Thanks for the Advice. Here’s How It Went

I love you guys! So many of you commented on Facebook and messaged me privately about how to approach our guest-speaking engagement with my friend’s sixth-grade language arts students. I really appreciate all the input and great suggestions.

So how was it? In a word, AMAZING!

We were supposed to be there from 8:30 ’til 10, to address two classes of students. We arrived a little after 8. Two students met us at the main office and escorted us to Mrs. Chevier’s classroom, where we were greeted by expressions ranging from polite disinterest to great enthusiasm. But as soon as we opened our discussion, even the most indifferent 12-year-old boy sat up and listened intently.

As predicted, right off the bat someone asked how old I was. I told her I was so ancient I’d gotten my first cat from a guy named Noah on this big ol’ boat. That got plenty of laughter. I eventually said I’ll be 60 next month, to which one girl mentioned, with a matter-of-fact shrug, her boyfriend’s father is 59. It might not have been so terrible if she hadn’t made it sound like that was sooooooo old!

Partway through our first presentation, another teacher and her class filed in to join us. All 40 kids listened avidly and took part in the discussion when we turned the tables and asked them questions. When we read The Purringest Kitty Finds His Home, they even gamely “Moww!”ed along each time Dee held up her audience participation sign.

The kids asked a slew of excellent questions – from “When did you start writing?” and “How long does it take to write a book?” to “Where do you get your ideas?” and “What do you do when you get writer’s block?” – and Dee and I thoroughly enjoyed answering them.

Dee stressed the importance of setting aside time to write – even if it’s only a few minutes at a time – and explained one of the most fun exercises we’ve done at a writers conference involved brief spurts of writing with a prompt. She asked someone to give her a word at random (a student in the first session said “pickles” and a student in the second session said “monkeys”). Dee had me time her thirty seconds and she wrote on the white board all she could think of stemming from the prompt in that time.

Later, she asked for suggestions from the students and drew several characters, based on their ideas. My favorite was the chicken in a tutu with one long leg and one short leg, one big wing and one little wing. Dee also sketched an angry baseball with eyes that bugged out and these really intense eyebrows. I wish I’d taken pictures of her drawings – they were adorable! And the kids were enthralled! Some of them were budding illustrators themselves, and I’m sure it was the highlight of their day when Dee spent time talking with them individually at the end of class.

We’d expected 45 students between Mrs. Chevier’s two classes, so I’d brought 50 Purringest Kitty buttons. However, because the other class joined us, we ran out partway through the second group. I told Mrs. Chevier I’d bring in more, so everyone would get one.

Just about every student asked us for autographs, on every conceivable surface – from their language arts notebooks to the backs of their school IDs (one girl even insisted we sign her hoodie). One boy asked us to sign his button. That idea spread like juicy gossip and within minutes, the rest of them were begging us to autograph their buttons, too. The students pressed around us while Dee and I signed every last button. And I think Mrs. Chevier signed a bunch of late passes that morning.

During our second session, one student asked how I got ideas for my novels. I said characters pop into my head at unexpected times and either tell me things or interact with each other. I told them about how Marc, the protagonist in one of my books, showed up out of the blue one afternoon and described an incident that led up to the suicide of his best friend during senior year of high school.

Later in that session, another student raised his hand, a troubled expression on his face. He asked whether Marc had been feeling guilty over something he had done that led his best friend to kill himself. I never expected such an insightful and concerned question from a 12-year-old boy! Mrs. Chevier (who’s read that book) jumped in and said that novel involves a number of situations best suited to an older audience, but yes, Marc had experienced guilt over an incident between the two of them.

Dee and I both wished we could have stayed all day, but she needed to get back to work. At the end of our time there – shortly after 11 – another two students escorted us out. Mrs. Chevier later told me she’d never seen those students so attentive or engaged. As we passed through the corridor and the cafeteria, one of our escorts held aloft Dee’s “Moww” sign, and kids ranging from first grade all the way to about seventh grade pointed and waved and “Moww!”ed. It felt like something out of a Beverly Cleary book!

Dee and I returned to my car eagerly anticipating our next speaking engagement.

About the Author:
Rita M. Reali is a two-time international award-winning author and longtime editor who most enjoys editing memoir, general fiction and romance, along with inspirational writing. She’s self-published five novels: Glimpse of Emerald, Diagnosis: Love, The Unintended Hero, Second Chances and Tender Mercies – the first five in the seven-volume Sheldon Family Saga. The sixth novel in the series, Brothers by Betrayal, is scheduled for an early 2024 release. Her first children’s book, The Purringest Kitty Finds His Home, was released at the end of February. As a former disc jockey in her native Connecticut, Rita used to spend her days “talking to people who weren’t there” – a skill which transferred perfectly to her being an author. Now she talks to characters who aren’t there on “a little chunk of heaven in rural Tennessee.” Contact Rita. To purchase your own personally inscribed copy of any of Rita’s books, download this order form at her website.

