Rachel Rossano's Blog, page 20
December 28, 2012
Goals for 2013
In preparation for the coming new year, I am outlining my writing goals for 2013. There are some pretty exciting things ahead. I am eager to get working! :)
Weekly Goals: Grab at least four hours of writing/editing time a week.Post a writing progress status on Rachel Rossano Rambles Facebook page five times a week.Blog two times a week (one being a Sweet Saturday Sample).
Annual Goals: Publish Wren. (A tentative goal since I am going through a small press for this novel. They have their own schedule, which might not match mine.)Publish Duty in ebook, paperback, and hardcover. It is in the final stages before publication.Finish polishing The King of Anavrea (The Theodoric Saga Book Two), and then publish it in ebook and paperback.Edit The Reward (The Theodoric Saga Book Three).Finish writing Isbet’s Disgrace, an episodic regency romance short story I am hoping to publish in InD’tale Magazine.Finish writing The Sword of Korma Monroe, a short story addendum to Duty.World build, plot, and begin writing Diaspora, the science fiction epic novel prequel to Exchange.We shall see what the Lord has in store for the coming year. :)
- Rachel Rossano
December 13, 2012
Book Blurbs - Wren, Duty, and The King of Anavrea
Today I am going to give you a peek at the back cover blurbs of my three babies (books) on the brink of leaving the nest.
Wren
Tagline - A bounty hunter meets a denounced nobleman.
In her world, Wren Romany is as unconventional as they come. Born to a large, devout family and then forced out to fend on her own, she earns her living as a bounty hunter. As her second winter alone looms, she decides to stay in one place for the season. Seeking shelter, she offers her hunting skills in exchange.
Tourth Mynth, the master of the ruined fortress in the valley, needs help. His small household faces a hard winter. As son of a disenfranchised noble, he has plenty of space beneath his roof, but not much to eat. Wren’s offer seems a good fit.
Wren soon learns the residents of Iselyn need more help than simply meat on their table. The valley’s residents squirm beneath a harsh master. Unsolved murder and betrayal lurk in the Mynths’ not so distant past. And Tourth’s battle with his emotional scars from the recent civil war will determine the fate of the whole valley.
Duty
Tagline - Can she love the man she married?
Duty to King
Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king and the recent civil war. When his benefactor demands Tomas marry the cousin of a noble who switched sides late in the conflict, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman.
Duty to Others
Daughter of the late Lord Wisten, Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation under the new Lord Wisten, her cousin. The villagers’ men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a winter of starvation if they do not find a solution soon. Learning that her cousin sold her hand in marriage to save his life doesn’t come as a surprise. She is taken aback by Lord Irvaine’s unpolished ways. Was this man a noble or a foot soldier?
Duty to Each Other
Bound by the words of their vows, they face a rough future. They must forge a marriage while battling betrayal, accusations of treason, and court politics. Survival depends on their precarious trust in each other. Failure could mean death.
The King of Anavrea
Tagline - A reluctant king, a blind queen, and a revolution.
Ireic Theodoric, King of Anavrea, constantly battles with his council over who will run the country. When the council insists on a treaty with Sardmara, he agrees. However, the treaty quickly becomes an arranged marriage. Ireic offers up himself for the sake of Anavrea. But after he signs, no princess appears.
Lirth Parnan, only daughter of the king of Sardmara, survives alone in a cold, damp tower room. Baron Tor kidnapped her in an attempt to control her father. No one came to claim her. She suspects her father considers her flawed beyond use in his political games. After five years of waiting, her hope of rescue wanes with her health.
After Ireic fights his way into Lirth’s tower, he realizes the depths of her father’s deception. Instead of being an answer to his problems, Lirth creates new ones. The council will not accept her as queen, but he has sworn an oath that he will marry her. His choice could cost him his throne, perhaps his life.
Do they grab you?
Which one grabs you most?
Wren
Tagline - A bounty hunter meets a denounced nobleman.
In her world, Wren Romany is as unconventional as they come. Born to a large, devout family and then forced out to fend on her own, she earns her living as a bounty hunter. As her second winter alone looms, she decides to stay in one place for the season. Seeking shelter, she offers her hunting skills in exchange.
Tourth Mynth, the master of the ruined fortress in the valley, needs help. His small household faces a hard winter. As son of a disenfranchised noble, he has plenty of space beneath his roof, but not much to eat. Wren’s offer seems a good fit.
Wren soon learns the residents of Iselyn need more help than simply meat on their table. The valley’s residents squirm beneath a harsh master. Unsolved murder and betrayal lurk in the Mynths’ not so distant past. And Tourth’s battle with his emotional scars from the recent civil war will determine the fate of the whole valley.
Duty
Tagline - Can she love the man she married?
Duty to King
Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king and the recent civil war. When his benefactor demands Tomas marry the cousin of a noble who switched sides late in the conflict, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman.
