Barbara G. Tarn's Blog, page 111

Happiness is…

Sunday Surprise

And it’s a guest! Author of the Month on Goodreads, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Jorden Leonard!

Where do you live and write from?

Portland, Oregon. In a corner of the unfinished basement of a 1920���s bungalow that my wife lets me claim. My little man cave.

Why do you write?

So I can rationalize my rate of pop culture consumption and also self-therapy.

When did you start writing?

As a hobby the summer after college in 1998. Right from the start I wrote in present tense, as I explain here.

What genre(s) do you write?

Sci fi, always sci fi even if it reads like fantasy if you go deep enough it is based on a sci fi setting.

What does your writing routine consist of?

When I���m being good. Drop off son at bus stop. Hurry back. Write for an hour and a half and then go to work.

What do you feel are your strengths as a writer? How have you developed these qualities?

I develop vibrant settings within which the characters can interact honestly. It takes time and good organization to keep such complexity from turning on itself for lack of consistency.

I���ve created several wikis, dozens of spreadsheets and documents, and countless hand written or drawn aides for my background. Also every story I write is compatible with every other story. They all take place within the same overarching setting.

I can write poetically and intend to develop a talent for vocalizing my work as audio companions to the written.

Here is a link to my first audio attempt with an early draft of a short chapter I���m working on.

Good writing and a good setting aren���t enough to make a good book. I���m focusing now on melding these qualities with good characters and storytelling. I���ve got to get readers to care about the characters and not get bored or confused with details.

I use Wattpad and Figment to put up work in progress and get feedback from other writers.

Where do you find your inspiration? Do you put yourself in your stories?

I consume a lot of pop culture in an effort to stay in tune with our modern mythology. I almost exclusively write in present tense and have the story running like a video in my head while I type.

I put caricatures of people I know into my stories, but never intentionally myself as a character.

Outliner or improviser? Fast or slow writer?

More of an improviser, but in waves where an early draft can effectively serve as an outline. I try to have the larger story worked out and then let the details sort themselves out in a way that makes the most sense as I write.

I���m now effectively slow because of time constraints. It takes me a bit to get into the flow of writing, but on the rare occasions when I do have a large block of time in a day I can write rather rapidly.

Tell us about your latest book

Destiny���s Hand is my first and only published book. It is the keystone for everything else that I���m working on. It introduces a setting on a generation spaceship where there is a power struggle that spans the confines of the physical ship and the virtual universe it spawns.

Indie publishing or traditional publishing – and why?

Self-publishing. With the advent of online publishing it is not just a valid choice for me, it is the best choice. I keep the majority from a book sale. I can make it available to everyone as soon as it is done. I am responsible for everything, which forces me to become more savvy about everything.

Success or failure, it���s all on me. I wouldn���t have it any other way.

Any other projects in the pipeline?

Yes, Ranger Of Path is my current focus.

I was thinking Seeker of Truth would be my second published book, but I found the story getting too complicated and paused it so I could go back in time and present important backstory as another book.

I also have a blog that I update with family and writing related posts.

I am sporadically active with that depending on where I am with my writing. At the moment since I restarted with a new book I���m behind enough that it will be a few months before I likely put up a new post.

What is your goal as a writer and what are you doing to achieve it?

I want to be read and respected. I am trying to improve my storytelling without leaving the depth of my stories behind.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever been given?

People don���t care about ideas, but they might care about a man with an idea.

______________________________________
Where to find Jorden:
http://nedroj.net/
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nedroj


https://twitter.com/JordenLeonard


http://www.wattpad.com/user/JordenLeonard


http://figment.com/users/411594-Jorden-Leonard


https://www.facebook.com/myseconduniverse

Random Friday

Total randomness… Thanks to the two friends who voted in the poll. I think I’m going to do like in this case: Killer Advice (which was a recommended reading last year in case you missed it). So both names on the cover of Rajveer the Vampire. Not because B.G. Hope is published by another publisher, but because it’s easier for me.

I don’t have to change everything on ebook retailers – and she even has a printed book out. Body Switches is still selling its 1 or 2 copies a month, so I’d rather not touch it. So now I have a shorter title, but two author’s names, haha! I know, my cover artist will dump me now! And I’ll have to use my own mock cover and will end up on Lousy Book Covers again! ;)

I’m reading more 19th century vampire stories. The Vampyre was very short (and quite dreadful). Now I’m deep into Varney the Vampire, but mine are definitely different. Hopefully I created my own mythology and even if I decide to write the screenplay and structure it like Interview with the Vampire, it won’t look at all like Ann Rice’s! ;)

Speaking of reading, please go and take this survey. Even if you’re a writer, you should also be a reader, so just go and do it! ;) It’s not just for romance readers, so go ahead and fill it…

I hope this weekend to do another pencil portrait along with more strips… I know, I know, I should finish S.K.Y.B.A.N.D. first, but mushy brain goes well with bad drawing hand, so I better screw Me & Da Muses than the final chapter of the graphic novel! ;) (Also because the strips have NO BACKGROUND whatsoever, so they’re much easier to do than a full comic book page, LOL!)

