Kelly Hashway's Blog, page 40

Writer Wednesday: Simultaneous Drafting

Today's topic comes from the lovely Mirka, who asked: "How many first drafts can you do simultaneously?"
I will be the first to admit that I can only draft one book at a time. That's just how my mind works. I need to focus on one story. Now having said that, I can revise one book while drafting another because I find revising and drafting don't tax my brain in the same ways. I can also plot one book (jotting down notes) while drafting another. Yes, those are similar, but I'm not actually drafting two books at once, so I can pull that off.
The issue for me is that I need to immerse myself in the world I'm creating in order to draft. This is also why I fast draft. I let the story fully consume me, and as a result, I can't fully focus on much of anything else. ;) 
For those of you who do draft multiple books at once, how do you do it? Do you have any tips to share for those who would like to multi-draft? (Did I just make that word up?)
*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Monday Mishmash 1/23/17

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.
Here's what's on my mind today:Lies We Tell  I'm getting really excited for my April release, Lies We Tell. Just a reminder or in case you missed it: If you'd like to help me get ready for this release, you can sign up for the cover reveal, release week blitz, and/or to receive an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Huge thank you to all who have already signed up! :)Pocono Writers Conference  This past Saturday, I attended the Pocono Writers Conference. I had a great time and even won a book with a title very similar to my upcoming release: Editing  As always, I'm editing for a client this week.Scholastic Book Fair  I'll be helping out with the Scholastic Book Fair at my daughter's school this week. You know that means I'll be buying books, books, and more books!Revision  At the writers conference, Megan Hart gave me some great advice for my psychic mystery, so I'll be working on revisions soon.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Friday Feature: $.99 Sale About to End!

The $.99 sale will end tomorrow night! The horror, I know! Be sure to grab your copy of Fading Into the Shadows here now before it's too late.



When sixteen-year-old Ella Andrews’s best friend, Avery, goes missing, she’ll do anything to get him back—starting with punching the no-brain cop who couldn’t care less about the disappearance.
Ella’s convinced Avery’s been kidnapped, and she tries everything to find him—even fol-lowing a strange shadow to another world where the constellations are real-life figures in the sky. But three star groups have fallen and are destroying the world.
The fallen constellations are not the only enemy. Melanie, the princess of Stellaris, is forcing Ella, Avery, and an army of other kids kidnapped from their world to fight the rogue con-stellations, even as the land is draining away their life. The longer they stay, the more they fade into substanceless shadows—a fate worse than death.
Can Ella save Stellaris before there's nothing left of her and Avery?

Here's what readers are saying about Fading Into the Shadows:

"From the first word, Fading into the Shadows has you wishing you could fade into a shadow and read this book in one sitting!" ~Beth Consugar

"This was the first book I have read by this author and I was not disappointed." ~KRLGA

"Kelly Hashway has created a fantasy world that will enchant you and yet leave you wondering who are the good guys and who are the bad." ~Beverly's Reviews

"A must read, fast-paced thriller." ~Kindle Customer

*Want your YA, NA, or MG book featured on my blog? Contact me here and we'll set it up.

Writer Wednesday: Failed Author Moments

On Monday, my daughter and I went shopping. I bought a pretty new dress for YA Fest, and when I brought it to the register, the woman asked my daughter if she had a dance coming up. I told her the dress was for me. (Note: I'm not that much bigger than my daughter any more, and because of my small size, I have to shop in the juniors section if I don't want my clothes to fall off me during the course of the day.) What happened next had me wanting to smack myself.
No, the cashier didn't make fun of me for shopping in the juniors department. I told her I'm an author and I was buying the dress for an upcoming book signing. She looked at me in amazement. Then she proceeded to tell me how cool it was that I'm an author and asked what I write. Here's the part where I wanted to smack myself. I told her the book released that day and it was for teens. That's all I said. She looked at me like she was expecting me to say more, which I should have, but I paid my bill and left the store.
Here's the thing. I'm not comfortable talking about being an author to people I meet under normal everyday circumstances. I tend to dodge the subject. If I'm at a book signing or a school visit, it's a completely different story. But put me with people who don't know what I do for a living and I clam up. Why? I could say I don't know, but that's not true. I do know why. I'm not a best seller. I'm not a name people recognize unless you know me. Should I be embarrassed because of that? Of course not! Yet I don't talk about my books unless I'm in a book-related setting.
I've published 23 books, 3 novellas, and over 200 short stories. Why shouldn't I be proud of that? I'm sharing this today because I suspect I'm not the only author who acts this way—thinking less of him/herself because he/she hasn't hit the NYT best-seller list. We need to stop acting this way. I look at my daughter, who couldn't be more proud to have her book published and available for free. She gets it, and she's nine. Maybe we all could learn something from her.
*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Monday Mishmash 1/16/17

