Sara Jayne Townsend's Blog, page 49

Guest Blogging at Lyrical Press

I've got a guest post up today at Lyrical Press's blog, talking about how you have to be nosy to be a writer.

Come and take a look here.

Gurest Blogging at Lyrical Press

I've got a guest post up today at Lyrical Press's blog, talking about how you have to be nosy to be a writer.

Come and take a look here.

Truth Vs. Fiction

(Cross-posted on the WriteClub blog)

There are unquestionable parallels between my amateur sleuth, Shara Summers, and me. But she is still a fictional character, as are the other characters in my novel DEATH SCENE.

But we all write about what we know, intentionally or not. My mother visited me from Canada recently. At one point she was scrutinising my ceiling and made the comment, "your cleaner's not very good. There's a cobweb on the ceiling".

I had to laugh at this. Shara's mother makes exactly the same comment in DEATH SCENE, when she criticises the cleaner employed by Shara's sister (except in the book the suspect dirt is on the window, not the ceiling). My mother hasn't read the book, so she had no way of knowing this. Maybe truth crosses into fiction sometimes. Or maybe it's just that mothers everywhere are all the same…

Monday's Friend – Carolyn Arnold

Today I welcome writer Carolyn Arnold to my blog.

Carolyn Arnold is the author of several novels in various genres. The first mystery in her Detective Madison Knight novels, TIES THAT BIND, is available for purchase in e-book, and is coming soon to paperback. She lives with her husband and two beagles in Southwestern Ontario.

Why I Chose to Self-Publish

By Carolyn Arnold

Trust me when I say there was a lot of thought put into this decision. I considered, and weighed the options. It would involve a lot of time in self-promotion, and require a commitment. I wouldn't have the name of a large publishing house behind me. I'd have to reach out and gain my readers. Here is where my brainstorming took me.

Traditional publishing, too, would be a long road. Finding and landing an agent takes time. Even after an author gets one, the manuscript makes the rounds to publishing houses. Often times, there's more revisions. And if you're fortunate enough to make it through this, it's another eighteen months until print.

Key fact: Just because you land an agent doesn't mean you'll be published.

In fact, I'm friends with other writers who are at this stage, or have been. Well over a year has passed, and I still cannot buy their books.

I asked myself, how much time would I have invested without readers even gaining access to my book?

Here's some circulated notions when it comes to traditional publishing. We'll call them myths, and truths will refer to where my research and decision led me.

Myth:

If you publish traditionally, you'll be successful.

Truth:

As with anything in life, there are no guarantees. An agent doesn't guarantee a publishing contract no more than a contract guarantees you success.

Self-published authors are producing higher-quality work than ever before, and because of this their work is getting noticed. Some win contests, receive acknowledgements, and the lucky few are opted for motion picture. I have a friend right now who chose to self-publish, and she's working through the process of having her series produced for a movie slated for Fall 2012. And think of The Shack by William P. Young.

You'll be successful if keep your writing quality high, and retain a level of professionalism at all times.

Myth:

Traditional publishing will make your work stand out in the marketplace.

Truth:

Only your work, professionalism, commitment to your readers, and constant growth in the craft will guarantee that. Even if you are accepted by a large publishing house, it doesn't mean they stand behind you. Yes, their name's on your book, but first-time authors are given little attention when it comes to the marketing aspect. Publishing is a business, and because of this, these houses use their dollars on their proven authors.

Myth:

Publishing traditionally brings with it a huge advance.

Truth:

If you're lucky. For first-time authors these would be few and far between. From what I've read these figures can be as low as four figures. And, yes that still sounds nice, but factor in the time it took to get there. I'd rather my work be available now so I can establish a loyal readership for the long term.

Self-publishing has been described as a marathon not a sprint, but really isn't seeking traditional publishing much the same? Please know that in considering the above options I am in no way against traditional publishing. Authors must choose their own path.

With my considerations above, I do acknowledge that traditional publishing has been in existence for what is essentially forever. It's been tried, tested, and proven. But it seems like self-publishing is the new thing that authors are doing. They're taking control of their writing careers, and setting a new tone for the publishing industry. How I would love to say we're "taking it by storm", but the fact remains, the odds are stacked against us. Still this is the choice I made.

These are just some aspects I considered. It wasn't a decision I rushed into by any means. It wasn't a choice I made because I felt there were no other options. I wanted to take control of my writing career. Of course, I can't speak on behalf of my readers who obviously have the foremost say on my level of success, but I do promise this: "I will continue to provide high quality writing, and strive to improve in the craft to ensure that my fiction has you flipping the pages as you become engaged with the characters and their stories. I am no longer approaching an agent, but I am pitching to my direct audience, to you the reader, and I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone."

~~

TIES THAT BIND, police procedural mystery

75,900 words

Detective Madison Knight concluded the case of a strangled woman an isolated incident. But when another woman's body is found in a park killed by the same line of neckties, she realizes they're dealing with something more serious.

Despite mounting pressure from the Sergeant and Chief to close the case even if it means putting an innocent man behind bars, and a partner who is more interested in saving his marriage than stopping a potential serial killer, Madison may have to go it alone if there's not going to be another victim.

