S.L. Viehl's Blog, page 167
March 24, 2012
Signature Colors for Characters
While I was reading the April/May 2012 issue of Quilting Arts magazine I was tempted by their reader challenge to create a "signature color" piece. Making an interesting monochromatic quilt takes some imagination, especially if your signature color is dark like mine (violet), but it wouldn't be a challenge if it were easy.I like building color palettes for my characters, and color also plays a major role in my storytelling, so I wondered if any of my characters have a signature color. Jayr from Evermore came immediately to mind; I used bronze and violet and tangerine in her color palette, and when it came time to suggest a color theme for her novel's cover art I went with violet because it was my favorite of the three. Violet is definitely Jayr's color. Green played an integral part in building Gabriel's character in Night Lost, as did scarlet when I put together Lucan's world in Dark Need. I never consciously picked out one color for signature purposes but I often gravitated toward one in the process of telling the story. Certain shades of the same color can be used for very different characters who share the same connection, which is probably why royal blue will always remind of Valentin Jaus while ice blue makes me think of Thierry Durand.
You don't have to pick out a signature color for your characters, of course, but if the idea intrigues you then you can almost let the character make the choice for you. A happy-go-lucky soul is probably not going to have black as their signature color, just as a dark and brooding type would likely not surround themselves in sunshine yellow (maybe if they were being tortured.) Colors have associations for all of us, so let the character's personality and preferences guide you. Also keep in mind that colors can be like armor, and the colors we show the world are not necessarily the colors we use in private. A goth who always wears black and projects a tough image might have a home bedecked in pink velvet and poufy white lace, as I discovered when I was writing Nightbred and got to know Christian Lang.
Color doesn't have to be the character's signature, either. I've used signature scents for all my Darkyn characters, for example, and signature tattoos for all my Kyndred people. Signature = symbol, so the possibilities are really endless.
March 23, 2012
This and That
Some links for weekend browsing:
Thanks to author Elizabeth S. Craig, we writers finally have our own search engine: Writers Knowledge Base.
Over at Books Love You I have a little tribute to The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, a book that helped me through losing my dad.
And have you ever wondered what it would be like to tour the city of Rome in 320 CE? Now you (virtually) can:
Added: Forgot to give credit to Gerard over at The Presurfer, which is where I found the video link. (Sorry, G.)
Thanks to author Elizabeth S. Craig, we writers finally have our own search engine: Writers Knowledge Base.
Over at Books Love You I have a little tribute to The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, a book that helped me through losing my dad.
And have you ever wondered what it would be like to tour the city of Rome in 320 CE? Now you (virtually) can:
Rome Reborn 2.2: A Tour of Ancient Rome in 320 CE from Bernard Frischer on Vimeo.
Added: Forgot to give credit to Gerard over at The Presurfer, which is where I found the video link. (Sorry, G.)
March 22, 2012
Three Mags
Since I haven't bought any writer mags in a while I thought I'd invest in a couple and see if they'd gotten any better or worse.The March/April 2012 issue of Poets & Writers Magazine features a guide to writers retreats, how to choose the best residency, expert application advice, writing adventures and inspirational destinations. If you're lit and into it I imagine it's a great issue; I don't travel so it was wasted on me. I did find a bigger selection of no-fee sub ops (the best of which I posted yesterday) and there is an excellent article by author Maura Kelly on writer envy that should be required reading for anyone who can't kill their green-eyed monsters.
The April 2012 issue of The Writer Magazine had more appeal for the working writer with a section called The Fiction Answer Book that had some good advice, particularly for new writers. I also liked an excellent article featuring twenty ways to get instant writing motivation by Luc Reid; I may try some of these myself the next time I'm feeling like dodging my writing space. I was disappointed to see the Markets section had been devoted to conferences and workshops and offered sub op info for only four food magazine markets. There were also far too many first-person/my writing journey pieces packed in one issue.
I haven't bought an issue of Writer's Digest in fifteen years; this because back when I was unpubbed and clueless I responded to one of their ads that resulted in me nearly being swindled by Edit Ink. Their March/April 2012 issue reassured me that I have not missed much. Charles J. Shields has some decent advice on how to research like a pro, and the tri-authored "Mastering Voice" section was interesting even while I didn't agree with most of it (granted, voice is probably the toughest topic in the writing world to nail down.) I also enjoyed reading the long interview with author Mary Kay Andrews, enough that now I'll probably buy one of her books now. The rest of the content was either shilling Writer's Digest products, promoting Writer's Digest contests, or peddling the same old content dressed up with the same old carnival barker hoopla(Learn from the Pros! Secrets of Success! Transform Your Fiction!) Tiresome, really.
