Joshua Graham's Blog, page 28
January 28, 2011
Free Friday ebook! THE ACCIDENTAL REBEL
What a week it's been! I finished an epic fantasy novel which will be released under a different pen name (watch for the announcements) and am ready to start new projects. But there are so many books and stories to write and so little time!
Please enjoy one of my short stories free!
You can download it and then copy it to any ebook reader device, ebook reader app, or even read it from your computer.
Download link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/29188
Add it to your cart, then at checkout, apply this FREE COUPON CODE: JJ78M
THE ACCIDENTAL REBEL
Stacey Tanner flees a stalking psychopathic ex-boyfriend and confronts all of her worst fears in one fateful evening.
January 21, 2011
Free Friday Ebook!
Back by popular demand!
THE ACCIDENTAL EXISTENTIALIST
US Marine Corps Criminal Investigations Division agent stages his death to go dark and take on the head of a Russian Crime Syndicate, perpetrators of illegal arms dealing, human trafficking and the death of his first born son. Action-packed and filled with more twists than the Coney Island Cyclone, this story asks: How far would a good man go to rid the world of evil and avenge his son?
Download the ebook free here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21777
At checkout, be sure to apply this FREE COUPON CODE: CR33Y
(offer valid till the end of Monday, January 24, 2011)
Another Book Written!
A few years ago, my son who was six years old at the time had been reading THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, by C.S. Lewis with me. He loves all seven books and can tell you their order, the character names, the places, the events by memory. One night as we were reading together, he said, "Daddy, can you write me a book?"
Well, I just had to say yes. I asked him what kind of stories he liked and of course, he said those like Narnia. Far be it from me to imagine I could ever attempt to fill the shoes of my literary hero, but I knew I had to try to write something my son and daughter would one day enjoy–hopefully as much as Narnia.
Life happened.
Amidst the loss of family members, loss of jobs, moving and downsizing of our home, I slowed down in my writing. Not that I stopped writing, I actually completed my fourth novel during that period. I also released BEYOND JUSTICE (my third) and a series of short fiction, all of which have reached the top of several bestseller lists. This is not even to mention the four or five novels I started and put aside during that time. (When I'm ready for those, there will be a trove of new books coming out fast.)
So last year, I finally decided to go back and fulfill my promise to my son. A morbid thought came over me: What if I were to die suddenly? I really wanted to have this completed for him. But more positively, so that he could begin to enjoy it sooner. And, this being the first in a series, I would need to get it done so that the other books could come out in due time.
Well, last night I finally typed the last words in the book. The first draft is complete and it came out to just over 100,000 words, which I understand is a moderate length for a fantasy book.
Now, I have to go over it in editing and get ready to send it out to different markets.
But after a few years of not completing any novels (probably about 13 or so that are waiting to be finished), it's great to reach the end of one again. And it's even better that this is the fulfillment of a promise to my son.
January 19, 2011
The Accidental Healer – #1 Bestseller on Smashwords!
My short novella THE ACCIDENTAL HEALER is now the #1 bestselling ebook on Smashwords!
You can download for all ebook readers at smashwords
or you can order it direct for your Kindle or Nook for just $0.99!
Best seller status today: 5 titles reach the top of the charts
THE ACCIDENTAL HERO is #1 and THE ACCIDENTAL HEALER is #3 on Barnes & Noble
in the Christian Thriller category
BEYOND JUSTICE is #5 and #12 (in legal thrillers), and THE ACCIDENTAL EXORCIST is #10
On Amazon.com THE ACCIDENTAL HEALER is on three top 100 bestseller categories
January 14, 2011
Free Friday – Another Bestselling Ebook: THE ACCIDENTAL HEALER
Recently the #3 bestselling ebook on Barnes & Noble (Christian Thrillers category), THE ACCIDENTAL EXORCIST is free till Monday January 17, 2011!
For ALL ebook readers, and/or read on your computer or mobile phone.
Download your free copy here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/32075
At checkout, be sure to apply the free coupon code: GS37F
After washed up CEO Dave McKenzie loses his job, his wife and kids leave him, he decides to end it all. Only to find a destiny he never expected. And for once in his life, it's not all about himself.
January 13, 2011
On the air with Joshua Graham and Susan Wingate
Hear me and Susan Wingate reading our upcoming works on our radio show DIALOGUE: Between the Lines.
You can download the archived podcast here, or listen through the embedded player below:
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January 12, 2011
What's my motivation?
