Edward Hoornaert's Blog, page 56

As sure as strawberry poutine #MWTease

Welcome to the Midweek Tease blog hop, courtesy of Angelica Dawson.  Writers post teasers about their newest release, or their work-in-progress, or their backlist.

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I’m posting another tease from my near-future romance, Newborn. Jo Beaverpaw has been programmed to assassinate her alien world’s most wanted fugitive. After an accidental fall, she wakes up in hospital, where’s she guarded by Darby Lapierre, her target’s bodyguard — and thus her enemy.  Because Jo was born to kill, not love, her programming tells her little about everyday life.  Here she seeks Darby’s help learning about the world.

“Will you teach me about the world?” I repeated. If he agreed to help me, he’d do it for his own reasons. Perhaps to learn how to stop me. Or maybe — probably not, but maybe — because he liked me a little. At the moment I didn’t care why, so long as he said yes. His hand rested on the bedside table; I pulled my arm from under the covers and covered it with my own. “Please?”

He stared at our joined hands and then pulled his away. “No funny business, eh?”

“I don’t know any jokes.”

He laughed as though I’d just made one. “I’m sure as strawberry poutine not the best person for the job, but . . . okay. I’ll try to teach you the ways of my world, as long as it doesn’t interfere with my other duties.”

His duties. Guilt slithered over me. My duty was to kill Squitt. His was to keep me from killing Squitt.  Awareness of my Destiny made me close my eyes and shudder.

Click here to view teasers from other great writers exercising their powers to tease you.

Newborn

She was born to kill. Not love.

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Jo Beaverpaw is born fully dressed, well-armed, and impatient to tackle her Destiny: killing her alien nation’s most wanted fugitive. Her programmers want her to live a few hours, kill, then die.

But something goes wrong.

Darby Lapierre has the thankless task of protecting Jo’s target while the woman heals from being shot. It’s a hard job, but not impossible for a tough ex-cop like Darby.

Until, that is, Jo shows up at the private hospital after an accident. Beautiful, naive, young Jo knows nothing about life and love, and wants Darby to teach her. Just until she’s well enough to attack her Destiny, of course.

And then Darby will be in her way . . . .

Rejected? Five ways to overcome the sting

[image error]Today, I’m pleased as punch to hand my blog over to a very special  writer, my son, Chris Hoornaert, who investigates what science has to say about an issue of importance to all writers:

Rejection!

Whether its a curt note from an editor, agent, or simply a bad review, we’ve all felt its viperous sting. So how do we cope?

Let me turn it over now to Chris.

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Five Ways to Overcome the Sting of Rejection

“You have no business being a writer and should give up.” Zane Grey ignores the advice. There are believed to be over 250 million copies of his books in print.

You’ve slaved for countless hours over your masterpiece, pondering every detail. This work has been your driving purpose. In your mind, the division between you and your work has blurred completely. And then the answer arrives. The editor responds to your prized submission with a “thanks, but no thanks”. You have been rejected. How are you going to cope?

We are biologically conditioned to fear rejection. Our early ancestors risked death if they were rejected by their tribe. We carry this fear with us today. Rejection hurts.

Rejection is also necessary. Success isn’t possible without it. Learning to cope with rejection is one of the most important life skills we can master. Here are five ways that we can deal with it better.

Use positive affirmations

One study found that doing positive affirmations effectively reduces the negative thoughts associated with a negative event (1). These affirmations can be done before or after being rejected. On a daily basis, we should remind ourselves of what we do well. It is also important to remember our core values. These core values are the foundation that will keep us strong through the good and the bad. And these things can’t be taken away from us, no matter how many times we hear the word “no”.

“An absurd and uninteresting fantasy which was rubbish and dull.” Rejection letter sent to William Golding for The Lord Of The Flies.

Look at the experience through the eyes of an optimist

A pessimist will look at rejection as the result of some internal flaw. Or perhaps think rejection is simply inevitable.

However, an optimist likely views the rejection as a learning experience. Or perhaps this is just a minor setback on the path to eventual success. They will still feel disappointment, but for an optimist each rejection is a building block towards something better.

