Category: Writing

  • 14 Examples on How to Sharpen Your Sentences (reblogged)

    Pic picked up right from Jenni with an “i

    Cheeky, cheeky writer Jenni Wiltz finished a draft and all she could think of is “word bloat!” Who hasn’t been there? But Jenni is not one to sit and ponder for long. After some serious line-editing, she shares her takeaway from this process in an excellent blog post I had to share. What drew me to her site? Her clever tagline:

    “They say modern writers need a “platform.” I have plenty of these in the closet, but apparently they aren’t the right kind.”

    So, without further ado, here’s Jenni for you 🙂

    _______________________________________________

    I just finished the third draft of a book that’s going to take at least five drafts to finish. The biggest problem until now was sheer word bloat. I knew I couldn’t make the additions the book needs until I made a buttload of subtractions. Imagine trying to evaluate the health of a garden when it’s so full of weeds and overgrown shrubbery you can’t see a single stalk or bloom. All you know is there’s an awful lot of green shit underfoot.

    To hack away at that green shit, I focused on sentence-level editing. This meant fixing (or deleting) things like:

    • Sentences that use imprecise verbs or descriptions
    • Sentences that convey the same information in two different ways
    • Bloated sentences with filler words like “just,” “only,” “that,” etc.

    This is no small task. And a lot of writers never do it.

    These days, a popular piece of advice for self-published writers is to PUBLISH AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, LIKE, A MILLION WORDS A YEAR AND IF YOU DON’T NO ONE WILL EVER DISCOVER YOUR WORK LET ALONE BUY IT AND YOU’LL NEVER MAKE A DIME AND THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO PROVE YOU’RE REALLY COMMITTED.

    This strategy might work for some people, but I’m not one of them. For starters, I don’t see how it’s possible to publish that quantity of words that have been edited and polished to perfection. As Miracle Max said in The Princess Bride, “You rush a miracle man, you get a rotten miracle.”

    How to Look at Revision: Don't Rush Your Miracle.

    For the spot-on examples right from Jenni’s own manuscript, click here for the rest of the article.

    When you’re done, come back here to learn about

    The 4 Elements of a click-worthy title” and what to do

    When beta readers come with an agenda

    and if you don’t want to miss any posts, just subscribe on the upper left corner.

    Thank you for reading!

  • Karli Rush – WIP Interview

    Karli Rush Author picThis week, I have the pleasure to present to you paranormal romance author, Karli Rush. Karli’s life is as lush as the vegetation surrounding her, so I’ll let her introduce herself.

    Hi all! I’m a card carrying member of the Cherokee Nation and live in its capital. Although my Native American heritage is a shadow of who I am, it holds sway more than I want to admit sometimes. Crazy how subtle influences shape the world. I have the patience of a brain surgeon operating under fire in a war zone. You can chalk that one up to being the mom of an autistic kiddo. With the passion of a starving artist, I write. The obsession to tell my tales have led to self-publishing the Crescent Bound series plus the beginnings of two additional series. The Veil Realm series is dystopian based, and the No Death for the Wicked is an alternative vampire romance series. Both currently have book one published.

    Karli, thank you so much for being here. Before we talk about your WIP, can you clue us in some more about your life? It sounds toughly exotic if you allow the oxymoron.

    I’ve traveled the US from Florida to California and always wind up back in Oklahoma. I’ve worked in Hospice, been an EMT and a dental assistant. I’m an advocate for autism. I love mountain biking, traveling, and experiencing new things. I’ve been as up as the stars and as down as a grave. I’m content and challenged as an author. It’s more therapeutic than I want to admit.

    What are you working on right now?

    The fifth and final book in the Crescent Bound series is Ice Bound. We get the chance in Ice Bound to experience book one (Crescent Bound) from Marc’s point of view. This is much more than an alternate version of book one. It delves into Marc’s world which holds so much discovery that wasn’t seen in the first book. It really allows me to bring out more of Marc and Alyssa from a different point of view.

    Great name choices for your main protagonists! Are you happy with the pace of your work? Do you aim at a specific word count each day?

    I like to feel the accomplishment of pumping out several thousand words, but then I ultimately want the best story I can have and therefore kind of throw word count out the window. I’ve written several books that have no ending until they do.

    Plotter, pantser or both?

    I couldn’t plot my way out of a wet paper bag. I feel the vibe and let it flow out of me.

    I’m totally with you on that one. What’s your worst enemy in getting that first draft finished?

    We have a fairly chaotic daily existence. Autism tends to create priorities that puts my writing on the shelf several times a day. So, my enemy is the juggling act that comes with being a mother of an autistic child. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life and find the challenge fun and rewardingly exhausting.

    (Un)fortunately, I empathize. Have you ever experienced lack of inspiration or drive to write? If so, how do you motivate yourself?

    If I don’t feel the vibe then I start looking for a way to get inspired. In most cases several hours of good music and a bottle of pinot noir tends to set things straight when I need. I also will take a long mountain bike ride or trail hiking through the forest.

    Could we take a look at your workspace? Is there a particular place you find inspiring for writing?

    Writer's Cave

     

    Sweet! Now your pic is pinned on my Featured Writers’ Workspace board on Pinterest. Apart from Word and Google, do you use any other writing or research tools and apps?

    Not really. Youtube provides my music while I write and that is a must.

    How do you intend to celebrate writing “The End” on your draft?

    Champagne, chocolate, and a romantic dinner.

    That’s refreshing! Most authors reply with a “by starting the next book!” Which book publishing processes are you going to outsource and which are you confident enough to undertake yourself?

    I’m not sure that it’s the confidence in me that drives me or is it more of a control issue, but I handle all aspects of publishing (outside of editing). I write, format, revise, design and create the book covers. I handle the uploading, pricing, marketing, print publishing, and social networking. I haven’t seen a publishing house or independent that will give me what I want yet. Although I am considering outsourcing the print formatting, but that’s it so far.

    You’re a one-woman-show! Amazing! Do you have any marketing tips or favorite promotional sites you’d like to share?

    Marketing? Oh my, this one is my weakest points, I think. I use facebook, twitter, amazon, my blog, your blog to simply give myself the opportunity to be seen. I have an online street team that is very beneficial, you girls rock!!! I also believe that word of mouth is still by far the best form of advertising you can ever get. I also like the 80-20 philosophy, meaning, I love promoting others and sharing about 80% and direct marketing my books about 20%.

    Your blog is rushbound.blogspot.com. Do you follow a specific branding pattern with your posts or is it a free writing platform?

    My blog is a free platform that I try out new things on. I have done several character interviews with a fictional host and that was fun. I’ve run promotion, interviews, general updates on my work. It is my Pandora’s box of stuff. You’ll never know what I may try on there. Last fall, I wrote an entire story chapter by chapter on there. Then I published it for free on Barnes and Noble. It’s a ghostly novella. Here’s the link  The House .

    Thanks! Is paranormal romance the genre you will stick to or do you see yourself branching out in the future? I love paranormal romance, but I already have a contemporary romance brewing in my head along with more sci-fi and futuristic adventure romance stories as well.

    Fun stuff now: Let’s do a rapid fire round.

