Leave a comment

Writing Buffet: My Eyes Are Bigger Than My Stomach

My father loved buffets. He loved the variety of food, and he enjoyed the opportunity to stuff oneself until the desire to be rolled out of the restaurant overcame the ability to walk. I never liked to make repeated trips to the buffet, so I had a tendency to pile one plate high with my choice of nibbles.

“Remember, your eyes are bigger than your stomach,” he’d chastise when he saw me attempting to balance one more serving atop a mound of food. He neither wanted to waste food, nor did he want me to become ill from overeating. I never had to worry about either of those problems. My parents, who claimed they had reached their fill, would pick at my plate and eat the remainders.

I am in the middle of a writing buffet, and my eyes are definitely bigger than my stomach. After declaring that I would throw my hat into the ring for the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) writing competition, I have been stumbling across loads of other interesting contests and writing opportunities. My calendar from the end of September until the first of December is packed with the promise of writing two books (minimum of 50,000 words each), and editing a completed short story to transform into an e-book.

My father would be both proud and filled with concern. He’d warn me to get enough sleep, eat well, and take some time for fun. He would also know how important this is to me, give my shoulder a strong shake, and grin at me. He’d say, “Get to it!”

Off I go, attempting to balance my overloaded plate. I’m hungry for this work, and I aim to devour it, leaving nothing unfinished behind.

Thanks for coming along on my journey.