To Error Is Human

Ever wonder about those mistakes you find in books? How could the editor and writer miss them? Little things like in the book, Carrie, Stephen King has the owner of the Kelly Fruit company named Hubert on page 69 and Henry on page 217. Or in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Buckpeak is tied to a tree before Harry and Hermione go back in time. However, when they travel to the past, Buckpeak is tied to a fence.

After reading through a writing blog this morning, I discovered an unusual website. It is called Bookmistakes.com, and there is an impressive list of mistakes found in some famous books.
http://www.bookmistakes.com/best_book.php.

It makes you think that we are all human, no matter how famous the book or author. Everyone makes mistakes. Of course, they are usually found by readers and fans. They are not usually distracted by the processes of writing or never see the pounds of revision that lead up to a novel.

I can relate to some of these mistakes that most likely come out of hours of revision. A character name is changed later in a revision. Often one change is missed. Or when the writer is thinking through all the details, or going from draft to draft, a detail is remembered wrong or confused.

Smallest of details can get by the editor and writer. There is so much detail and description in every book. To error is human. It is the natural course of things. But sometimes, just to find an error is exciting. The thought occurs, ah, they didn't catch everything. As in Angels & Demons, Langdon swims in the water of the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi after a man has drowned. But of course, the fountain only is about one foot deep.

These little mistakes bring out the joy in reading. It's like being a book detective to find out even authors are human. Because if writers like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and Dan Brown can make mistakes, they are just like the rest of us. It makes us all feel a little more human.

Tiffany Turner is the author of the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. Her books can be found at Amazon.com.


Referenced Links for this Post:
Lauren's World of Mystery Writing
Bookmistakes.com

Opportunity to Meet Tiffany Turner

Book Signing with Tiffany Turner
Author of:
The Lost Secret of Fairies: The Crystal Keeper Chronicles Book 1
and
The Lost Secret of the Green Man (The Crystal Keeper Chronicles)

Saturday, June 12, 2010
Time:
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location:
Borders Bookstore/Oak Ridge Mall
Street:
925 Blossom Hill Rd., Suite 1741
San Jose, CA 95123
Description
Tiffany Turner will be doing a book signing in the San Jose Area. She will be reading from the second book in her Crystal Keeper series, The Lost Secret of the Green Man. She'll also be playing her Gaelic harp. Come join in the fun and an exciting afternoon with Tiffany Turner.

The Lost Secret of the Green Man Kindle Edition

Hot off the presses! Yup, the new edition of "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" is now available for your Kindle. I'm happy that I have a lot of avid Kindle readers from the first book. So I am glad that the second book is now available. Enjoy everyone! I would love to hear from any Kindle readers. Just post on Amazon.com what you think about book 2.
Link to the Kindle Edition Here!
-Tiffany

Is Going To A Writing Conference A Good Idea?

If you're serious about writing, a conference can set you on the right road. From how to submit, workshops on writing craft,or meeting editors and agents, a writing conference can teach you how to turn writing from a hobby into a working career. But which conference would be the best to start at? How do you know when and where to get started? Here are some tips on what I've learned from attending conferences and starting my writing career over the last 5 years.

There are several things to consider when choosing to go a writing conference. The first step is to find a conference for your writing genre. Many conferences are genre or writing market based. Whether you write adult fiction, children's books, or romance novels, some conferences zero in on your specific writing. This will be a crucial first step so you can find a starting point. If you know what writing you are already doing, this will guide you to the right market and conference.

Another starting point are writing groups. There are several organizations for writers that support with conferences for their members. My writing group, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, is for writers and illustrators in the area of children's books. Another writing group I've heard of is the Mystery Writers of America. Both these groups host their own national and regional writing conferences. Other resources are literary magazines that offer workshops to writers. I've been invited to several, including one hosted by Highlights Magazine.

However, sometimes the next factor really comes into play, the cost. I found I get a lot out of the smaller, local chapter conferences than national. The cost also tends to be lower for local chapter conferences. Some literary magazines sponsor workshops. They are helpful for craft, but tend to be very expensive. The higher cost doesn't mean better. So I suggest to shop around to find the best deal within your budget. Plus, travel costs do need to be factored in, especially if you need to stay in a hotel. Sometimes the local conferences are more cost effective since hotel stays are not needed.

You also need to learn where you are in the writing process. Are you just beginning? Do you have a manuscript ready or you want to find an agent? Not sure where you are at now as a writer? Sometimes just going to a writing conference can sort out all this confusion. The steps of writing and the writing business are presented and reviewed in many conference classes. It will help you discover what part of the writing process you are currently at.

