Allie Boniface's Blog, page 40
September 12, 2012
Writers' Wednesday: It's Audio Book Day!
"What if everything you knew about your past turned out to be wrong?"
Wow, well for me today it truly IS audio book day, in more than one respect. First and most exciting, Summer's Song releases in audio book format today from Audio Lark! That means if you haven't read it yet, and perhaps you have a commute or a trip coming up where you'll be plugged into your iPod for a while, give it a download and a listen! (P.S. - this is my favorite book :) (Another P.S. - I think my cover is the best one on the front page of the website today....what do you think??)
Also, today over at Savvy Authors you'll find my third blog post in a series about audio books that's appeared over the last 3 months. This month is an interview with the owner of Audio Lark, Jennifer Feddersen, and she shares some really interesting tips and insight about the world of audio book production.
Finally, I'm in the midst of audio book file proofing as we speak! I'm going over the files for both One Night in Boston and One Night in Napa over the next 2-3 weeks, and they're scheduled for release in early 2013. I've done it a few times now, but I have to say that it never gets old, hearing someone else read your words out loud. Such a cool thing :)
Happy Wednesday, everyone! Buy yourself an audio book today!!
Wow, well for me today it truly IS audio book day, in more than one respect. First and most exciting, Summer's Song releases in audio book format today from Audio Lark! That means if you haven't read it yet, and perhaps you have a commute or a trip coming up where you'll be plugged into your iPod for a while, give it a download and a listen! (P.S. - this is my favorite book :) (Another P.S. - I think my cover is the best one on the front page of the website today....what do you think??)
Also, today over at Savvy Authors you'll find my third blog post in a series about audio books that's appeared over the last 3 months. This month is an interview with the owner of Audio Lark, Jennifer Feddersen, and she shares some really interesting tips and insight about the world of audio book production.
Finally, I'm in the midst of audio book file proofing as we speak! I'm going over the files for both One Night in Boston and One Night in Napa over the next 2-3 weeks, and they're scheduled for release in early 2013. I've done it a few times now, but I have to say that it never gets old, hearing someone else read your words out loud. Such a cool thing :)
Happy Wednesday, everyone! Buy yourself an audio book today!!
September 10, 2012
September 11th: Do You Remember?
Tomorrow, of course, is September 11th. Do you remember where you were 11 years ago on that day? It's amazing to me that I can still recall exactly what I was wearing, where I was standing, and who told me when the first plane hit the first tower. I remember so much, so many details as the hours unfolded, and I can't believe it's been 11 years. Feels like it was just a year ago. I still have a hard time thinking about it or reading about it without getting choked up.
Prayers today for all those were lost, all those who said goodbye to a loved one that never came home, and all those who worked tirelessly for days and months afterwards to try and help the country heal. We keep moving forward, but we never forget.
Prayers today for all those were lost, all those who said goodbye to a loved one that never came home, and all those who worked tirelessly for days and months afterwards to try and help the country heal. We keep moving forward, but we never forget.
September 7, 2012
Friday Fun Facts: Going Back to Work
"If you would thoroughly know anything, teach it to others."
(Tryon Edwards)
Ah, here we are: at the end of the first week of school. And what have I learned? Let's see....
That I don't talk nearly as much during the summer as during the school year. My throat is killing me after a full day of teaching!
That it's a challenge to wear heels again, after a summer in flip flops or bare feet. Ooh but legs are letting me know they're there!
That's is exhausting to be "on" for seven hours at a time, answering questions and fielding responses and having to constantly think about writing and words without much of a break.
That a classroom is a very cool place to be, because you never know what's coming out of a student's mouth at any given time.
That it is VERY difficult to teach in a room that's 80+ degrees and sweat is running down your back and you're really thinking about how soon you can walk down the hall to the air-conditioned office instead of helping students understand what a thesis sentence is and why it's so important.
That's it's nice to have the support of other teachers in the building who are bemoaning the same issues you are, and who desperately wait for the coffee to brew in the morning the same way you do.
That I have the best job in the world. Years ago, when I first started teaching, I used to think to myself that as long as my basic bills were paid, I would do the job for free. 15 years later, I still feel that way :)
(Tryon Edwards)
Ah, here we are: at the end of the first week of school. And what have I learned? Let's see....