Did I mention I have mushy brain? So, I wish you a wonderful weekend, hoping next week I’ll feel better…

 

Writer Wednesday

And there’s a sale at DriveThruFiction! Apparently May is Science Fiction Month, so check the deals over there. My Star Minds titles are also discounted during that time! (the adult filter is probably on, so you’ll need to log in to see all the results) I also got myself in the Featured Product window – I took a screenshot so you don’t have to wait! ;)

Another story will come out soon as well, but newest titles are not discounted (in fact SMNG – Kay-low is still full price). Yes, it’s Star Minds month for publishing, so… I’m glad I decided to publish my science fantasy during the science fiction month! ;)

And it’s the first Wednesday of May, so update on writing wordcount. In the first four months of the year I wrote a grand total of 175000words. Should be a novel, but it’s not. It’s 1 short novel (Star Minds Next Generation) + 1 collection (SMNG Diaries) + SMNG Chasing Stardom that account for 150K and another 25K in shorts and novellas I’m not going to publish yet.

The most productive month was January with 60K, the least April – and not only because I had a week off in London. I wrote only 25K because I was busy rewriting and reading and researching. But last week I wrote 11K and I’m still deep in the Desi vampire writing. It will probably become a short novel, instead of a novella – so, longer than the usual pieces under that pen name.

And it’s historical fantasy, so I’m really really wondering if I should drop that pen name. I wish you voted in my poll. I see it moves around when I repost it, so the older posts might look weird to someone coming in late. Anyhow, I’m reposting it here. Please feel free to choose #3, it’s totally anonymous!

Take Our Poll

Out of 500 blog followers and 250 Facebook fans I can’t believe I have only a couple of votes! Why are you coming to this blog in the first place? :( To follow my writerly links? Really?

Okay, go check what Picasso, King and Einstein have to teach entrepreneurs. See at what stage you are as a writer – One or Two or… the rest will come out later. Or, if you’re a reader, go buy one of my books. If you’re a writer, go back to writing and don’t bother coming back here. Apply Einlein rules and stop procrastinating on the internet.

Which reminds me I have a short novel to finish. Have a great week! :)

Happiness is…

Sunday Surprise

My name is Brenda de Zorig and I���m a journalist for the Konigtown Gazette . I���ve been on the road for years as an actress in an itinerant company, but eventually decided to go back to my hometown to start living of the thing I like the most ��� writing. So while I write my Masterpiece, I took this job at the Gazette and they send me on various assignments��� I thought I might as well starting interviewing random people. Since I intend to write fiction, but truth is always stranger than fiction, I���m eager to hear about people out there ��� on my world or beyond.

So! Hello, handsome young man! Tell me a little about yourself!

My name is Kay-low Meraini, I’m twenty and an angry young man. I’m an icy Sire aristocrat unable to grow fond of anyone, but yearning for some acceptance from the rest of the universe. Like my father, I like music and singing, and I play guitar in a band, but sometimes I think I’d rather be a solo artist.

Ah, the arts! I’ve been with a company of itinerant actors for years… Describe your appearance in ten words or less.

Long dyed blond hair, black eyes and arm tattoos.

Do you have an enemy or nemesis? If so, who are they and how did they become an enemy?

No, I don’t have life-threatening situations like my uncle or even my cousin have had. I’d tell you they are my enemy ��� a family of too perfect Sire. Especially the Holy Shermacs. They have powers I can only dream of.

Would you kill for those you love? And would you die for them?

I don’t have a heart. I’m that selfish.

I don’t believe you, but we shall see. Such a sweet face can’t be “that selfish”. Where do you live?

On Marc’harid, the former Imperial planet. But I’m running away for home, chasing fame on Vilas Lok, the pleasure planet and center of galactic entertainment.

Are you involved in a relationship? If so, with who and what is it about them that you find appealing?

I had a girlfriend, but I didn’t love her. I’m all alone in this adventure. And maybe eventually I’ll discover I have a heart.

That’s what I thought! I’m sure you have a heart! What is the biggest challenge you face in the story?

By chasing fame I come to accept my true self ��� not as bad as I thought.

Do you have a family? Tell me about them.

