M.L. Desir's Blog, page 79

Expanding Distribution of your Novel

Monique Desir:

Another wonderfully informative read from Julie! :)

Originally posted on Julie Stock - My Writing Life:

This weekend saw the end of the first three months of my debut being on sale on Amazon. I signed up to the exclusive KDP Select programme, partly because it was the easiest thing to do in the first instance and also because the thought of trying to get my head round uploading to other sites at that point in time filled me with dread!

By the time the end of my first three months was in sight though, I felt ready to think about expanding the distribution of my novel to other online sites. I have learnt a lot about it during those three months, mainly through the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and its members, and I decided not to sign up for another three months of KDP so that I could dip my toe in the waters elsewhere.

There are an awful lot of other online retailers but the main ones…

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Grammar Ninja or Grammar Nazis?

According to the Urban Dictionary, a grammar Nazis is someone who knows the difference between “there”, “their”, and “they’re”. Wikihow supplies a more detailed definition: one who secretly eyes the usage of language at any given moment and are prepared to tell you about it.

And worse? According to knowyourmeme.com, a grammar Nazis refers to someone who habitually corrects grammar and/or spelling mistakes made by others in conversation both on and off.

Word purists and protectors have gotten a bad rap and have been slapped with the name of the most hated groups in the world: the Nazis. I won’t linger long on that murderous part of history and if you feel so inclined, have at it on your keyboard, search, and learn all you can because the purpose of this post isn’t to linger on, well, . . . that.

So, now for some Hip Hop-esque entertainment. Drop a beat!

I’ve been called a Grammar Nazis, but in reality I’m a Grammar Ninja.

Lean in closer, give me your ear, Ima gonna lay some combo conventions on ya.

More than a pretty face, I’ve mastered the skill of lyrical espionage.

Looking for Nicki Minja? Better go elsewhere, dear.

Why? I’ve got style, finesse, and can conjugate verbs with the best of the best.

My spoken stealth attacks sneak upon like silent thunder. I spit metaphors and similes so vivid and sweet that you don’t have to wonder. Jedi mind tricks? Please! We’re past that realm! We’re off to explore different dimensions – Dr. Who, my copilot is at the helm.

Look elsewhere for twerkin’ or other sexual innuendos, I don’t bend over and touch my toes – I’m more than a big rear and can stimulate minds fully clothed.

Sometimes I rhyme slow, sometimes I rhyme quick, reminisce over the use of vatoc or rhapsodic.

Words are my playground, figurative language is my sword, endless images pile up like gold in Smaug’s dragon hoard.

Have little patience for those who don’t appreciate the difference between to and too.

I chuckle over homophones like ewe and you.

Sometimes I’m taken off guard by the proper use of lie and lay,

But, I don’t let that get in my way, it’s time for revision, and I jump back into the fray.

Grammar Ninja, not Grammar Nazis. Please, oh please, get it right.

Anything else is unacceptable and trite.

How To Set Up a Goodreads Author Page

Monique Desir:

Thank you, Julie, for this informative post. :)

Originally posted on Julie Stock - My Writing Life:

Another week has gone by and we’re already in February. My publication date for From Here to Nashville is just two weeks away and, having worked through all the amendments from my proofreader, I will be able to meet my deadline to upload the final version to Amazon before the end of this week. As always, I have been juggling a few other things during the week as well. Mainly, I have been liaising with a number of lovely people about interviews on their blogs and I also contacted the organisers of the Romance Festival 2015, taking place online next weekend about a Q&A with them and a blog post. Once the final version of my ebook is ready, I will also be contacting some book reviewers to see if they would be able to review FHTN for me.

One of the other things on my to do list during…

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Book Review a la Monique: All the Pretty Bones by Camela Thompson

All the Pretty Bones by Camela Thompson takes place in Seattle, Washington and though I’ve never been there, I felt the raw reality of this city due to Thompson’s vivid writing style, from the impoverished drug ridden areas to the gorgeous mini-castles of urban royalty. All the Pretty Bones spotlights Olivia Kardos, a young woman diagnosed with terminal cancer, who decides she will kill her stalker, Mark Porter, in order to live the remainder of her days in peace and safety.

Thompson shares in the acknowledgements’ portion of her book her own unfortunate experience of being stalked. Ironically, without this major event in her life, I wonder if she would have been able to capture all of the many emotions that come along with it. From my own personal experience, it rings frighteningly true and frustrating.