    • Flavored sorbet or chocolate ice cream? Definitely the flavored sorbet.
    • Pizza or sushi? Sushi, sushi, sushi!
    • Twilight or The Hunger Games? The Hunger Games, I love Jennifer Lawrence. I think she’s a badass.
    • Ryan Gosling or Benedict Cumberbatch? Absolutely Ryan Gosling but my husband is a big fan of Sherlock Holmes.
    • Trek in the Andes or snorkeling in Tahiti? I would much rather trek than swim, so the Andes it is.
    • Ugg boots or red-soled designer stilettos? Stilettos, and now you know one of my fetishes.

    Finally, please share with us links where we can find you and your work.

    Web  http://www.wix.com/crescentbound/karli-rush#!home|mainPage

    Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/karli.rush1

    Twitter https://twitter.com/KarliRush

    Blog http://rushboundblog.wordpress.com/

    Blog http://rushbound.blogspot.com/

    Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Karli-Rush/e/B007DJNOMW

    Thank you, Karli, and best of luck with your future projects!

    If you enjoyed this interview, read what Whitney G, author of the wildly popular Reasonable Doubt erotic romance series has to say on Starbucks, post-it notes, and how writer’s block made her a best-selling author. Click here.

  • Thomm Quackenbush: WIP interview

    Thomm Quackenbush is a fantasy author living in the Hudson Valley of New York. He has written three books in the Nights Dream series – We Shadows, Danse Macabre, and Artificial Gods – with another to follow early next year, as well as many stories. He has sold jewelry in Victorian England, confused children as a mad scientist, filed away more books than anyone has ever read, tried to inspire the learning disabled and gifted, and was once unwittingly a teenage gigolo before getting sacked for non-performance. When not writing, he can be found biking, hiking the Adirondacks, grazing on snacks at art openings, and keeping a straight face when listening to people tell him they are in touch with 164 species of interstellar beings.  

    Thomm, thank you for being here. Before we talk about your WIP, why dont you tell us a few things about yourself. Is your present as multi-faceted as your past?

    My day job is teaching adjudicated minors English. Given that gangs seem to recruit from outside special education classrooms, this can be challenging on several fronts. I’ve taught two young men who went on to become murderers, but I am fairly confident I also just taught my first student there who will get his MBA.

    When not writing, I do a fair bit of research for my books and promotional events. For Artificial Gods, I attended meetings and sky-watches with a group of UFO contactees, though I saw only planes. I have recently fallen in with a group that is researching the possibility of a nest of sasquatches in my town (which is, genuinely coincidentally, the setting for two of my published books and my soon-to-be-published one). This is fairly exciting since I have no idea how I will end up weaving this into a future book, but I almost have to. The Bigfoot researchers are genuinely nice people, whatever others may think of their theses. I also just returned from a stint on the artist alley at Otakon, the largest anime convention on the East Coast. I did not have spectacular sales, but I spoke to a lot of people and made a couple of connections.

    Last month, I married my partner of three years, Amber Haqu. We immediately embarked on a honeymoon in California, then to Otakon (she is an artist), and then a vacation with my family, which was about three solid weeks where we did not see our own apartment for more than eleven hours at a stretch, usually while asleep. All this relaxation took its toll. I am thrilled to get back to writing and eating food less than 50% fry oil.

    Exercise in lean writing: give us a synopsis of your current WIP in under 200 words.

    My next book is Flies to Wanton Boys, explaining why the mythic aspects of the world (called daemons in my series) are so few and threatened with extinction unless Gideon, a reformed murdering body thief who only inhabit small animals at the moment, can convince Shane Valentine that she must have a hand in stopping the Purging from obliterating what remains of the supernatural. Unfortunately for him and for the daemons,  Shane despises him for having tried to make her one of his flesh puppets and otherwise tearing her from mundane reality, so she is somewhat of a hard sell on playing messiah to a collection of nightmares and fantasies.

    Intriguing! Are you happy with the pace of your work? Do you aim at a specific word count each day?

    I don’t know that I am happy, necessarily. I have a half dozen books in different forms, but I think this is the current pace that befits them. If I could spend all day writing, I still don’t think I could work as quickly as my fans (or publisher) would prefer. I work at the pace that allows me to be functional and that will have to suffice for now, unless I can get a sentient operating system that will compile my notes and make sure I am not abusing the continuity.

    Plotter, pantser or both?

    I keep my plots loose to give my characters room to grow and tell the stories they need.  I tried to be more rigid with Artificial Gods, but found that my protagonist Jasmine refused to submit to certain plot points.  This ended up being a crucial aspect of her character and made her story much deeper than I initially intended.  When I went to revise for my revelation, I found that it was well foreshadows already. Tricky characters.

    I do start with an outline and tend to know how the book has to end, but I find surprises in how the characters get there. Clive, a decidedly minor character in We Shadows and Danse Macabre (so much so that he was not formally named in the former and did not appear beyond a name and a few severed, latex feet in the latter), has turned out to be one of my favorite actors in Flies to Wanton Boys, since he points out flaws in supernatural logic while riding the line between funny and pesty. I didn’t intend for him to take on this role, since he only previously existed as proof one of my characters had other friends, but he seized it with apparently characteristic gusto.

    What’s your worst enemy in getting that first draft finished?

    Wanting to fix it before I have reached “the end.” I spent years getting each scene “perfect” in We Shadows, only to cut 60,000 words of that supposedly perfect draft to get it publishable. I’ve also heard that the scenes I did not labor over are seen as better, so who am I to argue? When I am starting a new draft, I just write and hope I can clarify any tangles of plot during revisions. Until one finishes a book, it’s hard to say what it will actually end up being about anyway.

    Have you ever experienced lack of inspiration or drive to write? If so, how do you motivate yourself?

    I tend to always have something I should be writing, so I can flit between pieces when one well goes dry (which is likely why I have so many books plotted and half-written while procrastinating my main project). Occasionally, I need to sit and read a whole book straight through to rejuvenate my mind. Either the book will be marvelous and I will be jealous enough to have a fire lighted under me (and the sloth burned out of me) or the book will be dreck and I will want to write to spite those authors.

    Reading is always win-win. Could we take a look at your workspace? Is there a particular place you find inspiring for writing?

    For the most part, I can’t be too comfortable if I am to be productive. For instance, I am answering this particular question on a hard plastic chair in a Laundromat while a man attempts to fix one of the machines with much banging (I assume he is trying to fix it. At this point, he could also be trying to get out a decade worth of frustration or he might be engaging in a vigorous bout of performance art). In my prior apartment, I wrote on the floor of a small closet on a 9” Asus Eee because it balanced sensory deprivation with discomfort. Now, I write in a corner of my bedroom on a plastic desk or outside my apartment before breakfast. When I moved into this apartment, the agreement was that Amber and I would share the studio space, but it quickly became evident that I would never be able to dig out working space among her cardboard and paint. (She talks about a future apartment, where there is an office for me that she can decorate. Our friends realize she is just trying to talk herself into two studios, since I would want only walls full of butcher paper for outlines/timelines and a strong wi-fi connection. Any furniture or extraneous decoration would simply become something I would play with instead of writing.)

