Heather Hayden's Blog, page 12

Ensign’s Log, Entry 43: January Month Map

It’s time to open the shiny new year with my first shiny new month map!

I have three major goals this month, for three different projects.

Upgrade: Final major revision, one chapter a day until done. After that, begin the polishing process.

Skin as White as Snow: Finish the first draft.

Of Beauty Within: Finish the first draft.

 

Beyond my project goals, I’m also participating in January Novel Writing Month, a challenge that was sadly defunct for a few years, but has now been resurrected. My general goal is 50,000 words, split between the two novels I have to finish–it may not take that many words to complete both, but I have another (currently secret) project and those words will be counted toward my JanNo goal as well.

I’d also like to start writing at least 250 words a day (technically need 1,613 for 50k!), and will be tracking my writing progress in an Excel spreadsheet.

What plans do you have for January?

Ensign’s Log, Entry 42: Goals for 2017

Any Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fans reading this? If so, take a moment to celebrate with me the wonderful coincidence that this post is my 42nd entry in my Ensign’s Log.

*ahem* Now that I’ve paid homage to one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, the focus must move on to the true reason for this post: my goals for 2017. More specifically, my writing, editing, and publication goals for 2017.

The major one is advancing to the next rank of my author goals: Lieutenant Junior Grade.

Technically, I reached that rank sometime in 2016, as I’ve definitely sold over 100 copies of Augment at this point. However, given the ups and downs of 2016, I’ve decided to this rank change will not occur until the new year, once I’ve published a third book (Upgrade, most likely). Yes, I’m counting From the Stories of Old as a book–my story is part of the anthology and like the other authors I will be receiving royalties from it.

My other goals are project-based, so I’m going to provide a brief overview of the projects and my plans for them for 2017.

 

Upgrade

The sequel to Augment, Upgrade has been in production for about a year and a half now, and still needs one more major editing pass, followed by some polishing passes, before it will be ready for publication. My goals for it are as follows:

January 1st-20th: Revise one chapter a day. This will be the final major editing pass if all goes well.

January 21st-February 28th: Polishing passes. By the end of February I will be able to assess whether I can proceed with publication in March, or if a little more time is required.

March 31st: Projected publication date if nothing catastrophic occurs. This is also the two-year anniversary of Augment, hence why I’d like to publish Upgrade then, if possible.

 

Demon’s Blade

The first book in a trilogy filled with demons, magic, and even a dash of romance (shocking, I know!), Demon’s Blade has been revised many times already, and is currently undergoing its first few rounds of critique on Scribophile. My goals for it are:

April 30th: Final heavy revision done.

May 31st: Final polishing complete.

June 30st: Projected publication date.

 

Demon’s Magic

The sequel to Demon’s Blade. The first draft is complete and has been revised, but still needs heavy revision, especially once Demon’s Blade has been completed. My current projected goals are:

July-September: Finish heavy revision.

October: Polishing, polishing, polishing.

November: Projected publication month; perhaps early in the month.

 

Skin as White as Snow OR Of Beauty Within

Both of these stories are fairy tale novelizations. Both aren’t quite finished in terms of first drafts. Both are currently warring for attention. I may wind up flipping a coin to decide which one to focus on, and which one to bench for a bit.

Focus Project Goals:

March 31st: Completed first draft.

June 30th: First round or two of revisions done.

September 30th: Major revisions complete.

December 31st: Potential publication date.

 

Benched Project Goals:

June 30th: Completed first draft.

 

Other Goals

There are a few other goals I have that aren’t project-based…

Writing Daily

I’d like to start writing a bit every day. I think my starting word count goal will be 250 words a day. If I consistently meet that goal for a month, I’ll increase it by 50 words. If I consistently write 300 words a day for the next month, I’ll increase it again, up to a cap of 500–I don’t want to overstretch myself. More than 500 a day would be awesome, but the goal is writing consistently and I don’t want to burn myself out.

Month Maps

I didn’t do so well with my month maps in 2016; several months were never or barely updated, and a few didn’t even have a map associated with them. For 2017, I’d like to continue creating Month Maps to track my progress, and I’m determined to be more consistent with my updates.