That I don't talk nearly as much during the summer as during the school year. My throat is killing me after a full day of teaching!
That it's a challenge to wear heels again, after a summer in flip flops or bare feet. Ooh but legs are letting me know they're there!
That's is exhausting to be "on" for seven hours at a time, answering questions and fielding responses and having to constantly think about writing and words without much of a break.
That a classroom is a very cool place to be, because you never know what's coming out of a student's mouth at any given time.
That it is VERY difficult to teach in a room that's 80+ degrees and sweat is running down your back and you're really thinking about how soon you can walk down the hall to the air-conditioned office instead of helping students understand what a thesis sentence is and why it's so important.
That's it's nice to have the support of other teachers in the building who are bemoaning the same issues you are, and who desperately wait for the coffee to brew in the morning the same way you do.
That I have the best job in the world. Years ago, when I first started teaching, I used to think to myself that as long as my basic bills were paid, I would do the job for free. 15 years later, I still feel that way :)
September 5, 2012
Writers' Wednesday: Tips on Blog Tours and How to Deal with Being Orphaned
"We can smile even though we are hurting and we can feel happy even though we are unhappy. It's called strength." -Thea Destiny
OK, I did take Monday off in honor of Labor Day (and did some labor-intensive writing of my own...anyone else?)
For all you writers out there today, I wanted to pass share some info from the latest Romance Writers Report:
My local chapter member Jennifer Probst (and author of the wildly popular best-seller The Marriage Bargain) has a feature article on Successful Blog Tours. Among her pieces of advice: don't spread yourself too thin when you take on a blog tour for a new release; target your posts to the audience of the individual blogs; don't just re-process information in your posts (readers follow you!); give something away, because followers love prizes; and don't forget to thank your blog host!
Also, the article on being "orphaned" as an author hit home for me. If you are a writer, chances are you might lose your editor at some point. They move on. They make changes, they work up to other positions, and while that's great for them, sometimes it's not so great for their authors. I went through 2 editors at one publishing house. Both were great to work with, but my second one really "got" me and my books. She was a dream to work with, she loved my writing, and she contracted my projects and championed my work. I was so sad when she left :(
I approached my newly assigned editor professionally and with high hopes. Unfortunately, she and I didn't mesh. Over the next 3 years, she wasn't interested in anything I submitted to her. Finally, I moved on. Now, I have a new editor and a new publishing house, and I'm excited about the possibilties. What did I learn from this experience? The same things that are echoed in the RWR article: Always be professional, and don't give up. There are so many editors out there. Sometimes your new editor won't be a good match for you. That's just a sign that you're meant to sell that work to someone else. Don't be discouraged (believe me, I know it's tough not to be). Keep writing, keep going to conferences, keep honing your craft. You will sell again. You will!
Write on, friends :)
OK, I did take Monday off in honor of Labor Day (and did some labor-intensive writing of my own...anyone else?)
For all you writers out there today, I wanted to pass share some info from the latest Romance Writers Report:
My local chapter member Jennifer Probst (and author of the wildly popular best-seller The Marriage Bargain) has a feature article on Successful Blog Tours. Among her pieces of advice: don't spread yourself too thin when you take on a blog tour for a new release; target your posts to the audience of the individual blogs; don't just re-process information in your posts (readers follow you!); give something away, because followers love prizes; and don't forget to thank your blog host!
Also, the article on being "orphaned" as an author hit home for me. If you are a writer, chances are you might lose your editor at some point. They move on. They make changes, they work up to other positions, and while that's great for them, sometimes it's not so great for their authors. I went through 2 editors at one publishing house. Both were great to work with, but my second one really "got" me and my books. She was a dream to work with, she loved my writing, and she contracted my projects and championed my work. I was so sad when she left :(
I approached my newly assigned editor professionally and with high hopes. Unfortunately, she and I didn't mesh. Over the next 3 years, she wasn't interested in anything I submitted to her. Finally, I moved on. Now, I have a new editor and a new publishing house, and I'm excited about the possibilties. What did I learn from this experience? The same things that are echoed in the RWR article: Always be professional, and don't give up. There are so many editors out there. Sometimes your new editor won't be a good match for you. That's just a sign that you're meant to sell that work to someone else. Don't be discouraged (believe me, I know it's tough not to be). Keep writing, keep going to conferences, keep honing your craft. You will sell again. You will!