    Balancing sensory deprivation with discomfort to write. You just gave me the pitch of this interview. But, hey, Elphie looks comfie! Maybe not after sitting on him for hours though, right? Now your workspace picture is pinned on my Featured Writers’ Workspace board on Pinterest. Apart from Word and Google, do you use any other writing or research tools and apps?

    I use WriteMonkey to get a distraction-free draft out of me, since it doesn’t even tell me if I have misspelled something. I have also set it to make a clicking sound as I type, so I have come to associate that sound with productivity and type faster.

    I think Dropbox or something of that ilk is essential for any writer and its backup has saved me more than once. The editor for Danse Macabre pointed out that a few chapters were corrupted to gibberish symbols, but I was able to find a copy among the archives that had a nearly complete version of those sections, saving me from tearing out my hair.

    Though it may not strictly fall under the umbrella of this question, I am an annual participant of National Novel Writing Month, during which I bang out the first draft of a new book. It helps me to make connections and foreshadowing between books, since I am always two or three books ahead of what are on shelves, and it is so much easier to work with fifty thousand words of imperfect prose than a few pages of unwritten ideas.

    I am also a huge fan of pen and paper. I know this makes me a Luddite, but I get my best and least distracted drafts when I am just handwriting. It helps that Amber got me a carbon fiber pen for one of our anniversaries, so I feel obligated to make great use of it.

    Let’s bring back the “a pen to a writer” gift! How do you intend to celebrate writing The End on your draft?

    By immediately starting work on the next one, which is already fifty thousand words thanks to NaNoWriMo. As I see it, I’ve got miles to go before I sleep, to borrow Frost’s phrase. Plus, I have honestly had enough celebrating recently to last me until next year.

    Good luck with that! Which book publishing processes are you going to outsource and which are you confident enough to undertake yourself?

    For my novels, I am grateful that Double Dragon Publishing handles everything from editing to cover design to distribution. I have beta readers, but it is hard to convince people who are not getting a paycheck that you would like their revisions within the next three months. My wife is currently my best reader and it could be because I can gently pester her over dinner.

    I have started posting stories to the Kindle, which has been a fine experiment so far. I intend to make those works that are currently Amazon exclusive more widely available to make room for the next crop. For that, I lean on my artist wife for cover design and farm my editing out to a few interested parties.

    Do you have any marketing tips or favorite promotional sites youd like to share?

    I am still experimenting with my approach. I will say that doing conventions and panels greatly increases the interest of the reading public, though it is far from reliable and tends not to be cheap (I have only earned appearance fees from No Such Convention, which is always a fun time). In general, I recommend connecting with other authors online and see what they are up to. Very few authors these days can survive in seclusion.

    If you aren’t on Goodreads, get there immediately. At the very least, it will incentivize you to read, but it also has several methods of connecting to interested readers.

    True words! Your blog is http://xenex.org. Do you follow a specific branding pattern with your posts or is it a free writing platform?

    It is mostly free writing, though I separate it into entries about my life (which I tend to mine for my books) and essays about writing. I’ve tried other topics, but these are the ones I tend to stick to, since I can offer a more informed opinion.

    Is contemporary fantasy the genre you will brand yourself with or do you see yourself branching out in the future?

    I have plans at least for a realistic comedy centered around my wedding, though it will lean more heavily on fiction than fact. However, it is hard to contest that my fantasy series sells and Double Dragon Publishing is eager to put out as many books in the series as I can write. Any author who says they are not in it for royalties is welcome to sign them over to me.

    Anyone to take Thomm up on his offer? 🙂 Would you like to share with us links where we can find you and your work?

    For my novels: http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/eAuthor.php?Name=Thomm%20Quackenbush or http://www.amazon.com/Thomm-Quackenbush/e/B004ZQYE5W/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&tag=xenexorg-20&linkId=FW7MA5L7AG5I4ZEI

     

    For me in general: https://www.facebook.com/ThommQuackenbush

    http://thommquackenbush.tumblr.com

    or 

    https://twitter.com/thommq

    Thank you, Thomm, and best of luck with your current project!

  • Leo Valiquette – WIP Interview

    leoLeo Valiquette is the author of The Sword and the Skull, an adult epic fantasy that he is currently pitching to agents. Leo was brave enough to submit the first chapter of his novel to a cross-blog critique event this blog participated in. I must admit I was seriously impressed! Next step: an in-depth interview on writing processes, aspirations and how monetizing your writing can improve your physique!

    Leo, thank you for being here. Before we talk about your WIP, why don’t you tell us a few things about yourself?  

    I live in Ottawa, Canada, with my wife and nine-year-old son. I’m going to cite the old writer’s cliché that I have a fairly boring life. When not writing, I am trying to keep up with my reading. I keep a 65-gallon fish tank. I’ve also tried my hand at sword classes and making my own chain mail and leatherwork as research for my writing.

    These days, I’m a freelance writer and marketing and public relations consultant. Much of what I do is helping businesses market their products and services, through content marketing. I was a journalist and a newspaper editor; those experiences have definitely helped with the discipline required to just sit down and write, and take constructive feedback. 

    Exercise in lean writing: give us a synopsis of your current WIP in under 200 words.

    To quote my query letter:

    A disgraced soldier and the blind witch he loves find themselves on the run, carrying the fate of their world in a nondescript canvas sack that bishop, warlock, and sorcerer alike would kill to possess.

    Since fleeing the Holy Clerisy, Ryn and Josalind have tried to build a quiet life as dealers in religious relics. When the haunted skull of the evil demigod Zang arrives on their doorstep, Josalind is convinced it’s her destiny to prevent Zang’s return.

    After Zang’s worshippers capture Josalind and the skull, Ryn has one desperate chance to save her and prevent the demigod’s resurrection. He must steal the Clerisy’s holiest relic, a sentient sword that can enslave its wielder. The sword’s thirst for a final victory over Zang could break Ryn’s mind and cost thousands of innocent lives.

    Are you happy with the pace of your work? Do you aim at a specific word count each day?

    I’m in that Limbo right now between projects. The Sword and the Skull is technically my fifth novel, but it’s the one in which I have made the greatest strides to improve as a writer. So it’s been a learning tool as well as a WIP with the intent to publish. Aside from some shorter stuff, it’s been my principal focus for several years.

    And now that I am “done” and querying the MS, I’d have to say I’m not happy with the pace of my work at all. Revising and tweaking is far less daunting than starting from scratch with a blank page. I need to muster the ambition to start the next project. If I can average 1,000 words a day, I’ll be happy.

    Plotter, pantser or both?

    Half of one, three quarters of the other, I’d say. I need to know in a general sense where I am going in order to start the journey, but not to any great detail.

    What’s your worst enemy in getting that first draft finished?

    Time. What else? I have the advantage of being self-employed. This gives me the flexibility to juggle personal writing and client work in the course of a normal workday, depending on how busy with client work I am.

    When I punched a clock for an employer, my only available writing time was of course evenings and weekends. So, while having that flexibility during the day now may seem like a godsend, it’s also led me to slip out of the habit of writing in the evening before bed. When I’m in my busy seasons for client work and don’t have the time during the day, it takes a lot to keep my writing from sliding off the radar and get back into that nighttime groove.

