Category Archives: Lessons Learned

Improving My Home … With Rose-Colored Memories

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Susan Spann

April in Sacramento heralds the end of a cold, rainy winter. I clear away weeds, mow the lawn, and get ready for hot,sweaty summer days. In April, I also get to enjoy the first rosebuds of the season – which … Continue reading →

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The Value of Sadness … to the Point of Change

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Susan Spann

I’m late getting the blog post up today, but as it turns out, that’s a good thing. It gave me time to read a brilliant blog post (I’m a Reject, You’re a Reject, and Why This is Okay) by friend … Continue reading →

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And Now, For Something Completely Awesome

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Susan Spann

Instead of teaching you something new here today, I’m sending you over to BOING BOING for a six-minute video (from Smarter Every Day) showing the way Prince Rupert’s Drop glass will shatter. For those not already aware: a Prince Rupert’s Drop … Continue reading →

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An Open Letter for You … and also for Me

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Susan Spann

This letter is for everyone who likes my book – and also for those who might not. Thank you for reading it.   Thank you for spending hours of your life with a ninja detective, a Jesuit priest, a weapons … Continue reading →

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WANACon, Fear, and an Unexpected Victory

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Susan Spann

On Saturday I had the honor of speaking at WANACon, the online writers’ conference sponsored by Kristen Lamb’s WANA International. I’ve spoken at many conferences, to authors’ groups, in libraries, and on the radio. I spent five years as a … Continue reading →

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Hey Bud … Be Strong.

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Susan Spann

While pruning my roses the other day, I found myself pondering publishing. (This isn’t as strange as you may think, and not only because I’m odd.) Traditional publishing is a lot like pruning roses. Roses require pruning in spring, after … Continue reading →

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An Open Letter to Authors Who Hear a “No”

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Susan Spann

Many of you know that I’m acting as a mentor in Brenda Drake’s Pitch Wars contest, in which authors seeking representation pitch projects to mentors who then pick one (and, to my dismay, only one) project to work with in … Continue reading →

Posted in Lessons Learned, Scribbling | 21 Comments

How My Mother Discovered the Amazon

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Susan Spann

The road to publication is filled with “firsts” for authors – so many that we sometimes forget that we”re pulling others through the looking glass with us. Case in point: my mother. I owe my lifelong love of books and … Continue reading →

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Write Short to Write Long

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Susan Spann

It may surprise you to learn that Twitter improved my writing skills. (Take a minute. Quit laughing. Then listen.) Unless you’ve lived under a rock since 2005, you’ve heard of Twitter. The basics are simple: say whatever is on your … Continue reading →

Posted in Lessons Learned, Scribbling | 1 Comment

Writing, the Olympics, Stephen King and Twinkling Bats

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Susan Spann

(I’ll take “Things that Don’t Normally Go Together for $1000, Alex”…) Last Wednesday night I taught a class at the Sacramento Public Library (Robbie Waters Branch) titled “Law for the Self-Published Author.” In reality, the class includes far more than … Continue reading →

Posted in Lessons Learned, Scribbling | 3 Comments