My First Author Talk to a Class of Middle Schoolers

A friend who teaches language arts in a local school recently invited my illustrator and me to speak to her sixth graders about the art, craft and process of writing and illustrating a children’s book – and read The Purringest Kitty Finds His Home to them (even though twelve-year-olds aren’t exactly our target audience). She also asked me to bring my five novels, so her students would realize they were speaking with and learning from a bona fide author who happens to live in their town.

I’d be lying if I said I weren’t a little nervous. Frankly, speaking to sixth graders scares the bejeezus out of me. I have the most dreadful memories of sixth grade! For just that one horrid year, I attended a private school where my classmates all looked down on me because I was the “charity case” who was there on scholarship, who’d never played field hockey before, and whose family didn’t jet off to Vail for ski weekend (which, believe it or not, was an actual three-day break from school). And, yeah, if there was a party on Friday night, you can bet Daddy’s new BMW I wasn’t invited.

Based on that experience, just the thought of being in a middle school again is giving me palpitations. I can almost feel my face breaking out… and I think my speech impediment is resurfacing.

I don’t know what I’m getting so flustered about. I’m a grown woman with a house and a car, a wonderful husband… and a reasonably successful career as a professional editor and author. A few years back I addressed a group of eighth-grade journalism students about editing, but that’s a topic I’m comfortable discussing. I’ve led multiple editing workshops and been on editing discussion panels at writers conferences. But until a few months ago, I wasn’t a children’s author and had certainly never spoken professionally as one.

My teacher friend said Dee and I should expect the students to ask lots of questions – among them, “How old are you?” Apparently, they ask her that on a regular basis. I’m glad she prepared me for that likelihood. I may tell them I’m so ancient I got my first cat from a guy named Noah. On the other hand, perhaps I’ll tell them the truth: that I’ll be 60 in June and published my debut novel eight years ago – a full thirty-eight years after the characters started yammering in my head (during Sister Teresita’s freshman English class in 1977).

Our date with doom—er, I mean, the sixth graders—isn’t ’til Thursday, so if you can offer any tips or suggestions on how to interact with a gaggle of 12-year-olds, I’d really appreciate them.

About the Author:
Rita M. Reali is a two-time international award-winning author and longtime editor who most enjoys editing memoir, general fiction and romance, along with inspirational writing. She’s self-published five novels: Glimpse of Emerald, Diagnosis: Love, The Unintended Hero, Second Chances and Tender Mercies – the first five in the seven-volume Sheldon Family Saga. The sixth novel in the series, Brothers by Betrayal, is scheduled for an early 2024 release. Her first children’s book, The Purringest Kitty Finds His Home, was released at the end of February. As a former disc jockey in her native Connecticut, Rita used to spend her days “talking to people who weren’t there” – a skill which transferred perfectly to her being an author. Now she talks to characters who aren’t there on “a little chunk of heaven in rural Tennessee.” Contact Rita. To purchase your own personally inscribed copy of any of Rita’s books, download this order form at her website.

Oops… Wrong Word!

In speech, it can sometimes be difficult to come up with the right word to use – especially when you’re speaking publicly. I’ve done a fair bit of public speaking and radio interviews over the past half dozen years. Words have escaped me frequently and I’ve often needed to rely on a less well-suited word than the one hovering just beyond the reach of my grey matter when I need it. When it happens, my brain flails helplessly – like a fish flopping about on the deck of a boat – as my mouth grapples for an elusive word… and I dread sounding like a dolt when I should be coming across as polished or authoritative. Maybe that’s why I can empathize when I hear folks use the wrong words in public settings.

This past week, I can cite three instances of folks using wrong words (or nonexistent words). In one case, it was a high-school radio news intern – and I felt myself cringe on his behalf.

Friday morning, a newscaster reported someone had been assaulted by a local college football player after he “mistakingly entered the wrong apartment.” Here, the word “mistakenly” would have been the proper adverb to use.

Later that afternoon, I was in an online meeting when someone asked the presenter a question he was unable to answer (he pointed out he wasn’t qualified to respond); he suggested the woman “defer the question to her doctor.” He may have intended to say she should “defer to her doctor” for the proper response. He also would have been correct to advise she “refer the question to her doctor.”

In the third instance, Saturday morning the hapless teen intern reported the results of a high-school football game the night before by saying the local team won “on a two-point conversation.” The earnest young man clearly meant well, but given the importance placed on sports in this town (when they give blood here, it flows blue and white; everywhere else in the state, it’s orange), he’ll probably end up getting laughed out of school on Monday for not correctly saying they’d won “on a two-point conversion.”

Occasionally you get lucky and if you’re not doing a live presentation, editing is possible. Some weeks back, I was recording an interview with the afternoon announcer at the station where I used to be news director. Dave and I have become good friends over the years and it’s always an easy conversation with him.

That particular day, something I was trying to say came out way wrong and we both started giggling. I attempted three or four more takes; each one grew increasingly funnier and we finally had to start the interview all over again. Fortunately, he’d kept recording and saved the unedited version for me. I never did get to hear the final interview that aired, but I’m confident he cleaned it up so I didn’t sound like an utter dolt.