Write on, friends :)
August 31, 2012
Friday Fun Facts: Favorite Lines!
Well, despite school starting up again, I did manage to squeeze a little writing in this week. Here are some favorite sections:
"He grinned, and that was even worse, the last piece to the puzzle that lit up his face and made his green eyes dance with flirtation. I wonder if I felt this way back then? If I just walked into a room or saw him on the beach and melted? Probably. Ten years didn’t change that much. It wasn’t a century, just a slim ol’ decade tucked into her back pocket. Barely any time at all."
"At nineteen, he thought he’d been caught in something silly and young. Thought it might last, thought it might grow, and if by chance it didn’t, thought he’d say goodbye without regrets. Took him ten years to realize that something like that, and someone like Waverly, came along once in a lifetime. Now, older and grayer, he had no intention of screwing things up again, of letting someone else tell him what he could and couldn’t do or have or want."
*****
And here are some things I realized I need to adjust/change/delete when I go back through the story:
1. I need to make the heroine's inner fear more apparent in the small ways she acts from the start.
2. I need to hide the antagonist from the hero earlier in the story.
3. I need to give the antoagonist a few likable qualities instead of being purely bad.
4. I need to make the hero more flawed (even as my inner self wants him to be perfect! from the start!)
And so the writing journey continues...
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
"He grinned, and that was even worse, the last piece to the puzzle that lit up his face and made his green eyes dance with flirtation. I wonder if I felt this way back then? If I just walked into a room or saw him on the beach and melted? Probably. Ten years didn’t change that much. It wasn’t a century, just a slim ol’ decade tucked into her back pocket. Barely any time at all."
"At nineteen, he thought he’d been caught in something silly and young. Thought it might last, thought it might grow, and if by chance it didn’t, thought he’d say goodbye without regrets. Took him ten years to realize that something like that, and someone like Waverly, came along once in a lifetime. Now, older and grayer, he had no intention of screwing things up again, of letting someone else tell him what he could and couldn’t do or have or want."
*****
And here are some things I realized I need to adjust/change/delete when I go back through the story:
1. I need to make the heroine's inner fear more apparent in the small ways she acts from the start.
2. I need to hide the antagonist from the hero earlier in the story.
3. I need to give the antoagonist a few likable qualities instead of being purely bad.
4. I need to make the hero more flawed (even as my inner self wants him to be perfect! from the start!)
And so the writing journey continues...
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
August 29, 2012
Writers' Wednesday: The Persevering Heart
Hi folks! Because I am busy preparing lesson plans (and soon, grading first papers) AND trying to do a little writing on the side, today's post will consist of a fantastic picture/saying I found on Facebook the other day. I love it because I think it's true in so many elements of life: personal, professional, in terms of relationships and writing and moving on and new adventures and dealing with loss etc...
"No matter what happened yesterday, life’s relevance does not diminish. The persevering heart always gives it a new beginning." — Dodinsky
"No matter what happened yesterday, life’s relevance does not diminish. The persevering heart always gives it a new beginning." — Dodinsky
August 27, 2012
Monday Mentionables: A New Year Begins!
"There's no word in the language I revere more than 'teacher.' My heart sings when a kid refers to me as his teacher, and it always has. I've honored myself and the entire family of man by becoming a teacher." (Pat Conroy)
Ayayayay....where did the summer go? yes, I know: I was remiss last week in blogging, but I'm back now only to say it's the first day of school for me which means my whole lazy summer schedule has vanished for yet another year :(
Don't get me wrong; I love teaching. I also love that there's an ending to every year and a chance for rejuvenation before a whole new group of students arrives. And yes, I know many people out there will tell me to stop grumbling, because teachers have it so easy with summers off. To them I say, then you should be a teacher! Kidding aside, while it's certainly nice to have time off, I don't get paid during the summer, which means hubby and I either need to work side jobs to pay the bills or save and budget very carefully from September to June so that we have enough in our bank account to cover them. We don't, as some people think, get paid for sitting home and doing nothing.
