PTSD / Diary of a Vet's Wife / Updated Cheat Sheet for Vets and Writers

 

Blog of a Vet's Wife portrays the detailed journey of publishing my first book, Diary of a Vet's Wife, Loving and Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the CHALLENGES and LESSONS learned, while pinpointing PTSD and how this disorder is ravaging our men and women returning from war in epidemic proportions.  My main MISSION is to EDUCATE mankind on PTSD and its effect on families and our nation as a whole.

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.            ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The HOLIDAYS have moved in with all their baggage like unexpected house guests who plan to stay a while. With cluttered days and endless commitments, I barely noticed until they jumped off the calendar and splashed into my coffee. Where did this year go??

Tomorrow I fly to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with my sons and their families. I DREAD flying in the WINTER and I HATE being COLD, but this will be the FIRST time we've been together for Thanksgiving since they were little. One of the hardships of modern-day living in different states and countries. My daughter will be missing, but Australia is too far. She'll be in our hearts and thoughts.

My cup over-flows with BLESSINGS. I have so much to be thankful for. As a writer, I hope to capture each moment to save for a rainy day when I can pull them up at random and savor every smile and the laughter once again.

Please remember to GIVE THANKS for our brave WARRIORS who will not be spending Thanksgiving with their families and loved ones.  Their absence is painful but their dedication and SELFLESSNESS is what makes our country strong. Pray for their safety this holiday and that one day soon these wars will end so they can return home to the loving arms waiting for them. 

With time running short, I wanted to post a BLOG before my flight. I decided to update my CHEAT SHEET. It's been two years since my last revision. I know I have many new readers who might be looking for a specific topic. This BLOG concentrates on my exposure to PTSD through my husbands journey, what happened and what I learned.  It also shows how I came to write this book and each step into publishing ... DETAILED.

The list may seem daunting but the descriptions are brief. The dates coincide with those on the right side of the blog.

HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING AND RELISH EVERY MORSEL ...

MY UNCHARTED JOURNEY INTO PUBLISHING . . . UPDATED CHEAT SHEET!

Below is a list of my blogs for those who might be looking for a specific topic: 
     1.  In The Beginning                                                                April 13,  2011
          How my book came to be . . .

     2.  This Closet Writer . . . Goes Public                                  April 16
           My first writing class - posting my blog

     3.  I Never Planned to be a Writer!                                       April 23
          Blogging - my writing class - my free-lance editor   

     4.  Publicize Your Book . . .                                                    May 1
          Publicizing - blogging - writing class - book query
    
     5.  Write Your Heart Out . . .                                                 May 7
          Blogging - why I wrote my book - book proposal excerpt

     6. Q is for Query Letter . . .                                                    May 15
          Posted my original query letter

     7.  B is for Book Proposal . . . Part One                                May 21
          Elements of a book proposal - my proposal table of contents
    
     8.  B is for Book Proposal . . . Part Two                                June 12
          More elements of a book proposal
    
     9.  What Next? . . . Time for an Agent                                  June 19
          Some basic agent information
   
    10.  Marketing in an Electronic World . . .                            June 26
           First steps to marketing my book  
   
    11.  Will Self-Publishing be My Only Option?                      July 3
           Posted excerpt from Chapter One of my book    

    12.  A Platform . . . Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone    July 11
           Start to develop a platform for my book
   
    13.  The Marketing Medusa . . .                                              July 28
           JK Rowling's success - more marketing
   
    14.  2011 Agents . . . What Do They Really Want?              August 7
           Identify agent's most asked for requirements
   
    15.  What is a Synopsis and Why? . . . Part One                  August 27
           Details to begin synopsis process
   
    16.  One Writer's Journey into Publishing Cheat Sheet     September 4
           Lists previous blogs and subject matter

    17.  What is a Synopsis and Why? . . . Part Two                 September 11
           What to include in a synopsis

    18.  Ebooks . . . A Contemporary "David and Goliath"     September 19
           Show why authors are choosing to self-publish
   
    19.  The #1 Question: Who is Your Audience? . . . plus Excerpt
            Importance of locating your specific audience                September 26
   
    20.  "The Moving Wall" . . . An Experience I Will Never Forget!
             An emotional visit that squeezed my heart                     October 3