Marketing

I’ll be doing more research into marketing, and also start doing some serious marketing of Augment as Upgrade‘s publication date approaches.

Blogging

Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to be more consistent with my blogging. I’ll continue doing my monthly Magic Monday book review, I have the Blog World Tour (Fantasy and Science Fiction Editions) Author Interviews running into the middle of 2017, and I’d like to bring back Saturday Shorts.

Besides those, I’d like to share more about the writing and editing processes I go through during manuscript creation and revision. I might also do a reading challenge through Goodreads–if I do, I’ll be posting regular updates on that as well.

 

Whew! That’s a lot to see all typed out like this, but I’ve got 365 days to complete these goals, and plenty of willpower and determination. 2017 is going to be a good year!

What are your goals for 2017?

Ensign’s Log, Entry 41: 2016 Writing Highlights

This year has been a series of ups and downs, in writing, my personal life, and my work life. However, for this wrap-up post of the year, I want to focus on the positive side of my writing accomplishments.

2016 Writing Highlights

January: Finished the first draft of Upgrade.

February: Kept up with my Saturday Shorts challenge.

March: Completed the timeline for Demon’s Blade and continued revising Upgrade.

April: Participated in National Poetry Writing Month.

May: No writing accomplishments, but did some serious introspection.

June: Dove back into editing Upgrade.

July: Participated in Camp NaNoWriMo with a 6,000 goal and won–the project, which was secret at the time, was actually Beneath His Skin, the selkie story I would later publish in From the Stories of Old.

August: Revised Beneath His Skin several times and made some progress in other projects as well (Upgrade, Demon’s Magic, and Of Beauty Within.)

September: Finished another revision of Upgrade and also finished revising Demon’s Blade so I could post it on Scribophile.

October: Progress was made in some projects, though undocumented as I never updated my Month Map.

November: My tenth consecutive National Novel Writing Month win! This year’s project was Skin As White As Snow; it is as yet unfinished, but I crossed the 50,000 word finish line with about half an hour to spare.

December: Released From the Stories of Old, which includes my story “Beneath His Skin”, with my wonderful writers’ group, the Just-Us League.

 

In conclusion, I made a lot of progress this year, have several amazing projects in the works, and lots of plans for next year–which will be detailed in an upcoming post. My writing has developed a lot over the course of the year, as has my ability to critique others’ work, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come in only a year.

What are your 2016 writing highlights?

Christmas Party-Writing Tag

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it, and to those who do not, I hope you have a wonderful day.

I’m not popping in for long, because I have Christmas things of my own to do, but a friend of mine, Corinne Morier, tagged me for a Christmas Party writing prompt that involves answering a list of questions asking which of my characters would do what.

The original list, as you can see by visiting Corinne’s post, involved the Naughty List, including various things I couldn’t imagine my characters doing. However, another friend of mine, Renee Harvey, created a clean version of the list, and it is this one I’m using for my part of the writing tag.

The challenge is to use only one of my stories, and no character more than twice. I’ve chosen Augment as the story…let the answers commence!

Who starts karaoke with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and who jumps in for the echo?

Viki, because she secretly loves karaoke! And Halle would jump in for the echo, because it loves music and this is one of its favorite Christmas songs–it even changes its avatar to a red-nosed reindeer for the duration of the singing.

Who’s threatening the kids with coal in their stocking?

Mr. Wandel, in a loving and joking way, because he saw James shaking one of his presents earlier, and that’s very naughty!

Who’s the Grinch?

That would definitely be Roberts. All he cares about is his own gain; he doesn’t have any time for holiday nonsense. He crashed the party because Smith wasn’t answering his calls. Now Roberts is hunched in a corner with a cup of mulled cider, glowering at everyone.

Who invited the strangers to the party?

It’s more like Walters invited himself, and he’s not totally a stranger as he’s Smith’s partner. The Wandels don’t know him, but he brought homemade cookies and apple cider, so he was welcomed into the party–who can say no to homemade cookies?

