A.M. Ruggirello's Blog, page 8

What To Do When You Find Yourself in an Unexpected HEA?

That’s the predicament I found myself in this morning. After altering a small stylistic element to my story, I gained a small bout of inspiration and continued writing an out-of-the-blue scene. A little background: I define my story as a literary/scientific take on vampires, with only hints of romance, so that’s definitely not the focus. Yes, there’s sexual tension, and yes, there’s the beginnings of what could be a romantic relationship, but I never truly dive into it. At least not in this book. Or so I thought.

That’s where my predicament comes into play.

As I was writing, I stumbled upon what might be a Happily Ever After ending to my story, something I never anticipated. I’m not a Happily Ever After kinda gal. I prefer more of the realistic take, that HEAs happen, but might not be as common as you think. And I clearly define vampires as being solo creatures, where it’s rare that they actually pair off. Que predicament.

That’s the purpose of this blog post (besides rambling like crazy). I’m hoping to reach out to authors and editor friends, alike, to get an opinion. If a story doesn’t have a lot of super sweet romantic moments in it, is it out of place to add one in at the end? Or is the contrast refreshing, and a good change of pace? On the reverse side, is it okay to have a seemingly HEA now, only to completely (maybe) destroy it in book two?

Ah, the predicament.

As a reader, do you prefer HEAs? Are you okay with faux/temporary HEAs? Lemme know! I could sure use a new perspective

LakeFly Literary Conference

Guys, I’m doing it. I’ve decided to break out of my introverted, anxiety-ridden shell and take a step towards interacting with people—real live people—by taking book pitches at the local LakeFly Literary Conference. The conference runs May 13 and 14th, however, I’ll be most active (taking pitches and helping REUTS Editorial Director Kisa Whipkey at our book selling REUTS books) on Saturday, so if you’re in the area, stop by to say hello! learn a little more about your craft, and pick up some awesome indie books.

Interested in pitching to me? I’m most interested in New Adult titles (though YA with a more mature feel can make the pass, too), within the following genres: paranormal, fantasy/sci-fi, humor, magic realism. REUTS Publishes all genres within the YA/NA range, but you’re more likely to hit a home run with me if you pitch within the above

Will I see you there? (I hope so!)

 

Why Covers Tend to Look the Same

I’m a designer across multiple platforms, so I spend a lot of time in different states of creativity. Every time of art has groups of similarities, whether it be pop music featuring a familiar beat, or portfolio websites all featuring parallax scrolling, and everything in between. Since my main focus is book production, I thought I’d take a look at book covers, and why so frequently we see similarities—and sometimes even blatant copies—within the same genres.

We’re all familiar with the old adage “never judge a book by its cover.” But, guess what, we all do it, and not just with books. The entire advertising industry is built upon your first impression, and it being positive enough for you to part with your hard-earned dollars. Same goes for publishing. Recognition is important. If, from across the room, you can determine a book’s key genre, and even it’s intended audience age, the cover artist and publisher have succeeded in their duties. Why? Because a glance can be as quick as a few seconds, sometimes even shorter, and you’ve already been able to analyze and categorize their book—whether it’s up your alley, or not. That’s more powerful and explains a lot more than even a title or tagline (the second elements a reader sees when perusing for a new book).

Same goes for publishing. Recognition is important.

This explains why the YA dystopian genres feature cracks, and concrete, and decrepit cities. Why most contemporary romances are light, bright and sunny, often featuring two or more people. I’ve seen it far too often, virtually the same cover for two different books within the same genre. Or—gasp—two different books using the same stock photography. It happens more than you think!

Sure, there are books that break the mold and are able to stand out from the rest, but they also have to work harder. I’m guilty of it, too. But that’s not always a bad thing. There’s another saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” right?

Why #ILoveTwitter.

Twitter recently celebrated a milestone anniversary and, with it, started trending the #ILoveTwitter hashtag. Fitting, really. Now, I’ve only been on Twitter—consistently—for about three years, but I did partake in the hashtaggy goodness because I truly felt obligated. Why? Well, let’s rewind a little bit.

Not many of my IRL friends know I’m on Twitter. It’s actually a social media service that’s more looked down upon than embraced. And, quite frankly, I felt the same way they do about Twitter before I found myself swept up in the community. So, yes, at one point I all but scoffed at the thought of using Twitter, and believed the people who did use it [as frequently as I do, now] were self-absorbed narcissists that only talked about what they had for dinner, or what they were wearing. Hey! Look! I did both of those in one tweet.