    21.  Traditional Publish or Self-Publish . . . My Decision plus Excerpt
            What direction I chose and why                                       October 10
   
    22.  Public Speaking 101 . . . Fight or Flight?                               
           Terror and my first class . . .                                              October 17

    23.  My First Speech . . . plus Revised Cheat Sheet into Publishing
            First speech panic plus . . .                                               October 24

    24.  Africa's Beauty Being Strangled / One Person Making a Difference
            Unique story about Africa                                                November 23

    25.  Has PTSD Touched You? / Chapter 26 Excerpt . . .
           What is PTSD?                                                                  December 3

    26.  Our Soldiers are returning / Write Your Heart Out
           Warriors from Iraq and reality                                           December 14

    27.  Ghost of Christmas Past / Chapter 15 Excerpt
            Memories of Christmas                                                     December 24

    28.  The Self-Publishing Jitters of a Perfectionist
           Trials of self-publishing                                                    January 7, 2012

    29.   Wounded Warriors Walk Among Us / Chapter 24
             Reality and PTSD symptoms                                           February 8

    30.  Self-Publishing Nitty-Gritty / Copyright / Excerpt
           Copyrighting and song lyrics                                             February 19

    31.  PTSD / Can One Woman and Her Book Make a Difference?
           How my story helps our warriors with PTSD                    March 12

    32.  Self-Publishing / PTSD - A Passage of Passion
           Print-on-demand - song lyric trials                                      April 6

    33.  PTSD / Vet's Wife Self-Publishing / Chapter 33 Excerpt
           Formatting anguish                                                              June 13

    34.  PTSD / Diary of a Vet's Wife / Sneak Peek at the Cover
            The dawning of my book cover                                          July 16

    35.  PTSD / Diary of a Vet's Wife / Where's the Book??
           Reveal my self-publisher and perfect cover                        November 6

    36.  PTSD / Diary of a Vet's Wife Appeared on My Doorstep!
           Seeing my book for the first time                                      December 6

    37.  Diary of a Vet's Wife Reveals PTSD / Marketing / Reviews
           Suicide increase and my marketing plan                           February 18, 2013

    38.  PTSD / Diary of a Vet's Wife / The Truth and Vulnerability
           What you should know about PTSD                                  April 13

    39.  PTSD / Diary of a Vet's Wife and Memorial Day Memories
            My first encounter with the Moving Wall                         May 27

    40.  PTSD / Diary of a Vet's Wife goes to The White House
           How my book got to the White House                               July 4

    41.  PTSD / Diary of a Vet's Wife and Michelle Obama
           A surprise from Washington                                              October 6

    42.  PTSD / Diary of a Vet's Wife / Bittersweet is November
           Veterans Day meaning and memories                             November 10

Did you find something of interest for your own Journey?

   
           
           
 

Self-Publishing / PTSD - A Passage of Passion

Lately, I feel like a puppet whose strings are tangled, trapping my arms behind my back and my feet up over my head.  My thoughts are scattered like my many projects.  Focus comes in spurts and splatters with so many loose ends eager to be tied.  This Gemini sure wishes the other me would get busy and do her share.

Then I remember - I'm on a journey - a PASSAGE, much like life itself, where we never know what to expect.  A passage of passion isn't always neat and tidy.

Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. 
          ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The last few months have been tumultuous.  My eyes crisscrossed and my brain scrambled with the plethora of self-publishers available online.  Far behind schedule I had to make a decision . . . flipping a coin entered my mind more than once!

July 4th seems to be approaching at the speed of light!

I did a comparison of the top POD (print-on-demand) companies and their services - amenities that were included / add-ons / other options / and cost involved.  The scenario's went every-which-way.  I weighed my alternatives like labor pains until I reached a DECISION . . .

This company's goal is to get a quality book quickly into the market (usually in a month or less) with the lowest out-of-pocket cost to you, greatly increasing the time it takes to make back your investment.  The majority of their revenue comes from public book sales, not service fees, which is why they request a writer to submit their manuscript for APPROVAL prior to acceptance.  Their acceptance rate is less than fifty percent. 

To be honest, this was one of the reasons I chose this company, and I'm pleased to say my manuscript was accepted.  Now I must wade through their multi-paged contract, but this should be a walk in the park compared to the last 30 days. 

