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How To Use Real People in Your Writing (Or as Truman Capote said “

Geri Clouston
Scarlett Johansson won a defamation suit against a French writer for creating a promiscuous character who happened to look like the movie star. A Georgia jury awarded $100,000 to a woman who claimed a character in The Red Hat Club falsely portrayed her as an "alcoholic S***." Writers face three big risks when using real people in their writing: defamation, invasion of privacy, and misappropriation of the right of publicity. Yet every fiction writer bases characters on real people. Memoirists and nonfiction writers identify people by name. How can writers use real people in their work without risking a lawsuit? It's not that hard. Common sense and a cool head are key. First, let's start with a quick summary of United States law. (The laws of other countries are more favorable to the targets. In today's Internet environment, you could get sued in France for a blog written in California.) DefamationTo prove defamation, whether libel for written statements or slander for spoken ones, a plaintiff (target) must prove all of the following: False Statement of Fact.   If a statement is true, then it is not defamatory no matter how offensive or embarrassing. Opinions are also protected because they are…

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A BEAUTIFUL GLITTERING LIE-J.D.R. HAWKINS

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview Part II with J.D.R.Hawkins Stephanie: I would like to welcome back J.D.R. Hawkins for a follow up interview about her B.R.A.G. Medallion book, "A Beautiful Glittering Lie.". She is an award-winning author who has written for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, e-zines and blogs. She is one of a few female Civil War authors, uniquely describing the front lines from a Confederate perspective. Ms. Hawkins is a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the International Women's Writing Guild, the Mississippi Writers Guild, Rocky Mountain Writers and Pikes Peak Writers. She is also an artist and singer/songwriter. Her two previous novels, A Beautiful Glittering Lie and A Beckoning Hellfire, have received numerous honors and awards. Ms. Hawkins is currently working on a nonfiction book about the Civil War, as well as a Young Adult historical fiction and a memoir. Learn more about J.D.R. here Hello, J.D.R.! Thank you for visiting with me again to talk about your B.R.A.G. Medallion book, A Beautiful Glittering Lie. Please bring readers up to speed about the premise of your story. J.D.R.: The novel is the first in a four-book series, which I call "The Renegade Series." It's a saga about the Summers family…

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Authors' Chat

THE CLOCK OF LIFE- NANCY KANN-MOREN

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview with Nancy Klann-Moren   Stephanie: Hello, Nancy! It is a pleasure to be able to talk with you today about your book, The Clock of Life. What a beautiful and profound title for your story. And I would like to say congratulations on the B.R.A.G. Medallion for your story. Please tell your audience a little about the premise of your book. Nancy: Stephanie, thanks so much for giving me this opportunity to talk with you. The Clock Of Life is a period piece set in the late 70′s and 80′s. It's a coming-of-age story about Jason Lee Rainey, a boy whose father was killed in Vietnam. The boy has been told very little about the man, but finds ways to seek out more information. He longs to become the kind of man his father was, but alas, doesn't believe he has the backbone to do so. Stephanie: Mississippi is an old southern state with deeply rooted attitudes and a way of life for many. Why did you chose the 1980's for your period? Nancy: In the past fifty years, the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement were our greatest catalysts for social protest. This book explores how…

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Authors' Chat

THE SANDOVAL SISTERS-Sandra Ramos O’Briant

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview with Sandra Ramos O'Briant Stephanie: I would like to introduce B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree Sandra Ramos O'Briant. She is the author of The Sandoval Sisters' Secret of Old Blood, winner of Best Historical Fiction and Best First Book at the ILBA, 2013. Over 20 of her short stories and creative nonfiction have been published. Go to www.sramosobriant.com for links to some of her work. In addition, her work has been anthologized in Best Lesbian Love Stories of 2004, What Wildness is This: Women Write About the Southwest (University of Texas Press, Spring 2007), Latinos in Lotus Land: An Anthology of Contemporary Southern California Literature, (Bilingual Press, 2008), and Hit List: The Best of Latino Mystery (Arte Publico, 2009). Please tell me about your story, The Sandoval Sister's Secret of Old Blood. Sandra: When Alma flees with her young lover to Texas to escape an arranged marriage with a much older man, she sets in motion a drama that will put the sisters and their legacy at risk. Pilar, a 14-year-old tomboy, is offered as a replacement bride, and what follows is a sensuous courtship and marriage clouded by the curses of her husband's former lover, Consuelo. She will stop…

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Authors' Chat

THE HOUSE OF CLOSED DOORS-JANE STEEN

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview with Jane Steen Jane Steen was born in England and, despite having spent more years out of the British Isles than in, still has a British Accent according to just about every American she meets. Her long and undistinguished career has included a three-year stint as the English version of a Belgian aerospace magazine, an interesting interlude as an editor in a very large law firm, and several hectic years in real estate marketing at the height of the property boom. This tendency to switch directions every few years did nothing for her resume but gave her ample opportunity to sharpen her writing skills and develop an entrepreneurial spirit. Around the edges of her professional occupation and raising children, she struck her nose in a book at every available opportunity and at one time seemed on course to become the proverbial eternal student. Common sense prevailed, though, and eventually she has the bright idea of putting her passion for books together with her love of business and writing to become a self-published author. She has lived in three countries and is currently to be found in the Chicago suburbs with her long-suffering husband and two adult daughters. Stephanie:…