E-book: $3.99 USD

Available on Amazon Kindle US, Amazon Kindle UK, Apple I-Store, Smashwords in formats available for the Sony E-Reader, Palm devices, as well as files for viewing on your computer such as PDF, and HTML.

Will be coming soon to Barnes & Noble for the Nook, as well as to Sony, Kobo, and Diesel.

Paperback edition hopefully available mid-June 2011 through Amazon!

You can follow Carolyn on Twitter, or on her blog.

Geek Toys

This cuddly Chewbacca, to the left of this picture, is my latest geek toy, found in HMV on a recent shopping trip. I think he's adorable. And if you press his belly, he makes Chewie growls.

I thought I would put him on the shelf to keep Gizmo the Mogwai company. Gizmo (from 'Gremlins') is cool, too. Switch him on and he sings and sways about. But he does require batteries, so I don't keep him switched on all the time.

I have a growing collection of 'geek toys'. Most of them share shelf space with the books, but that's only because we don't have shelves in our house that aren't crammed with books. Gizmo and Chewbacca are cohabiting with the science fiction section, as you can see.

I've always been a sucker for dolls and soft toys, though I find as an adult I'm gravitating more towards toys with a 'Star Wars' or 'Buffy' theme. I have a 12″ high Buffy doll, and one of 'Evil Willow' that I am rather fond of.

Who says you have to be a grown-up when you become an adult? Another definition of 'geek', I think, is someone who spends more money on toys as an adult than they ever did as a child…

Launch Plans for DEATH SCENE

(Cross posted on the WriteClub blog)

I'm so excited about the imminent release of DEATH SCENE I've organised two launch parties – one virtual, one physical.

The 'physical' launch party will be in London, on the evening of Wednesday 13 July, at 6:30pm. The venue is the upstairs function room of The George pub in The Strand.

Like with the launch of SUFFER THE CHILDREN, I will be selling copies of the e-book on a signed CD. There will also be opportunities to win limited-edition DEATH SCENE merchandise, and hear the first public reading of DEATH SCENE. If you're in London on that day, and you'd like come along, I'd love to see you!

If you're not in London, however, there's still a chance to join in the fun because on 4 July – DEATH SCENE's release day – I am holding a 'virtual' launch party. On the blog and the Facebook group that day, there will be opportunities to win copies of the e-book and more limited-edition merchandise. I will post questions about DEATH SCENE on both places on 4 July, and everyone who sends me a correct answer will go in the draw to win prizes. If you want to increase your chances of winning, why not answer the question in both places??

The questions will be pretty easy to answer if you've read the blurb, so make sure you go to either Lyrical Press's page for DEATH SCENE or my web page before that day to take a look.

Hope to see you there! Not long to go now….squee!!!

Mondays Friend – Sonya Clark

Today I welcome urban fantasy writer and fellow Lyrical Press author Sonya Clark to my blog.

Hoodoo Child

By Sonya Clark

My new urban fantasy release MOJO QUEEN features a heroine who can see auras and spectral energy. Roxanne Mathis uses that ability in her work as a paranormal investigator, cleansing homes of unwanted hauntings and helping people deal with various supernatural problems. Even with that handy ability, when I first conceived of the story Roxie was using an EMF meter and pretty generic methods to evict ghosts. Unsurprisingly, the story felt like it was lacking something.

Sometimes when a story is having problems I take a detour and write something else about the characters. I wrote a short story about Roxie and her best friend traveling on a particularly interesting case that completely changed how I looked at my main character and the story itself. I wish I could tell you this was planned because it would certainly make me look smarter but the truth is, I wrote it just to amuse myself. Roxie and her BFF Daniel are fun characters for me to write so I wrote a short story just for fun. Titled Goofer Dust Blues, this little detour took them out of Nashville and down the Blues Highway into Mississippi. Because this was all about amusing myself and not working on the book, I gave Roxie my own love of music, especially blues. The case took her to all three of the gravesites of legendary bluesman Robert Johnson, something I myself have done though not to collect graveyard dirt. (I swear, all I did was take pictures.)

Robert Johnson is one of the great myths of American music. My favorite part of the myth is how he supposedly sold his soul to the devil to be able to play the blues. In truth he put in hours and hours of practice, alone in a graveyard at night where no one could hear him and complain. As I wrote of Roxie visiting some of the iconic sites in Mississippi that hold great many for blues lovers like myself, I had a very clear image of her as a teenager. This strange, confusing ability to see auras and spectral energy has manifested and she's trying to get a handle on it. There's no one yet in her life she can turn to for advice. Who would believe her? So she tries on her own to learn how to deal with her new second sight – by sneaking out and going to cemeteries at night. That time alone in the dark with ghosts as her only companions helps Roxie learn to cope with her ability and to train herself how to use it.



