Lisa M. Collins's Blog, page 4
October 8, 2015
Meet Natacha Guyot- A Galaxy of Possibilities: Representation and Storytelling in Star Wars
Natacha Guyot is a French author, scholar and public speaker. She is passionate about Science Fiction, Transmedia, Gender Studies, Children’s Media and Fan Studies.
She holds two Master’s degrees: Film and Media Studies (Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle) and Digital Culture and Technology (King’s College London). Since 2012, Natacha has been published in several countries and was a guest speaker at academic conferences and university lectures in both Europe and North America.
What is your current release and (without spoilers) tell us about the new book or series.
Fall is quite busy! On September 9, I released the New Revised Edition of A Galaxy of Possibilities: Representation and Storytelling in Star Wars. It is a collection of essays reflecting on different aspects of the franchise, from main characters to older video games.
On November 9, my first work of fiction (in English) will come out. It is a collection of (related) short-stories called Clairvoyance Chronicles: Volume One. It is the start of a series featuring Weres of all kinds (Were Cougars, Were Bears…), Fae, Shape Shifters and other creatures (though no vampire). An ancient enemy returns after a long time and his actions will have consequences on many people’ lives.
What is the usual process for your writing? Are you a plotter or a pantser?
When it comes to nonfiction (transmedia, gender studies, fan cultures), I am a 100% plotter. I need to have my detailed structure all ready before starting to write. I can’t properly function otherwise.
For fiction, I am mostly a plotter, but during the last year, I have had several projects take me down the pantser path, and I have enjoyed it. How much a plotter and a pantser I am for fiction is now a rather organic process and I never really know which road I’ll follow and for how long!
Once you have an idea that sparks your imagination do you research your idea or do any world-building exercises, or do you just begin to write and see where the Muse takes you?
I often start taking notes but I don’t use any exercises to establish world-building when I write fiction. I’ve created imaginary worlds for more than 15 years, so I often take notes a little randomly at first, and when I have enough, I divide the content between various Word documents (the only other writing software I use is Scrivener and only for eBook formatting). I also tend to think about the story and world when I try to get to sleep and if I’m lucky to get inspiring dreams, it makes for even more note taking once I am up.
Sometimes, I have very vivid ideas and need to start writing right away, in case I’m on pantser mode. Some of my recent novellas have come to life like this and they have turned out well. The only thing I always try to keep in mind is to have semi equal chapters or chapter sections for nonfiction, to keep things flowing better and more balanced.
For nonfiction, I start by researching and taking time to go through my shelves to go back to some books. I can also rewatch the TV shows or movies I am going to work on. If I am to write about video games, I can take notes while playing them. I work on the detailed structure in between research before starting writing.
Are you a full time writer? If so when did you make the decision and what factors led to the decision? If you are not a full time writer…Is your plan to one day become a full time writer?
I have been a full time writer for a little while now. It happened for personal reasons and circumstances. It has allowed me to gain professional experience and embrace the writer’s side of me which had been there for a long time, but without as much time to exist.
I hope to go back to being a part time writer in the near future, as I am planning to relocate to the UK next year, as soon as I find a paid full time work in the creative/cultural/media industries or the higher education sector.
What is your daily writing time like?
I don’t have a fixated routine when it comes to writing. I do something on my projects every day, even when suffering from a severe burnout like I have for the past couple of weeks. Even when I don’t actual writing, I make sure to get plotting, revision, formatting and/or book marketing done, so I keep things going.
When I write a project, I try to do like a chapter per day if fiction, or if it’s nonfiction, a section of a chapter. I am a rather slow writer but a steady one, so as long as I see progress, it is all right.
What does Transmedia mean to you and how can other authors start to move their work toward the future of storytelling?
I was introduced to the concept of Transmedia during my university classes. I like how the multiplicity of media (which has existed in several forms for decades though) and the recent easier access allows for such a versatile storytelling experience for reader/viewer/player.
At the moment, my stories are only book-based but I would love to see them have multiple lives down the road (an author can dream, right?) I think that being open to different formats, even in terms of books; can be a great way to embrace how different platforms can enhance the story.