Duty to Others
Daughter of the late Lord Wisten, Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation under the new Lord Wisten, her cousin. The villagers’ men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a winter of starvation if they do not find a solution soon. Learning that her cousin sold her hand in marriage to save his life doesn’t come as a surprise. She is taken aback by Lord Irvaine’s unpolished ways. Was this man a noble or a foot soldier?
Duty to Each Other
Bound by the words of their vows, they face a rough future. They must forge a marriage while battling betrayal, accusations of treason, and court politics. Survival depends on their precarious trust in each other. Failure could mean death.
The King of Anavrea
Tagline - A reluctant king, a blind queen, and a revolution.
Ireic Theodoric, King of Anavrea, constantly battles with his council over who will run the country. When the council insists on a treaty with Sardmara, he agrees. However, the treaty quickly becomes an arranged marriage. Ireic offers up himself for the sake of Anavrea. But after he signs, no princess appears.
Lirth Parnan, only daughter of the king of Sardmara, survives alone in a cold, damp tower room. Baron Tor kidnapped her in an attempt to control her father. No one came to claim her. She suspects her father considers her flawed beyond use in his political games. After five years of waiting, her hope of rescue wanes with her health.
After Ireic fights his way into Lirth’s tower, he realizes the depths of her father’s deception. Instead of being an answer to his problems, Lirth creates new ones. The council will not accept her as queen, but he has sworn an oath that he will marry her. His choice could cost him his throne, perhaps his life.
Do they grab you?
Which one grabs you most?
December 10, 2012
Update Time!
I apologize for the silence on my projects. Life has been full (no surprise), and with the holidays have filled in the cracks. Grabbing a brief breather, I decided to update you all on my progress.
Wren Romany (now titled Wren) is in the final stages before sending it off to the publisher. Why isn't it there now? Because a few small things need working out before it flies the coop. Oh, and I needed to work a bit on the cover and back blurb. Yes, the newest change in plans is I am designing the cover. Keep your eyes peeled for a cover reveal soon. :)
The King of Anavrea plods forward. I polished off the end of the first rework/rewrite/editing session last night. I will be sending the book out to a select set of beta readers soon to get their opinions and comments. This book makes me more nervous than usual for two reasons: (1) One of the central characters experiences a conversion. (2) It contains a prophetic dream as an integral part of the plot, a device I have avoided before and since. These two elements combined blur the lines between reality and fantasy more than I usually do.
Next on the agenda for The King of Anavrea, is writing the back cover blurb and tagline. I am beginning that task today.
Duty lies in waiting. The last minute details of Wren need to be worked out with my husband before Duty can transition to the last step before publication (hubby review and approval). Cover is done, blurb written, tagline polished, swag items designed, and book trailer awaits the purchase links. I even have the preliminary formatting done for print (paperback and hardback). Yeah, I am a bit eager for this one to be published. ;)
As the three novels above roll off my writing/editing task list, I am eagerly looking forward to writing again. I have two short stories in the works. Nothing impressive, just a supplementary tale to Duty (telling a story hinted at in the novel) and a fun little Regency experiment.
The big project on the horizon at the moment is Diaspora (prequel to Exchange). In preparation for writing an epic sci-fi novel, I have been enjoying a lot of SG-1 and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Big things lie ahead in 2013. What are your future plans?
- Rachel Rossano
Wren Romany (now titled Wren) is in the final stages before sending it off to the publisher. Why isn't it there now? Because a few small things need working out before it flies the coop. Oh, and I needed to work a bit on the cover and back blurb. Yes, the newest change in plans is I am designing the cover. Keep your eyes peeled for a cover reveal soon. :)
The King of Anavrea plods forward. I polished off the end of the first rework/rewrite/editing session last night. I will be sending the book out to a select set of beta readers soon to get their opinions and comments. This book makes me more nervous than usual for two reasons: (1) One of the central characters experiences a conversion. (2) It contains a prophetic dream as an integral part of the plot, a device I have avoided before and since. These two elements combined blur the lines between reality and fantasy more than I usually do.
Next on the agenda for The King of Anavrea, is writing the back cover blurb and tagline. I am beginning that task today.
Duty lies in waiting. The last minute details of Wren need to be worked out with my husband before Duty can transition to the last step before publication (hubby review and approval). Cover is done, blurb written, tagline polished, swag items designed, and book trailer awaits the purchase links. I even have the preliminary formatting done for print (paperback and hardback). Yeah, I am a bit eager for this one to be published. ;)
As the three novels above roll off my writing/editing task list, I am eagerly looking forward to writing again. I have two short stories in the works. Nothing impressive, just a supplementary tale to Duty (telling a story hinted at in the novel) and a fun little Regency experiment.
The big project on the horizon at the moment is Diaspora (prequel to Exchange). In preparation for writing an epic sci-fi novel, I have been enjoying a lot of SG-1 and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Big things lie ahead in 2013. What are your future plans?