If you use the wrong word, it’s not the end of the world. As I’ve just illustrated, it happens to all of us… often at the most frustrating or inopportune times (sometimes to great hilarity). In those cases, I suggest you simply gather your poise, pick up and move on.

About the Author:
Rita M. Reali is a two-time international award-winning author and longtime editor who most enjoys editing memoir, general fiction and romance, along with inspirational writing. She’s self-published five novels: Glimpse of Emerald, Diagnosis: Love, The Unintended Hero, Second Chances and Tender Mercies – the first five in the seven-volume Sheldon Family Saga. The sixth novel in the series, Brothers by Betrayal, is scheduled for an early 2024 release. Her first children’s book, The Purringest Kitty Finds His Home, is due out sometime in 2023. As a former disc jockey in her native Connecticut, Rita used to spend her days “talking to people who weren’t there” – a skill which transferred perfectly to her being an author. Now she talks to characters who aren’t there on “a little chunk of heaven in rural Tennessee.” Contact Rita.

An Invitation to Speak

Several folks have asked how it went this past Thursday, when I addressed a colleague’s college class. It was a Managerial Communications class and I’d been asked to speak on editing and proofreading in the context of business writing.

I’m delighted to say it went really well. The students were engaged and asked some really good questions. And Brian (the instructor) was appreciative of my time and the information I presented. Those two facets made it a fulfilling endeavor.

To start, I discussed a bit of the writing and revising process – including two options for getting a first draft down on paper: the brain dump and the working-in-stages strategy. For the brain dump, I advised putting the main ideas down on paper and worrying about organizing them during the revision phase. While the working-in-stages plan takes a little longer, it generally comes together more smoothly. In this approach, you start with a basic skeleton (outline), build muscle (details) onto the bones in a second pass and then wrap it up by pulling the skin over it (transitions, etc.) in the final version.

I likened revision to gardening – in a weeding, pruning and lopping kind of way. I urged the students to be brutal in their revising, saying, “If something doesn’t work, revise it so it does or yank it out.”

Among the revisions I mentioned were extraneous use of “that” and “There are… that” sentence structure. The example I used for the latter was this: “There was a big dog next door that terrorized my poodle” may be reworded as “A big dog next door terrorized my poodle.”

We went over “Killing your little darlings” – omitting the cutesy words and phrases the author dearly loves but which have no place in a particular piece of writing.

My next advice was to ensure every word – and every sentence – provides definite impact. If words aren’t meaningful, they’re taking up valuable real estate and they don’t belong there. Get rid of ’em.

Consider tone. The tone of your writing is as important as what you’re writing. Assess how the reader is likely to perceive your message. Be aware of your intent – and determine whether your words mirror that intent.

From there, we transitioned to tips for improving their writing.

• Eliminate clichés.
• Avoid repetition in a small parcel of written real estate.
• Ensure your words fit the tone and feel of your document.
• Write how you speak (a solid bit of advice from two dozen years ago by my favorite editor)
• Don’t fret if you can’t think of the word you want right away – it’s okay to substitute a little line of Xes (and perhaps a close approximation of the word you’re looking for) ’til you get to the revision phase.
• Engage the reader! Harness the power of your words to achieve your desired effect.
• Precision is critical – choose strong adjectives.
• Use adverbs sparingly, if at all (and avoid “very”).
• Use subjective and objective pronouns correctly.
• Avoid passive voice.
• Select powerful verbs.
• Mind your tenses – pick a tense and stick with it; don’t flip-flop back and forth from past to present.

Oddly, I forgot to mention my chief bugaboo: Never use an apostrophe to make a word plural. I can’t state this strongly enough. It might help if I point out the harsh truth that multiple puppies will die horribly if you use apostrophes to pluralize a word. I’ll elaborate on this in an upcoming post.

In wrapping up, we touched on the importance of proofreading – and how foolhardy it can be to rely solely on spellcheck instead of another set of eyes. I gave several examples of errors:

• Using “in lieu of” rather than “in light of” (e.g., “in lieu of the terrorist attacks on 9/11, several businesses were shut down.”)
• A newspaper ad for a weight-loss hypnosis seminar that promised participants would “lose those unwanted carvings! (instead of cravings)”
• A local radio news item cited a “unanimous five-to-one decision” at a city council meeting.
• A listing in my local newspaper for a vendor at a street festival read, “Selling woodworking items and sharing sweets and teats with the public. (instead of treats)”
• A political mailer sent to more than ten thousand homes in Baltimore bearing a political candidate’s phone number that, instead of having Maryland’s 410 area code, went out with Rhode Island’s 401 area code.

What’s the best advice you ever got about writing? Share it in the comments.

