Reena Jacobs's Blog, page 39

Novel Review: Women Food and God by Geneen Roth

I'm not usually a non-fiction fan. Typically, I only purchase non-fiction books as reference materials. Not sure why I wanted to try out Women Food and God by Geneen Roth, but I decided to enter a Goodreads giveaway for it. Lucky me, I won! I have a feeling Goodreads giveaways and I are going to be fast friends. I entered the giveaway not knowing if this would be a book to skim or not. After reading just the prologue, I realized this baby read more like a memoir than a how to get thin book. So, I settled in for a read. Before I get into the review, how about a blurb from Goodreads:

No matter how sophisticated or wealthy or broke or enlightened you are, how you eat tells all.

After three decades of studying, teaching and writing about our compulsions with food, bestselling author Geneen Roth adds a powerful new dimension to her work in Women Food and God. She begins with her most basic concept: The way you eat is inseparable from your core beliefs about being alive. Your relationship with food is an exact mirror of your feelings about love, fear, anger, meaning, transformation and, yes, even God.

A timeless and seminal work, Women Food and God shows how going beyond the food and the feelings takes you deeper into realms of spirit and soul—to the bright center of your own life.

I only made it a few pages into Women Food and God before I knew I would enjoy this book. Ms. Roth filled the pages with story after story which were entertaining while also educational and touching. She had an interesting take on the relationship one has with food and spirituality. I don't subscribe to her beliefs 100% but do find merit in a lot of what she preaches.

For example, I've never considered myself as one who eats to numb myself to feelings. However, I imagine a lot of individuals out there do. On the other hand, her examples of people she called permitters was all me. On page 156, she had this to say:

You're sitting in front of a chocolate cake and you notice you want the entire thing right now. You don't care whether the band around your small intestine from the operation you just had breaks. You don't care if anyone else in the group gets a piece. You want it all.

This is my relationship with food. I want it, not because I'm sad, not because I'm hurting, not because I'm broken. I want it simply because it's there… and I want it all until it's gone. It tempts me, it taunts me, it calls to me. And the only way to get the food to shut up is to eat it all right then and there.

A lot of the book was about learning or rather relearning to love oneself. To recognize and understand why one has the compulsion to overeat. I wasn't always a gorger. As a kid, I gorged like nobody's business. Of course back then, I was as thin as a rail. I left high school weighing only 112 lbs but could pack away food like a grown man. Sometime during my adulthood, I realized I didn't have to eat EVERYTHING right then and there. I could save some for later. I didn't have to leave the table with my tummy hurting. Women Food and God was a reminder of what I'd forgotten not too long ago. On page 157, Ms. Roth follows up with:

Good thing you notice. You don't judge yourself. You don't think that wanting it all means anything about the kind of person you are. You don't tell yourself how selfish you are, and if the others knew that you wanted it all, they'd throw you out. None of that. You bring yourself back to the present moment, and since your body is right here, right now, since hunger or lack of it is also right here, you ask yourself if you are hungry. Simple. Am I hungry?

When I go back for seconds, thirds, and please don't tell anyone, but fourths and fifths, I can guarantee I'm not hungry by then. I even know I'm not going to like the way my body feels after it's stuffed, yet I persist. Now if that isn't crazy, I don't know what is.

Okay, so the example I used above may not apply to you. Here's the thing, Ms. Roth addresses so many issues in this short book, one might be hard pressed to find everything applies to them. Like I said, I didn't jive with all she said 100%, but quite a bit of it hit home.

One item I disliked about this book, but at the same time found beneficial was the repetition. Ms. Roth said the same thing a hundred and seven different ways… and sometimes exactly the same way twice. Here's the thing, whenever I thought to myself, this doesn't apply and can we just get on to the next part, she repeated the information in a way which was relevant to me personally. If I could take all the filler out to get to just the parts which inspired me personally, this book would be perfect.

If you're struggling with weight, if you're tired of dieting, if you want to love yourself, I highly recommend reading this book.

Woman Food and God by Geneen Roth is available at:

The Book Depository

Barnes & Nobles

You're sitting in front of a chocolate cake and you 

notice you want the entire thing right now. You don't care whether

the band around your small intestine from the operation you just

had breaks. You don't care if anyone else in the group gets a

piece. You want it all.