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Authors' Chat

JANE ACTUALLY-JENNIFER PETKUS

Stephanie Hopkins
  Author Interview with Jennifer Petkus With the invention of the AfterNet, death isn't quite the end to a literary career it once was, and Jane Austen, the grande dame of English literature, is poised for a comeback with the publication of Sanditon, the book she was writing upon her death in 1817. But how does a disembodied author sign autographs and appear on talk shows? With the aid of Mary Crawford, a struggling acting student who plays the role of the Regency author who wrote Pride and Prejudice and Emma and Sense and Sensibility. But Austen discovers her second chance at a literary career also gives her a second chance at happiness and possibly even ... love. Stephanie: Hello Jennifer! Thank you for chatting with me today and congrats on receiving the B.R.A.G. Medallion for your book, "Jane, Actually." What an interesting premise for your story? First off please tell me what the "AfterNet" is exactly. Jennifer: Thanks very much, Stephanie, for the opportunity to be interviewed at Layered Pages. It's very much appreciated, as was the BRAG medallion. As an indie author, I rely on the kindness of many people on the Internet I've never met. The AfterNet…

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Authors' Chat

MOIN COIN-RICHARD DUE

Stephanie Hopkins
Author interview with Richard Due Richard Due is mystified by the suggestion that he bears more than passing resemblance to Ebb Autumn. Additionally, he wishes to put to rest the rumors about his necklace he has been wearing of late, the one with the coin that spins in the brooch. It is not THE moon coin. It is a Moonbeam Children's Book Award. Just google it if you don't believe him! The author would also like to take this time to dispel the absurd notion that the three long-furred cats who live with him and his family are pocket Rinn, or that they can speak as well as you or I. Lastly, he would like me to assure you that these silly rumors an stories are nothing more than tales. (The taller the Better.) Stephanie: Now to our delightful interview. Hello Richard! Thank you for chatting with me today and congrats on winning the B.R.A.G. Medallion. First off, tell me how you discovered indieBRAG and how you feel about the self-publishing industry. Richard: I discovered indieBRAG while attending the 2012 Self-publishing Book Expo in Manhattan. And as to the self-publishing industry, I have mixed feeling. On the one hand, I'm…

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Authors' Chat

Is Reciprocal Reviewing OK?

Geri Clouston
In our July Newsletter we encouraged our B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree authors to support, read and review each other's books. We were by no means encouraging our authors to collude to do something improper. One of our Honoree authors Jane Steen brought to our attention that she felt we were sending the wrong message, which was clearly not our intent.  However, we thought you might like to read her blog - Keep Going You Fool!She has given us permission to share it with you. I hope you will take the time to read it: Reciprocal reviewing is not OK, authors. Here's why. The above is an invitation from a self-published author on Goodreads. Nice of him, huh? I've received many such invitations from this guy, whom I'm not going to finger specifically because he's not the only author who uses back-scratching to make his book more visible, not by a long chalk. If you're thinking that maybe he's just being nice to other people, here's one of his latest asks: He sends these invitations to over 7,000 people, and I still get them even though I've unfriended AND blocked him. Is this kind of thing wrong? I say yes. OK, he's not…

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Words of Wisdom , , , ,

How to Be a Better Writer #3: Get an Editor

Geri Clouston
Yup, it's true that your writing will improve if you proofread it, but guess what: You can take it leaps further. When I was interviewing renowned indie author Helen Hollick for last month's Post she had nothing but praise for her editor, and with good reason. A fresh set of eyes makes a world of difference. "A good editor is a must for indie writers—not only to ensure the final proof has as few typo errors as possible, and for the obvious grammar, punctuation and spelling bloopers, but also to assist with the writing process as an overall experience," Helen says.Editors vary greatly when it comes to their services, editing styles, pricing structures and so on. I got in touch with editor Dulcie Shoener, so we could offer a big-picture look at what you can expect from the experience. Why consider professional editing?Simply enough, hiring a pro has major benefits. First, editing is his or her job. He or she knows how to hone your language, plot flow, character development and all the other components that will keep readers engaged from the very first page. "Every sentence should be a good sentence," says Dulcie, who's been editing newspapers, magazines and books for…

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One Photo is Worth a Thousand Dollars

Geri Clouston
  Everyone else does it--downloads an image from the internet, pastes it on their website or blog, and moves on, ignoring or forgetting they are using someone's property without permission. You tell yourself no will know and no will care.But perhaps a little voice in your head is warning you that someday you'll get a nasty lawyer letter demanding a thousand-dollar payment for one casually-posted photo.The little voice is right.Thanks to improving technology, your chances of getting that lawyer letter are going up. Reverse image search engines have made images as easy to search as words. Photographers, artists, and stock image companies use TinEye to scan the internet for infringing users.But it's fair use, you argue. You are using the image for non-commercial, educational, critical, or commentary uses only. Maybe yes, but do you want to fight that fight with Getty Images or Reuters News or Rupert Murdoch?If your website or blog has images plucked off the internet without permission, then take an hour to clean it up before you get the lawyer letter. The process is easier than you think.Delete the Images. This is the simplest way. Remove unauthorized images with a few clicks.However, if you want to continue…

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