About the Author:
Rita M. Reali is a two-time international award-winning author and longtime editor who most enjoys editing memoir, general fiction and romance, along with inspirational writing. She’s self-published five novels: Glimpse of Emerald, Diagnosis: Love, The Unintended Hero, Second Chances and Tender Mercies – the first five in the seven-volume Sheldon Family Saga. The sixth novel in the series, Brothers by Betrayal, is scheduled for an early 2024 release. Her first children’s book, The Purringest Kitty Finds His Home, is due out before Christmas. As a former disc jockey in her native Connecticut, Rita used to spend her days “talking to people who weren’t there” – a skill which transferred perfectly to her being an author. Now she talks to characters who aren’t there on “a little chunk of heaven in rural Tennessee.” Contact Rita.

In Sales and Marketing, Promotion is Everything

It’s not enough simply to have an outstanding product. No matter what it is you’re selling, if nobody knows about it, you might as well stuff it into a shoebox under your bed. If you want to sell – and this goes for practically anything – you’ve got to promote yourself and your work.

I spent this weekend at the Homesteads Apple Festival in Crossville, Tennessee. My adopted sister always has a booth there to sell her pepper jellies and amazing honey (which she swipes from the hardworking bees in her 130 hives in and around Cumberland County – and which won Best in Show at this year’s Cumberland County Fair). Monica’s kind enough to let me set up a table with my books at the shows she works. But during the Apple Festival, my novels take a back seat to tickets for the upcoming 31^st annual Crossville Oktoberfest.

The local Knights of Columbus councils put on this annual event, billed as the premier German-American festival in the Upper Cumberland region. My husband and I are heavily involved with Crossville Oktoberfest – among other things, he does all the computer-related stuff, including setting up and programming the video displays throughout the venue for Oktoberfest, maintaining the event website and sending out tickets for all the online orders we receive. I handle publicity and advertising, which includes writing newspaper articles and press releases, preparing the display for sponsors, writing content describing the various adult-beverage offerings, media buying (radio and print), recording all the radio ads, conducting interviews and preparing content for the flyers.

Ordinarily, the flyers are available for distribution by July or August; due to circumstances beyond our control, they’ve been delayed. So, at the Apple Festival, I had to rely largely on my powers of persuasion and ability to talk up the event… aided by a few visuals to draw people in.

Of all the things I’ve learned about promotion over the years, perhaps chief among them is to know your product and be able to present it appropriately. Developing a knowledgeable pitch for your product (whether it’s a book, a service you provide, or an event you want people to attend) is vital to making the sale. If you can’t effectively show off your product, how will people know they need it? Be prepared to grab people with your opening line, then reel them in with enticing details. You can’t just wave your book in front of people’s faces and say, “Buy my book.” Believe it or not, I’ve seen authors do this, and then wonder why folks don’t buy their books. You’ve got to fill a need, make folks connect emotionally with your protagonist, or deeply relate to some aspect of your book. Just because you’ve written a book is no reason for anyone to buy it. You’ve got to connect with your target audience and persuade them reading your book will benefit them in some way.

Another important factor is to present visuals. People want to see what they’re spending money on. Let folks see and handle what you’re selling; you can’t expect them to rely on what you’re telling them – even if it sounds amazing. Saturday morning, my printing guy delivered a large yard sign promoting ticket sales, along with several enlarged versions of the flyer on heavy stock, and 25 flyers run off on his color printer. We posted the yard sign in front of my section of the booth, and I taped the enlarged flyers at eye level on the poles of my canopy. Having that signage really boosted sales. Prior to his arrival, I’d sold about four tickets. Over the festival’s two-day run, I sold 64 tickets, and intrigued dozens more people, many of whom accessed information via the QR code on the signage or took the flyers I had available.

Offer an incentive. Often a bargain – even a small percentage off the regular price – is enough to entice folks to buy. As a member of the Knights of Columbus, my husband takes part in all their fundraising and many of their community-outreach efforts. As an incentive to get people to buy tickets, we offer to subsidize the cost. Crossville Oktoberfest admission is $8 at the gate; advance tickets are $6. But we sell them for $5 apiece. My ticket-sales efforts this weekend will personally cost us money, but we feel it’s worth it. We strongly believe in the good works the Knights undertake, and we’re fortunate enough to be in a position to do this.

Don’t hesitate to toot your own horn by mentioning something folks will find praiseworthy. At Crossville Oktoberfest, kids 12 and under, designated drivers, active-duty military personnel and veterans (with proper ID) get in free.

Upon hearing we admit veterans free, several folks suddenly thought of friends or loved ones who are veterans who might like to attend with them. At least a dozen of my ticket buyers’ spouses are veterans. So those 64 ticket sales will yield far more attendees – upwards of 80, taking into account veteran spouses and kids 12 and under. And the entire goal is to get folks in the gate.

What’s more, in at least one instance, someone who was on the fence about buying tickets (because he didn’t know if they’d be in town that weekend) was so delighted to learn veterans get in free, it tipped the scales in our favor. He gladly handed over his $10 and said if he and his wife later found they couldn’t go, he’d give the tickets to a friend or neighbor who could.

So, to recap: Know your product and your target market. Present visuals to help prospective buyers decide to buy your product. Offer an incentive to cut down on hemming and hawing and spur sales. And don’t be afraid to promote yourself – after all, if you don’t promote yourself and your product, who will?

