Talli Roland's Blog, page 44

Excuse Me, Is that My Brain You've Got There?

[image error] Have you seen my brain? This week, it seems to have taken up residence elsewhere.

I've had my head down for the past few weeks, furiously working on final edits for The Hating Game. When your head is buried in your MS, everything else seems to go a bit... fuzzy. At least, that's my excuse for:

1. Turning up to an event on the wrong night -- or thinking it was anyway. I got there, had a glass of wine, and waited as no-one else turned up. So, wondering if it was cancelled, I actually checked the date on Facebook. Oh, I have the wrong night! Finishing my wine in the excellent company of my Twitter pals, I headed back out into the night, onto the Central Line, and back to my flat. But wait! I didn't have the wrong night after all (God knows what I was checking on Facebook)! The group was upstairs, while I was drinking alone downstairs. Sigh.

2. Putting a letter in the post without any stamp. Who knows if it actually got to its recipient -- I never received it back again!

3. Having to get my passport photos retaken three times, because I can't read a simple set of instructions. Ugh. Fifteen pounds and fifteen truly hideous photos later, they're finally done.

4. Losing a knife out the window of my flat into my neighbour's garden down below, because I was momentarily distracted by the burning of my toast.

And on top of that...

5. Having a water pipe burst behind our washing machine, flooding our neighbours below. Nothing to do with me and my errant brain, but the perfect icing on the cake!


TGIF, I say! I'm having a mojito -- or five. What about you?

'So When Are You Going Back to Real Work?' and Other Annoying Questions

The other day on Facebook, I posted how I recently got asked: 'When are you going to go back to real work?', not to mention: 'What do you do all day?'

This sparked an outpouring from fellow writers, who've experienced similar questions from friends and family -- people who just don't take writing seriously.

Thing is, writing is a slog. It's not always fun and games, and there are days when I long to put on my killer high heels, dress up and head out for another brainless day in the office, complete with Jaffa Cakes, endless coffee breaks and idle chit-chat. Working on your own is often lonely and -- with the pressure of knowing just how much you gave up to do it -- sometimes quite stressful. Without a doubt, this is one the hardest jobs I've done. And by far the most rewarding.

Stunned by the fact this very nice person couldn't see just how offensive their questions actually were, I stammered and stumbled around as I tried to articulate my thoughts. Grr! Maybe I should send them this blog post!

Do the people around you take your writing seriously? And what's your killer come-back line to such annoying questions?

I'm No JA Konrath, But...

What hasn't heard of JA Konrath? The man on an e-book mission, whose Kindle novels are finally enabling him to sit back and relax a bit, as the money flows in (insert sigh and jealous twinge here)? Well, Draculas -- a novel by JA and three other writers -- has now hit the Amazon Kindle Paid Top 100, not to mention getting 105 reviews in a short time. With no major print house behind them, that's quite a feat.

I'm not sure I can hit those lofty heights. But it just goes to show it can be done! I've now got over 400 people signed up to my Take On Amazon Web Splash, and I'm amazed at all the support people have shown me. With still a month to go, I'm hoping to make it to 500 (my original goal of 1000 might have been a touch unrealistic).

Now, on to my September competition -- the competition that's dragged on way too long!

And the winners are:

SANGU!
JOANNA ST JAMES!
CAROL KILGORE!
SUMMER ROSS!
NOTES FROM NADIR!

You can choose one of the following:

1. A query critique.
2. An line edit of 30 pages of your manuscript. Pick any 30 pages!
3. A copy of 24 Hours Paris, my Paris tour guide.
4. A copy of 24 Hours London, my London tour guide.
5. Lucky dip! Take your chances with this one!

Just let me know what you'd like in the comments here, or email me at talliroland AT gmail.com.

Thank you, everyone, for following, commenting and being SO supportive!

Perilous, by Tamara Hart Heiner

Another day, another wonderful bloggy buddy book release! Tamara Hart Heiner's YA novel, Perilous, comes out 16th November --- but the ebook is available now!