- Rachel Rossano
December 1, 2012
Sweet Saturday Sample - #SweetSat
This week I selected a bit of The Mercenary's Marriage to share with you. I hope you enjoy it.
Trained as a mercenary soldier, Darius was a man of decisive action. He was also a man of compassion. Seeing a young slave woman about to become the spoils of war, he claimed her for his own. Marrying her before God and king, he made her a free and respectable soldier's wife.
Brice was born a slave. Abused and beaten, she learned quickly to avoid being noticed and to stay away from men. When her master's walls fell to enemy forces, she ran, but not fast enough. In Darius' offer she found deliverance, but experience had taught her to fear power such as his. Could she trust in his protection, or had she traded one form of slavery for another?
Available on Amazon
~~~~~
He did not look cruel. Brice came to this conclusion in spite of the minor scars marring the smoothness of his face. Maybe it was because his eyes were so expressive. She was wondering how the largest and deepest of his scars affected his smile. It started near his temple and made an almost smooth path to about an inch above his jaw line. It was old and had long healed to the darkness of damaged skin. Then he turned from his scrutiny of the building and looked at her. All thoughts of his face immediately vanished from her mind.“We are going back in.” He must have seen the surprise and fear that crossed her mind for he continued. “Stay with me and you will be safe. The men will not bother you now I have claimed you as mine.”“Will you have to…” she had forgotten the words he had used. She looked away. It was hard to think with those eyes watching.“Convince them,” he said for her. She looked up to find his eyes laughing again. The laughter did not reach his the rest of his face though.“Will you?” She asked.“For your sake, let us hope not.” He stepped away and offered her his hand. “Come, now is our best chance.” Hesitant, but uncertain she had any alternative; Brice took it. Immediately his large warm hand gripped hers and he headed to the entrance opposite the way from the men had taken.
~~~~~
Thank you for stopping by. :)For more Sweet Saturday Samples, go to http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/
Trained as a mercenary soldier, Darius was a man of decisive action. He was also a man of compassion. Seeing a young slave woman about to become the spoils of war, he claimed her for his own. Marrying her before God and king, he made her a free and respectable soldier's wife. Brice was born a slave. Abused and beaten, she learned quickly to avoid being noticed and to stay away from men. When her master's walls fell to enemy forces, she ran, but not fast enough. In Darius' offer she found deliverance, but experience had taught her to fear power such as his. Could she trust in his protection, or had she traded one form of slavery for another?
Available on Amazon
~~~~~
He did not look cruel. Brice came to this conclusion in spite of the minor scars marring the smoothness of his face. Maybe it was because his eyes were so expressive. She was wondering how the largest and deepest of his scars affected his smile. It started near his temple and made an almost smooth path to about an inch above his jaw line. It was old and had long healed to the darkness of damaged skin. Then he turned from his scrutiny of the building and looked at her. All thoughts of his face immediately vanished from her mind.“We are going back in.” He must have seen the surprise and fear that crossed her mind for he continued. “Stay with me and you will be safe. The men will not bother you now I have claimed you as mine.”“Will you have to…” she had forgotten the words he had used. She looked away. It was hard to think with those eyes watching.“Convince them,” he said for her. She looked up to find his eyes laughing again. The laughter did not reach his the rest of his face though.“Will you?” She asked.“For your sake, let us hope not.” He stepped away and offered her his hand. “Come, now is our best chance.” Hesitant, but uncertain she had any alternative; Brice took it. Immediately his large warm hand gripped hers and he headed to the entrance opposite the way from the men had taken.
~~~~~
Thank you for stopping by. :)For more Sweet Saturday Samples, go to http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/
November 28, 2012
The Next Big Thing
Thank you Kim Emerson ( http://masterkoda.com/category/master-koda-blog-tour ).She asked me to talk about my current WIP or The Next Big Thing.
What is the title of your book?Duty, though it is kind of official at this point. I have the cover completed and the final editing copy is in the hands of my editor-in-chief, my hubby.
Where did the idea for the book come from?
I was listening to a CD lecture set from The Learning Company. I don't remember specific references, but a king sent an army over a mountain to conquer the people there. The king ordered the army to settle, take wives, and raise families (subduing the conquered by mingling their blood, interests, and futures). I began wondering what it would be like to be one of the women forced to marry the "enemy" and forge a life with him.What genre does your book fall under?
Historical romance, though not strictly historical.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I will be self-publishing it as an ebook, paperback, and hard cover.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? May we see an intro?
I began the first draft in November of 2011 and finished July 24th, 2012. In eight months, I wrote over 77,617 words. I say over since I edited as I wrote.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Can a marriage of duty survive treason?
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Oh, that is a tough one. Um... All of the books I can think of use magic or are strictly historical. I have heard that some of Ann McCaffrey's work is similar.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
This book began as a opening line contest to celebrate the 100th blog post on my blog. I used the winning entry to begin the story. At the time, I intended to write a short story. My characters had other ideas. :)
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
The main character, Brielle, is a practical and strong woman without being too over the top. She is a bit fearless, but she isn't foolish.