#ILove[you]Twitter

As you can see, things have changed. I don’t view Twitter as the sewage of the internet, though you can find those dark alleys, spewing hate and violence, as you might be able to find anywhere online. Instead, Twitter has taken up shop in a very special place in my heart: the writing community. I know I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember, and I’m hoping to make the transition from writer to published author very soon, and, before Twitter, I felt disconnected from a community I so desperately wanted to be a part of. Sure, starting your own publishing company helps, but I really have Twitter to thank for introducing me to other awesome writers, contests and activities to help me hone my writing skill, and exploding my “To Be Read” list beyond anything I can conceivably finish within my lifetime.

That’s why #ILoveTwitter.

I feel like I finally belong in the little niche of the world where I can combine my love for words with my love for design. I feel like I can lament about writer’s block troubles and participate in writing sprints to pull me out of those dark moments. I feel like I have made genuine connections with friends I have never, and may never meet. And, when we do, it’s as if we’ve been best friends our entire life.

#ILoveTwitter. And I’m no longer ashamed to say so because it has enhanced my life in ways I wouldn’t have been able to fathom if I hadn’t fully immersed myself in that community.

Baking Soda is Salty & Apple Cider Vinegar Burns Your Eyes.

Even when diluted.

The title has a point, I promise, though it functions as an effective PSA to avoid eye contact with apple cider vinegar (hint: it burns). I’m gearing up for my next haircut appointment with a new stylist and, since they aren’t familiar with me, and I’m not familiar with them, I’m going to have to tell my stylist I didn’t want her to wash my hair.

WHAT?

I know, I kind of hate myself for having thought it (let alone said it), too. My favorite part of getting a haircut was the scalp massaging wash they started it off with. But from here on out there won’t be any pre-washing of my hair. At least, not in the traditional sense. Why? Because I haven’t washed* my hair since February 2015.

*Alright, not the whole truth. I don’t wash my hair with shampoo or conditioner, but I do wash it, in a sense. More to come on that.

Whenever I mention that I haven’t washed my hair with shampoo or conditioner since February 2015 (otherwise known as the “No-Poo Movement”), I get a lot of questions and a lot of interest from friends wondering what it’s like, and if they’d be able to do the same. Since I’m sure there’s a lot of curiosity out there about going chemical-free, I figured a blog post would help to, 1. get the word out there, and 2. help someone take the leap.

But first, what does it mean to join the “No-Poo Movement” (a term I’m not thrilled to be using myself, because it definitely sounds like a fad). Essentially, as the name says, it’s no longer washing your hair with fancy and fragrant shampoos/conditioners. After doing my own research, I learned shampoo acts as a detergent for your hair, stripping it of all the good, and requiring additives (such as conditioner) to replace what’s being taken away. But conditioner is a chemical, too. My first red flag was the need of a second product (conditioner) to fix what the first product (shampoo) did. It seems counter-intuitive . . . because it is. Our hair has so much natural conditioning agents we don’t need to strip and then fix it afterwards, we can just let it do it’s own, natural thing.

So, essentially, I have used up all my bottles of shampoo and conditioner in favor of baking soda (the shampoo equivalent) and apple cider vinegar (the conditioner equivalent). Though there is a convenience factor to bottled shampoo/conditioner (with my new set-up I usually have to mix my concoctions just before I take a shower), I have really enjoyed the outcome. That is, after the awkward, oily period.

True Talk: It sucks. For at least a month, many times longer, you go through the awful period of always greasy hair. Why? Because your hair naturally produces more oil when you use shampoo because it’s constantly being stripped of those natural oils. So when you stop using shampoo it takes just a little bit for your hair to realize, “HEY! I don’t need to kick it into oily overdrive anymore!” (And yes, in this instance, my hair had a consciousness and spoke telepathically to me.)

Some reasons why you might want to make the switch:
1 // Environmental Footprint

One of the reasons shampoo/conditioner aren’t healthy for your hair is because they’re made of chemicals. And when you wash it out of your hair it runs down the drain, into the sewer, and contaminating our environment. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t do nearly as much as I could to be kind to our environment (and I really should make more of a point to be environmentally conscious), and I know it seems like the times you use shampoo/conditioner wouldn’t contribute to the pollution of our surroundings, but if you can avoid doing it regardless, why wouldn’t you? I’m not going to lie, my main reason to jumping to the No-Poo movement is my following point, but the fact that I might be taking a step in the right direction as far as my environmental footprint, then I’m proud to be doing something.

2 // Financial Gain

Shampoo and conditioner is expensive! At a minimum of $3.00 a bottle (if you get the cheap stuff) that can really add up over the course of a year, or years. At average, a box of baking soda is $0.70 (I get mine at Aldi for only $0.43, and I keep it in my kitchen so I can use it for baking needs, too!), and a bottle of apple cider vinegar is around $3.00 (“But, Ashley!” you say. “That’s the same price as a bottle of shampoo or conditioner.” You’re right, it is, but you dilute it when used, so you don’t run through it nearly as quickly as you would shampoo/conditioner). The numbers don’t lie, you save a lot when going No-Poo.

