Barbara G. Tarn's Blog, page 125

Writer Wednesday

I spent the weekend finishing the translation and preparing the POD versions of the CVE with the new covers by Silvano Beltramo (you saw only half of them on the ebook version – it’s real wrap-up covers, yay!). The proofs are ordered, and should arrive this week. I tried the matte cover for a change. Next I’ll do the first B.G. Hope POD book, a collection of the body switches! :)

I’ve started on Star Minds the Next Generation, although it’s still just a prequel, while I decide what happens to Shan-leo and Dadina 10 years after the end of the trilogy. I’m introducing new characters, sometimes not human, and maybe some new alien (or one of the races that hasn’t been explored much so far – i.e. NOT the Reptilians, LOL!), but I’m still pretty much brainstorming with myself, although I have started writing down the prequel. It will be a short story anyway – or maybe a novella, who knows. That’s why I love improvising.

This month the publications will be all in Italian, so don’t expect any announcement on my part – unless the POD versions go live! :) And remember that success doesn’t guarantee happiness – your state of mind does. And I’m not telling more about what I’m writing so I won’t create expectations. I’ve had experiences similar to Michelle’s in the past, when I told a story I wanted to write to a friend, and when she read the final product, she said she’d liked better my oral version. So… no more spoilers! ;)

Writers, well mostly indie authors, check David Farland’s latest series of posts. Especially the one on plagiarism and cyberbullying and follow his list of standards of excellence. I don’t have sock puppets accounts since I’d rather be writing (and even if I have 2 English pen-names, one is quite dead online, in case you didn’t notice). As for reviews, I don’t do them anymore, but if I like a book, I’ll post about it in my end-of-the-year reading advice. I wouldn’t go as far as Mr Farland not to read indie authors anymore, but I’ve always been wary of one-book-wonders, so if an author spends too much time advertizing his/her book, s/he lost me there and then. But that’s just me! ;)

Finally, I ended up on Barry Eisler’s blog because of Da Muse. I don’t normally follow him (although I read him when he is a guest at Joe Konrath’s) since I’m not really interested in politics. But this post isn’t his norm and it’s a writer’s point of view on books adaptations to movies or TV series. I thought he’s quite right (although the latest adaptation of a book I’ve seen in cinemas is 20 years old – Interview with the Vampire, I saw the movie and read the book and tried to compare, but it’s so long ago, that I will just shut up) and if I ever sell the movie adaptation rights, I do have a cast ready anyway… just kidding, might take years and they might get too old for the part, LOL!

That’s all for today… have a great week!

Happiness is…

and it will happen again next month! Happines and awe renewed! :D

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.

Soo… hello there! Tell me a little about yourself…

I am Anna Maria and I’m nine but who are you? How did you find me? Priscilla keeps me locked up.  She’s even pulled me out of school.

Uhm, those are good questions – very smart girl, you – but I’m afraind I don’t have an answer. Must have somthing to do with magic or something. Describe your appearance in ten words or less.

Violet eyes, long dark hair, tall.

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

My stepmother and her two daughters hate me so that makes them my enemies. I looked up the word ‘nemesis’ in the dictionary (I had to sneak it into my room).

Nemesis means:

1 something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc.:

 2 an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.     

 3 ( initial capital letter )  Greek goddess of divine retribution

 4  an agent or act of retribution or punishment

Priscilla and her daughters are not close to being any type of goddess and I haven’t done anything wrong for anyone to be an agent of punishment. But I am afraid I will not be able to conquer over Priscilla and her deceitful lies so that makes her my nemesis.

On second thoughts, I will NOT let her become my nemesis. I will escape.

Sounds like a plan – especially if she likes to lock you up! Would you kill for those you love? And would you die for them?

I know Priscilla wants to kill me after she gets Daddy to sign those papers. Daddy doesn’t know. Sometimes, when she and Marcella push me around and taunt me about my daddy, I get so mad that I could hit them. I have never thought about killing them. But if they were to harm my daddy, I think I might.

Would I die to save Daddy? Yes, I would.