Optimism is not a cure-all, but one of the scientifically proven benefits of optimism is increased resilience (2). And resilience is something that we all need when dealing with rejection. So even if we are not naturally optimistic, we should try to look at rejection in a more positive light.

Reframe this rejection as the result of circumstances and not an inherent personal weakness. It is also good to remember that by putting ourselves on the line, we gave this person an excellent opportunity. The fact they didn’t take advantage is their loss. Believe that the next person will benefit from the previous person’s mistake.

“Our united opinion is entirely against the book. It is very long, and rather old-fashioned.” Publisher rejects Moby Dick by Herman Melville.

Meditate

We are social animals. We need to feel socially connected. This is one reason that rejection hurts so badly. If we feel more connected in our daily lives, however, rejection may have less

A study at Stanford University showed that doing Loving-Kindness meditation made people feel more connected and less isolated (3). Meditation is often viewed as a solitary activity. With Loving-Kindness meditation, participants send good thoughts and wishes towards other people. When done on a daily basis, study participants reported feeling more compassion and empathy. And the more compassion and empathy we have, the less estranged we will feel from others.

“An absurd story as romance, melodrama or record of New York high life.” Publisher rejects The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald.

Take action in the face of fear

There are some of us who avoid taking chances due to the anticipation of failure. The thought of being told “no” can seem overwhelming. Our brains can conjure up the most tragic disaster scenarios. We may think to ourselves “what if my boss says no to my raise request and gives me a pink slip instead”. These fears can paralyze us.

But such disaster scenarios rarely play out in real life. It can be effective to simply remind ourselves of a time when we feared something, but it turned out OK. Disaster is not imminent.

And remember, the rejections we deal with today can’t kill us. In many cases, our fear of the unknown is the scariest thing. Taking action reduces fear, even when the outcome isn’t what we want. Getting a harsh rejection from an editor is definitely unpleasant. But it is also a learning experience. A learning experience we would miss if we don’t even submit our book or article in the first place.

“I haven’t the foggiest idea about what the man is trying to say. Apparently the author intends it to be funny.” Publisher rejects Catch-22 by Joseph Heller.

Seek moral support

Sometimes the right words at the right time are invaluable. Close friends and family members can show us the forest, when we only see the trees. Simple words of encouragement can quickly restore our confidence and sense of balance.

There is no shame in rejection, so sharing with people we trust is critical. Hearing words, such as “they are stupid for not hiring you” can be surprisingly cathartic. An outside viewpoint can put everything in focus. Simply put, we need to find people who are rooting for us.

“We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell.” Stephen King’s Carrie sells 1 million in the first year alone.

Nobody said it was easy

Each of us have a different tolerance for rejection. Perhaps in certain circumstances, we can gracefully cope. But in others situations, we fall apart. Going after something we value and being told “no” is never easy. So when needed, call upon these five methods. If we resolutely face our fear of rejection, the fear will diminish. And soon rejection may be nothing more than a pebble on the road to success.

“Too different from other juveniles on the market to warrant its selling.” A rejection letter sent to Dr Seuss

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What about you — do you need moral support? Or do you want to share your juiciest, nastiest, most absurd rejection?  Tell us about it in a comment, or contact Chris at his website.

References

Hutcherson, C. A., Seppala, E. M., & Gross, J. J. (2008). Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. Emotion, 8(5), 720.

Koole, S. L., Smeets, K., Van Knippenberg, A., & Dijksterhuis, A. (1999). The cessation of rumination through self-affirmation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(1), 111.

Tugade, M. M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2007). Regulation of positive emotions: Emotion regulation strategies that promote resilience. Journal of Happiness Studies, 8(3), 311-333.

Effing Feline gets the bird

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Fart-Fueled Flying Feline, Effing for short, writes the Weekend Writing Warrior / Sunday Snippet posts on Mr. V’s behalf. Click the pic for info.

I, Effing Feline, dreamt I chased a bird — and caught it!

