Sarah Ettritch's Blog, page 18

My Last Interview for 2012

Today I’m interviewed over at Samantha Holt’s blog. When I do an email interview, I’m usually offered a choice of questions, and I try to choose ones I haven’t answered before (though that’s becoming more challenging). There are a couple of new questions/answers in this interview, so check it out.

I’ve been tagged for the Next Big Thing Blog Hop, which involves answering 10 questions about my next book. Posts go up on Wednesdays, so mine will go up on January 2nd. My next release won’t be science fiction or fantasy. Find out the genre on Wednesday.

Until then, have a fun (and safe) New Year’s Eve, and all the best for 2013. See you next year!

My Last Interview for 2012 is a post from: Sarah Ettritch

Christmas Giveaway

Medieval romance writer Samantha Holt is giving away a huge bundle of Kindle books in her Christmas Giveaway. Included in the winner’s bundle are Threaded Through Time, Books One and Two.

If you’re interested in learning more about the books in the giveaway, Samantha posts about a couple of the books every day. Mine will be highlighted on December 22nd.

To enter, you have to like the Christmas Giveaway post on Samantha’s Facebook page. It’s a popular contest; there are already almost 400 likes!

The competition closes on December 23rd at midnight GMT.

Enter here: Samantha Holt’s Facebook page

Christmas Giveaway is a post from: Sarah Ettritch

A Brief News Update

A few quick pieces of news:

Rymellan 1 Cover

Before I got sick in September, I mentioned that Patty Henderson had redone the Rymellan 1 cover. I’ve finally gotten around to updating the cover at the bookstores (eBook versions only). If you bought Rymellan 1 at Smashwords, you should be able to download a new version that has the updated cover. I also added a table of contents.

I’ve updated the cover at Amazon (it’s currently in review), but unfortunately Amazon doesn’t offer customers the opportunity to download new versions unless they correct horrible formatting errors or something like that.

I can’t update the cover at kobo yet. I’m waiting for the book to be transferred from its old publisher system to its new publishing platform.

Interview

There’s a new interview up with me at Morgen Bailey’s blog. I answered a few more questions than the usual  canned ones. Morgen is also a writer and does a lot to help out her fellow authors. My interview is her 550th! You can read it here.

Writing

I’m currently editing the project I’ll send to my editor at the end of December. I’m now back to working on the first draft of Deiform Two.

That’s all, folks!

A Brief News Update is a post from: Sarah Ettritch

Death

I’m taking a technical course at Udemy, a site that offers training in a variety of subjects. You don’t get any sort of official credit for completing a course, but if you’re interested in learning a particular skill, Udemy might have a course that will quickly get you up to speed.

I love learning. I like to broaden my horizons. One day, I decided to browse courses in the non-technical categories to see if any free ones would catch my fancy. For some reason, a philosophy course called “Death” caught my eye. I enrolled, not really knowing what to expect.

It turns out that some universities videotape introductory courses and put them online for public viewing. You might already know this. I didn’t. Professor Shelly Kagan taught the “Death” course at Yale University during the spring 2007 semester. Yale hosts its public courses on the Open Yale Courses site. It also adds them to YouTube and Udemy.

Anyway, the Death course was wonderful. If you’re into logical thinking and thought-provoking discussions, I’d definitely watch it. The course consists of 26 lectures that run an average of 50 minutes each. You can skip the first lecture. It covers what students who were actually taking the course in 2007 needed to know about how they’d be evaluated.

I’ve included lecture two below. You can find the rest of the lectures and a description of the course here: Open Yale Course – Death.

 

The course engaged me from start to finish. I didn’t agree with everything he put forward, and it was occasionally frustrating to watch because he didn’t raise objections that immediately sprang to my mind. But none of that took away from the course at all.

Now that I’ve discovered the open Yale courses (and those of other universities), I have a long list of courses I’m planning to watch. The next one I’ll try is Game Theory at Yale.

I’ll bail on courses that aren’t floating my boat. But if the rest of them are as good as “Death,” I’ll be in learning heaven.

Death is a post from: Sarah Ettritch

Science Fiction and Fantasy: The Broad Universe Sampler

 

Heads up: A free Broad Universe sampler is now available at Smashwords. Broad Universe is a non-profit organization that celebrates and promotes women writers of science fiction and fantasy. I’ve been a broad, as we like to say, for several years.

The sampler contains excerpts from members’ books, along with a few complete short stories. I contributed a scene from Threaded Through Time. You might recognize other authors among the contributors.

You don’t need an account at Smashwords to download the sampler. Grab it here. Enjoy!

Side note: My site has a new look. The old design wasn’t responsive, meaning that it was a pain to view on mobile devices. The new design doesn’t have that problem.

 

Science Fiction and Fantasy: The Broad Universe Sampler is a post from: Sarah Ettritch

News Update: September 2012

John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” He was right. Not long after I posted the August 2012 news update, I woke up rather ill, with the sorts of symptoms you can’t work through. It took me quite a while to recover. By the time I could sit at my computer and my energy level was more or less back to normal (I’m still experiencing days when it’s less, but overall I’m feeling much better), I was way behind on everything.