Not only is Thompson’s writing style vivid, but it is also flexible and fluid. When she’s writing in the POV of her main characters (Olivia, Lucian, Mark, Sean) along with a string of supporting characters, there’s no character mix-up because she did a phenomenal job at breathing life into them and making them feel real and sound distinct. Even though I didn’t like all of the characters at times, (especially Sean, Olivia’s former ex-boyfriend, noble cop, father, and flawed husband) only solidified how well she formed her characters and structure her plot around them.

While reading this page-turning book you will enter a world where vampires are kept secret for a reason and how some are hiding in plain sight. Although I don’t necessarily love vampires, (even though I do write about them) I appreciate the mythos behind the blood-sucking monsters that just won’t stay uninvited from the human psyche. While reading this book, you will encounter a dark underworld where other creatures stalk the earth to hunt and be hunted. As the story progresses, you will grow to love Olivia as she courageously takes matters into her own hands, gains allies, and a gorgeous love interest who is so much more than a mere mortal man. Yum.

Thompson’s created paranormal vampire world is also quite extensive and she includes a helpful legend in the back of the book, which is complete with subspecies and foreign language guide. But, even without this compendium guide, the series still possesses enough mystery, thus stimulating questions and uncertainties in my reader’s mind. One question in particular is which may be answered in the second book is **(potential spoiler alert)**: why was Mark (being what he was) not afraid of Olivia (being what she is)? Didn’t he sense beneath her exterior that she was quite capable of ripping his throat out, stalker or not, simply because he exist?

I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading the next. Well done, Camela.

Behind The Name

adaratrosclair  – What the heck is that? Huh? I don’t know where to even begin in pronouncing that! Is it two words? One?

So, a fellow writer and close friend of mine recommended that I change the name of my blog. I was a little sad and mildly offended because I had thought it was clever. You know, using the name of my latest, greatest favorite character from my latest, most favorite series that I’m investing a lot of time in:

Adara Trosclair!

“But,” I replied in a small, weak voice, “the name of the blog is described in the About this Blog part of the blog. Duuuuh!”

“Doesn’t matter,” my sage of a friend countered. “Few people will click on that. Your blog name needs to be catchy and clear. Why don’t you just use YOUR name?”

Good question. Why didn’t I? I think I was holding out using my name for an author page or something. I was probably have a Brain Bubble, which is far worse and damaging than any Brain Fart. My real name Monique L. Desir reads like the seductive sounding nome de plume of an author of romance or erotica, so when I tell you that Brain Bubbles are more detrimental than Brain Farts trust me, dearie. Trust me.

But look at Adara Trosclair (Uh-dah-ruh Trahs clear). It’s like a sigh of wind through a meadow of fragrant flowers!

I mean, it’s a unique name. It’s vaguely French. It’s strong, like well-tempered steel. It’s mysterious.

In fact, it’s so mysterious that no one knows what the heck it is when it’s presented like this: adaratrosclair.

EPIC FAIL!

I’m disappointed in my ignorance regarding blog names and such. My eyes were finally opened one day when the author of a blog that I visit often replied to a message I had made using my blog. He’s an intelligent young man who referred to me as “Clair”, which is the last part of the blog’s full name. No Adara. No Trosclair anywhere in sight.

And it’s all MY FAULT!

Excuse Alert: There’s a Japanese song I love called “Kodomo Mitai Ni” (by Pizzicato Five) which translates to “Like a Kid” and like a kid full of excitement and impatient to wait another five minutes of research to create my blog, I used the name of my character in “Prelude to Morning”, not realizing that it could be quite confusing.

Well, now that I’ve had time to reflect on the error of my ways, I plowed ahead and found some tips on choosing a blog domain name.

According to Chris’ Catchy Blog Names post (), let’s see how I measured up:

When choosing a domain name there are some factors to consider:

How original and unique is it?



Me: It’s definitely unique



How descriptive is it?



Me: Hmm. Not very. It’s just a character’s name.



What image does it convey?



Me: Uh-uh. None for the reader . . . yet.



Would you remember it after seeing it once?



Me: Probably not . . .



Could you spell it after hearing it once?



Nope. Most likely not. Adara’s surname is French and French men like their vowels like they like their women . . . plenty and in close succession, but silent. (Oh hahaha! Joke . . .)

I tried to change the name of my blog, but was unsuccessful so I’m stuck with it. Instead of pouting and brooding I’m going to be proactive and make the best of my mistake! Usually, I can be quite pessimistic and I try to lean more often than not to the side of realism. But for the sake of my blog with a strange name that few could pronounce or even figure out BEFORE this post, I’m going to be optimistic!