While I like transmedia and the opportunities it present, the one thing that I dislike about it is when you are “forced” as a reader/watcher/player, to use all platforms available. I still like the idea of one or two main formats and have extra content that adds to the universe but need not be mandatory.
Can you tell us about your publishing experience? Are you Indie, Traditional, or do a bit of both?
I have had interest in indie publishing since the late 90s but didn’t embrace it until January 2015. My background is mostly in academic publishing, whether writing single chapters for collections or editing volumes. I took a ten-year break from fiction writing, so I focused on academic/nonfiction for the past few years.
While I have had some experience with traditional publishing, I made the decision to full go indie instead of remaining hybrid, this year. I haven’t regretted it at all. It fits my work better, between the creative control and also having the possibility to manage my publishing calendar on my own. I write both fiction and nonfiction, and different types of length/format, so having the possibility to organize things at my convenience, including for my cover designer and editor, is a blessing.
Everyone likes to know where an author gets their ideas from. What is the strangest thing to inspire one of your stories?
Now, I’ll have to pick one! I always have pencil and notebook on me because ideas strike me at the most random times. I am having a hard time finding something really strange to actually inspire me. I tend to remember the circumstances better, like how I always had ideas while on the bus ride through London during my second MA degree or how I often need to get back up at night, because the muses strike. A few months ago, I had my villain from Clairvoyance Chronicles sit on my desk for the whole night, finally willing to tell me what he had been up to since Stone Age!
Can you tell us about some of your other writing (fiction or nonfiction) and any appearances or signings that you have planned?
This Fall and upcoming Winter are very focused on A Galaxy of Possibilities: Representation and Storytelling in Star Wars (New Revised Edition) and Clairvoyance Chronicles: Volume One. I hope to do something special for the nonfiction title around December prior to the release of the new Star Wars movie. As for Clairvoyance Chronicles, it will be at the center of my blogging from mid-October and mid-December, as I have been preparing a tour across multiple blogs and am very excited about it.
Besides these two projects, I am currently in revision stages for several titles, mostly novellas but also a nonfiction book about women characters in Science Fiction television.
As an author what inspiration or advice would you give to a writer who is working to make the transition to Author?
Write about what you are passionate about. Educating yourself in the genres you are writing in, as well as general storytelling techniques, is very important too. There are many online resources and/or affordable books. (I have been answering some writing related questions in my Digital Quill Answers blog series as well).
Besides the craft, I also find it good to learn about the market, whether you want to be indie, traditionally published, or both. I have enjoyed meeting fellow authors/aspiring authors via WordPress and other social media. This has definitely helped me a lot!
Keep reading. A writer who doesn’t read isn’t good. At the same time, if other things give you inspiration, go for it! I find that playing some video games make my muses extremely happy, for example.
Who inspires your writing (at this moment)? Tell us what makes these people (or their work) stand out in your mind?
Since I have been mostly working on fiction works lately, Science Fiction and Fantasy, I would say that Joan D. Vinge, J. K. Rowling and C.J. Cherryh have been strong influences. I have always loved how they create such vivid settings and make the reader care for the characters whether in happy or difficult times. Some of their social and political thoughts via their storytelling are also quite impressive.
Which of your books would you recommend to a new reader? Why?
While my previously released titles were all nonfiction, save for a novella in French, I would really recommend my upcoming collection of Fantasy/Paranormal short stories. Returning to fiction, with Clairvoyance Chronicles: Volume One, has been a great experience. I have put a lot of themes important to me in it, from spirituality to diversity, family and friendship. The large cast of characters brings different points of view on life and its hardships, making the story compelling and I hope that readers will enjoy the universe and look forward to the rest of the series.
If you would like to learn more about Natacha Guyot or her books please check out the links below. Her full publication list can be view here.
Blog
Goodreads
Google+
Tumblr
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon France
Smashwords
October 5, 2015
World Teacher’s Day: Dedication to Jarrell Shearer
I want to dedicate today Oct 5, World Teachers’ Day, to the teacher who taught me to love words and story. His dedication to his craft never wavered, nor did his confidence in me.