I’m the son of former Imperial Prince Kol-ian Vaurabi, but he never married my mother ��� actually both are in same-sex relationships. And then there’s my perfect cousin Shan-leo Shermac, to whom I can’t compare��� They all make me feel useless and talentless, but I’ll prove them my worth!

I hear you! Family – you must love them, but sometimes they’re really frustrating! Please give me an interesting and unusual fact about yourself.

Unlike my father and my cousin, who were raised as Imperial Princes, I don’t have genetically reinforced skin. So I have tattoos. Stars on my right arm, flames on the left. I might add more at some point, but at the moment that’s enough. They were made by a very good Xi-kongian artist who immigrated on Marc’harid a few years ago. I show them off on the cover of my first solo album ��� and by the way, that’s my stage name, Stardust Kay-low���

Funny, I also have a stage name, that has become my pseudonym, Brenda de Zorig… Thank you for your time and best of luck in your singing career!

_____________________

Ten years after Star Minds Next Generation, Kay-low tries to carve his way to galactic stardom in the music business. The next generation of Star Minds is still out in the galaxy!

SMNG ��� Kay-low on Apple, Barnes&Noble, DriveThruFiction, Kindle, Kobo and Smashwords.

Random Friday

Last week Larry Elmore was presenting awards. I commented – although I entered the writers section, he presented the illustrations awards, of course – and he was very kind…

I’ve been meaning to send more stories, but I don’t seem to finish one I’m happy with and that I know has a chance like The Hooded Man! ;) I might also try the illustration contest at some point… Although the affiliation with Scientology does bother me… so we’ll see! :D

Art Friday, while we’re on the topic! I tried vainly to share this in a post on my author page the whole weekend, and then gave up. Apparently I can’t share it because it has a blocked link, but I have no idea of what it means. Oh, well.

Anyhow, that’s the funny part of the vampire story – and yes, he has a name now. Here’s the serious version of him, before he’s turned. I have made a mock cover for the whole story, so I might eventually post it, but only after I’ve talked with the cover artist about it.

And I’ll repost the poll, since the above story should be under B.G. Hope’s name. Should I or should I not?

Take Our Poll

Thank you and have a great weekend! :D

 

Writer Wednesday

And it’s out! Star Minds Next Generation – Kay-low is now on Apple, Barnes&Noble, DriveThruFiction, Kindle, Kobo and Smashwords. Check out Kol-ian’s son efforts to reach fame in the music business, something in his DNA since Kol-ian himself was a good singer and guitar player! ;) Coming soon… Kay-low interview. Stay tuned! :D

The cover features both Kay-low, his first album cover, and Jay-lee in the background… yes, that’s another hunky Sire there! ;)

Some writerly links: glad to hear that even young readers say no thanks to enhanced e-reading. I’m not such a grumpy old woman after all! Anyhow, here’s the post about why enhanced ebooks are a flop. I don’t think anyone was expecting me to do enhanced books anyway, but well…

Bookstores! On one side we have Viv’s visit to a bookstore, on the other side Dean Wesley Smith history lesson on bookstores and print runs. I’m assuming Viv visited an old-fashioned bookstore and it’s doomed anyway! ;) And I don’t think it’s because she’s in the UK. Italian bookstores are probably as bad. But well… old Europe is quite behind compared to the US! ;)

Some existentialism: when are we? by Hugh Howey – which goes well with these meme I found on DeviantART:

by Selenada http://selenada.deviantart.com/

I also quite enjoyed Smashword’s April’s Fool post – and no, I’m not worried even if or when it actually comes true. Back to writing my vampire story… leaving you with a poll. I might embed it in a couple of posts until I gather some answers. Don’t be shy, it’s totally anonymous – feel free to pick #3 if that’s the case! ;)

Take Our Poll

Have a great week!

 

Happiness is…

Sunday Surprise

And it’s another guest! Still author of the month! Yes, we have four together this month! This is the last of the four… Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Chamber Mars! Bonjour et bienvenu! :)

Where do you live and write from?

I live in Indiana and mostly I write at home in the evenings and on the weekends. I have a day job as a computer programmer specializing in Business Intelligence which can get hectic at times and spill over into my evenings and weekends. I do find myself daydreaming about my stories when I���m waiting for programs to complete and often find myself jotting down quick notes.

Why do you write?

I write because it makes me think and feel as well as learn and grow in many different ways. Putting myself into my character���s shoes really makes me think about how an individual���s experiences shape that person. Writing fiction has opened up a window in my mind and allowed me to discover many things about myself and others in addition to discovering more about the writing process itself. I���ve always had a great admiration for authors and now I have an even greater appreciation of the art.

When did you start writing?