Here is an excerpt from the first chapter:~~~~~
"The red one is mine," he said.
I didn’t raise my head although instinct urged me to. Father had called me Red. He said I was born screaming, skin deep red like the beets in the garden and hair fiery orange like the sun. The man who spoke was not my father.
I glanced at him from beneath my cloak’s hood. Arrogant in his size and superior mass, his eyes picked me out of the writhing mass of captives. Early morning sunlight glinted off plain armor and an unadorned helm, yet the unwashed barbarians treated him with the respect due a commander.
The crowd of women around me parted for the soldier fulfilling his order. Mothers moved back with babes in their arms, toddlers clinging to their skirts. Their fingers clutched older children’s hands or shoulders. A living mass, their voices silenced by the army surrounding them. Their faces spoke eloquently of their fear.
The soldier, smelling of sweat and sour wine, grabbed my left arm and dragged me out from among them. I didn’t want to bring harm to the women around me. The soldier would injure many before subduing me. I allowed him to pull me toward the commander with only minimal resistance.
Once free of the captives, however, I yanked from the man’s grip in an attempt to run. Three pairs of rough hands caught hold of my arms before I managed more than a few steps. The stench of their unclean bodies turned my stomach. I gagged as I fought them. They dragged me through the dust and dumped me at his feet.
I struggled up only to be brought down again. Pressure behind my knees forced me to kneel.
I lifted my face to glare at the commander.
“Remove her hood.”
Someone pulled my cloak half off my shoulders in his enthusiasm. Red curls fell free in a wild mass about my shoulders.
Silently I cursed the color. If only I had been blessed with plain brown or even blond tresses, I could have hidden in plain sight.
“My Lady Brielle Solarius, I presume.”
He had the audacity to meet my glare. His eyes were only glimmers beneath the beaten metal and leather of his helmet. He made no bow or any show of the honor due me. I was a noblewoman. I didn’t claim the right of deference often, but still the fact remained.
“Might I know your name, barbarian?”
Now I just have to wait for my husband to get back to me with the final edits. I can't wait to get the final copy into readers' hands. :)
I am tagging the following writers and ask they publish answers to the same questions about their WIP on Dec 5th. I look forward to reading more about "The Next Big Thing" from them.
Charissa Taylor Lees - http://dreammountain.blogspot.com/
Book Review Mama - http://libraryendofuniverse.blogspot....
Aubrey Hansen - http://www.aubreyhansen.com/
Anne Girl - http://scribblingskeyboard.blogspot.com
The Authoress - http://theswirlofwords.blogspot.com/
- Rachel Rossano
November 17, 2012
Sweet Saturday Sample
This week's selection is from one of my favorite scenes from The King of Anavrea (currently in the editing phase). Ireic Theodoric is king of Anavrea. He and his wife, Lirth are riding in an open carriage on parade through the capital city.
Source: Dreamstime.com
“We are almost done.” Ireic’s voice inches from her ear startled her into sitting straighter. “I can see the gates, but we have to stop for a moment. They are having some trouble clearing the street.” She could hear his exhaustion in his voice. Nodding so he could know that she understood, she leaned forward slightly. Something whistled past her ear followed by a muffled thump.Ireic shouted and shoved her roughly to the floorboards. A heavy weight landed on top of her and pressed her body and face against the floor. Her nose filled with the scent of polish and aged wood. Overhead, voices rose as the tone of the crowd changed. Among them Isack cursed at the horses. Screams tore at her ears. Shrieks from the crowd set the horses into jostling the carriage. The vehicle rolled backwards and someone yelled above the mayhem “the king is dead!”“Ireic!” she gasped.“I am fine,” Ireic’s clipped voice assured her, inches from her ear. He was the weight on top of her. Just then something wet dripped onto her cheek. Horror tightened her chest as her nose identified the smell.“You are bleeding,” she accused, pushing at the floor to try to get him off of her.“Yes.” He groaned in pain as she succeeded in rolling him to one side. “It is only a scratch. It isn’t safe for you to get up.”She ignored him and reached toward his voice. “Where is it?” She couldn’t lose him.“Get down, Lirth! The archer is still out there and you are giving him a perfect shot.” Ireic grabbed her wrist and yanked it out from under her. Her chin struck the floor a painful crack to her jaw. “Liam!” Someone replied, but his words were lost among the other shouts. “Get us out of here.”The carriage groaned and dipped as someone jumped onboard. A whip cracked and the horses lunged forward. The movement sent Lirth falling against Ireic. He grunted as she landed, but a strong arm came around her and pinned her there. “Don’t move,” he ordered fiercely. Obediently Lirth lay still, but she could not stop the pounding in her breast.“Don’t die,” she whispered.
