E. Rachael Hardcastle's Blog, page 18

777 Challenge - I Got Tagged!

777 Challenge RulesThank the author that nominated you.Post the 1st 7 lines from the 7th page of your WIP.Nominate 7 other new authors.Notify the nominees.Share your 777 excerpt link with your nominator.Thank you to Ivy Cirillo (of this website) for tagging me in the 777 Challenge.The first 7 lines from pg.7 of my WIP 'Dragonborn' are as follows (unedited, first draft):'Suddenly, Ash had to swerve around a small boy who had knelt to tie his laces. He plowed through a cart of hay, leaving choking yellowish dust behind and now forced off course, he propelled his body across an empty wooden stall. Before finding his target again, Ash stole a glance at his breeches, worried he had torn them, and feeling light-headed he cursed at his graceless landing. Critical gazes were following the pursuit. A group of shopkeepers shouted abuse at him when he dashed through their conversation but at the base of the hill supportive townsfolk were pointing and cheering. Ash ran toward the Cerulean Grace; a rickety but busy merchant ship which was about to depart.'I would like to nominate:Lorna FaithKatie MastersCaryn LarrinagaM. K. WilliamsJoshua HardingPamela M. MathisAliya DalraeThese authors have all been tagged on Twitter - I look forward to reading your snippets!

Cover Reveal, Finding Pandora: Books 1-4 (Volume 1)

After getting some feedback from my friends and followers on social media as to which of the lovely covers I designed should be chosen for Finding Pandora, Books 1-4 (the full volume including the first four books of the series), I'm thrilled to finally reveal my chosen cover.Thank you to all those who participated in this choice and I hope you are pleased with the results. I am hoping to release this book following Book Four: Eternity in May 2017.Please feel welcome to leave your comments and thoughts on the cover on this blog post, or get in touch by email.

Cover Reveal, Finding Pandora: Book Four: Eternity

As I progress with Book Four of my YA High Fantasy series Finding Pandora, I'm thrilled to finally reveal the paperback cover. It's an image I fell in love with early on in my re-writing process because it reflects the meadow in the book beautifully.Please feel welcome to leave your comments and thoughts on the cover on this blog post, or get in touch by email. I am hoping to release the book around May Bank Holiday 2017.

The Author Interviews, Round 2: #5: Malka Lebovits

The next author interview in my series isMalka Lebovits. To read Malka's guest blog post (a poem about anxiety) pleaseclick here.Tell us a little about yourself - Perhaps something not many people know?My Name is Malka Lebovits. I have been writing since a very young age.Writing Is a passion of mine, I place no limitations on my writing and write whenever inspiration hits. This can be in a public environment, perhaps observing others have inspired to write, but I also enjoy to write in the privacy of my home or yard. Both are great but produce different results. Writing in nature can be more mindful and peaceful but writing in public can be full of my outlook on the behaviours of others and all about growth.I have published a children’s Book called ‘The Colourful Pillow’. The colourful pillow is written in a poem format since this is my favourite form of writing. Not only is it an easy read for young readers but the rhyming gives it a musical sense. Writing children's books has proven to be challenging yet rewarding. I find it a challenge to implement a lesson into my words while still keeping it a easy read for young ones, but who doesn’t love a challenge?What made you want to become a writer?Writing has been my best form of communicating. Growing up in a painful environment I often felt like my voice was not being heard above all the chaos, so I took to pen and paper and began expressing my feelings.Million dollar question, are you working on another book?I am constantly working on new material and I am currently in the middle of a new children’s book, as well as an adult’s fiction novel.What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?The toughest criticism I’ve received was that my children’s book wasn’t suitable for children since it was printed in a soft paper version with a soft cover. Most children’s books are laminated or at least made of harder paper.What has been the best compliment?That the words in my book have a easy flow with a great lesson for children.If you could write about anyone fiction/non-fiction who would you write about?I’d Love to write my grandmother's (OF BLESSED MEMORY) biography. She survived WW2, was separated from her family at a young age and went through fascinating but difficult challenges as a young adult.Why do you write?Take a look at my blog and you will see that my content is full of self help and inspirational material. This is no coincidence, I want to reach out to others in pain, to those who have been in a place that I can relate to, and I want to help. Often I find myself preaching in my poetry. This not to sound condescending or egoistic, this is to help others.I have accumulated a vast amound of life experience and this has given me plenty of awareness and growth oriented opinions. Many are blinded by the troubles in their life - they see no way out. They can be handicapped by their childhood pain, anxiety, fears or stress. Writing is my way of changing the world. But most important of all, I am fully aware that if one desires to change the world, one must begin with themselves.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I appreciate them. No one likes to be criticized, we all aim to take pride in our work. However constructive criticism is necessary for us to be aware of what areas we can grow in and how we can up the quality of our writing.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Personally, I believe writing is an art. How can we place limitations on others work of art? Therefore my advice to other writers is simple, in the words of Ernest Hemingway ‘There is nothing to writing, all you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed'. Sounds simple? But that’s all there is to it. Of course editing your drafts and building your ocean of vocabulary is important and can up the quality of your content. But if you have a passion for the written word, just give it a go.After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?If the book has captivated my interest and is professionally written, I would certainly purchase book two.Many thanks to Malka for this interview. To support the author please consider purchasing a copy of the book online.

