G.P. Ching's Blog, page 22

Looking for Bloggers

Are you a blogger wanting to increase traffic to your blog?  Are you between 15 and 30?  I'm looking for twenty YA bloggers to be part of a launch promotion for The Soulkeepers.  If you are interested, or know someone who might be, please contact me via the tab above.



Thanks!

Author Interview Series - Amy Rose Davis

Please welcome Amy Rose Davis to So, Write.  I love the the Ravenmarked cover.  Sexy and mysterious, just like the title.  I was excited for the chance to learn more about the author.

Please tell us a little about yourself and what motivated you to start writing? 

[Amy Rose Davis] I have always been a storyteller. I've been telling stories from the time I could talk, and as soon as I could write, I started putting them on paper. I wrote angsty teenage romance stories in high school, and in the early 90s, I wrote two full-length fantasy novels. Both of them are hiding deep in my closet to be laughed over after I'm gone. :)



When I had kids, I wanted to work from home, so I started freelancing as a commercial writer. During that time I wrote for a construction trade journal and had three short stories accepted to the "Cup of Comfort" anthologies, but that was as far as my byline went. When my work started to wane with the recession, I decided to return to fiction writing. I wrote the first draft of Ravenmarked during NaNoWriMo 2009.



You can visit Amy Jo Davis at her blog: Modicum of Talent





What is Ravenmarked about? Is this part of a series?

[Amy Rose Davis] Ravenmarked is about a man who is marked by the earth to be an avenging angel. He doesn't like the idea of being anyone's killer, so he tries to keep the magic at bay by working as a freelance man-at-arms and armed escort. That way he can justify killing in the line of duty. When the

long-lost heir to his country's throne needs an escort, he agrees to take the job. He finds himself drawn to her and the magic that makes him a killer at the same time, and he has to decide if he'll succumb to the magic or keep running from it. In the end, the heir's life depends on his choice.



Ravenmarked is the first in a five-book series called The Taurin Chronicles. I'm working on book two, Bloodbonded.





How did you come up with the idea for The Taurin Chronicles?

[Amy Rose Davis] It started with just an image of a girl in white running for her life from an abbey. I played with that idea for about three years (off and on) before I finally sat down to write the book. The girl ended up being my catalyst character, not the main character. I found Connor, the ravenmarked escort, much more compelling. But in book two, the girl, Mairead, will be the main character.



I love epic fantasy and wanted to play with a lot of themes like mercy, justice, and vengeance. I also kind of wanted to play with the idea of the earth just getting fed up with people on it, but in a Medieval setting. And, I like the idea of cusps and tipping points. The world of The Taurin Chronicles is one that's in upheaval and chaos and on the verge of new ideas and exciting changes--in many ways like our own world is! It's sort of straddling the line between Medieval and Renaissance, which is a fascinating

historical period, I think.





What makes Ravenmarked different or special compared to other titles in this genre?

[Amy Rose Davis] For one thing, it's always interesting when you give someone a violent magic and ask them to control it. A lot of hero/magicians are seen as just plain old good guys, and no one questions whether their actions are right. Connor questions himself constantly: "Is this spirit that marked me good or bad? Am I killing someone who should be killed, or is this just vengeance for vengeance's sake? How can I know I'm right?" He walks a slippery slope and has a lot of internal struggles to contend with.



Another thing... A lot of epic fantasy is plot-driven. This book (and series) is very character-driven, and each book in the series will have a different protagonist. Plus, there are strong romantic themes throughout my writing. While there's plenty of sex in classic epic fantasy, there's not always a lot of romance, and mine has romance.



Finally, I think this book straddles a line between secular and Christian fantasy. I hope it straddles it well. :) Christians who don't mind some messy characters who have a lot of vices will probably enjoy this book, and non-Christians who don't mind some biblical imagery and a monotheistic world will probably enjoy it, too.





What type of reader do you feel will enjoy this book the most?

[Amy Rose Davis] People who like a lot of magic, a lot of character development, a fair dose of blood, and a little romance. :)





What has been the most difficult part of the publishing process for you? The most rewarding?

[Amy Rose Davis] The most difficult is figuring out where to focus my marketing efforts. Sometimes I feel like I'm just marketing to other writers! With all the noise on the Internet, it's tough to figure out what

makes the most sense sometimes.