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.
Here's what's on my mind today:Fading Into the Shadows is Here and On Sale!  Today is release day for Fading Into the Shadows, and it's on sale for release week! Grab your copy here for only $.99! Don't wait though. This sale won't last long.  Editing  I finished a client edit last week and am working on a new one this week.Short School Week  My daughter has off from school today and Friday so I get to have two mother-daughter days this week. :)Plotting  I'm brainstorming for the next book in my adult psychic mystery series. It won't release for years due to the backlog of books I have in the works, but I have to keep writing. Lies We Tell Sign-ups Are Open!  My first ever adult mystery/suspense releases in April. I'm SO excited!!!! Sign-ups for the Cover Reveal, e-ARCs, and Release Week Blitz are all open. If you're interested, just click on the ones you'd like to sign up for. (You do not need a blog for any of these. They will all be shared on social media, though you can share on a blog if you'd like.)That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Friday Feature: Pressure Point

Six weeks after the Trascion Crisis, the Alliance is long dead—but its secrets are not. Taylor Ghatzi knows the truth lies within her enigmatic dreams—if she can decipher them before the Kaleknarians make their next move. On the other side of the galaxy, Cherran DeGuavra is trying to wrangle the five powers into an agreement that will open up a new era of pan-galactic cooperation—until developments within his own government threaten the foundations of interstellar order. As Taylor and Cherran battle Kaleknarian plots and Meltian politics, little do they know more than peace is at stake.
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Adam Quinn is a Chicago-based author of science fiction and space opera. When he’s not writing about the technology of the future, he’s studying engineering so that one day he can help create it.
*Want your YA, NA, or MG book featured on my blog? Contact me here and we'll set it up.

Writer Wednesday: I've Revised. Now What?

The other day I received an email from someone asking what they should do when they have revised and think they have their book where they want it. I figured others might have the same question, so I'm going to discuss that here today.
First, these tips are for when you are happy with the story itself. You're convinced you've cleared up plot holes and any other issues. What now? You're not finished revising. Now you need to focus on different things.
~Put Your Book Away  You need time away, at least a month, but I recommend two to three. Write something else, and read in your genre in the meantime. You need to forget that book in order to read it with fresh eyes.
~ Track Your Timeline  I keep a notebook where I track the timeline for each book I write. It looks something like this:
Chapter 1  page 1   Monday, October 3rd  morning to eveningChapter 2  page 7   Monday, October 3rd  evening through Tuesday, October 4th middayChapter 3  page 13 Tuesday, October 4th midday through night
Why do I do this? Simple, you want to make sure you don't skip a day somewhere. Also, if I say the MC has two weeks to do something, I better make sure I'm accurate on those two weeks. (You can create this timeline as you are drafting.)
~Send You Manuscript To an e-Reader  I email my files to my Kindle. ALWAYS! Reading in a different format makes a huge difference as far as catching errors.
~Allow Your e-Reader to Read Aloud to You  This is one of my favorite tricks because it's been proven that your mind can read misspelled words as long as the first and last letter of the word are in the correct positions. I find "form" instead of "from" all the time! "Titled" instead of "tilted" is another common misspelling. Your e-reader can only read what you wrote, not what you meant to write, so it's wonderful for picking up on these errors. Also, hearing how your book sounds is very important for determining flow, voice, pace, and repetition.
~Read Your Book Backward  This one always confuses people, but it's a must! I don't mean word for word. I mean paragraph by paragraph or sentence by sentence. If I were reading this post backward, I'd start by reading the last paragraph first. Then I'd read the second to last paragraph. Then I'd read the third to last, and so on. The point of this is to keep the story from consuming your thoughts. You are focusing on sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, missing words, and spelling. The cool thing about reading backward is that repetition jumps out at you. I have no idea why, but it does. 
~Check for Common Misspellings  The publishing world defaults to Merriam-Webster. Live on that site!!!! I always have it open. Here are common misspellings I find all the time: (Note these are American spellings taken from Merriam-Webster.)
backwards - There's no S on this word!forwards - There's no S on this word!towards - There's no S on this word!afterwards - There's no S on this word!(Notice the common thread with these?)
~Check for Overused Words  There are some that we all overuse, and then there are others specific to each writer. Here are some common ones to look for and cut:
justthatthenthoughandbutalltooturnlike
~Find a Beloved Beta or Two  When you're finished doing the above, it's time to pass your book on to some betas. Fresh eyes that aren't familiar with your book work wonders. Once you get feedback from your betas and make changes, I'd repeat sending the manuscript to your e-reader and/or reading the manuscript backward to catch any errors created during your revision.
Your manuscript should be in good shape and ready to submit after that. If you're self-publishing, please hire an editor. It's a must! If you're submitting to agents or publishers, you'll eventually be paired with an editor, so no need to hire one.
Have any tips I didn't mention? Feel free to share them in the comments.
*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