We Love Cheap Reads

It's been a while since I've done a mailbox post. Well, there's no time like the present to share my goodies. Without further ado, in the order I've received:

Women Food and God by Geneen Roth was a book I took a real chance on. It was offered in a Goodreads giveaway. A little something for those of you who don't know how Goodreads giveaways work. If you win, they expect you to review the book. If you don't, it decreases your chances of winning in the future. If you do review your winnings, it increases your chances of future winning. See the thing is, I'm not really a non-fiction reader. But lately, I've been quite dissatisfied with the 10-15 lbs I've gained over the last 4 years or so. Could this book provide the bit of the inspiration I need to shed those extra pounds? So I entered and won. The other plus to winning this book, is when I'm done, I can pass it on to my mother who loves inspirational books. I'm a little over the half-way mark and plan to finish it by Monday the latest. So far it's not bad.

Now normally, I'm not a fan of kiddie books. Once in a while, I'll head to the used bookstore and pick up some for my preschooler, if I can find a decent one. But if you ask me, most age appropriate books for my little guy are boring. I read them and struggle to find entertainment value in the sameness. Now this book, I'm looking forward to going through it with my son. It's more than just a book for entertaining; it offers educational value. Anyway, I'm pretty excited about this one. My little guy has a speech delay, so exposing him to different words and sounds will be most excellent. I owe this awesome win to LovLivLife Reviews. Thanks Charity!

A few weeks ago, my oldest daughter had this

Guest Post: Traci Hohenstein on Goodreads Promos ~ Part I

Last week turned into a huge fiasco for me. I'd lined up some things in advance but failed to follow up, while double booking in other areas. Case in point, the missing Authors Helping Authors post last week. Then week rolled around, and I found more mishaps, like a post in this week Authors Helping Authors post which wasn't really a post at all… just a title and a blank. In fact, it wasn't even a Authors Helping Authors post. I decided to pretend like the problems weren't happening. Then Wednesday rolled around and Traci Hohenstein, author of Burn Out, offered to do a last minute guest post today. I wish I had an ethereal light to shine on her, cause she really saved the day. Without further ado:

Goodreads Promos
by
Traci Hohenstein

 

Goodreads has over four million readers on their site. Where else can you get the attention of that many readers in one place?

The key to successfully promoting on Goodreads is to meet and mingle with other readers in your genre. Think of Goodreads as one big party. Don't be a wallflower and sit in the corner. In other words, do more than just put up a nice photo and profile. Meet other members by joining book clubs that read the type of book that you write…and enjoying reading.

The first thing that I did (after making my profile) was join book clubs that enjoy reading mystery/suspense books. Most groups have an "Introduce Yourself" thread. This is a great place to tell them a little bit of about yourself, the authors you enjoy reading as well as any projects you are working on.  I also participate in monthly book reads. Most groups have two books that you can choose from to read each month.  I found that most times I have either already read the book or it's on my TBR list. After reading the book, participate in discussions about the book. There are other topics to visit and comment on as well. For example, on Women of Mysteries group, there is a thread called "What do you like to read". I interact with other readers on books that I enjoy. Here is an opportunity to mention for example, "I really like reading Sue Grafton. I feel like we have the same writing style." If a member of the group likes Sue Grafton and reads that, they will probably click on your member profile and see what books you have to offer. Look for other opportunities to interact such as Pen Pals, Monthly Challenges, Favorite Author Discussions and Games.

Another way to interact is to send friend requests to other members in the group. I try to "friend" about 10 new people a day within my book club groups. I also like to "friend" other authors that I know or enjoy reading.

I do all this before I promote my book to the group. I spent at least an hour a day on Goodreads participating in the forums. I believe in the philosophy that you what you give, you get back.

When it comes time to promote your book, always ask permission from the group's moderator.  I send a simple email introducing myself and ask if it is okay to post a topic about my book. Whether you are looking for beta readers, sending out ARC's, or doing a book giveaway – always read the group rules first and ask the moderator before posting. I find that the moderator appreciates the fact that I asked and is more likely to help me spread the word.

Once you have built up a substantial friend list, invite those people to visit your website or blog. Run contests and other fun things on your blog to keep them coming back for more.

Also, remember to spread the love. Recommend other indie authors to your book club members. They will appreciate it and return the favor!

Just remember, don't overdo it! Be friendly, casual, and most importantly, be yourself. It takes time to build up a following, but with patience, you will get there!