    Have you ever experienced lack of inspiration or drive to write? If so, how do you motivate yourself?

    Healthy eating and exercise is the sovereign cure. Seriously. About 16 months ago, I took a fitness challenge with a personal training gym, and I haven’t looked back. My blood pressure and cholesterol are the lowest they’ve ever been. My body fat percentage went from 28 to 16. I’m 44, and in the best shape of my life. I have more energy, more focus. And because of my skills as a writer and content marketer, I am exchanging services with the gym instead of paying for what is a premium service. Never forget – a strong writing skill is a currency all its own, even if you never make the New York Times best seller list.

    That’s a new one! A healthier lifestyle to combat writer’s block. Could we take a look at your workspace? Is there a particular place you find inspiring for writing?

    Leo's officePicture of my home workspace attached, complete with swords and skulls.

    Here is a panoramic of my favorite local coffee shop: http://bit.ly/1pLgB8H

    Very cozy! Now your workspace is pinned on my Featured Writers’ Workspace board on Pinterest! Apart from Word and Google, do you use any other writing or research tools and apps?

    Not really. Unless the Lord of the Rings soundtrack counts 🙂

    I’m sure it does! How do you celebrate writing “The End” on your draft?

    I take a break to read a book. I find it hard to focus on reading for pleasure when I’m drafting.

    Would you consider self-publishing if the process of acquiring an agent takes too long?

    That’s a tough one. I’m only now at the point where I truly believe I’ve learned enough, and gained enough insight into my own writing, to have a marketable product. I know there are many writers out there who are excellent writers and self-published successes. But I know too, there are many people who have succumbed to their own impatience and self-published works that just weren’t ready. I still see reputable agents as the gatekeepers of quality, and as business partners and advocates to shoulder the administrative burden of managing a career.

    But it is a highly subjective business, and if the agent route continues to disappoint, I might very well decide to self-publish. If I do, I will make sure to invest in professional editing and original cover design. You need every edge you can get.

    Do you have any marketing or professional tips you’d like to share?

    I’ve often drawn the comparison between a writer seeking publication and an entrepreneur trying to bring a product to market. You have to treat this as a business. As with any business venture, you must be prepared for failure, and you must see every failure as a learning opportunity.

    The sooner you can accept your weaknesses, the quicker you can move past them and be the better for it. You can’t become a better writer without checking your ego at the door and taking to heart the most eagle-eyed and frank criticism you can find. Usually, this means someone who has been through the ringer with agents and publishers.

    So after you’ve accomplished all you can with the kind of feedback you get from friends, family and your writing group, it’s time to cultivate a more battle-scarred network of people. Go to conferences. Attend workshops. Socialize online. Even pay for professional editing and MS assessments – BUT research carefully to ensure you are dealing with a reputable individual who will give you good value for your money. There are a lot of snake oil salesmen out there looking to fleece you.

    As every successful entrepreneur knows, the key to marketing is to have a compelling product your audience wants. It’s practically impossible to create that in a vacuum, locked away from the rest of the world.

    Is epic fantasy the genre you will brand yourself with or do you see yourself branching out in the future?

    I’ve got a few different directions I want to go. The Sword and the Skull is the first in a planned series. But I have also written shorter works – 6,000 to 12,000 words – that will be the basis for books in different genres. One is an adult sci-fi dystopian, set in my part of Canada. Another is a contemporary dark fantasy.

    Would you like to share with us links where we can find you and your work?

    I am on Twitter: @LeoValiquette

    You can find the first chapter of The Sword and the Skull at wattpad.com: http://www.wattpad.com/66499562-the-sword-and-the-skull-chapter-one?d=ud

    Thank you for sharing your work process and workspace and best of luck securing an agent for The Sword and the Skull!

  • Too tired to write? (Reblogged – original by Kevin M. Jackson)

    Image - bigstockphoto.com
    Image – bigstockphoto.com

    Now, there’s a title that resonates with me! The only state I can write in is when I feel awake, alert, alive! But lately, that hasn’t been me… The image on the left is me (okay, younger and darker). So whenever I see a post with ideas about writing when you feel anything but, I devour it! And know this: whoever writes a similar post, I’ll instantly reblog for my amazing 2,500 followers, unless instructed otherwise.

    Kevin M. Jackson, author of two bestselling sonnet collections, For Life With Love and Disturbed Solitude, and the fantasy novel Storytale, gives interesting and doable options for punching those keys through the haze of your mind. I usually go for option two, that’s why I never have a zero draft stage. My draft might be puny in terms of word count, but very readable. Here’s Kevin’s article in its entirety, reblogged by permission of the author.

    Too Tired to Write?

    by kevinmjackson

    The other night, maybe a couple weeks ago now, I sent out a tweet (@KMJacksonAuthor), asking if anybody ever sits down to write feeling too exhausted to actually write. On that night, I was. Working a nine-to-five to afford being alive and with a busy personal life, many nights come where I am far too tired to write. Do you want to know what I do? I write anyway. I’m currently in the middle of writing my fourth full-length novel, and I can’t fall asleep at night unless I’ve added to the word count.

    When you do feel too tired to write, you may want to choose one of the ideas I have here.

    One option is to take the night off and get a full night of rest. If you’re writing like me, at night after a long day of work and other activities, a good night of sleep will serve well for your primary job and set you up for a strong night of writing that following night. Also, when you think of writing as a second job, if you had a more typical second job, would you really be scheduled to work seven nights a week? Overall, I don’t like this option because I’m obsessed with writing daily.

    Another option is to not start adding to your story right when you sit down but go through what you’ve recently written, consider where your characters are taking you, play with a few future scenes, recheck where you are in the story, then proceed with new words. I would consider this gearing up to write. With this scenario, you’re tired and would rather go to bed, but open your document anyway. As you start to look through your story and play out coming events, your mind starts rolling on your work, and you forget about ever being tired. This is my option of choice.

    Better yet, grab a cup of joe and give it a go! (I may have just made up that little rhyme, so for now, it’s a nickel to use it.) Not into coffee? Grab some (caffeinated) morning tea or chocolate or a glass of Mountain Dew, whatever gives your mind a quick jolt. You could always combine this with the second option above.

    So those are my only suggestions for now. I’d love to hear what some of you fellow writers do when you drag yourself to the computer and flop your head in your hand, thinking, do I really have to write right now? If I think of a few other ideas, then I will make a second blog on this topic.

    _________________________________________________

    Please leave your comments on the original post’s page, here. Thanks for reading!

     

  • Ichabod Temperance – WIP Interview

    In this week’s interview, I’m super excited to feature Ichabod Temperance and his exciting steampunk writings! Ichabod is a gem, so I’ll let him introduce himself in his own unique way:

    Ichabod Temperance is a silly little fellow with absolutely no writing credentials. Speculation is that a grotesque construction accident awakened a dormant writing bug in Icky. Doctors are desperately trying to make the boy stop, but to date, he just keeps writing silly novels such as ‘A Matter of Temperance‘, ‘A World of InTemperance‘, ‘For the Love of Temperance‘, ‘A Study in Temperance‘ and his current work In progress, ‘In a Latitude of Temperance’. (Update: Latitude of Temperance is now available on Amazon.)

