Suzanne Rogerson's Blog, page 71

#AtoZChallenge C – Candle making

Candle making.

I got a Kirstie Allsopp ‘Vanilla Voltive Candle kit’ for mother’s day. I love anything to do with crafts and these packs with everything you need to get started are a great introduction to trying out something new.

This kit consists of;

2 bags paraffin wax pellets, 2 bags beeswax pellets, vanilla scent, cotton wick, metal wick holder, 2 wooden sticks with holes, 2 candle moulds.

What you need;

Pliers, pegs, two old pans – one big, one smaller.

I chose a windy and wet bank holiday weekend to make my first batch of candles. It was simple to do, apart from having to put the wick together and guessing a third of a bag of wax etc. Also there wasn’t any instructions on how much vanilla to add, but I just used common sense and put in a couple of drops.

The first attempt I didn’t have enough melted wax to fill the two moulds to the top, so the second time I just used the rest of the bag and had plenty to spare which I used to fill an old candle holder. I also added dried lavender, though it just sat around the top in the mould so it wasn’t the effect I was hoping for.

Conclusion to candle making;

It was quick, simple and not too messy. They look good, burn nicely and fill the room with a lovely vanilla scent. They are really good fun and would make a nice handmade gift. It would be fun to experiment with colours and scents, so I guess I’ll have to wait and see what new designs I can come up with.

Tomorrow follows more crafty ideas.

A – Amber’s Method Top 5 writing tips

B – Beta Readers

#atozchallenge – B Beta readers

Beta readers are a writers best friend. They helped me turn this:

into this

I’d never have found the courage to publish without their help and support. They were instrumental in helping the novel develop, pointing out character flaws, plot issues and words and phrases that I have a tendency to overuse.

How to find Beta Readers

I was lucky enough to make friends with writers from the adult education classes I attended a few years ago. Some of us have kept in touch and meet up to critique each others work.

These creative writing classes are a great way to learn the craft and make new friends, and I really recommend new writers try to join one.

There are other options; online courses, peer websites, or you can find beta readers advertising online and on sites like Goodreads. But there is nothing quite like sitting down over a cup of tea, or glass of wine and talking through your book with someone who understands the trials involved in writing.

Be a Beta Reader

You can learn a lot about the process of writing and editing by being a Beta reader yourself. I found it an enriching experience, both to the reader and the writer in me. It’s an honour to read someone’s work, to know that they trust you with their baby and that you’re probably one of the first to read their work as a whole.

Now for a few words from a couple of my lovely beta readers;

Beta-reading by Louise Spiers

‘I had not known I was a beta-reader until I saw the acknowledgements in Visions of Zarua by my friend Suzanne Rogerson. My ignorance of the term did not hinder my becoming one. Beta-reading comes naturally to those of us who as teachers have spent many hours reading and marking essays. I met Suzanne at a creative writing evening class and was impressed by her work and professionalism. After the class finished, a small group of us continued to meet. It was then that I read more of her book. The opportunity to read through the entire fantasy novel was one that I approached with enthusiasm. I enjoyed the process and it was a pleasure to help her. I can thoroughly recommend beta-reading to any writer. It is a privilege to be asked to read and comment on a writer’s work especially when you understand how many hours of hard work it represents. If I am ever in the position of needing a beta-reader, Suzanne will be my first choice. Finally, do go and check out Visions of Zarua. You won’t be disappointed.’

 ***

‘Beta readers are vitally important to improving your writing – they catch plot holes and inconstancies that you totally missed, along with providing encouragement when they tell you what worked well!   I’ve also enjoyed being a Beta reader for friends and other writers; it’s a great feeling to know you’ve helped someone else on their path to publication!’   Barbed Words
Barbed Words is also taking part in the A-ZChallenge so check out her blog here.

***

Has anyone else any Beta reading experiences to share?

The next few blogs will have a more crafty theme. And then I’ll be onto E – its all in the editing. See you next time.

#AtoZChallenge A – Amber’s Method: Top 5 #writingtips

The Amber’s Method on how to create characters and stories.

(Background – Amber is my 9 year old daughter, but she’s already teaching me a thing or two about writing.)

1. Start with a name.

She uses name books to look up interesting male and female names.

