Terry Shaw, 44, is the author of The Way Life Should Be, for which he was named Grand Prize Winner of the Gather.com First Chapters Writing Competition. Shaw first began writing in grade school as a way to entertain his classmates and later used his writing talent as an editor for several newspapers, including The Times-Record in Brunswick, Maine and the Niagara Gazette in Niagara Falls, New York. Shaw holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science and English from Penn State and he currently resides in Knoxville, TN with his wife Beth. Additional information about Shaw can be found at terrys7.gather.com.
Be sure to visit the Gather homepage tonight at 5pm ET for a live chat with Terry. He’ll discuss what inspired him to take part in The First Chapters Writing Competition, his love of writing, his experiences on Gather and his excitement surrounding having his book published.
We hope to see you here for the live chat today. If you are unable to make it, but have a question for Terry, please leave it in the comment thread below.
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Comments: 88
I certainly feel that you are a breath of fresh air for the début novel category. I am very happy for you and your family. Heartfelt good wishes from both my wife and me!
To tell you the truth it is equal to the American Classic's tales of Gone with the Wind and Tom Sawyer in value... I am telling you the extent calibre of the your spice formula in writing.
A critic or readers could somehow assure themselves that it is an excellent read...
Hope for the best path for the ''Book and Author''.
A celebration, I wonder how you are feeling right now...
But I'm sure the authors -- in the clouds -- don't mind!
Your title was prophetic - your Grand Prize is exactly as THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE!
Just remember, I'm in line for the first autographed copy. Credit Card number on request. If we meet in person I'm adding a lobster dinner to your prize.
Subliterature
Considered Literature
Standard Literature
Standard Classic
Classic Classical Literature
If 10 to be the highest of each category...
Classic Classical Literature are attained only by few... a hundred or less.
Homer, Virgil, Francisco Balagtas and Dr. Jose Rizal, and the Bible (Old and New) etc...
(I cannot say why and how for now! It is my secret)
You are now in the same category with William Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Victor Hugo and Jane Austen etc... but they have made extensive works.
You can outdone Edgar Allan Poe but a little bit wobbly to Guy de Maupassant.
Flaterry, hahaha--but its true.
The story and substances are good somehow I can relate to them...(similar substances but in different situation)
Congrats the second time...
Good going!
Lionel A. LaVergne, author of five published novels.
Marcia D
I hope the contract offered by Simon & Schuster is what it promises and gets you into every bookstore around the globe. I'll check that here in Zurich!
The only drawback: We won't see any query letter for your book in our group Writing a book Proposal.
So what! Certainly better than a successful query letter is a text that wins in such a great contest.
Congratulations again.
Aside from writing an entertaining novel, you've also addressed some serious journalistic issues. Have you had any run-ins with local authorities over freedom of information disputes similar to the events in your book?
Yes and no. I heard the news on Friday, but wasn't allowed to tell anyone other than family members. Since my relatives -- like me -- are pretty active talkers, I only told my brother and sister-in-law that morning. I work for them and it seemed like the smart thing to do . . . I didn't tell my wife until Friday evening because I wanted to tell her in person, not on the phone.
It was very strange, keeping something like that quiet for so long. Now that I can talk about it openly, it's starting to sink in.
Oh, yeah. When I was a journalist it was a common thing. I always tried to start by explaining the law. On occasion, we would have to bring in lawyers. And often we would just letour readers know what was going on. That was usually the quickest way to resolve those issues.
Could you talk a little bit about your writing process. Do you outline everything first? Do you write in long hand or on the computer. Do you have a writing "sanctuary"?
Was any of your book based on real life? What was your inspiration?
"Had you shopped it around."
I had just finished a major overhaul of the novel when I read about the competition. I had an agent who had looked at an earlier draft and told me it wasn't ready.
When we spoke right before Christmas, and I was about to send it to her, we had a wonderful conversation, until she ended it with, "It's just impossible to sell a first novel, unless you're a celebrity or have the flavor of the month."
I still sent it, but she was taking what I thought was a long time to read it. Finally, the day before the contest deadline, I asked her where things stood. She asked for another month and I thought, the heck with that. I ended up entering the contest 4 hours before the deadline.
Actually, I was wondering what your wife's reaction was to the news. Is this something you had been planning for, or are you and your family sort of caught off-guard wondering what happens next as a published author?