    For a tantalizing excerpt of Ichabod’s “In a Latitude of Temperance”, click here.

    Ichabod, thank you for being here. Before we talk about your WIP, why don’t you tell us a few things about yourself besides your collection on Amazon? 

    Yippee! Thanks, Maria! I am so thrilled to be invited to your lovely blog! I am a lifelong Alabama Birminghamster. I played drums in a silly punk rock band for 28 years, studied diligently in karate for 21 years, and have been heavily involved with professional wrestling for 14 years. My wrestling and karate background helped me to land a small role in an independent film as a stuntman. The film is a sweeping, no-budget, steampunk epic entitled, ‘Engines of Destiny’. My enthusiasm in the project helped my part to get upgraded. I now get to wear a 2,700 pound steampowered mechanical suit and beat up on a young Teddy Roosevelt. This experience encouraged me to look into the genre of steampunk literature. Unfortunately, most of the material I found was of a dark and morbid sensibility, whereas the movie was upbeat and charming. Following the example of one of my castmates, I wrote my own blog adventure that in turn led to writing the books.

    You’re my first writer/wrestler/stuntman guest here! What are you working on right now?

    I have begun pursuing themes in my books. With the current book, ‘In a Latitude of Temperance’, the theme is vampires. In it, I have madcap adventures with some of my own personal favorite vampires in history. Sixteen vampires are involved, and only one of them is not one from history. She is a personal friend of mine.

    Are you happy with the pace of your work? Do you aim at a specific word count each day?

    I do not think that I write as other writers do. I will mull a topic around in my head and bounce ideas off of my lovely, gracious, and kind muse, Miss Persephone Plumtartt, until I feel ready to begin. Once the writing process is initiated, I do not eat, sleep, fornicate, or acknowledge the outside world until finished. A good pace is 4,000 to 5,000 words a day during the frenzied writing cycle.

    Plotter, pantser or both?

    What did you call me! Oops. I mean, I don’t know what a pantser is, but I think you refer to planning out the story as opposed to letting it unfold in an ‘organic’ manner. I guess I’m a 30% plotter, and a 70% pantser. But if you press me on it, I will deny it and say that I intended for everything to work out the way it does.

    What’s your worst enemy in getting that first draft finished?

    Lord Bar’Bazaul, the ‘Mentholated Menace,’ would like to claim the title of being my arch nemesis, but ‘The Mystique from San Monique,’ Sku ‘le Bizzare, may have something to say about that! How they would dearly love me to be unable to achieve the end of my books, but so far, I have triumphed over their diabolical obstacles.

    Have you ever experienced lack of inspiration or drive to write? If so, how do you motivate yourself?

    All I need is a nice smooch from the beautiful Miss Persephone Plumtartt and I am good to go!

    I bet that’s the best inspiration there is! Could we take a look at your workspace? Is there a particular place you find inspiring for writing?

    Tee, hee! Miss Plumtartt took a picture of me working as I finished up the first novel. Even though I am not looking at the camera, I know that in the photo, my mind is on the book. You cannot really see the little nook I am working in and do all my writing, but that is where I am and what I am doing. I felt it appropriate that this is the picture that I use as my author’s photo and it appears on the back cover of the books. My cat Kitka is looking in the camera and everyone thinks he is the author, not me! sigh. I am tempted to use that as my workspace photo, but instead, Miss Plumtartt has taken a picture of me with the beautiful Miss Bandit. This picture gives a better look at where it all happens.

    Kitca and Miss Bandit are both lovely! Now your pic is pinned on my Featured Writers’ Workspace board on Pinterest. Lots of pets there already! Apart from Word and Google, do you use any other writing or research tools and apps?

    No, Ma’am, just Wiki, Miss Plumtartt’s invaluable assistance, and my own eclectic background.

    How do you intend to celebrate writing “The End” on your draft?

    I’m gonna get romantic with Miss Plumtartt! She is starting to get a little antsy…

    You do that! Which book publishing processes are you going to outsource and which are you confident enough to undertake yourself?

    Eek! Sorry, Maria, you are moving into a field I know nothing of as I am still very much a newbie. At this time, I am self-published on Amazon only. I am learning the ropes of promotion as I go along. Your ‘5 ways new writers can drive away potential readers‘ article has been a big help, as well as getting to participate in your ‘Calling All Critiques’ event! I am very lucky to have a friend who does my cover silhouettes and another pal who does the graphics. Miss Plumtartt does all the formatting. All I do is the writing and the promotion.

    Do you have any marketing tips or favorite promotional sites you’d like to share?

    Uhb. I wish I did. I have learned, I think, that it is better to develop a few good contacts, than lots of half-hearted contacts, as far as self-promotion on Facebook is concerned. Spamming is a turn off.

    Is steampunk/paranormal the genre you will brand yourself with or do you see yourself branching out in the future?

    At this time, I cannot see myself doing anything but Steampunk/Paranormal. I am having too much fun! I cannot say what the future may hold, as a little over a year ago, I had never written so much as a grocery list, and now I have all these silly books! I’m a pantser as far as future plans are concerned.

    Would you like to share with us links where we can find you and your work?

    Yes, Ma’am! Here is my Amazon author’s page:

    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Ichabod%20Temperance&search-alias=books

    Thank you, Ichabod, and best of luck with your current project!

    Thank you, Maria! You, your blog, and your wonderful friends have been a tremendous help to me!

    Cheers!

    Your pal,

    ~Ichabod.

  • Black Rook by Kelly Meade (Paranormal romance) – Review

    Black Rook, Cornerstone Run Trilogy #1

    By Kelly Meade

    Available July 15th from Intermix

    ISBN 9780698165441

    Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Penguin | BAM

    GoodReads

    My Review

    Brynn plucks up courage she doesn’t have to enter a loup garou town. The charmed pendant hanging around her neck helps as it covers her Magus smell. Because if the man she intends to stop from killing her father takes a whiff of her true scent, then she’s dead meat!

    But killing a handsome loup on his turf to show to her demeaning father that she’s worthy to be called his daughter and save his life, proves to be a lot more difficult than she thought. Especially when she finds out first-hand that the loup are hardly animals, as she was brought up to believe, and definitely not the villains in an impending war that could lead to their extermination.

    Rook is the third son of the run’s alpha, but as a black wolf he’s entitled to take his father’s place instead of his older brother who’s been training his entire life for leadership. Falling for a Magus and mating her will instantly banish any plans to become the leader. Does she mean that much to him and, most importantly, can he trust his enemy when his world is falling apart?

    Although I’ve been on a paranormal hiatus lately, and I’m not a big werewolf fan, I enjoyed this book. Not much emphasis is laid on the actual shifting and animal form of the loup, but Kelly Meade manages to seep their human form with all the loup traits that give them their distinct behavior—from natural aggressiveness, distrust, loyalty and team-spirit to the acute sense of smell and the mouth-watering physique you’d expect of a loup garou.