I first started writing fiction last year. I���ve written a lot of technical documents for my job but besides journaling or short pieces here and there, I hadn���t written a complete fictional story until last year. I���ve been an avid reader since my first Dick and Jane book. When I was a child, I told my parents that one day I would write a story. However, as the years went by, I never attempted it, thinking that I simply did not have the talent to be a writer.

What genre(s) do you write?

I write fiction containing LGBT characters. Currently, my stories have been based on romantic relationships.

What does your writing routine consist of?

I have been lax in setting up a writing routine and to be honest, I think my output has suffered for it. Ideally, I would set aside at least two hours every morning or evening to do nothing but write.

What do you feel are your strengths as a writer? How have you developed these qualities?

As a fairly new fiction writer, I���m still working to develop strengths and am spending a lot of time reading about writing as well as just simply writing and ignoring the little critical voice inside my head that tells me I���m not good enough. Perhaps one of my strengths then is the determination to learn as much as I can about the art of writing and apply these insights to my own creative output.

Where do you find your inspiration? Do you put yourself in your stories?

I do put myself in my stories, probably more than I should. The inspiration for my stories has come from events in my life although with an entirely new spin put upon them.

Outliner or improviser? Fast or slow writer?

I���m a bit of an outliner and an improviser. My outlines are fairly high level so that I keep myself open for creativity. I have the natural tendency to be an outliner and to be linear in my thinking, so it���s important for me to allow plenty of room to improvise and be creative. I���m a fairly slow writer although the more I write, the faster I���ve become. I attribute this to opening up the creative stream in my mind and much like a muscle, the more it���s exercised the stronger it becomes.

Tell us about your latest book

My debut story is The Golf Widow. It���s a story about self-discovery and breaking free from the mould into which we���ve been placed ��� placed into by ourselves and/or by our circumstances. It���s about taking control and taking chances and in the process, finding happiness and love within ourselves and for others. Details about The Golf Widow and the major retailers where it can be obtained is here: http://carterseagrove.weebly.com/golfwidow.html

Indie publishing or traditional publishing – and why?

Indie publishing without a doubt! Indie publishing offers a freedom that was previously not available for writers. Many times I���ve read where authors have complained that their publisher has set the schedule, selected the cover, insisted on particular edits and even pressured them to stick to a formula. I do fully appreciate the support that traditional publishing gives to authors and that is why I was very excited to create The Carter Seagrove Project LLC with Alp and Chambers.

Any other projects in the pipeline?

I am currently writing a story for the Goodread���s Love is an Open Road event and still have yet to finish The Interior Designer, my next story to be published. I have a couple of other untitled works in progress, ideas for future stories and Alp and I have talked about collaboration on Gloriana, a contemporary family saga based on the lives of the Queens of England collectively referred to as the She-Wolves.

What is your goal as a writer and what are you doing to achieve it?

My goal is to keep writing and to continually improve my skills. To achieve this, I have taken a focused look at my day-to-day activities to see where I can eliminate unproductive tasks and use this time for writing. Additionally, I am investigating writing workshops and courses as well as continually reading articles and books on the art and skill of writing.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever been given?

When I was feeling very insecure about my writing abilities, Alp told me something to this effect: ���You are never going to write a story that is liked by everyone but you are also never going to write a story that no one likes. There is no right or wrong, write your story and never doubt your ability to touch someone in an unexpected way with your words.���

ABOUT SHANNON

I have been an avid reader all of my life, primarily reading fiction in the mystery/suspense, fantasy and m/m romance genres. Having switched to predominantly reading eBooks, I’ve discovered many self-published writers. One of my favorites is Alp Mortal. I contacted him via his website to ask about one of his books and after exchanging a few emails with him, I mentioned how I always thought it would be fun to write fiction. He urged me to try it and even gave me an idea from which my first title, The Golf Widow, was born. It has been an exciting and rewarding experience. I encourage everyone to try it for themselves. I’ve always appreciated the skills and talent it takes to write fiction but never realized the extent of the challenges and how thought-provoking it is compared to business writing. This experience has definitely given me a new perspective and an even greater appreciation for the craft. It’s been so enlightening and exhilarating; now that I’ve started, I can’t stop.

Alp Mortal, Chambers Mars and Shannon M. Kirkland are The Carter Seagrove Project LLC – an independent book publisher. Find us at http://www.carterseagrove.weebly.com, on Twitter @carterseagrove and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/thecarterseagroveproject.

Website – www.alpmortal.weebly.com

Project – www.carterseagrove.weebly.com

Email – alpmortal@hotmail.com

Project – thecarterseagroveproject@gmail.com

Twitter @carterseagrove

IMDb – http://www.imdb.com/company/co0518613/?ref_=tt_dt_co

Facebook www.facebook.com/thecarterseagroveproject.