Thank you Mr. Jarrell Shearer! You made history come alive, and because of you I went on to receive a BA in history from the University of Arkansas.
October 1, 2015
Pinterest for Writers: How To Storyboard Your Novel
Have mercy! I love Pinterest! Why you might ask?
As a writer I use it as a storyboarding tool. And ultimately I am a visual learner, so Pinterest is the right tool for me.
Now if you want have an open mind I’ll show you how I use Pinterest to write short stories and novels.
Ok, Gang, Let’s dive into the oft maligned social media platform called Pinterest. First, no matter what you have heard or seen of Pinterest, like all social media, it can get away from you BUT, like a mogwai as long as you don’t feed it after midnight it will NOT turn into a Gremlin!
Second, if you are new to Pinterest you want to develop a plan on how to get the best return on your investment of time (ROI). Thirdly, if your Pinterest boards have turned into a runaway freight train, we can derail it and get it back under control.
I am going to make some assumptions. #1 you have already created a Pinterest account. #2 you have a story we can work with to create your first storyboard- pin board. If you haven’t’ got these…go on create your account and pull out an old story to play with…the rest of the class will wait right here…
Ready now? Great!
So on your Pinterest home page let’s create a storyboard. Click ‘Create a board’. A popup will show on the screen and you need to give it a clear name that will remind you of exactly what story you are working on. I like to fill out the description with interesting tid bits or a ‘back of book blurb’.
Now you have an empty pin board (basically a bulletin board). Now we add information to the board about your story. Just like the suggestion on the new board you can use the rather robust search feature on Pinterest to find inspiration. My example below is using the words ‘Pirate’ and ‘Space’.
After a bit of scrolling I found a picture to get started with on Melinda Goldmire. This space suit is almost what I’m looking for, so in the notes I put pertinent information about how I’m going to use the information or visual in my story. You can also edit the pins after you pin them.
So you found a picture online that looks like you main character. Did you find an article about a scientific discovery you want to use as a plot point? Here is where you place the ‘bookmarks’ so you can find it later.
I like to add a variety of pins as I am researching for a book. Then I will delete extraneous pins that weren’t used in my story. Like for Chevron Station I have several helmets I’ve found but only one or two might be used in the final story.
But say you want to pin something that you found out on the internet. As long as there is a graphic for the Pinterest system to find it works like this:
Click Add a Pin.
Then this pop up will give you a choice.
After you select your choice (I always use the web option). Then paste in the URL.
Then a list of the pictures available from the website will let you select the bookmark visual you like.
At this point you can add to the description by clicking the gray pencil and you pick the board you want to use.
Here is what the finished pin looks like on your board.
Now that you know the basics of how to make pin boards you can take these examples and go crazy! Make a new board for each story or idea you have teeming around in your mind…I can’t wait to see what you will create and I hope to read your books too!
Before I go I want you to see a few examples of other ways I use Pinterest to market my books and how other writers and I collaborate as well.
This board is where I tuck all the neat ideas I come across that get my creative juices flowing.
This board is where I share with all my followers the books I have written.
This board is where a group of writers come together to share great characters we have found on the Internet.
And lastly I have a pin board just for my blog.
Let me know if you have any questions by posting a comment I’ll do my best to answer.
September 10, 2015
August 20, 2015
Interview with Jilly Paddock: Dead Men Rise Up Never
Jilly Paddock, a biologist by inclination, spent her career in medical research and microbiology labs. Born in South London, Jilly began writing at eleven and hasn’t looked back. She is an avid collector of books, tarot decks, glass candlesticks and perfume bottles, and craft paraphernalia. “I own more silver and gemstone earrings than any woman can wear in a year.” Her hobbies are great experience for her fiction, jewellery making, horse riding, sail boating, with a bit of gun and bow shooting. Now she resides along the flat open spaces of East Anglia, in a small, untidy house which she shares with a book and CD collector who also edits and reviews books.
What is your current release and (without spoilers) tell us about the new book or series.
