Nicole MacDonald's Blog, page 6

Still waiting on the draft... so here's the BLURB!

Still waiting on the draft and maybe this is mean offering the blurb before the book is ready *grin* but think of it like a movie trailer, a tempting hint. No, I'm not answering any questions on it and no, NEVER assume anything...*mwahahahaha*


Continuing from the second book of the BirthRight Trilogy, Awakening, is the final installment—Feel the Burn.
The battle to save Gar’nyse is upon them and already the costs are insurmountable.With no other option but to knowingly sail into a trap, the girls, the Griffon Guard, and the gathered forces set forth to reach the castle and destroy Jenviet. However the loss of Alek means the task sits fully on the four girls’ shoulders and with only one of them at their full Elemental abilities, the risk of death, or worse— failure—is high. Now with nothing to lose, Catherine refuses to link with the other girls, hoping that she alone will be able to take Jenviet. But the malevolent Sorceress of Vo’Arum has other plans…
Take care all!Nic The Arrival, available FREE at at Amazon : Barnes&Noble : iTunes : Kobo : Smashwords Awakening available at Amazon : AmazonUK : Barnes&Noble : Smashwords : itunes

Want an example of a passive movie – try Breaking Dawn part two

I've read and enjoyed the Twilight series. No, they’re not remarkable but they amused me for a few hours and some of the descriptions, like the cabin in the woods, I loved *grin* but that’s a more personal thing. Anyhoo, I've watched the other movies and just got around to watching the last one. None of the movies do the books justice, I feel they dumb down the basic stories even more but this final story… *groan* After learning about passive writing, I found Breaking Dawn part two a lesson in passive film making. Why the constant voice over? What a dreary way to finish what was the favorite part of the whole story – for me. There were so many bits I looked forward to and all of it was executed (just to be clear – this all just my opinion, you don’t have to agree with me) with a shoddy hand. Not subtle, everything is told to the watcher when I really, really wanted to live it with the characters.Such a bummer.Take care all!Nic The Arrival, available FREE at at Amazon : Barnes&Noble : iTunes : Kobo : Smashwords Awakening available at Amazon : AmazonUK : Barnes&Noble : Smashwords : itunes

There ain't nothing speedy about writing...

Yes, when inspiration strikes you can pound out thousands of word with ease, but that's JUST the draft. A rough mash-up of ideas that won't look anything like the end result (or shouldn't ;p). I am still waiting on getting the manuscript from the editor and no, this isn't unusual or in anyway wrong. I know lots of you are sitting on the edges of your seats waiting for Feel the Burn - cause I am too! - but the most important thing next to getting the book out is getting it out right. Good things really do take time. And having learned so much with writing the first two books I've narrowed down the field of those who work on my books. Only the best will do *grin* And that's all about skill and the time taken to complete the job to the highest standard. I'll never be an indie who flashes a book out in a month. That's not a book in my eyes, that's a draft  that'll need a lot of re-working. The more time I spend at this writing game, the more I learn and the more I want to fix my previous writing *lol* While I wait for Feel the Burn I'm re-working The Arrival, making the language more active and double-checking I don't have any accidental slip ups in plot. It's the little things that can catch you unawares! Thanks for the emails and messages, I love knowing that you're as excited as I am about Feel the Burn and I can promise the wait will be worth it.

Take care all!Nic The Arrival, available FREE at at Amazon : Barnes&Noble : iTunes : Kobo : Smashwords Awakening available at Amazon : AmazonUK : Barnes&Noble : Smashwords : itunes

Hypoglycaemia – ever heard of it?