Monday Mishmash 1/9/16

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.
Here's what's on my mind today:Fading Into the Shadows  I can't believe Fading Into the Shadows releases one week from today! Where did the time go?Lies We Tell  My first adult mystery/suspense will release on April 10th. Sign-ups for the Cover Reveal, Release Week Social Media Blitz, and e-ARCs have all gone live. Feel free to click on any or all of these to sign up. :)Editing  As usual, I'm editing for a client right now.Final Proof  Lies We Tell is finally proofed and ready. E-ARCs will go out on February 8th, so make sure you sign up here if you'd like to read this book in exchange for an honest review.Organizing  I organized my office this past weekend. My daughter and I somehow managed to get all my books (stock) into the appropriate boxes and in my closet. I also organized my bookshelves. I feel like I can be more productive now.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Friday Feature: Confessions of a Nerdoholic Cover Reveal

COVER REVEAL Coming January 24, 2017 Blurb Eloise Duncan has a type. Skinny jeans and black rimmed glasses. She’s a nerdoholic, and she isn’t ashamed…Eloise isn’t the party all night, keg stand kind of college girl. She works part-time at the Sugar Cube bakery, and keeps her nose in a book. Even with her above par study habits, she still manages to have a failing anatomy grade at mid-term. To cheer herself up, she stops by the library a few hours a week to check out Oliver Edwards, the guy of her dreams who doesn’t realize she exists. At least, not yet. Eloise has a plan. No guy, even nerds, can resist a good cupcake, and Eloise makes the best cupcakes on earth…She leaves one of her famous strawberry cheesecake cupcakes on top of Oliver’s chemistry book. It’s enough to brighten her mood, but not enough to bring her grade up. When she accidentally hits Oliver in the crotch with her anatomy book, it turns out Oliver isn’t just hot, he’s also nice and forgiving. He offers to tutor Eloise in exchange for an endless supply of sugary treats.It’s a daydream come true, but if Eloise doesn’t pass anatomy, her father will jerk her out of school…Her father never wanted her to go to Maryland. He wants her back on the west coast, following in his footsteps at Pepperdine. He’ll use her bad grade to bring her home. Will Eloise be able to tame her nerd lust long enough to make the grade she needs to pass her class, or will she have to leave her new love behind in…
Confessions of a Nerdoholic?

MEET THE AUTHOR Savannah was born in Hyden, Kentucky. She received her M.S in Speech Language Pathology from The University of Mississippi in 2009. She’s been writing since the early age of nine when she begged her parents for a type writer for Christmas.She now lives in Corbin, Ky with her husband of eight years, John, and their two wonderful daughters, Delilah and Gracie.When she isn’t working, or running after her kids, she spends her free time traveling the country with her husband. There is nothing better than a day of football in the grove, a late night of basketball at Rupp Arena or slapping the glass to celebrate another Washington Capitals goal.She is a strong believer that with enough hard work and determination you can accomplish anything. TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vannajodeeWEBSITE: http://www.savannahblevins.com/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/savannahblevinsauthorLIMITLESS PUBLISHING: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/savannah-blevins/

Writer Wednesday: 2017 At a Glance

2017 is the year of taking control of my career. Here's what I plan to do this year, though this is just a rough outline and isn't totally filled in yet:
January:Edits booked for the entire monthJanuary 16, 2017  Release Fading Into the Shadows (YA, paranormal, Kelly Hashway) January 21, 2017 Attend the Pocono Writers Conference

February: Edits booked for the entire monthFinal proof of Lies We Tell (Adult suspense, Kelly Hashway)

March: Edits booked for the entire monthMarch 18, 2017 Sign at YA Fest

April: Edits booked for the entire monthApril 10, 2017 Release Lies We Tell (Adult suspense, Kelly Hashway) 

May: (Still booking edits)Write the second book in my adult psychic mystery series.Proof It Was Always You (Adult romance, Ashelyn Drake)Tentative date for local Book Expo signing

June: Write book two in my Sapphire Springs series (Adult romance, Ashelyn Drake)Considering opening up to ebook formatting services

July:July 10, 2017 Release It Was Always You (Adult romance, Ashelyn Drake) Take a blogging break

August: 1 Edit booked so farProof Unseen Evil (YA paranormal, Kelly Hashway)

September: (Still booking edits)Send Evil Unleashed  (YA paranormal, Kelly Hashway) to my editor

October: (Still booking edits)October 9, 2017 Release Unseen Evil (YA paranormal, Kelly Hashway) Send Love on Hold (Adult romance, Ashelyn Drake) to my editor

November: (Still booking edits)Proof Secrets We Keep (Adult suspense, Kelly Hashway)NaNo? Probably unofficially this year.

December: (Still booking edits)Get adult psychic mystery #1 ready to send to my editor.

So that's how my year is starting to take shape. I'm sure I'll add a lot to this, and as you can see, I didn't list everything. Marketing is ongoing, so I didn't put that on here. I also didn't put cover design or cover reveals on here. I'm considering this outline a work-in-progress, much like 2017. ;)
What does your year look like?
*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.