Carl Hackman's Blog, page 8

Writing A Scene From GERALD 2 – Live

Here is a live session where I am writing a scene from GERALD 2, the sequel to GERALD AND THE AMULET OF ZONRACH which is being published by Immortal Works which is due for release in the fall of next year (2017).

This scene finds Gerald leaving a glade where he has had some pretty bad news which will definitely have a big impact on whether he will return to Wyverndawn as a wizard or not. I wanted to show my readers how I work through a scene and ultimately get it down on the page. The key here is to write and not worry too much about polishing, that comes later with revisions. Just get the story down as it unfolds in your mind.

You will see that I have used the MS Word document map to put down some ideas, thoughts and notes on characters. I don’t show these in the video as I don’t want to put any spoilers in there for my readers. These are used to help me clarify where I want to go in the chapter and act as a guide, although ultimately it is the characters that drive my stories along. I am, pretty much, a pantser and like the characters to lead me along with only a gentle guiding hand by me. This is not always the case though and sometimes they send me off in directions I never imagined. I have even had characters appear that were a total surprise.

I hope you enjoy this video and get feel for what it is like to be a writer. If your mind is creating as I go through the scene perhaps you should join this wonderful world of writing.

Not just an author

Says it all really. Along with writing and reading this is the only other thing that I am really passionate about.

My Other Passion

Mel and I have been volunteering at the Moringa’s Mission Sancutary spay/neuter clinic in Sabaneta, Dominican Republic. These clinics do a lot more than just spay and neuter. MM’s visiting vet, Dr Brent Babcock has to deal with many cases which locals cannot afford to pay for. This allows Moringa’s Mission to ease the suffering of many animals that would not be able to receive veterinary treatment otherwise.

Be In GERALD 2

Hi all, happy Sunday. A nice quiet day for reading and writing. As I embark on the sequel to GERALD AND THE AMULET OF ZONRACH I’m thinking of names for characters. There are several in my head that have yet to be named and I am of a mind to run a little competition of sorts. I will run it for one week from today and if you comment on this post or on my other social media then I will pick one as a character in GERALD 2 (full title to be decided). So if you want to be in the sequel to my debut novel then start commenting

GERALD 2 Under Way

This is the new wallpaper for my desktop which inspires me to write every time I switch my laptop on.

Gerald 2 pretty much planned out in my head and I’ve jotted a few notes down to keep me on track, but you know Gerald, he always leads me in directions I had never thought of. Book 2 is going to be a fun ride with Gerald having a severe problem that he has to overcome so that he doesn’t return to Wyverndawn shorter than when he left.

Good session to begin with and over 1,000 words on the page – we are off and running

GERALD – The Next Stage

Hi All,

Yesterday I was asked to send images of book covers that I like the style of and think would be suitable for GERALD so my publisher can create something special that they think I would like. They also asked for ideas of attributes I would like to hear from the audio book narrator before they audition for one. It is beginning to feel real now. All the things I’d read authors discussing after they signed their contracts are happening and, I must admit, it is a surreal feeling.

GERALD Update

Hi all. Just a quick update to let you know that I have been assigned an editor for GERALD and will keep you updated on what is to follow. Hopefully I’ll be able to describe the whole process for you so that you can see how a book goes from being signed by a publisher to when it is finally released on the unsuspecting readers

What To Do If You Like A Book

Found this from one of my fellow authors on Twitter and this is exactly we need   Small things such as commenting on websites, liking author pages and following on Twitter all help get the word out about a book you like. Every little helps. Authors also like to procrastinate (I mean chat about their books) so don’t be afraid to jump onto their pages and ask questions.

GERALD ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION

I am thrilled to officially announce that my novel ‘GERALD’ has been accepted for publication by ‘Immortal Works’

Please visit my author page at https://www.facebook.com/carlhackmanauthor/ to follow the publishing process and exact date of when GERALD will be released. The first chapter is available HERE

I would like to give a special thanks to James Wymore for championing my novel from day one.

Life Just Got Better

Sorry about the absence of posts but, life got in the way. I am going to be adding new content at least once a week from now on. I have had some very interesting things happen to me recently which has made my life a whole lot better.

1. My love of animals is no secret to anyone who knows me and I have taken the next step in my career as a rescuer of all things furry. I had qualified as a Veterinary Assistant which helped me help animals in desperate situations but now I have enrolled on a Veterinary Technician Associate Degree Course which I am very excited about. Gaining this degree will mean that I can be an even more effective rescuer and helper at local sanctuaries.

2. Yesterday I received some very exciting news which was the icing on the cake of the past few weeks. I can’t say too much at the moment but, it was about my novel ‘GERALD’ and will mean quite a bit of work over the next 12 months Don’t forget to check out the first chapter of GERALD on my blog.

Have a great weekend and keep checking back for updates.