I think I'll look around the internet for some decent low- or no-cost e-zines. Does anyone subscribe to or hang out at any place online that they can recommend as a decent market/info/how-to resource for working writers? Please let us know in comments.
March 21, 2012
More Sub Ops Ten
Ten Things About Submission Opportunities
Arkansas Arts Council offers individual artists fellowships of up to $4,000.00 annually to Arkansas writers in alternating genres; in 2012 the awards will be given for novels. Writers who are at least 25 years of age and have lived in Arkansas for at least one year are eligible. Submit 15 to 20 pages of a novel, a one-page synopsis of the work, an artist statement and resume by April 20th, 2012. No entry fee; see web site for more details.
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council awards grants of up to $2,500.00 three times per year to allow Minnesota writers to take advantage of a specific arts opportunity, as well as fellowships of $2,500.00 to $5,000.00 annually, to poets, fiction writers and creative nonfiction writers who are U.S. citizens, at least 18 years of age and have lived in Aitkin, Carlton, cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake or St. Louis counties in northeastern Minnesota for at least six months are eligible. For the grants submit up to ten pages of poetry or fifteen pages of prose, a description of the opportunity or project, and a resume by March 30th, 2012; for the fellowships submit up to ten pages of poetry or fifteen pages of prose, a work statement and a resume by March 30th, 2012. No entry fee; see web site for more details.
Baton Rouge Area Foundation offers the Ernest J. Gaines Award, a prize of $10,000.00 given annually to an African American author for a book of fiction published during the previous year. Submit ten copies of a short story collection, a novel or a novella published in 2011 by April 30th, 2012. No entry free, see web site for the required entry form and more details.
Gemini Magazine is holding a short story contest: "Grand prize $1,000.00, second place $100.00, three honorable mentions. All Five Finalists Will Be Published in The June 2012 Issue of Gemini. No restrictions on content, style, genre or length. Flashes, novel excerpts, experimental, mainstream, literary, noir, romance—all types of short fiction are welcome. Simply send your best unpublished work by email or snail mail. We publish both new and established writers." There is an entry fee for this one, but it's $4.00 so it's not outrageous; see web site for more details. Deadline: March 31, 2012.
Lilith Magazine "welcomes unsolicited submissions of high-quality, lively writing: reportage, opinion pieces, memoirs, fiction and poetry on subjects of interest to Jewish women. Our features usually run no longer than 2,500 words. News briefs are 500 words or less. When submitting, please make sure your name and contact information appear on each page of the manuscript, and include a short bio: one to two sentences, written in the third person. We accept submissions year-round. While we prefer online submissions through this website, we continue to accept hard-copy submissions as well." [PBW notes: No info on payment, but it's an interesting market so it might be worth querying.] See guidelines page for more details.
Passaic County Community College offers the Paterson Fiction Prize of $1,000.00 given annually for a novel or short story collection published in the previous year. Publishers may submit books published in 2011 by April 1st, 2012. No entry fee, see web site for required entry form and more details.
Washington Center for the Book offers the Washington State Book Awards, prizes of $500.00 given annually for a book of poetry, fiction and nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) by writers who were born in Washington tate or have lived in the state for at least three years. Publishers or authors may submit six copies of books published in 2011 by April 1st, 2012. No entry free, see web site for required entry form and more details.
WinningWriters.com is holding their 11th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest: "Total cash prizes of $3,600 will be awarded, with a top prize of $1,500. This contest is free to enter. We accept entries online. Click here to submit your entry now. There is no fee to submit to the Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. Poets of all nations may enter. Your poem must be in English (inspired gibberish also accepted). Please enter only one poem during the submission period. Your poem may be of any length. Both published and unpublished work are welcome. First Prize of $1,500 and publication on WinningWriters.com (over one million page views per year); Second Prize of $800 and publication on WinningWriters.com; Third Prize of $400 and publication on WinningWriters.com; Twelve honorable mentions will receive $75 each and publication on WinningWriters.com." See guidelines for more details; deadline: April 1st, 2012.