    Their physical differences from the Magi, the ancient, tall, slim and pale creatures, led to inevitable racism that turned to hatred when the loup numbers kept increasing. Without wanting to give away too much of the plot, the element of eugenics with a military intent, creating deadly killing machines, is part of the story and that in itself held great interest. Let’s just say that vampires are thought upon as pawns, but they develop their own lethal agenda.

    Initially, the story was quite slow building as a number of characters with backstories had to be introduced, but the impending clash with the conflicts, twists and culminating drama towards the end compensates. There were parts especially where the vampires were involved that had me devouring the pages! Another aspect that’s worth mentioning is that the romance takes the back seat here. It’s slow and tentative with an explosive climax (pun intended) but it’s not the main driver in this multi-faceted story.

    Clashing races, preternatural skills, power struggles, an intricate plot and a love that grows strong are the elements of this promising new series.

    For a hearty excerpt, read the book’s first chapter as presented in my excerpts’ blog here.

    Author Bio

    Raised on a steady diet of Star Wars, Freddy Krueger and “Fear Street” novels, Kelly Meade developed a love for all things paranormal at a very young age. The stealthy adolescent theft of a tattered paperback from her grandmother’s collection of Harlequins sparked an interest in romance that has continued to this day.

    Black Rook is the first novel in her Cornerstone Run series, a paranormal romance trilogy from Berkley Intermix that also includes Gray Bishop and White Knight. It follows three loup garou brothers who will do anything to protect their town, their family, and the secret of their existence—and maybe fall in love in the process.

    Writing as Kelly Meding, Three Days to Dead is the first book in her Dreg City urban fantasy series. The series follows Evangeline Stone, a paranormal hunter who is resurrected into the body of a stranger and has only three days to solve her own murder and stop a war between the city’s goblins and vampires. Additional books in the series, As Lie the DeadAnother Kind of Dead, and Wrong Side of Dead, are available in both digital format and mass market paperback from Bantam. Book five, Requiem for the Dead, is available digitally through all platforms.

    Trance begins the story of the grown-up children of the world’s slaughtered superheroes who receive their superpowers back after a mysterious fifteen-year absence, and who now face not only a fearful public, but also a vengeful villain who wants all of them dead. Trance and Changeling are available now in both digital format and mass market paperback from Pocket Books. Tempest and Chimera are available in digital format only via Pocket Star. All four MetaWars books can also be purchased as a digital bundle.

    LINKS

    Website: http://www.kellymeding.com

    Blog: http://chaostitan.blogspot.com

    Twitter: http://twitter.com/KellyMeding

    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelly-Meding/84164375745

    Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kellymeding

    Tumblr: http://kellymeade.tumblr.com

     

     

     

  • The 4 elements of a click-worthy title

    golden 100

    Hurrah! This is my 100th blog post, so I thought I’d apply myself a little more with a shareable post!

    Back to the title of the post: I tried what I preach with it. (Okay, aiming for a pun, I almost wrote “Headlines: your head is in the line”, which would be a tad over-reaching.) Nevertheless, the point is that if the title of your post, article or even your tweet is blah no one will turn their head your way (there I go again). I might lack experience, but I always count on my instinct and empathy skills. So, in order to turn the headline “skimmer” into an actual reader of my content, I try to think beyond of a summary of what my post contains. I try to create a title that resonates and attracts.

    But if we were to put that in a title how would it read?

    As the excellent article on copyblogger, entitled Writing Headlines That Get Results suggests, one of The Four U’s of writing headlines is Be Useful To The Reader. Before choosing a title, think: What will the reader gain from reading it? I tried this with my “5 Ways New Writers Chase Away Potential Readers” blog post which has proved to be my most successful so far with over 1,000 views in two days and 70+ comments (okay, there’s also spam I have yet to delete–but a spam-attracting post is a successful post!). I’m not a big name. I don’t have impressive credentials. So, if so many people made it to my actual blog, they must have clicked on the title after seeing it on some of the social media platforms I use, or (most likely) through retweets by friends with a bigger following.

    I hope I’ve managed to convince you that the title was definitely catchy and click-worthy. What made it so?

    • It starts with a number. 5 ways. A number always presents something concrete. That’s always appealing. But it’s also a low number. I’ve often come across headlines boasting of showing you “50 ways” to overcome an obstacle. Way too many ways for the impatient reader! Can I tell you a secret? My 5 ways article refers to a lot more than five erroneous tactics new writers tend to follow. But I rounded these up into 5 broad categories, which allowed me to use the number “5” instead of a bigger number which might have discouraged people from taking the time to read. In other words: Be succinct.
    • It brands the target audience. 5 ways new writers. New writers were indeed the majority of the readers of this post, but also experienced writers were interested, as they wanted to see if they had followed these tactics themselves when they started out. In other words: Be focused.
    • It hits the target audience were it hurts–excuse the poignancy, but “chasing away potential readers” is the one thing a new writer would want to avoid at all costs. The whole idea of self-publishing and promoting your book is to “attract” as many readers as possible. And here I am, telling you that you might be doing the exact opposite! Wouldn’t that intrigue you to see if I’m right? (Of course, the idea that I might be seen as overstepping my boundaries since I’m not published worried me, so I started the article by clarifying that I was writing from a seasoned reader’s perspective.) In other words: (Don’t be afraid to…) Be evocative.
    • It ends with a lollipop! – “potential readers”, to writers, are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We want them! We want them all! So anything that refers to them, we usually read. In other words: Be appealing. Use sensory words and newfangled terms. If you can’t come up with any, read more edgy romance. Those ladies are surely creative!(Where do you think “click-worthy” came from?) 🙂

    So, that was the anatomy of my top title in terms of “clickability” based on WordPress statistics. Combine the above with the Four U’s of the copyblogger article, and see what you can come up with yourselves!

    Also, I hope I gave you an idea of “repurposing content”! Until I come up with anything remotely as popular, I thought I’d bring my older post to the surface again! What!? Not everybody has read it! 😉

    Read the other three U’s of writing headlines on Brian Clark’s site:

    Writing Headlines That Get Results

    Any further insight on how to create magnetic headlines? Use the comment form!

     

  • S. L. Saboviec – WIP Interview

    SL Saboviec - Head Shot - SmallI met Samantha through our recent cross-blog critique event. Apart from a participant blogger she also coordinated the entire thing, and I was impressed both by her writing and her coordinating skills. Next logical step was to invite her over for a WIP interview through which we’ll get to know her and her work process better.

    Hi, everyone! Thanks for stopping by. I’m the author of the recently released fantasy novel, Guarding Angel, which came out in May.

    Samantha, thank you for being here. Before we talk about your WIP, why don’t you tell us a few things about yourself?

    When I was a child, I loved reading and, when very young, decided to try my hand at writing. I wrote my way through high school, but being too practical and focused on what would give me an income instead of what I love, I decided to study my second love—science—instead of my first love—writing. When I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics, I’d had enough of school and took a job at a bank as an assistant on technology projects. For ten years, I’ve worked in banking project management, but my first love remains writing. A couple years ago, I decided to vehemently, seriously, rambunctiously pursue a career in writing, and that’s how Guarding Angel came to be published.

    What are you working on right now?