The most rewarding: Definitely when people compliment my work! The creative control is also rewarding, and I'm enjoying the freedom of being able to release my work on my own timeline. :)



Where can we buy your book?

[Amy Rose Davis] Amazon

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

Thank you for visiting today, Amy.  I'll be adding this one to my TBR list for sure.  Good luck with your future titles.

Author Interview Series - Garry Graves

Please welcome Garry Graves to So, Write!  Garry is the first non-fiction author to appear in this series.  His book is about something we need more of in this world, character.  Here's what Garry had to say about his book.





Please tell us a little about yourself and what motivated you to start writing? [Garry] I'm a businessman, educator and now writer of nonfiction (Personal Development and Biography), and soon fiction with a Sherlock Holmes-esque style, under a penname. Was motivated by a favorite professor who thought that businessmen; particularly business owners, should be proficient in prose when describing the intricacies of business financials, pro-forma's, and all business details in communications with bankers, venture capitalists and potential stock owners. He was right...the concept stuck with me. My business writing (some say it to be fiction, hehe), was recognized by some who thought it worthy to a point of parting with their monies relative to my venture at the time.

In 2005, after 30 years of meeting all kinds and types of business scoundrels, as well as angels, someone suggested it might be helpful to read a book reminding everyone of the effects of decision-making. In 2010 I self-published: 'Character Happens! The 5 Most Important—But Fleeting Virtues.' (characterhappens.com)

Prior to Character Happens!, my only previous published work were articles in trade and industry magazines.



What is Character Happens about?

[Garry] The book has five stories and/or chapters. Each story discusses a selected virtue (my choice), of the many that are known. Each story focuses on an individual member of a group of six people who are golf buddies. The stories are written around a golf storyline employing an event on the golf course with the chapter-focused individual's personal life. Here is my descriptive information on Amazon's ebook page.

[Garry is interested in feedback on his Amazon description.  You can leave any in the comments]



How did you come up with the idea for Character Happens?[Garry] Being a business consultant, business owner, salesman and part time community college instructor, I've always had what I thought to be a nice blend of first-hand business experience coupled with formal business knowledge. After thirty years in business; observing, studying successful ventures, and questioning the failed ventures...you become acutely aware of what successful businesses employ with their workers their processes and their customers. Simply, it's the 'character' of an organization that drives most to success. Many times this organizational character comes from 'one' individual...with little credit, as it should be, given to the nuances of their product/service, the marketplace or the economy. I wanted to speak out about my observations juxtaposing decision-making and business success and failures. I thought a book might be the perfect vehicle.

BTW, I like to think of the book as my way of 'paying it forward,' to those (businesspeople, individuals, those just starting out), who think of themselves as character challenged, as well. hehe.



What makes Character Happens different or special compared to the other titles in this genre?[Garry] Candidly, I blister at 'self-help' tripe. Character Happens!, offers five stories about how individuals 'might' better their lives should they make decisions outside their own self-interest. The book is not prescriptive like Covey's, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, but more like Bennett's, The Book of Virtues, whereby story offerings are given without any life-directions or assertions about 'how to' do this or that.

The book's storyline, at times, is terse, sharp, damning, condescending and critical of individuals and/or their actions. It is also loving, caring, compelling and complex...in a teaching kind of way. Readers will notice immediately that Character Happens!, is not your typical read relative to the concept of character. It's from a war-worn businessman who has observed some beautiful AND horrendous decision's coming from a myriad (gender, age, religiosity, education, ethnicity), of human beings. The book has no religious bent and professes none. It offers no methodology, other than to think deeper, considering all ramifications of your decision.



What type of reader do you feel will enjoy this book the most?[Garry] The books five featured characters, one featured in each chapter, vary in gender, age, religious background and socio-economic strata, with the only binding variable being that they play golf.

The book was written considering all these variables - thinking readership might reflect a similar makeup and further the books distribution. Besides, my consideration of character-trait variance (age, gender, etc), reflects a greater segment or randomness of the population, which makes the stories more compelling. IMO.

Target audience: Males and Females - 15 to 75 years. All Golfers - 15 to 75 years. Personal Development Readers (People who like to improve their lives) - 15+ years. Businesspeople both male and female.