Wordrunner e-Chapbooks has an open call for their June 2012 poetry echapbook; guidelines for which "will be posted by March 25. Submissions will be open from April 1 through May 21, 2012. General guidelines: At least one-fourth of any collection should be previously unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but only one submission per author." Payment: $65; they will also be posting open calls for Anthology and Memoir echapbooks later this year; see guidelines for more details.
The Writer's Center offers Emerging Writer Fellowships given annually to poets, fiction writers and creative nonfiction writers to give readings at the Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Fellows within a 250-mile radius of the center will receive a $250.00 honorarium, and all others will receive a $500.00 honorarium. Poets with up to three books and prose writers with up to two books published are eligible. For fellowships in fall 2012, submit up to ten pages of poetry or sixteen pages of prose, a cirriculum vitae, and a letter of interest by April 15th, 2012. No entry fee; see web site for more details.
Arkansas Arts Council offers individual artists fellowships of up to $4,000.00 annually to Arkansas writers in alternating genres; in 2012 the awards will be given for novels. Writers who are at least 25 years of age and have lived in Arkansas for at least one year are eligible. Submit 15 to 20 pages of a novel, a one-page synopsis of the work, an artist statement and resume by April 20th, 2012. No entry fee; see web site for more details.
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council awards grants of up to $2,500.00 three times per year to allow Minnesota writers to take advantage of a specific arts opportunity, as well as fellowships of $2,500.00 to $5,000.00 annually, to poets, fiction writers and creative nonfiction writers who are U.S. citizens, at least 18 years of age and have lived in Aitkin, Carlton, cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake or St. Louis counties in northeastern Minnesota for at least six months are eligible. For the grants submit up to ten pages of poetry or fifteen pages of prose, a description of the opportunity or project, and a resume by March 30th, 2012; for the fellowships submit up to ten pages of poetry or fifteen pages of prose, a work statement and a resume by March 30th, 2012. No entry fee; see web site for more details.
Baton Rouge Area Foundation offers the Ernest J. Gaines Award, a prize of $10,000.00 given annually to an African American author for a book of fiction published during the previous year. Submit ten copies of a short story collection, a novel or a novella published in 2011 by April 30th, 2012. No entry free, see web site for the required entry form and more details.
Gemini Magazine is holding a short story contest: "Grand prize $1,000.00, second place $100.00, three honorable mentions. All Five Finalists Will Be Published in The June 2012 Issue of Gemini. No restrictions on content, style, genre or length. Flashes, novel excerpts, experimental, mainstream, literary, noir, romance—all types of short fiction are welcome. Simply send your best unpublished work by email or snail mail. We publish both new and established writers." There is an entry fee for this one, but it's $4.00 so it's not outrageous; see web site for more details. Deadline: March 31, 2012.
Lilith Magazine "welcomes unsolicited submissions of high-quality, lively writing: reportage, opinion pieces, memoirs, fiction and poetry on subjects of interest to Jewish women. Our features usually run no longer than 2,500 words. News briefs are 500 words or less. When submitting, please make sure your name and contact information appear on each page of the manuscript, and include a short bio: one to two sentences, written in the third person. We accept submissions year-round. While we prefer online submissions through this website, we continue to accept hard-copy submissions as well." [PBW notes: No info on payment, but it's an interesting market so it might be worth querying.] See guidelines page for more details.
Passaic County Community College offers the Paterson Fiction Prize of $1,000.00 given annually for a novel or short story collection published in the previous year. Publishers may submit books published in 2011 by April 1st, 2012. No entry fee, see web site for required entry form and more details.
Washington Center for the Book offers the Washington State Book Awards, prizes of $500.00 given annually for a book of poetry, fiction and nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) by writers who were born in Washington tate or have lived in the state for at least three years. Publishers or authors may submit six copies of books published in 2011 by April 1st, 2012. No entry free, see web site for required entry form and more details.
WinningWriters.com is holding their 11th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest: "Total cash prizes of $3,600 will be awarded, with a top prize of $1,500. This contest is free to enter. We accept entries online. Click here to submit your entry now. There is no fee to submit to the Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. Poets of all nations may enter. Your poem must be in English (inspired gibberish also accepted). Please enter only one poem during the submission period. Your poem may be of any length. Both published and unpublished work are welcome. First Prize of $1,500 and publication on WinningWriters.com (over one million page views per year); Second Prize of $800 and publication on WinningWriters.com; Third Prize of $400 and publication on WinningWriters.com; Twelve honorable mentions will receive $75 each and publication on WinningWriters.com." See guidelines for more details; deadline: April 1st, 2012.
