Marty Kindall Chester's Blog

Change is inevitable.  The only thing certain about change is that it will happen, whether you like it or not.  I’ve always struggled with change.  I’m truly not a very spontaneous person.  I like the familiar, tried and true, comfortable things.  But is being “comfortable” actually living?  And what kind of change are we talking about?  Change for the sake of change, or for the betterment of some situation in life?

I’ve experienced a great deal of change within the last five years.  While I feel like I’ve been accommodating (I won’t go so far as to use the word ‘flexible’), is more necessary? Is it demanded? And if so, by whom and to what end?  These are the questions I find myself asking these days as I look at life–what I’ve accomplished and what still lies ahead, if only I can make the change.  I know this is quite the enigmatic post, but suffice it to say that lately, I haven’t had much time to write.  What free time I find, I’ve committed to promotion, and I continue to do so.  It’s quite fun.

But what if these changes I’m eyeing can eventually free up some time?  While I understand that work expands to fill the time alloted, I ultimately want writing to be the work that expands, not be shoved to the back of the fridge to grow stale, moldy, or forgotten.  Things could go either way–I can’t currently see which way the road bends.  So there are a lot of questions I need to ask about a handful of situations in my life.  I need to get my thoughts and emotions out of my inner being and into the universe, where they can be manifested one way or the other.

So I ask you, how do you deal with change, with major choices in your life?  What methods have you found effective for taking the steps necessary for risk management?  I know nobody has all the answers, and that stepping out on faith is something in which we are not all created equally.  But if change will certainly come…what’s the best way to deal?

I’m excited to participate again (I think this is the fifth year?) in Brenda Novak’s Online Auction to benefit Diabetes Research.  This fabulous, virtual event has raised over 1.3 million over its lifespan, and is going stronger than ever.  In fact, we’d love to set a new record this year!

The auction is open NOW and runs through May 31, 2012.  There are awesome sponsors, including Writer’s Digest, Publisher’s Weekly, and a who’s who of NY Times bestselling authors.  There are also a host of prizes up for grabs, including a Grand Prize iMAC to the person who places the largest number of bids.

For myself, I have three separate items in this year’s auction.

FIRST – a critique of the first 50-ages of your manuscript!  I love to work with other writers, and whether you are a seasoned author with a new project, or a newbie looking for some initial feedback, this is a no-brainer.  You don’t need to be a historical author—I like to read across all genres.

SECOND – my Vintage items!  This includes autographed copies of All in Good Time, The Knot, and an e-copy of Bootlegger’s Bride.  This listing also boasts a gorgeous sparkling cuff bracelet from my good friends at Designs by Mandi.

THIRD – to celebrate the recent release of Surrender to the Roman, the winner of this auction will receive an e-copy of the novel, an autographed cover flat, a $25 gift card to Amazon (or BN if you like), and a four-pack of related-themed epic movies including: Troy, Alexander, Clash of the Titans, and Anthony & Cleopatra.

None of this floats your boat?  Something else surely will.  Hop on over to the site and search for your favorite authors or simply peruse the listings.  You can get in on all the action at Twitter by following @brendanovakauction.  Registration and bidding is easy, so no excuses!  See you there!

MK Chester on Goodreads

I’ve been contemplating the difference in bookish culture since my first book was released in 2006.  In only five years, digital publishing and self publishing are making massive strides in the industry.

Another interesting change comes to both authors and readers in the form of the website Goodreads.  Goodreads “is the largest site for readers and book recommendations in the world. We have more than 7,600,000 members who have added more than 280,000,000 books to their shelves. A home for casual readers and bona-fide bookworms alike, Goodreads users recommend books, compare what they are reading, keep track of what they’ve read and would like to read, find their next favorite book, form book clubs and much more.”

That’s good and bad news.  The good news is that this is a network focused on books, where readers rule and authors can connect with their readership, build new readership, and converse with other authors in their genre they may not have otherwise “met.”  When you stop to consider this alone, it’s amazing.  No other social network makes this specific a connection.  The bad news is that, in the words of the old adage, opinions are like a$$holes…everyone’s got one.  Before Goodreads, authors concerned themselves primarily with the opinions of professional reviewers and established review sites.