I hope you enjoyed the excerpt.Thank you for visiting.
For more Sweet Saturday Samples, go to:http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/
Source: Dreamstime.com“We are almost done.” Ireic’s voice inches from her ear startled her into sitting straighter. “I can see the gates, but we have to stop for a moment. They are having some trouble clearing the street.” She could hear his exhaustion in his voice. Nodding so he could know that she understood, she leaned forward slightly. Something whistled past her ear followed by a muffled thump.Ireic shouted and shoved her roughly to the floorboards. A heavy weight landed on top of her and pressed her body and face against the floor. Her nose filled with the scent of polish and aged wood. Overhead, voices rose as the tone of the crowd changed. Among them Isack cursed at the horses. Screams tore at her ears. Shrieks from the crowd set the horses into jostling the carriage. The vehicle rolled backwards and someone yelled above the mayhem “the king is dead!”“Ireic!” she gasped.“I am fine,” Ireic’s clipped voice assured her, inches from her ear. He was the weight on top of her. Just then something wet dripped onto her cheek. Horror tightened her chest as her nose identified the smell.“You are bleeding,” she accused, pushing at the floor to try to get him off of her.“Yes.” He groaned in pain as she succeeded in rolling him to one side. “It is only a scratch. It isn’t safe for you to get up.”She ignored him and reached toward his voice. “Where is it?” She couldn’t lose him.“Get down, Lirth! The archer is still out there and you are giving him a perfect shot.” Ireic grabbed her wrist and yanked it out from under her. Her chin struck the floor a painful crack to her jaw. “Liam!” Someone replied, but his words were lost among the other shouts. “Get us out of here.”The carriage groaned and dipped as someone jumped onboard. A whip cracked and the horses lunged forward. The movement sent Lirth falling against Ireic. He grunted as she landed, but a strong arm came around her and pinned her there. “Don’t move,” he ordered fiercely. Obediently Lirth lay still, but she could not stop the pounding in her breast.“Don’t die,” she whispered.
I hope you enjoyed the excerpt.Thank you for visiting.
For more Sweet Saturday Samples, go to:http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/
November 3, 2012
Sweet Saturday Sample
Welcome back to Sweet Saturday Samples. This week, I chose a bit of my current editing project, Wren Romany. This section comes from Tourth's POV. He, Wren, and his men are about to bring a petition before King Orac in his tent.
From Dreamstime.com~~~~~
A chair, a table, and bare ground were austere surroundings for a king. The scent of trampled grass filled my senses. Heavy canvas separated a small area from the rest of the tent leaving barely room for five men to stand abreast, shoulders almost rubbing. Wren paused at my left, Keaton’s dark body perched on her far shoulder. Tyron flanked her other side. Together we looked like an honor guard for her and her bird. Dardon chose a spot at my right, closer to the men guarding the exit.“Playing rustic?” Dardon regarded the rough-hewn wood of the table legs and the unpadded seat of the chair with raised eyebrows.Lord Portan frowned pointedly at him. “Wait here.” He disappeared into the larger area of the tent.I caught Wren eyeing her surroundings, no doubt marking the exits and the two men flanking the opening to the outside. Tyron edged about uneasily while Dardon slid his sword a few inches out of the scabbard. As I tried to catch Dardon’s gaze to signal him to behave, the canvas parted and Orac stepped into the room.He looked the same as when I saw him last. A short man, he barely surpassed Wren by an inch or two. He moved with the grace of a boar, but the power of each movement commanded its own form of appreciation. His cool, silver eyes scanned us, beginning with Wren.“My lady.” He inclined his head slightly to her and Keaton. “We are honored by your presence and your noble bird.”“I am not of noble birth, your majesty.”Orac tilted his head to one side. “An honest admission, lady. That alone is worthy of the regard.”
~~~~~
I love Wren, but I am eager to get her off my desk and into the publisher's hands.
Thank you for stopping by for this week's sweet sample.For more Sweet Saturday Samples, go to:http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/
See you next week. :)
October 29, 2012
In Which I Express a Ton of Opinions about Expressing Opinions
Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion, observation, and concern, not necessarily fact.
A scandal broke a while ago about an author who used an alias account to tear down his competitors' work in reviews on Amazon. (I read the article when it came out, but I forgot the man's name.) As sad and concerning as this is, I am a bit more concerned about the resulting ripples through the publishing world, especially on Amazon.I don't know details and do not claim to be an expert, but I have observed that a few of my author friends' reviews have disappeared from their book listings on Amazon. It appears that most (possibly all) of the reviews were the four and five star reviews. According to what I have heard, they were not paid reviews to the best of the authors' knowledge.
I am concerned that people's opinions are being censored. I believe strongly that everyone is entitled to their opinion. It doesn't have to be in line with mine. I am not saying that everyone is entitled to express their opinion if they can't express it politely, constructively, and kindly. Thumper's father had a good point when he said "If you can't say something nice...don't say nothing at all."
