Janalyn Voigt's Blog, page 48

Newsy Notes: E-books, Research and Insights

Want a quick recap on the rise of e-books and their impact on readers, writers and publishing? http://novelbooks.posterous.com/paper-or-digital

Need help with online research? http://janalynvoigt.posterous.com/a-free-and-powerful-online-research-tool

Insights for writers on how to get readers: http://www.copyblogger.com/tell-readers-why/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Copyblogger+%28Copyblogger%29

© 2010 Janalyn Voigt

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Novel Notes: Endings and Beginnings

This week I wrote the last scene of medieval warfare for DawnKing, book two of my Tales of Faeraven trilogy. Tomorrow I'll finish editing Chapter 21 (of 25). I'll soon complete my second pass through the manuscript and then will let it rest while I pick up another project. 

Hills of Nevermore, a story of redemption set in the Old West, will combine romance, allegory, adventure and history. All of my stories are unique, and Hills of Nevermore is no exception. While on her deathbed, young America Ellis's grandmother tells her about the hills of Nevermore, a place of joy where sorrow holds no sway. America grows into a troubled young woman who embraces a lie in order to survive — a lie that violates her own soul. More than anything, she yearns for the peace her grandmother told her about. Can the hills of Nevermore really exist?

© 2010 Janalyn Voigt

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Quick Notes: Keep up with Forums

Forums are fun but can suck time from your day. You can readily enjoy many forums by subscribing to their feeds and reading them in a feed reading application like Google Reader. Not all forums have feeds, though. If one exists, you'll find the red and white feed sign near the place where you type URLs in your browser window. You can click that and sign up. If the whole sign-up process confuses you, you can click on the red-and-white feed icon (an example is given in the video) and then copy ...

Notations: Wonderment

 

Children's eyes

See marvels –
Creation born anew –
Wonderment
In each small
Everything.
Give me, Lord,
A child's view.
© 2010 Janalyn Voigt

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Reader Notes ~ Book Video: Snow Melts in Spring

© 2010 Janalyn Voigt

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Grace Notes: Are You in the Wrong Game?

As a culture, we're beyond busy. We career through time and barely tap the bases in the hope we'll slide into home before the game's over. But even if we reach home, we lose — if we're in the wrong game.

Have you ever thought about other options for your life? Despite the necessities of duty, despite the needs of survival, we choose our lives. Have you chosen well? Each  of us has unique gifts and abilities — something to contribute and something to gain. The late Catherine Marshall noted...

Notes to Self: Beware the Author-zilla

 

Promoting a book is a lot like planning a wedding. It takes patience and time. If you try to rush right in at the last minute and make things happen, the odds are you'll end up with a mess. It's best to set a budget and specific, attainable goals well in advance. To actually achieve them, you have to work away at your goals, bit by bit.  Even then, you have no guarantee things will go as planned.

As with a wedding, those closely associated with you — friends, family and professionals like...

Newsy Notes: Carol Awards and Genesis Contest Winners

Winners of the 2010 Carol Awards for the best Christian fiction:

Contemporary Novella

Susan May Warren – The Great Christmas Bowl (Tyndale House, Karen Watson – Editor)

Historical Novella

Janet Tronstad – Christmas Bells for Dry Creek (Steeple Hill, Tina James – Editor)

Short Contemporary

Mae Nunn – A Texas Ranger's Family (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich – Editor)

Short Contemporary Suspense

Jill Elizabeth Nelson – Evidence of Murder (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell – Editor)

Short Historical
Dan...

Novel Notes: Promotion, Maps and Research

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I'll soon focus on developing a written promotional plan for DawnSinger. Promoting a book involves a lot of brainstorming and detail work. It will also change my life in many ways. It's a bit overwhelming to consider bookstore signings, speaking engagements and the like, but a good foundation will help me build the right structure to let the world know about DawnSinger.

Artist Holly Heisey and I will work together to develop a series of maps for Elderland, the mythical setting of my Tales of...

Quick Notes: Wise Stamp Signature Tutorial

You can include social networking links, a picture and even a brief message in your signature and it won't look like a mess. How? View this tutorial.

Janalyn's Tip: Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson, once mentioned he saves oft-repeated email messages to send as signatures. He didn't give the signature program he uses, but wisestamp does have an option for multiple signatures.

© 2010 Janalyn Voigt

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