Andrea Pearson's Blog, page 6
February 6, 2014
How to Get Book Reviews
Many authors ask each other what the best/easiest/most sure-fire way to get book reviews is, and the answer is there isn't one. :-) But there are a few things that you can do that will help you move toward those coveted reviews.
First, let's talk about why we need and want reviews. We can debate this all day long (and go very much in-depth), but the biggest reason is that readers don't want to download an untried, untested book. (A lot of people won't download an eBook without having heard of it from someone else first. But that's a discussion for another day. :-))
Another reason we want reviews is so our books can be picked up by popular promoters like BookBub. (My favorite way to promote my books.)
So, how do we get reviews?
The first step is to have friends and family read your book and post HONEST reviews. Don't try to get them to post four- and five-star ones. That's cheap and dishonest. A lot of people say it's even dishonest to have friends and family post reviews, but I disagree. They have opinions too, and not every family member or friend of mine has loved my books. And their reviews reflect that. :-) (Which I love, by the way.)
The next thing is to kindly ask your beta readers, even the ones who didn't like the book so much, to post a review.
Our goal with these initial reviews is to help get your foot in the door to receive the "Amazon Verified Purchase" reviews. Why? A lot of people don't like being the first to review something, and again, if there aren't any reviews at all, most people won't download.
When checking out submissions, BookBub actually looks at the number of positive Amazon Verified Reviews. They know that these reviews are from people who actually bought the book (or downloaded it, if it was free) and weren't asked to review in exchange for the book. Therefore, their reviews are more likely going to be legit. (Arguable, of course, but they need to start somewhere.)
How to get those reviews? The best way, of course, is to sell a ton of copies. But it's hard to do that without promoting, and the best way to promote is through BookBub... but you can't get a slot with BookBub without reviews. :-)
The next best way, in my opinion, is to put your book up as a permafree book.
How do you do this?
First, publish the eBook with Smashwords. Choose to distribute it to all sorts of different retailers. Don't publish your own version directly with Nook. When Smashwords sends the free eBook over to Nook, grab that link to your eBook, then head over to Amazon. Scroll down to Product Details on your book. At the very bottom, you'll find this: "Would you like to give feedback on images or tell us about a lower price?" Click on the last link in that sentence, then fill in the necessary info (linking back to Nook.) Have a few other people do this too.
It usually takes two weeks to a month for Amazon to drop the eBook to free. For me, it was two months. I had one friend whose book was dropped in a couple of hours (but don't expect that to happen to you). It's very, very, very important to note that you should NOT schedule ANY promotions that will be based on this free eBook until AFTER Amazon has price matched. It's nearly impossible to predict how long it'll take for them to drop the price.
Once your eBook is free, tell the world. Run a few promotions. Get a blog tour going, and have the reviewers download the free book instead of you emailing it to them. Then nicely ask them to post their reviews on Amazon.
The reviews will start to trickle in. Be patient! The Key of Kilenya has been available as a free eBook for two years. I have 90 reviews on it. It's in a less-popular genre (MG fantasy), and I've had friends with very, very different results, but don't get your hopes up that you'll have massive amounts of reviews (or downloads) really quickly. Because that probably won't happen. :-)
Other ways to get reviews:
Use Bloggerdise.com. I'm not going to get into a lengthy discussion here on how to navigate the site, since it can be a little complicated to explain, but go and play around with it. It's a site where reviewers go looking for products to review (including books) and companies search for reviewers. I've found some really fantastic people over there. :-)Give away copies of your book - print or eBook. If you don't want to make your book permafree, you can always try to gift it to people and ask them to review. This doesn't always work, though.Ask for reviews on Facebook, Twitter, etc. - tell people you'll give them a free copy of your eBook if they'll post an honest review on Amazon.Netgalley. It costs a lot of money, but it's the same place where the big publishers go when they need reviews. You post your eBook, and if people are interested, they download it (for free), then review.
Know of any other ways to get reviews? Post them in the comments!
First, let's talk about why we need and want reviews. We can debate this all day long (and go very much in-depth), but the biggest reason is that readers don't want to download an untried, untested book. (A lot of people won't download an eBook without having heard of it from someone else first. But that's a discussion for another day. :-))
Another reason we want reviews is so our books can be picked up by popular promoters like BookBub. (My favorite way to promote my books.)
So, how do we get reviews?
The first step is to have friends and family read your book and post HONEST reviews. Don't try to get them to post four- and five-star ones. That's cheap and dishonest. A lot of people say it's even dishonest to have friends and family post reviews, but I disagree. They have opinions too, and not every family member or friend of mine has loved my books. And their reviews reflect that. :-) (Which I love, by the way.)
The next thing is to kindly ask your beta readers, even the ones who didn't like the book so much, to post a review.
Our goal with these initial reviews is to help get your foot in the door to receive the "Amazon Verified Purchase" reviews. Why? A lot of people don't like being the first to review something, and again, if there aren't any reviews at all, most people won't download.
When checking out submissions, BookBub actually looks at the number of positive Amazon Verified Reviews. They know that these reviews are from people who actually bought the book (or downloaded it, if it was free) and weren't asked to review in exchange for the book. Therefore, their reviews are more likely going to be legit. (Arguable, of course, but they need to start somewhere.)
How to get those reviews? The best way, of course, is to sell a ton of copies. But it's hard to do that without promoting, and the best way to promote is through BookBub... but you can't get a slot with BookBub without reviews. :-)
The next best way, in my opinion, is to put your book up as a permafree book.
How do you do this?
First, publish the eBook with Smashwords. Choose to distribute it to all sorts of different retailers. Don't publish your own version directly with Nook. When Smashwords sends the free eBook over to Nook, grab that link to your eBook, then head over to Amazon. Scroll down to Product Details on your book. At the very bottom, you'll find this: "Would you like to give feedback on images or tell us about a lower price?" Click on the last link in that sentence, then fill in the necessary info (linking back to Nook.) Have a few other people do this too.
It usually takes two weeks to a month for Amazon to drop the eBook to free. For me, it was two months. I had one friend whose book was dropped in a couple of hours (but don't expect that to happen to you). It's very, very, very important to note that you should NOT schedule ANY promotions that will be based on this free eBook until AFTER Amazon has price matched. It's nearly impossible to predict how long it'll take for them to drop the price.
Once your eBook is free, tell the world. Run a few promotions. Get a blog tour going, and have the reviewers download the free book instead of you emailing it to them. Then nicely ask them to post their reviews on Amazon.
The reviews will start to trickle in. Be patient! The Key of Kilenya has been available as a free eBook for two years. I have 90 reviews on it. It's in a less-popular genre (MG fantasy), and I've had friends with very, very different results, but don't get your hopes up that you'll have massive amounts of reviews (or downloads) really quickly. Because that probably won't happen. :-)
Other ways to get reviews:
Use Bloggerdise.com. I'm not going to get into a lengthy discussion here on how to navigate the site, since it can be a little complicated to explain, but go and play around with it. It's a site where reviewers go looking for products to review (including books) and companies search for reviewers. I've found some really fantastic people over there. :-)Give away copies of your book - print or eBook. If you don't want to make your book permafree, you can always try to gift it to people and ask them to review. This doesn't always work, though.Ask for reviews on Facebook, Twitter, etc. - tell people you'll give them a free copy of your eBook if they'll post an honest review on Amazon.Netgalley. It costs a lot of money, but it's the same place where the big publishers go when they need reviews. You post your eBook, and if people are interested, they download it (for free), then review.