I don’t know how I got outside.  That’s the way of dreams, you know?  Birds love the olive tree with seven trunks outside our floor-to-ceiling window, and in my dream I saw the world’s biggest bird sitting in the tree.  I leaped.  Extended my claws.

Caught the bird!

Today, another snippet from Ed’s WIP, Secrets of Love and War. The captured human bomber pilot, Norse Malstrom, awoke in hospital, groggy and drugged up.  He fought the well-meaning alien doctors, thinking they were monsters.

The doctors ask Cynthia to try to get him safely back in bed — and he does not think she’s a monster.

The alien-sounding hiss of hell’s doorway jerked Norse to hands and knees.  He had to fight!

With a supreme effort that seemed to leave half his flesh torn and quivering on the floor, he lunged to his feet.  Turned to the door.

But it was a beautiful woman.  A saint, an Angel of Splendor.

He stumbled into the angel’s arms.  As she guided him to lay on a smotheringly soft gurney, he tried to stroke her cheek but he lacked the strength to do anything but lie there and leak tears of gratitude.

But with another supreme effort, when her angelic face was close to his as she strapped him in, he croaked out two words.

“Thank you.”

Effing Feline here again.  My dream turned into a nightmare — for this is the bird I ‘caught,’ and he was bigger than me!

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Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday authors.

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My spiritual home #mfrw

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It’s all downhill from here; we’re more than halfway through the year-long Marketing for Romance Writers blog hop. For week 27, the writing prompt is:

The Most Beautiful Place I’ve Been

This is the easiest yet.

Banff.

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The author at Lake Louise in Banff Park

Not the port in Scotland, the national park in Canada. The first time I saw those mountains, awe filled my heart and has never left.

My wife and I honeymooned in the town of Banff, inside the park. We’ve been back dozens of times. It’s my spiritual home.

I love Banff so much that I parodied it in a book released a year ago. Escapee is a science fiction romance patterned after the classic movie, The African Queen — except that the roles are reversed:

The crusty boat captain played by Humphrey Bogart is now a crusty female airship captain.
The strict missionary played by Katherine Hepburn is now a by-the-book male army officer.

Instead of the African jungle, they face the dangers of a large, uninhabitable mining moon ravaged by volcanoes. And I named this hellhole . . . Banff.

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You can leave now if you wish; the rest of this post is optional. Since this is a marketing blog, I hope you’ll forgive me for including two of my marketing products for Escapee. At right, a ‘travel poster’  and below, the book’s ad copy.

Escapee

Catt Sayer just wants to survive.  The working-class fugitive delivers military supplies on a decrepit airship, but her hard-won livelihood vanishes when invaders overrun her harsh moon. Even worse, an idealistic, upper-class officer wants her to risk her life on a hopeless trek to attack enemy headquarters – manned by 10,000 soldiers!

If you like The African Queen and the thrill of underdogs finding love while battling a hostile environment, you’ll love Escapee. The novel is a finalist for the 2017 RONE Award.

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Avenging Angel #mwtease

Welcome to the Midweek Tease blog hop, courtesy of Angelica Dawson.  Writers post teasers about their newest release, or their work-in-progress, or their backlist.

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I’m posting another tease from my near-future romance, Newborn. In previous teases, you’ve met Jo Beaverpaw, who’s been programmed to assassinate her alien world’s most wanted fugitive. After an accidental fall, she wakes up in hospital, where’s she guarded by Darby Lapierre, her target’s bodyguard — and thus her enemy.

Because Jo was born to kill, not love, her programming tells her little about everyday life.  Here she seeks Darby’s help learning about the world. I’ll let you form your own opinion about whether she’s sincere in seeking his help, or is running a scam.

Although the sheet covered my shameful nakedness, I pulled a pillow over my chest. I took a deep breath and slowly stared up, way up, to meet Darby’s gaze. His lips had thinned in concern and his eyes were warm with compassion.

That confused me. “Aren’t you my enemy?”

“No, of course not.” Like reassuring a child.

My head felt better now that I was sitting down, but my legs growled with pain and the echoes of sobs still trembled inside me. But a jolt of hope gave me strength. If he truly wasn’t my enemy—if!—then perhaps he might be my friend. “Then help me, Darby. I know nothing.”