I prefer to make names up, another reason I love the fantasy genre, but I often find the names are not unique and are used in unexpected places. My current W.I.P ‘Garrick’ is actually a London theatre and a nearby road I’d never heard of before. ‘Brogan’ has been an ogre in Sherk. ‘Rike’ has been used in Mark Lawrence’s Broken Empire trilogy.

2. Use pictures off the internet to create an Inspiration File

If she wants a particular type of character like a fairy or mermaid, or maybe a dark haired 10 year old, she’ll put in the search and look through the pictures. She then copies the pictures into a file that she can use to describe the character and refer to when she needs to. This also works for settings and objects.

My method has always been looking for faces and places in magazines and plastering them around my wall. Unfortunately my workspace is in the kitchen so everyone has to put up with my mess. Using a computer file would be a lot tidier and I would have it will me all the time.

(Pinterest – I used this to give me inspiration for the cover of Visions of Zarua. It’s a great resource, and one I want to put to better use for future books.)

3. Write the story – don’t edit until then end!

I’ve often said to her are you going to change that word (I hate seeing a word underlined in red) but she says ‘No, I’ll edit it at the end.’

4. Don’t show it to others too soon.

I have not been allowed to read her work yet.

Sometimes it makes sense to show restraint and get the work ready for others to see. Also talking about the WIP too soon can kill the spark of inspiration.

5. If you’re stuck use picture prompts, or read other books for ideas.

My daughter has shown me a picture prompt site called Pobble365.com that has a picture for each day of the year to use for inspiration. It also give you a starting sentence or words, and asks questions that can spark story ideas. It’s used in school, so is aimed more at children, but it’s still a fun way to spark story ideas.

I’m looking forward to applying these tips to my writing in the future.

***

Tomorrow I’ll be discussing Beta Readers, and then onto some more crafty posts. Right now its off to Hampton Court to spent the day steeped in history and beautiful buildings. I hope to have some interesting pictures to share for ‘H’.

(The pic is of a beautiful fountain at Witley Court, Worcestershire. It’s my picture prompt for the day!)

Please leave comments and I’ll get back to you this evening. I’m looking forward to checking out some new blogs on this challenge.

Hugh’s weekly photo challenge: Week 19 – Gap

This maybe my last entry into Hugh’s photo challenge  for a while as I am taking part in the A-Z April Blog challenge for the first time, whilst trying to finish my second book, and becoming a book reviewer. I don’t know when I’ll find the time to sleep!

The beautiful fountain is at Witley Court in Great Witley, Worcestershire.

 

 

 

#WordlessWednesday – My son’s horse chestnut sapling

#TuesdayBookBlog – #bookreview of Evensong by Krista Walsh #fantasy

Evensong – Krista Walsh – Book one of the Meratis trilogy.

I stumbled on this book last year when I was researching fantasy book covers. This cover instantly appealed to me.

Published 2014.

317 pages.

Evensong is currently free on kindle and the next two books Eventide & Evenlight are available to buy now.

Blurb

Author Jeff Powell wakes up to find the impossible has happened. He is within his own novel – summoned into the fictional world of Fendall’s keep by a spell he didn’t write. One the house enchantress hasn’t figured out how to reverse. When the villain he’s been struggling to write reveals himself, unleashing waves of terror and chaos, Jeff must use more than his imagination to save the characters he created – and the woman he loves.

***

The premise had me hooked. What writer wouldn’t want to read about an author sucked into their own book! BUT you may not look at writing or your characters in the same way again.

It was a humorous tale, at times a touch on the gruesome side but nothing you wouldn’t expect from a fantasy. I liked the blend of our everyday reality and the fantasy world of Andvell. It was refreshing to have modern language and swearing in a fantasy setting, and there were some very funny moments when Jeff tries to ride a horse and is challenged to a fight by one of his own characters. He is totally out of his depths in his own fantasy world and quickly realises it.

As readers we can enjoy the tale as it unfolds. As writers we can relate to some of Jeff’s problems and learn a thing or two about the process of writing, and maybe we can even consider going a little easier on our own characters!

I rate this 4 stars  –  I think because of the format of the story, it was hard to emotionally connect with all the characters. However, it was still a great read and I will definitely be continuing with the story.

Check it out on Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.com

Fun and Frolic with Amazon

I had to reblog this post because there is so much useful information to share. I can’t wait to update the key words for my novel on Amazon and make more use of the Amazon Author Central pages.

Roxanne's Space

I love Amazon. They have so many tools in place to help an independent author succeed. Here are a few ways to make Amazon work for you.