One, two, and three star reviews have their place too. As long as the reviewers are civil, they should be able to express their opinion of the product they bought. They should be able to issue warnings or concerns they had with the product. However, attacking those who express a different opinion shouldn't be standard procedure. That kind of behavior--attacking the credibility of the other reviews/reviewers, the author (creator) of the product, and others who have supported the product--is not fulfilling the purpose of a review, to give feedback on the product.
More links about the disappearing book review phenomenon.
If I, as a reader, want to give a book a five star review, I should be allowed to without being criticized (or have my review deleted) for my opinion just because someone else doesn't agree. The review system is not fool proof. Reviews are just readers' opinions which will be as varied as the readers' are. If someone is concerned about wasting their money, they should download a sample, read ALL the reviews, and understand that purchasing something always comes with a risk. Amazon does have a generous return policy for ebooks.
I read the reviews of my books, every painful or delightful word. Learning from them is hard, but I try. When readers speak, I listen and try to respond with better work. However, I am very aware that each reader comes to a book expecting something different. I cannot fulfill all of those different expectations in one book. So, I don't try.
I strive to write the best story that I can every time. I learn from my mistakes and make new ones with each book. I am not perfect. I will most likely never write the next great American novel that becomes a classic in future generations. That doesn't mean I won't write an entertaining novel, well crafted, and worth the price tag I put on it.
I shall now finish my opinionated speech and get off my soap box. Thank you for listening.
- Rachel Rossano
http://angiesdiary.com/articles/disappearing-reviews-amazon/
A scandal broke a while ago about an author who used an alias account to tear down his competitors' work in reviews on Amazon. (I read the article when it came out, but I forgot the man's name.) As sad and concerning as this is, I am a bit more concerned about the resulting ripples through the publishing world, especially on Amazon.I don't know details and do not claim to be an expert, but I have observed that a few of my author friends' reviews have disappeared from their book listings on Amazon. It appears that most (possibly all) of the reviews were the four and five star reviews. According to what I have heard, they were not paid reviews to the best of the authors' knowledge.
I am concerned that people's opinions are being censored. I believe strongly that everyone is entitled to their opinion. It doesn't have to be in line with mine. I am not saying that everyone is entitled to express their opinion if they can't express it politely, constructively, and kindly. Thumper's father had a good point when he said "If you can't say something nice...don't say nothing at all."
One, two, and three star reviews have their place too. As long as the reviewers are civil, they should be able to express their opinion of the product they bought. They should be able to issue warnings or concerns they had with the product. However, attacking those who express a different opinion shouldn't be standard procedure. That kind of behavior--attacking the credibility of the other reviews/reviewers, the author (creator) of the product, and others who have supported the product--is not fulfilling the purpose of a review, to give feedback on the product.
More links about the disappearing book review phenomenon.
If I, as a reader, want to give a book a five star review, I should be allowed to without being criticized (or have my review deleted) for my opinion just because someone else doesn't agree. The review system is not fool proof. Reviews are just readers' opinions which will be as varied as the readers' are. If someone is concerned about wasting their money, they should download a sample, read ALL the reviews, and understand that purchasing something always comes with a risk. Amazon does have a generous return policy for ebooks.
I read the reviews of my books, every painful or delightful word. Learning from them is hard, but I try. When readers speak, I listen and try to respond with better work. However, I am very aware that each reader comes to a book expecting something different. I cannot fulfill all of those different expectations in one book. So, I don't try.
I strive to write the best story that I can every time. I learn from my mistakes and make new ones with each book. I am not perfect. I will most likely never write the next great American novel that becomes a classic in future generations. That doesn't mean I won't write an entertaining novel, well crafted, and worth the price tag I put on it.
I shall now finish my opinionated speech and get off my soap box. Thank you for listening.
- Rachel Rossano
http://angiesdiary.com/articles/disappearing-reviews-amazon/
October 27, 2012
Sweet Saturday Sample
Welcome back to the latest Sweet Saturday Sample. Today I am offering a sample from The King of Anavrea, one of my two editing projects at the moment. Lirth, a blind woman, suffers from a reoccurring nightmare.
~~~~~
A large callused hand covered her mouth so that she could not even whimper. Drawing in air through her nose, she tried to scream, but could manage only a weak squeak. Listening, she prayed, but to no avail.
“Lirth!” Joman called her name.
“Lirth, where are you?” Aarint's voice was even closer than Joman's.
“Silence, Brat,” an oily whisper instructed Lirth. Her captor's foul breath flooded her senses. The mixture of bad cheese and fish made Lirth’s stomach turn. If she lost her lunch now, she would drown in it. There was no way this man would release her mouth with her brothers so close.
“If they find us because of you, Brat, I will kill them.” The rasp of the man's voice and the stench of his sweat blocked out anything Lirth might have heard or smelled. “Don't doubt that I will. I am only going to get paid for fetching you.”