3 // Someone Double-Dog Dared You

I think we can agree this one is fairly self explanatory

COVER REVEAL // Without Benefits by Nicole Tone

I was fortunate enough to read an early version of Without Benefits as an introduction to the Woman’s Fiction genre. Never having read within that genre before, and starting with Nicole’s has created a fan out of me! Without Benefits is a can’t-put-it-down, heart-wrenching tale of romance, independence and friendship. I’m so excited for my good friend, Nicole, and her story comes out in a little less than three months from now!

I mentioned in the other cover reveal earlier this week that I’ve been focusing on custom photography in my book cover projects. Without Benefits is my next venture into this arena, and what you see below is a 100% custom shoot that I’m super proud of, and I’m so glad Nicole let me experiment like this:

Emma will always be a New Yorker at heart, even though she has a perfect life in Seattle. She has a prestigious job fundraising for the Seattle Symphony, a handsome boyfriend who adores her, and a Belltown apartment with views of the Sound. It should be more than enough to keep her pain from not playing the piano, and her 9/11 nightmares, away.

But when her old college crush, Owen, comes back into her life, it’s more than just spending time with him that’s causing cracks in her picture-perfect life. As she steps back on stage, and back into the spotlight, her connection with Owen and his world, dredges up old memories that Emma worked hard to forget.

Emma’s past comes back to haunt her, forcing her to face the truth about more than just her fears of returning back to New York. As her once perfect life begins to burn down, Emma is forced to figure out what she really wants: her fundraiser and cocktail party-filled life with her boyfriend, or forging a new future with the one thing, and one person, she’s ever loved–even if it means returning to New York.

Without Benefits is a beautiful and moving exploration of modern relationships and family written in the vein of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Renee Carlino.

Pre-order your copy today!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT NICOLE//

 

Nicole Tone is a freelance editor, MFA student, traveller, pet collector, binge-watcher, and a self-proclaimed coffee snob. She lives in Buffalo, NY with her husband, three cats, and two very large dogs, but spends as much of her time in Seattle as possible.

Facebook //Twitter  //Goodreads  //Pinterest

My experience going viral (on a small scale).

Mid-January, I made a small tweet I didn’t really think about. It was of a quote I once heard, likely from a professor I can’t remember, but the words stuck with me for the years to follow. I had to butcher it significantly to fit the Twitter character count, but the gist of it comes down to:

Never make fun of someone for mispronouncing a word because it means they learned the pronunciation through reading.

It rang true on so many levels, and I think that’s why it resonated with so many people:

1. Reading is good! You can learn a lot from just picking up a book.

2. Making fun of someone is bad, regardless the capacity.

3. English is hard!

Since January 22th, when I made that tweet, I’ve gone on a rollercoaster of new experiences, including small scale Twitter and Facebook virality, something I never thought would happen, and especially not from a tweet poorly structured and quickly composed. But, I guess that’s how going viral works–you can’t predict it or force it.

At first, I was happy to see all the “hearts” and retweets on Twitter. A couple hundred were cool, vaulting this tweet into my most successful tweet category (previously, it was a response tweet to @JaredLeto, which he retweeted, and gained approximately 40-60 “hearts” and further retweets). But I was proud my most successful tweet was done so on my own, and not because of a celebrity’s fame.

But, then weird things started to happen. About two months later, I woke up one morning with approximately eight new Facebook friend requests, along with some message requests. I wasn’t sure if it was related to the tweet, until I saw the same people following me on Instagram and Twitter, with a connection to that tweet in particular. Friend requests are harmless, but the messages were what really made me uncomfortable. Things like “Hi princess, how are you?” all the way to “I love you.” My stomach twisted into knots.

Now, it might seem like I’m exaggerating. This is hardly “going viral” and only a few people broke the barrier to communicate with me, but did so in a very unacceptable way. And that’s what it comes down to; unsolicited messages of a personal nature has crossed the line, especially when I feel somewhat blindsided by the sudden popularity of a two-month-old tweet.

Since then, I’ve been dodging Facebook requests and messages, and filtering who I allow to follow me on Instagram. I never thought I’d be so uncomfortable about something like keeping my images public. But I don’t want the actions of a few to ruin the relationship with an online community I’m a part of. That’s why my Twitter is still public, my Instagram is still public, and I haven’t felt compelled enough to delete the original tweet. I’ve seen so much dialogue brought to light because of my tweet, and I don’t want that to stop. It’s important, on so many levels, to discuss the importance of reading and the reminder that bullying is bad, regardless the situation.