Know of any other ways to get reviews? Post them in the comments!
February 5, 2014
Liberation in Self-Publishing
I know a lot of my friends and family who love writing have followed my publishing journey off and on over the past six years. I know that many want to get published, but may still shy away from self-publishing. I also know that many pitied me when I left my publisher and decided to go on my own.
To those of you who feel or have felt this way, I want to say the following: self-publishing has been one of the most liberating things I've ever done. My stance on it hasn't changed once in the three years I've been self-published. People say, "But you only experienced ONE publisher. You don't know how they really are."
I don't need to experience something firsthand multiple times to learn: I learn from the experiences of those around me. Nearly every single author friend I have who is traditionally published is either now self-publishing, or is trying everything in their power to get out of contracts with traditional publishers. My mom and I walked through Deseret Book a couple weeks ago, and at least three quarters of the books on the shelves there were written by authors who are now self-publishing. (And are members of my Indie Author Hub group. :-))
Displeasure with publishers isn't limited to authors with local, small companies. I have friends with the Big Five NY Publishers whose series were dropped before they were completed or who are getting absolutely no help with marketing, promoting, and even good editing. With self-publishing, your series ends when YOU want it to. You're in charge of every aspect and can take the necessary steps to ensure your success without worrying about stepping on toes or ending up in breach of contract.
People who successfully and correctly self-publish earn more than those who traditionally publish. Most of my traditionally published author friends make only a few thousand a year, if that. Compare that to many of my self-published friends who make six figures. (And I'm pretty well entrenched in the publishing scene - my friends are from both worlds.)
If you're still wondering if YOU could succeed as a self-publisher, I'm here to tell you that you can. There is nothing holding you back when you go this way, other than your own fears!
You haven't lost your chance. Now that the stigma is fading (thank goodness), it's time. And yes, YOU can be successful at it, so long as you make sure to do it correctly from the get-go.
How do you do it correctly?
Well, first, you write a book. Then self-edit it. Then edit it even more. Then hire an editor, proofreaders, etc. Educate yourself. Learn grammar. Learn how to write fiction (or non-fiction). Join a writers group. Do this while self-publishing. It's a process
Hire a cover designer. There are some really fantastic ones out there who don't charge an arm and a leg.
Then format the dang thing into an eBook and upload it to Kindle. (This is the easiest part, trust me.)
If you're serious about writing, being read, and making money while doing it, then the monetary investments are incredibly necessary and will be worth it. Especially when you read those first few positive reviews. :-)
Many of you have read my first book and know that, well, it's a first book. It's been edited multiple times by different professional editors, but it still has a problems with pacing in a couple of places. Your first book won't be utterly breath-taking either, and that's totally fine. You have to start somewhere in order to go up. Those of you who have read my series know how drastically I've improved. The first book was good, but the last several are truly excellent. I put a lot of hard work into that series.
And if I hadn't ever gone out on a limb and published The Key of Kilenya on my own, I wouldn't have learned nearly as quickly as I have. And I wouldn't have made money while doing so. I wouldn't have published six 80,000 word books in two and a half years. Traditional publishers don't have the resources to put out that many books by the same author in that little time. They're forced to hold their authors back. And believe me - the more you write, the faster and better you get. You'll be chomping at the bits, waiting for your publisher to catch up.
Please email me if you're interested in learning how to self-publish. I'll give you links to all the good places to go to educate yourself and prepare yourself.
This June (Saturday the 7th), my writer's group (Indie Author Hub) is hosting a fantastic writers conference. It'll be in the Provo Marriot and will be all day. The keynote speaker is a NYT Bestselling Indie author named Amy Harmon. The classes will be professional and upbeat and very helpful. If at all possible, please come. (People are flying in from all over the country to attend.) Click here if you want more information.
I WANT to see you succeed! I want to help you down this path! I want you to enjoy the liberation and freedom that comes with taking your writing destiny in your own hands.
To those of you who feel or have felt this way, I want to say the following: self-publishing has been one of the most liberating things I've ever done. My stance on it hasn't changed once in the three years I've been self-published. People say, "But you only experienced ONE publisher. You don't know how they really are."
I don't need to experience something firsthand multiple times to learn: I learn from the experiences of those around me. Nearly every single author friend I have who is traditionally published is either now self-publishing, or is trying everything in their power to get out of contracts with traditional publishers. My mom and I walked through Deseret Book a couple weeks ago, and at least three quarters of the books on the shelves there were written by authors who are now self-publishing. (And are members of my Indie Author Hub group. :-))
Displeasure with publishers isn't limited to authors with local, small companies. I have friends with the Big Five NY Publishers whose series were dropped before they were completed or who are getting absolutely no help with marketing, promoting, and even good editing. With self-publishing, your series ends when YOU want it to. You're in charge of every aspect and can take the necessary steps to ensure your success without worrying about stepping on toes or ending up in breach of contract.
People who successfully and correctly self-publish earn more than those who traditionally publish. Most of my traditionally published author friends make only a few thousand a year, if that. Compare that to many of my self-published friends who make six figures. (And I'm pretty well entrenched in the publishing scene - my friends are from both worlds.)
If you're still wondering if YOU could succeed as a self-publisher, I'm here to tell you that you can. There is nothing holding you back when you go this way, other than your own fears!
You haven't lost your chance. Now that the stigma is fading (thank goodness), it's time. And yes, YOU can be successful at it, so long as you make sure to do it correctly from the get-go.
How do you do it correctly?
Well, first, you write a book. Then self-edit it. Then edit it even more. Then hire an editor, proofreaders, etc. Educate yourself. Learn grammar. Learn how to write fiction (or non-fiction). Join a writers group. Do this while self-publishing. It's a process
Hire a cover designer. There are some really fantastic ones out there who don't charge an arm and a leg.
Then format the dang thing into an eBook and upload it to Kindle. (This is the easiest part, trust me.)
If you're serious about writing, being read, and making money while doing it, then the monetary investments are incredibly necessary and will be worth it. Especially when you read those first few positive reviews. :-)
Many of you have read my first book and know that, well, it's a first book. It's been edited multiple times by different professional editors, but it still has a problems with pacing in a couple of places. Your first book won't be utterly breath-taking either, and that's totally fine. You have to start somewhere in order to go up. Those of you who have read my series know how drastically I've improved. The first book was good, but the last several are truly excellent. I put a lot of hard work into that series.
And if I hadn't ever gone out on a limb and published The Key of Kilenya on my own, I wouldn't have learned nearly as quickly as I have. And I wouldn't have made money while doing so. I wouldn't have published six 80,000 word books in two and a half years. Traditional publishers don't have the resources to put out that many books by the same author in that little time. They're forced to hold their authors back. And believe me - the more you write, the faster and better you get. You'll be chomping at the bits, waiting for your publisher to catch up.
Please email me if you're interested in learning how to self-publish. I'll give you links to all the good places to go to educate yourself and prepare yourself.
This June (Saturday the 7th), my writer's group (Indie Author Hub) is hosting a fantastic writers conference. It'll be in the Provo Marriot and will be all day. The keynote speaker is a NYT Bestselling Indie author named Amy Harmon. The classes will be professional and upbeat and very helpful. If at all possible, please come. (People are flying in from all over the country to attend.) Click here if you want more information.
I WANT to see you succeed! I want to help you down this path! I want you to enjoy the liberation and freedom that comes with taking your writing destiny in your own hands.
January 8, 2014
Indie Author Celebration January 2014!