We are sure proud of you here at gather. You hit the big time and I cant wait to see your book in print. I will sure be buying a copy :)
Yes. I'm working on a book set in Niagara Falls, another place where I was a newspaper editor. I was really cranking on it, too, until I entered the contest, which has taken up pretty much all of my spare time. So right now, I haven't had time to write, but I have to get back in the swing of things for the editing process of "The Way Life Should Be."
what are some of the things you've learned while taking part in the contest?
I've gotten an outline written for the second novel and hope that makes things easier.
I don't really have a sanctuary. I write anywhere -- on the laptop, in the car, in a spare bedroom. I also write on the computer, in longhand -- just a crazy combination.
I should probably have more of a routine, but I'm a little high strung. It drives my wife crazy that I pace when I'm on the phone at home.
I was fascinated by the many different interpretations of my story. Did the comments from the gather reviews surprise you?
Yep.
"Are the times when the messengers don't handle things well and deserve the grief they get?"
Yep.
One thing I'm very proud of is that many Mainers on Gather found the setting to be authentic and that I captured the character of people there.
Barbara
If I were to spend some time in and around the Brunswick, ME area, might I encounter some folks similar to characters in "The Way Life Should Be"?
Oh, and by the way, could you ask Donny Winburn to bestow his prescience on me so that I might correctly pick the Trifecta in the third race at Pimlico tonight? My kids college fund sure would benefit from it.
So Damn Exciting !! You make us all proud.
M.E.
How long did it take you to complete your entire novel?...and Did you imagine all your characters before you began the writing process?
I certainly hope Gather has discovered a new "stream" of discovering talent, because I think there are many, many other Gather writers who are going to get published.
Where else can you put something out and get immediate feedback from hundreds of people?
I've gotten a lot of good suggestions, from character development to individual word choices. I've also made a lot of friends.
Did that make sense?
Congratulations again, Terry!
I believe that you'll stand strong when you need to and bend graciously when your editor makes sensible suggestions.
Perhaps you'll find time to share some of your publishing experiences with us as you go through the process?
Thanks. My compliments on handling yourself with grace and aplomb during this contest. It is a shame that there still exist so many sour grapes yielding so many unpalatable "whines".
Enjoy your success. You deserve it.
First of all, congratulations!
It always interests me to find out how other writers do dialogue. Do you hear your characters talk to you? Do you hear snippets of dialogue as they chatter among themselves? Or are you actively writing their dialogue?
Inquiring minds want to know....
Again, congrats, Terry! I was hoping you'd win!
Rita Reali :o)
Here's to the second sale!
-Judi
www.JudiFennell.com
We also extend a big thanks to all the Gather members who participated in this chat. Please join us tomorrow Friday, June 1st at 2 p.m. ET for a live chat with the other winner of the First Chapters competition, Geoffrey Edwards as he answers questions about his novel "Fire Bell in the Night."
I'll be one of the first in line when your book comes out, and I hope you'll be doing some tours so I can get it signed!
Kathleen G.
I'm so sorry I missed this event. For the past two weeks I've struggled with tortuous computer/internet/satellite connection problems but with this transcript I can delight in your win along with you.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune named Beryl as a "Best of 2006 Minnesota Authors." Her book The Scent of God was a "Notable" Book Sense selection for April 2006 and has been nominated by booksellers for a Midwest Booksellers Book Award. Purchase Book Options
I'm so sorry I missed this event. For the past two weeks I've struggled with tortuous computer/internet/satellite connection problems but with this transcript I can delight in your win along with you.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune named Beryl as a "Best of 2006 Minnesota Authors." Her book The Scent of God was a "Notable" Book Sense selection for April 2006 and has been nominated by booksellers for a Midwest Booksellers Book Award. Purchase Book Options
I know that around now you're concerned about the up-coming editing process that will be initiated soon by the publisher. Some editors are young and lack an amount of worldly experiences even though their other editing skills are well honed. Don't let them change what you know to be good in The Way Life Should Be...The title might be the first thing he or she might want to hack. Remember also that YOU know Maine like you know Niagra Falls. Perhaps the editor you get at Simon is an expert on Manhatten and its people, but knows nothing about Maine and that wonderful dialogue of the downeastern folk. Stick hard & firm to your good stuff don't let it be changed. You most likely have the know how relative to defending a story based on your work in news paper writing. I had some experience with the lack of editor sophistication. Also, I discussed this with several published authors this w/e while in NYC. They say the average age of a mainline publisher's editor is 24 years. So, The book is your baby...Don't let anyone throw it out with the bath water. Again congratulations and my best wishes in getting a great editor to work with.
Bill