By the end of this post, you’ll remember Adara’s name! You’ll say it with finesse. You’ll sing it in the shower. You’ll chant her name as you drive in your car to work!

Her name will become legend! Her name will become one of the top ten for baby girls! She’ll sit as a hero of epic proportions in your minds!

Now, hold on just a minute, Monique. Please. Stop. Please.

Oh, hi there, Adara.

I don’t want to be worshipped and I most certainly don’t want my name to be given to little baby girls just because it becomes some popular fad or trend. I just want to be me and people to be themselves.

That’s understandable and honorable.

Thanks. Why don’t you let me take over and I can talk about Earth Day.

Oh, I almost forgot about that. Excuse me and I’ll let you get to it.

Thank you. Well, so now you know more about the name behind this blog. I don’t know how I became one of Monique’s favorite characters because I’m one of her newest ones. Maybe it’s the novelty of it? I’m not sure, but I won’t argue her out of it either. Today is April 22nd and in your world your people celebrate Earth Day in many countries. This special day started I think in 1970 and it focuses on opening up people’s minds to taking better care of their precious planet by doing little things like not littering, recycling, and other more substantial things like using a compost heap in their gardens every day.

Most citizens of Earth believe that Earth Day should be every day because they only have one planet and they best take care of it, otherwise it’s the Moon or Mars. On my home planet, called Reath (an anagram of Earth) in an alternate dimension, hundreds of years ago Earth Day was each and every day. But this form of planet dedication wasn’t ushered in by humans.

Terrible, thirsty entities hibernating (or imprisoned?) beneath the earth, that called themselves gods rose up and taught us wonderful advancements in technology. Unfortunately, these gifts didn’t come without a price. They explained to us that our planet was dying and dying quickly. They also told us that we were to blame. They told us that they needed our blood and in order to save not only our planet and ourselves, we’d have to use the most precious form of natural resource:

Human blood.

That’s all I can say right now because Monique is giving me “The Don’t-You-Dare” look and I don’t want to anger her or give too much away. After all, it’s my story and I want the best for it.

I’ll leave you with this: love your neighbors, no matter what gender or color they are; love your planet, love each other. And yes, every day should be Earth Day, but do it right.

Thank you, Adara, for sharing. Someday soon I hope that you, your world, your struggles, enemies, allies, and love interests will be shared with the world through Kindles, hardcover and softcover books. I’m currently in the process of sending out more agent letters. Already received a rejection letter and took it graciously. If I’m unsuccessful with the traditional route to publication, there’s always self-publishing, dear, so no frowns.

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

The Year of Rococoa is coming!

Monique Desir:

I have to think of something in order to be a part of this greatness! Eeeeek! XD

Originally posted on Chronicles of Harriet:

2016 will be the year of Rococoa with the release of the first anthology from ROARING LIONS PRODUCTIONS!

Where Sword and Soul ends and before Steamfunk begins, there is the Age of Spring Technology and Clockwork.

Think Three Finger’d Jack; the pirate, Black Caesar; and the Haitian Revolution. Think the Black Count, Nat Turner, and the Stono Rebellion…that is Rococoa!

Time for those stories to be told, y’all! What say you authors? Are you in?

If so, Roaring Lions Productions is seeking completed stories between 2,000 and 10,000 words.

Writers will be paid $25.00 upon release of the anthology.

Each story will have an attached illustration, in addition to the stunning cover!

The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2015.

Release will be in e-book and paperback formats.

Here are the Submission Guidelines:

GUIDELINES

Submissions must be set between the latter part of the Renaissance Period (1600s)…

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THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY BLACK PEOPLE II: The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth!

Originally posted on Chronicles of Harriet:

What exactly is a “nerd”?

A nerd is defined as a person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept.

Nerdiness exists on a continuum. Some people are a little nerdy, while others are very nerdy. The more nerdy you are, the more oblivious of yourself as a social object you tend to be, which leads you to behave in socially awkward ways, such as dressing badly, or failing to take subtle hints.

The onset of nerdiness tends to come early in life and people often grow out of being nerds; rarely, if ever, does someone become a nerd later in life.

Because nerds are awkward and un-smooth, they tend to be rejected and isolated by peers; because it is emotionally painful to experience such marginalization, nerds tend to push themselves to be excellent in aspects of life that do…

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