What are some of your best tips for promoting yourself and your work? Drop me a line in the comments.

About the Author:
Rita M. Reali is a two-time international award-winning author and longtime editor who most enjoys editing memoir, general fiction and romance, along with inspirational writing. She’s self-published five novels: Glimpse of Emerald, Diagnosis: Love, The Unintended Hero, Second Chances and Tender Mercies – the first five in the seven-volume Sheldon Family Saga. The sixth novel in the series, Brothers by Betrayal, is scheduled for an early 2024 release. Her first children’s book, The Purringest Kitty Finds His Home, is due out before Christmas. As a former disc jockey in her native Connecticut, Rita used to spend her days “talking to people who weren’t there” – a skill which transferred perfectly to her being an author. Now she talks to characters who aren’t there on “a little chunk of heaven in rural Tennessee.” Contact Rita.

Better Late Than Never…

I would have told you about this earlier, but last week was my 9/11/01 remembrance piece, and the week before was a previously scheduled post by guest blogger Linda Berry… so my exciting news for you had to wait another week.

A few months back, I was invited to be a featured guest on the “Self-Publishing Tips & Tricks” podcast with S.D. Huston and Ben Pick. Episode 17 premiered September 1. In it, Ben and Shanon covered a range of topics, from how I started writing, the importance of branding and publicity… and where my writing journey is taking me next, to how to find and work with an editor – and what to look for in an editor who can work well with you (hint: It’s not just about price).

I invite you to listen to it (as well as to other episodes of the podcast) and leave a message in the comments section to let me know what you think.

About the Author:
Rita M. Reali is a two-time international award-winning author and longtime editor who most enjoys editing memoir, general fiction and romance, along with inspirational writing. She’s self-published five novels: Glimpse of Emerald, Diagnosis: Love, The Unintended Hero, Second Chances and Tender Mercies – the first five in the seven-volume Sheldon Family Saga. The sixth novel in the series, Brothers by Betrayal, is scheduled for an early 2024 release. Her first children’s book, The Purringest Kitty Finds His Home, is due out before Christmas. As a former disc jockey in her native Connecticut, Rita used to spend her days “talking to people who weren’t there” – a skill which transferred perfectly to her being an author. Now she talks to characters who aren’t there on “a little chunk of heaven in rural Tennessee.” Contact Rita.

Whew! That Was Too Much Fun to Repeat Anytime Soon!

It was fun, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved it’s over. I’d planned (and shopped for) and stressed over it for weeks. Finally the big day came and it was wonderful and exciting and fun… but, whew! Am I ever glad it’s in the rearview mirror.

“What the heck are you yammering about?” you may be asking. You’re in good company; folks ask me that all the time! I’m talking about the book-launch party for my latest release, Tender Mercies. It doesn’t officially come out ’til June 21, but those who attended the launch party could purchase copies in advance. See? Sometimes knowing me isn’t such a bad thing.

We had lots of great people in attendance, plenty of good food, and fantastic audience questions during the Q&A portion of the program. My master of ceremonies was equal parts amusing and entertaining, and nobody fell asleep during my reading from the new book. Plus, folks didn’t seem to mind waiting in line to buy personally inscribed copies. I’d call that a successful event, wouldn’t you? Oh, and I can’t forget Abigail – my rock-star of a manicurist – who custom mixed nail polish so I’d match the shade of blue my designer used on the book cover! Yes, I admit it: I have fancy party fingers!

On a more personal level, it was a success in that I didn’t touch any of the chocolate (either in the form of Plain or Peanut M&Ms or my homemade chocolate-chip cookies) and I only nibbled a few corn chips with my heavily cilantroed guacamole. I eschewed the lemonade and stuck to chilled water. Of course, I did have a glass of sangria and I snarfed up some tortilla chips with salsa when hubby and I went out to La Costa – our favorite Mexican restaurant – for a celebratory dinner with friends and family.

The sound system at the venue acted a bit wonky, but that can’t be helped. I did, however, note a few things I’d do differently next time: not get quite so many blocks of cheese, or stockpile soppressata… and maybe buy only two bags of corn chips. Plus, six avocadoes should yield plenty enough guacamole, and maybe I don’t need to set up five dozen chairs. And perhaps I’ll make only a half batch of each type of cookies (unless I keep small zip-top bags close at hand for attendees to take surplus snacks home with them). But I’ll prepare more of the organic figs stuffed with toasted walnuts. Those went over really well!

This morning, several folks told me how much they enjoyed themselves – and how nice the venue looked, all decked out in aqua (I got most of the party supplies at my local Dollar Tree for a buck and a quarter apiece – still quite a bargain, all things considered). Many folks even arrived wearing aqua tops… and I hadn’t even sent out a memo! Go figure.

Today I’m tired, but gratified everything went so well! I’m grateful for the friends who offered to help set up (and stayed to clean up afterward). I’m grateful I had a tall(ish) friend who, along with my dear husband on a stepladder, orchestrated the hanging of the “Book Signing Today” banner outside the hall. I’m thankful for the sweet friend who graciously agreed to serve as my “hospitality agent” and “name-tag writer-outer,” warmly greeting people at the door with a dazzling smile and a welcoming, “Hello, friend!”