‘Dead Men Rise Up Never’ is my latest book from Pro Se Press. Detective Inspector A. Afton Lamont and her partner, Jerome, work in Prosperity City’s Police Department on the quiet colony world of Siobhos. A man is murdered on the city streets, stabbed through the heart by a unicorn, but in the cruel light of day, the mythical beast is just a dead white pony with a tin-plate horn tied to its head. Afton and Jerome follow the trail back to a group of bohemian artists led by Cain, a famous painter who is the last descendant of one of the founding families of Siobhos, and then their problems really start, as he’s possibly above the law.
What is the usual process for your writing? Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Neither, really. I usually start with a beginning and some key scenes in mind, and maybe I’ll write a few notes, but I don’t put any words on the page until I’ve worked out what I want to write in my head. Sometimes I’ll have disjointed pieces and have to meander around to join up the dots. With ‘Dead Men’, I didn’t know who the murderer was until about two-thirds of the way through, and when I had that “Ah ha!” moment, I had to re-jig the start so it all made sense.
Once you have an idea that sparks your imagination do you research your idea or do any world-building exercises, or do you just begin to write and see where the Muse takes you?
I research the bits I need to – the science, the landscape and environment, and the nuts and bolts of the set and props. I probably spend far too long on trivial details like choosing the right names for all the cast and getting the timeline right.
Are you a full time writer? If so when did you make the decision and what factors led to the decision. If you are not a full time writer…Is your plan to one day being a full time writer?
When I worked full time, I wrote as a hobby in the evenings and at weekends. In 2011 I took early retirement and was able to devote more time to the writing. My pension pays the bills, so anything I earn on the writing is a bonus.
What is your daily writing time like?
I don’t have a set routine, as I can write when I want to. I’m an owl rather than a lark, so I tend to work in the evenings. I have several projects on the go at the moment, but no deadlines, so I’m not writing much.
Can you tell us about your publishing experience? Are you Indie, Traditional, or do a bit of both?
I tried to go the traditional route in the 1990s – I had two short stories published in magazines and placed a novel with an agent. She sent it around all the big publishers and some editors liked it quite a lot, but not enough to buy it. Eventually we gave up.
After I retired, I self-published that novel, two novellas and a collection of short stories as e-books on Kindle. I then had a short story published by Pro Se Press in their anthology, Pro Se Presents #19 and they offered me a contract for the novel, ‘To Die A Stranger’, which came out in 2014, and for ‘Dead Men’. I have other titles due to come out later this year from other Indie publishers, including a huge space opera that runs to two volumes.
Everyone likes to know where an author gets their ideas from, but what I want to know is what is the strangest thing to inspire one of your stories?
‘Warbird’ was inspired by an ornament in my childhood home, a carving of bone or ivory of a boat with a prow in the shape of an eagle’s or phoenix’s head. It suggested a spaceship to me, proud and aggressive, loaded with weapons, and that gave me the title and a feel for the book. I don’t know what happened to it – it was probably lost when my parents moved.
Can you tell us about some of your other writing (fiction or nonfiction) and any appearances or signings that you have planned?
‘To Die A Stranger’ is the first volume of a series of approximately ten books, and its sequel, ‘With Amber Tears’ will appear from Pro Se Press in late 2015. It’s an SF/espionage adventure about a bored little rich girl who tries to be an actress, almost dies in an aircar crash and ends up paired to a sentient computer, gaining a range of psionic powers. Anna and her computer partner, who she nicknames Zenni, are hunted by Earth Intelligence, who use pairs as efficient, lethal and very scary spies.
‘The Spook and the Spirit in the Stone’ is a self-published novella and tells of Afton and Jerome’s first case, the kidnapping of the daughter of Earth’s ambassador on Siobhos. The ‘spook’ of the title is one of EI’s psionic agent-pairs. It’s only available as an e-book on Kindle or Smashwords, but Pro Se will be doing a print version in the future.
‘Warbird’ is the space opera – I describe it as “like Star Trek, with sex and swearing”. It’s about the Vienna, a new type of starship that can go very far, very fast. Her Captain, Quinn Gresham, and Commander, Rachel Murray, make contact with a non-humanoid alien race and end up in the middle of a war between the aliens and Earth.