“Don’t give it a second thought. You’re confused because you had a bad fall.”

“You don’t understand. I know nothing. Not my last name. Not who my friends or family are, nor even if I have any. I don’t remember anything before I awoke in the woods yesterday.”

“You’re claiming you have amnesia?” Clearly skeptical, he emphasized the second syllable.

I stared at my hands as I wrung them. Although he said he wasn’t my enemy, I knew somewhere deep inside—as deep as my broken bones—that he wouldn’t let me kill Squitt. That made him the foe of my Destiny. Of all that was good and right in the world. And yet light from the hallway limned him with an angelic glow.

I was an angel, too—an avenging angel—but I didn’t glow. I let the pillow slip to the floor and looked down at myself. Definitely no glow.

Click here to view teasers from other great writers exercising their powers to tease you.

Newborn

She was born to kill. Not love.

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Jo Beaverpaw is born fully dressed, well-armed, and impatient to tackle her Destiny: killing her alien nation’s most wanted fugitive. Her programmers want her to live a few hours, kill, then die.

But something goes wrong.

Darby Lapierre has the thankless task of protecting Jo’s target while the woman heals from being shot. It’s a hard job, but not impossible for a tough ex-cop like Darby.

Until, that is, Jo shows up at the private hospital after an accident. Beautiful, naive, young Jo knows nothing about life and love, and wants Darby to teach her. Just until she’s well enough to attack her Destiny, of course.

And then Darby will be in her way . . . .

Effing Feline celebrates Canada Day

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Fart-Fueled Flying Feline, Effing for short, writes the Weekend Writing Warrior / Sunday Snippet posts on Mr. V’s behalf. Click the pic for info.

I, Effing Feline, wish you a happy Canada Day. What’s that you say? You didn’t know July 1 is Canada Day? And you know nothing about Canada?

[image error]In truth, there’s only one thing you need to know. It’s cold, so there are radiators. We cats love radiators.

Today, another snippet from Ed’s WIP, Secrets of Love and War. Last week, the captured human bomber pilot awoke in hospital and mistook alien doctors for monsters.

Cynthia O’Connor lives on the alien world. She is visiting her clan sister in hospital (yes, Kaushelle survived) and she hears human screams. When she investigates, she meets doctors who had fled the pilot’s violence.

“We are charged with healing the pilot who bombed Peace to All Species Park,” the doctor with blue hair said, “but now –“

“He survived?” Cynthia said.  “I hoped he was dead.”

“Humans excel in designing armor to protect themselves.” Sky Blue dipped his upper body as though complimenting her personally. “My team was removing him from the regenerator to bathe the chemicals off his skin when he suddenly awoke.  He fights us, calls us monsters — us! — but perhaps one of his own species . . . ?”

When she understood the unspoken question, Cynthia’s skin crawled as though attacked by a swarm of shit-slitherers. But she’d do anything to make amends for the pain and damage her species had caused.

“Of course I’ll help you deal with him,” she said, proud of her self-control — until another vile curse bellowed from the room and made her shiver in revulsion.

[image error]Effing Feline here again. Ed, my pet human, used to live in Canada, and he told me about the Great White North. Here’s what he said: “Blah blah cold blah blah ice blah blah snow.” Yawn.

I repeat: radiators.

Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday authors.

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Patty Jansen is Australian, not Canadian, yet she’s running one of her excellent science fiction promotions July first and second. Over a hundred books are 99c — including Alien Contact for Kid Sisters, which is reduced by 66%. Click the picture to find Kid Sisters in the science fiction romance section.

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Alien Contact for Kid Sisters

Fleeing murderous rebels, the queen’s sister finds a hero to save her — or is he kidnapping her, instead?

Marianne Harmon dreams of being a warrior rather than the pampered kid sister of the queen, but when rebels strike, she’s thrust into a more dangerous adventure than she’d bargained for. Can she trust the man in a Royal Guardian’s uniform who’s trying to save her . . . or seduce her . . . or maybe even kidnap her?