Now?  Well, I can only speak for myself, but you have to have a tough hide when dealing with Goodreads.  My experience with my current release is ongoing, but here’s what I’ve experienced so far:

1.  People who don’t typically read your genre will download it from Netgalley (free as a reviewer).  If you’re lucky, they like it despite the fact that “it’s not their thing.”  That does not usually happen.

2.  You spend time watching and waiting for reviews and ratings to come in. Especially your average rating, because you’d like to keep it in a certain (attractive) range.  Those who downgrade you because “it’s not their thing” have a detrimental effect on the average, and subsequently, another reader’s decision.

3.  It matters not one little bit.  In the past week, I can say I’ve been angry, confused, amazed, and validated by Goodreads.  It’s not worth my time to get that twisted up in it.  I can’t do anything about it anyway.

Keeping perspective is the key to enjoying Goodreads as an author.  Not everyone is going to love your book, and now, ‘not everyone’ can tell you all about it with very little effort.  The focus for me as an author is to engage readers who do like the genre, who have given my work a good reception, and who might be interested in what I’m doing next.  As a reader, I love the ability to keep track of what I’ve read.  I’m particularly sensitive to other authors to the point that if I don’t like their work, I won’t rate them at all.  If it just wasn’t for me, I can keep that to myself.

Oh, click on the image above to connect on Goodreads!

To celebrate the release of my latest book, leave me a comment about the excerpt below.  Next Monday, I'll choose a random winner from the comments…good luck!

Surrender to the Roman (Carina Press, 2012)

"Turn around." His throat tightened as tense moments passed.

Ademeni dragged in a deep breath, then pivoted, still cupping her cheeks. When he reached to pull her hands away, her eyes flared, and she dropped her cover before he could touch her.

"See what your city has done to me?" she accused.

A nasty gash marred the left side of her face, and his mood soured at the sight of blood. "What happened?"

Her voice rose. "I was nearly stoned to death. Are you happy now?"

Stoned? In the Forum?

"Let me see—" She shoved his hands away, and he peered around her defenses to get a better look. His pulse stuttered. Besides the angry knick on her cheekbone, tears glittered along her eyelashes. He willed himself not to see them, not to let them matter.

Blinking them away, she muttered, "I can fend for myself."

"So I see," he said, fighting the urge to tuck the wayward strands of hair behind her ears.

Not sensing his shifting moods, she raised her head and glared, forcing him back a step. "You mock me. Your people throw stones and you laugh. Your widows are no better than common dogs."

He frowned. "I shouldn't have sent you. You weren't prepared."

If Ademeni had an argument, she kept her thoughts to herself. She raised shaky fingers to the cut, then her stormy eyes to his.

Marcus tried again. "Let me help you."

"I'd rather rot." She turned her back to him.

He waited a long moment before trying again. "Come with me. This is not a request."

She bowed her head. "As you wish."

To his relief, she stopped fighting and followed him to the kitchen, where he took a cloth and wet it in the warm water by the hearth. "Sit."

She obeyed, leaning her head back and to the side. When he dabbed the gash, she flinched. He released a held breath, steadied her by the chin and continued.

"Will it leave a mark?" she asked.

He smiled. She sounded like a princess.

"I doubt it," he said. He'd seen much worse. "Your clothing makes you an easy target."

"So Flora tells me."

"Is it not true?" he asked. Her back went rigid, but she gave a slight nod. Marcus made no further comment. Better that she reached these conclusions on her own. His hand trembled as he continued to clean the wound, enjoying the contact far more than he ought. Imagining her in more appropriate—and revealing—garments did nothing to aid his concentration.

Ademeni turned wide eyes on him, lowering her voice. "Do you care for all your property this way, dominus?"

Jupiter might as well have thrown a lightning bolt at him. His nerves sizzled at her small step over the unseen line of decorum. She tested him. For even when she'd sneaked into his room and attempted to steal his weapon, she'd not purposely tempted him with her body.

His pulse quickened, yet he also sensed a trap. He tempered his response. "I want nothing but good health and happiness in my home."

She slid her gaze from his. "At least you will have good health—for a time."

Available now:

Carina Press
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Audible

I've been working hard, putting together some virtual appearances to promote Surrender to the Roman to the fickle masses, LOL! 

