Webinar Date Changes !

Due to University holiday periods, we have moved the Webinars to October this year.

The exact dates will be confirmed here soon.

Meanwhile, The Book powers on and we are about to tackle the final chapter!

All our threads come together into a dramatic close and every writer in the team is very keen to see our finale. To discover more about how the project has worked, our highs and our lows, as well as the story itself, be sure to book your place on the Webinar.

Back soon ....

Pete

"49 Writers" interview with Glenda Smith

A very interesting group in Alaska is "49 Writers." This refers to Alaska being the 49th state admitted to the union rather than the number of writers in the group.

I recently had the opportunity to discuss our collaborative writing "Book Project" in an interview for their blog site. I believe I stated so in the article but would definitely state it again -- the views expressed are mine alone and not endorsed by the other authors in the "Book Project." There may even be some of the group whose thoughts totally contradict mine.

If you would like to visit, this is a link to my interview. There are many other interesting items on the site including "Ode to a Dead Salmon" contest -- uniquely Alaskan.

http://49writers.blogspot.com/2009/07/49-writers-interview-glenda-smith.html

It is still hard to believe we are into the 8th month of our project -- it has indeed been an exciting trip so far.

Glenda Smith

Secrets Revealed & Your Chance to Meet the Authors!

As The Book moves into it's final phase, our team is planning a 'Webinar' for all those who are interested in this collaborative project.

Over the months, several Universities and academic institutions around the world have contacted our team to ask about the project and some have even launched their own internal collaborative works within their English literature faculties.

A wide range of literary professionals have also been in touch for information, in addition to past project members, writer's groups and forums and the many people who are close to the authors themselves.

There are many questions about how we have managed this ambitious project as well as why we did it. When you talk about collaborative writing, most people think that one person writes something, then someone else and so on. This is what I refer to as 'serial collaboration' and there are a number of examples of this on the web.

The Book is not a serial project and I will explain our approach in more detail during the Webinar.

We have also, as you will imagine, been asked lots of times for information about the story (so far a tightly guarded secret!). What kind of story will be worthy of such an effort? How do we maintain a consistent style?

All this, and much more will be answered during the Webinar.

So what is a 'Webinar'?

It's a meeting - but a meeting on the Internet with people from all around the world. Our Webinar will include audio so you will hear us talking and you will be able to submit questions via your computer keyboard into a dialogue box.

We will start with a brief presentation about the project - how it came about and who is in it.

Then we reveal our big secret ...... what the story is about and what we plan to call it! (if the publishers agree!)

From the beginning you will be able to ask questions and these will be logged throughout and answered in turn after the presentation.

So when is this going to happen?

This September!

We will deliver the webinar in each of three major time zones within hours or days of each other. The Western zone will accommodate our audience predominantly in the USA and Canada. Central will cover Western Europe including Great Britain and Ireland, Spain, Holland, France, Germany and those countries in the region. The Eastern zone will address our audience from Eastern Europe through to Australasia including Turkey, India, Malaysia, The Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. You can attend any or all of the sessions if you wish, although the presentation will be the same each time.

What do you need to do to attend?

All you need is access to a computer and the Internet, whether that is a PC or a Mac. You don't need any special software but you will need sound or earphones.

To register and receive an invitation with confirmation of exact times and dates, please send an email to webinar@amazonclicks.com .

We'll look forward to welcoming you in September!

Pete

Almost Half Way !

The end of June marks the official half way point for our novel and the progress has been exceptional.

Well over half the writing has now been completed and initially edited. We are all very proud of the story so far!

It has always been our intention to keep the details of our story under wraps but as we move into the final months a few hints will be given and the first is to announce that although we are writing fiction (and cracking fiction at that!) there will be an environmental theme to our story. That's all I can divulge right now but one or two more 'teasers' may be released in the months ahead.

Here in the British Channel Island of Guernsey the sun is out and my own writing time is having to compete with a strong desire to be out sailing! But the beat goes on and there will be no let up from our team as we plough forward with this unique project. Around the world the writing continues 24 hours a day in different time zones and the interaction between writers in our online forum is as busy as ever. An average of 370 page views every day between the dozen writers!

June will see our Reader's Circle casting off their identities and becoming strangers to the writing team as they imagine they have just purchased 'The Book' and must now review it!

Later in the month, I will post a message that I think you will all find very interesting ........! :)

Pete

my virtual office

It's Maya signing in from Canberra, Australia. It's hard to believe that I've been with THE BOOK project since the beginning of December 2008, because I feel as though I've been working with the other Book members for years. I feel as though we are old co workers, running reports past one another, agreeing and disagreeing about issues, meeting at the water cooler to recount tales of our home lives and weekend adventures around the world. The best part about this 'virtual office' of mine is that it really makes my love for writing a priority alongside the 'regular' day to day 'priorities'. As a wife and stay at home mother of three, home manager, home maker, housekeeper, etc. etc. etc., it's easy to get bogged down with the zillions of things that 'have' to be done and keep putting aside my own writing which seemingly has no deadline or priority. With THE BOOK, I do have coworkers, waiting for me to do my part and I feel that I have more reason to re prioritize all my activities and put writing first!

I don't know about the others, but as my chapters draw to a close, I'm thinking about THE BOOK 2, because I really am having fun with this new job - the hours are great and my co workers a pretty versatile and interesting lot of characters.

Finally, I've discovered another advantage of having my virtual workplace. I am currently on my 5th day of chicken pox, and am really appreciating having a virtual office which allows me to still work and chit chat at the water cooler without exposing anyone to my virus or to the sight of my ghostly visage painted in calamine lotion (though some might say it's an improvement on the way I usually look).

I'm off for another cuppa tea break to bake pear bread and make hamburgers for dinner tonight, but will be back online editing so when other co workers awake from their night's slumber in another part of the world, they can begin their work . . .

Latest Press Release

Just over half way through the time allocated for The Book we are starting to look for representation both for the Novel and a Movie.

One of the first places we sought writers last year was the New Zealand news site 'Scoopit'. So this has been chosen as a fitting place to launch the search for representation.

Check out the news site link here;

Scoopit

There's a lot going on with the project and our authors at the moment and both good and bad fortunes, as ever, are with us. Yet again the story behind our story is a powerful reflection on life across our planet.

We will report on some more of this story here on the blog soon.

The good news is that we are ahead of schedule and the flow of creative juices is as abundant as ever!

If there were ever any doubts that we could see this through, they have long since evaporated.

Pete

Tornadoes!!!

Spring always brings a wild array of weather...and this year is no different! This past week, Tennessee, along with Alabama, Kentucky, and several other states, were hit hard by spring tornadoes. Spring Hill dodged most of the damage, but other areas were not near as lucky. One community, Murfreesboro, suffered major damage, including two fatalities and many serious injuries. The clean-up effort has been non-stop since the storms passed, and it is amazing to see the community come together to help each other in such a hard time. However, these efforts are not only local. Volunteer crews have come from all over the state of Tennessee, and some from out of state, to help with the clean up and to provide shelter for the many families who were effected by these storms. This a true sign of humbleness and caring during a time when our world is in much turmoil. There is always hope!