Who’s the couple wandering off with the mistletoe?

Mr. and Mrs. Wandel, Viki’s parents. James keeps hanging the mistletoe and they keep taking it down and hiding it somewhere. It’s sort of a Christmas tradition, seeing who can keep track of it the longest.

Who accidentally trips on the lights?

Smith, because he was startled by the sight of Roberts at the party. He recovers, though, and hurries to get another glass of cider–and put as much distance between himself and his boss as possible.

Who brought the fruitcake?

Walters brought some fruitcake as well. He loves fruitcake and always makes sure to bring it along to Christmas parties, in hopes of convincing others how delicious it is. So far, he hasn’t been terribly successful, mostly because his cookies are so good everyone just eats those instead.

Who wins the ugly sweater contest?

Definitely Smith–his son loves ugly Christmas sweaters, and Smith buys a new one every year.

Who read their ENTIRE Wish List to Santa?

He doesn’t do it anymore, but James did this when he was younger!

Who stays up to wait for Santa?

Halle–it might act like a sophisticated (or not-so-sophisticated) AI most of the time, but when it comes to the magic of Christmas, Halle’s definitely the kind to wait for Santa…and even order the kitchen robot to bake some cookies for him.

Novella Spotlight: Nyssa Glass’s Clockwork Christmas by HL Burke

Christmas is just around the corner, but it’s never too late to buy someone a gift of a story. Today I’m spotlighting one of my favorite Christmas tales, Nyssa Glass’s Clockwork Christmas.

Released earlier this year, this story is part of the Nyssa Glass series, but stands easily on its own as a brief but magical Christmas tale. I inhaled it in one sitting, and will be reading it again soon in celebration of Christmas’s arrival.

The blurb:

Reformed cat burglar and orphan Nyssa Glass doesn’t have many fond memories of Christmas. Her boyfriend, Ellis, however, is determined to make their first holiday together a celebration of a lifetime. Nyssa can’t let him down.

Overwhelmed by decorations and shopping, Nyssa sets out to find the perfect present for Ellis. However, when a charming dance instructor decides Nyssa is what he wants for Christmas, Ellis’s only gift might be a dose of holiday heartbreak.

 

My review of it, from when I first read this book:

Short and sweet, this story is a perfect interlude in the Nyssa Glass series. I used to read a lot of fanfic when I was younger, and I always loved how some fanfic writers would have short spin-offs (usually holiday-themed) from their main book or series. This story reminds me of those–a brief tale set in the same world, showing the same characters I know and love in a slightly more domestic (and festive!) light than usual.

Don’t be fooled by its brevity, though–there’s plenty of story within those pages. Nyssa wants to get Ellis the perfect Christmas present, but as time runs out and she finds herself no closer to presenting him with a gift, she starts to lose hope… I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling anything, but readers who love the Nyssa Glass series will also enjoy this brief tale and its shiny Christmas morning ending, and those who have yet to enter the series will find this a gentle and fun story to start with–though I would highly recommend starting with Books 1 through 3, because the series is so good!

Nyssa Glass’s Clockwork Christmas is a short read, the perfect pairing with a cup of hot chocolate, mulled cider, or whatever delicious wintertime treat you prefer. It also makes the perfect gift for any of your friends or family who enjoy fantasy, steampunk, a bit of romance, and a good dash of the Spirit of Christmas.

It’s available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback forms.

Ensign’s Log, Entry 40: December Update

It’s been two weeks since my last update, so I thought I’d just post something short today, since I don’t have anything huge to announce.

December’s been a busy month, with the release of From the Stories of Old, a Holiday Extravaganza Giveaway (which is still running, until the 28th, if you want to win a paperback or ebook copy of three different, amazing fantasy anthologies), and a seasonal job that taught me a lot about what I don’t want to do for the rest of my life.

Now that the seasonal job is over (finished on the 17th!), I have other exciting things going on–I’m in NYC for the holidays, I have editing and writing I want to do, and I have many crits I need to catch up with on Scribophile. And then there’s work-editing for my part-time job, helping with things around the house where I’m staying, and all the adventures (museums! ice skating! seeing the tree!) I have planned for my NYC time.