 

*******************************

Traci Hohenstein lives in NW Florida with her husband and three kids. When not writing she spends her time at the beach with her kids building sandcastles and paddleboarding. Her first suspense novel, Burn Out, is now available at:

Amazon

Barnes & Nobles

Who Art Thou Thursday: Valerie Maarten

Who Art Thou Thursdays is another feature I'm starting. I've met so many wonderful people over the last year or so, one day really isn't enough to introduce them all. Alas, there's only so much time in the year. I'll be chipping away at those introductions each Thursday starting with Valerie Maarten author of Second Chances.

Give us a brief description of a story you have hidden in your skeleton closet? And will it ever see the light of day?

I've outlined a Time-Travel Romance that I've always had in the back of my mind.  But the current WIP are taking priority, but I believe it will see the light of day because it's a great story with a nice premise I'd like to explore more through the written word.  For sure, this story will be a challenge.

How much of you/your life do you put into your stories?

I can't say I put any of my personal experiences into my stories, though I do inject a lot of my personal emotions about a particular scenario or point of view.

With hindsight being 20/20, is there anything you would have changed with your publishing journey?

I would have been less impulsive and more introspective in terms that I would have planned for the promotion/marketing before I published.  After I published is when I began to learn the most difficult part of publication…building a readership.

What are you working on now?

I'm currently working on "Forget Me Not" another real-life drama with a much deserved "Happily Ever After"

When did you first decide you wanted to be a writer?

I've never decided I wanted to become a writer.  I just WAS.  I've been writing for more years I can count and have recently decided to become published.  If that makes sense to you.  There's really no other way I can explain it.

Who is your favorite author and why?

Maya Angelou.  I've grown up reading her books and she's inspired me and evoked emotions from me like no other.

Why did you decide to publish independently?

Because I don't like stringent deadlines or "cookie cutter" formula.  I like the freedom of deciding plot/story-line content, cover art, word count, etc.  I'm more of a dictator-type and don't really like being told how to do something differently than the way I have decided in my head.

Where do you get inspirations for your stories?

Life.  I'm constantly wonder, "What would happen if…" so once a story or scenario gets stuck in my head, I explore all of the scenarios then allow my imagination full reign.

What is your character development process?

My process is simple.  Most of my characters are people that have, in one way or another, been a constant part of my life just waiting for me to tell their story.  Because I write about real-life issues, all development requires from me is to be observant of people around me.

What's your favorite writing tool and why?

My favorite writing tools are pen and paper because my mind flows easier while writing.

How about some quickies!

Pencil or Pen: Pen

Print or Cursive: Cursive

Pantser or Plotter: Plotter

Favorite Candy: Chocolate covered raisins

Worst habit: Procrastination

***************************

About the Valerie Maarten

Valerie Maarten has been writing ever since she discovered that letters made sounds and a combination of letters made words. It wasn't until recently that she decided to share her work.

She can generally be found with pen and paper in hand, scribbling the next storyline or reading one of her many "favorite" authors. Although she has an eclectic taste in what she reads, there isn't a romance sub-genre that she will pass up.

She currently lives in Orlando, FL with her three sons, plotting to write the next story in her head that needs to be told.

Until then…

Connect with Valerie Maarten:

Website

Blogspot

Facebook

Twitter

[image error]

Tuesday Teaser: Second Chances by Valerie Maarten

In the past, I've sporadically posted excerpts of my work on Tuesdays. These days I want to offer something consistent. So, I've invited a few authors to share excerpts of their works. First up is Second Chances by Valerie Maarten.

Premise:  After 20 years of the pain and suffering from the loss of a loved one, Dain and Kadi must confront the ghosts that haunt their past, present and future.  Will they, in turn, be able to embrace their Second Chances?

The set-up: With a heavy heart and a blackened soul, Dain McKnight lays-in-wait to finally confront the man that was convicted of murdering his sister, Hanna.  He sits in the dank bar across the street pondering on the multitude of ways to torture a man as he bides his time.

 

Dain McKnight's jaw clenched and unclenched in a violent rhythm of madness.  His large hand cupped the glass he held, threatening to shatter it into a zillion shards.  Still, the low rumble of voices in the dimly lit bar couldn't drown out his fatalistic thoughts.  The primal instincts for blood had dwelled dormant inside him…until he heard the news.  He took another swig from his glass.  The burning sensation went down, slow.