It's time to celebrate the release of The Golden Symbol, Kilenya Series Book Six, the last in my series!
As part of the celebration, we're giving away a Kindle Fire. Enter at the bottom of this post, after you check out the fantastic eBooks I've chosen to showcase here. All of them were hand-selected based on the fact that they're well-edited and really good. I loved them!
Please note that on January 18, 2014, my first book, The Key of Kilenya, will no longer be available for free. Pick up your copy while you can!
Have fun browsing. I know you'll love these books. :-)
The Key of Kilenya
Author: Andrea Pearson
Original and discounted price: $3.99 to Free
Discounted until January 18
Genre and target audience: Fantasy for readers 10 and older
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG
Download it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords
Book Description:
We all have a choice—but we can’t choose the consequences.
Jacob Clark is chased down a path that takes him to another world—a world where he is a wanted young man. The Lorkon want to control him and the special powers he possesses. The people of the new world want him to save them from the destruction of the Lorkon. All Jacob wants is to go home, but even that choice has consequences. He doesn’t know what to do and if he waits too long the new world and the one he came from will be destroyed. As Jacob looks for people he can trust, he finds himself in the center of the fight for freedom—both for himself and the people he’s come to know.
Jacob has no idea where the path he chooses will take him, but once the choice has been made—bring on the consequences.
The Ember Gods, Kilenya Series Book Two
Author: Andrea PearsonOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99Discounted until January 18Genre and target audience: Fantasy for readers 10 and olderIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: Kindle, Nook
Book description:
Jacob Clark’s new abilities are a blessing and a curse. He’s a hero for returning the magical Key of Kilenya to its rightful owners, but at school he's starting to get noticed for something other than his basketball skills. And the attention is freaking him out.
Balancing both worlds is tricky enough, but Jacob has tasked himself with saving Aloren who’s trapped in Maivoryl City by the Ember Gods. He doesn't want to wait for the potion that will protect his team from the corrosive influence of the Lorkon, but the desire to prove himself to the high school basketball coach conflicts with his plans to rescue her.
Feeling pulled by both sides, Jacob must walk a tightrope of warring worlds with lives on the line. Lives that will be lost if he doesn’t figure out how to complete his quest and balance his abilities. Fast.
The Golden Symbol, Kilenya Series Book Six
Author: Andrea Pearson
Original and discounted price: $4.99 to $2.99
Discounted until January 18
Genre and target audience: Fantasy for readers 10 and older
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG
Download it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords
Book description:
In the final installment of the Kilenya Series, Jacob Clark and his friends only have two months to prepare for their enemy’s return—an event which is sure to bring war—and to discover the recipe for the special antidote that will cure the Lorkon. As things become more and more dangerous, Jacob is surprised to find help in the most unlikely people and places. Things look up briefly when Azuriah agrees to share the well-guarded secret of the Golden Symbol. With its help, Jacob may have a chance against the Lorkon, but even so, he and his friends are greatly outnumbered.
Will they be able to find the recipe and create the antidote before the Lorkon arrive, or will Eklaron—and Earth—fall into the hands of the evil empire for good?
A Different Blue
Author: Amy HarmonOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99Discounted January 9 through 13Target audience: Readers 16 and olderIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG13Download it from: Kindle, Nook
Book description:
Blue Echohawk doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know her real name or when she was born. Abandoned at two and raised by a drifter, she didn't attend school until she was ten years old. At nineteen, when most kids her age are attending college or moving on with life, she is just a senior in high school. With no mother, no father, no faith, and no future, Blue Echohawk is a difficult student, to say the least. Tough, hard and overtly sexy, she is the complete opposite of the young British teacher who decides he is up for the challenge, and takes the troublemaker under his wing.
This is the story of a nobody who becomes somebody. It is the story of an unlikely friendship, where hope fosters healing and redemption becomes love. But falling in love can be hard when you don't know who you are. Falling in love with someone who knows exactly who they are and exactly why they can't love you back might be impossible.
Aos Si
Author: Rebecca ShelleyOriginal and discounted price: $6.99 to $0.99Discounted until the end of January
Genre and target audience: YA Paranormal Romance (teenage girls 13 to 18)If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, iTunes
Book description:
Legends say the magical Aos Si, the Fair Folk of Irish and Scottish folklore that once plagued humanity, have retreated Under the Hill, never to be seen again. The legends are wrong. Aos Si are still abroad in the world, powerful, dangerous, and living among us.
When Carla's mother drags her from their home in Denver to the-middle-of-nowhere Colorado, a mysterious neighbor embroils her in a battle between warring Aos Si factions. Then she meets Shade, a slave of a cruel and power-hungry Aos Si. Her attraction to Shade is as deep as the magical powers that surround him, but her attempt to free him from his evil master sinks them both deeper into the war, endangering her life and those of the people she cares about most.
Grab your flashlight and dive under the covers, because Aos Si will keep you turning pages well past your bedtime.
(Christina F York author of Girls Gone Magic)
Be Mine
Author: Tristi Pinkston writing as Sandra Norton FlynnOriginal and discounted price: $2.99 to $0.99Discounted from January 9 through 13Genre and target audience: Suspense for adultsIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: Kindle
Book description:
If you like Mary Higgins Clark, you'll love Be Mine by Sandra Norton Flynn.
He knows where she works.
He knows where she lives.
And soon, they’ll come face-to-face.
Erin Lewis is an up-and-coming fashion designer building up her career in New York City. With a loving husband, a great assistant, and working in the field of her dreams, she couldn’t be happier.
But perfection can’t last forever.
When a long string of tragedies shakes Erin to her core, she doesn’t know how to keep moving forward day by day. And when she is targeted by a brutal serial killer, she must find the inner strength she never knew she had just to survive.
Blood Relations
Author: Michaelbrent CollingsOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99Discounted from January 9 through 13Genre: MysteryIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG13Download it from: Kindle
Book description:
Lane Cooley is the best Homicide Detective on the LAPD. But she isn't anything like you'd imagine. She's no fast-talking femme fatale... no, she's a Good Mormon Girl who doesn't smoke, drink, cuss, or even watch R-rated movies.
But that doesn't mean Lane misses out on all the blood and guts. Especially now. A new serial killer is in town, one who knows all the cops' tricks, all their secrets. One who is targeting young girls, killing them, and cutting them to pieces.
Now, Lane has to race against the clock to find the killer. Because the murderer has chosen his next victim. And it's Lane's little sister.
My Body Fell Off
Author: BJ Rowley
Original and discounted price: $3.99 to FREE
Discounted from January 9 through 13
Genre and target audience: Youth / YA
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG
Download it from: Kindle
Book description:
Bart Elderberry is a normal sixteen-year-old, just starting tenth grade and looking forward to driving, dating, and everything “high school.” However, just weeks into the first semester, Bart and several friends suffer a traumatic car accident, which results in Bart having a Near Death Experience—spending several minutes hovering out of his body before being rescued.
In the weeks that follow, Bart finds that his body and spirit aren’t as firmly attached as they once were. After a few interesting (and sometimes embarrassing) Out of Body Experiences, Bart learns that he can actually control and repeat the experience at will, and soon becomes fairly adept at the art of Astral Projecting.
Then, on the way to a school dance, Bart and friends inadvertently witness a beating, which results in a schoolmate’s death. Bart pledges to use his newfound abilities to track the killers and bring them to justice.