Does a part of me wish I had gotten more writing stuff done the first three weeks of this month? Yes. Am I going to be upset with myself about it, though? Nope!

It’s the holiday season and I’m going to relax, have fun, and get things done at a pace that I’m comfortable with. And when the new year rolls around, I’m going to have lots of fun goals prepared, so keep an eye out in the next week or so for a list of my 2017 writing goals!

Author Interview: Tullio Pontecorvo

Today’s Blog World Tour: Science Fiction Edition interviewee is Tullio Pontecorvo!

Tullio believes the greatest virtue of speculative fiction is the Socratic exercise. Suppose blank: what are your choices, and your beliefs? A good speculative story can tell you more about yourself as a reader than about the author who crafted it, because it doesn’t beat you on the head with a stick: it confronts you with a complex situation akin to those we face in everyday, real life. That’s what goes into his writing.

Thanks for being here today, Tullio. Let’s dive into those questions! First off, what are you working on?

Hello Heather, so glad to join you!

My main WIP, at the moment, is a scifi novel set in an alternate history. I tried to imagine how different the contemporary world would look, if WW2 had had a different outcome–in this case, a sort of white peace that allowed all major combatants to survive, and led to a fractured, multipolar international order. Throw in an alien invasion that is not really what it seems, and a wide cast of characters of different ideologies that need to learn how to work together in order to uncover mysteries far bigger than humanity, and you’ve pretty much got my vision on paper. I’m nearing first draft completion, let’s see how that pans out!

Oooh, neat! I love alternative histories, and a good old alien invasion definitely helps spice things up. Sounds like there’s a lot going on–are you pantsing it, or did you plan it in advance?

Oh, I’m a pantser at heart. I write into the dark. That has caused me endless headaches, but I couldn’t have done it any other way. I didn’t exactly come up with this story–I just planted the seed. The characters told me the rest. The world I built, and its mechanics, told me the rest. That’s how I fell in love with it.

I’m a pantser at heart as well! I love to let my stories and characters develop organically. Is there any advice you have for writers regarding the learning process of writing? Certain elements you recommend they focus on developing?

Joining a critique group! I’ve improved more in ten months on a critique group than I have during years spent in a vacuum. But ultimately, practice is what makes writers great. I’m not sure how much talent comes into it, as such, but regardless of that, it’s a rusted sword without the patience, methodical determination and crafting that comes only through sinking the hours in, day in, day out. And the trained eye of peers and editors, of course!

I totally agree with that. My novels would not be where they are today without the support of all my wonderful critiquers and beta readers, nor without the hours and hours spent practicing the craft. How about for individual works? Any suggestions for where to find inspiration when a writer’s struggling with their muse?

This might sound funny, but most of the other inspirations belong to the visual arts. Some of them are movies like von Trier’s Europa, Alien, or Blade Runner. There are several videogames in there too: Mass Effect obviously, but also the Talos Principle, XCOM, Deus Ex… too many to count.

I’ve definitely been inspired by movies–and games–before myself. *clock chimes in the background* We have time for one more question! Earlier, you mentioned falling in love with a story. I do the same, each time I start a new tale–is this more advice you have to offer for new writers?

Absolutely. Do not fret over what story might sell, at least not at the beginning. Making a work commercial is nothing to be frowned upon–I do it myself–but it’s one thing to have a keen eye for the market, and another to turn writing into a chore. That’s not going to win you anything.

I’ve said this before, but I do believe that as a writer, you codify your experiences into your own words. Art, politics, love, any place you might have seen or person chance met, every nightmare that woke you up at night… when I sit at the keyboard, it all bleeds on the page. Writing, really, is a way of talking: you’re imposing form upon the chaos of your thoughts, molding them into something that you can communicate. This isn’t about creating an approximate model of reality, but making other people understand how you feel. And, perhaps, share the feelings with you!