Carefully, she swallowed the lump in her throat.
“To single handedly wipe out all the heirs to the throne would be quite a feat wouldn't ya think?”
Lirth could not control the shiver that griped her spine.
“Maybe she headed home!” Lloyden, her middle brother, finally suggested. “If she was anywhere near, she would have heard us by now.”
“Wait!” Aarint's voice was so close Lirth felt she could touch him. “I think I see something.”
Her heart fell as she heard the others approaching.
“No!” Her heart screamed in agony as she heard the branches part. She felt the man shift his weight. He was going to kill her brother! She struggled but could not move. “No!” A sob shook her as her brother's scream filled her ears. “Not Aarint!”
~~~~~
Thank you for stopping by.
Have a lovely weekend.
For more sweet Saturday morsels,
go to: http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/
~~~~~
A large callused hand covered her mouth so that she could not even whimper. Drawing in air through her nose, she tried to scream, but could manage only a weak squeak. Listening, she prayed, but to no avail.
“Lirth!” Joman called her name.
“Lirth, where are you?” Aarint's voice was even closer than Joman's.
“Silence, Brat,” an oily whisper instructed Lirth. Her captor's foul breath flooded her senses. The mixture of bad cheese and fish made Lirth’s stomach turn. If she lost her lunch now, she would drown in it. There was no way this man would release her mouth with her brothers so close.
“If they find us because of you, Brat, I will kill them.” The rasp of the man's voice and the stench of his sweat blocked out anything Lirth might have heard or smelled. “Don't doubt that I will. I am only going to get paid for fetching you.”
Carefully, she swallowed the lump in her throat.
“To single handedly wipe out all the heirs to the throne would be quite a feat wouldn't ya think?”
Lirth could not control the shiver that griped her spine.
“Maybe she headed home!” Lloyden, her middle brother, finally suggested. “If she was anywhere near, she would have heard us by now.”
“Wait!” Aarint's voice was so close Lirth felt she could touch him. “I think I see something.”
Her heart fell as she heard the others approaching.
“No!” Her heart screamed in agony as she heard the branches part. She felt the man shift his weight. He was going to kill her brother! She struggled but could not move. “No!” A sob shook her as her brother's scream filled her ears. “Not Aarint!”
~~~~~
Thank you for stopping by.
Have a lovely weekend.
For more sweet Saturday morsels,
go to: http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/
October 23, 2012
The Next Big Thing
I was tagged by a fellow writer, Joyce DiPastena (http://jdp-news.blogspot.com). She asked me to talk about my current WIP or The Next Big Thing.
What is your working title of your book?
Duty, though it is kind of official at this point. I have the cover completed and the final editing copy is in the hands of my editor-in-chief, my hubby.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
I was listening to a CD lecture set from The Learning Company. I don't remember specific references, but a king sent an army over a mountain to conquer the people there. The king ordered the army to settle, take wives, and raise families (subduing the conquered by mingling their blood, interests, and futures). I began wondering what it would be like to be one of the women forced to marry the "enemy" and forge a life with him.
What genre does your book fall under?
Historical romance, though not strictly historical.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I tend to not cast my books until I work on the book trailer. I have the trailer done, but I don't want to reveal it yet. So, off the top of my head, here are my top picks.
Richard Armitage as Tomas Dyrease, Lord Irvaine.
Miranda Otto as Brielle Solarius.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Can a marriage of duty survive treason?
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I will be self-publishing it as an ebook, paperback, and hard cover.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? May we see an intro?
I began the first draft in November of 2011 and finished July 24th, 2012. In eight months, I wrote over 77,617 words. I say over since I edited as I wrote.
Here is an excerpt from the first chapter:
~~~~~
"The red one is mine," he said.
I didn’t raise my head although instinct urged me to. Father had called me Red. He said I was born screaming, skin deep red like the beets in the garden and hair fiery orange like the sun. The man who spoke was not my father.
I glanced at him from beneath my cloak’s hood. Arrogant in his size and superior mass, his eyes picked me out of the writhing mass of captives. Early morning sunlight glinted off plain armor and an unadorned helm, yet the unwashed barbarians treated him with the respect due a commander.
The crowd of women around me parted for the soldier fulfilling his order. Mothers moved back with babes in their arms, toddlers clinging to their skirts. Their fingers clutched older children’s hands or shoulders. A living mass, their voices silenced by the army surrounding them. Their faces spoke eloquently of their fear.
The soldier, smelling of sweat and sour wine, grabbed my left arm and dragged me out from among them. I didn’t want to bring harm to the women around me. The soldier would injure many before subduing me. I allowed him to pull me toward the commander with only minimal resistance.
Once free of the captives, however, I yanked from the man’s grip in an attempt to run. Three pairs of rough hands caught hold of my arms before I managed more than a few steps. The stench of their unclean bodies turned my stomach. I gagged as I fought them. They dragged me through the dust and dumped me at his feet.