"In war, there are no unwounded soldiers." -Jose Narosky

Combat and PTSD go hand in hand.  One is usually enmeshed with the other.  Yet I often wonder about those who do not suffer PTSD after combat.  Who are these survivors and why them?  What makes them different?  What unique attribute do they possess that shields them from the horror of war?  What is their common thread?

One day, I plan to research this phenomenon.  

My last post announced my decision to donate a portion of the proceeds from my memoir, Diary of a Vet's Wife to Pets for Vets, a group pairing veterans suffering with PTSD and rescued dogs.  As a courtesy, I sent them an email confirming my decision.  Their response was electric!  I was welcomed with open arms.

On March 23rd, they posted my blog on their Facebook and by the feedback, I knew I found my audience - others who know what it's like to live with PTSD.  Pets for Vets has offered to put my memoir, Diary of a Vet's Wife, Loving and Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, on their website when the book is released - I'm aiming for July 4th, 2012.

Pets for Vets reaction far exceeded anything I ever imagined.  I'm humbled by this experience.  Please check them out at www.facebook.com/petsforvetsinc and see what a unique service they offer our veterans.

"According to the thread on Zoetrope, which came from an article in the Guardian, it cost one author $1500 to quote two lines from a Bob Marley song in his novel. The concept of fair use doesn't apply to lyrics."  

                             - Dawn Copeman, Writing-World.com

The final chapter of my memoir contains song lyrics that are crucial to the end of my story.  It was written exactly as it happened - my proof is safely tucked away in the back of a drawer, along with my husband's bronze stars.

Last week, I started the copyright search pertaining to these song lyrics.  My publisher advised that such permission could cost "hundreds to thousands of dollars" - which I do not have.  My plan was to beg on bended knee, if necessary, not knowing if these fees are iron clad - or flexible. 

I contacted ASCAP via email because the song in question did not appear on their database.  A reply sat in my email the next morning with names, the Work ID and the ISWC.  But it lacked an email address. 

I called the first name on the list in New York city at the phone number provided.  After explaining my request, the male person on the line supplied a name and an email address.  That afternoon, I emailed them my Copyright Permission Letter along with the last 3 pages of my manuscript.  Within minutes, it came back undeliverable.  I tried 3 different times.  NO LUCK!

The next morning, I called and reached the same person.  He asked what addresses I used. "Oh, those are the wrong addresses."  I knew that.  Then he gave me with another . . . it went through.

Research online stated it could take anywhere from 4 weeks to 3 months to receive a reply.  Start early!  This was a main concern . . .   

Two days later, a formal "quote proposal" for the lyrics requested, appeared in my email.  I was ECSTATIC!  It's good for 30 days.  The pricing didn't SEEM outrageous, however, it's written in legal terminology.  I don't have a literary lawyer, so I sent an email to my new publisher, asking if she would be willing to look it over.  Hopefully, I hear back on Monday.

Lessons learned . . . my two cents

A manuscript should be professionally edited prior to submission to "any publisher," verifying the writers confidence in their own work.  That is, unless the writer is qualified to edit.

Self-Publishing Nitty-Gritty / Copyright / Excerpt

The Mesopotamian stone tablets of 3000 B.C. were man's first "books."  This was improved upon with "papyrus," and ""parchment," and finally the Gutenberg pressing press in 1455.  Before that, all books had to be copied by hand.  Gutenberg's Bibles ushered in the age of print.  Now, printing has gone one giant step farther:  Electronic Printing.       
        - Cork Millner, Write From the Start

A person who self-publishes for the first time has no idea how many different decisions there are to be made. The list seems endless!

It was not until I sat down to tackle the job of Self-Publishing my own work, that I realized I had not recorded the necessary steps from my research in some orderly fashion to move forward.  My original "Cheat Sheet into Publishing" from September 2011 - related to traditional publishing.  It was useless!  

This eye-opener led me to write today's post, where I begin to list what I need to do -  "as I do it" - and share a few gems I uncover along the way. 

“It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else. ”              ― Erma Bombeck 

Last week, Kay Thompson Lee, my free-lance editor, emailed me the final chapters of my memoir.  I was elated!  Then it struck me like a speeding car!  No more excuses!  I MUST decide on the publishing company to handle my book!  I'm one who has a hard time choosing a selection from a menu, let alone a publisher.