Wordrunner e-Chapbooks has an open call for their June 2012 poetry echapbook; guidelines for which "will be posted by March 25. Submissions will be open from April 1 through May 21, 2012. General guidelines: At least one-fourth of any collection should be previously unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but only one submission per author." Payment: $65; they will also be posting open calls for Anthology and Memoir echapbooks later this year; see guidelines for more details.
The Writer's Center offers Emerging Writer Fellowships given annually to poets, fiction writers and creative nonfiction writers to give readings at the Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Fellows within a 250-mile radius of the center will receive a $250.00 honorarium, and all others will receive a $500.00 honorarium. Poets with up to three books and prose writers with up to two books published are eligible. For fellowships in fall 2012, submit up to ten pages of poetry or sixteen pages of prose, a cirriculum vitae, and a letter of interest by April 15th, 2012. No entry fee; see web site for more details.
Back Online, Sub Ops
Hello, internet. Nice to see you again.
Now that I have a more reliable connection, here are a couple of sub ops I wanted to pass along:
The LBA Crime Fiction Competition: "Get represented by one of the UK's top literary agencies. Circalit, the crowd-sourcing platform for writers, has teamed up with literary agency, Luigi Bonomi Associates, to find talented new crime fiction writers. LBA is one of the UK's top literary agencies and well known for representing authors such as David Gibbins, Alan Titchmarsh,
James May, Richard Hammond and many others. Now Thomas Stofer, an agent at LBA, is on the lookout for crime fiction novels to turn into international best sellers. All you need is the first three chapters of your crime fiction work plus a detailed synopsis." Enter for free at Circalit.com here. Deadline: April 30th, 2012.
Also from Circalit, an open call for their short story anthology: "Circalit has announced the publication of a short story anthology for Autumn 2012. The Circalit Anthology will be read by over 10,000 subscribers and will be available in paperback and as an eBook. Any short story uploaded onto Circalit will automatically be considered for the anthology. Simply create an account at www.circalit.com and upload your short stories to be eligible." Deadline: March 31st, 2012.
So what's happening with you guys? Let us know in comments.
Now that I have a more reliable connection, here are a couple of sub ops I wanted to pass along:
The LBA Crime Fiction Competition: "Get represented by one of the UK's top literary agencies. Circalit, the crowd-sourcing platform for writers, has teamed up with literary agency, Luigi Bonomi Associates, to find talented new crime fiction writers. LBA is one of the UK's top literary agencies and well known for representing authors such as David Gibbins, Alan Titchmarsh,
James May, Richard Hammond and many others. Now Thomas Stofer, an agent at LBA, is on the lookout for crime fiction novels to turn into international best sellers. All you need is the first three chapters of your crime fiction work plus a detailed synopsis." Enter for free at Circalit.com here. Deadline: April 30th, 2012.
Also from Circalit, an open call for their short story anthology: "Circalit has announced the publication of a short story anthology for Autumn 2012. The Circalit Anthology will be read by over 10,000 subscribers and will be available in paperback and as an eBook. Any short story uploaded onto Circalit will automatically be considered for the anthology. Simply create an account at www.circalit.com and upload your short stories to be eligible." Deadline: March 31st, 2012.
So what's happening with you guys? Let us know in comments.
March 19, 2012
Technical Difficulties
We're having some problems with our internet connection, so I'm effectively unplugged until the service provider can figure out what's wrong. They tell me it should only take a day or two, but I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this causes.
March 16, 2012
Carry On
I'm taking the weekend off to attend a quilt show out of town, and will try to take lots of pics to post to the photoblog. Meanwhile, here's the lovely story behind Keep Calm and Carry On, the beloved slogan from a rare British WWII poster found by a bookstore owner.
March 15, 2012
Winner
The winner of the Discoveries Week Wrapup giveaway is:
Jennifer, who wrote: I'm not sure I could pick a favorite but if I did I think I'd say "whichever one I am reading at the moment."
Jennifer, when you have a chance please send your full name and ship-to address to LynnViehl@aol.com so I can get your package out to you. My thanks to everyone for joining in and making this week such fun for me. And that wraps it up. :)
Jennifer, who wrote: I'm not sure I could pick a favorite but if I did I think I'd say "whichever one I am reading at the moment."