Not like we're doing "nothing," by the way. More likely, if teachers aren't working a second (or third) job during the summer, we're spending our own time and money learning something we can use in school, taking classes, reading, visiting potential field trip sites, buying supplies for our classroom (out of our own money), or meeting with others to plan for a new year.
I'd also remind non-teachers that unlike many other professions, it is not a 9-5 job that we leave behind once we shut the classroom door for the day. After 7 or 8 hours of teaching, we either stay late to plan lessons, grade work, or prepare for the next day, or we load up our bags with work to do at home (sometimes both). This doesn't include the emotional ways we bring our work home with us either, contacting students with questions or concerns, emailing support staff for ways to reach troubled students, lying awake at night trying to think of a way to deal with the student who acts out because he's desperate for attention or failing every subject or thinking of commiting suicide or so panicked about getting into college he has anxiety attacks every week or...
Sigh.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to school starting up again, heartache and hard work and all. However, this also means I have less time to write, a definite downside, but it also means I will take full advantage of those slivers of time I do have.
By the way, we had a great time in Boston. One place we visited was the Sam Adams Brewery, and our tour guide, a fantastically energetic young guy who knew every detail of the place and all the beers, was none other than........a high school history teacher working a summer job!
Ayayayay....where did the summer go? yes, I know: I was remiss last week in blogging, but I'm back now only to say it's the first day of school for me which means my whole lazy summer schedule has vanished for yet another year :(
Don't get me wrong; I love teaching. I also love that there's an ending to every year and a chance for rejuvenation before a whole new group of students arrives. And yes, I know many people out there will tell me to stop grumbling, because teachers have it so easy with summers off. To them I say, then you should be a teacher! Kidding aside, while it's certainly nice to have time off, I don't get paid during the summer, which means hubby and I either need to work side jobs to pay the bills or save and budget very carefully from September to June so that we have enough in our bank account to cover them. We don't, as some people think, get paid for sitting home and doing nothing.
Not like we're doing "nothing," by the way. More likely, if teachers aren't working a second (or third) job during the summer, we're spending our own time and money learning something we can use in school, taking classes, reading, visiting potential field trip sites, buying supplies for our classroom (out of our own money), or meeting with others to plan for a new year.
I'd also remind non-teachers that unlike many other professions, it is not a 9-5 job that we leave behind once we shut the classroom door for the day. After 7 or 8 hours of teaching, we either stay late to plan lessons, grade work, or prepare for the next day, or we load up our bags with work to do at home (sometimes both). This doesn't include the emotional ways we bring our work home with us either, contacting students with questions or concerns, emailing support staff for ways to reach troubled students, lying awake at night trying to think of a way to deal with the student who acts out because he's desperate for attention or failing every subject or thinking of commiting suicide or so panicked about getting into college he has anxiety attacks every week or...
Sigh.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to school starting up again, heartache and hard work and all. However, this also means I have less time to write, a definite downside, but it also means I will take full advantage of those slivers of time I do have.
By the way, we had a great time in Boston. One place we visited was the Sam Adams Brewery, and our tour guide, a fantastically energetic young guy who knew every detail of the place and all the beers, was none other than........a high school history teacher working a summer job!
August 20, 2012
Monday Mentionables: I Need Some Boston Recommendations
"In Boston, they ask, how much does he know? In New York, how much is he worth? In Philadelphia, who were his parents?" (Mark Twain)
A couple of notes for writers this morning: All Romance Ebooks is seeking submissions from any "Passionate Cooks" out there for a cookbook they plan to release this fall. If you've got a great recipe(and at least one book listed for sale on their website), here's a way to get your name out there in front of readers AND cooks! More information here.
Savvy Authors has a whole bunch of pitch opportunities coming up in the next couple of weeks - here's the webpage for more details about who's looking for what.
And in a separate note, hubby and I will be spending a few days in Boston...any recommendations for "must-do" things while we're there? So far the only definites are the Sam Adams Brewery (for him) and the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat on the way there (for me)/ We've been to the city before, and are seeing friends so really only have one day downtown, but if you've been there (or live there!) and have some good recommendations, give a holler!