Guest Post on Anxiety by Malka Lebovits

I'm pleased to share a guest blog post I received today by writer Malka Lebovits through my website. The post is a wonderful poem on the topic of anxiety.Fighting Battles In My MindI feel as if I’m in a foggy state of mind.Chasing the highs,That have gone with the lows.Full of anxiety,Hard for me to handle distress,My memories confused,My nonstop thoughts are a mess.Not fully handling my responsibilities,Tired to the core.Just want to be numb and not feel.So the thin line disappears,Of what is and isn’t real.Try to smile but my seriousness ponders,On the actions of others.Even though we can only change ourselves.Staying strong,Riding the waves,That accompanies bad days.My resolve in a bit of a haze.When will I open my eyes?Subconsciously realize,To fight in this life, is not a choice.It’s a necessity for survival,It’s an expression of my voice.If I want my goals to come true,And inspire others by all the greatness I aim to do,I must first 'DO ME'!Strengthen my confidence and core,So that I can rise up from rock bottom.And take 3 steps forward, no longer fall behind.If I want to reach my full potential,I must take my destiny into the arms of mine,Or I will lag behind blinded by anxiety.Unaware that I'm losing time,To become all that I'm meant to be.By Malka Lebovitswww.malkylebo.blogspot.comMany thanks to this writer for submitting a guest post to erachaelhardcastle.com. If you have a short piece of creative writing or advice that you would like to share on my blog, please get in touch!

Guest Blog Post on the Ups and Downs of Writing by Debra Ledford

Today I received a guest blog post from writer Debra Ledford on the ups and downs of being a writer. I think we have al experienced feelings like this, so I'm pleased to share the post with you.Ups and Downs of WritingI’ve been writing professionally for ten years. During the first six years I also worked a full time job. Recently, I realized over the years, my time spent writing has waxed and waned. While at times it was due to the famous “writer’s block,” more often it was a result of other reasons: fear, illness, competing projects, overwhelmed, and a myriad of other excuses.When I first began writing, a friend advised me, “Just write.” While writing Oregon Brew Tour, this useful advice gave me the push I needed for several of the write-ups in the book. Though the needed information was all there, finding an angle, arrangement, where the stress should be placed, how to make it distinctly mine, yet uniquely theirs, were all problems which endeavored to impede progress. However, once the writing began, it seemed to take on a life of its own. The words came. Did I need to edit? Oh, yes. But many times when the writing took over, it became one of the better chapters.Fear has overwhelmed me more times than I would like to say. Oddly enough, during the writing of our first book, Fructose Malabsorption: The Survival Guide, fear didn’t enter into the writing process. I really had no expectations. I remember telling my husband, Bob, I would be happy if the book helped just one person and would be truly excited if we recouped our investment. At the time there really was nothing else available that addressed the malady, leaving the newly diagnosed frustrated and confused. The lack of expectations combined with the intense desire to help others seemed to have deleted the fear factor.Imagine my surprise to have the book sell on five continents in at least thirteen countries. Even better have been the e-mails, letters, and phone calls we have received thanking us for the book. As I completed my first novel, Gabrielle, book one of the Out of Time series, I discovered a new kind of fear. Rejection. Thinking about attempting the traditional publishing route with my fiction writing meant looking for an agent. With only a few pages left to complete, I found every excuse imaginable not to work on it. After a bit of self-analysis, I realized it was fear that had me blocked. What if I’m unable to procure an agent? What if I sign with the wrong agent? What if no publisher wants the book? What if I can’t handle the re-writes? When I spoke with Bob about these fears, he said, “So what? You don’t know if you don’t try.” My husband is so wise. I so needed to get over myself.In the end, I decided stick with what I know, self-publishing. In this hectic, time-crunched era, it can be difficult to carve out writing moments. I used to think I needed at least a couple of hours at minimum to write. Experience has taught me otherwise. Some of my best writing has been done during short intervals. Yes, it’s fun to sequester yourself all day, writing like a person possessed, forgetting to eat, and realizing at the end of a sixteen hour stretch that you forgot to brush your hair that morning. But, twenty minutes can also produce a blot of brilliance. It may even be what’s needed to pass that hurdle which has been impeding progress.Remember, just write.Many thanks to this writer for the interesting piece on the ups and downs of writing. Have you experienced any of these things when writing? What advice would you give to others? Send in your blog posts and creative pieces and I'll share them here on my blog!