What has been the most difficult part of the publishing process for you?  The most rewarding?[Garry] Realizing that my eyes (and knowledge), only, will not serve as a proper edit of my work. You need other writers or professional editors to study your manuscript. Friends and family will not do, you need others help in making your manuscript the best it can be.

Thinking I'm a smart guy...I edited Character Happens!, myself. It has numerous grammatical errors; miss-spelled words, missing words, spacing errors and other appearance needs. That is why the book is being revised this spring. The text will be edited throughout with all corrections made. The subtitle will be changed to further drive a missing demographic to my book. The books color will change from red to yellow. The pic on the cover will change from an angel to a 1700's era couple setting on a rock, on a golf course, speaking with a youngster.

Most rewarding? Being in control of the entire publishing process.



Where can we buy your book?[Garry] Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords, and others.

BTW, I just uploaded my second book, a biography of a WWII veteran who crashed the beaches of Omaha. Check it out.



Thanks Garry!  I so agree on the editing advice.  The more eyes the better.  Good luck with Character Happens and your new WWII book.

The Soulkeepers Book Trailer

Author Interview Series - Gregory Thompson

Please welcome Gregory Thompson to So, Write.  If you can tell a book by its cover, I think Thompson's will be a dark thrill ride.  I'm looking forward to the release next week.





Please tell us a little about yourself and what motivated you to start writing? 

[Gregory] I've been writing for about 20 years. Had some stuff published in the late 1990's and then turned to 10 years of screenwriting before returning to fiction a few years ago. I mainly write science fiction/fantasy/horror and have a few works of each of those genres published in various magazines and anthologies so genre depends on the idea. I started writing in my teens when I was reading Stephen King's Cujo. As many horror fans know, that book isn't his greatest and I thought at the time I could do better than this. So I wrote a 7,000 word story called "Lucie" and realized I couldn't do better: that story sucked! However, I enjoyed creating characters, listening to how they wanted the story to move and wondering how everything's going to turn out. I have been writing in some capacity ever since. Some people might call that crazy; I call that being a writer. For more information on Nightcry go to Nightcry's Official Site (http://www.nightcrynovel.com).







What is NightCry about? 

[Gregory] Nightcry is a horror/supernatural thriller about a failed big city reporter, Grant Sykes, returning to his hometown to run its local paper. Soon, people start to die and suspicions point towards Grant. But he has reason to believe the cause of the deaths are from a supernatural being that terrorized and murdered his family when he was younger. To make matters worse, his high school rival, now the Police Chief, believes it's Grant and will stop at nothing to peg him. Grant hires a Ghosthunter to help investigate the being while Grant finds ways to clear his name.



How did you come up with the idea for Nightcry?

[Gregory] Nightcry came about a couple of years ago when I wanted to focus on some kind of horror terrorizing a small town. I love the small town atmosphere and the potential isolation they offer. Honestly, it took a week of brainstorming to figure out a few of the characters and what supernatural force haunted the main character; but after I plotted it out, I thought "hey, this isn't half bad!" 

What makes Nightcry different or special compared to the other titles in this genre?[Gregory] What I think makes Nightcry unique is different than what I've been hearing from my Beta Readers, so I will include both. First, I feel the book hones in on being an outsider in a small town, no matter if you are a complete stranger or someone coming home after a few years away. If you have ever been in that situation, then you'll fit right into one of the two main characters. Second, readers have been telling me that they enjoyed the first person narrative of a complete jerk, which was refreshing to them. Now as I wrote it, I had no intention of Grant turning out this way, but I came to understand he had contempt for the town and some of the people living there. 

What type of reader do you feel will enjoy this book the most?

[Gregory] Any horror fan or ghost-lover should enjoy this book. Also, someone who wants a quick read to wile away a cozy afternoon. I think any reader who enjoys Richard Laymon or Brian Keene will have a good time with the book. 

What has been the most difficult part of the publishing process for you? The most rewarding?

[Gregory] The most difficult part of the process was making the decision to pull Nightcry from the traditional publishing process. I retracted consideration from one agent and two publishing houses since it's been over nine months from the initial submissions. My last queries were in the middle of January this year and all three basically said, "We are stilling looking it over." That's fine, but if it gets approved and I do the edits and do this or that, it may be the middle of 2012 before the book sees the light of day!