A lot of good has come from this one tweet, especially when a friend tagged me in this picture posted on Facebook:

The individual who shared a screenshot of my tweet is blogger Fabulous Chase, and yes, there are over 6,000 shares on Facebook. Of my tweet. That’s on top of the over 6,000 retweets and 6,500 “hearts” on Twitter. The screenshot has also been shared on Instagram, with less interaction, but still. I’ve experience some of the downfall of going viral (on a very small scale), but even better, I’ve created a dialogue about reading and bullying, and hopefully helped people along the way.

I don’t know what exactly the point of this post was. Part sharing a quote that means so much to me, to a different audience. Part recognizing there are very boundaries that can be crossed, even in a digital setting (especially in a digital setting). In the end, hopefully more people can take away something from this, whether it be inspiring and educational, or a lesson that people behind a computer screen are just that: people.

What do you think? About the quote, about “going viral, and about interacting with people you don’t necessarily know? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter!

COVER REVEAL // Pieced Together by Kelly Moore

I love my job. I don’t think I can say that enough. And, ever since I went freelance full-time, I’ve been working on more book covers than ever! When I was introduced to Kelly, she presented her project and an awesome challenge, different from a lot of things I’ve worked on in the past. Recently, I’ve been getting into custom photography for my book covers, opposed to using stock (which I still do, it’s just more fun to do it all yourself). Knowing I wouldn’t find the right stock imagery for her concept, I created my own! I’m so excited to share the first (yes, first. There will be more to come!) cover design with custom photography:

 

 

Kyren couldn’t get over killing Brogan’s father, even though he did it to save her. The demons of his own past took control, and he left her when she needed him most. In the aftermath of their agonizing breakup, Kyren and Brogan sought healing on very different paths. She moved to a remote island in Maine and started a new life, while he isolated himself on his yacht, and almost drowned in booze and guilt. After three long years, they’re each in a good place. Neither can forget the intense, passionate love they shared, but they’re both sure it’s over for good. Too much time has passed. There’s too much old hurt.

Fate intervenes, however, and places Kyren on Brogan’s doorstep. For both of them, it’s like they were never apart. His body craves hers, and she immediately longs to submit to his magnetism. Brogan is terrified of giving in to their passion. Can he be the man she needs him to be? Will he break her heart again? She’s not the same person she was back then. She’s stronger, and she has a big secret. Has he learned from his own demons? And most importantly, when she comes clean, will he be able to handle the truth?

 

Facebook  //  Twitter  //  Add to Goodreads  //  Kelly’s Website

The Five Stages of Grief, I mean DESIGNING.

I’ve touched on these stages on my Facebook page, but thought I’d elaborate on what happens and why they exist. I work on any number of covers at one time, and sometimes inspiration determines the direction I take. For instance, I have covers due next month, but over the weekend I finished covers needed next year. It’s inspirations fault, really. You can’t force a design to be designer, you just have to go with the wind. But, true to process, each of the five stages are almost always dealt with for every cover project.

Stage One // “I HAVE AN AWESOME IDEA.”

I start every cover project with enthusiasm because I won’t take on a client unless I’m excited about the project and think I can make something out of their ideas and story. I usually have at least one or two concepts to explore, and of course they’re both awesome ideas.

Stage Two // “That execution won’t work—back to the drawing board.”

Unfortunately, as with any creative venture, things don’t always go according to plan. There are a lot of different factors involved in designing—inspiration and stock images to name a few.

Stage Three //  “I have no ideas. I’m not going to get this done in time. I’m a complete failure.”

At one point in every design project I start to question why I think I can do this as a career.

State Four // “Screw it, I’m just going to mess around, see what happens.”

This stage is going to be addressed more in a future blog post, but it basically amounts to tinkering, experimenting and trying the most out-of-the-box techniques with a project, and hoping for the best. Some things don’t work out (read: a lot of things don’t work out), and some seem like a stroke of genius, but just the act of messing around can spark inspiration and new directions.

State Five // “Wait—the author loves it? Awesome! Done. Boom.”

Self-explanatory. Always an awesome feeling, and even better that the author is proud of their new cover

ICYMI Edition #013116

 

It’s been a slow week, because, well… other things happened. Nevertheless, here’s what you missed on the video game blogs!

That VideoGame Blog // REVIEW / Oxenfree (PC)

If Supermassive Games’ Until Dawn, Thatgamecompany’s Journey and Christopher Smith’s mind-bending psychological horror flick Triangle had a love child, it would be Night School Studio’s recently released Oxenfree.

{Read more at ThatVideoGameBlog.com}