The Reluctant Bachelorette
Author: Rachael AndersonOriginal and discounted price: $4.99 to $0.99Discounted from January 9 through 13Genre and target audience: Contemporary Romantic Comedy for teens and adultsIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: Kindle
Book description:
Luke Carney has no idea what possessed him to move back to Shelter Springs, Colorado, to set up his veterinarian practice. His parents had long since left, the small farming community is on the brink of extinction, and only one close friend from his childhood remains--Taycee Emerson, his best friend's little sister, who isn't so little anymore. Then there's the matter of Shelter's Bachelorette, an online reality dating show created to raise some much needed funds for the town.
Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town's charity event, Taycee Emerson wants out. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it's up to the viewers--not her--to decide which bachelors stay or go. Coerced into participating, Taycee does what any self-preserving girl would do. She launches a subtle attack on Luke's good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. Unfortunately, Luke's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she's up to, it means revenge.
The Sapphire Flute
Author: Karen E. HooverOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99Discounted until January 18 Genre and target audience: Fantasy, YAIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, iTunes
Book description:
Rasann is a world in dire need. The net of magic that has held her together for eons is eroding and the magi can’t patch it fast enough to prevent disaster. Volcanoes spew, waters rise, famine and flood and desolation threaten the world as they desperately await the coming of the Wolfchild to heal their home.
Three women begin quests for identity and freedom from the ties that have held them: Ember, from her overbearing and prejudice mother; Kayla, from the rigidity of the caste that has oppressed her family; C’Tan, from her dark and evil master, the Guardian S’Kotos. One will discover she is the first white mage born in three millennia, another will become guardian to the a keystone, the sapphire flute, and throughout it all the third will try to destroy them both.
Tell Me No Lies
Author: Rachel BrantonOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99Discounted from January 9 through 13Genre and target audience: Contemporary Romantic Suspense for ages 13 and older.If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: Kindle
Book description:
When Romance Takes a Deadly Turn
With her trust fund in jeopardy, Tessa Crawford enters into a relationship with a mysterious neighbor that soon turns into something more dangerous than either of them could have imagined.
Two days before her wedding, Tessa Crawford's world crumbles, leaving her hurt and betrayed. Worse, if Tessa doesn't marry and receive her trust fund, her younger sister will lose her house and the homeless girls she helps will have nowhere to go.
But Tessa can't marry just anyone, can she?
Gage Braxton, the guy from next door, is willing to help her out, but rumors hint that he's an ex-con. Tessa quickly finds herself attracted to a man who has no intention of ever falling in love or of passing on his terrible
legacy.
When Tessa stumbles across evidence that may be proof of Gage's innocence, suspects begin to line up. Someone is willing to kill again to see that the truth remains buried, and if Tessa doesn't hurry and solve the old murder, she will lose not only her chance at love but may become the murderer's next victim.
Rachel Branton has created an exciting, romantic story with a new take on a theme that never gets old.
TO ENTER TO WIN THE KINDLE FIRE, CLICK HERE.
And for more fantastic eBooks on sale, check out Rachel Ann Nunes's blog post here!
As part of the celebration, we're giving away a Kindle Fire. Enter at the bottom of this post, after you check out the fantastic eBooks I've chosen to showcase here. All of them were hand-selected based on the fact that they're well-edited and really good. I loved them!
Please note that on January 18, 2014, my first book, The Key of Kilenya, will no longer be available for free. Pick up your copy while you can!
Have fun browsing. I know you'll love these books. :-)
The Key of Kilenya
Author: Andrea PearsonOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to Free
Discounted until January 18
Genre and target audience: Fantasy for readers 10 and older
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG
Download it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords
Book Description:
We all have a choice—but we can’t choose the consequences.
Jacob Clark is chased down a path that takes him to another world—a world where he is a wanted young man. The Lorkon want to control him and the special powers he possesses. The people of the new world want him to save them from the destruction of the Lorkon. All Jacob wants is to go home, but even that choice has consequences. He doesn’t know what to do and if he waits too long the new world and the one he came from will be destroyed. As Jacob looks for people he can trust, he finds himself in the center of the fight for freedom—both for himself and the people he’s come to know.
Jacob has no idea where the path he chooses will take him, but once the choice has been made—bring on the consequences.
The Ember Gods, Kilenya Series Book Two
Author: Andrea PearsonOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99Discounted until January 18Genre and target audience: Fantasy for readers 10 and olderIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: Kindle, NookBook description:
Jacob Clark’s new abilities are a blessing and a curse. He’s a hero for returning the magical Key of Kilenya to its rightful owners, but at school he's starting to get noticed for something other than his basketball skills. And the attention is freaking him out.
Balancing both worlds is tricky enough, but Jacob has tasked himself with saving Aloren who’s trapped in Maivoryl City by the Ember Gods. He doesn't want to wait for the potion that will protect his team from the corrosive influence of the Lorkon, but the desire to prove himself to the high school basketball coach conflicts with his plans to rescue her.
Feeling pulled by both sides, Jacob must walk a tightrope of warring worlds with lives on the line. Lives that will be lost if he doesn’t figure out how to complete his quest and balance his abilities. Fast.
The Golden Symbol, Kilenya Series Book Six
Author: Andrea PearsonOriginal and discounted price: $4.99 to $2.99
Discounted until January 18
Genre and target audience: Fantasy for readers 10 and older
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG
Download it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords
Book description:
In the final installment of the Kilenya Series, Jacob Clark and his friends only have two months to prepare for their enemy’s return—an event which is sure to bring war—and to discover the recipe for the special antidote that will cure the Lorkon. As things become more and more dangerous, Jacob is surprised to find help in the most unlikely people and places. Things look up briefly when Azuriah agrees to share the well-guarded secret of the Golden Symbol. With its help, Jacob may have a chance against the Lorkon, but even so, he and his friends are greatly outnumbered.
Will they be able to find the recipe and create the antidote before the Lorkon arrive, or will Eklaron—and Earth—fall into the hands of the evil empire for good?
A Different Blue
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Author: Amy HarmonOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99Discounted January 9 through 13Target audience: Readers 16 and olderIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG13Download it from: Kindle, Nook Book description:
Blue Echohawk doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know her real name or when she was born. Abandoned at two and raised by a drifter, she didn't attend school until she was ten years old. At nineteen, when most kids her age are attending college or moving on with life, she is just a senior in high school. With no mother, no father, no faith, and no future, Blue Echohawk is a difficult student, to say the least. Tough, hard and overtly sexy, she is the complete opposite of the young British teacher who decides he is up for the challenge, and takes the troublemaker under his wing.
This is the story of a nobody who becomes somebody. It is the story of an unlikely friendship, where hope fosters healing and redemption becomes love. But falling in love can be hard when you don't know who you are. Falling in love with someone who knows exactly who they are and exactly why they can't love you back might be impossible.
Aos Si
Author: Rebecca ShelleyOriginal and discounted price: $6.99 to $0.99Discounted until the end of JanuaryGenre and target audience: YA Paranormal Romance (teenage girls 13 to 18)If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, iTunes
Book description:
Legends say the magical Aos Si, the Fair Folk of Irish and Scottish folklore that once plagued humanity, have retreated Under the Hill, never to be seen again. The legends are wrong. Aos Si are still abroad in the world, powerful, dangerous, and living among us.
When Carla's mother drags her from their home in Denver to the-middle-of-nowhere Colorado, a mysterious neighbor embroils her in a battle between warring Aos Si factions. Then she meets Shade, a slave of a cruel and power-hungry Aos Si. Her attraction to Shade is as deep as the magical powers that surround him, but her attempt to free him from his evil master sinks them both deeper into the war, endangering her life and those of the people she cares about most.
