K.J. Chapman's Blog, page 13
August 17, 2020
Top Tips for Developing a Title (Author Toolbox Blog Hop
The amount of authors I know that struggle with titling (myself included) is incredible. I believe partly, we put too much pressure on ourselves. We have slogged hours and hours, pouring out our guts into our work and we don’t want to let it down with a crummy title. We want the title to be the cherry on the cake.
[image error]
Over the years, I have developed some strategies to help me develop a title:
Leave the WIP untitled until you have finished writing it. I find most titles pop out when we least expect them. Finishing your work will give you a better understanding of the theme, feel and tone of your book, and that will help decide an appropriate title.Ask your critique partners / beta readers for advice. Throw a few titles at them and ask which ones, if any, they like and believe fit your story.Research titles in your genre. Seriously, genres have titles that work with readers and those that don’t. This also links in with the above point about asking critique partners for advice. Readers know what they expect from a genre, and believe it or not, that includes titles.Of course, there are no right or wrong titles, but there are certainly titles that stand out to us and feel right. Trusting your gut instinct is my last tip. You know your work best. If it feels right, it probably is.
Do you have any processes for titling your work? Do you find it easy or hard to find the perfect title?
You can check out the other #authortoolboxbloghop participants and their posts here.
[image error]
Content belongs to KJ Chapman
InstagramFacebookAmazonGoodreadsTwitter
July 15, 2020
Making Free Promo Graphics (Author Toolbox Blog Hop)
If you are on the look out for ways to create free promo graphics for your books, then I have a few free sites for you to use for finding templates and free stock images.
Canva
My go to app is Canva. You can use the website on your desktop or download the app on your phone. (I much prefer to use my phone.) There are many free templates and images to use on Canva, and some premium images and templates that you can purchase if you wish.
I use Canva for everything from book covers and social media headings to promo graphics. It really is an easy to use site that you should check out for free.
Here are some graphics I made on Canva:
Note: any promotions featured in these images are now void.
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
Free Stock Images
As I mentioned, Canva does offer some free stock images, but if you need a larger range of free images that are not copyrighted, head over to Pixabay. Simply enter the image / theme you require and search their thousands of images.
Another site with free stock images is Pexels. WordPress use a lot of Pexels images in their media library. It is worth checking out the free images before opting to buy.
Stock Images (Not Free)
If you are still unable to find the perfect image, there are other stock photo sites to use that have a much wider range of images at a small cost:
ShutterstockAdobe Stock
Tips to remember when making your own graphics:
You mustn’t use copyrighted images without permission.Research other promo graphic ideas in your genre to get a feel for what works.Do not mislead your audience. Trading standards still apply.
You can check out the other #authortoolboxbloghop participants and their posts here.
[image error]
Content belongs to KJ Chapman
Instagram FacebookAmazonGoodreadsTwitter
June 17, 2020
A Little Proving Time (Author Toolbox Blog Hop)
You’ve finished that mammoth, first draft, and now what? If you’re anything like me, you’re on a high and want to dive straight in with the edits, however, this may not be the best process for you just as it isn’t for me. I do my best editing when my work has been left for a few weeks. I call this the proving period.
I work best when I can detach from my WIP for a few weeks, but I am not here to tell you what you are doing is right or wrong, just to offer my two pence on what works for me.
[image error]
Pros of a Proving Period
You can come back to your WIP and start editing with an objective set of eyes. It can be easy to skirt over errors when your brain knows what the sentence ‘should’ say. A break will help prevent burn out. We all need a chance to recoup, and writing really can be a draining process.You have the opportunity to focus on something else. This allows those creative juices to keep flowing on another project.
Cons of a Proving Period
You may prefer to have your storyline fresh in your mind as you head into the edits.It makes the whole process longer. Writing is not a short process anyway, so a proving period certainly doesn’t help speed up editing.If you are easily distracted, a long proving process could see you heading into other projects and not wanting to return to the dreaded edits.
I definitely benefit from a proving period. I prefer to dip into other projects before I edit my work. The objectivity is also a big plus for me.
Do you leave your WIP to prove before you edit? Do you have any tips and tricks for improving the editing process?
You can check out the other #authortoolboxbloghop participants and their posts here.
