Why I Blog by Judy Alter
About twelve years ago one of my
daughters-in-law said casually, “You ought to start a blog.” Back then, blogs
were neither as common as they became or as dismissed as they have been lately.
I barely knew what one was. “I have nothing to say,” I stammered. “Oh, yes, you
do,” was her quick reply. “You’re a grandmother, a writer, and a cook. You can
write about all those things. You should call it Judy’s Stew, because it will
be a stew of writing, cooking, and grandmothering.” And that, my friends, is
how “Judy’s Stew” came about way back in 2006.
I’ve been blogging, more or less every night, since then.
Today rarely a day goes by that some
mystery author, discussing what works for sales and what doesn’t, puts blog in
the “doesn’t work” column. They’ve lost their punch, nobody reads them anymore,
there’s no proof that they lead to sales, and, and, the most frequent
excuse, “I just don’t have time.”
Sales are not why I blog. I blog because
over the years I’ve made many good friends through my blog. Increasingly, it
has become a personal blog, reflecting my beliefs, my likes and dislikes, my
family’s doings, and, yes, my strongly held political opinions. Readers have
frequently responded that they like it best when I blog about my family,
especially my grandchildren, and their doings. So I no longer invite fellow
authors to be my guests. I am sorry not to help them sell their books or spread
their names—yes, I do think blogs still have a certain value—but I’ve
discovered that’s not what my readers want. I value the personal relationship I
have with them, and so that’s what I give them.
As for politics, authors are warned to
stay away from religion and politics. I have no problem with the former. I hope
it’s clear from my blog that I am a person of faith, but I don’t push my
religion on others. I’m not so good about politics. I care so deeply about our
country, and I believe so fervently that under current leadership it is headed
to destruction, that I speak out. I am reminded always of Martin Niemoller’s
poem,
First
they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then
they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then
they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Because I was not a Jew.
Then
they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
And so I speak out. Does it do any good?
I don’t know. Those of the opposite persuasion to me are rarely convinced, I’m
sure, but then again, perhaps there is a benefit to repetition. At any rate, I
feel compelled to speak out. It’s partly politics, but it’s also because my
faith and my politics are so deeply entwined.
Authors who don’t blog also claim they
don’t have time. I have always been efficient with my time management, as those
who have worked for me testify with some dismay, so I have a hard time with
this one. There are many days when I don’t write—my attention is on research,
marketing, business details both for my writing and for my personal life, and
just plain stuff. Blogging helps me to keep my writing skills polished, to
figure out how to say things, to transcribe my thoughts into words. I think
it’s a valuable exercise.
Want to follow my blog? Find me at http://www.judys-stew.blogspot.com. Don’t google.
You’ll get a bunch of stew recipes!
Perhaps there’s a bit of Emily Dickinson
in me (presumptive of me to even think of that!), and my blog is my letter to
the world. Unlike Dickinson, I feel the world writes back to me all the time!
Judy Alter
Judy
Alter is the author of six books in the Kelly O’Connell Mysteries, two books in the Blue Plate Café
Mysteries; and two in the Oak Grove Mysteries. Pigface and the Perfect Dog follows The Perfect Coed in this series of mysteries set on a university
campus. Judy is no stranger to college campuses. She
attended the University of Chicago, Truman State University in Missouri, and
Texas Christian University, where she earned a Ph.D. and taught English. For twenty
years, she was director of TCU Press, the book publishing program of the
university. The author of many books for both children and adults primarily on
women of the American West, she retired in 2010 and turned her attention to
writing contemporary cozy mysteries.
She holds awards from the Western Writers of America, the
National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame, and the Texas Institute of Letters.
She was inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame and recognized as an
Outstanding Woman of Fort Worth and a woman who has left her mark on Texas.
Western Writers of America gave her the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime
Achievement and will induct her into its Hall of Fame in June 2015.
The single parent of
four and the grandmother of seven, she lives in Fort Worth, Texas, with her
perfect dog, Sophie.
Follow her at (Amazon) http://www.amazon.com/Judy-Alter/e/B001H6NMU6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1377217817&sr=1-2-ent;
her blog: http://www.judys-stew.blogspot.com;
Buy link for Murder
at the Bus Depot:
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Bus-Depot-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/0999037153/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1523827473&sr=8-2&keywords=murder+at+the+bus+depot
Buy link for Pigface
and the Perfect Dog:
Buy link for The Color of Fear:
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