The bartender broke into his thoughts, clearly intimidated by Dain's dark, mysterious behavior.  His eyes instinctively lowered in submission.  "Do you want another?"

Dain grunted.  He slid the empty glass over in the man's direction.  Yet, his eyes never left his line of sight.  The brown, two-story brick building held all his attention and the brunt of his wrath.  Inside that building lived the man that brutally and savagely murdered his sister Hanna, 20 years ago.  Now here he was, free and living amongst society as if nothing had ever happened.  Yet Hanna still lay cold in her grave with no such reprieve.

Dain clenched his teeth again, his jaws flexed violently as the muscles in his neck strained to break free from beneath his skin.

The bartender returned with another double shot of whiskey and placed it on the table in front of him.  His eyes wandered curiously at the window to try and glean what held his glare so intently.  All he could see was the normal comings and goings at the Trinity House, a half-way house that housed reformed drug addicts and paroled prisoners.

Dain ignored his presence and essentially dismissed him with a $50 bill that he slammed down on his tray.  The bartender shrugged and returned to his tasks.

An older gentleman that had been sitting at the bar since Dain's arrival appeared to have finally drunk enough to conjure up the courage to approach.  He staggered and side-stepped the whole way.  In an almost comical way, the drunken man gave a slight bow in a gesture that indicated that he had come in 'peace'.  Still, he swayed back and forth as he tried to maintain his equilibrium.

"If it's a young lady that's got you drowning your sorrows away, let an old man give you a word of advice…" he gave Dain a friendly, toothless grin.  "Get another one.  No woman is worth so much pain."

Pain.  What does he know about my pain?  He frowned and gave the man a menacing stare, though he didn't waiver.  He seemed too deadened by all the alcohol that he had consumed throughout the course of the day to be afraid.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Old Man," Dain said in a low grumble.  His voice was low, his tone even.  Which was the opposite emotion of what he felt inside.  Inside, he felt bold, brazen and on the verge of being unable to contain the 'Monster' that lived in his darkened soul.

The man was oblivious to Dain's contempt and sat down in the empty chair across from him.  Dain's eyebrow went up slightly.

"I've spent a lot of days in that chair," he pointed to a dark, lonely corner at the back end of the bar.  Dain stared for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dimness of the room after having stared out at the glare of the street for hours on end.  "No woman is worth the sorrow I see in your eyes, boy."

"I assure you, she is worth it."  He leaned forward so the man could see the hatred that lurked behind his eyes.  "I am prepared to kill for her."

The man scotched back in his seat, feeling the power of Dain's declaration.  For a long while he was unable to speak.  There was a moment of clarity in his eyes.  In that instant, he was as sober as a Judge.  "You don't mean that, son."  He pleaded.  "You have a second chance, right here…right now.  All you have to do is take it.  Don't throw your life away.  There's nothing worth that."

Dain leaned back in his chair, pondering the words of the man before him.  He was a complete stranger to him and yet he had cared enough about him to warn him against the destructive thoughts that haunted his mind, knowing that it would ruin the rest of his life and destroy his family.  But the need to avenge the death of his beloved sister was too powerful.  He wanted nothing less than to make the man that was responsible, endure the same pain and suffering he had caused her.

**************************

You don't have to be left hanging. Find Second Chances by Valerie Maarten at the following online stores:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Barnes & Nobles

Diesel E-book Store

Smashwords

Sony E-book Store

 

 

**************************

"Valerie Maarten has been writing ever since she discovered that letters made sounds and a combination of letters made words. It wasn't until recently that she decided to share her work.

She can generally be found with pen and paper in hand, scribbling the next storyline or reading one of her many "favorite" authors. Although she has an eclectic taste in what she reads, there isn't a romance sub-genre that she will pass up.

She currently lives in Orlando, FL with her three sons, plotting to write the next story in her head that needs to be told.

Until then…"

Connect with Valerie Maarten:

Website

Blogspot

Facebook

Twitter

Novel Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

You all know how I love recommendations. Well, Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning was kinda sort of a recommendation but not. You see, I'd been seeing Shadowfever pop all over the place on blogs. People were excited; I was out of the loop, and of course, I was curious. I felt like one of those people who'd never read a Black  Dagger Brotherhood novel by J.R. Ward. So, I decided to start at the beginning–Darkfever. How about the blurb from Ms. Moning's website:

MacKayla Lane's life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she's your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman.