Here's the blurb from Amazon:

Jaci Rivera has plans for her sophomore year: go to regionals with the track team, make the honor roll, and eat too much pizza with her best friends, Callie and Sara. Her biggest concern is Amanda, the pushy girl who moved in a few months ago.What she doesn't plan for is catching a robber red-handed, or being kidnapped. The desperate thief drags her and her friends 2,000 miles across the Canadian border. They escape from his lair, only to find that he has spies and agents watching their path home, waiting to intercept them and take them back.Then Jaci finds something out about her family. Something which irrevocably connects her to their kidnapper, and makes her question their chances of escape.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Tamara and even though I don't read much YA, I was hooked. From start to finish, the plight of Jaci and her friends as they make their way through Canada (yay!) and back to their home was thoroughly gripping. Whether or not you're into young adult fiction, this is a story full of suspense, with lots of twists and turns.

Tamara's running an awesome contest:


Book giveaway, Oct 15-Nov 15: Every person who comments on any post during the blog tour will be entered into a random drawing for an autographed copy of the book.

Kindle giveaway, Oct 15-Dec 15: This contest is point-based—meaning whoever has the most points wins the Kindle. There will only be one Kindle given away.

Here's how to accrue your points:

1 point: blog comment (can comment on all the blogs, multiple times, on the tour).
1 point: follow Tamara's blog (http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com).
1 point: Tweet or retweet the contest (include a link).
2 points: blog about the blog tour (also include a link)5 points: purchase the book (ebook or paperback, must email Tamara the confirmation email or copy of receipt).

Add up all your points and email the total, along with your links, to tamara at tamarahartheiner dotcom at the end of contest dates (specified above).

Good luck to Tamara and Perilous!

CassaStar Cometh!

I can't remember the last time I read a science fiction novel. Really, I can't. But when I heard my blog buddy Alex J. Cavanaugh was coming out with his new book, I thought I'd check back in with the genre and give it a go! CassaStar is out tomorrow and it's available on Kindle and in paperback.

Here's the blurb:

To pilot the fleet's finest ship…

Few options remain for Byron. A talented but stubborn young man with a troubled past and rebellious attitude, his cockpit skills are his only hope. Slated to train as a Cosbolt fighter pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth and begin a new life as he sets off for the moon base of Guaard.

Much to Byron's chagrin, the toughest instructor in the fleet takes notice of the young pilot. Haunted by a past tragedy, Bassa eventually sees through Byron's tough exterior and insolence. When a secret talent is revealed during training, Bassa feels compelled to help Byron achieve his full potential.

As war brews on the edge of space, time is running short. Byron requires a navigator of exceptional quality to survive, and Bassa must make a decision that could well decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission that may stretch their abilities to the limit?

"…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein's early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars." - Library Journal

Sounds cool, eh? So get on your space gear, get in the mood with Alex's killer trailer, and get reading!

Tomorrow, Tamara Hart Heiner comes by to talk about her new YA novel, Perilous, and on Wendesday I announce the winners of my September contest (finally)! All systems go!

The Writing Forecast Today...

When I wake up, I check my mental state the same way I check the weather. How am I today? Tired? Buzzing? Brimming with confidence, or bursting with self-doubt?

I want to be rested, but not too energetic that I can't sit still and concentrate. It should be morning -- early, in fact, the earlier the better so I still feel I have the whole day ahead -- and the sun should be shining so I don't feel hemmed in by grey. My favourite pen should magically appear without a prolonged and frustrating search. The coffee will be strong but not overpowering, with just the right amount of milk, and the caffeine should hit me just as I reach my desk. I'll find the perfect angle to sit comfortably for hours, and there'll be no drilling, no screaming babies next door, and no barking dog.

Oh yes. And did I mention the Red Twizzlers? A never-ending supply, please.

What are your perfect writing conditions? Happy Friday, everyone!