Here's a list of a few places I'll stop, and I'll update this post as I know more:

Word Wranglers – blogging April 6, 2012
Savvy Authors – craft article April 8, 2012
Long & Short Reviews – Interview April 9, 2012
Carina Press (main blog) – blogging April 10, 2012 (morning)
Kristi Knight – Interview April 10, 2010
Muse Tracks – craft article April 16, 2012
Unusual Historicals – book promo April 19, interview April 22, 2012
Castles & Kisses – craft article April 24 or 25, 2012
Writer's Ink – Interview TBD 

 

I have a few more dates that I'm waiting to firm up – and a lot of writing to do!  See you in the sands…

This past weekend, I finished The Hunger Games. I started reading right after Christmas but had not been compelled to finish. There's nothing that galls me more than not finishing something, so I had a free day with little responsibility and this book. I have a few random thoughts from my unique perspective, which will culminate in a vow I plan to take at the end of the post.

To start, I did not find it as 'dark and edgy' as I had hoped. I thought it was kind of rudimentary. Yes, we got an idea of the current set-up and a pretty detailed account of life in District 12. I wanted to know how they got there. In other words: WHAT HAD HAPPENED? You don't just flug off the US of A and not tell how we went down. This is where I started to think that first-person-present narration was a very bad idea! We only know what she knows, we only see through her eyes.  She doesn't seem to know or see very much.  While the chosen perspective might have made The Hunger Games an easier story to write, it also made the book a frustrating read.

Secondly, I never grew to like the narrator.  Sympathize, yes. Empathize?  Nope.  At times she seems like a very sharp, observant person.  At others, too dull and simple.  I wanted more from her.  I wanted to see how she would handle the moral compromise that is the Hunger Games.  After all, that's why I watch The Walking Dead and Lost.  Conveniently, she doesn't actually face any moral dilemmas.

The only person she directly kills had just killed her only ally—and the reader is led to believe this is a spontaneous and appropriate response to that event. She sends killer bees on others and triggers an explosion or has someone by her side to do the killing. I admit I got a little drowsy at the very end, where they're fighting off the mutts, so I can't remember if she actually DID anything. Finally, when they announce that, "Sorry, the rules didn't really change" I don't understand why they didn't just let them eat the berries if (as we learn after the end of the contest) the "Powers the Be" didn't want them to win anyway.

And finally, she doesn't have to face that she's a young woman and this guy she's partnered with is actually, really very much in love with her.  And she's actually in love with the hunting partner she left behind.  She refuses to believe that she basically exists and people are either drawn to her or not for specific reasons. Very little self-awareness, which first-person tends to bring out, not squelch.

In a nutshell, I never connected to her, so I never felt (or understood if) her heart was in it to win it (pardon the run-on cliches).  I was just…bored.  I expected too much.

Here's the thing I forgot.  This is a Young Adult (YA) book.  Had I read this book as a young adult, I might have been mesmerized. I really, truly might have.  But I'm no longer the YA market, so my gripes about this book not being daring enough really don't apply. If I want to read "on the edge fiction" I need to read adult fiction. YA is a world I've outgrown, a world where vampires are sparkly and depth is, seemingly, not necessary.

I hereby solemnly swear never to read another YA book. Whew. That should do it.

As an author, receiving cover art is one of those moments when you know "it's happening." I am so very excited to reveal the cover for Surrender to the Roman, due out April 9 , 2012, from Carina Press:

As the Romans storm the last stronghold of Dacia, Princess Ademeni awaits her fate. Taken as a slave, she is deposited into General Marcus Cordovis's home as a gift.

Driven to avenge her family, Ademeni plots to kill her captor and escape. Though not the cruel victor she expects, Marcus keeps her too close to make escape easy—so close that Ademeni is soon tormented by an unbidden, traitorous attraction. In a moment of weakness, a passionate kiss almost undoes them both. 

But the handsome, widowed general has another surprise for Ademeni: a young daughter. Marcus dares ask Ademeni to help him bridge the gap between him and his little girl. And now, Ademeni is growing too fond of those she is supposed to despise. As Marcus prepares for the triumphal march and the opening of the gladiatorial games—where captives of her homeland will be sacrificed—Ademeni readies for her own battle between revenge and love.

Is it April 9 yet?