Traits of Original and Memorable Fiction by Sandy Masia

I'm welcoming a quest blogger, Sandy Masia, to share his thoughts on traits of original and memorable fiction today. Please show your support for this author by visiting his website and purchasing a copy of his book (links below). Many thanks.Traits of Original and Memorable FictionBy now you know, that every story has been told before. That you could never create something that is completely original as a writer. So what does it mean when people say something is original? They can’t possibly mean it is completely new. Well, I think I have an answer.What people seem to mean by this, especially when it comes to fiction, is that there is a fresh take on a mundane story, although the story might be predictable, there is something about the way it has been told. It’s a matter of perspective. Secondly, it means there is something unexpected that goes on within the context outlined by the work. Thirdly it means the story is complex.PerspectiveThis is when a story is told from a perspective which is unusual in the genre or the type of story that is being told. This can happen in two ways that I am aware of, in person and personality. In person, the writer chooses to tell a story from a perspective of an unexpected person or thing. Like telling the story of a hurricane hitting the coasts from a perspective of a cockroach, a kidnapping from a perspective of the kidnapper or telling a romantic story of two lovers from a perspective of a third individual. This is not usually done and merely choosing to do this, although it might have been done before, is in itself interesting and refreshing because it is not something we come across often in what we read.In personality, this is when a story is told from a perspective of an unlikely personality. Instead of telling a story of a humble likeable priest who saves a family from drowning, the story teller tells a story of an egotistical priest who saves a family from drowning. Not only does this version make a better and more interesting story, since it is not obvious that someone of that kind would do that, it would be interesting to learn why he would and what reasons are there. They make for an interesting story because they aren’t a stereotype or they are a twist on a stereotype. Breaking stereotypes is what makes this work in a sense, breaking a stereotype is breaking expectations. Part of writing something refreshing is breaking expectations.TwistA twist is like the point I made about perspective, instead of being about characters it is about what happens. For instance, instead of a writer doing something unexpected by who he focuses on, he does so by making things that are unexpected happen. This is a twist as we understand it in a traditional sense. Like how in a child abduction story we find out that the innocent looking friend of the couple is the abductor, not the scruffy suspicious guy who gave the child a lift home.A good twist is the one that shows the audience that “things weren’t how they seemed”, it is a gross negation of a certain belief from the audience’s perspective (like when at the end of the movie you discover the main character has been hallucinating).Another great twist says “it is a lot bigger”, it is when something turns out to have a lot riding on it, something which seemed completely inconsequential or just small (like the ring in the Lord of The Rings).The secret to pulling this off is leaving clues in the scenes before the big reveal which are subtle, but nonetheless present, while presenting the audience with evidence/ suggestions that are irrelevant or of little consequence. You supply the audience with enough information to make them form theories that are credible but not yet confirmed. When you reveal your twist you show how the evidence/ information provided is false, why it is false and why it ended up there in the first place, or you make sure it is very compatible with your version of events. This is why crime/ mystery books still sell, and why we like detective shows. We like having to do a bit of passive detective work, being pegged with a problem that aches for a solution and being surprised. Maybe it is the equivalent of puzzles for adults – I don’t know, but it works. That is how the “things aren’t how they seem” twist works.A twist is not a convoluted plot. You don’t need a convoluted plot to do one. You don’t need something so complex that it puts off people. What is a convoluted plot? A convoluted plot has many things happening at once without order, it is by nature complex and confusing without a good enough reason to be. It is like having too many people in a room talk at once, nothing takes priority over another and it is all meshed together.The second type, the “it is a lot bigger” twist, is a lot easier to do but it has phenomenal results. It is the twist of horror movies and some fantasy books, something small has dire or has unimaginable power. This is when something ordinary is twisted into something extraordinary. Everyone can do that, but a good story teller will know that isn’t the end of it. Once you have made something ordinary, extraordinary you must give us the reason why it is so, you must also provide us with a lesson or make it worthwhile for us. So we don’t want a lamp that kills people for no reason, give us reasons why it does so and other things about it. Now to make your story about a killing lamp memorable provide us with a lesson or something, here we want to know what the point of the story was, why the story matters. What is the story telling us about the world at large? This might not be blatant but it needs to be there to be found if one searches for it. Maybe your lesson is to shut off lamps when we go to bed or it is about how good will always triumph over evil, or mankind’s disregard for the earth’s environment or being too reliant on electricity. Whatever it is, we should learn it or be able to find it. That will make the story memorable, the fact that it had a point.Think about those tales your parents or grandma told you to get you to behave in certain ways when you were young and how those stories stuck with you for a while, especially if they were about something unusual like a talking toothbrush.ComplexThis is when a story is so detailed and vivid in presentation, that it feels real. It is the experience you get when you watch something like Avatar, it just takes you away and fools you for a minute. Like a book that feels so real when you read it. It is when a writer pulls a world over your eyes that is so convincing although you know it is not real you find yourself forgetting that when you are not being careful. Not boring detail, something that bends our own experiences of the world, enhances it or surprises it.A good story teller will know when to utilize these and to balance them with well calculated doses of conflict. Because not only do you want a story that is memorable/ original, you want it to be good too. So you need good dialogue, prose, pacing, well-rounded characters, a plot and conflict.Many thanks to Sandy Masia for this blog post. If you would like to support this authorplease visit this linkor click below to find his book on Amazon.

