http://inkbyte.com Information, "How To" Articles, Reviews, Interviews with authors. For Short Story and Novel Writers, Poets, Playwrights, and Others. en http://inkbyte.com/c_Melinda_Palacio/120611-Lagniappe In the past two months, I've had the pleasure of visiting Cal State University Fresno, El Paso Community College, and Cal State University Channel Islands. Most of campuses have invited me to discuss my novel, Ocotillo Dreams. However, I always start off with something I learned to offer in Louisiana, "lagniappe," meaning a little something extra. In my presentations, it means I introduce readers to my poetry and talking about my journey as a writer. Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Steve_Beisner/120415-colVoodoo-Scribe What piece of modern technology is most responsible for the not-fit-for-polite-company vocabulary in your everyday speech? If you answered "Microsoft Word," you're in good company. But is Microsoft Word really that bad? Yes, and in some ways it may be getting worse. Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Shelly_Lowenkopf/110828-OzarkNoir Shelly's appreciation of his top pick for the novelist who should be, but probably is not, on everyone's list of favorites. Can you guess? Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Melinda_Palacio/110621-SBWC The rebirth of the Santa Barbara Writers Conference begins next week, June 18-23, under the new ownership of Monte Schulz and Nicole Starczak. The conference has been on hold for two years. For many local Santa Barbara authors, the conference is where we got our start. Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Reyna_Grande/110607-Korea In October 2010, I received an email from a man named Woo, Suk-Kyun, inviting me to participate in a literary conference in South Korea. I was flabbergasted. Ever since my first novel, Across a Hundred Mountains, was published in June of 2006, I had received invitations to speaks at schools, teacher conferences, author luncheons, graduations, and literary conferences, all here in the area or within the U.S. Yet I had never been asked to present abroad. South Korea? I thought. Who in the world knows me in South Korea? Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Melinda_Palacio/110423-Espada I sat down with poet Martín Espada at the recent Border Book Festival in Mesilla, New Mexico. Among other things, we discussed Espada's new book, The Trouble Ball, Norton 2011. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Molly-Ann_Leikin/110421-Postal As writers, we all depend on the postal service, but sometimes, standing in that long line, fantasies come to mind... and they get stronger the longer the waits. Apparently this happened to a song writer we know. Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Melinda_Palacio/110419-SB_Literary Gone are the downtown bookstores. We grumbled when two big Box bookstores moved to State and Carrillo. Barnes and Noble, then Borders, squeezed out the Earthling and forced the independent store out of business. The town took years to warm up to Borders, but we took advantage of the space with poetry open mics, book signings, musical and literary performances, and a meeting place for residents and writers. Apparently, these stores were big enough to fail. Soon, talk of bankruptcy replaced book talk. Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Alison_Schaumburg/110327-Anne I am suffering from Anne Lowenkopf-student-envy. At first, I felt it was a disease with no cure. At her standing-room-only memorial service I listened to sweet memories from her husband, nieces and a dear friend who traveled all the way from London, grateful former students, a poem that brought tears to the poet, and a chant by the Vendanta nuns, all soul mates. Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Steve_Beisner/110316-WritingTools The tools for writers just keep getting better. Cheaper too. Whether you like the basics (a good word processor) or are most productive with a writing tool that also helps with researching, noodling (what some call "thinking"), and organizing, new software versions are constantly being released. In this article we look at both ends of the spectrum: Libre Office as an example of modern word processors and Scrivner, representing the complete writers' environment. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Melinda_Palacio/110112-Mistral At last month's First Thursday Santa Barbara, I had the privilege to read poems in Spanish by Gabriela Mistral. Every now and then I get to prove I'm no pocha as I twirl and roll rs in my best Los Angelina accent. I can say this with a wink because my cousins in Chihuahua always made fun of me when I spoke. (Reprint from La Bloga). Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:00:00 PST http://inkbyte.com/c_Sharon_Dirlam/110108-Labeled By Mark Salvatore Publisher: Create Space, 2010 Sold on Amazon for $9.99 paperback, $4.99 ebook 231 pages Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:00:00 PST