Neither had I until a few years ago (okay, like eight years ago or so now). I've always had a shocking sweet tooth – I can’t drink (my asthma doesn't like alcohol at all) but leave me with a 1kg bag of licorice off cuts and I'll do my best to demolish them, including drinking water until I stop feeling queasy and then continuing… it’s really rather sad but sugar is NOT my friend and I just can’t buy lollies (or at least no more than the tiny kiddy bags made up at the local dairy) without giving myself a sugar hangover. I've since discovered this is a tell tale sign of a hypoglycaemic  What happens when I eat sugar is my body pumps out endorphins to help counteract the massive glucose surge along with insulin to fix it. But it kind of over does it. Lots of endorphins means all I want to do is chow down on everything sugary within reach (seriously, Glenn knows to hide such things from me – I have no concept of sharing when it comes to sugary treats *blush*). Occasionally, when I'm really excited or anxious (or have adrenalin pumping) my body decides to pump out insulin in response – it’s kinda like it mixes up the appropriate thing endorphins/insulin and when that happens I'll stop dead in my tracks (where ever I happen to be) say something like ‘I feel funny’ then fall to my knees (this is great! Stops most accidental concussions) then flop over unconscious. Not normal unconscious but with my eyes rolled back and apparently I look like I'm talking (yes, that’s where the idea came from when I wrote the scene with Cat/Alek and the tehnear in The Arrival). Naturally anyone near me tends to freak out but by the time the ambulance reaches me my blood sugar has normalized enough that I'm conscious. Of course I do kinda look like I'm stoned and it’s a seriously queer feeling to experience. First off I have no idea where I am, when I drop my mind whisks me away and I believe that I'm standing on the deck at our hut chatting to a woman with long dark curly hair. It feels so real to me that I can smell the bush, feel the ribbed boards of the deck under my feet and the slight breeze on my skin. I have no idea what the strange lady is talking to me about and I can never remember when I come to. It’s pretty freaky to open your eyes and not know where you are. Usually I'm staring at a ceiling and for a few moments I'm completely terrified, not knowing where I am and unable to move as I come to my senses. Then my hearing starts to come back but it sounds like I'm hearing everything from a far off distant. I remember coming to on the bathroom floor once, with Glenn bent over me anxiously asking me if it was okay that he rang the ambulance (kiwi’s have a real ‘ she'll be right’ attitude that often prevents us calling for help – silly I know but it’s true). I remember staring at him in astonishment because I could see his mouth moving, but his voice sounded so, so far away. Then the feeling starts to come back to my face and limbs and it’s accompanied by a strange ‘rushing’ sensation. I'm pretty dozy at this stage and tend to feel pleasantly dreamy while most amused by the ‘energy’ that seems to be resonating off my limbs. I'm usually studying my hands, waving them past each other in slow motion while asking in a Mr Burns on medication tone – ‘Wow, can you feel that? I'm all fuzzy’.This strange experience happened several years in a row, all just before or on Christmas when I was zooming around in kidlike excitement and it just occurred to me to write this as I'm going through the same sensations right at the moment. Current adrenaline rush excitement is cued by the desire to read my draft but I must hold off!! No reading through until it’s gone through the proof reader…. For the mean time I think I might go have a lie down ;p and maybe a drink of juice to help *grin* I get far too involved in all this!

Take care all!Nic The Arrival, available FREE at at Amazon : Barnes&Noble : iTunes : Kobo : Smashwords Awakening available at Amazon : AmazonUK : Barnes&Noble : Smashwords : itunes

Heroine of the 21st Century, María Santos Gorrostieta, Executed in Mexico

Heroine of the 21st Century, María Santos Gorrostieta, Executed in Mexico

I don't normally share links like this, but for such a phenomenal woman, I am.
May you be reborn to a life of love, light, and laughter. May your children see the fruits of your hard born labor. May your memory inspire others to feel the burn, and do it anyway.

*groan* so we’ve established I’m not a particularly patient person…

And, apparently, neither are most my readers *grin*. Already I’m getting daily reminders that December is just around the corner and when will Feel the Burn be released!!!Well, I wish it were that straight forward and I could give you a date, believe me, it’d make my life lots easier. But life being what it is things happen unexpectedly (cursed bloody hurricane!) and of course this really is the worst time of the year to complete things. As it stands I am still waiting for the manuscript from my fabulous line editor and then after I zoom through those adjustments it’s off to the proof reader, and THEN, I’ll actually get to sit down and read it *swoon* and then it’s off to the ebook formatter. Keep in mind that all of us involved in the actual editing/proofing are speed readers but even so, not many people have two to three hours straight to sit down and devote to the task. The book WILL be released in December, but for now, I don’t know the date. I do solemnly promise to let you all know the INSTANT it is released on Amazon/Smashwords and for those of you with Nooks, Kobos and other e-readers I recommend you buy the book directly from Smashwords. They have it available in all formats and there is no mark up on price. Feel the Burn will be priced at $5.00 when it comes out and I do firmly believe you’ll all find it more than worth that price. I hope to have a review of sorts up soon, about Feel the Burn. A New Zealand reader has been lucky enough to be one of the first to read it (though prior to editing so she also got to witness the occasional balls up *lol*) and I’ve asked her to write her thoughts without giving away any spoilers. Bit of an oxymoron I know, but until the book’s available it’s the best I can offer you all *grin*.Hope you’re all well and if any of you tackled NaNoWriMo I hope you’re doing great!Take care all!Nic The Arrival, available FREE at at Amazon : Barnes&Noble : iTunes : Kobo : Smashwords Awakening available at Amazon : AmazonUK : Barnes&Noble : Smashwords : itunes

Does looking in the mirror surprise you?