A Quick Update On...

Finding PandoraI was lying in bed last night and suddenly realised my release plan for the full volume of Finding Pandora is flawed. Not so much that it's unfixable, but enough for me to have to re-consider a few things.I'll be finished with the re-write of Eternity (book 4) by Easter, and I'm thinking I can release the full volume for May Bank Holiday, however, by removing the individual paperback books from sale at that time, I'll be disappointing those of you who have already purchased the first three and want the fourth for your shelf.This being the case, I'm having to re-consider my plan.Now, all being well, I will hopefully release as follows:Four individual paperbacks between 40-50000 words each (old covers, unchanged)One full volume paperback of all four books with a new cover (see right)One full volume e-book of all four books with a new cover (see right)Book One of the series FREE on e-book for readers to try (old cover, unchanged)The lovely new cover seen on the right will be for the full volume versions of Finding Pandora, and I'm going to stick with the old covers for the individual ones (they are beautiful when they arrive and I still love them). The word 'old' probably isn't the best to use as they are all fairly new and they are printed in full colour with a gloss finish.I am yet to reveal book four's cover and only held back on this because I wasn't going to release it individually at all. Of course my plan has now changed so please check back soon for that. I'll post it as soon as I can.The first three book covers that will remain for the paperback editions are seen below.Thanks for your support and interest.

The Author Interviews, Round 2: #4: Nicholas T. Davis

Next up in my series isNicholas T. Davis.You are living in the world from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?It is a mythical place called the Shudolin, where animals called Woblos, Licarions, Elves, Glorcs, and Grassmen exist.You are your most recent protagonist. Who are you? What is the first thing you do?My name is Bargo Lynden, I am a woblo who is unaware he can unlock the secret of his race. The first thing I do is answer a premonition I had.Who is your favourite author? Why?I have several, but my inspiration was always J.R.R. TolkeinWhere do you get your ideas?From stories I read or television shows I saw as a kid. Also from my dreams, and some just out of the blue.Why do you write?It has always been a form of therapy for me, and I like to share my ideas with the world.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I take into account what's been said, and try to improve. I believe even experienced writers have room for improveme.ntWhat do you find difficult about writing?Editing and formatting has always been the toughest challenge.What do you love the most about writing?Creating the worlds, the characters, and immersing myself in the action.Do you ever outsource (editing and cover design) your work?No, I'm strictly independent, although I do have a small group of editors.What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?To me there is no argument. There are good and bad books in both mediums. Traditional publishing companies and some authors don't consider you a writer if you're indendently published, but to me that's just snobbery. If you write and publish, then you're a writer.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.First, I create an idea, map my book out in chapters, and what I want to happen. Sometimes, I deviate from those plans to give the story more cohesion. After I'm done with the initial story, I edit several times until I catch all the gramatical and punctionation errors, then I format the story.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Keep writing no matter what happens, and never give up. Do it because it is part of you.Give us your top three book marketing/ promotion tips.This is a tough one for me. I would have to say word of mouth, getting myself out there and getting noticed, and social media have worked best for me.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?Definitely.Do you have a favourite genre?Science fiction, fantasyWhat would it take for you to leave a book review?I try to give all books the kind of review it deserves, but I always point out the good as well as the bad, but rarely call a book "horrible."After downloading book one of a series for free or discounted on Amazon, do you ever go back and pay more for book two? If not, why?If I like the series well enough, I will buy if.Do you ever visit an author's website? If so, what do you look at?I look at the articles if they pertain to what I'm writing about, or useful tips I can use in my writing.If an author offered you a free book, would you sign up to their mailing list?Of course!Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?Sometimes, but I'm more likely to host them.Are you more likely to buy a book if there are various formats available?Yes.Many thanks to Nicholas for this interview. Pleae show your support by visiting his website or purchasing a copy of his book.