Makes sense to me! Although I do hope to become successful with my writing, the most important part of writing for me is discovering my stories and the characters that bring them to life.

Thank you so much for being here today, Tullio! I wish you the best with your stories!

Tullio Pontecorvo is an aspiring science fiction author. He studies political science and international relations, and is currently working on a near-future sci-fi novel that explores the relationship between the individual and the ideological in a complex geopolitical environment. He’s also a freelance journalist.

You can follow him on his blog and Facebook page. You can also check out the article he wrote for Earth Island Journal under a different name.

Announcement: Three Collections for Christmas Giveaway

I have an exciting announcement today!

Three groups of authors have banded together to assemble three awesome fantasy anthologies, and now we’re bringing them to you with a chance for you to win paperback copies as well as a $30 Amazon Shopping Spree!

This promotion is running from December 14th, 2016, to December 28th, 2016.

Read on to find out more about this anthology and enter the giveaway!

The Anthologies:

From the Stories of Old: A Collection of Fairy Tale Retellings

In this international collection, new life is given to fairy tales, both classic and obscure.

Mythical creatures put the fairy in Fairy Tale. Mermaids, selkies, and ocean guardians experience the best and worst of humanity; sisters encounter an unusually friendly bear; a brave bride meets a silly goose; and a spinner of gold sets the record straight.

Urban fantasies modernize classics: a Frenchman learns the truth about magic, his past, and his girlfriend; a girl sets out to find love but receives a curse; and today’s naughty list makes Old Saint Nick not-so-jolly.

New worlds bring a fresh sense of wonder! In the future, a young woman fights for her people and herself; a bastard son finds acceptance in a world ruled by women; and a farmer’s wits win the heart of a frosty king.

Discover unexpected twists on old favorites, and fall in love with new tales and worlds to explore!

Purchase now for 99 cents

Heather’s note: This anthology features my own short story “Beneath His Skin”, as well as twelve other fairy tale retellings. These magical tales take place all over the world as well as in other worlds, both past and future. Each story is accompanied by an black-and-white ink illustration created by my talented sister, Heidi Hayden.

 

Fantastic Creatures

Here be dragons … and selkies and griffins and maybe even a mermaid or two.

Twenty fantasy authors band together to bring you a collection of thrilling tales and magical monsters. Do you like to slay dragons? Or befriend them? Do you prefer to meet cephalopods as gigantic kraken or adorable tree octopuses?

Each story focuses around a fantastic creature from folklore or mythology, and they range from light and playful tales for the whole family to darker stories that may make you wish to leave the lights on. These stories carry the Fellowship of Fantasy seal of approval. While our monsters may be horrifying, you won’t stumble into graphic sex and constant swearing.

Perfect for the fantasy lover who can’t get enough of mythical beasts.

Now Free to Download

Heather’s note: As the blurb states, this anthology is perfect for the fantasy lover who can’t get enough of mythical beasts–I’m partial to the adorable tree octopuses, myself!

 

Steampunk Fairy Tales

A toyshop owner builds a set of magic clockwork dolls that delight a factory town. A three-inch tall samurai faces a giant iron ogre with only a sewing needle and a coin. A scientist seeks an antidote to his formula gone wrong, with the help of his partner’s beautiful daughter.

All of these stories and more are included in Steampunk Fairy Tales. Written by authors from three different continents, every enchanting tale combines the futuristic Victorian concept of steam and fashion with memorable stories, from the recognizable “Jack and the Beanstalk”, to other popular and unfamiliar works from Germany, France, Italy and Japan.

With steam driven gadgets such as mechanical goggles, hoverboards, and an orchestra of automatons. Steampunk Fairy Tales is a charming and unique collection of works for current lovers of the genre, and those just diving in.

Download Volume One for FREE

Purchase Volume Two for 99 cents!

Heather’s note: If you love fairy tales and steampunk, definitely check these anthologies out. The first volume features seven fantastical stories, and the second volume contains another ten filled to the brim with steampunky fairy tale goodness.

 

Last, but not least, here’s the link to the giveaway!