If you like romantic adventures like Romancing the Stone, you’ll love Alien Contact for Kid Sisters.

Because writers are crazy #MFRW

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Imagine that — we’re halfway through the year-long Marketing for Romance Writers blog hop. For week 26, the writing prompt is:

Why I Write

Fame? Fortune?

Uh, no. The latter would be welcome, of course, but there are easier and more surefire ways to get rich. Robbing banks. Printing your own money. Becoming a CEO.

The real reason I write has to do with the kind of person I am.

No excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness. — Aristotle

Now, I’m not saying I’m insane. Of course not!  It’s just that some of the things I do kind of court madness. The link between creativity and insanity has long captivated people, going all the way back to Aristotle.

The creative person is both more primitive and more cultivated, more destructive, a lot madder and a lot saner, than the average person. — Frank Barron

The idea of the mad artist, the tormented musician or the tortured writer continues to hold a strong grip on the human imagination.Seeing that I’m a musician as well as an author that makes me doubly mad, right?

The extreme limit of wisdom–that is what the public calls madness. — Jean Cocteau

While writing a book, I spend hundreds of hours getting to know people who don’t exist. You have to admit, that’s madness.

The truly creative person is one who can think crazy. — Frank Goble

It’s fairly common for children to have imaginary friends. But adults? That is thinking crazy!

What garlic is to salad, insanity is to art. — Augustus Saint-Gaudens

I don’t care much for garlic. The “insanity” that is art, though — that I can’t do without. So if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to return to my office with its nice soft walls and commune with the nonexistent.

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Click here to check out the other nut jobs taking part in this blog hop — and help me celebrate my SF romance, Escapee, becoming a RONE finalist.

2017 RONE Finalist — Escapee

I am delighted to announce that Escapee (Repelling the Invasion #2) is a finalist in the science fiction category for the 2017 RONE Award.

[image error]The RONE (Reward of Novel Excellence) is an annual award contest run by InD’Tale Magazine.  Throughout the year the InD’tale reviewers read and rate independent books. All books that receive a 5-Star review automatically final in their category. In addition, books that receive a 4-Star or 4.5-Star review are nominees which go through a round of reader voting.

My science fiction romance, Escapee, received a 5-star review and so automatically finaled in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi category this year.

All finalists are read by a panel of industry judges (editors, agents, librarians, etc.). Their scores determine the RONE Award Winners. Winners will be announced during InD’Scribe Con in October.

Huge congratulations to finalists in the various categories. A huge thanks to InD’Tale Magazine!

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Escapee

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Catt Sayer just wants to survive.  The working-class fugitive delivers military supplies on a decrepit airship, but her hard-won livelihood vanishes when invaders overrun her harsh moon. Even worse, an idealistic, upper-class officer wants her to risk her life on a hopeless trek to attack enemy headquarters — manned by 10,000 soldiers!

Edward Hoornaert’s romantic space opera, Escapee, is a standalone book that continues the saga of the Dukelsky family (begun in The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station).  If you like The African Queen and the thrill of underdogs finding love while battling a hostile environment, you’ll love Escapee.

Don’t let this rousing tale escape you.  Capture Escapee today.

Amazon  |  Canada  |  UK  |  Australia
MuseItUp Publishing
Apple iBooks
Barnes and Noble
Kobo Books

You’re a Hitman? #MWTEASE

Welcome to the Midweek Tease blog hop, courtesy of Angelica Dawson.  Writers post teasers about their newest release, or their work-in-progress, or their backlist.

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I’m posting again from my near-future romance, Newborn. In previous teases, you’ve met Jo Beaverpaw, who’s been programmed to assassinate her alien world’s most wanted fugitive. After an accidental fall, she wakes up in hospital, where’s she guarded by Darby Lapierre, her target’s bodyguard. Because Jo was born to kill, not love, her programming tells her little about everyday life.

Today’s tease follows two previous teases that ended like so:

As Darby reached me, my hospital gown fluttered to the carpet.
I would’ve fallen to the floor if he hadn’t put his arms around me.  I gasped. Arousal. Darby’s touch aroused me.

