Karen Harrington's Blog – March 2008 Archive (8)

Twas the night before publication, when all through the house



Not a creature was stirring, except my computer mouse.





A few author copies were stacked on the table with care,



In hopes that St. Oprah, would one day be there.





My children were nestled and snug in their beds,



While visions of royalty checks danced in their heads.





And hubby by the TV, and I by my dog,



I’d just settled down to write a new… Continue

Me and my sister, 1971





"Unless there is a force more powerful to change the course of a person's life, he is destined to unwillingly take on the traits of his progenitors," she said with complex confidence, as if this idea was as well proved as gravity.- Janeology

My daughters,… Continue

NBC just announced a new show called Who Do You Think You Are – a show that will trace the ancestries of celebrities, promising to find certain unusual connections and “revealing previously unknown stories about their ancestors.”



Finally, a show for me. I’m all for… Continue

Listen up American Idol wannabes: It’s not Simon Cowell’s fault. It’s in your genes.



Genetic researchers in the U.S. recently suggested that one gene may hold the key to one’s ability to have perfect pitch – a trait found in only 1 in 10,000 people.



A study including 2,200 participants done at the University of California, San Francisco, found that people with perfect pitch can instantly pick out the pure tones with ease.(Nature) And those with the ability most often had… Continue

As I inch closer to my publication date (20 days and counting) I've been thinking about the idea of pen names. I wonder how many of my writer friends had already chosen a pen name before they finished their novels. I know I dreamt about this for years. I was the book nerd version of the girl who, instead of scribbling her imaginary married name on her Charlies' Angels pocket folder, wrote various versions of a nom de plume. We won't go into the various combinations I wrote down. Suffice it to… Continue

Even God took a day of rest from His work, so in this writer's life today, I tried to stay away from the computer. I bought Easter dresses for my girls, helped them practice their ballet steps and read a good bit of Horton Hears a Whoo.



While out shopping, some marketing wizards stacked at least 100 stuffed Hortons right, smack in the front of the store, in front of my 3 and 4 year olds. So now, Horton, is a part of our family, already showing his preference for fine literature (and… Continue

On Thursday, I did an audio interview with the great folks over at Authorlink (www.authorlink.com), which, according to my real-time audience (pictured here) was both riveting and inspirational. They particularly liked my description of JANEOLOGY as the "prose-filled equivalent of looking at Jane Nelson's family photo album, including eight of her ancestors, until all the family secrets are laid bare." I got two paws up for that.





The… Continue

Here's what's going on in the life of this writer during the last days of pre-pub status.



Blogged for HerCircleEzine.com (stop over there. It’s a very hip little site.)



Queried two blog sites for potential “guest blog” opportunities



Received a rejection letter for a short story submission sent months ago. Great timing, magazine editor! Way to remind an author she needs to stay humble.



Launched… Continue