Projects

I’ve been saying that I’m working on two projects and have a December 31st editing date. Because of the lost time, I realized that I’d have to put one of those projects aside to make that date. I didn’t want to move the date, because I’d already done that once.

I was working on Deiform Two and an unnamed project. I decided to temporarily put aside Deiform Two, because it takes thought to write, and hence progress is slower. The other project isn’t speculative fiction and is light in tone, so the writing comes easier. It came down to which one I figured I had the greatest chance of finishing for December. I’m looking forward to picking up Deiform Two toward the end of the year.

Rymellan 1 Cover

I said that I’d update the cover soon. Unfortunately, it’s not a simple matter of uploading the new cover to the stores. I also have to regenerate the eBook files, because I have to change the cover credit. I was about to do that when Mother Nature took me out of the game. Because I’m under the gun, everything that’s not critical has to wait until I’ve finished the first draft of what I’m writing for December, so it will be a while yet before I update the cover.

I also said that I’d update the print and eBook covers, but after giving it more thought, I’ve decided not to update the print cover. Since I don’t sell many Rymellan 1 print books, it doesn’t make sense for me to pay the required non-trivial costs to update the cover. I’m going to leave the print cover as it is for now.

Rest of the Year

Since I’ll pretty much be focused on finishing up a project for December, this will be my last news post for this year. “I’m writing” covers it from now until December 31st.

The Silver Lining

While I was down for the count, I was able to read. After Neil Armstrong’s death was announced, I read A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin. It’s a fantastic book. Even though I know how it all turned out, I was biting my fingernails. If you’re interested in space travel, it’s a must read.

Later.

News Update: September 2012 is a post from: Sarah Ettritch

What to do with my Diabetic Cat when I go on Vacation?

Earlier this year, I wrote about my cat being diagnosed with diabetes. I’ve noticed that people arrive on that post from Google because they’re trying to find out what to do about their diabetic cat when they go on vacation. Unfortunately, there’s nothing in that post to help them, so I figured I’d write one that addresses the vacation situation.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a veterinarian. This post is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice. Consult your veterinarian if you have questions about  how to best manage your cat’s diabetes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What to do?

1. Board your cat at the vet

This is the best option for cats who don’t like strangers. In fact, it’s probably the only viable option. We have to board our cat at the vet, because she’s a formerly feral cat who will only let me handle her. My partner can brush her and that’s about it. Call your vet well in advance to make a reservation, or you might be out of luck. Some non-veterinary boarding facilities might also accept diabetic cats.

2. Hire a pet sitter with experience giving insulin shots

This can be an individual, or someone who works for a pet sitting company. You can also call your vet to see if they can recommend anyone.

3. Have a friend or family member give the shots.

This one’s risky, and it can be stressful for the friend or family member. A few months ago, we were in our vet’s waiting room when we struck up a conversation with a woman who had a cat that looked like ours. We laughed when we discovered that her cat was also diabetic. We got to talking about the vacation issue, and she said that the first time she went away after her cat was diagnosed, she had her mother come in and give the shots. When she returned, her mother said to her, “Never ask me to take care of your cat again.” It stressed her mother out so much that she couldn’t sleep. After all, it’s not just the act of giving the injections. One wrong dose, one shot given too soon, and the cat can die.

Also, it’s a lot to ask someone to come in twice a day, approximately every 12 hours, to give a needle. People are busy. They have other things to do and other places to be.

If you do go this route, make sure the person is 100% reliable and understands how to fill the syringe with the correct dose, how to properly inject the cat, and that they must give the shots approximately 12 hours apart (assuming your cat requires two shots a day). Again, certain mistakes can kill your cat, so you must be sure that the person knows exactly what to do. This task is on a whole different level than someone coming in to water the plants. I’d have them give your cat one of its scheduled insulin shots, so you can see how they do.

But frankly, unless you have a willing friend who has experience giving insulin shots to cats (a friend who’s had to administer subcutaneous fluids to a cat with kidney disease is also a good candidate), I’d use this option as a last resort. I’d board the cat or find an experienced pet sitter.

Those are my three suggestions. If you have a diabetic cat and you’ve handled the vacation situation differently, leave a comment and let me know. The more options, the merrier!

What to do with my Diabetic Cat when I go on Vacation? is a post from: Sarah Ettritch

News Update: August 2012

Writing

The big news was the release of The Atheist. The eBook version is now available at the Kindle Store, Barnes & Noble, kobo, eBookIt, and DriveThruFiction. It should be available at the Sony store soon.

The print version has also arrived. Barnes & Noble is currently offering the book for $8.95.

Links to the bookstores are here.

As I mentioned in the July news update, I’m working on Deiform Two and another project. I won’t release anything else in 2012.

Website

I’ve added an audio excerpt from The Atheist. You can listen to it here.

