Author in the house

author · Dec 1, 2009

How is it - heh, heh - that I can join a board the has over 22,000 writer-members and still snag 'author' as my user name? :tongue

Well.. that's okay, I've been using Author as my user name on line since back in 1985 when I ran the Writers SIG on Delphi (pre-web stuff). And I can claim the appellation with some justification - I've sold over 100 books to national publishers and thousands of articles and short stories. And have run a publishing company for the last 30 years.

Ain't braggin', it's called 'making a living.'

Still writing and getting back into it a lot (running a publishing company dang well cuts into your writing time). My big interest at the moment are scripts. You can see a couple of mine posted in the SYW section.

I live in the Western North Carolina Mountains, near Asheville. I look forward to hanging out on this board. Already learned a lot, and will be glad to discuss writing and answer question about any and all aspects of writing and this vast universe we live in.

--Ralph
Ralph Roberts

LetaSwearengin · Dec 1, 2009

Ralph,

Welcome to the Cooler. I'm a screenplay writer who is dabbling with a novel. Good to meet'cha.

Leta

author · Dec 1, 2009

LetaSwearengin said:
Ralph,

Welcome to the Cooler. I'm a screenplay writer who is dabbling with a novel. Good to meet'cha.

Leta

Thanks, Leta!

Seems to be a mighty nice place. No one's spitting on the floor or using unduly strong language.

Well, maybe they'll wake up soon.

--Ralph

LetaSwearengin · Dec 1, 2009

Careful what you wish for.

There's a lot of information here, a lot of opinions here and a lot of helpful people here. It's a pretty groovy place.

I was just checking out your web site. I'm looking for some contests to enter this year after taking a couple years off of entering.

By the way, I love Ashville, it's a beautiful place.

Nickie · Dec 1, 2009

Hi there, Ralph, and welcome to the Cooler. I'm into teaching (just love that job) and have written since I could hold a pen. These last years I've been trying to build up a second career as freelancer and now I also started up a publishing house.

Nickie

BigWords · Dec 1, 2009

Welcome to the Cooler.

cooeedownunder · Dec 1, 2009

Welcome

regdog · Dec 2, 2009

Seams · Dec 2, 2009

Welcome to the site, yup, pretty good bunch of people. sounds like you'll be a helpful addition.

enjoy your stay

Seams

author · Dec 2, 2009

Thanks to all... enjoying being here.

--Ralph

SilverMoon · Dec 2, 2009

Wow, you people are intimidating to us struggling up-and-coming writers, but it sure is nice to know accomplished writers like yourself are willing to take the time to give us all such wonderful help and advice.

When I was involved in the music scene for a while, people would just as soon run you down in pursuit of their own glory then lend a hand.

So Welcome!

Shadow_Ferret · Dec 2, 2009

Welcome aboard, author. Online since 1985? I was still typing on a typewriter in those days.

Look forward to seeing your posts.

LetaSwearengin · Dec 2, 2009

Ralph ~~

I had to share this with you because I found it funny.

A few years ago when I decided to make genealogy my professional career, I picked up a little book titled "Genealogy Via The Internet".

And here I thought your name sounded familiar!

Leta

author · Dec 3, 2009

LetaSwearengin said:
Ralph ~~

I had to share this with you because I found it funny.

A few years ago when I decided to make genealogy my professional career, I picked up a little book titled "Genealogy Via The Internet".

And here I thought your name sounded familiar!

Leta

Yep, that's one of mine. Thanks!

I've actually done two editions of that book and kicking around doing a third. In genealogy books, I also did (in the 2004 election cycle) "Bush, Kerry and All Their Other Cousins." To this day, neither one has thanked me for proving they were cousins. :tongue

Here's another hoot. ... I am directly descended from John Swearingen, b. 1687, Maryland.

--Ralph

author · Dec 3, 2009

SilverMoon said:
Wow, you people are intimidating to us struggling up-and-coming writers, but it sure is nice to know accomplished writers like yourself are willing to take the time to give us all such wonderful help and advice.

When I was involved in the music scene for a while, people would just as soon run you down in pursuit of their own glory then lend a hand.

So Welcome!

SilverMoon, the last thing I want to be is intimidating. I am just a big old huggy bear. ... but when I was coming up as a writer (made my first sale in 1978), I found other professional writers to be encouraging, mentoring, and darn good folks to be around.

I've always tried to give back and also found that just about everyone has neat and interesting things to contribute to the general experience. Those who can't learn from others are boring fellows indeed.

--Ralph

author · Dec 3, 2009

Shadow_Ferret said:
Welcome aboard, author. Online since 1985? I was still typing on a typewriter in those days.

Look forward to seeing your posts.

My first paid article in 1978 was "Down With Typewriters" for Creative Computing Magazine wherein I encouraged people to take up the newfangled invention, the personal computer, for word processing.

But before that, I sold typewriters for years.

--Ralph

author · Dec 3, 2009

And speaking of word processing, my first book ("The Word Processor Buyers Survival Manual" TAB Books, 1984) was about that subject also.

Here's a video essay I did on it last week:

http://forums.1vid.com/index.php/topic,1362.0.html

enjoy,

--Ralph
(my second career is producing video documentaries now)

CACTUSWENDY · Dec 3, 2009

Welcome to AW. Hope you enjoy your stay with us.
How do you like your popcorn? It's nice to have someone with so much success in such a vast array of stuff to do with writing.

If you go to the bottom of the page to the ‘forum jump’ you can scroll down and find all the areas of this place. Most of the SYW areas require the password of ….vista. Good luck.

LetaSwearengin · Dec 3, 2009

author said:
Yep, that's one of mine. Thanks!

I've actually done two editions of that book and kicking around doing a third. In genealogy books, I also did (in the 2004 election cycle) "Bush, Kerry and All Their Other Cousins." To this day, neither one has thanked me for proving they were cousins.

Here's another hoot. ... I am directly descended from John Swearingen, b. 1687, Maryland.

--Ralph

A Swearengin connection! Ha! That's my hubbys name. I'm actually a Moore by birth.
I've been toying around with his side of the family for awhile. So I guess you already know that actually the first Swearengins' were Van Swearengins' or Von Swearengins? And I'm not sure how the e and i
got switched around but I suspect maybe a census taker was responsible.

I'm not sure why I've chosen two career paths that have made me virtually no money. But you have shown me that I can possibly take the two, combine them and have success. It makes me sad that future generations have really no interest in their family history. Maybe I should do a YA series of books trying to encourage that.

Glad to have you here to bounce ideas off of ~!

Leta

author · Dec 3, 2009

Right, Leta, I did know about the Van Swearengins'... got a couple generations of them but that line fades out, couldn't get it back any further than about 1600.

The YA series is a good idea. Go for it. Maybe couch it as a mystery novel with a son and daughter have to find out something about the history of the family to solve a current mystery. Go for it!

And you could still do book on how high schoolers or whatever can find out more about their heritage.

--Ralph

Author in the house

It's about makin' a livin'

This ain't my first rodeo.

It's about makin' a livin'

This ain't my first rodeo.

Not too old to learn

Geekzilla

Grateful for the day

The Scavengers

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Finding my way

Court Jester

This ain't my first rodeo.

It's about makin' a livin'

It's about makin' a livin'

It's about makin' a livin'

It's about makin' a livin'

An old, sappy, and happy one.

This ain't my first rodeo.

It's about makin' a livin'

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