Or so she thinks… until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister's killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae…

Tastes are so subjective, the value of them can be questionable. That's the dilemma I faced with Darkfever. Okay… let's just get to it. Darkfever wasn't my kind of read. What's interesting is I can see why a lot of other people would like it for the very same reasons I didn't.

Let's start with the main character, Mac. She reminded me a lot of Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse. In fact, I wouldn't even be surprised if the two were related. Southern bells, blond, perky cute, and both prone to getting into situations most would avoid. Although, I do believe Mac is a wee less intelligent than Sookie. All-in-all, the Mac/Sookie persona isn't bad. I admit to being a Sookie follower, even if I think she's too stupid to live at times. But really, one Sookie is enough for me. Despite the subtle differences, I just couldn't get into the Mac girl. *Subjective dislike*

Barrons, on the other hand, I liked him. I guess, liked isn't the exact word. It's not like I'm fond of him as a person. I'd certainly never befriend him. HOWEVER, the character added a unique flare. Is he good? Is he bad? Just who is this guy? I liked the mystery of Barrons, but would have liked to have learned something significant about him by the end of the story.

Okay… some weird turnoffs for me.

I'm not into fashion. Here's where my husband had to remind me tastes are subjective. Lots of women are big into the glamor, makeup, clothes, and accessories. The main reason I wear clothing is so others won't be embarrassed. Some days you can catch me gardening in a nightgown or bathrobe. I don't think I've worn eye shadow since my wedding day, and even then it was so light folks probably didn't notice. Mac focused A LOT on fashion. As for me, I could care less what funky name her nail polish had or what shade of pink her hair bow was. Frankly, I got tired of reading about her attire and accessories and found myself skipping over paragraphs of description, given in a laundry-list style, to get to the meat of the story. *Subjective dislike*

Then we had the Fae, which is a huge part of the story. Okay, without the Fae, there would be no story. I discovered after reading the Iron King by Julie Kawaga that I wasn't a fan of the Seelie and Unseelie courts. I like my faeries to be like Tinkerbell… not human-sized beings of royalty. This is where the importance of reading blurbs come into play. Still, I'd heard of Ms. Moning and had wanted to read her works for awhile. So the Fae might not have been a big enough discouragement to have avoided this novel. *Subjective dislike*

Even before I realized this was a Fae novel, I remember thinking this might not be my read, even as early as page 8. You might wonder why I kept reading, because I had contemplated shelving it. I remembered the slow start of Unearthly and how much I loved that novel once I hit around page 40-60. So many people boasted about the Darkfever series, I pushed onward, thinking it might be a funky start.

Well, it wasn't. The writing style wasn't to my preference. It was rather rambly. Before you mention Ramblings of an Amateur Author, keep in mind I'm a hypocrite. I do things I don't always enjoy in others. Rambling–yeah… not so fond of listening to others do it. Told from the first person point of view, Mac loved to ramble. I could almost get over that, except she ruined the story in other ways also.

The way this was written was as if Mac was telling me, the reader, what had happened during her adventure in Dublin. I've started books written with sentences like you'd never imagined life would be so tough, but I've never warmed up to the style (*Subjective dislike). Mac took it one step further with foretelling at the end of most scenes and sometimes in the middle, which made an otherwise okay storyline too predictable for words, and frankly, rather anticlimactic.

Here's an example by what I mean. I'm all excited about an upcoming fight. I can feel my heart pick up speed in anticipation. Yeah… I get that into books. My eyes are glued to the page. Mac reveals her plan, and I'm like oh yeah! Let's do this thing. I'm tensed, and then she narrates:

"It could have worked that way, it should have worked that way, but I made one critical error."

At that moment, I put the book down and contemplate tearing it in half. Why in the world did she ruin the surprise? If anything ruined the book, it was stuff like that in every single scene. Seriously. I'd be hard pressed to find a scene without that kind of foretelling. What's wrong with slamming a reader with the unexpected when it happens.

Story also hopped back and forth between time rather just telling it in a linear fashion. I hated that. I thought a matter was settled and was ready to move on, since we had. Then she popped back to the time directly after two scenes ago and filled in a gap. Why not just fill in the information so the gap was never there to begin with? *More subjective dislikes*

Finally, the tense wasn't consistent. Others might not notice or care, for me the switches between past and present tense were jarring. Yeah… I'm all over the place in this post with tense…. but remember… hypocrite.