August 17, 2012
Friday Fun Facts: Studying the Craft
"Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret." (Matthew Arnold)
So I'm currently taking an online course titled "What Does Nora Roberts Know That You Don't?" offered through Lowcountry RWA. Like attending conferences, classes, workshops, and the like are great ways to jump start your writing. This one's only 3 weeks long, but our instructor has packed a lot in already. As a published author, I've already heard and used some of the techniques she's talking about. But there's ALWAYS something new to learn and apply. With a background in Hollywood and movie production, she's got a lot to say about story structure, archetypal characters every story needs, and scenes every story arc must have.
I can see where it's easy to get bogged down, though, especially if you do a lot of reading or studying. Different 'great' teachers have different techniques they swear by, and a lot of the newer/unpublished writers on the class loop with me are getting confused. I think the best thing is to read over as much writing instruction as you can and filter out what works for you. Continue to learn, of course, but don't spend so much time weaving this strategy with that one that you confuse yourself only to end up writing and rewriting the first few chapters over and over again.
Turn off your inner editor and let yourself go. Come back later and edit that page, using the strategies you've learned in moderation, and one at a time. Speaking of getting words down on the page, I've been tinkering with a sequal project to Beacon of Love, which is coming out next year. This one is tentatively titled Inferno of Love and gives one of my favorite minor characters from the first book his own story. This is also the first time I've written a sequel to any of my books, and I'm finding it a lot of fun! It's neat to go back to a town and characters I already know and see what they've been up to in the three years since the other book finished...
So I'm currently taking an online course titled "What Does Nora Roberts Know That You Don't?" offered through Lowcountry RWA. Like attending conferences, classes, workshops, and the like are great ways to jump start your writing. This one's only 3 weeks long, but our instructor has packed a lot in already. As a published author, I've already heard and used some of the techniques she's talking about. But there's ALWAYS something new to learn and apply. With a background in Hollywood and movie production, she's got a lot to say about story structure, archetypal characters every story needs, and scenes every story arc must have.
I can see where it's easy to get bogged down, though, especially if you do a lot of reading or studying. Different 'great' teachers have different techniques they swear by, and a lot of the newer/unpublished writers on the class loop with me are getting confused. I think the best thing is to read over as much writing instruction as you can and filter out what works for you. Continue to learn, of course, but don't spend so much time weaving this strategy with that one that you confuse yourself only to end up writing and rewriting the first few chapters over and over again.
Turn off your inner editor and let yourself go. Come back later and edit that page, using the strategies you've learned in moderation, and one at a time. Speaking of getting words down on the page, I've been tinkering with a sequal project to Beacon of Love, which is coming out next year. This one is tentatively titled Inferno of Love and gives one of my favorite minor characters from the first book his own story. This is also the first time I've written a sequel to any of my books, and I'm finding it a lot of fun! It's neat to go back to a town and characters I already know and see what they've been up to in the three years since the other book finished...
August 15, 2012
Writers' Wednesday: New Cover Art!
“Just give me a thousand words and you may make your own pictures.” (Erica Goros)
Ooh, look! I just got my cover from Audio Lark for Summer's Song, which releases in audio book format September 12th!
What I love about this cover is that it suggests a few important things about the story: that it's set in a small rural town, that it's about coming home (walking the road back home) and that it's set in the middle of a hot & steamy summer. Love the bare legs :) Also, I think the idea that it's a sweet romance comes across as well. It's interesting to take a look at the ebook/print book cover that Samhain did (over there on the right sidebar) - so different, right?? I love different artists' interpretations of a story!
Ooh, look! I just got my cover from Audio Lark for Summer's Song, which releases in audio book format September 12th!
What I love about this cover is that it suggests a few important things about the story: that it's set in a small rural town, that it's about coming home (walking the road back home) and that it's set in the middle of a hot & steamy summer. Love the bare legs :) Also, I think the idea that it's a sweet romance comes across as well. It's interesting to take a look at the ebook/print book cover that Samhain did (over there on the right sidebar) - so different, right?? I love different artists' interpretations of a story!