The next time you watch a movie, watch for the non-verbal actions from the actors. A really good actor won't just say her lines and stand there. And believe me, nothing a great actor does is without purpose.
Watch his facial queues, what's he doing with his hands, what's his posture, what tone of voice, is he fidgeting, is he stuttering?
All these things enhance and bring to the scene/dialogue.
A question actors will often ask of their directors is: What's my motivation?
Let's say a character is talking to his dad.
Billy: Hey Dad. How are you?
Dad: Good, you look taller.
Billy: I'm sitting. Besides, you say that every time you see me.
Dad: Maybe if I saw you more often I wouldn't notice as much.
Billy: Yeah, well, we know who to thank for that.
Actor playing Billy says to Martin Scorcese, "What's my motivation?"
I'll do one. Then write out in prose how it affects the scene and actions.
Scorcese: Okay, Billy. You're Dad's in prison for murdering your mom. You hated your mom. She abused you. You were only sorry Dad got caught. Deep down you blame your mom for everything.
Action!
Billy sat at the plate glass marveling at how close he could actually sit to Dad, and not even touch his hand. He shifted around in his chair. What's taking him so long? Did he forget? Dad finally arrived. Looked like Hell. Did he get beaten by prison guards?
"Hey Dad, how are you?"
"Good. You look taller."
Billy smirked. "I'm sitting. Besides, you say that every time you see me."
"Maybe if I saw you more often I wouldn't notice as much." The trip from Owensville to the State Pen. took two hours. If only Dad hadn't gotten caught. That witch deserved to go. After all she'd done. It was her fault he was locked up. Locked up for saving him. Billy sighed and gave Dad poignant smile. "Yeah, well, we know who to thank for that."
Now, let's say the motivation is different.
Scorcese: OK, Billy. You have to visit your dad in order to find out why he murdered your mom. It's part of his closure process according to his shrink and he won't sign off on your probation until you've completed his treatment. But you can't abide even looking at the bastard who killed your mother.
Action!
Billy paced around before the plate glass, hating the fact that his shrink advised him to come here. This was sick. But getting Dr. Crane to sign off on his papers was the only way he'd finish his probation, so whatever. Finally, Dad arrived and sat behind the protective barrier.
"Hey Dad, how are you?" Billy barely made eye contact as he sat.
"Good. You look taller."
Billy flipped him the bird. "I'm sitting. Besides, you say that every time you see me." He glared at the clock. Five minutes. That's all he needed to do. Then he was outta there. Never coming back to see that bastard again, until the day they strapped him down and pumped him up full of lethal drugs.
"Maybe if I saw you more often I wouldn't notice as much," Dad said.
Billy slammed the plate glass with his hands. Snarling, he bolted up, his chair flew back and hit the wall. No way he was going to allow the man who murdered his mother turn the tables of blame on him. '"Yeah, well, we know who to thank for that!"
Same lines, different motivation and different non-verbal cues. When writing scenes with dialogue, you must know what is making your character tick. You must know what they want more than anything else not just during the scene, but for the character's entire life. This will shape everything your character says, does, and how he says and does it. Try to capture not just the internal thought, but the external visual cues too. Even better, make the external cues contradict the internal motivation sometimes. This will convey a feeling of tension and inner conflict to your reader.
January 8, 2011
#1 Bestselling Christian Thriller: THE ACCIDENTAL HERO (#3, #5 & #7 too)
January 11, 2011
It's time for my short novella ebooks to take their turn at the top of the Barnes & Noble lists! Today THE ACCIDENTAL HERO takes #1 in the Christian Thriller category.
On the same list:
#3 goes to THE ACCIDENTAL HEALER
#5 – BEYOND JUSTICE
#7 – THE ACCIDENTAL EXORCIST
These rankings can change, but they've remained up here in the top 10 for some time now.
They are all available at Amazon.com as well here: http://amzn.to/gdek5v
January 7, 2011
Free Friday Ebook: Back by Popular Demand
Free Friday ebook this week!
(offer valid until end of Monday 1/10/2011)
A young runaway finds himself in the employ of Huntington Manor, where he falls in love with Aria, the sweet and enigmatic daughter of Lord Hungtington. In a clash of station and pride, denied love and tragedy, overshadowed by the horrors of World War I, FOUR GIFTS FOR ARIA takes you on a heart-wrenching journey of love, sacrifice and redemption.
To download to any ereader please go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/8275
At checkout, please apply the following free coupon code: YV93Z