So Darkfever wasn't for me, and I'm certainly not ragging on it. This novel/series has received a lot of praise, and I'm sure for good reason. If you're into the Fae, fashion, and Southern bell-like heroines, you might really dig this work.

I did have a favorite passage. Perhaps it's because I'm as morbid as Mac.

Don't accuse me of being morbid when I'm merely the product of a culture that buries the bones of the ones they love in pretty, manicured flower gardens so they can keep them nearby and go talk to them whenever they feel troubled or depressed. That's morbid. Not to mention bizarre. Dogs bury bones, too.

One other thing, if you're looking for a story with a finite ending, this isn't it. Darkfever is only the beginning and very open-ended.

Darkfever by Karen Moning is available at:

Barnes & Nobles

Book Depository

Happy Release Day: Ordinary Angels by India Drummond

Don't we just love firsts? Well India Drummond has one today! her debut novel Ordinary Angels.

Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Fiction Author

India knew from age nine that writing would be her passion. Since then she's discovered many more, but none quite so fulfilling as creating a world, a character, or a moment and watching them evolve into something complex and compelling. She has lived in three countries and four American states, is a dual British and American citizen, and currently lives at the base of the Scottish Highlands in a village so small its main attraction is a red phone box. In other words: paradise.

The supernatural and paranormal have always fascinated India. In addition to being an avid sci-fi and fantasy reader, she also enjoys mysteries, thrillers, and romance. This probably explains why her novels have elements of adventure, ghosts (or elves, fairies, angels, aliens, and whatever else she can dream up), and spicy love stories.

Author website and blog: http://www.indiadrummond.com/

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/india.drummond.author

Twitter: http://twitter.com/IndiaDrummond

To arrange an interview or contact the author, please email: author@indiadrummond.com

About Drummond's Books:

[image error]ORDINARY ANGELS

Lyrical Press, Inc

ISBN-10: (TBD)

ISBN-13: (TBD)

ASIN: (TBD)

Price: $5.50

Publication Date: April 4, 2011

An urban fantasy / paranormal novel in which Zoë Pendergraft falls in love with an angel, frees a soul from necromancers, releases a ghost trapped in the Void, and saves his living grandson from demons.

An angel is about to fall…

Although most of Zoe Pendergraft's friends are dead, that means nothing to her. After all, they died long before she met them. What does matter is the angel who took her dancing and turned her world upside down. But grim reality intrudes when she finds a body, and the Higher Angels accuse her friend of the murder.

Knowing she's the only one who can stand against the Higher Angels, Zoe uses any means necessary to save her friend…all the while, wondering if the tempestuous love she's feeling is real. The blood on her hands forces Zoe to question herself, and her angel to question her.

Contains strong language and supernatural sizzle.

CLICK HERE TO READ AN EXCERPT

Authors Helping Authors: Self-Editing

We didn't get a Friday Authors Helping Authors post. So how about a Sunday extra by yours truly.

I have a confession to make. Despite the pressure to hire an editor, I forwent one with Shadow Cat. Yes, it's true. Shadow Cat has never visited a professional editor. I'm still waiting for someone to tell me to run it through a proofer. My mother told me last week she found one error in the first 100 pages. Another writer mentioned I'd spelled "entrée" as "entree" in chapter 2.

I cringed when those errors were pointed out. Were there more? Most likely. After all, I'm not perfect.

"Have you found any more errors?" I couldn't help but probe from time to time.

One or a couple was the typical response after finishing Shadow Cat. Of course they could have overlooked some. They're not perfect either.

So I told myself, three or four errors wasn't bad. Please let it only be three or four errors. [crosses fingers] A traditionally published book gets looked over by several people and still has errors in it. Doesn't justify shoddy work, of course, but it does allow for the human factor to come into play (within reason).

So why you ask did I forgo an editor? The simple reason is I'm not in the position to shell out that kind of money. For a 90K+ piece of work, we're easily talking in the thousands of $$$. The salary of a stay-at-home mom (SAHM) doesn't quite cover that. And let's face it, kickass editing doesn't guarantee a financial return.

HOWEVER, I still value presenting the best foot forward. I don't want people to look at my work and label me as unprofessional, sloppy, or any other unpleasant adjective. So I do the best I can, and now I'm going to share with you the tools I use to do it.

