Camy Tang's Blog, page 119

WOW I'm on NPR!

I gave an interview at the Avon signing at the RWA conference at the end of July and they just aired a clip of it on NPR!



http://www.npr.org/2012/08/15/158699571/a-rainbow-of-happy-endings-in-ethnic-romances

Writers - it's not too late to sign up for August online classes

Hey writers, it's not too late to sign up for 2 online classes I'm giving in August:



Self-Editing online class ($40) August 15 - 30



Deep Point of View online class ($40) August 15 - 30



More info here!

The Misprint Giveaway

I found a box of copies of Formula for Danger that I’d put away “for safe keeping” and then forgot I had them (!!!) and in the box I found this:





Yes, it is Formula for Danger with a blank cover!



So, not knowing what else to do with it, I’m giving it away. I’ll be happy to autograph it to the winner so you can stick it on your shelf and laugh at it.



Comment on my blog, Facebook, or Twitter in the next 48 hours and I’ll pick a winner by random drawing.



Giveaway rules:



Please click here to read giveaway rules and why I had to change them. Sorry, no international entrants (see giveaway rules post for why). Only one entry per person. I always email the winner and give them a week to reply, but if I don’t receive an answer, I will pull another person to win the book. I am not responsible for a lost opportunity if you are on vacation or leave an email address you don’t check frequently. The winner can expect their free book in 4-6 weeks.



I'll pick a name out of a hat on Friday, August 10th. (BTW, you can post a comment and NOT enter, too.)

Review: Mystic City

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I was intrigued by the story concept of this book as soon as I read the back cover blurb. Others have detailed the storyline already, so I won't go into what it's about here.

The dystopian world is striking and interesting, becoming a separate character in the story. Aria, her parents, and Hunter are also unique personalities that fit with the story world and with the plotline.

I did think that the story started off very slow. The first several chapters seemed to drag a bit to me. The story was interesting enough that I kept reading, and the plot eventually picked up, so I guess that says it was engaging enough to keep my interest, but the first third of the book seemed so slow to me that the book would have been easy to set down at some points if I'd had something else I needed to do.

After the story picks up, it was interesting to see how Aria changes as events unfold. I thought it took her ridiculously long to figure out what had happened to her, but that might be just me. When things did become clear, the storyline was very intriguing and I couldn't wait to read what happened next.

This might be just me, but the description and explanation of the dystopian world in the beginning was a bit confusing to me and I had to exert some effort to figure out the world of the mystics and their role in the city. Eventually it became clear to me, but that effort to figure out the story world made the reading flow in the beginning stutter a bit for me.

There were times when I didn't quite feel Aria's emotions very strongly, either, which detracted from the romance a bit for me. I guess I had expected to feel her emotions more than I actually did while reading.

However, the romantic arc itself progresses well--despite the slow start--and is very satisfying. Readers who love romance will be happy with how Aria's love life turns out.

I was especially impressed with Aria's character. She grew and changed throughout the story from a confused girlish character to a woman who was strong, brave, and willing to stand up for a higher cause. Lack of that type of willingness to stand and fight for a higher cause was what I had thought a little disappointing in Katniss's character in The Hunger Games, so seeing that bravery in Mystic City was very satisfying.

Overall, the story was engaging and interesting and entertaining. The last half of the book was especially riveting and I couldn't have put it down if I'd had to.

I received a complimentary copy of the uncorrected proof from Random House in exchange for an honest review.



View all my reviews

Writers - it's not too late to sign up for August online classes

Hey writers, it's not too late to sign up for 4 online classes I'm giving in August:



Synopsis writing online class ($30) August 1 - 15



Characterization online class ($30) August 1 - 15



Self-Editing online class ($40) August 15 - 30



Deep Point of View online class ($40) August 15 - 30



More info here!

Writers - reminder about August online classes

Hey writers, just a reminder that I will be giving 4 online classes in August:



Synopsis writing online class ($30) August 1 - 15



Characterization online class ($30) August 1 - 15



Self-Editing online class ($40) August 15 - 30



Deep Point of View online class ($40) August 15 - 30



More info here!

Writers: online classes in August and Pitch Coaching

Any writers interested in taking my online classes? Info is below. I'm also offering a new Story Sensei service, Pitch Coaching. Info is below also.



Online classes in August



My wrists are starting to feel better, so I’ve decided to hold four online classes in August for anyone who’s interested:



Synopsis writing online class ($30) August 1 - 15



Characterization online class ($30) August 1 - 15



Self-Editing online class ($40) August 15 - 30



Deep Point of View online class ($40) August 15 - 30



Each class (except for Self-Editing) is essentially the same as my worksheets, but in the class, I’ll be giving individual feedback on your homework. Many people have taken my classes multiple times, each time using a different manuscript, because they found the personalized feedback more helpful than just using my worksheets.



At the bottom of the post is more information on each of the classes.



Pitch Coaching



For those of you going to RWA conference at the end of this month or perhaps ACFW conference in September, I am now offering pitch coaching to help you write your pitch and even practice it if you’d like.



You will email me your story synopsis, or if you don’t have a synopsis, just email me a message explaining what your story is about. No need to be professional, I just want to know what your story is about.



Then we will schedule a 30-40 minute telephone conversation. Over the phone, I will help you to write your 5-sentence pitch based on the email message you sent to me and also by talking to you about your story. If time allows, I can also coach you on any questions the editor might ask about your story and how you can answer them.



I will call you using Skype but you don’t need a Skype account because I can call landlines and cell phones using my Skype service. The reason I use Skype is because I have an app that can record our Skype conversation, and after the call I’ll give you a link where you can download the MP3 of our conversation. This way, you won’t need to take notes and you can listen to the conversation whenever you want.