    I have two projects underway. I’ve written and done the first revision of a dark urban fantasy novel with the working title The Exorcist’s Assistant. It’s with CP’s now, and I plan on doing another revision toward the end of summer and then querying. Tagline: A woman harassed by a demon enlists the aid of a doubting exorcist and discovers its connection to her past life and its hunger for her wife and daughter.

    The second project is the sequel to Guarding Angel, called Reaping Angel. It’s the second of three books in the Fallen Redemption series. So as not to spoil too much of the first book, I’ll be vague: Angel Enael, main character of the first book, must meet the demands of Heaven’s governing Council of Seraphim for her past transgressions while struggling with interference from a now-demon love interest from her past.

    Dark fantasy turning midnight black! Are you happy with the pace of your work? Do you aim at a specific word count each day?

    Right now, I’m delighted with the pace of my writing, but for the first half of the year, I was not. I’m currently 7.5 months pregnant, and the pregnancy made it difficult for me to write for a variety of reasons. I had originally planned to have Reaping Angel written by March … then May … Then I just wanted to hide in a hole because I’d only gotten about a quarter of it done. However, this month I’m doing Camp NaNoWriMo, and I’ve been keeping up with and even exceeding my goal of 2,000 words most days. When I was writing The Exorcist’s Assistant, I found that same word count to be a good goal for both writing and revising. I work best under pressure with a daily goal and a deadline.

    Plotter, pantser or both?

    Both. Guarding Angel was written totally pantsy, but I had to go back and do a lot of revisions. I started Exorcist’s Assistant that way and it went nowhere. I originally didn’t want to be confined by a plot, but once I caved and tried it when I got stuck, I found that’s my method. One of the reasons I was so frustrated with myself with Reaping Angel was because the chapter-by-chapter plot was written last November. All I had to do was actually write the thing! Now that I’m underway, things change and evolve in a pantsy way. I discover new secrets, plot twists, and back story to my characters every day, while still guiding them along the general plot I’m aiming for.

    What’s your worst enemy in getting that first draft finished?

    Allowing myself to believe that I’m not feeling it. What does that even mean, anyway? I find that when I go back and reread what I’ve written, it doesn’t matter if I wrote on a day where my brain was bursting with ideas or on a day when I felt like my muse had a hangover. It reads with the same voice, the same inspiration. (Which isn’t to say that everything is gold; it’s just that the good stuff and bad stuff come in equal quantities whether I was feeling it or not.) All I need to do is sit my butt in a chair and get those words out. I know I have to revise, so slogging, for me, is not a reason to stop and wait for a better moment.

    Hear hear! Have you ever experienced lack of inspiration or drive to write? If so, how do you motivate yourself?

    The reason I decided to do Camp NaNoWriMo was because I am a bit terrified of what’s going to happen when the baby comes, since it’s our first. I find revising easier—like shaping clay into a finished statue. If I didn’t have a draft of Reaping Angel written, when was I going to do the most difficult part—getting that clay out of the recesses of my brain and onto paper? Maybe I’ll have a ton of time and motivation when I’m on maternity leave. Or maybe I won’t feel at all like writing because the baby will need my attention constantly. I didn’t want to chance not having something.

    Good thinking! Those little ones are a blessing, but they can seriously mess up with the best of your intentions! Could we take a look at your workspace? Is there a particular place you find inspiring for writing?

    I have a great setup in the basement with two big monitors and an L-shaped desk. Previous to the pregnancy, I found it inviting and inspirational, but now, it feels like a torture device because the desk chair isn’t exactly top-of-the-line. That was an impediment for awhile, so now I just fluff up half a dozen pillows on my couch and write on my tiny laptop that I originally purchased to go into my purse so I could write on the train commute. If I have an idea while sitting in front of the TV, I just pick up my laptop and plop it in. And it’s easier to get motivated to write because I don’t dread the actual sitting part anymore.

    Very cozy! I love it! Now it’s pinned in my Featured Writers’ Workspace board on Pinterest! Apart from Word and Google, do you use any other writing or research tools and apps?

    I used Scrivener, which I love for drafting and revising. It’s more difficult once I get feedback from my editors because I have to manually make all the changes. However, I’m a perfectionist and I have to scrutinize everything before I allow it in, so it works for me. I also use dictionary.com and thesaurus.com—for inspiration. Piece of writing advice: If you didn’t already know the word, don’t use it. Your editor, if she’s worth her salt, will magically know, tsk at you, and make you cut it. And not only her—your readers will know. If you’re not comfortable with the language you use, your writing will seem awkward.

    How do you intend to celebrate writing “The End” on your draft?

    I’ve been throwing around the idea of starting a new game of Spore or the Sims 3. I am a gamer, but I haven’t played anything in quite a while. My husband and I are the ultimate nerds—we met on an MMO, Star Wars: Galaxies, in 2006. I don’t have time for MMO’s right now, but a fun one-player game is something I’ve been missing lately. Maybe I’ll even splurge on something I don’t already own.

    A gamer who writes demon-infested dark fantasy and reviews horror without blinking an eye while pregnant. You’re amazing! Which book publishing processes are you going to outsource and which are you confident enough to undertake yourself?

    I outsourced the cover design, which was a really good idea because I’ve had people tell me over and over that the cover is what really sold them on giving my book a try. I also outsourced the editing (developmental, copy editing, and proofreading). Next time, I might try to find a CP or two to trade proofreading services with, since the bulk of the problems are taken care of in the first two editing processes.

    I did the book formatting and uploading myself. If you have an aptitude for computer languages, I would suggest using Guido Henkel’s Take Pride in Your eBook Formatting guide to do your own formatting. I’ll probably take less than an hour to do an entire novel now that I’ve done it twice (once for the ARC and once for the final version). I also purchased a paperback template but did the merge/format myself.

    The Guarding Angel cover is indeed eye-riveting! Do you have any marketing tips or favorite promotional sites you’d like to share?

    Talk to people on social media rather than spamming book links. Always have something on the go (another interview or guest appearance on a blog). Set a goal for how many book review bloggers per week you’ll contact and stick to it: send out lots of review copies because reviews are how you get people’s attention on both Amazon and Goodreads. And start early—a month beforehand at least, start contacting bloggers with your ARC. Then you have a strong release if you have a handful of reviews for people to see on your release day.

    Your blog is http://www.saboviec.com/reviews/. Do you follow a specific branding pattern with your posts or is it a free writing platform?

    I struggled with what to blog about for months. I decided to do book reviews of speculative fiction books, since those are what I read. I believe in the idea, from a philosophical perspective, since reviews are what indie writers need to get noticed and I truly enjoy helping the community.

    The toughest part is saying no. First to requests, since I can’t possibly read every book in the world. Second, to not over-rating books that I didn’t enjoy, since I pride myself on being honest. It’s tempting to just say, “Yeah, this was great,” when I sometimes fear repercussions from authors who don’t take kindly to criticism. I suspect that the only one-star review I got of Guarding Angel came from someone who was offended by a review on my blog, based on the vagueness of the review, the timing of when it went up, and how someone has been methodically down-ranking my reviews for months. Not that I begrudge less-than-stellar reviews: If that’s really how someone feels, that’s fine! I’m actually surprised I haven’t yet offended some people with the spiritual ideas presented in Guarding Angel yet.