Grab your flashlight and dive under the covers, because Aos Si will keep you turning pages well past your bedtime.
(Christina F York author of Girls Gone Magic)
Be Mine
Author: Tristi Pinkston writing as Sandra Norton FlynnOriginal and discounted price: $2.99 to $0.99Discounted from January 9 through 13Genre and target audience: Suspense for adultsIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: KindleBook description:
If you like Mary Higgins Clark, you'll love Be Mine by Sandra Norton Flynn.
He knows where she works.
He knows where she lives.
And soon, they’ll come face-to-face.
Erin Lewis is an up-and-coming fashion designer building up her career in New York City. With a loving husband, a great assistant, and working in the field of her dreams, she couldn’t be happier.
But perfection can’t last forever.
When a long string of tragedies shakes Erin to her core, she doesn’t know how to keep moving forward day by day. And when she is targeted by a brutal serial killer, she must find the inner strength she never knew she had just to survive.
Blood Relations
Author: Michaelbrent CollingsOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99Discounted from January 9 through 13Genre: MysteryIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG13Download it from: KindleBook description:
Lane Cooley is the best Homicide Detective on the LAPD. But she isn't anything like you'd imagine. She's no fast-talking femme fatale... no, she's a Good Mormon Girl who doesn't smoke, drink, cuss, or even watch R-rated movies.
But that doesn't mean Lane misses out on all the blood and guts. Especially now. A new serial killer is in town, one who knows all the cops' tricks, all their secrets. One who is targeting young girls, killing them, and cutting them to pieces.
Now, Lane has to race against the clock to find the killer. Because the murderer has chosen his next victim. And it's Lane's little sister.
My Body Fell Off
Author: BJ RowleyOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to FREE
Discounted from January 9 through 13
Genre and target audience: Youth / YA
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG
Download it from: Kindle
Book description:
Bart Elderberry is a normal sixteen-year-old, just starting tenth grade and looking forward to driving, dating, and everything “high school.” However, just weeks into the first semester, Bart and several friends suffer a traumatic car accident, which results in Bart having a Near Death Experience—spending several minutes hovering out of his body before being rescued.
In the weeks that follow, Bart finds that his body and spirit aren’t as firmly attached as they once were. After a few interesting (and sometimes embarrassing) Out of Body Experiences, Bart learns that he can actually control and repeat the experience at will, and soon becomes fairly adept at the art of Astral Projecting.
Then, on the way to a school dance, Bart and friends inadvertently witness a beating, which results in a schoolmate’s death. Bart pledges to use his newfound abilities to track the killers and bring them to justice.
The Reluctant Bachelorette
Author: Rachael AndersonOriginal and discounted price: $4.99 to $0.99Discounted from January 9 through 13Genre and target audience: Contemporary Romantic Comedy for teens and adultsIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: KindleBook description:
Luke Carney has no idea what possessed him to move back to Shelter Springs, Colorado, to set up his veterinarian practice. His parents had long since left, the small farming community is on the brink of extinction, and only one close friend from his childhood remains--Taycee Emerson, his best friend's little sister, who isn't so little anymore. Then there's the matter of Shelter's Bachelorette, an online reality dating show created to raise some much needed funds for the town.
Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town's charity event, Taycee Emerson wants out. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it's up to the viewers--not her--to decide which bachelors stay or go. Coerced into participating, Taycee does what any self-preserving girl would do. She launches a subtle attack on Luke's good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. Unfortunately, Luke's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she's up to, it means revenge.
The Sapphire Flute
Author: Karen E. HooverOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99Discounted until January 18 Genre and target audience: Fantasy, YAIf this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, iTunesBook description:
Rasann is a world in dire need. The net of magic that has held her together for eons is eroding and the magi can’t patch it fast enough to prevent disaster. Volcanoes spew, waters rise, famine and flood and desolation threaten the world as they desperately await the coming of the Wolfchild to heal their home.
Three women begin quests for identity and freedom from the ties that have held them: Ember, from her overbearing and prejudice mother; Kayla, from the rigidity of the caste that has oppressed her family; C’Tan, from her dark and evil master, the Guardian S’Kotos. One will discover she is the first white mage born in three millennia, another will become guardian to the a keystone, the sapphire flute, and throughout it all the third will try to destroy them both.
Tell Me No Lies
Author: Rachel BrantonOriginal and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99Discounted from January 9 through 13Genre and target audience: Contemporary Romantic Suspense for ages 13 and older.If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PGDownload it from: KindleBook description:
When Romance Takes a Deadly Turn
With her trust fund in jeopardy, Tessa Crawford enters into a relationship with a mysterious neighbor that soon turns into something more dangerous than either of them could have imagined.
Two days before her wedding, Tessa Crawford's world crumbles, leaving her hurt and betrayed. Worse, if Tessa doesn't marry and receive her trust fund, her younger sister will lose her house and the homeless girls she helps will have nowhere to go.
But Tessa can't marry just anyone, can she?
Gage Braxton, the guy from next door, is willing to help her out, but rumors hint that he's an ex-con. Tessa quickly finds herself attracted to a man who has no intention of ever falling in love or of passing on his terrible
legacy.
When Tessa stumbles across evidence that may be proof of Gage's innocence, suspects begin to line up. Someone is willing to kill again to see that the truth remains buried, and if Tessa doesn't hurry and solve the old murder, she will lose not only her chance at love but may become the murderer's next victim.
Rachel Branton has created an exciting, romantic story with a new take on a theme that never gets old.
TO ENTER TO WIN THE KINDLE FIRE, CLICK HERE.
And for more fantastic eBooks on sale, check out Rachel Ann Nunes's blog post here!
September 14, 2013
The Tortoise and the Hare...
The biggest piece of advice I can give to any author or writer anywhere, including myself, is this:
You are NOT in a race. This isn't about who gets published first, who writes the most, who has the most readers, who has the most sales. Honestly, it isn't. If you find yourself getting caught in the trap of, "So-and-so is doing really well - I need to step up my work and catch up," then know that the only reward for that sort of thinking is misery, burn-out, and more jealousy.
If you aren't happy where you are right now, what makes you think you'll be happy with just a little bit more?
How to convince people, though, that what they're doing--what they're capable of--is enough? That their honest effort, even if it isn't as much as someone else's, is what counts?
You must measure hustle, not sales. The effort you are putting into your work NOW is what is most important. Stop thinking about how everyone else is doing! You'll never be happy if you're constantly in competition with them.
The satisfaction you feel when you look back on a month of honest effort is something to journal about. And make sure you do, because those journal entries will become words of strength when you're struggling.
Sigh.
Getting off of my soap box. :-)
Oh, one last thought: slow and steady wins the race. Don't act like the hare; be the tortoise. :-)
You are NOT in a race. This isn't about who gets published first, who writes the most, who has the most readers, who has the most sales. Honestly, it isn't. If you find yourself getting caught in the trap of, "So-and-so is doing really well - I need to step up my work and catch up," then know that the only reward for that sort of thinking is misery, burn-out, and more jealousy.
If you aren't happy where you are right now, what makes you think you'll be happy with just a little bit more?
How to convince people, though, that what they're doing--what they're capable of--is enough? That their honest effort, even if it isn't as much as someone else's, is what counts?
You must measure hustle, not sales. The effort you are putting into your work NOW is what is most important. Stop thinking about how everyone else is doing! You'll never be happy if you're constantly in competition with them.
