Angela Castle's Blog, page 7

Inspiration vs. Getting it done

It's all good to be inspired with an idea or a story, inspiration is only 10% of the equation when it comes down to the crunch, the rest has to be 40% sheer determination and the rest is simple plane hard work. Yes, I know the word "work" is a dirty word to some but it is inescapable.
Sitting down and hammering out every single word, making it flow the plot stay on track, the dialog sound plausible. So on and so forth.
Once you get the elation of writing, right through to the last chapter, then comes the revision, is your spelling, grammar okay? Should I test run the book get it critiqued in order to catch the things I missed?
Critique partners are a gem to be treasured.
Summing it up, if you want to write your book, you have to stick with it until the very nitty gritty end.
So if feel inspired, great! If you have the determination, even better, get out there and write



I've borrowed this from Katharine Brandon all credit for this next bit goes to her.



Want to get that manuscript finished before RWA National or another conference so you can pitch it to an agent or editor? Come closer, I'll tell you the secret in five easy steps.


1. Turn off the television and write.


2. Exit out of your email and write.


3. Get off Facebook/Twitter and write.


4. Get out of bed one hour earlier or go to bed one hour later and write.


5. That's it, kids. Just write!

What No Mop?

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My old floor mop has seen better day, so as any good house keeper does goes into the big department store to find new one.
I knew what I wanted, and had visions of it dancing in my head as I pushed the trolly towards the cleaning product isle.
Upon arrival I scanned the very limited selections available alas not the mop I wanted. Yet sitting opposite was the desired brand of mop, bucket.
Confused I summoned a store worker to query her on where the mop to the bucket was.
"Oh we don't stock those kind of mops anymore," the store worker informed me.
"But you have the mop bucket," said I, holding the red bucket up.
"Oh they can be used with other mops."
"Really, which one?"
She scanned the line of shelves, and then said, "I guess we don't stock those anymore either."
Needless to say I left without any mop, feeling frustrated. For a huge department store that boast variety. They had nothing to offer.
Why talk about my mop shopping trip? No reason, just miffed. Oh and I did get the mop I wanted, in a tiny little supermarket in my home town. And I do have a very clean floor, Yay.

Funny thing about hero worship

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And no, I don't mean the hero's in my books, I mean everyday people out there doing what you admire and wish you were doing yourself.
I had a person I have admired and envied for a long time talk to me last night. I got a giddy thrill from the fact that this wonderful person to want to know me and interact.
I could name throw but my ego is inflated enough as it is.
But it got me thinking about hero worship and how we take or learn from them.
For myself I don't think its good enough to sit back and simply watch what they do, and go, 'oh, yeah, aren't they great'.
You have to become your own hero, instead of wishing, get out there and live your dream.
Turn yourself into someone you admire. Live your dream instead of simply dreaming.
But I can't there are so many things standing in my way, I don't have skills. I've heard so many people say.
I personally lack in so many skills, heck I can't spell, nor is my grammar and punctuation up to scratch, but have I let it stand in my way of becoming a successful writer? Hell no. There is always a way.
So, go on and get out there and do it.
Phew, I feel exhausted from that rant now, time for a cuppa tea and some story writing.

Book Trailer and other news

I've done another book trailer, why? Well, one because they are fun, they premote my book, you get to ogle sexy guys, and it gives you a glimps into what the story is about. i.e. blurb.





Well without further adue here is the link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SncBxhVfj4U&feature=related


Oh, other exciting news is that Whiskey Creek Press have accepted Dragon Down Under. Yippee, always cause for dancing around the house in my skimpies. Shocking the kids and neighbours. Making hubby roll his eyes.


And There will be a Fourth Kelon book. It very different from the last three. I have a friend reading it and already says it's the best one yet. Shurgs, hope so but I guess that is up to the reader.

Tempting Tara Cover

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All firing up for the release of Tempting Tara in June so here is the cover done by the wonderful Author and artist Gemini Judson.

Gives a sigh, where do they find these hunky guys! lol.

Dangerous Moonlight Reviewed

Happy moments are these! My first review of Dangerous Moonlight.

Yay! says me.

http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/new-reviews/dangerous-moonlight-by-angela-castle

Abducting Alice Review and others.

I want to start with thanking all the review sites who have taken the time to review my stories, and to thank all the readers who have or haven't enjoyed them also.

Whipped cream have reviewed Abducting Alice. I am happy with the rating they gave it, but what interested me more was the actual review itself. Full of rich detail and depth without giving anything away.
This of course set me thinking about my journey as an author.
I am aware Sci-fi stories (human female abduction ones) have been done to death. There is much cliche around the subject.
To be fair, when I wrote this very little tale, I had no idea what I was doing at the time. Only that I was passionate about romance and Sci-fi romance at that. I was also writing Blue Fire at the same time.

Since being accepted by publishers my learning curve as a writer has been a very steep one. I've joined writers clubs, and guilds. The support and learning I have received from the Melbourne Romance Writers Guild has been invaluable.

I write what I love, and feel. I think that showed through in Blue Fire and hopefully the soon to be released Stealing Fire andStealing Fire.

This is not in defense of any bad review. They can sting yes, but you have to take the bad with the good. Grow stronger or get grumpier.

Updating

Okay, yes I'm a bad blogger, Life is short so I'm out there living it. To my news, Dangerous Moonlight is now out at Fiction wise, and All Romance.com. Much to my excitement. Still waiting for it to go to Amazon, mind you. I have finished Sin's City Dangerous Moonlight 2, but it needs a good tidy up. I have submitted Dragon Down Under to a new publisher, so fingers crossed, I wait with abated breath. Tempting Tara is still coming out in June, and Stealing Fire July 17th! I am planing to do something special for the launch of Stealing Fire, so stay tuned.

Stealing Fire Cover

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I have been informed (subject to change) that Stealing Fire will be released in July, Yay, says I!
My wonderful publisher and editor has been working hard on this, to which I am eternally grateful.

In other News Tempting Tara will be released in June. No art cover for that yet, but am looking forward to it.

I am working towards finishing Sin's City Dangerous Moonlight 2. I wonder why the last few chapters are the hardest to write?

An amazing month.

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It's been an amazing month. Destined Hearts was released, and Abducting Alice is still a best seller.
I've been working on edits for Stealing Fire and Keeping Katie. They both now have book covers.
I have completed Dragon Down Under and I am revising it, ready for submission, along with the third of my Kelon books Resisting Rachel.

Sometimes I feel as if the progress on my other works is moving at a snails pace. But I chip away at it one bit at a time, and eventually they get finished. Family and working life can get a bit hectic at times.