I’m appreciative of all the folks who bought one or more of my novels – both the new one and my backlist titles. I’m also deeply thankful for those folks who – although they couldn’t be there with us in person – called, emailed or texted prayers and good wishes for a successful turnout.

All in all, it was a great book-launch party. I’m already looking forward to the next one.

About the Author:
Rita M. Reali is an international award-winning author and longtime editor who most enjoys editing memoir, general fiction and romance, along with inspirational writing. She’s self-published four novels: Glimpse of Emerald, Diagnosis: Love, The Unintended Hero and Second Chances – the first four in the seven-volume Sheldon Family Saga. Her fifth novel, Tender Mercies, comes out later this month. As a former disc jockey in her native Connecticut, Rita used to spend her days “talking to people who weren’t there” – a skill which transferred perfectly to her being an author. Now she talks to characters who aren’t there on “a little chunk of heaven in rural Tennessee.” Contact Rita.

Sometimes, An Air of Confidence Makes All the Difference

Ever find yourself having to pronounce an unfamiliar word? Maybe it’s a foreign word or a name you don’t recognize – or something you’ve only ever seen in print and have no clue how it’s supposed to be spoken.

That’s happened to me plenty in my life. First with the word “plethora.” Having only ever seen it in print, I mentally pronounced it with the emphasis on the second syllable instead of the first.

Same with “Hermione” in the Harry Potter series. Unfamiliar with English names, throughout the first two books my husband and I said it “Her-me-OWN.” It wasn’t until the first movie came out that we learned the proper pronunciation was “Her-MY-o-nee.”

Last night, over dinner, a friend from church asked whether I’d be willing to serve as lector at Mass this morning for the First Saturday devotion. As sacristan for the Mass, Gloria was responsible for lining up a reader. After I agreed, she showed me the reading. All those unfamiliar names made me want to run and hide. Or at least rescind my offer to serve as lector.

She said not to worry; she has an app that lets her hear each day’s readings, and she’d let me listen to it before Mass, so I could hear the proper pronunciations. Reassured, I went home to bed.

Before leaving for church this morning, I found today’s reading online to listen to it. The peculiar names didn’t seem quite so daunting once I’d heard them spoken aloud, and I felt more confident about my task ahead.

When I got to church and listened to the version on Gloria’s app, I was dismayed to learn some of the pronunciations were different. Wildly different, even.

The niggling uneasiness I felt reminded me of a saying my brother is fond of repeating: “A man with one watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure.”

Similarly, a reader with one pronunciation of unaccustomed words can feel confident; a reader with two pronunciations is never certain. I decided I’d just wing it. As it turns out, I made the right call, because the reading in the Lectionary differed from the versions I’d heard just enough to make me want to revisit last night’s run-and-hide option.

On my way up to proclaim the reading, I reminded myself of something I learned long ago. If you speak with sufficient authority, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve pronounced a word correctly. Sound like you know what you’re saying and people won’t challenge you on it.

Just before Mass, Gloria told me something Father Mark said: “He said if you get the names wrong, it doesn’t count.” We got a nice little chuckle out of that, but it made me all kinds of nervous, because all those polysyllabic names were – quite literally – all Greek to me.

As it turns out, the gist of the entire reading was, “Hello, everyone.” It occurs to me I could have saved myself a whole lot of angst if I’d just done my own translation.

After Mass, Father Mark said, “You only got a few of ’em wrong.” Then he laughed and said he was just kidding and I’d done fine.

A few people said I sounded assured in my pronunciation – and that was convincing. Truth be told, Father Mark and Deacon Peter were probably the only two in the room who’d have known the difference.

In the end, I realize it doesn’t matter how I pronounced those names. What’s important is I found myself in a position to embrace a new role in my church… in service to my God – Who has been so good to me. And really, what more can I ask for?

About the Author:
Rita M. Reali is an international award-winning author and longtime editor who most enjoys editing memoir, general fiction and romance, along with inspirational writing. She’s self-published four novels: Glimpse of Emerald, Diagnosis: Love, The Unintended Hero and Second Chances – the first four in the seven-volume Sheldon Family Saga. Her fifth novel, Tender Mercies, is due out next June. As a former disc jockey in her native Connecticut, Rita used to spend her days “talking to people who weren’t there” – a skill which transferred perfectly to her being an author. Now she talks to characters who aren’t there on “a little chunk of heaven in rural Tennessee.” Contact Rita.

Surviving a Mini Book Tour… or How I Spent My Summer Vacation

What started out in July as plans for a trip to Connecticut for my aunt’s birthday party evolved into something vastly different… and altogether fun!

Mom’s kid sister celebrates a milestone birthday September 28. So when my cousin Judy asked if we could come up for her mom’s party, we leapt at the chance to drive there minus any specter of snow (we ordinarily only go back at Christmastime, if then).