The satisfaction you feel when you look back on a month of honest effort is something to journal about. And make sure you do, because those journal entries will become words of strength when you're struggling.
Sigh.
Getting off of my soap box. :-)
Oh, one last thought: slow and steady wins the race. Don't act like the hare; be the tortoise. :-)
August 30, 2013
Friday Writing Prompt: Point of View, etc.
Today's prompt deals with point of view. The rules regarding POV aren't breakable: once you choose to be in a certain character's head, it's not acceptable to change until you've started a new chapter. The only other time you're "allowed" to switch to another person's POV is when using a "section end designation" like this (or something similar. In The Key of Kilenya, we used cute, little keys:-)):
***
The concept behind point of view issues isn't difficult for many of us, but sometimes things still slip through.
Today's Challenge:
Write a short scene (poetry, fiction, etc.), using one of the examples below, and make sure you stick only to the thoughts of the main character. For bonus points, write the scene twice - the second time from the head of the other person. :-) (You don't have to if you're aren't inclined to do so.)
Here are some examples you can choose from:
Tom and Will are disgruntled neighbors. One morning, Tom knocks on Will's door and threatens to kill Will's dog if it breaks into his yard and chases his chickens one more time.Sarah can't wait to meet Jeff tonight. She's been single for so long, and has a feeling he's Mr. Right. Her friend, Brittany, disagrees.Seth and Kirk have had a long-standing competition where their trucks are concerned. Seth says to Kirk, "Where were you last night at 10:00pm? Someone broke into my truck again."Mark and Stacy are discussing Mark's desire to pick up four-wheeling. Stacy's dad was killed in a four-wheeling accident a few months earlier.Jessica and Chris were engaged for a year when Chris broke off the engagement. Three months later, he calls her up, asking if they can get back together.If you don't like any of the above, please feel free to create your own. :-) Here are the parameters I want you to stick to:
Get into the thoughts of the person you choose. Don't let the dialog alone carry the scene.Don't have more than two characters.Take the scene where you want it to go.Keep it short - three or four paragraphs (or up to eight lines of dialog with thoughts interspersed)Keep up the hard work with writing, and good luck! Go ahead and post a link to your response below.
***
The concept behind point of view issues isn't difficult for many of us, but sometimes things still slip through.
Today's Challenge:
Write a short scene (poetry, fiction, etc.), using one of the examples below, and make sure you stick only to the thoughts of the main character. For bonus points, write the scene twice - the second time from the head of the other person. :-) (You don't have to if you're aren't inclined to do so.)
Here are some examples you can choose from:
Tom and Will are disgruntled neighbors. One morning, Tom knocks on Will's door and threatens to kill Will's dog if it breaks into his yard and chases his chickens one more time.Sarah can't wait to meet Jeff tonight. She's been single for so long, and has a feeling he's Mr. Right. Her friend, Brittany, disagrees.Seth and Kirk have had a long-standing competition where their trucks are concerned. Seth says to Kirk, "Where were you last night at 10:00pm? Someone broke into my truck again."Mark and Stacy are discussing Mark's desire to pick up four-wheeling. Stacy's dad was killed in a four-wheeling accident a few months earlier.Jessica and Chris were engaged for a year when Chris broke off the engagement. Three months later, he calls her up, asking if they can get back together.If you don't like any of the above, please feel free to create your own. :-) Here are the parameters I want you to stick to:
Get into the thoughts of the person you choose. Don't let the dialog alone carry the scene.Don't have more than two characters.Take the scene where you want it to go.Keep it short - three or four paragraphs (or up to eight lines of dialog with thoughts interspersed)Keep up the hard work with writing, and good luck! Go ahead and post a link to your response below.
August 23, 2013
Friday Writing Prompt: Telling vs Showing
Everyone has heard this before: it's important to show rather than tell. "Telling" gets old really fast, doesn't help us become familiar with the characters, and doesn't further the plot. "Showing," on the other hand, not only pushes the story forward, but allows us to see what the characters are like.
Here's how the first page of The Key of Kilenya would look if I'd "told" rather than "showed.":
Jacob really liked video games. He also liked basketball. One day, he decided he wanted to stop playing video games for an hour or so and practice basketball instead. He was tending his little sister so he made sure she was okay, then went outside.
His sixteen-year-old brother, Matt, who really liked working on cars, saw him and asked if he could also play. They joked around, as brothers often do. Jacob won the game of basketball. Then they talked about how Jacob was planning on trying out for the team.
A moment later, they were discussing a mutual acquaintance, when Jacob heard a noise coming from the trees near the driveway. Matt said he couldn't hear it. Jacob looked at the trees, wondering if something was there.
If this were the start of my book, my target audience would die from boredom. Teenagers have a great deal less patience than adults when it comes to telling rather than showing, but even adults get frustrated from it. Learning this simple-sounding, yet difficult-to-master concept is key in our writing.
Here's how The Key of Kilenya really starts (used with my permission. Ha ha. :-)):
Jacob tossed his favorite hand-held video game onto his bed, then grabbed his basketball and dashed down the stairs. As he entered the kitchen, he paused, glancing out the window to check on Amberly—still playing in the sandbox out back—then turned and bolted through the front door, eager to take advantage of the last rays of sunlight.
Matt, Jacob’s sixteen-year-old brother, was working in the garage. “Hey, I wanna shoot too,” he said as he popped his head out from under the truck.
“Fine, but I really need this practice. So challenge me.”
“Don’t I always?” Matt said with a laugh.
They played a quick game of one-on-one, with Jacob barreling past Matt and leading the game consistently by fifteen points or more. He ended it with a spectacular three-point shot and bent over panting, hands on knees.
“Yeah, well, I can still beat you at football.” Matt grinned.
Jacob laughed, then tossed the ball to his brother. “Here. You need to practice more.”
“You still trying out tomorrow?”
“‘Course—I have to.”
“Uh-huh.” Matt tucked the ball under his arm and glanced at Jacob. “You know . . . letting Kevin win at something might not be a bad thing. ‘Sides, you could both make it.”
“No, we couldn’t. You know Coach—he’s not going to let two fourteen year olds on varsity.”
A rustle in the trees next to the driveway made Jacob turn his head. It sounded like a large animal or a person. “You hear that?”
“Hear what?” Matt was back to shooting hoops again.
Jacob motioned for Matt to stop and took a step closer to the trees, squinting to see better. But the sun had already set, and the brush was dark. “Hey, turn on the light. I think something’s in there.”
It's longer than the first example, but it fulfills many needs. A couple of things I did differently:
I used dialog to move the plot forward, to help my readers get a feel for the characters, and to let us know what's going on in Jacob's mind (basketball, beating Kevin, making the team).
I also used several key words to show what Jacob is doing. "Tossed," "dashed," "eager," etc. He's not moving slowly, and he's not bored. He's excited to get to practicing.
There are several hard fast rules in some markets/genres that don't work in others. For example, The Key of Kilenya starts pretty quickly and jumps into action almost right away. My youth readers love this, but it might not work so well for someone who enjoys a good, relaxed romance.
Telling, instead of showing, doesn't work for any fiction market, with one exception: if the scene would be better with the telling instead of showing. (Who wants to watch the main character sleep all night long, rolling over occasionally, etc.? :-)) In non-fiction, it usually isn't a big deal. (Obviously, if you're writing a manual on how to use computers, you have to "tell." :-))
Today's Challenge:
Take a scene that exemplifies "showing" from a favorite movie, and rewrite it to be an example of a bad scene. Fill it with "telling" things, and remove the awesome. :-)
Then, compare your newly written scene with the original, and tell your readers what you changed and why. Explain the reasons you feel the original scene is a good example of "showing."