Picture from this link
No, this isn’t about vanity ;p more about how you see yourself in your head. Maybe it’s just me, I don’t know, but while I’m plotting and pondering new ideas I often catch myself double looking in the mirror, surprised to see myself because I expect to see the current character I’m working on. I know that sounds a bit crazy, but I’ve always been one to intensely fantasize about characters (no, not in any dodgy way ;p you dirty minded lot!) and really ‘get in their head’. It leaves me feeling oddly out of touch with my own skin. Kind of like when you watch a movie and really get involved with the plot to the point that when you walk out the cinema you just expect to see the characters there, it feels like you’re in that world. Sometimes I really do feel like there are dozens of personalities living inside my head, clambering for a chance to ride in the front seat and direct…Does anyone else get this? Or am I living up to the ‘all writers are a special type of insane’ line ;pTake care all!Nic The Arrival, available FREE at at Amazon : Barnes&Noble : iTunes : Kobo : Smashwords Awakening available at Amazon : AmazonUK : Barnes&Noble : Smashwords : itunes

The irritation in learning new things…

Okay, so I finally understand the passive/active voice and now while I wait for the draft to be returned to me I've decided to read The Arrival again.Now first off, I do love the story.BUT!The passive words!!! *groan* they’re EVERYWHERE! And while I’m enjoying re-reading it I keep finding myself mentally correcting every other sentence. It’s so frustrating. Next year, once all three books are out I’m going to take my time and re work the first two books again. This won’t change the story at all, but it will make the writing stronger. I've always intended to do this, especially because I want to release all three books in paperback so I might as well get them as perfect as possible. That’s the lovely thing about e-books, they’re so easy to update! I shouldn't be too hard on myself though, I’m reading The Other Boleyn Girl, another favorite of mine, and Phillipa Gregory is always using a passive voice—obviously her editors never corrected her ;p 
Take care all!Nic The Arrival, available FREE at at Amazon : Barnes&Noble : iTunes : Kobo : Smashwords Awakening available at Amazon : AmazonUK : Barnes&Noble : Smashwords : itunes

Creating a blurb

I have a bunch of things to work on while my re-write is in Trish’s trusty hands, these include:         Create chapter headings         Add to the map that features in the front of the book         Check the glossary of names and add/remove from it         Figure out the dedication         Find someone to format the book for Kindle & Smashwords – usually I do it myself but it’s  just one hell of a headache I could do without – especially with December looming         Write the blurb
Ahhh, the blurb. A paragraph to ensnare the reader. To make tantalizing allusions toward the unknown while revealing nothing.Such fun (yes, that’s sarcasm).The blurbs for book one and two were remarkably easy to create. I fretted over the idea of actually writing them then sat down and knocked them out in an hour. With a bit of tinkering and asking for other peoples opinion, they were done. Voilà (and for those couple of indie authors who spell this, wah-lah or wha-lah – THIS is what you meant, voilà – a little word meaning something like ‘hey presto’).But with the blurb for Feel the Burn, well this time I think it might be tricky (don’t hold me to it though!). Everything ties up in this book. All the events I set in place from the very beginning (and I did! You’ll be able to read from book one with fresh eyes after reading Feel the Burn) are finally playing out and all (*deranged laughter* ‘all’) I need to is create a blurb to show that while showing nothing. Sounds like an oxymoron, huh? I’ll never be an author who provides a full one page description of my book because if you can’t tantalize a reader in a paragraph or two, then your book may be over complicated or you could be giving away too much. When I read the blurbs on books I love it's the short snappy ones that intrigue me enough to continue. If I have to read it several times to make sense of it, then I’m not likely to buy the book.So readers and/or writers what are your thoughts on blurbs? I’d love to hear them!
Take care all!Nic The Arrival, available FREE at at Amazon : Barnes&Noble : iTunes : Kobo : Smashwords Awakening available at Amazon : AmazonUK : Barnes&Noble : Smashwords : itunes

Learning new tricks

The first editor to look at Feel the Burn pointed out my over use of the passive voice. Now I won’t lie, I knew what she meant but didn't really understand HOW to fix them. So I had a hunt on Kindle and found this bookHow to Swat the KILLER B's out of your writing byNancy Owens BarnesIf I were to recommend any book for understanding and annihilating the passive voice, this would be it! In short I hunted out the following words.
Words to watch out for!
am – is – are – was – were – be – being – been
You can of course just use this wee cheat sheet to help, but I really can’t recommend Nancy’s book enough. I've read on passive/active before and it confused the heck out of me. Too often people write blog posts on this subject yet quite obviously don’t really understand it. So I’m not going to try to explain it any further, I’m just going to recommend that if you ever need to understand it, buy this book! Take care all!Nic The Arrival, available FREE at at Amazon : Barnes&Noble : iTunes : Kobo : Smashwords Awakening available at Amazon : AmazonUK : Barnes&Noble : Smashwords : itunes