Don’t think of Amazon as a store.

Think of it as a search engine. As an author, you don’t need to rank higher on Google. You need to rank higher on Amazon.

Amazon works as a search engine very much like Google or Bing so you need to think SEO (search engine optimization) for your book. That means metadata. Most authors’ eyes glaze over at that word. But metadata simply refers to the keywords that are associated with your book and its category.

TIP: Your previous Amazon searches will influence your results, so be sure to log out to clear your past viewing history before conducting any keyword or category research.

Keywords will help you enormously on Amazon.

Nowadays, keywords are phrases. No…

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Revised #Review of Fire, Bed and Bone – Henrietta Branford #childrensbooks

It’s been an interesting experiment, asking my husband and children to read ‘Fire, Bed and Bone’. It is a children’s book, but one that I really enjoyed and rated 5 stars.

My husband, a huge fantasy reader, said it was ok but he didn’t feel very involved with the characters.

My son, 11, enthusiastic reader of children’s fantasy books, rated it 4.5 out of 5. He said he really enjoyed it, as he has other books by Henrietta Branford, though he didn’t have the same emotional response as I did to it.

My daughter, 9, who loves to read animal stories and books about witches and magic, stopped reading at the end of chapter 4. She enjoyed it up to this point but when two of ‘Old Dog’s’ puppies were killed she found it too scary to continue.

I have found this a really fun challenge and look forward to sharing more books with the family and talking about them.

Have you read the same books as your family, and were you surprised by their views?

Below is the original book review:

suzanne rogerson fantasy author

My Rating 5 out of 5.

Pages 136.

Blurb from the front cover, which makes an interesting change.

‘A revolt is brewing. The year is 1381 and unrest is spreading like plague. England’s peasants are ready to rise against their unjust landlords. The violent upheaval will affect everyone – even dogs, like the old hunting bitch through whose eyes, ears and nose these dramatic events are revealed.’

Children’s book – I’d say 9+ but the book doesn’t state. I would be happy for my 9 year old to read it, and I think my son (11) would enjoy it too (in fact my son read ‘White Wolf’ by Henrietta Branford a couple of years ago and said it was one of his favourite books).

My daughter bought Fire, Bed and Bone at her school fair. She said she really liked the cover and the blurb and that’s why she picked it out of loads of other books…

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Update from Suzanne Rogerson Fantasy Author

First off this is the last day of my ebook / kindle price drop of 99p / £1.99. If you fancy a dark and thrilling read that keeps you hooked from beginning to end, check out Visions of Zarua.

It’s already got 6 great 4 & 5 star reviews on Amazon, but I would love to get some more. If you have read and enjoyed it, I would really appreciate it if you could spare a few moments to rate and review it on Amazon uk/us, goodreads, or whatever format you feel comfortable with. Getting discovered is all about the reviews. Plus I love reading the feedback, it lets me know all the stress and sleepless nights have been worth it.

The UK Goodreads Giveaway for Visions of Zarua has finished and a winner has been picked at random. It wasn’t as successful as the worldwide giveaway, but I was still very pleased to see 192 entered and that currently Visions is on over 800 peoples bookshelves to read. Of course, I didn’t time the giveaway well, finishing during the long bank holiday weekend means I can’t post the winner their prize until tomorrow.

I am shortly to embark on the April A-Z Blog Challenge, where I will blog everyday, except Sunday’s. My theme will be Crafts, but will also cover writing, editing, foraging and possibly a little magic!

My work in progress has to take a back seat for a few weeks during the Easter Hols and while I prepare for the A-Z blog challenge. I’m still determined to publish the first book in the Bloodlines series during 2016 and can’t wait to start working on the cover art etc. I’m really excited about self publishing the second time around, doing cover reveals and creating some pre-order excitement. Plus, I also hope to send out a few advanced review copies, and maybe do a blog tour beforehand. These are all things I didn’t know about the first time around. Self publishing is still a big learning curve, so if anyone has any advice, I’m happy to receive it.

Finally, I have also just joined Rosie Amber’s team of reviewers. Over the last few months I’ve really enjoyed writing reviews of the books I’ve enjoyed, and it’s great to have the opportunity to join a team of well established reviewers.

For those of you interested in picking up Visions of Zarua at its bargain price, here are some links,  amazon smashwords nook

 Thanks for reading.

#WordlessWednesday – Magnolia