    Reviewing can be quite dodgy. Is dark fantasy the genre you will brand yourself with or do you see yourself branching out in the future?

    I can’t see myself writing outside the speculative fiction genre, but I have an idea of a science fiction novel that I plan on writing after I get further along on Reaping Angel and Exorcist’s Assistant.

    Would you like to share with us links where we can find you and your work?

    Kindle US: http://amzn.to/1jTRde0
    Kindle Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00K6ZM372
    Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/ebook/guarding-angel
    Nook: http://www.bn.com/w/1119467162?ean=2940149496204
    Paperback (Amazon): http://amzn.to/1vjDguz
    Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1gby7f7

    My website: http://www.saboviec.com

    Thank you, Samantha, and best of luck with your Reaping Angel!

    Thanks for having me on the blog!

     

  • Whitney Gracia Williams – WIP interview

    Update: Reasonable Doubt – Volume 3 is now out on Amazon! And here’s my Goodreads review.

    It’s the middle of the summer, the temperature is rising so I thought I’d raise it further by inviting a writer who brought scorching summer heat in early spring with her Reasonable Doubt erotic romance series. Back in March, I needed to cleanse my palate from a bunch of excellent but quite dark and serious books I’d reviewed, so I picked up the first episode of the series, Reasonable Doubt #1, and found myself reading something delectably decadent instead. Although the type of foul-mouthed anti-hero is not my cuppa, I loved how fleshed-out and genuine Andrew was but especially the feisty heroine who gave him a run for his money. (You can read my Goodreads review here.) Heeding the writer’s “call to action” to reviewers to connect, I emailed Whitney and, although the series was becoming a huge success (a New York Times bestseller), she not only responded to a fan but was willing to do an interview with me! My reaction wasn’t what you’d call mature; even my four-year old quirked a brow at my bouncing on the bed. So ladies (and gents, why not?) I present to you the amazing Whitney G!

    Hola readers! My name is Whitney G. and I am the author of the “Mid Life Love” series and the recent New York Times bestselling series “Reasonable Doubt.”

    Whitney, I’m in awe as, despite your busy schedule, you honored this little blog.  You recently published a very uplifting Facebook post where you wrote how after the mediocre reception of your first fiction efforts, you never thought that “thinking BIG” applied to you and then Reasonable Doubt happened. Sure, this one was an erotic romance, and this genre’s audience is known to turn what it likes viral, but hundreds get published each month! What was the golden recipe here?

    I honestly have no idea…I seriously did not expect Reasonable Doubt to do as well as it’s done so far. I wanted to use it as a way to improve my writing before I finished my current WIP. I was happy with the small success I’d attained before Reasonable Doubt came along, and I’d told myself that one day “bigger success” could happen to me and one of my books. (Yearsss down the line, of course…) But, since I was struggling with the aforementioned WIP, I decided to take a break and pen something short that would allow me to work on banter, scene building, and sexual tension. (I even had a post-it taped to my laptop that read, “If this is the last book you ever write, write it ten times better than anything you’ve written before…”) It definitely paid off, but I don’t know if there’s a “golden recipe” for a successful book. (Trust me, if I find it, I’ll report back and give it away to everyone *smiley face*)

    You do that!! Also I now know how I will promote this interview. “How writer’s block can make you a best-selling author!” Before we talk about your WIP, why don’t you tell us a few things about yourself?  

    Hmmm. Let’s make a list: 1) I have a serious addiction to candy and Starbucks. 2) I curse a lot more than I should. 3) I have a tendency to “fall off the face of the earth” (i.e. avoid social media) whenever I’m deep into a project. 4) Have I mentioned the Starbucks addiction already? 5) When I’m not writing, I’m usually reading an indie book, stalking John Grisham (and Beyonce), or staring into space…

    What are you working on right now?

    Reasonable Doubt 3… You know what’s crazy? I’d originally planned to have the whole series out in April. What the hell was I thinking back then?

    And you suffered serious backlash! I couldn’t believe the angry comments about how you didn’t make the dates you had initially announced. Thankfully, compared to the love you got, those were a drop in the bucket. So, are you happy with the pace of your work? Do you aim at a specific word count each day?

    No, I’m never happy with the pacing of my work. I always want to do more or write faster, but I think that’s a good thing. I never want to feel content. As far as a daily word count goes, most definitely. I aim for five to seven thousand a day.

    Plotter, pantser or both?

    BOTH! I change my mind too many times to stick to an outline, but I *have* to know the ending of a story before I can even begin.

    What’s your worst enemy in getting that first draft finished?

    Myself, of course.

    Have you ever experienced lack of inspiration or drive to write? If so, how do you motivate yourself?

    Absolutely. All the time. There are days when I don’t *feel* like writing, days when I’d much rather stay in bed and watch Netflix. However, I think about where I want to be ten years from now and that always makes me get up and get to work.

    Could we take a look at your workspace? Is there a particular place you find inspiring for writing?

    I’ve attached it. I wake up every morning and write at Starbucks.

    Wow! If these chairs get occupied, it means you’re writing in serious company! Now your photo is “pinned” on my Featured Writers’ Workspace Board on Pinterest. Apart from Word and Google, do you use any other writing or research tools and apps?

    Not really, but I always read Joan Didion’s “Goodbye to All That” essay before I begin any WIP. She’s one of the best writers in the world, and simply reading a small snippet of her magic inspires me like no other.

    That one goes at the top of my TBR list. How do you intend to celebrate writing “The End” on your draft?

    I’m going to take one, huge EPIC nap!

    Which book publishing processes are you going to outsource and which are you confident enough to undertake yourself?

    I now outsource everything (book covers, formatting, graphics, etc.), but at one point in time I was doing everything myself because I was nervous about handing over the reins to someone else…

    Do you have any marketing tips or favorite promotional sites you’d like to share?

    I have marketing tips for DAYS, but in a nutshell I’d like to say that authors should treat their books like movies. You should be promoting long before the book comes out. There’s a reason why Hollywood invests so much in advertising. They want people to know all about their movies before they come out and they want as many people as possible to watch and enjoy them opening week. Promotional sites I’ve used are Bookbub, E-reader News Today, and I’ll be starting my own writer’s blog soon to share even more. (It’s going to be called “The Delusional Indie Author” and it’ll launch late summer)

    Can’t wait to follow that blog! Is erotic romance the genre you will brand yourself with from now on or do you see yourself branching out in the future?

    Definitely not branding myself at all. LOL. Although, I do have a standalone erotic romance coming out later this year. I’m still trying to find myself as an author and I want to explore more genres.

    Would you like to share with us links where we can find you and your work?

    Sure! When I’m not hiding from the world, I can be found here: whitneygracia.com, and if you want to find my books, you can find them all here: http://www.amazon.com/Whitney-Gracia-Williams/e/B0054OUT30/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

    Thank you, Whitney, and best of luck with with Reasonable Doubt #3! I can’t wait to find out what made Andrew turn into a hardcore cynic, and how he will turn things around after the mess he’s made with Aubrey!! (Update: I did and it explains so much! Great way to end this fun-tastic story!)