After five years of following this dream, I have two self-published books that are currently selling on Amazon.com, Kindle, Barnes and Noble.com, and Smashwords. I've just received a fabulous Kirkus Review for my second book, and I'm working on my third book's first draft manuscript. Going to writing conferences has allowed me to find out the information I needed to get my dream started. I've developed my writing craft, learned how to promote myself, and continue to keep writing books that inspire my readers. In the end, going to a writing conference will pay off for the effort and money put into it. It is all worth it if it contributes to a fabulous book that sells. This is everyone's dream.

Tiffany Turner has two books available through Amazon.com.

Mixed Reviews for THE LOST SECRET OF THE GREEN MAN

I just saw my book review by Kirkus Review. I've also been viewing other reviews on Goodreads.com. Sometimes an author is nervous about what others think about their work. But when you put yourself out there, it is bound to be liked by some, and not by others. I like readers to read reviews and maybe even check out the first few pages of the book on the Inside Feature on Amazon or digital search on Google. Sometimes by reading the book itself, you can tell if you like it from the first chapter or so.

Personally, I can't get through Jane Austin. I hated "Catcher in the Rye". But I love Anne Rice, Melissa Marr, and even the Twilight series. I really don't think Stephanie Meyer is a bad writer. She gets the storytelling job done. How it is done, is often a personal choice in style, word choice, and how a writer perceives the world. If you love a book, say so. If you hate a book, say so. Isn't free speech grand?

Here is the link to the Kirkus Review for THE LOST SECRET OF THE GREEN MAN:
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/kirkusreviews/discoveries/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004083317

Things Can Only Get Better

Today I went on rainbow hunt. I didn't intend to. But with all the rain in California, I wasn't really surprised when I looked up and saw a rainbow across the sky. I took a moment to admire, and then remembered my smartphone.


Just taking a breath and gazing at a rainbow can give a new perspective. It's like a promise from the devine.

I happily get in my car and tolerate the rain. I know that things are bad, but are they that bad? I have my health. I have a job. I have a home. These things I might have taken for granted if not for the last year.

I've seen friends loose jobs and some go through major health issues. I've had family issues and friend issues. I'm just happy that though I have a job and work longer hours, at least I have one. But really. It has to get better than this.

I've never seen our country this downtrodden. I've heard about it from other generations, the Great Depression, the Great War. But these were mostly my grandparent's challenges. The Cold War, Nuclear War, and the Great Quake, these were things I grew up with as challenges. They were the problems of my parent's generation.

For my generation, what happened? I've done the right things. I went to college, got a career and got married. Isn't that in a Talking Heads song? "Same as it ever was; same as it ever was. Same as it ever was!"

The rain came pounding down as I turn the corner to my little home in the Silicon Valley, namely a condo. I thought, there's got to be a rainbow somewhere. It was a positive thought through the downpour. I got to my turn to the complex and looked up. The biggest, brightest rainbow was in front of me. Towering over my home was a sign of hope.





It can only get better. There it was. Another true sign. Images of Noah and the ark came to my mind. Rainbows, the sign of good things to come, and two in one day. Something has got to happen. Things can only get better.

Just Released: Second Book in Crystal Keeper Series

It's here! The second book of the Crystal Keeper Chronicles was just released. "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" takes Wanda into the new realms of friendship.

Wanda tells it how it is.
"My closest friend had been Michelle. We'd been buds since Kindergarten, and then she moved away last summer. Sometimes I'd email her, but it wasn't the same as talking in real time. The fairies kept me from being totally lonely, but sometimes a Crystal Keeper needs other friends, human friends."

Here's a Quick Summary:
Who's got time for homework when your problems involve evil sorcerers? Wanda should be studying for a quiz, avoiding the bullies at her new school and living a normal tweenage life. But, she is called upon once more to be a savior of the fairies, a protector of the fey, a Crystal Keeper. Bees are dying, fairies are missing and nobody knows why.

Wanda and her new friend, Edina, visit a crystal store to search for clues. They read about the Green Man, a forest king who Wanda thinks could be the key to solving the mystery. But, when a unicorn appears in her bedroom, the mystery just seems to deepen. Perhaps by asking the right questions, she can find the answer to the crisis. Or will she just end up in peril herself?

"The Lost Secret of the Green Man" can be purchased at Amazon.com and at Barnes and Noble.com. Both the paperback and a new hardback edition are available. Ebook editions will be available soon.