If, like me, you have a hard time choosing, here are a few movie ideas:
Star WarsThe Princess BrideIndiana JonesOr whichever other movie you'd prefer using. :-) Good luck! As usual, post in the comments below a link to your response. :-)
Here's how the first page of The Key of Kilenya would look if I'd "told" rather than "showed.":
Jacob really liked video games. He also liked basketball. One day, he decided he wanted to stop playing video games for an hour or so and practice basketball instead. He was tending his little sister so he made sure she was okay, then went outside.
His sixteen-year-old brother, Matt, who really liked working on cars, saw him and asked if he could also play. They joked around, as brothers often do. Jacob won the game of basketball. Then they talked about how Jacob was planning on trying out for the team.
A moment later, they were discussing a mutual acquaintance, when Jacob heard a noise coming from the trees near the driveway. Matt said he couldn't hear it. Jacob looked at the trees, wondering if something was there.
If this were the start of my book, my target audience would die from boredom. Teenagers have a great deal less patience than adults when it comes to telling rather than showing, but even adults get frustrated from it. Learning this simple-sounding, yet difficult-to-master concept is key in our writing.
Here's how The Key of Kilenya really starts (used with my permission. Ha ha. :-)):
Jacob tossed his favorite hand-held video game onto his bed, then grabbed his basketball and dashed down the stairs. As he entered the kitchen, he paused, glancing out the window to check on Amberly—still playing in the sandbox out back—then turned and bolted through the front door, eager to take advantage of the last rays of sunlight.
Matt, Jacob’s sixteen-year-old brother, was working in the garage. “Hey, I wanna shoot too,” he said as he popped his head out from under the truck.
“Fine, but I really need this practice. So challenge me.”
“Don’t I always?” Matt said with a laugh.
They played a quick game of one-on-one, with Jacob barreling past Matt and leading the game consistently by fifteen points or more. He ended it with a spectacular three-point shot and bent over panting, hands on knees.
“Yeah, well, I can still beat you at football.” Matt grinned.
Jacob laughed, then tossed the ball to his brother. “Here. You need to practice more.”
“You still trying out tomorrow?”
“‘Course—I have to.”
“Uh-huh.” Matt tucked the ball under his arm and glanced at Jacob. “You know . . . letting Kevin win at something might not be a bad thing. ‘Sides, you could both make it.”
“No, we couldn’t. You know Coach—he’s not going to let two fourteen year olds on varsity.”
A rustle in the trees next to the driveway made Jacob turn his head. It sounded like a large animal or a person. “You hear that?”
“Hear what?” Matt was back to shooting hoops again.
Jacob motioned for Matt to stop and took a step closer to the trees, squinting to see better. But the sun had already set, and the brush was dark. “Hey, turn on the light. I think something’s in there.”
It's longer than the first example, but it fulfills many needs. A couple of things I did differently:
I used dialog to move the plot forward, to help my readers get a feel for the characters, and to let us know what's going on in Jacob's mind (basketball, beating Kevin, making the team).
I also used several key words to show what Jacob is doing. "Tossed," "dashed," "eager," etc. He's not moving slowly, and he's not bored. He's excited to get to practicing.
There are several hard fast rules in some markets/genres that don't work in others. For example, The Key of Kilenya starts pretty quickly and jumps into action almost right away. My youth readers love this, but it might not work so well for someone who enjoys a good, relaxed romance.
Telling, instead of showing, doesn't work for any fiction market, with one exception: if the scene would be better with the telling instead of showing. (Who wants to watch the main character sleep all night long, rolling over occasionally, etc.? :-)) In non-fiction, it usually isn't a big deal. (Obviously, if you're writing a manual on how to use computers, you have to "tell." :-))
Today's Challenge:
Take a scene that exemplifies "showing" from a favorite movie, and rewrite it to be an example of a bad scene. Fill it with "telling" things, and remove the awesome. :-)
Then, compare your newly written scene with the original, and tell your readers what you changed and why. Explain the reasons you feel the original scene is a good example of "showing."
If, like me, you have a hard time choosing, here are a few movie ideas:
Star WarsThe Princess BrideIndiana JonesOr whichever other movie you'd prefer using. :-) Good luck! As usual, post in the comments below a link to your response. :-)
August 16, 2013
Friday Writing Prompt: Eating Sushi
Before getting into the prompt, I wanted to get to know everyone better. If you're feeling up to it, would you comment and tell me what your interests/hobbies are, what you write/read, and where you're from? (I don't want specifics on location. :-))
Me: I like biking, hiking, camping, painting, playing the viola and piano, teaching, and my husband. :-) I'm from the mid-west, and I read YA literature and adult thrillers. (RIP, Michael Crichton!) I write YA fiction.
Now then. On to today's prompt. :-)
Have you ever noticed that the people who've tried sushi tend to either love or hate it? The experience is a unique one - not easily forgotten by those of us who didn't grow up eating this odd Japanese delicacy.
For today's challenge, I want you to use the different senses to describe your feelings about and the experience of eating sushi. Gear your writing toward someone who has never tried it and try to convince them to your way of thinking (to eat or not to eat).
If you've never tried it, I want you to take a side anyway and show us what you imagine it to taste like. Practice your powers of description and persuasion. :-)
Purpose:
The ability to accurately describe an experience using all the senses is a strength we as writers need.The ability to persuade someone to side with you is a life skill handy in most any situation.
Rules:
You must use at least four senses.Don't say whether you're for or against sushi until the end. If your readers can figure it out through your descriptions, double points for you!Don't bash your readers over the head - be subtle. Remember the old saying, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still."Good luck! Feel free to post a link to your response in the comment section below.
Me: I like biking, hiking, camping, painting, playing the viola and piano, teaching, and my husband. :-) I'm from the mid-west, and I read YA literature and adult thrillers. (RIP, Michael Crichton!) I write YA fiction.
Now then. On to today's prompt. :-)
Have you ever noticed that the people who've tried sushi tend to either love or hate it? The experience is a unique one - not easily forgotten by those of us who didn't grow up eating this odd Japanese delicacy.
For today's challenge, I want you to use the different senses to describe your feelings about and the experience of eating sushi. Gear your writing toward someone who has never tried it and try to convince them to your way of thinking (to eat or not to eat).
If you've never tried it, I want you to take a side anyway and show us what you imagine it to taste like. Practice your powers of description and persuasion. :-)
Purpose:
The ability to accurately describe an experience using all the senses is a strength we as writers need.The ability to persuade someone to side with you is a life skill handy in most any situation.
Rules:
You must use at least four senses.Don't say whether you're for or against sushi until the end. If your readers can figure it out through your descriptions, double points for you!Don't bash your readers over the head - be subtle. Remember the old saying, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still."Good luck! Feel free to post a link to your response in the comment section below.
August 9, 2013
Friday Writing Prompt: Your First Car
Today's prompt is more an essay/article than fiction, though don't let that stop you from writing a story along these lines and using that instead. (That would be really interesting! And so would a poem.)
I've been thinking a lot lately about whether or not my husband and I should buy a "first car" for our children, or if we should encourage them to save up and purchase one on their own. We've discussed this, but haven't come to any decisions yet. And I don't feel like a "Let's see how each child acts" situation will work, since it's not fair to buy a car for one kid and not another.
Here's where I've been a little torn. I believe in the value of working hard to achieve goals and being self-sufficient. I feel it's important for children to learn to save their money. On the other hand, sometimes all we need to be successful in life is a gentle nudge, or a little help from someone.
