Paths to Getting Published

I have a plethora of talented friends.   A mixture of professional and armature artists in a variety of mediums: painters, photographers, film makers, writers, actors, woodworkers, crafters, chefs, cosmetologists, scrapbookers and seamstresses.   I enjoy their talents.   The work they do is inspiring and it challenges me to expand my own artistic reach.   I love seeing their new art as well as enjoying their older works.   From time to time I catch someones name as it rolls past on the credits after a film or see a familiar shinning face on TV.   This week I was lucky enough to get an offer to view new series of incredible photographs by one of my favorite photographers.   When these types of things happen, my heart jumps and I think ”Yes, my friend is awesome“. Recently I have grown to appreciate the resurgence of a detail oriented art form called scrapbooking.   The time, effort and skill put into each page is exceptional.   Only to ha...

It is difficult to say anything at all through the fresh tears of new loss.   Words cannot express the love he inspired in all of us.   What can I say about such a strong man who is one of the most influential people in my life?   He has seen me though the many stages of my life with love and compassion.   He is a man of solid character, Christian values and a strong family leader.   Through grace he is welcomed with a great celebration into heaven by God and by all who have come before him.   It must be an unbelievably joyous sight.   He is seeing his beloved mother, sister, brother and father again after all of these years.    I know he would rather have stayed here with Grandma until they could have gone on together.   I too would rather keep him here with us.   However I am comforted by the knowledge that he is home with God and the rest of his friends and family who have gone on before him.   I try and picture w...

With the current state of the world is it any wonder that escapism is on the rise.   It is nice to get away from the reality of daily life every now and again.   Whether it is escaping into a good book, a video game or your writing.   Take a mental vacation by diving deeply into the vast ocean of your imagination.   Get lost in the adventure and be surprised hours later to find yourself sitting in your living room when you reappear.   Thinking to yourself ”Oh, how did i get here?   On this couch?“   Eventually reality will begin to seep back into your mind ”Oh yeah, I remember.   There are my bills on the table next to the sink full of dishes“.   Then you will come to the most delectable thought.   Which is reality can wait a little while longer before you have to return.   You pick up your book saying to yourself ”I think I’ll read one more chapter before calling it a night“ and off you go.   JLCooper

I wish I could sign up for an online dating service for my book.   If only there was a match.com or jdate.com for writing.   It could be called Bdate.com or Literary.com.   A dating service that would hooking up a writer and a literary agent with similar interests, outlooks and tastes.   Instead I am wooing literary agents the old fashion way or rather the new old fashion way.   In my search for the perfect literary partnership I find myself filtering through endless supplies of information.   Pages upon pages of lists of literary agents and literary agencies trying to decipher which are even interested in this type of Middle School/YA fantasy novel.   Then which are currently accepting new submission queries.   And don’t even get me started on ”The Internet“.   It is over flowing with blogs, tweets, face book profiles and websites dedicated to writers, literary agents, publishing houses and magazines.   However most of the info...

Harry Potter - the entire series of seven books The Lord of the Rings - trilogy Narnia - the entire series The Bible - minus the "this person begot that person" too difficult to read Mythology stories of - Ancient Greece, Rome, Europe, Japan, China, Australia, Native America and etc. Twilight - series Where the Wild Thing Are Pat the Bunny Wild at Heart JL Cooper

My favorite practice for this was writing poetry. It forced me to stretch and strengthen my mind's ability to come up with just the right word for the meaning I am trying to convey to the reader. When it comes out just right and even though I am the writer, when I read it and it touches my soul in some momentarily profound way. Then I know this s what I love doing, this is what I am - a writer. JL Cooper