Other News

I’m updating the Rymellan 1 cover so that it matches the branding of the other two books. Here’s a sneak peek:

 

I’ll update the eBook versions within the next couple of weeks. It will take me at least a month, possibly more, to update the print book.

Coming Up

I have an editing deadline for late December and it’s been an incredibly busy summer, so I’m going to have my head down for the rest of the year. In other words, not much is coming up!  I’ll occasionally post to the blog, but my priority will be writing and other things going on in my life.

Later!

News Update: August 2012 is a post from: Sarah Ettritch

Behind the Scenes of the Rymellan Series: A Deleted Snippet from Closing Ranks

Here’s a scene that never made it into Closing Ranks. Before I get to that, The Atheist is now available at kobo and DriveThruFiction (a good alternative to Smashwords, because you get the PDF, ePub, and Mobi versions).

With that out of the way… In an early draft of Closing Ranks, this scene appeared after the one in which Lesley and Mo stayed with Jayne while Carol was teaching at the Learning Academy. If you recall, Jayne was almost killed on her way home one night. When she was released from the infirmary, Lesley and Mo stayed with her while Carol and Ronald were at work.

I deleted the scene because I felt it didn’t move the story forward or add to it in any way. We also didn’t learn anything new about the characters.

It’s early draft material, so I never polished it…

“So how did it go?” Carol asked, after bidding Lesley and Mo good-bye at the front door.

“Okay,” Jayne said. “We played cards most of the time.” Surprisingly, the morning had passed quickly. By the time they’d eaten the lunch Lesley had fetched from a nearby eatery, it had almost been time for Carol to return.

“I suppose you weren’t going to sit and talk for hours on end. But did you at least talk?”

“A little. I found out Mo’s a fighter pilot.” So was Lesley, and Jayne hadn’t found out why she’d stopped flying supply. “Oh, and they want to go to the Dance Hall. You and Ronald are invited too.”

Carol’s brow furrowed. “Can you dance?” she asked, sinking into a chair.

Jayne shook her head.

“Are they going to teach you?”

She bit her lip.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t tell them!”

“It’s embarrassing!”

“Not half as embarrassing as it’ll be if you make a fool of yourself on the dance floor. And that’ll embarrass them, too. You have to tell them.”

Carol had a point. Jayne would have to beep one of them. But not today. She needed time to work up her nerve. “Did you read today’s announcements?”

“Not yet. It was my first day back, so I had a lot to catch up on. Why?”

“Lesley’s getting a medal, for the Owen case. The Preeminent Ruler will present it to her at some awards ceremony at Government Hall.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. Apparently there will be all sorts of government and military there.”

Carol burst out laughing. “And you! Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be there. Everyone will be tip-toeing around the elephant in the room, on their best behaviour for the Preeminent Ruler.” She clapped her hands together. “I can’t wait to tell Ronald when he gets home. I bet whoever sends your invitation will be holding their nose when they do it. You’ll have to tell me every detail. Everything!”

“I don’t know when it is. The announcement didn’t include the date.”

“Didn’t Lesley tell you?”

“I’m not sure she knew. I’m sure she knows about the medal.” They wouldn’t announce it before informing her. “But I don’t think she’d read the announcement about the ceremony.”

“I wonder what she’ll think about having an Adams on her arm at the ceremony.”

All Jayne knew for sure was that Lesley wouldn’t find it as hilarious as Carol, and Mo probably wouldn’t, either.

Behind the Scenes of the Rymellan Series: A Deleted Snippet from Closing Ranks is a post from: Sarah Ettritch

The Atheist – Now Available for Kindle

The Deiform Fellowship One: The Atheist is now available at Amazon. Kindle version only for now, but print should be available within a few weeks’ time.

I enjoyed writing The Atheist, and I hope you enjoy reading it. It’s a great start to a series that I see myself writing for some time to come.

Pick up the Kindle version of The Atheist here:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon Spain

Amazon Germany

Amazon France

Amazon Italy

The publishing gods have been fickle lately. Here’s a quick roundup of when I expect the eBook to be available elsewhere:

Smashwords: I’m trying to resolve a serious problem with Smashwords that has nothing to do with The Atheist. Until I’ve sorted it out, I don’t want to upload any more books to Smashwords. Due to the nature of the problem, it could be a few months before I’m satisfied that everything has been resolved. If you usually buy my books at Smashwords, you might want to consider buying The Atheist elsewhere, because I don’t know if/when it will be available at Smashwords.

Kobo: The Atheist should be available at kobo within the next couple of weeks. Having said that, kobo’s new direct publishing platform is experiencing teething problems, so that’s a guesstimate. It could be available sooner—or later—than that.

Barnes & Noble, Sony, Apple: I don’t have an ETA for these stores, because I usually use Smashwords to distribute to them. I’m investigating other options, but I might decide to wait and see how the Smashwords situation turns out.

As The Atheist becomes available at other stores, I’ll add links to its page.

Have a great weekend! My sister is getting married tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to welcoming a new brother-in-law into the family.

The Atheist – Now Available for Kindle is a post from: Sarah Ettritch