Magic Monday: The Temptation of Dragons by Chrys Cymri

Today’s Magic Monday review features a book that I normally wouldn’t have considered reading, much less reviewing as favorably as I am about to. The main reason for this is that, though fantasy, the book features a vicar as the main character, and religion plays a strong role in the story and plot. As I am not fond of books that are “preachy”, I tend to steer away from books that clearly have a strong religious thread. However, the blurb for this book was too enticing to ignore, so I picked it up and started reading. And couldn’t stop.

Yep, this is another one of those started-reading-and-only-went-to-sleep-because-I-had-to books. And I would have stayed up reading it if I hadn’t been sick and in need of some serious rest. Instead I finished it on my day off, and then proceeded to write a 4-star review on Goodreads. And Amazon for good measure.

Here’s the cover and the blurb:

Bishop Nigel smiled at me. ‘Holy water doesn’t harm vampires. Which is just as well, as it would make it impossible to baptise them.’

When I was asked by a dragon to give him the last rites, I never dreamed it would lead to negotiating with his cannibalistic family or running from snail sharks. Life as the priest of a small English village is quite tame in comparision. At least I have Morey, a gryphon with sarcasm management issues, to help me. And if all else fails, there’s always red wine and single malt whisky.

As if my life weren’t complicated enough, a darkly beautiful dragon named Raven keeps appearing where I least expect him, I’ve met a handsome police inspector who loves science fiction as much as I do, and my younger brother is getting into trouble for trying to pick up vampires.

That’s what happens when you’re dealing with an incredible and dangerous parallel world full of mythical creatures. And I have to learn to navigate it all without losing myself, or my brother…

 

The hook for me was definitely Morey. I love a good fantasy, and I love it even more when at least one of the main characters has a sarcastic side. Even better, I soon realized that Penny is a major geek–she makes constant Doctor Who references throughout the book.

When I said I devoured this book, I meant it. I love Penny and Morey and I look forward to reading more about their adventures in future books–the sequel is already out and on my (very long) reading list.

Now, about this book specifically… It starts out with Penny headed home, a little more tipsy than she meant to be. On the way, she stumbles upon a dying dragon and, at his request, reads him his rites. In the morning, she thinks it’s all a dream…until she finds out it wasn’t.

Cue the entrance of Morey, a little gryphon with a big attitude. One of my favorite parts of this book is the development of their friendship. Actually, I like how the relationships in the story are developed in general–although this story is fantasy and does have an intriguing mystery plot, it’s feels more character-driven (with a nice dash of action on the side).

The only thing I might have liked was a little more world-building for the magical world; there are definitely hints of it in the book, and some places are shown in more detail, but I’m hoping the sequel will have more.

I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, dragons, gryphons, sarcastic characters, and a light touch of romance–the latter is there but played down enough that it didn’t bother me at all (for those of you who follow my Magic Monday series, you know I’m not a huge fan of romance!)

You can learn more about Chrys Cymri through her website, and The Temptation of Dragons is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback.

Ensign’s Log, Entry 39: December Month Map, Week 1 Update

It’s past time for an update on my Month Map progress, but yesterday was the release day and I didn’t want to bog down things with any more updates!

I’m happy to say that the anthology’s release day was a success! If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, and you enjoy fairy tale retellings, it’s available in Kindle and in paperback.

Now for my Month Map update.

 

It’s only December 8th, and I’m already completed one of my goals this month! Granted, that was a goal with a hard deadline due to the release being on the 7th, but I’m still pretty pleased given how much work myself and the other twelve authors (and all of our supporters) have put into this anthology for the past six months.

Next on my list is actually Skin as White as Snow–I want to finish that first draft and working on it a bit every day after work is easier than trying to go into editing mode after a long day taking phone calls. I aim for at least 250 words a day–haven’t been perfect so far this month, but I’ll keep poking away at the keyboard until I reach that magical line known as “The End”.

Starting the 20th, I’ll also be putting some serious work into Upgrade, and hopefully polish up the next draft in time for beta-reading in January.