[image error]
Content belongs to KJ Chapman
June 9, 2020
3 in 1 Book Review
Dare by Lucia Jordan 3/5
[image error]
An erotic short story that hints at sex clubs, extreme initiations etc. It doesn’t quite get to that point (I guess the next book is for that), but worth a read if you like that kind of thing. I found the protagonists sudden dramatic change in confidence a little jarring, but overall, a quick read that is currently free from Amazon.
I Don’t Have a Bucket List, but My Fuck It List is a Mile Long by Ruby Rey 3/5
[image error]
As you can tell from the title I have written, this cover is just a clean version of the real title.
It’s a quick, pleasant read. I enjoyed the way the author recounts personal experiences and how they have shaped her, but I wasn’t overly blown away by the humour.
This is labelled a self help book, and I can see how Ruby Rey has improved her own life and way of thinking, but it doesn’t feel so much a self help book as it is an evaluation of the authors life.
The Lamplighter’s Love by Delphine Dryden 4/5
[image error]
Lamplighter’s are basically human computers in charge of controlling and directing London’s traffic in an intriguing steampunk world.
Nicholas is portrayed as an old soul despite his young age of twenty nine due to the toll the job takes on the person. Mary is naive and works as Nicholas’ apprentice. This is the perfect set up for a sexy, steampunk romance.
This book is free from Amazon at the time of this review, and if you are a steampunk lover, then definitely give this a go.
The opinions expressed here are those of K.J. Chapman and no other parties. All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman. K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review.
Content belongs to K.J.Chapman
Find me on:
May 20, 2020
Using Music to Help Set Tone (Author Toolbox Blog Hop)
Are you someone who needs silence to write, or are you like me and need a little ambience to break up the quiet? I firmly believe that listening to different styles of music helps me set the tone of a chapter, sometimes, the whole story.
There is a chapter in the third Book of my EVO Nation trilogy, EVO Ghost, that reiterates this for me. I listened to one song on repeat whilst I wrote the entire chapter. I think I drove my husband crazy, but the music stirred a tone/feeling in me that I wanted to capture in the chapter, and I am proud to say I think I accomplished it.
[image error]
Certain scientific research shows that music is rooted more deeply in our primitive brain in regards to emotions etc than language. So, when I say music creates a feeling, that feeling runs deeper than the words to describe it. The fun part is translating that tone/ feeling into your work.
You can find more on how music affects the brain in this article on psychcentral.com: Music and How It Impacts the Brain
Why not create a playlist for when you are writing? You can listen to it before or during your writing process and see how it affects your tone and style.
You can check out the other #authortoolboxbloghop participants and their posts here.
[image error]
Content belongs to K.J Chapman
Find me on:
May 4, 2020
Book Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black 3/5
[image error]
Faeries. Knights. Princes. True love. Think you know how the story goes? Think again…
Near the little town of Fairfold, in the darkest part of the forest, lies a glass casket. Inside the casket lies a sleeping faerie prince that none can rouse. He’s the most fascinating thing Hazel and her brother Ben have ever seen. They dream of waking him – but what happens when dreams come true? In the darkest part of the forest, you must be careful what you wish for…
Review:
A creepy fairytale vibe that I enjoyed, but was not love-struck with.
I love a good fantasy and this book had it in abundance. I can’t quite pinpoint why I wasn’t enthralled with this book, but it took me a good few attempts of picking it up and putting it down over the course of a few weeks to finally read the story in length.
The characters were well rounded. I especially liked Jack, the changeling. Hazel, the MC, was suitably flawed, and that was important for this story due to the fairytale premise.
It was the world building that clawed this book back for me. Black definitely has the imagination and storytelling ability for this type of fantasy.
The opinions expressed here are those of K.J. Chapman and no other parties. All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman. K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review
Content belongs to K.J.Chapman
Find me on:
May 2, 2020
Book Review: The King and I by Brianna West
The King and I by Brianna West 5/5
[image error]
Trixie here!
Being a badass Guardian was about all I had time for these days. Things like love were for the chicks with too much time on their hands. Not for a well-trained, mixbreed Sprite Guardian with a penchant for sinking her blades ten-inches deep in Dark creatures. I had demons to slay, hordes of them. Until I got shackled with the seriously sexy, never-got-the-hint King of the Spiritum Bellatorum.
Now I’d never get away.
He wouldn’t let me.
I was doomed the minute Yaniv, the king who is never told no, set his eyes on me.
And dammit, I didn’t have time for this.