Cost is $45. If you're interested, email me at storysensei {at} gmail {dot] com and I can send you a PayPal email invoice. Once you send me the email with your story information, we can schedule our telephone conversation.



Information on the August online classes:



Synopsis writing online class ($30) August 1 - 15



For two weeks, I’ll be working with you to write a synopsis for your manuscript during the class. By the end of the class, you will have:



1) a one sentence hook for your manuscript proposal

2) a five sentence pitch, which you can also use in a query letter

3) a comprehensive 2-page single spaced synopsis for use in a proposal or submission

4) a character synopsis to include with your 2-page synopsis or in place of it

5) if your manuscript is completed, a full chapter by chapter synopsis (usually anywhere from 4-10 pages) for if an editor asks for a more complete story synopsis, OR at the very least, the means to write one if your manuscript is not yet completed.



Cost is $30. If you're interested, email me at storysensei {at} gmail {dot] com and I can send you a PayPal email invoice. The class will be online at my Story Sensei class YahooGroup. You may need a Yahoo Profile to join the YahooGroup, but you don't need to use a Yahoo email address--you can use your regular email address with the Yahoo Profile you create.

http://help.yahoo.com/tutorials/prof/prof/prof_start3.html

http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/profiles/notifications/notif-04.html







Characterization online class ($30) August 1 - 15



This online class will help you develop your story characters. By the end of this class, you will have:



1) a solid grasp of who your character is—and I’m not talking just favorite ice cream flavor



2) your character’s flaws and heroic qualities to make him/her truly sympathetic to the reader



3) the character’s unique qualities to make him/her stand out from all the other characters on the Barnes and Noble shelves.



4) your character’s desire and external goal (you’d be amazed at how this can change from your original ideas about your character as you dig deeper and discover who your character is!)



5) the motivation behind your character’s actions—and not something done over and over again, but something really juicy and unique that shapes your protagonist to make him/her a richer, deeper character



6) conflict and obstacles that directly impact your character’s external goal



7) the riveting climax of the story—both external events and also internal arc



Cost is $30. If you're interested, email me at storysensei {at} gmail {dot] com and I can send you a PayPal email invoice. The class will be online at my Story Sensei class YahooGroup. You may need a Yahoo Profile to join the YahooGroup, but you don't need to use a Yahoo email address--you can use your regular email address with the Yahoo Profile you create.

http://help.yahoo.com/tutorials/prof/prof/prof_start3.html

http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/profiles/notifications/notif-04.html





Self-Editing online class ($40) August 15 - 30



During this intensive 2-week online class, I’ll be teaching you how to self-critique your own manuscript, from high-level structural self-editing to line-editing. By the end of the class you’ll have:



1) A good large-scale view of your story structure and character arc, and knowledge about how to fix any problems in that area

2) Tips for how to revise more emotion into your writing

3) Tools for solving pacing issues

4) A quick list of technical writing errors to look for in your writing and in others’ manuscripts

5) An understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses in terms of critiquing yourself and critiquing others

6) Resources for finding your ideal critique partner and/or group



It'll be similar to the Critiquing Yourself and Others class that I gave via the FF&P RWA chapter in March, but it'll focus more on Deep Point of View and Technical Writing Mistakes. Also, if you took my Characterization class before, a few of the lessons will look familiar, but the rest of it will be entirely new. I will giving homework for you to self-edit your manuscript as well as my feedback on your homework, to help you polish your prose and identify any particular writing issues you might personally have. The feedback will be very targeted and focused on YOU and YOUR manuscript. This class will also have lessons 6 days a week for 2 weeks, so it'll be a bit more intense than some of my other classes.



Cost is $40. If you're interested, email me at storysensei {at} gmail {dot] com and I can send you a PayPal email invoice. The class will be online at my Story Sensei class YahooGroup. You may need a Yahoo Profile to join the YahooGroup, but you don't need to use a Yahoo email address--you can use your regular email address with the Yahoo Profile you create.

http://help.yahoo.com/tutorials/prof/prof/prof_start3.html

http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/profiles/notifications/notif-04.html





Deep Point of View online class ($40) August 15 - 30



Want to rivet your reader to the page? Want to make your writing richer emotionally? Want your characters to be more vivid? Learn ways to draw the reader into the mind, body, and soul of your characters through deep point of view techniques. By the end of the class you’ll have:



1) Ways to strengthen the emotional writing and draw the reader deeper into the character’s point of view



2) An understanding of the structural elements of a scene to help you know when and how to add deep-POV emotions



3) Tips for how to tweak wording in order to deepen point of view on a minute level, which contributes to a richer point of view for the manuscript as a whole



4) A finely honed radar for spotting “Telling” and shallow POV through exercises



The online class consists of lessons, homework, and fun exercises for you to see lots of deep and shallow POV examples. You’ll learn lots of simple techniques to help you deepen your character’s point of view. I’ll be posting lessons 5 days a week for 2 weeks, so this class will be a bit intense.



Cost is $40. If you're interested, email me at storysensei {at} gmail {dot] com and I can send you a PayPal email invoice. The class will be online at my Story Sensei class YahooGroup. You may need a Yahoo Profile to join the YahooGroup, but you don't need to use a Yahoo email address--you can use your regular email address with the Yahoo Profile you create.

http://help.yahoo.com/tutorials/prof/prof/prof_start3.html

http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/profiles/notifications/notif-04.html

Nook Tablet offer from Barnes and Noble

In case any of you were interested:

Love Inspired chat right now!

From 8-10pm EST. I hope you’ll join us! No need for a password.



http://chat.eharlequin.com/flashchat.php#

Love Inspired chat tonight!

From 8-10pm EST. I hope you’ll join us! No need for a password.



http://chat.eharlequin.com/flashchat.php#