*****

I do my writing through a program called StoryBox, which includes a spell check feature. I typically use it to spot check while writing, but for the big editing, I still prefer MS Word. The red underlines really catch my attention. Plus it includes a grammar check. I export my work into an rtf file, do a quick spelling/grammar check in MS Word, then I import my work back into StoryBox.

I edit my work in sections (usually a scene). For me, it's just easier to work in pieces. And since I use StoryBox, I can set the status to First Draft, Second Draft, Final, or Done for each scene depending on the stage I'm in. By the way, StoryBox is inexpensive—$35 last I checked. You can try before you buy, so it's virtually risk free. I have to say, I'm quite satisfied with the program. I wish I'd know programs like that were available when I first started writing, because MS Word definitely isn't designed with the novelist in mind.

My most important tool when editing is text-to-speech. It's easy to overlook errors. Often our minds read what we expect to see rather than what's really there. Some folks say to read the work aloud, but even then I sometimes read what I expect. Not with text-to-speech software. The program reads exactly what's there (with a few oddities). Not only does it help me pick up silly errors the spelling/grammar checks miss, but also ensure the sentences and paragraphs flow well.

 

Bryan added with a winked.

 

Why in the world spelling/grammar check doesn't catch that, I don't know. My eyes might miss it, but my ears give me another chance.

If you're using Windows, you likely have a feature called Narrator. It's rather computer sounding, but it's free. SAHM, remember? Free is good. The way Narrator runs is so flakey, it's almost worthless as it is. So why in the heck am I mentioning it? When implemented in a program, it's effective.

StoryBox has text-to-speech which uses the Narrator program. Ctrl + Shift + s toggles the feature on and off. If you don't have StoryBox, shame on you. That's okay though, you can create a macro for MS Word which also uses Narrator. Before Mark Fassett added text-to-speech to StoryBox, I relied on the Word macro and still do from time to time. Here is an online tutorial that shows how to set up your own macro in Word.

Autocrit is the next tool I use. Usually I sandwich Autocrit between two sessions of text-to-speech. Why? Because after I make corrections, I want to make sure what I've done still sounds right.

So what is Autocrit? You know how you send a work to some critters and they highlight EVERY SINGLE "was" or cross out EACH and EVERY adverb? The list goes on, but if you're like me, you probably chafe under those kinds of critiques. "To be" verbs, adverbs, "that," and other overused words have their place in writing. The key is not to overdo it. That's where Autocrit comes into play. It ferrets out those overused words and gives suggestions to eliminate some when you've gone overboard. YOU get to choose which ones to keep and which ones to ditch.

Since I've started using Autocrit, I've become more aware of the weaknesses in my writing. Autocrit offers a whole list of features that I'm not going to go into. Depending on your strengths and weaknesses, you might use some more than others. For me, Overused Words is my big thing, but lately, I've been visiting the Pacing feature. If you have a problem with putting too much back story in your work, that's a great tool. There's a free membership for Autocrit if you want to check it out. It's very limited, but it'd give you a chance to decide if it's for you. Paid membership ranges from $47-117. For me, it's worth every penny.

So I've done all I can do to make my work shine—spelling/grammar check, text-to-speech, and Autocrit. I'm done, right? Uhm… no.

Next, you need the people factor. That's right, critters. Those extra pairs of eyes make a world of difference. Do your sentences make sense? Is your plot unfolding nicely? Oops, you missed a typo or misused a word. Plus critters can tell you what works and doesn't work. And trust me, YOU are not the best judge for this stage. No matter how great you are at editing, you cannot possibly know how others will view your writing unless you've got some kind of supernatural insight.

I prefer at least three different people to view my projects. The more the merrier. But remember, you are the author, so it's up to you to decide which advice to heed. You DO NOT have to implement EVERY change or suggestion. Chances are, if you let critters take over your work THEY WILL DESTROY IT. Why? Because much of the opinions are subjective, but if several are saying the same thing, it might indicate a problem.

I top everything off with another text-to-speech round. So that's that.

Even if you have the funds to pay an editor, using these tools can save you money. Some editors pay according to the time spent on your work. The crappier the draft you send, the more it's going to cost you. Others charge by the level of editing. A basic proofreading is going to be a lot less expensive than a line-by-line copyedit, and the cost for a deep edit or rewrite is enough to cause my mind to reboot.

