Angel wings.

June 15, 2011

This is for the Blog--if anybody has found it, I say, "Hi."  Standard Wyoming greeting.  A big Hi!

It's still pretty cold in Yellowstone and Grand Teton Park.  If you come, bring a jacket.  And probably jeans as well as tourist shorts.

Today I'm thinking about my play.  PARADISE LOST 2011.  Have a new idea.  Costume idea.  I previously visualized the angels' robes as 44" wide solid color pieces of fabric 1 1/2 yards long, split down the middle to make front and back, sewn at the outer edge of the shoulders. Belted at the waist.

A cheaper way, and probably just as effective, would be to make the robes out of crepe paper.  That should work, with scotch tape taking the place of needle and thread.  That would make costumes affordable for churches with low budgets, a colorful stage for about $1.00 per angel.

Glad I have a website.  http://www.wix.com/helenschmill/books#!

Also, Google me up.

Grandma Helen

Small treasures.

May 28, 2011

It's 4:30 a.m., May 28. Time for me to go to work.  A writer's work, like a mother's, is never done.

My books came!  Here's the flyer! They are small treasures.  Sample pages are on the internet at www.Xlibris.come.  Email: info@xlibris.com or http://www.wix.com/helenschmill/books#!. I can take calls at 307-234-3498.

Getting my books in hand has been a great adventure--a dream that started in September 1944 when in the freshman journalism class at the University of Wyoming I learned that I could become an inspirational writer.  Been at it 67 years.

Niece Jackie, looking through the eyes of love, expects I will sell millions.  Religious readers will like them.  I'm sure of that.  I don't ask God for millions.

Xlibris made it easy to get the books after they got paid.  Their main office is in Indiana.  I got marketing calls from the Philippines and the books came through customs from Canada.  Does that indicate global sales?

The weekly paper has promised to come for an interview.  I hope they take pictures of the books to go with their copy.  They are pretty little books.

Internet has seven poems from the Grandmother's book, and seven pages of the Paradise Lost script. As of today sample pages from A Morning with God were not shown.  I had hoped to have Evans portrait of God there.  His father is assigning the book for his class at the University in African Studies.

It's 5:00.  Time to get the Star-Tribune and try to go back to sleep.

Grandma Helen

The Process of Publishing

May 5, 2011
Today I spend an hour with the publisher's representatives.  That is like pulling teeth.  Each one is programmed with exactly what to say to callers. Of course, they do not know they are talking to SUPERMOM.

If I ask a question not on their list, they try to ignore me.

Otherwise, if it is not their specific area of concern, I get assigned to somebody else. So far, I have four people involved with my three little books--the first one, who took my money, the second, in the Production Department, the third, my Authors Representative, and a fourth in Marketing.  Each has me like a fish on her line.

I needed a receipt for my March payment of about $1,000, so at first the Operator said she could help (the first person did not come through).  It turned out I had to go to the Finance Dept., who I asked for in the first place.  Maybe they all work on commissions.

They communicate by email.  When you call, you can hear their little keys go click=clickclick-click.

Negotiating with Marketing was tough.  She started out with an offer for about $600.  "Impossible."  She whittled it down to $242.  That seemed Ok.  Then that turned out to be THREE payments of $242.  "Cant' do it." Finally I gained her respect.  She realized I had said I was 83 years old with no regular income.  She compared me with her grandmother, and I realized I was doing well.  Her grandmother's doctor, fighting Alzheimer's, learned the patient liked to garden.  He put her to counting the leaves on her plants.  Finally, we got down to $149, twice my Mother's Day gift receipts.  For a listing of five words about the play on Google.

I called her back to ask how Google inquirers could find out where to buy my play.  Since I thought to ask, I learned there would be a link to Xlibris.  The Finance Department lady (not counted before) called me back to verify what she had learned.  I do think they get paid by the number of calls they handle.  Otherwise, they either work part-time (not usually available when I call) or flex-time, which I would like since that might help them with children.

Anyway, I have proofed the galleys on the play and the poetry book.  Have put in three calls to try to get the galleys on the picture book.  The Author's Rep sent the wrong ones the first time she tried.  Then she got sick and had to go on leave.  I did not want to keep her as my representative since she had sounded like a smart-alex, but now I know she was sick and this morning it all seems to be OK.

Adventures! Of, as Alice said, curiouser and curiouser.

-Grandma Helen

Forward from a Grandaughter

It was recently announced that Helen Schmill, my grandmother, writer and poet was signed to publish two of her books.

Many take for granted the audience the world wide web can provide an artist, writer, poet, musician or simply anyone who has something to say. Born a writer, "Grandma Helen" has written a vault of transcending poems, wise wisdom, reflections on life, her relationship with God, and strong spiritual messages that can be translated to any person with a belief in something higher then themselves.

She has patiently waited for 82 years to have a way to expose her work to the entire world. This simple website, and simple blog, is a small start.

For the first time, my grandmother will write with everyone invited to read.
Please enjoy.



Brooke Schmill