The most rewarding so far is formatting the book for eReaders and print publication. I can see it take shape; I have control over how things look; I can say yes to that or no to this and not worry someone on the Board of Directors is going to pull the plug. I've also enjoyed having Beta Readers looking over the novel to give their critiques and suggestions. When the readers don't come back with the things I was fretting over, I get a boost of confidence realizingNightcry may actually sell a few copies. 

When and where can we buy your book?[Gregory] Nightcry releases on March 9 and it will be available from Barnes & Noble (print/nook), Amazon (print/Kindle) and through Createspace. I am working with my local Barnes & Noble to sell paperback copies through a few Author's Events and I am looking into setting up a space at the next Author's Fairs in my community and having a table at one of my local library's FantasyCons.



Thanks Gregory!  I wish you the best of luck with your release.

Author Interview Series - Megg Jensen

Please welcome Megg Jensen to So, Write. Megg recently released her debut YA fantasy novel, Anathema. I've had the pleasure of reading this one and can tell you it's the type of book you devour in a day. Here's what Megg had to say about herself and her book.



Tell us a little bit about yourself.



[Megg] I have been a parenting journalist since 2004, but my dream since I was a little girl has always been to write and publish a novel. I grew up on a farm and even though we watched every penny, my mom always bought me any book I asked for. Somehow that made books more special than any other item in a store and I read voraciously. In late 2008, I decided it was time for me to sit down and write a novel. I'd written two previously, but this time I was serious. I wrote Anathema in January of 2009 and never looked back.

What is Anathema about?[Megg] Reychel is a slave girl surrounded by magic, lies and manipulation. Her best friend disappears in the middle of the night leaving Reychel to face her fifteenth birthday, the day her master burns his brand into the back of her bald head, alone. She's sheltered from the outside world and doesn't have any hope for escape, but when people desperate for freedom ask for her help can Reychel learn to believe in herself?



What gave you the idea for Anathema?



[Megg] One afternoon, my family was driving down to my parents' farm. My daughter, then five, told me she saw things in the clouds. I asked her what shapes she saw, but she sighed and told me she wasn't looking at shapes - she was seeing the future. (Obviously a wild imagination is genetic.) That little comment of hers sparked the basic idea for Anathema.



Anathema is your first novel. What do you feel was the most difficult part of the process from first draft to publication?



[Megg] The writing comes easily and I also really enjoy editing. The hardest part for me was making the decision to self publish instead of pursuing traditional publication. It took me nearly a year to come to the decision and in the meantime I did submit to agents, but I did not exhaust all of my options in traditional publishing. After researching both sides and really being honest with myself about what I wanted from my career, I chose to go indie. I can't imagine I'll ever regret it.

What type of reader do you think will love this book most?



[Megg] Even though my genre is fantasy, Anathema focuses more on relationships than a fantasy world. So while I'm dropping the reader into an unfamiliar world, I don't bombard them with the setting. This makes my book accessible to anyone who likes romance, mystery and intrigue. Is there romance? Sure. But it's definitely rated PG, so anyone twelve or thirteen and older could read it without fear of stumbling upon something inappropriate. Will guys like it? Hopefully, but it's definitely slanted towards the ladies.

Visit Megg Jensen at  http://meggjensen.blogspot.com/ today to learn about her Anathema launch party contest where you can enter for a chance to win your choice of Nook or Kindle!!

Thank you for being here today, Megg, and good luck with your contest! 

Author Interview Series - Laura Eno

In preparation for the release of The Soulkeepers , I'll be posting a series of author interviews on So, Write.  I decided to do this because I wanted to learn how other people thought about and promoted their work.  Over the next several weeks you will read interviews with both self-published and traditionally published authors, some who write fiction, some non-fiction, for readers all over the market.  The questions are similar but I think their answers will fascinate you.



Laura Eno

I'm very excited to kick off this series with fellow #fridayflash contributor, Laura Eno. I'll confess I'm a fan and actually have this book but haven't read it yet.  Here's what she had to say.





Please tell us a little about yourself and what motivated you to start writing?