If I may, I’d like to mention a charity anthology that I have a story in, ‘Blood Type: An Anthology of Vampire SF on the Cutting Edge’ published by Nightscape Press. I’d never written a vampire story before and I was delighted to appear with authors of the calibre of William F. Nolan, Mike Resnick and Peter Watts. The charity supported is the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
I’ll be at FantasyCon 2015 on October 23-25 in Nottingham, UK. I’ll be doing a reading and appearing on a panel about New Pulp.
As an author what inspiration or advice would you give to a writer who is working to make the transition to Author?
Is there really any difference between the terms ‘author’ and ‘writer’? If you write, you’re a writer, even if you’re unpublished. Just keep doing it – keep improving and polishing your work, finish it and send it out. There are plenty of homes for short stories, so do some research and find somewhere that suits what you do. There aren’t any shortcuts and you might not succeed, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.
Who is your favorite author? Tell us what makes this author stand out in your mind, and what book would you recommend to someone new to that author?
If I only get one, it has to be Peter S. Beagle. I love his books – it’s the beautiful poetry of his style, the deceptive simplicity and the skillful way he twists your emotions, making you laugh and then cry within a handful of lines. His classic title is ‘The Last Unicorn’, but ‘A Fine and Private Place’is also lovely. My favourite is ‘The Folk of the Air’.
If you would like more info about Jilly Paddock and her books look on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, or her blog.
August 11, 2015
Peek at The Scourge of Kestrel Nine #AmWriting and #Giveaway
First paragraph from THE SCOURGE OF KESTREL NINE:
The Antibes was a stalwart ship of early Martian design. Captain Melinda Goldmire found her five years back on a refueling stop at Kessler station orbiting Pluto. The Antibes was left for dead, run aground on the back side of Charon, Pluto’s largest moon. If not for the keen eye of Mel’s First Mate, Patch, the Antibes would have remained in Charon’s clutches for an eternity in the blackness of Hades. That fate was not to be. Captain Mel had gold for the boatman.
The Scourge of Kestrel Nine includes a character who has been running around my mind for some time now. Scourge is going to be the first of The Melinda Goldmire chronicles. The Dread Pirate Mel and her band of Space Marauders will soon steal your hearts as well as your gold!
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ENTER TO WIN OUR GIVEAWAY!
Karina is giving away the entire trilogy in ebook to one reader. You can enter several ways on Rafflecopter. Please leave us a comment below. GOOD LUCK!
August 6, 2015
Interview with Karina Fabian & Mind Over Matter Trilogy #Giveaway!
By day, Karina is a mild-mannered reviewer of business software and services for TopTenReviews.com. After hours, she’s a psychic intent on saving the world; a snarky dragon who thinks he saves the world all-too regularly, a zombie exterminator who just wants her world clear of undead vermin, and nuns whose callings have taken them off our world. Needless to say, her imagination is vast, her stories legion, and her brain crowded. When she’s not converting her wild tales to stories, she’s enjoying time with her husband, Rob, their four kids, and their two dogs.
Tell us about your newest release or series and where should a new reader of your books be best suited to begin reading their way through you back catalog?
I have two “latest” books out: Mind Over All and Hearts Over Mind, which finish up the Mind Over Trilogy . Mind Over All is the third book, while Hearts Over Mind is a by-request novella to tie up the loose end of a wedding. The trilogy follows the adventures of Deryl, a psychic driven insane by his abilities, and Joshua, the intern who helps him back to sanity. Deryl’s not only at the mercy of unwanted thoughts; he’s been used by two aliens on opposite sides of a war. One, Tasmae, thinks him an oracle, while the other wanted to make him into a psychic assassin. In the end, Deryl travels to Tasmae’s world, bring peace to the planets, and stops the two worlds from colliding.
Since this is a trilogy, the natural place to start is with Book One, Mind Over Mind. 
If however, you prefer dragons, then my DragonEye, PI series is a great place to start. Or if you like zombie fic that’s big on laughs and satire, check out my Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator series.
It seems writers today have to publish more often than in the past to really make a living. How do you manage your time?
