A.T. Weaver's Blog, page 17

Update

I’m about halfway through the last read through of Shifter Born.

This morning a new character woke me up and said he wanted me to tell his Christmas story. This in response to a submissions call from Love Lane Books.

Working on it.

Rant

Just so no one gets confused, this is a rant. I’m posting it on my blog, on my personal Facebook page and on my author page. I may step on some toes, and I may lose friends or fans over it. I don’t care.

 I am a writer. At least I call myself one. Am I a professional writer? Well, I was once told if you’re paid for something you do, you’re a professional, so I guess I am. Do I make a living at it? No. I started writing ten years ago in a genre that was relatively unknown at the time.

 As I wrote my first book (Acceptance: One Man’s Quest), two gay male friends critiqued it bit-by-bit – I listened and took their suggestions to heart. When I thought it was finished, I tried to find someone to publish it. (This was before you could just upload a file and put it for sale on Amazon or Smashwords or any other place.)

 A straight-woman friend asked if she could read it and I let her. She made one suggestion and I rewrote nearly 75% of the book.

 Still no response from publishers. So I paid a ‘vanity’ press $500 to publish it. I sold maybe ten books. Not nearly enough to pay for the publishing.

 Did I stop writing? No.

 I also ran my second book (First Impressions Don’t Count) by my two friends. When it was finished, a retired English teacher friend proofread it. (He loved my use of semi-colons. I now know editors hate semi-colons.)

 By this time, Create Space and Kindle were available to upload files and self-publish. I published First Impressions and re-published Acceptance.

 On my third book (Catriona’s Curse) I met a couple of people on Facebook. One was another writer of gay stories and one was a professional editor. They both very generously offered to read and critique my work. The writer also suggested I join a writers’ group which I did.

 I went to meetings of the group even though half of the six people didn’t want to critique my work because of the genre. I had to stop going when I lost my mode of transportation.

 Both the editor and writer on Facebook were a great help. I also had the English teacher proofread it when I finished.

 While working on Cartiona’s Curse, I was introduced to Smashwords and uploaded all three books to their site.

 The Boss’s Son also went through many proofreadings and editings before I uploaded it.

 I am now in the fourth reading and editing of my fifth novel.

 Now comes the rant part.

 I’ve downloaded several free and inexpensive ebooks from both Amazon and Smashwords that are worth their cost. In other words – they are worthless. They are poorly written and unedited POS. (and if you don’t know what that means, send me a private message and I’ll tell you).

 Some people think because they can string words together and throw in a little sex, they’ve written a book. It doesn’t matter how good your idea or story is, if it’s so poorly written people notice, it’s a POS.

 I may be wrong in my percentages, but I consider the idea to be 25% of the story, original writing to be 25% and editing and rewriting and rewriting and editing and rewriting to be the other 50%.

 Every time one of these POS is uploaded to the internet, it degrades the name of our craft. If people buy and try to read these, they will form a poor opinion of the indie publishing industry.

 Okay – rant over.

coming soon

Marrok del Sol is a natural-born immortal shape shifter who can assume the form of any animal he chooses.

He escapes death when his family is betrayed and sent to the guillotine during the French Revolution. After taking revenge on the traitor, he leaves France for America.

For over two-hundred years, he travels westward with the ever-expanding civilization always searching for his “happily ever after.” During this time, he fights in the War of 1812, travels to Oregon on the Great Wagon Train of 1843 and finds gold in Canyon City, Oregon.

Good Sunday morning

I used to do a post on Six Sentence Sunday, but haven’t for a while. Well, here’s six sentences from Shifter Born:

Marrok flew north toward Amiens. As dawn broke, a dozen hawks flew back toward Paris. One by one, they landed in an alley, shifted into rats and blended into the shadows. They found a sewer leading into the prison, but before they got inside, the cart carrying the del Sol family exited the building into the walled courtyard. The rats watched as one by one, the family members were led to the guillotine.

Tears filled Marrok’s eyes as he watched the blade descended on the neck of his beautiful mother.

Shifter progress

Got cover made. Got edits back from Andy.

I’ve gone through 5 chapters today. Hope to finish by the weekend. Still hoping for a mid-July publish date.

Teaser alert – Shifter Born

“It was because she sensed the alpha animal in me. I’m a shape shifter. I can change into any animal I choose.”

“Any animal?”

“I much prefer warm-blooded animals. No fish or reptiles.”

“I don’t believe you,” Brian challenged. “Prove it.”

Derrick stood. “What animal would you like to see?”

“Whatever you choose.”

Almost before Brian finished speaking, a black and silver wolf stood in Derrick’s place. He walked over and placed his head on Brian’s leg and licked his thigh. As he licked closer to Brian’s cock, Brian jumped up. “Derrick!”

Derrick shifted back into human form and grinned. “I thought you like for me to lick you there.”

“You! Not a wolf!” Brian stepped backwards and covered himself with his hands.

Derrick’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “It’s still me.”

Am I an Ally?

I’ve read a couple of blog-posts this morning about writers of MM romance who are semi in the closet about their writing. When I first started writing, I didn’t want my kids friends to give them problems about what I write so I used a pen name. However when FaceBook came around, my two identities got mixed together. I no longer try to hide my identity except for the fact I do still use the pen name because I have people who follow that name.

I don’t write as prolifically as most writers. In fact the idea that I may have two or three books come out this year instead of one every two years amazes me. I self-publish. By the time I published my fourth book this spring, I decided to put my real picture on the back.

So, I can’t say I’m in the closet either about my writing or my support of gay rights.

I can’t figure out how to add links to my post.

http://letablake.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/am-i-an-ally-if-im-in-the-closet-about-my-writing/

http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.com/2013/06/in-writing-closet.html

 

 

 

Shifter Born

So I now have a title. First draft is printed off and in the process of first edit.

I have two possible covers. So far votes are running pretty even for which to use. I have likes and dislikes about both.