With our trip still in its planning stages, I got the idea to arrange library talks in support of my new novel, Second Chances. For sure, I wanted to do one at the Henry Carter Hull Library (in my aunt’s town), because I’d dedicated the book to her in honor of her 90^th birthday. (Aunt Jo had adamantly specified no gifts, but how could she refuse a book dedication? It’d barely take up any space and she wouldn’t have to dust it.) I contacted the library director, who put me in touch with the program coordinator, who arranged everything for my author talk the day after Aunt Jo’s party.

I also wanted to speak at the New Britain Public Library. As a native New Britainite, many of my fondest childhood memories involved that library. Mom would take us there at least weekly, and I remember whiling away many a rainy Saturday curled up in a window seat in the Hawley Memorial Children’s Library – when it was separate from the imposing New Britain Institute (a.k.a. the adult library). I emailed the director, who welcomed my offer to present an author talk.

In my email, I mentioned I’d dedicated the first book in the series to my mom – whom the staff at her branch library had long ago dubbed “Mrs. Delicious.” Whenever they’d ask her, “Mary, how was that book?” she’d invariably respond, “Oh, it was delicious!” The library director, Pat, related how, after Mom passed away in 2015, Dad wrote her a lovely letter saying how fond Mom had been of the library and how much it had always meant to her.

I’d also hoped to speak at the Middlebury Public Library (because the Sheldon Family Saga is set in and around Middlebury), but that didn’t work out. Perhaps next time.

Neither talk – Clinton or New Britain – was overwhelmingly attended, but those who came were engaged and enthusiastic. And, because mask mandates were in effect, I did both presentations wearing a golden retriever neck gaiter (hey, what’s life without levity?). Pat and I did remove our respective facial coverings for photos of my presenting a set of books for the library.

I also presented books to the Cora J. Belden Library in Rocky Hill (the town we’d called home for our last 18-plus years in Connecticut) and the Lucy Robbins Welles Library in nearby Newington.

Plus, I made a few book sales. And because a wise man once told me, “You can’t go through life with catcher’s mitts on both hands; you’ve got to be able to throw something back,” I donated 10 percent of gross sales from each event to the respective libraries. I didn’t end up writing any huge checks, but they were grateful for the donations.

After my talk, Pat took my two companions and me on a personal guided library tour. Much had changed in the 25 years since I’d last been there. We toured the new building that houses the teen section and the community room, with its murals depicting ages’ worth of banned books; the stacks; the expanded magazine room; the reference area; the new Makerspace and – my favorite part of the tour – the children’s section, which featured some amazing murals! (Featured photo by Kimberly Dwelley) I even got to sit in the exact window seat I used to sit in as a child, and look out the leaded-glass windows at traffic passing by along High Street.

On Thursday, I visited the Thomas Jefferson Branch. I hadn’t been there in about 45 years… but the instant I walked in, fond memories raced back! I spoke with a delightful librarian; Kathi and I shared some wonderful reminiscences about “Mrs. Delicious,” which made me miss Mom all the more.

This was a fun mini book tour, and I got to meet some new folks along the way, and reconnect with longtime friends I hadn’t seen in years, who came out to support me.

Unfortunately, my Friday-afternoon combined book-signing/wine-tasting event at Premier Wine & Spirits ended up getting canceled, and a substitute book-signing event never quite materialized. Each would have been a fundraiser for an area charity: the Cheshire Community Food Pantry or Coram Deo, which operates five sober houses in the Greater New Britain area. I invite you to look into both organizations; they’re worthy charities and I’m sure they’d appreciate your support.

As for me, I’m packed and ready to go back to Tennessee tomorrow. It was great to visit family and friends – and even dip my toes into Long Island Sound for the first time in over a decade, but it’s time to go home to my husband and my cat… and sleep in my own bed again. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about going out on tour, the best part is coming home.

About the Author:
Rita M. Reali is an international award-winning author and longtime editor who most enjoys editing memoir, general fiction and romance, along with inspirational writing. She’s self-published four novels: Glimpse of Emerald, Diagnosis: Love, The Unintended Hero and Second Chances – the first four in the seven-volume Sheldon Family Saga. Her fifth novel, Tender Mercies, is due out next June. As a former disc jockey in her native Connecticut, Rita used to spend her days “talking to people who weren’t there” – a skill which transferred perfectly to her being an author. Now she talks to characters who aren’t there on “a little chunk of heaven in rural Tennessee.” Contact Rita.

What I Learned from My Book Launch Party

I hosted my first-ever book-launch party August 28. It’s only been a week, but it feels like months ago. Preparations seemed to take forever – from assembling to-do and things-I-need-to-buy lists to actually crossing off items on said lists.

I had to ensure I had adequate quantities of books – of both the new release and my backlist novels. After much agonizing, I decided my existing supply of previous volumes would suffice. And the 200 copies of Second Chances I picked up from a printer in Nashville would also cover Author Day (this November), several holiday fairs and in-person sales for months to come.