I don’t make a living off my fiction, but I have friends who do, and they will tell you they find a chunk of time, sit down and produce. If they have a day job, it’s probably before or after work, into the night, on weekends or a combination.
My time management has depended on where I was in my life and what I wanted out of my writing. There are been times when I simply set a goal of one sentence a night. Mind Over Mind, the first book in the Mind Over trilogy, was written this way. Naturally, I would sometimes get on a roll and write full pages, but I never went to bed without a having written just one sentence. Other times in my life, I’ve spend 30 or so hours a week on writing and marketing. Right now, my full-time job is review writing, and then for a time, I was coming home and writing non-fiction for magazines. I didn’t have the time or the motivation for my fiction that I normally do, so I’ve been editing, revising and writing book proposals. I’m cutting back on those obligations, however, so I plan to get back to fiction in the Fall.
What length of works do you write…mostly novels, novellas, short stories, or flash?
All of the above. It depends on the story and the market. Each form/length takes a different approach and skill set. It’s fun to move between them. I can’t say which I prefer, though – it really depends on the story. However, flash fiction was the toughest to pin down. Fortunately, I had a good editor working with me at 10Flash (now defunct, alas). I recently experimented with a serial story as well, which was a lot of fun. I have a story idea that I’ve been wanting to write as a novel – Gapman, a superhero in my DragonEye universe – but I think he’d be more fun in an episodic format.
Authors today seem to need a social media platform that covers everything from Q&A posts to video; what do you think the fledgling authors need to focus on to get on the right track with social media?
Find the one your target audience is most likely to be on. Otherwise, you’re just shouting into a crowded room. Right now, I’m working on figuring that out myself. I’m getting a little disillusioned with Facebook, although I have some good friends and have gotten a lot out of interactions there. Twitter has too much noise for me. It’s good to have something like this, at least to give you a venue, but to make a real splash in marketing, find where your readers will hang out and chat about the things that interest you and lead to your book.
If you could go back in time to when you were just starting out, what advice would you give yourself? What pitfalls would you steer away from?
That’s a tough one. There are two things: 1. I’d have not taken the advice to “start in the middle” with my DragonEye series, but would have written the origin story and kept better notes. I’m actually remedying that error now and plan to relaunch the entire franchise myself when I retire. 2. I would have changed the title of a book I wrote on spec. Long, sordid story there, but here’s the point to take home: Just because you can’t copyright a title, doesn’t mean an angry person won’t hire lawyers make your life or your publisher’s life miserable, anyway.
How important is it that authors do the Convention circuit? When in a career do you think con appearances become a valuable tool?
If we’re talking strictly as a way to advance your career, I think this depends on the author. Some get a great deal out of conventions – leads, connections, exposure. Others end up like the stereotypical awkward teen at the party where they try to get noticed and end up going home depressed and with nothing to show. Personally, I have made a few friends, but have not had a lot of convention success. As for when in your career – that depends on what you are willing to put into preparing – learning who will be there, how you can approach them, the best way to make the connection. Then, you have to have the right mix of outgoing personality, salesmanship, and charisma.
I like conventions to a degree. I’m usually the awkward teen unless I am actually presenting. I have had some great times and conversations, and made some good friends, but not of the career-advancing/contracts-and-sales type.
I prefer online conventions. For some reason, the format lets people who are awkward in person shine. I’ve had good luck with online conventions as well.
COMING SOON!
Do you consider yourself indie/traditional/both?
Both. I prefer to have someone else publish my books, especially someone with marketing experience, skill at layouts, etc. DragonMoon, which publishes the Mind Over Trilogy, is a great example. The covers are amazing, the interiors have special fonts that make the chapter beginnings stand out, and Gwen, the publisher, knows her stuff. Overall, DragonMoon produces books that are beautiful as well as fun to read.
However, I am venturing into Indie publishing/self-publishing with my DragonEye books. I have DragonEye stories from flash to novel length, some serious and some bordering on slapstick. Basically, my dragon, Vern, does not want to be pinned down. If I publish them myself, I can control the franchise, publish the stories regardless of length, combine them into collections, and basically just have fun.