My parents couldn't afford to get cars for us, but my in-laws did so for their children. My husband's car is nearly dead now - he's run it to the ground. It's saved him a great deal of money, and he really appreciates owning it. Me - I worked really hard for my first car and paid for it with my own money. Though I don't have it anymore, I still remember the sense of accomplishment and pride I'd get whenever I drove it.
First, what are your thoughts in this regard? Should parents help their kids out, or should they encourage children to work toward the goal of being a bit more self-sufficient?
Next, write about the first car you bought. How you paid for it, what you went through to get it, the feelings you experienced when you drove it/looked at it, etc.
If you'd like, go ahead and put a link to your post in the comments below. Hope this helps get the writing juices going!
I've been thinking a lot lately about whether or not my husband and I should buy a "first car" for our children, or if we should encourage them to save up and purchase one on their own. We've discussed this, but haven't come to any decisions yet. And I don't feel like a "Let's see how each child acts" situation will work, since it's not fair to buy a car for one kid and not another.
Here's where I've been a little torn. I believe in the value of working hard to achieve goals and being self-sufficient. I feel it's important for children to learn to save their money. On the other hand, sometimes all we need to be successful in life is a gentle nudge, or a little help from someone.
My parents couldn't afford to get cars for us, but my in-laws did so for their children. My husband's car is nearly dead now - he's run it to the ground. It's saved him a great deal of money, and he really appreciates owning it. Me - I worked really hard for my first car and paid for it with my own money. Though I don't have it anymore, I still remember the sense of accomplishment and pride I'd get whenever I drove it.
First, what are your thoughts in this regard? Should parents help their kids out, or should they encourage children to work toward the goal of being a bit more self-sufficient?
Next, write about the first car you bought. How you paid for it, what you went through to get it, the feelings you experienced when you drove it/looked at it, etc.
If you'd like, go ahead and put a link to your post in the comments below. Hope this helps get the writing juices going!
August 7, 2013
Should I? :-)
Should I keep this in Eyes of the Sun, Kilenya 5?
"Citizens have twenty-four hours to do so, or the Lorkon will ensure the destruction of everyone in the offending city. And that won't be nice, will it, Precious."
If you don't catch that reference, you're probably not as geeky as me. :-)
Wait. Did I say geeky? I meant cool. Cool! :-)
"Citizens have twenty-four hours to do so, or the Lorkon will ensure the destruction of everyone in the offending city. And that won't be nice, will it, Precious."
If you don't catch that reference, you're probably not as geeky as me. :-)
Wait. Did I say geeky? I meant cool. Cool! :-)
August 5, 2013
Hiking Trails in Utah/Salt Lake Counties
I love hiking with my hubby and our baby! Today we went up the Dry Canyon Trail, which starts in Orem, right up against Timpanogos. It was beautiful! Pretty difficult at times, but with a lot of variation and cool things to look at, including some really dramatic cliffs and scenery. We only went up about a mile and a half (it was a pretty steep incline), but felt like we got a lot out of it.
Other trails we've done this year:
The Y (we usually do it once a week. It's a little more difficult with a baby, though, since the sun is pretty much on you the whole time. We're going to have to find a work-around for that one... (AKA: babysitter :-)))
The Pleasant Grove G (we've gone twice... it's not my favorite)
Mill B North (Big Cottonwood Canyon. Very green, lush, beautiful. One of my favorite trails.)
Mill B South (Big Cottonwood Canyon. Very pretty - not as lush as Mill B North, but still beautiful.)
Broads Fork Trail (Big Cottonwood Canyon. LOVE this hike! It's in the same parking lot as Mill B South. Heads straight up - there isn't a gradual incline. But there are bridges, and when you go in the springtime, the spring run-off is pretty fantastic.)
Granite Quarry (where the pioneers got granite for the Salt Lake Temple. Little Cottonwood Canyon. I wouldn't take little kids up there - it's potentially dangerous, depending on how far you go.)
Ensign Peak (and above it. Nice views of the SL valley and Bountiful. And that huge industrial complex... you know which one I'm talking about. :-))
Rock Canyon (twice. This is another favorite of mine. We've done it several times over the past three years. There are five bridges you cross that add flavor.)
Battle Creek (really steep at first, but rewarding the higher you go. We saw some cool stuff: the creek, waterfalls, the skeleton of a deer (okay, I'm weird, I know. :-)), and such. It's a good hike.)
Alpine Canyon to Horseshoe Falls (we went all the way to the top. We could have continued down into American Fork Canyon, but thought better of it. :-))
Bonneville Shoreline from Rock Canyon to the Y (the Bonneville Shoreline trails are all over the Eastern benches in SLC and UT counties. They're a lot of fun and offer a great variety.)
Stewart Falls (also a fantastic hike. It's not difficult enough for us to do regularly, so we make it a social event with friends and family. Beautiful waterfalls at the end.)
The best thing about hiking? My hubby and I brainstorm for my books on the way back down. It's been super good for my career!
If you want to know more about any of these trails, just ask. I'll give you info on levels of difficulty, locations, etc.
Also, if there are any trails you know of that aren't on this list, let me know! We love exploring new hikes.We like ones that are medium to extreme difficulty and that last a couple of hours up.
Other trails we've done this year:
The Y (we usually do it once a week. It's a little more difficult with a baby, though, since the sun is pretty much on you the whole time. We're going to have to find a work-around for that one... (AKA: babysitter :-)))
The Pleasant Grove G (we've gone twice... it's not my favorite)
Mill B North (Big Cottonwood Canyon. Very green, lush, beautiful. One of my favorite trails.)
Mill B South (Big Cottonwood Canyon. Very pretty - not as lush as Mill B North, but still beautiful.)
Broads Fork Trail (Big Cottonwood Canyon. LOVE this hike! It's in the same parking lot as Mill B South. Heads straight up - there isn't a gradual incline. But there are bridges, and when you go in the springtime, the spring run-off is pretty fantastic.)
Granite Quarry (where the pioneers got granite for the Salt Lake Temple. Little Cottonwood Canyon. I wouldn't take little kids up there - it's potentially dangerous, depending on how far you go.)
Ensign Peak (and above it. Nice views of the SL valley and Bountiful. And that huge industrial complex... you know which one I'm talking about. :-))
Rock Canyon (twice. This is another favorite of mine. We've done it several times over the past three years. There are five bridges you cross that add flavor.)
Battle Creek (really steep at first, but rewarding the higher you go. We saw some cool stuff: the creek, waterfalls, the skeleton of a deer (okay, I'm weird, I know. :-)), and such. It's a good hike.)
Alpine Canyon to Horseshoe Falls (we went all the way to the top. We could have continued down into American Fork Canyon, but thought better of it. :-))
Bonneville Shoreline from Rock Canyon to the Y (the Bonneville Shoreline trails are all over the Eastern benches in SLC and UT counties. They're a lot of fun and offer a great variety.)
Stewart Falls (also a fantastic hike. It's not difficult enough for us to do regularly, so we make it a social event with friends and family. Beautiful waterfalls at the end.)
The best thing about hiking? My hubby and I brainstorm for my books on the way back down. It's been super good for my career!
If you want to know more about any of these trails, just ask. I'll give you info on levels of difficulty, locations, etc.
Also, if there are any trails you know of that aren't on this list, let me know! We love exploring new hikes.We like ones that are medium to extreme difficulty and that last a couple of hours up.