I've always had a creative outlet, including painting, silversmithing and home decorating. When the economy made silver creations unfeasible and my husband refused to keep moving so I'd have a fresh house to decorate, I became possessed and started writing. Really. I sat down and words poured out of me.

I have two muses who help me write. Jezebel, who is a menace from the Underworld—with tentacles—and a terrible flirt, likes to attend parties and swim in the punch bowl. Mr Fluffy is a somewhat more dignified personality, who happens to be a human skull.

Don't Fall Asleep is the fifth of dozens of novels I plan to write, in several different genres. Two things are mainstays in my writing, though, regardless of genre. They all have a fantasy element and all focus on personal development.

For a list of all my books, you can go to my Amazon Author Page.   I'd love to have you drop by my blog A Shift in Dimensions, as well, where strange things generally happen. 



What is Don't Fall Asleep about?

The female lead is a Dream Assassin, a highly specialized skill and only rumored to exist. She enters dreams and kills people, but physically they've died from a heart attack. She has her own moral code concerning her work, along with needing to sort out some personal problems, naturally.





How did you come up with the idea for Don't Fall Asleep?

I'd written a short story, to be included in an upcoming dark fantasy collection, and fell in love with her character. As for the actual idea, the voices in my head mutter all the time. I take no responsibility for their channels of communication.

What makes Don't Fall Asleep different or special compared to the other titles in this genre?

Every writer hopes their story is different from anyone else's, but I'd have to say that a dream assassin is different from the standard hired gun.





What type of reader do you feel will enjoy this book the most?Anyone interested in soft sci/fi, paranormal talents, or adventure/thriller. Also, that person would have to enjoy a strong female heroine.





What has been the most difficult part of the publishing process for you? The most rewarding?

Setting up the files is a learning curve, but I think the most difficult part is promotion. I don't want to beat people over the head with info on my books—but I want people to be aware of them. It's a difficult balance.

The most rewarding, of course, is having absolute control over content, cover and price. The only people I have to answer to are my readers.



You're a veteran to self-publishing with five books in print. What advice can you give someone like me who is just starting out?

Ask questions. People are willing to help and happy to share their experiences. Realize that writing the story is only the beginning of the process. Celebrate each sale and don't quit your day job. Don't fold after negative reviews. Have plenty of chocolate on hand.





Where can we buy your book?

Don't Fall Asleep – Amazon Kindle  Don't Fall Asleep – Other eBook formats   Don't Fall Asleep – Trade paperback  Thank you, Gen, for inviting me here today. I wish you the best of luck with your upcoming book!

Thanks Laura, for visiting and for the great advice.  I'm looking forward to reading this one.

The Soulkeepers Cover Art *Drumroll*

Thanks to Adam at anjindesign for creating something that absolutely embodies The Soulkeepers !  The amazing part was he took a conversation that went, "Uhm, so there's this boy who goes through some stuff and like there's a girl too..." and came up with THIS.



 

Well maybe I gave him a little bit more than that but is it not AWESOME?  *Fireworks*

Desperately Seeking Authors

Are you an author looking to promote your work?  Would you like to be interviewed on my blog?





To celebrate the upcoming release of my first novel, The Soulkeepers, I would like to do a series of author interviews. Have you self-published recently?  Been traditionally published and want to spread the word about your book?  I want to hear from you!





Interested?  Please leave a comment or contact me via the tab above.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Cover Art and Other Amusements

My novel, The Soulkeepers , is coming right along.  This week, I've been working with an artist on the cover.  If you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know I write cross-genre.   The Soulkeepers is an upper YA paranormal, with inspirational, suspense, fantasy and romantic elements.  A fifteen-year-old boy of chinese-american descent is the main character.



After much discussion, the artist sent me seven amazing sketches promoting various aspects of the work.  I'll tell you right now, any one of them would have made an above average cover. Four of them had a male as the central figure, two were abstract, and the seventh had a male plus the face of a female character from the book.



Here's something interesting about YA: researching the market, I found that the books rated as having the best covers featured a female face.  However, these books don't necessarily have the best sales. What's an indie to do? In the end, I asked the artist to expand on this last idea hoping that the tension between the male and female character in the artwork would appeal to both male and female readers.



What's your opinion?  When you think of the best YA covers you've seen this year, what elements come to mind?