I struggled up only to be brought down again. Pressure behind my knees forced me to kneel.
I lifted my face to glare at the commander.
“Remove her hood.”
Someone pulled my cloak half off my shoulders in his enthusiasm. Red curls fell free in a wild mass about my shoulders.
Silently I cursed the color. If only I had been blessed with plain brown or even blond tresses, I could have hidden in plain sight.
“My Lady Brielle Solarius, I presume.”
He had the audacity to meet my glare. His eyes were only glimmers beneath the beaten metal and leather of his helmet. He made no bow or any show of the honor due me. I was a noblewoman. I didn’t claim the right of deference often, but still the fact remained.
“Might I know your name, barbarian?”
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Oh, that is a tough one. Um... All of the books I can think of use magic or are strictly historical. I have heard that some of Ann McCaffrey's work is similar.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
This book began as a opening line contest to celebrate the 100th blog post on my blog. I used the winning entry to begin the story. At the time, I intended to write a short story. My characters had other ideas. :)
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
The main character, Brielle, is a practical and strong woman without being too over the top. She is a bit fearless, but she isn't foolish.
Now I just have to wait for my husband to get back to me with the final edits. I can't wait to get the final copy into readers' hands. :)
- Rachel Rossano
What is your working title of your book?
Duty, though it is kind of official at this point. I have the cover completed and the final editing copy is in the hands of my editor-in-chief, my hubby.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
I was listening to a CD lecture set from The Learning Company. I don't remember specific references, but a king sent an army over a mountain to conquer the people there. The king ordered the army to settle, take wives, and raise families (subduing the conquered by mingling their blood, interests, and futures). I began wondering what it would be like to be one of the women forced to marry the "enemy" and forge a life with him.
What genre does your book fall under?
Historical romance, though not strictly historical.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I tend to not cast my books until I work on the book trailer. I have the trailer done, but I don't want to reveal it yet. So, off the top of my head, here are my top picks.
Richard Armitage as Tomas Dyrease, Lord Irvaine.
Miranda Otto as Brielle Solarius.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Can a marriage of duty survive treason?
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I will be self-publishing it as an ebook, paperback, and hard cover.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? May we see an intro?
I began the first draft in November of 2011 and finished July 24th, 2012. In eight months, I wrote over 77,617 words. I say over since I edited as I wrote.
Here is an excerpt from the first chapter:
~~~~~
"The red one is mine," he said.
I didn’t raise my head although instinct urged me to. Father had called me Red. He said I was born screaming, skin deep red like the beets in the garden and hair fiery orange like the sun. The man who spoke was not my father.
I glanced at him from beneath my cloak’s hood. Arrogant in his size and superior mass, his eyes picked me out of the writhing mass of captives. Early morning sunlight glinted off plain armor and an unadorned helm, yet the unwashed barbarians treated him with the respect due a commander.
The crowd of women around me parted for the soldier fulfilling his order. Mothers moved back with babes in their arms, toddlers clinging to their skirts. Their fingers clutched older children’s hands or shoulders. A living mass, their voices silenced by the army surrounding them. Their faces spoke eloquently of their fear.
The soldier, smelling of sweat and sour wine, grabbed my left arm and dragged me out from among them. I didn’t want to bring harm to the women around me. The soldier would injure many before subduing me. I allowed him to pull me toward the commander with only minimal resistance.
Once free of the captives, however, I yanked from the man’s grip in an attempt to run. Three pairs of rough hands caught hold of my arms before I managed more than a few steps. The stench of their unclean bodies turned my stomach. I gagged as I fought them. They dragged me through the dust and dumped me at his feet.
I struggled up only to be brought down again. Pressure behind my knees forced me to kneel.
I lifted my face to glare at the commander.
“Remove her hood.”
Someone pulled my cloak half off my shoulders in his enthusiasm. Red curls fell free in a wild mass about my shoulders.
Silently I cursed the color. If only I had been blessed with plain brown or even blond tresses, I could have hidden in plain sight.
“My Lady Brielle Solarius, I presume.”
He had the audacity to meet my glare. His eyes were only glimmers beneath the beaten metal and leather of his helmet. He made no bow or any show of the honor due me. I was a noblewoman. I didn’t claim the right of deference often, but still the fact remained.
“Might I know your name, barbarian?”
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Oh, that is a tough one. Um... All of the books I can think of use magic or are strictly historical. I have heard that some of Ann McCaffrey's work is similar.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
This book began as a opening line contest to celebrate the 100th blog post on my blog. I used the winning entry to begin the story. At the time, I intended to write a short story. My characters had other ideas. :)
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
The main character, Brielle, is a practical and strong woman without being too over the top. She is a bit fearless, but she isn't foolish.
Now I just have to wait for my husband to get back to me with the final edits. I can't wait to get the final copy into readers' hands. :)
- Rachel Rossano