The Author Interviews, Round 2: #3: Alexander M Zoltai

My Author Interviews series continues withAlexander M Zoltai, who very kindly featured me on his website. He has also agreed to exchange interviews with me, so be sure to check out his blog for that... coming soon!What made you want to become a writer?I wish I could remember exactly what led me to writing. I know I was an obsessive reader and I'm sure that influenced me heavily. I know I wrote my first poem at 13 - it came from "nowhere" and supremely surprised me.All I know, clearly, is that, when I finally dedicated myself to writing, it came so easily that I knew I was born to do it. Thing is, I didn't dedicate myself to writing till I was in my mid-50s...
What do you think about the ebook revolution?I think it's the modern equivalent of Mr. Gutenberg inventing the printing press - even the poorest kids in Africa and other developing countries are reading e-books, mostly on their phones.
Do you set a goal of a certain number of words a week or just when inspiration strikes?I've never set a certain number of words as my goal in writing and inspiration appears as soon as I sit down to write.I do have a current initiative that demands I write a short tale every week; but, there is no set number of words---some are short stories, some flash fiction, some microfiction...
What do you love most about the writing process?I love sitting down, most times not quite sure what I'll write; and, suddenly, I'm writing like I knew all along just what I needed to put down.I love, just as much, the feeling when I'm done that doubts I'd actually written what I see before me...
Which of your books do you like the best?It's clearly the short novel,Notes from An Alien, even though my co-author disagrees in the Prologue; and, even though my co-author is a character in the book...
Where can we find you online?My major presence is my blog, called Notes from An Alien (yes, same as the novel)---it's the Hub that branches out into other spaces...
You are living in one of the worlds from your latest novel. Where are you? What is it like?I'm on the Silver Beach on the west coast of the territory, Avur, on the satellite world of Belli-Palos, Angla-Palli - immersed up to my neck, slowly sipping water, quickly making connection with the entity, Anglana - letting her see through my eyes and speak through my mouth...It's like nothing else in the Universe - ingesting a microscopic amount of a world-sized entity and becoming an avatar for their wishes...
What is your opinion on the indie vs traditional publishing argument?First, I hope it stops being an "argument"---there are other ways to think about a disruptive trend in publishing.
The way the world seems to be headed, large corporations will soon be having huge dissolutions---breaking apart into smaller, nimbler organizations.The Indie authors and their publishing-aid cohorts will have already learned how to do what all those new, mini publishing businesses will learn...What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Seriously, write "something" every day; but, also read a lot of "something" every day. If that's impossible, make particular days of the week Writing Days and the rest of the week Reading Days.
Do you consider yourself to be a successful writer? If so, why? If not, what would make you successful?
I'm a successful writer and I'm not a successful writer.I'm not successful in the sense of making money from writing - very few authors, in spite of what all the "writing gurus" say, make enough cash to live on - I have books for sale but always keep the option for readers to have them free...I'm a successful writer because I know what my "Voices" are - my writing personae - and, I can finish, to my Muse's satisfaction, whatever I begin.I also think that maintaining a blog about Reading, Writing, and Publishing for the last six years makes me a successful writer.After all, "success" comes from roots that mean "result", "outcome", "a good result", "happy outcome"; and, I have, reliably, good and happy outcomes from my writing :-)Many thanks to Alexander for this interview.Please consider visiting his site and taking a free a copy of Alex's Novel.