Review:
West has released a new Promiscus Guardians spin off. This time, involving Yaniv! I just had to grab my free copy when I learnt of this release. This book is free on Amazon at the time of this review.
Once again, West delivers on weaving erotic romance into her well rounded world of light and dark. Each story blends so well with the others, and it is great to see old characters pop up throughout to cement the connection.
The connection between the protagonists is fun to watch as both are out of their comfort zones, and both clash a little. Trixie isn’t going to be treated as a possession, and Yaniv has to learn to adapt to the Guardian who isn’t like the other women he has encountered.
The opinions expressed here are those of K.J. Chapman and no other parties All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman. K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review.
Content belongs to KJ Chapman
InstagramFacebookTwitterAmazonGoodreads
May 1, 2020
Book Review: The Day Before Happiness by Erri De Luca
The Day Before Happiness by Erri De Luca 3/5
[image error]
A young orphan boy grows up in Naples, playing football, roaming the city’s streets and hidden places. The older boys call him ‘monkey’ because he can climb anywhere. He is alone, apart from Don Gaetano, the apartment caretaker, who feeds him, teaches him to play scopa , and tells him stories about women, history and the dark secrets of Naples’ past. Then one day the boy sees a young girl standing at a window. It is an encounter that will haunt his life for years and, eventually, shape his destiny.
Review:
A coming of age tale about an orphan boy in Naples, learning about life and of war time Italy from his apartment caretaker, Don Gaetano.
I appreciate the prose and philosophical element to this short story, and the strong voice of Don. The orphan remains nameless throughout, and I find this intriguing and clever. The focus is the truth, not really the characters.
It is easy to read, considering it is translated from Italian. If you want a short read with historical / WW2 elements, then check this out.
The opinions expressed here are those of K.J. Chapman and no other parties All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman. K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review.
Content belongs to KJ Chapman
Amazon
Goodreads
April 29, 2020
Book Review: Birdy by Jess Vallance
Birdy by Jess Vallance 4/5
[image error]
Frances Bird has been a loner for so long that she’s given up on ever finding real friendship. But then she’s asked to show a new girl around school, and she begins to think her luck could finally be changing. Eccentric, talkative and just a little bit posh, Alberta is not at all how Frances imagined a best friend could be. But the two girls click immediately, and it’s not long before they are inseparable. Frances could not be happier. As the weeks go on, Frances finds out more about her new best friend – her past, her secrets, her plans for the future – and she starts to examine their friendship more closely. Is it, perhaps, just too good to be true?
Review:
The narrative is unassuming, yet creepy at the same time. What is the big secret? What went on with Bert and Birdy? I like the foreshadowing in the way of Birdy’s narration. The intrigue is there, even if the first part of the book is slow of the mark.
I had a need to keep reading to find out what the ‘something terrible’ was. As a reader, you find yourself hunting for clues in Birdy’s unreliable narration and taking mental notes.
The ending was worth plodding through the early narration. If you like creepy and twisted, then this is the book for you.
The opinions expressed here are those of K.J. Chapman and no other parties All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman. K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review.
Content belongs to KJ Chapman
InstagramFacebookTwitterAmazonGoodreads
April 27, 2020
Book Review: Born Scared by Kevin Brooks
Born Scared by Kevin Brooks 3/5
[image error]
Elliot is terrified of almost everything. From the moment he was born, his life has been governed by acute fear. The only thing that keeps his terrors in check are the pills that he takes every day.
It’s Christmas Eve, there’s a snowstorm and Elliot’s medication is almost gone. His mum nips out to collect his prescription. She’ll only be 10 minutes – but shen she doesn’t come back, Elliot must face his fears and try to find her. She should only be 400 metres away. It might as well be 400 miles…
Review:
There’s anxiety, then there is Elliot’s anxiety. As a mother, the level of his fear broke my heart. Even a fear of certain colours crippled him with anxiety.
I enjoyed the prose and writing style in this book. Brooks has a way of writing believably through the eyes of a child, and a terrified child at that.
The narrative is of a terrified boy, Elliot, who has to face his extreme fears and anxiety in search of his mother who hasn’t returned who from the pharmacy.
The opinions expressed here are those of K.J. Chapman and no other parties All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman. K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review.
Content belongs to K.J. Chapman
InstagramFacebookTwitterAmazonGoodreads