Getting books into audio is the latest thing that writers seem to be learning how to do. Are your books available in audio format? And if so how was the recording produced?
I have one in audio format: Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator . My publisher, Damnation Books, arranged it. Award-winning narrator Becky Parker did the reading, and she’s great fun to work with as well as to listen to. I have a scene where the heroine is talking to the hero while Unchained Melody is playing in the back of her head. Becky put the music in and it’s just how I imagined. I just about fell out of my chair laughing when I heard it (which is the reaction I was going for.)
If you would like more info about Karina Fabian and her books look on Twitter, Facebook, G+, Amazon, or her website.
ENTER TO WIN OUR GIVEAWAY!
Karina is giving away the entire trilogy in ebook to one reader. You can enter several ways on Rafflecopter. Please leave us a comment below. GOOD LUCK!
Karina is giving away the entire trilogy in ebook to one reader. You can enter several ways on Rafflecopter. Please leave us a comment below. GOOD LUCK!
August 3, 2015
#ExcusetoRead Summer 2015 Read-a-thon Day 6
Here is the list of books that I got from the library. Among them are 2 books I have been meaning to get to for a long time, and guess what? Now is the time for me to read Old Man’s War and Ender’s Game. Please don’t take my SciFi card…I swear I’ll remedy the situation.
I so enjoyed Old Man’s War. The book is very classic scifi space opera (lots of battles and spacecraft tech). However, I was pleased with the extra bit Scalzi put into the story, especially the sense that true love never fades and is always with us no matter what the galaxy throws at us. It is a read I highly recommend.
The Excuse to Read read-a-thon begins Tuesday, July 28th, and ends Tuesday, August 4th. (Last reading day is Monday, August 3rd; Tuesday, August 4th, will be the day to state your final stats on your blog, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook… whatever/wherever you choose!)A breakdown of the EtR happenings is as follows:July 28th (day one)–Reading List: Show off your TBR pile! Share the books you’ve chosen to read over the course of the week. You can list why you chose them, talk about how beautiful their covers are, squee over how many of them were on sale, state if they’re ARCs, whatever you want!
July 28th (day one) through August 3rd (day seven): Update your progress. You can do daily updates, one every couple of days… whatever works! The categories below are what we’re going with (use as little or as many as you like!) and can either be shared every post, or at the very end in your windup post on August 4th.
August 4th (day eight)–Windup Post: Total stats! Party hats! Hooray! You read more books! *throws confetti* Today is a day for posting your overall reading summary. Here’s where you add up total books and/or pages read so we can celebrate! This is also when you share the deets on:
* Cover Love (all-time favorite cover)
* Fun Find (book you’re most glad you picked up)
* Author Love (author you’re definitely going to read more of)
* Favorite Quote (this can be for each book or all-time favorite quote)
* Old Geezer (book you’ve been meaning to read the longest)
* Series Stats (if you completed a series, make sure to share that!)
The Excuse to Read read-a-thon is all about enjoying your books and not feeling guilty about taking a week to read ’em. We want this to be pressure-less, and fun. The suggestions above are the general idea, but *do* make it your own (and tag us so we can see your progress)!
Also, feel free to spread the word and encourage other readers to join by forwarding this email, posting, tweeting about it (#ExcusetoRead), etc.
OH WAIT… we almost forgot… There’s MORE!
Share your favorite reading spot with the #ExcusetoRead hashtag (on Instagram, Twitter, and/or Tumblr) and *you* might win 3 YA/MG audiobooks (of your choice)! Yay!
Link up so we can follow your Excuse to Read posts!
Add your link
July 30, 2015
#ExcusetoRead Summer 2015 Read-a-thon Day 3
July 30th (day three)–Fun Find, Author Love, and the Old Geezer: Amazingly the book that fits all three of these categories is my first book of the week–John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War.
The Excuse to Read read-a-thon began Tuesday, July 28th, and ends Tuesday, August 4th. (Last reading day is Monday, August 3rd; Tuesday, August 4th, will be the day to state your final stats on your blog, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook… whatever/wherever you choose!)A breakdown of the EtR happenings is as follows:
July 28th (day one)–Reading List: Show off your TBR pile! Share the books you’ve chosen to read over the course of the week. You can list why you chose them, talk about how beautiful their covers are, squee over how many of them were on sale, state if they’re ARCs, whatever you want!