Recent Reads

Lately, I don't seem to be able to read anything. I pick up a book, start comparing my prose to said writer, get stressed, then put it down again and amble over to the telly. But I'm always interested in what others are reading, so here -- in 140 characters or less -- is what I've read recently!





The Shopaholic series: Like mother, like daughter! Enjoyable and entertaining, as always.












The story of the creator of the iconic A-Z London Map: because women can read maps!











A fun, romantic read about finding yourself -- even when you're far away from home.












One sentence, one book -- very stressful. I didn't make it through!











An American expat takes on London -- and its men! Lots of this rang true and made me laugh.







Can you read when you're editing or do words stress you out?

The Local Competition

Woo! I just noticed I'm at 500 followers -- very timely, as my overdue September contest will be ending on Monday. Thank you so much, everyone! And thanks to all who've signed up to my December 1 Take On Amazon Web Splash. I'm now up to 366 people! Bloggers rock.

I'd love to say that people in my hood are awed -- or even interested -- in the fact that I'm a writer. The truth is, where I live, we're a dime a dozen. There's no way I can compete with my neighbourly literary greats... even if they are way past their prime (i.e., dead!).

Down the street from me is the former home of Agatha Christie. Metres away is James Joyce's old residence. Cross a few more streets, and you'll hit Ezra Pound and TS Eliot, not to mention William Thackeray. Everywhere I go, I run across a Blue Plaque proclaiming a past great. It has a way of bringing me back down to Earth with a thud, if ever I exhibited any hint of ego inflation!

Still, I wouldn't change my hood for the world. Let's just hope some of that greatness rubs off!

Any famous people in your neck of the woods?

Ten for Tuesday: Top Writing Injuries

Most people would think the life of a writer -- sitting at a desk, using cerebral-power -- is relatively injury free. But oh, they'd be wrong! Here are my top ten writing injuries.

1. Writer's Arse. I've blogged about it before, and I'll blog about it again! It's not just the spreading of the ass, it's the aching of the ass. I'm experiencing this now, as I sit for hours every day. Ouch.

2. Punctuationitis. The complete inability to differentiate between any piece of punctuation, due to hours upon hours of repetitive editing.

3. Spotty cheek/ chin syndrome. The zits that pop up due to frequent touching or leaning on face and/or chin as the manuscript is perused for days on end.

4. Weak liveritis. Reduced liver function, usually as a result over over-consumption of wine to numb an over-active writing brain.

5. Autonomic pillow reflex. Continuous and uncontrollable beating of pillow and/or sheets due to insomnia.

6. Jimmy-legs syndrome. Constant spontaneous jiggling of lower appendages, seemingly due to over-caffeination or over-consumption of Red Twizzlers, cupcakes or chocolate.

7. Scaly wrist rash. Persistent redness ringing the wrist, due to constant pressure caused by resting said wrist on the edge of a desk whilst typing.

8. Tangled hairomia. Complete inability to comb hair caused by lack of brushing for a prolonged period of time.

No, I have not made it to ten. But I'm interested in hearing about any other bizarre writing injuries out there!

Books, Shoes, Snoring and Blogs

Happy Monday! It's a beautiful sunny day here in London but my eyelids are sagging, thanks to my husband's wonderful snoring. At 5:30 a.m., I finally decided to abandon bed and get up to start the day's work. Any solutions to snoring out there? I've tried kicking, screaming, shoving, pushing, strangling and empty threats...

Today's I'm over at Mel's lovely blog, High Heels and Books Deals, talking about books and showing off my shoes! If you have a sec, head over and say hi!

And a new blog to introduce you to! Fellow writer and RNA'er Nikki Goodman has started a blog. Since I've babbled on to her how wonderful the world of bloggers is, drop by when you can.

Finally, a big congrats and lots of sparkly sweet cupcakes to DJ Kirkby, who's just launched her debut novel Without Alice with great reviews! Woohoo!

Now I'm going off to nap.