I already knew there were multiple social media outlets. To know it is one thing, to peruse it? That's another entirely different entity. Over the past few weeks, I've "tried on" various social media hang outs. I have created and deleted accounts. I have downloaded and off-loaded iPhone apps. I have decided (with much wisdom behind me) that the following is where you will be able to find me, come hell or high water.

1.  Facebook.  I  I have two outlets–my personal page and my author fan page. I kind of have to actually know you, be related to you, or have been in some kind of organization with you to be 'friends' on my personal page.  While I will post writing news there, most of that goes on my fan page.

2. Twitter.  I'm liking Twitter more and more.  It's a place to get some fast answers, fast laughs–fast anything.  I like to tweet, and I'm much more sarcastic and sardonic (and repetitive) on Twitter.  I don't have to know you, my feed is open, and I will converse. I'm pretty randomly on there, but enjoy it when I am.

3. Goodreads. This is a no-brainer for authors, or at least this author.  I could probably spend a lot more time there, but it's my teritary outlet. I may be there more frequently after the book comes out in April, because I do plan to promote and respond, etc. I also like it as a reader because it allows me to keep track of everything I've read, and reading is just as important as writing. Except I don't make money from reading, so it's just as important in a different, more vague, way.

4. Pinterest. OK, so this is not totally related to my writing, but it is a reflection of who I am, what I like and am involved in, and in one specfic pin-board, what inspires me.  Yes, eye candy. Among other things, like DIY projects that I want to do, shoes I'll never be able to buy, and Scotties, because they're just so darn cute. Feel free to join me in the moment's internet time suck.

These are the places I feel most comfortable, and the places you can get to know me best. Do a few things well–feel free to meet up with me!

It's turned out to be true. My book, Surrender to the Roman,is coming out in April. I know, because I saw it on the "Coming Soon" page at the Carina Press website.  Cover art cannot be far behind.

It still doesn't seem real, somehow. I wrote the story, sold the story, edited the story and yet…is this really happening?  If it is really happening, I need to get some stuff done pre-release, don't I?

Yes, I do. But for the moment, let me just sit and smile and enjoy:

Every now and again, I find myself rebelling against some book or movie that goes soooo mainstream that I might be the only person in the world who can't get into it.  This phenomenon started with John Grisham. I didn't feel too bad about this one, because legal thrillers aren't necessarily my cup of tea. And I did see the movies, but drew the line after the particularly sweaty A Time to Kill. You might say, "What do you have against seeing Matthew McConaughey sweat?" To which I reply, "Everyone in the film was perpetually moist." I also hate the word moist.

Next came Nicholas Sparks. I did read The Notebook. But I nearly didn't finish it. I have an aversion to adultery in my love stories (call me crazy). Then there's this nutty thing about him fighting against the idea that he writes (gasp) ROMANCE. While I might agree that he's not writing what's better known as formulaic romance novels, his aversion to the title "romance author Nicholas Sparks" has the power to alienate him from a rather large, book-buying, author-supporting fan group. Snobbery, anyone?

Ah, then came the Twilight Saga, which I tried to read. I also watched the first movie (giving it leeway for a low budget). All my friends were reading it, which is saying something for a group of 40-somethings.  I have no beef with Stephanie Meyer–you go girl! Make that dough! I guess what I have issue with is the proliferation of the vampire genre. I'm an Anne Rice girl, and when I look at vamp fiction, I am desperate for something different.  I don't think anyone's going to do the 'typical' vampire story better than Rice, so what I crave is a change from the I'm-a-mortal-in-love-with-a-brooding-vampire-who-can't-decide-if-he-wants-to-change-me novel. Sparkly or not.

The latest, I've disovered, is The Hunger Games.  I bought this for my Bonus Son because his fifth grade teacher recommended it personally (since it wasn't approved for the classroom and was above the grade reading level). I should have gotten a clue when he didn't get into it.  I picked it up over the holidays, expecting to fly through the pages, but I can't get into it either, for the same reasons Bonus Son gives. It's not because I'm 40-something.  I think it's because I don't like the heroine. I don't like the heroine because she doesn't like anything. Not that she has much to like, I admit, but dang. Give me something to connect with. I'm stalled at chapter four, but will probably plow through it and may still change my tune.  I will probably also see the movie, although I don't know about paying half a million dollars for the whole family to see it in a theatre.

So this is a no-judgement zone…what's your reading kryptonite?