Now that I had books crossed off my list, did I have adequate food to satisfy snacking guests? An appropriate variety of healthful options vs. sweet treats? Did I buy enough veggie trays? Would two gallons each of lemonade, sweet and unsweet iced tea slake their collective thirsts?

What about decorations? Would the tanks I bought contain enough helium for four dozen balloons (red, black and grey)? Had I taken the color scheme too far? Were red tablecloths, red and black snack plates and red cups sufficient? Did the white napkins stick out like a stray mutt at the IABCA International Dog Show? Were those darling red-plastic scoops (for the M&Ms and nuts) necessary? Or did they fall under accessory overkill?

We arrived at the hall early. We moved tables and chairs and I fretted about such colossal decisions as whether the beverage table should sit off to one side or in the back of the room. In the end, we decided it would go beside the bar and we’d situate the two food tables behind the seating area.

When my trusty assistants arrived, they helped arrange chairs, inflate balloons and set out snacks. As the start of the event neared and I grew fretful that we hadn’t yet finished, they paused to convene an impromptu prayer huddle. I can always depend on them to know what I need to re-center me.

As 12:30 approached, we hung the “Book Signing Today” banner, and my official greeter took her place at the door, to welcome guests, invite them to sign the guest book and offer them my carefully constructed ice breaker.

I’d devised a party-guest scavenger hunt with questions designed to prompt conversations. Ideally, as folks chatted and got to know one another, they’d be able to fill in blanks, like: Identify two guests who know Rita from church. Which guest is an elected county official? Name two guests who enjoy working with wood. Which guest is a music teacher? Which guests met Rita at the pool? Identify two other published authors. Name two guests who moved to Tennessee from Pennsylvania.

It worked great in theory. Trouble is, few people filled out the sheet. And the ones who did… well, they wrote in names of people who weren’t even there – it would have been quite a coup if Stephen King and Nicholas Sparks had actually been at my book-launch party. And while I’m confident our county sheriff would have come, had I invited him (we know each other from my radio news days), citing him as the elected official was an incorrect response.

But enough about what I stressed about.

Just before my friend Dee offered the opening prayer, I met in a corner of the room with her and my two other prayer partners for a brief private prayer.

The event was a monumental success! We had nearly four dozen people in attendance and the friend I’d tapped as master of ceremonies did an amazing job! He actually made me sound like someone I’d want to meet.

I prepared a short presentation about how I came upon my lifelong love of words, reading, writing and radio, about how the characters in the Sheldon Family Saga first came to my attention (during my ninth-grade English class) and about the new book itself. To my great relief, everyone laughed at all the right times!

One of the biggest laughs followed a line I nearly cut from my talk. I was telling about how Gary, my protagonist, had a series of dreams. One involved a poker game – with Saint Joseph, Ann Landers, Steven Tyler and God. I guess the notion of Gary engaged in a game of chance with the queen of advice, one of the bad boys of rock and the Supreme Deity proved more amusing than I’d anticipated. I went as far as to say I felt the banter in that particular dream was worth the price of the book. I think that intrigued a few people.

Then, I read the first chapter of Second Chances. Again, to my enormous relief, they all laughed in exactly the right places.

After a brief Q&A session, I thanked everyone again for coming, invited them to mingle and enjoy the snacks, and to see me over at the book-signing table. After that, things were kind of a blur… until the dizzying moment I looked up and saw an actual line of people waiting to buy my books! Let me say that again – only because it still astonishes me: “a line of people waiting to buy my books.” Wowzers! That had to be one of the most amazing parts of the day for me!

So, what have I learned?

I learned it takes a lot of planning – and a lot of help – to pull off a successful book-launch party. I learned to stop worrying and to let things happen organically. I learned if you offer folks a fun, welcoming atmosphere and an interesting blend of people, they’ll enjoy themselves. It doesn’t much matter if you have coordinating partyware, five different kinds of cheese and the most amazing praline pecans on the planet (which we did). You don’t even necessarily need an ice breaker. Success all comes down to what you offer, as their host(ess).

Give folks a fun event to attend; give them something to feel good about (ten percent of gross sales went directly to the church building fund at my parish); and give everyone a takeaway (a Sheldon Family Saga bookmark and a printed recipe card for my cinnamon-walnut cookies – served at the party and featured in Second Chances. Anyone who bought a book also got a one-of-a-kind, handmade silver-plated bookmark).

Then just relax and enjoy yourself and your guests. When they see you having a good time, they’ll enjoy themselves more, too.

About the Author:
Rita M. Reali is an international award-winning author and longtime editor who most enjoys editing memoir, general fiction and romance, along with inspirational writing. She’s self-published four novels: Glimpse of Emerald, Diagnosis: Love, The Unintended Hero and Second Chances – the first four in the seven-volume Sheldon Family Saga. Her fifth novel, Tender Mercies, is due out next June. As a former disc jockey in her native Connecticut, Rita used to spend her days “talking to people who weren’t there” – a skill which transferred perfectly to her being an author. Now she talks to characters who aren’t there on “a little chunk of heaven in rural Tennessee.” Contact Rita.