Jeffe Kennedy's Blog, page 168
January 15, 2016
Jeffe’s #1 Tip for Being a Good Blogger
I love seeing the mountain bluebirds come around this time of year. They’re skittish birds though, so it’s hard to get a good shot. I’ve been leaving the tripod up with telephoto lens trained on their usual perches. Even so, this is about the best pic I’ve gotten. Mostly they’re a whirl of bright blue and rose amidst the snowflakes.
I wrote a blog post early this week that was a bit meta – on how to write a bad blog post. Maybe that was a good example of a bad blog post because only one person commented!
At any rate, I’ve had a note for a while to share one of my blogging tricks. Not that I claim to be a great blogger or anything, but sometimes people ask me how I come up with topics. My secret? I keep a list. I have an ongoing list in Word of various topics, and I add to it as things occur to me. Sometimes I make notes in my phone or tablet and transfer them to the main list.
The most important thing I (try to) do, and this is really key for writers, is I note topics that apply to the book as I’m writing it. You will love your past self for doing this when it comes time to write those promo blog posts. If you’ve been there, you know. It can get really difficult to think up interesting things to say about your published book. Having this list of things you researched, what gave you images or ideas, problems you encountered, people that offered needed obscure information – and so forth.
All of these things will make great blog topics in the future, all that you would likely never remember months or a year later, depending on your publishing schedule.
Short and easy tip there, but one I’d had on my list for a while. 
January 12, 2016
Getting Book Reviews and Odious Comparisons
A rare sight of Elephant Butte with snow, from the Christmas storm in New Mexico. We caught this on the drive home from Tucson, and now that I’ve turned in THE EDGE OF THE BLADE, I’m digging photos out of my camera and sharing. Yay!
The last few days, I’ve been in a range of conversations with writers at various stages of their careers.
One friend is not yet published. She had been discouraged by a string of rejections and has resolved to take her series out via self-publishing this year. (It’s a contemporary romance series that I think is excellent and will be excited to tell you all about when she’s ready.) We’ll also strategize another series for her to query with traditional publishing. For her, everything is about cracking that first barrier – getting her first book out there.
On one of my author loops, several extensively published authors bemoaned not being able to get book reviews. One commented that her latest self-published release got zero reviews. On another loop, more published authors complained of the same, asking for tips on getting more reviews.
Meanwhile another author friend yesterday celebrated the one-year anniversary of the publication of her book – and that it just hit 1,000 reviews on Amazon.
Me? I fall somewhere in the middle of all of this. I get a substantial number of reviews, from wonderful, enthusiastic readers – but I got nothing like 1,000.
So, what did we learn today, boys and girls?
There’s a saying that hearkens back to the fourteenth century, credited to John Fortesque, that’s been repeated by many, such as Lydgate, Shakespeare and Swift.
Comparisons are odious.
And no, that has nothing to do with odor. The word “odious” comes from the Latin odium for hatred. Something that is odious is hateful, disgusting or offensive.
In other words… DON’T DO IT.
Don’t make comparisons, people. And I’m speaking to myself, too, because when my darling friend announced hitting 1,000 Amazon reviews, the first thing I did was go look at my comparable book. How many? 54 Amazon reviews.
But hey, it’s better than zero reviews.
And it’s better than not having a book published yet.
Actually… it is what it is, right? Comparisons are odious because they’re meaningless. I reminded myself of that, shrugged it off, and closed the Amazon page.
We all do what we can do.
January 10, 2016
How to Know When to Give Up
Can’t believe it’s already time! But the Coastal Magic Convention is only a few weeks away and January 15 is the last day to register. I love this convention and there’s going to be tons of great authors, bloggers and readers there – so if you can wrangle it, you should totally join us. Great panels, terrific interactions and it’s right on the beach. SO fun!
So, this week’s topic over at Word Whores is: It’s dead, Jim – how to know when a project isn’t working vs when its fixable.
I’m telling a couple of stories about knowing when to give up.
January 7, 2016
Writing in Books – Do You Do It?
I’m over at the Contemporary Romance Cafe, giving some writing advice, and talking about why we do and don’t write in books we’re reading.
January 2, 2016
Jeffe’s Goals for 2016 (eep!)
I’m over at Word Whores, confessing (ulp!) five major goals for 2016. At the end of the year, I’ll revisit them and see how I did. Go, Future Jeffe!
December 27, 2015
December 23, 2015
A Chance to Vote!
This is our bobcat visitor from yesterday. Gorgeous animal. Wish I’d gotten a clearer one of her face, but the best are of her prowling about. 
In other news, THE TALON OF THE HAWK is showing up on a bunch of Best of 2015 lists, like at RT Book Reviews, and Happy Tails and Trails (Best Cover, Blogger’s Choice and Top 10). At Grave Tells, the book is up for Best Fantasy Romance of 2015, so if you have that clicky-finger feeling, you can vote here.
Hope the holiday season is treating you all well!
December 20, 2015
December 13, 2015
December 11, 2015
“On Second Thought…”
I know I haven’t posted here as much, but I’m immersed in writing Jepp’s book, THE EDGE OF THE BLADE. So much Dasnarian Empire … I won’t say “goodness, but wow – this is an interesting story to write!
I’m also finishing copy edits on THE PAGES OF THE MIND. (Aren’t the cover flats pretty?? Just wait until you see this green in real life!) At rate, I was reviewing this scene snippet and it made me laugh. That book is Dafne’s and so from her point of view, but Jepp always cracks me up, so I thought I’d share. 
***
Jepp didn’t reply to that, just watched, then cursed under her breath. “Put your things away. Have your big dagger in your hand. Be ready to run. Or jump overboard. Which means lose the cloak.”
I heard it then, as I hastened to do as she instructed, a beast roaring over the screams of men, along with shouting in a jumble of Dasnarian. A large bird, white, with a long, swooping neck, spiraled over me and landed on the deck, flashing into Zynda, who ranged herself next to Jepp, also in a fighting stance. “Trouble,” she said.
“What is that thing?” Jepp asked.
“I’ve never seen anything like it, but it just swallowed a man whole.”
Normally I’d be perfectly happy to cower behind them—and had been thus far—but curiosity got the better of me and I edged around Zynda to peek down the barge at what they watched. A violet haze rippled through the sky and water, as if emanating from some glowing thing. Then a man flew through the air, landing in the water with a splash. He began to swim for the barge, but a violet tentacle rose from the water, wrapped around his waist, and dragged him under.
“On second thought,” Jepp said, “don’t jump overboard.”
***
Happy weekend, everyone!