July 28th (day one) through August 3rd (day seven): Update your progress. You can do daily updates, one every couple of days… whatever works! The categories below are what we’re going with (use as little or as many as you like!) and can either be shared every post, or at the very end in your windup post on August 4th.
August 4th (day eight)–Windup Post: Total stats! Party hats! Hooray! You read more books! *throws confetti* Today is a day for posting your overall reading summary. Here’s where you add up total books and/or pages read so we can celebrate! This is also when you share the deets on:
* Cover Love (all-time favorite cover)
* Fun Find (book you’re most glad you picked up)
* Author Love (author you’re definitely going to read more of)
* Favorite Quote (this can be for each book or all-time favorite quote)
* Old Geezer (book you’ve been meaning to read the longest)
* Series Stats (if you completed a series, make sure to share that!)
The Excuse to Read read-a-thon is all about enjoying your books and not feeling guilty about taking a week to read ’em. We want this to be pressure-less, and fun. The suggestions above are the general idea, but *do* make it your own (and tag us so we can see your progress)!
Also, feel free to spread the word and encourage other readers to join by forwarding this email, posting, tweeting about it (#ExcusetoRead), etc.
OH WAIT… we almost forgot… There’s MORE!
Share your favorite reading spot with the #ExcusetoRead hashtag (on Instagram, Twitter, and/or Tumblr) and *you* might win 3 YA/MG audiobooks (of your choice)! Yay!
Link up so we can follow your Excuse to Read posts!
Add your link
July 28, 2015
#ExcusetoRead Summer 2015 Read-a-thon
July 28th (day one)–Reading List: Show off your TBR pile!
Here is the list of books that I got from the library. Among them are 2 books I have been meaning to get to for a long time, and guess what? Now is the time for me to read Old Man’s War and Ender’s Game. Please don’t take my SciFi card…I swear I’ll remedy the situation.
The Excuse to Read read-a-thon begins Tuesday, July 28th, and ends Tuesday, August 4th. (Last reading day is Monday, August 3rd; Tuesday, August 4th, will be the day to state your final stats on your blog, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook… whatever/wherever you choose!)A breakdown of the EtR happenings is as follows:July 28th (day one)–Reading List: Show off your TBR pile! Share the books you’ve chosen to read over the course of the week. You can list why you chose them, talk about how beautiful their covers are, squee over how many of them were on sale, state if they’re ARCs, whatever you want!
July 28th (day one) through August 3rd (day seven): Update your progress. You can do daily updates, one every couple of days… whatever works! The categories below are what we’re going with (use as little or as many as you like!) and can either be shared every post, or at the very end in your windup post on August 4th.
August 4th (day eight)–Windup Post: Total stats! Party hats! Hooray! You read more books! *throws confetti* Today is a day for posting your overall reading summary. Here’s where you add up total books and/or pages read so we can celebrate! This is also when you share the deets on:
* Cover Love (all-time favorite cover)
* Fun Find (book you’re most glad you picked up)
* Author Love (author you’re definitely going to read more of)
* Favorite Quote (this can be for each book or all-time favorite quote)
* Old Geezer (book you’ve been meaning to read the longest)
* Series Stats (if you completed a series, make sure to share that!)
The Excuse to Read read-a-thon is all about enjoying your books and not feeling guilty about taking a week to read ’em. We want this to be pressure-less, and fun. The suggestions above are the general idea, but *do* make it your own (and tag us so we can see your progress)!
Also, feel free to spread the word and encourage other readers to join by forwarding this email, posting, tweeting about it (#ExcusetoRead), etc.
OH WAIT… we almost forgot… There’s MORE!
Share your favorite reading spot with the #ExcusetoRead hashtag (on Instagram, Twitter, and/or Tumblr) and *you* might win 3 YA/MG audiobooks (of your choice)! Yay!
Link up so we can follow your Excuse to Read posts!
Add your link