Here’s Jo, with her hospital gown on the floor and only Darby nearby:

“Help me,” I said. “Please.”

“You want to go back to your room? Sure, let’s get you up.”

Pointedly not looking at me, Darby touched my elbow and tried to help me stand. My limbs shrieked a protest. I winced. He grabbed my other elbow, but still I remained in a crouch.

Wasting no more time, he put one arm behind my back, the other under my knees, and lifted me as though my weight was nothing. My breast flattened against his shirt, and that simple contact surprised me with unexpected pleasure. I draped my unbroken arm around his neck as he carried me back to my room.

My head was close to his. Stubble darkened his cheeks like the stumps of a clear-cut forest. His chin and jawbone bore three white scars where his beard didn’t grow. Wondering how he’d gotten them, I imagined a heroic fist fight.

With the gentle care of the mother I would never have, he sat me on the bed and pulled a sheet over me. I hunched my shoulders, trying to hide my hideous body.

“I’ll get Dr. Hentzle for you.”

“No!”

“But you need help. You’re in pain.”

“The pain of humiliation,” I said in a tiny voice. “I’ll press the call button if I need the doctor.”

“Well, if you’re sure…” He paused, then turned to go.

“Am I so hideous, then?” I asked in a miserable whisper. More sobs shook my body.

His back to me, he stopped. He stood there so long I thought he wasn’t going to answer. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Your face, your body…” He cleared his throat. “You’re perfect.”

I didn’t believe him.

He turned to me but didn’t look at my body, only my face, and his eyes were narrow and suspicious. “You’re trying to seduce me, is that it? To distract me from my duty, because you’re you a hitman?”

Click here to view teasers from other great writers exercising their powers to tease you.

Newborn

She was born to kill. Not love.

[image error]

Jo Beaverpaw is born fully dressed, well-armed, and impatient to tackle her Destiny: killing her alien nation’s most wanted fugitive. Her programmers want her to live a few hours, kill, then die.

But something goes wrong.

Darby Lapierre has the thankless task of protecting Jo’s target while the woman heals from being shot. It’s a hard job, but not impossible for a tough ex-cop like Darby.

Until, that is, Jo shows up at the private hospital after an accident. Beautiful, naive, young Jo knows nothing about life and love, and wants Darby to teach her. Just until she’s well enough to attack her Destiny, of course.

And then Darby will be in her way . . . .

.

Effing Feline is sleepy

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Fart-Fueled Flying Feline, Effing for short, writes the Weekend Writing Warrior / Sunday Snippet posts on Mr. V’s behalf. Click the pic for info.

I, Effing Feline, am exhausted.  You see, I stayed up all night kneading my claws on Ed’s leg and chasing a ping-pong ball around his bedroom and playing with him by jumping on the bed to enjoy his startled yelps.  Now, in the glare of daylight, I’m typing this with one eye half open.

Today, another snippet from Secrets of Love and War — the kernel from which the WIP sprouted, actually.  While Mr V was semi-awake in hospital last fall, the nurses seemed, just for an instant, like malignant monsters.

Realizing that this was how a pilot might feel when awakening in hospital after getting shot down over an alien world, the story idea sprang to life. When Mr V told the nurse about his story idea, she laughed.

Norse Malstrom wondered how he’d gotten into hell, but the thought lasted only a nanosecond, vaporized by the nightmarish horror of seeing demons hover over him.

Monsters.

Leaning toward him.

They held gleaming instruments of torture . . . raised them . .  aimed them . . .

Fury filled him.  He slammed his fist into shoulder of the nearest stick-like demon.  It crumpled under his unholy wrath. Another ghoul, its ugly face made of leather and hatred, almost plunged a needle into his thigh but he grasped its evil neck and tossed it like discarded toilet paper at another pair of devils who cowered in the face of his unrighteous human fury.

Then by magic they were gone, vanished into warm, wet air like the supernatural ghosts they were.

Effing Feline here again. I have nothing witty to add.  Too sleepy.  So go away, already, and visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday posts.