Jennifer, when you have a chance please send your full name and ship-to address to LynnViehl@aol.com so I can get your package out to you. My thanks to everyone for joining in and making this week such fun for me. And that wraps it up. :)
March 14, 2012
Discoveries Week Wrapup: The Darkyn
Before we get to the last of my release week giveaways, let me take care of some winner announcements:
The winner of the Discoveries Week: Marjorie M. Liu giveaway is
CrystalGB, who wrote I always go back to the first romance genre (historicals) I read when I need comforting. I can escape to another time and place in those books.
The winner of the Discoveries Week: Rob Thurman giveaway is:
Vom Marlowe, who wrote I love audiobooks. My favorite is The Last Camel Died at Noon, written by Elizabeth Peters and read by Barbara Rosenblatt.
Crystal and Vom, when you have a chance please send your full name and ship-to address to LynnViehl@aol.com so I can get your prizes out to you. My thanks to everyone for joining in.
Wrapping up a release week is always a little bittersweet -- you're tired but happy, frazzled but relieved, and tapped out but quite thankful. According to my editor Nightborn did not make the Times list, which I suspected would happen, but the novel has made a very decent showing on Bookscan's BSL at #34. Nightborn also came in at #49 on the B&N overall mass market bestseller list and #11 on their romance mm list. Thanks to everyone who went out and bought the book; this was all your doing.
As my big finish for release week I'd like to pay tribute to my own Darkyn universe. It's a marvelous place filled with wonders, and I am delighted and so grateful to be writing in it again. To celebrate my return I've put together this prize package with lots of Nightborn and Darkyn goodies.
If you'd like a chance to win my wrapup giveaway, in comments to this post name your favorite Darkyn or Kyndred novel (or if you don't have one, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST tonight, March 15, 2012. I will draw one name at random from everyone who participates and send the winner signed copies of all seven novels in the original Darkyn series, all four novels in the Kyndred series, and Nightborn, the first novel in my Lords of the Darkyn trilogy. The winner will also receive a beautiful emerald tote bag handmade by murf56dubois, a window garden kit of French herbs to grow, several Darkyn-inspired BookLoops, an adorable stuffed bear and her little toy horse, a writer's words mug from Author Outfitters, and a lovely quilted apron like the one that inspired one particular scene in Nightborn. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.
The winner of the Discoveries Week: Marjorie M. Liu giveaway is
CrystalGB, who wrote I always go back to the first romance genre (historicals) I read when I need comforting. I can escape to another time and place in those books.
The winner of the Discoveries Week: Rob Thurman giveaway is:
Vom Marlowe, who wrote I love audiobooks. My favorite is The Last Camel Died at Noon, written by Elizabeth Peters and read by Barbara Rosenblatt.
Crystal and Vom, when you have a chance please send your full name and ship-to address to LynnViehl@aol.com so I can get your prizes out to you. My thanks to everyone for joining in.
Wrapping up a release week is always a little bittersweet -- you're tired but happy, frazzled but relieved, and tapped out but quite thankful. According to my editor Nightborn did not make the Times list, which I suspected would happen, but the novel has made a very decent showing on Bookscan's BSL at #34. Nightborn also came in at #49 on the B&N overall mass market bestseller list and #11 on their romance mm list. Thanks to everyone who went out and bought the book; this was all your doing.As my big finish for release week I'd like to pay tribute to my own Darkyn universe. It's a marvelous place filled with wonders, and I am delighted and so grateful to be writing in it again. To celebrate my return I've put together this prize package with lots of Nightborn and Darkyn goodies.
If you'd like a chance to win my wrapup giveaway, in comments to this post name your favorite Darkyn or Kyndred novel (or if you don't have one, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST tonight, March 15, 2012. I will draw one name at random from everyone who participates and send the winner signed copies of all seven novels in the original Darkyn series, all four novels in the Kyndred series, and Nightborn, the first novel in my Lords of the Darkyn trilogy. The winner will also receive a beautiful emerald tote bag handmade by murf56dubois, a window garden kit of French herbs to grow, several Darkyn-inspired BookLoops, an adorable stuffed bear and her little toy horse, a writer's words mug from Author Outfitters, and a lovely quilted apron like the one that inspired one particular scene in Nightborn. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.
Elsewhere Spilling Secrets
Today I'm over at Under the Covers book blog revealing for the first time a look at my glamorous life as an author and all the delights that I enjoyed on the release day for Nightborn last week. Stop in if you have a chance and you may win a signed copy of the novel along with this lovely tote and some other goodies.
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