Kay has been my guiding star throughout the edit.  Her subtle suggestions and gentle manner kept me focused and encouraged.  The process involved - emailing Kay sections of my manuscript, five chapters at a time.  This way I didn't bury her alive with my 109 chapters, plus it allowed me one last proof-read before I hit SEND.  There was no hurry - after all, I was still in the process of studying "HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH."

Towards the end of January, I emailed the last section, Chapters 104 through 109 - the END of my book.  Within a week, Kay returned my Chapters 104 through 108, but she had changed Chapter 109 to an epilogue.  I never thought to use an epilogue in my memoir.  Kay thought differently . . . and she was right.

An epilogue is a mini story that explains what becomes of the characters in the future.

“Sharing will enrich everyone with more knowledge.”      ― Ana Monnar

Copywriting Your Book

Technically, any original creation, including a book, is automatically copyrighted by virtue of its creation.  However, if you choose, a formal copyright will offer an extra measure of protection.  Easy and inexpensive ($30), visit http://www.copyright.gov/.  The instructions include a request to send two copies of your work.  It's recommended you wait until you have your galleys, if not the final published version, before filing the form and sending the books.

Your Copyright Date

This I found interesting - If your Bound Book Date falls after July, meaning your Book Release Date is three to four months later, it's acceptable and recommended to put next year as your copyright date.  That way, your book stays "new" longer in the eyes of the book world.   - Peter Bowerman

Once you've seriously undertaken the self-publishing process, these will be among the first and foremost items on your to-do-list.  This list includes . . .

• ISBN
• Bar Code
• LCCN
• Copyright

Remember, your publishing entity may include these in "their package."  If this is the case, most likely these items will be in your publisher's name - not yours.  Be aware.  This needs to be discussed before you sign on the dotted line.  Think twice about signing away your foreign rights sales - it's more difficult to get them back later, if you need them.

• Copyright Page - is where all the above data comes together. Check books you own for a sample.

Song Lyrics

Are you considering using song lyrics in your book?  I AM! 

Music is one of  the most protected copyrightable works, infringement of copyright can carry heavy fines for which the author is responsible.

If your book includes lyrics from a song, you will need to request permission from the copyright holder.  This  includes cases where you are only using a stanza or two, and sometimes if your are using anything more than a single line.

Only song lyrics created and first published prior to 1923 are in the Public Domain in the United States.  If the song was created after that, you will need permission to use it in your work.

There are two great resources on the internet for finding the rights holders for most music and song lyrics, from the two leading music entities, ASCAP and BMI, respectively:

• www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?mode=search
• www.bmi.com/search/

Actually, I have three song titles, and one other song, where thirteen lines are embedded in my work.  It appears I will need to request permission from four different copyright holders.  This should be interesting!

My memoir, Diary of a Vet's Wife, Loving and Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is compelling with thousands returning from war, unaware of the ruthless demons waiting in the shadows.  I know . . . I've seen them.

Chapter 34 Excerpt

          A huge Texas moon hung high over our solitary car, but darkness surrounded the deserted country road in the middle of nowhere. 

           “Are you going to be mad at me the rest of the night?”

           Lorne slammed on the brakes, thrusting our bodies hard against the seat belts.  He shoved the gearshift into park, and got out, leaving the car and me in the middle of the road with the door wide open.  He walked to the front of the car with his hands in his pockets, crossed in front of the headlights and took off up the shoulder of the road.  

           I sat stunned.  Unbuckling my seat belt, I hiked up my skirt and crawled over the console into the driver’s seat.  I pulled his door shut, putting the car into drive and followed him up the road. 

           “Lorne, I’m sorry,” I called out the open window.  “Please get back in the car.”

            “Get out of here and leave me alone,” he yelled over his shoulder, squinting into the headlights.

            “Please, Lorne,” I begged.  “It’s late and its pitch black out here.”  By now my head was throbbing.  “I won’t say another word, I promise. Just please get back in the car and let me take you home.”

Lesson learned . . . my two cents

Every secret of a writer's soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind is written large in his works.        - Virginia Woolf