With guidance from my editor Nerine Dorman, I realized Roxie didn't need that EMF meter or those generic ghost-evicting methods. Everything she needed was right there in the blues lore she knew like the back of her hand – hoodoo. Roxie became a hoodoo root worker as well as paranormal investigator, using natural magic to deal with supernatural problems. Once that happened everything fell into place: spells with herbs and roots, dangerous hexes and counter-jinxes, feeling the rhythm of magic deep in the land. Then with a little help from Ike and Tina Turner the book had a new name – Mojo Queen. I think it's a title that suits Roxie quite well.

Learn more about the author at www.sonyaclark.net. Goofer Dust Blues is available as a free read at her blog. Mojo Queen is available from Lyrical Press and other digital retailers.

DEATH SCENE is on Goodreads!

I have received the final files for DEATH SCENE and I am all excited. It's finished and ready to go out into the big wide world. As such, I can start pimping it.

So the first thing I did was to create an entry on Goodreads for it. I was then able to add it to my Goodreads profile. Thus I am no longer a writer with a book out. I am a writer with two books out (well, almost). Somehow that makes a world of difference psychologically, though I really can't tell you why. Perhaps a similar thing happens to parents when they go from being a couple with a child to a family with two children.

Anyway, now it's there on Goodreads, out on the public domain and accessible by anyone.

So today's post is a blatant plug. Here is DEATH SCENE's entry. If you've got a Goodreads profile, maybe you want to take a look. The e-book's not available yet, but you could put it in your 'To Be Read' list just as a reminder…

Many thanks

Sara

(Blatant publicity tart…)

Dentist

I am the world's biggest wimp when it comes to pain. I've been known to keel over when I get vaccinations. I once had acupuncture, and passed out because it hurt.

So it goes without saying I don't like going to the dentist because the whole experience is a world of pain. I don't like the needles. I don't like the drill. I don't like the tooth scraping thing that scrubs the red wine and tea stains off my teeth. I don't like the way my numbed jaw feels like a slab of beef. I especially don't like it when the numbness wears off and I can feel quite intensely all the points in my mouth where the needle went in (and yes, there has to be more than one – more on that later).

But I also fear my teeth rotting and falling out of my head and ending up a toothless old woman, so I do feel obliged to go visit the dentist regularly. The last check-up I had, I was told no new fillings were needed. That's the good news – regular brushing and flossing is paying off. The bad news is one of my older fillings was degenerating and needed replacing. Which is why I had to make a return visit there this morning.

The dentist was concerned I looked so apprehensive, and I said I was worried about the pain. "Don't worry", she said sympathetically. "We'll look after you." Initially she proceeded without the local anaesthetic. "It's only drilling out the old filling. Most people don't need numbing for that. I've done the same thing to three other people this morning, and none of them needed numbing," she said. Yes, and I doubt any of those other people were quite as wimpy as me. I also have more nerves than most people, I've been told by previous dentists, which leads to my needing more injections.

She proceeded to drill, and I started squealing. She soon changed her mind about no numbing needed and gave me an injection. And I squealed for that as well, of course. It hurts when someone sticks a needle into your mouth.

She carried on drilling, and I squealed some more. "You have very sensitive teeth," the dentist observed. Er, yes, I had been trying to say that. Sensitive skin, sensitive teeth, and no tolerance whatsoever for pain. I'm a hopeless case.

In the end the dentist gave me three injections around the tooth she was working on. And still I was feeling pain. I did say I always needed more than one. And this was for a procedure that was allegedly not going to touch any exposed nerves.

Eventually the procedure was over. I have spent a good part of the rest of the day with hamster cheeks and unable to speak coherently. To be fair on the dentist, she did try to be sympathetic and did have a very good "chairside manner". It's not her fault I'm such a wimp, and I have encountered other dentists who accused me of being overly dramatic.

Sympathetic or not, I'm convinced all dentists are sadists. Which is why I am including this song that Steve Martin sings in "Little Shop of Horrors". Kind of sums it up, really.

The End Of the Edits

(Cross-posted on the WriteClub blog)

The galleys for DEATH SCENE are finally done, and I am rejoicing.

For the uninitiated, galleys are the final proof of a novel before it gets published. For my e-books, the galleys arrive in the form of a PDF file. This is the last chance I have to make edits, so I have to read them carefully, and make notes of any changes in a separate word document, to be submitted back to the editor.

The pesky day job has been seriously hampering my writing time the last couple of weeks (and before that was my holiday…) so I was not able to devote as much time to my galleys as I would prefer. Still, I managed to read them twice. I found a few things that looked wrong, I made notes, and I despatched them back to the editor.

Submitting the galleys marked the end of the emotional roller-coaster ride that was the editing process. At the beginning of this process, I was excited that my book was going to have a place in the world. By the third or fourth round of edits, I was sick to death of the story and convinced it was a load of rubbish and I had no business calling myself a writer.

When I got to the galleys, that changed. As I read through them, my faith in my story was re-confirmed. It wasn't a bad book after all, I thought. In fact, by the end of the editing process I was rather proud of what I'd achieved, and had rediscovered a belief in myself as a writer.

My involvement in the editing process is now over. My actress amateur sleuth, Shara Summers, is waiting in the wings for her big entrance into the world. I can't help but feel a little nervous on her behalf. Will she get a standing ovation, or get booed off the stage? I guess only time will tell.