Also, if you use the self-editing tools before sending your work to critters, I guarantee your helpers will appreciate the effort. Critiquing can be very time consuming. The critters I work with are writers and have their own projects. If they're like me, critiquing isn't the highlight of their day. It's not a pleasure read; it's work. We do it to help one another and because we need help ourselves. It's a cost-saving tradeoff which works to everyone's benefit… or so it should.

So a quick rundown of the tools:

Spelling/grammar check
Text-to-Speech (available in StoryBox or create a MS Word macro)
Autocrit
Critters (please don't tell them I called them tools)

What tools do you use which are invaluable to your editing process?

Announcement: Interviews

No Authors Helping Authors post today, just some announcements.

 

Join Us!

Today marks the first day of Authors Month in April over at Were, Vamps, and Romance. All month long, Melissa has scheduled interviews, reviews, and giveaways. So definitely check out her event calendar. Guess what, I'm first! Check out the interview she did with me as well as your chance to win a copy of Shadow Cat.

fReado also interviewed me today. It was a request which came out of the blue. I was quite surprised and lots of excited. If you haven't seen the book widgets on the right side bar, look now. They're associated with Bookbuzzr which has awesome tools for authors.

[image error]Okay, we're on link overload this morning. But like I said, we're doing announcements. Curious about the April events for Shadow Cat? Well look no further.

Were Vamp Romance

4/1 Interview/Giveaway

Melissa

***

fReado

4/1 Interview

Ranga

***

Book Lover and Procrastinator

3/15 Review

Marlene Breakfield

4/9 Interview/Giveaway

Marlene Breakfield

***

Book'd Out

4/11 Review

ShelleyRae

4/12 Interview

ShelleyRae

***

Book Lovin' Bitches Ebook Tours

4/7 Review

Book Lover's Hideaway

4/8 Giveaway

My Eclectic Bookshelf

4/10 Review

The Enchanted Book

4/13 Review

Spellbound Witch Reviews

4/19 Author Interview

Beck's Book Picks

4/21 Author Guest Post

Sugarbeat's Books

4/25 Review

Sara Is Reading What?

4/29 Review

Aobibliosphere

If you want in on the action, go ahead an pop me an email. I'd love to stop by your blog also.

Working Wednedsay #1

Okay… yeah, I'm a slacker. This post should have been my A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) from last Thursday. Here's the thing. The first round of ROW80 ended last week. The next round starts next month. I loved it, by the way. The goal setting was fabulous. It's time for me to spread my wings. What I'm going to do is weekly updates on Wednesdays (Working Wednesdays) so those who give a darn can keep track with my progress. But first, let's look at my goals for this time around and what I accomplished.

March: Edit Alley Cat

I don't think I did anything the past two weeks on this. I plan to finish my edits for the current scene I've been working for weeks, then move on to the 2nd book in the Striped Ones Series.


Bonus Goal: Maintaining 100+ words a day over at Word Count Union.

Continue working on New Adult novel ~ I Loved You First. At last count I was at 32,759 words. Now, I'm at 36,602. During this nearly two week period, I missed three days of writing. As you may recall from the last update, I'd hit the last chapter. Well, I finished that. What I'm doing now is going back and completing any scenes with gaps. I've finished the first draft, including missing elements, for Act One. I have the final chapter in Act Two to complete and two scenes in Act Three. Not bad. I'm quite please. Hopefully come April first I'll be done with the first draft and have it ready for beta readers. Anyone interested?
Begin new 100-word-a-day novel. Trinity's Awakening ~ New Adult Suburban Fantasy. Haven't started this yet but will after I finish I Loved You First.

For those of you who are interested in keeping track of ROW80 participants, head over to the linky.

Okay. So my goals for next Working Wednesday.

Edit Alley Cat

Finish the current scene I started so long ago. *Easy goal


Finish I Loved You First

Complete last chapter of Act II
Fill in the gaps in Act III
Quick Spell Check before I send it to my daughter to beta read. If you don't mind reading a first draft, let me know. I'm willing to send a few copies out. Just keep in mind, I wouldn't send a first draft out for critiquing, so it'd be rather unpolished. For a blurb of I Loved You First, check it here.


Maintaining 100+ words a day over at Word Count Union

This can be accomplished either by working on I Loved You First or Trinity's Awakening