Carrie Baize's Blog, page 11

THEN… Summer of Blood

During the day, Rio Hevrir is a nice enough town… as far secluded and mostly forgotten desert towns go.

High school sports control the town’s social life.

A handful of mom-n-pop outfits, property taxes, and the single gas station/mini-mart off the highway provide the only real income.

There’s really nothing more dangerous than an occasional drunk on the highway or the small groups of young thugs that choose to bully those they see as easy prey.

But that’s during the day…

When the sun goes down, th...

It’s April!

Yes, it’s April. Already. How’d that happen?

This post is no April Fool’s joke, though.

This is it! The big pre-release kickoff!

Everybody ready? Guys? Um… guys?

Okay – I know those crickets all too well.

As some of you know, I’m rather fond of the TV showSupernatural. We won’t get into the reasons why (this time) but I’m going to sort of borrow the intro over the next few weeks. Each week, leading up to the release ofWonderland, this space will be reserved for what I like to call “THEN bits”. AsS...

A Rose By Any Other Name… Author v. Self-Publisher

I read a piece a few weeks ago that questioned the use of the label Author by self-publishers.

The main point, as I understood it, was that the relative ease of self-publishing had somehow cheapened the title Author over the last several years. In the end, it seemed that the opinion of the piece was that a writer should not call themselves an author until they had received an advance from a large house.

I have to wonder if the author if the piece is actually an author by the definition offered....

The Question of Sub-Plots

I have seen a lot of authors, agents, and editors advise against sub-plots. They warn that the details can get confusing and, more important, that the sub-plot will take away from the main plot of the work. I saw one piece of revision strategies that suggested ripping every sub-plot out entirely and including only the barest of essential elements from the material in the rewrite.

I grudgingly admit a certain amount of logic in these arguments…

But…

Oh, come on! You knew that was coming…

Yes, sub-...

A Glimpse of the Future

This is not a teaser for additional books in world of the Scarred Sun Trilogy… not necessarily, anyway. Sorry to disappoint

As you know, Urban Wardens: Alpha to Oblivion was released in February.

Trying to get back into the swing of the whole self-publishing gig, I have created a release schedule. It is absolute, carved-in-stone, completely reliable, and of course, subject to change at a moment’s notice. Sorry, folks – but you know me… it’s hard to trust the timing of anything until it’s actu...

Detour Ahead…

It never fails.

Happily moving along the road, heading from Point A to Point B when one of those annoying orange arrows appears on the side of the road. You are forced off course – away from your routine and out of your comfort zone: completely destroying the itinerary.

Detours happen all the time – and not just on the road from Point A to Point B.

They happen at school, at work, at home… and you watch helplessly as all your careful plans dissolve amid the turmoil to something only barely recogn...

Read an E-Book Week

Yes, it really is Read an E-Book Week!

Celebrate with wild savings over at Smashwords!

I have some books involved in the promotion – check out the links below for the special deals.

This week only! Get hooked on e-books!

Dissension Summer of Blood Legacy Urban Wardens: Alpha to Oblivion

Mixed emotions…

Some of you know, through other channels, various elements that made up the distractions I spoke of in the last entry.

Here’s the part of all of it that concerns you, my wonderful readers…

Daverana’s beloved owner, Janrae Frank, was hospitalized at the end of last year and left this world on January 12th. She was an amazing woman and her guidance and friendship are (and will continue to be) missed by many.

To add to the pain, the loss of Janrae heralded the end of Daverana as we knew it.

For thos...

Squeak squeak

Squeak, squeak! Skitter! Squeak!

That would be my mouse impression. You know – that whole best laid plans thing…

The last (nearly) three months have been a whirlwind of trauma, drama & confusion and every time I thought I was going to sit down and get focused here, there had to be a half dozen other things that demanded time and attention. Hell… this post was originally started 15 January… that might give you an idea of how it’s been.

Be patient. Stay awesome.

Bigger and better than ever before…...

Looking Ahead

With the New Year on the horizon, youfinallyget another post.

When I posted last, I didn’t say much about what was going on and – at this point – I’m not even sure what it was that derailed me at the beginning of this month. I think it was mostly work stuff, though even that fell to the wayside during a flood of family issues that couldn’t be avoided.

But… now that 2013 is just about gone… I think I might actually be back.

Of course – I have no idea what 2014 has in store… but I’m sure it will b...