Of course, who wouldn’t… Where do you live?

I live in an American suburban town. I wish I could remember where I had lived when Mama was alive. I remember the house very well. It had a deep-red brick façade and white doors, and windows with boxes of flowers. There were lace curtains at the windows and a swing in the backyard. There was Mama humming and Daddy laughing and teasing.

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

What do you mean?

Sorry, I guess it’s too early for this… and never mind, it’s all lies they tell to us women for when we grow up! What is the biggest challenge you face in the story?

Survival. I have to survive.

Do you have a family? Tell me about them.

Mama died when I was five. We were both in the accident. I got injuries and my arm was in a plaster cast. Daddy is a scientist. He is always working. He is in China now, on a project. Mama used to tease him because he sometimes forgets simple things. She said he was like Newton who knew about calculus and gravity but wanted a big door and a small door for the house he got made for his cat and her kittens. The cat was to use the big door and the kittens the small door. Mama laughed when she said this, so did I.

Please give me an interesting and unusual fact about yourself.

I am a sort of child prodigy; I learnt to read sentences by the age of two, I was reading chapter books by three.

When Priscilla put me in school, I was in the same class as Stella and I was doing far better than her and everyone else too. Mrs. Edwards, our teacher, told Priscilla I should be in a special class. Instead of doing that, Priscilla removed me from school. Homeschooled.

You do sound smart! What 2 or 3 questions do you wish I’d asked and what are your answers to them?

I wish you would answer my questions instead. Are fairy godmothers real? And how did you find out about me?

I don’t know about your world, but in mine magic is all gone… so I have no idea how I managed to interact with people from other universes like this! I sure hope on your planet there’s still some magic. I’m sure that if you believe in faeries, they’ll become real and save you! Good luck!

_______________________________________

Cinderella’s Escape is a free download on Amazon from 5th to 7th Sept. 2014, so go grab it NOW!

http://www.amazon.com/CINDERELLAS-ESCAPE-Gita-V-Reddy-ebook/dp/B00I805O7I

Author Page on goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7023197.Gita_V_Reddy

on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gita-Reddy/943528985673288?ref=hl

on twittter
https://twitter.com/GITAVREDDY

on pinterest
http://www.pinterest.com/gitavreddy/

Random Friday

And that’s more or less what’s in my head right now – fluffy clouds (that’s evening clouds for you) and I can’t think of anything to randomly write this Friday. Well, it’s September, schools will start soon, everybody is back from their vacations and crazier than ever and… I’m empty-headed. Or better, I’m boiling inside and would love to go on a tangent, but since I don’t want to rant on the internet, I will just shut up and go back to my writing cave. I don’t know if it’s a saying or if I’ve just made it up, but if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything. So I’ll leave you with a few more pics of these sunset clouds and wish you a great weekend! :)

Click to view slideshow.

Writer Wednesday

New covers galore! The Chronicles of the Varian Empire now have brand new covers – at least on the e-books! I shall be working on POD versions next weekend, although probably they won’t be out until next month… anyway, here’s Silvano Beltramo‘s efforts:

And to celebrate the new cover of The Death of Queen Amazonia, I put it on NoiseTrade along with another title, Uncommon Amazons. On NoiseTrade tip is welcome, but not mandatory. Feel free to get your copy of either title now! And if you’d like to check a few cover attempts, here’s the reworking of The Death of Queen Amazonia’s cover! A special thanks for whoever gave advice on the first version that I posted on my private FB page – you know who you are, and I hope I managed to capture your suggestions in the final version! :)

Writing news: Assassins’ Guild wrapped and sent out to betas. Finishing the translation of Male Lovers – namely, working on Allan de Sayek – so I can publish it and move on to Star Minds Next Generation! :) And since in October I’ll be traveling and not writing much, I don’t know what’s next. Probably a couple more Amazons stories… and then it will be already 2015! :( Time flies, doesn’t it?

Writerly links! Advice for whoever is starting from zero by David Gaughran, or Joe Konrath (I subscribe to most of the advice he gives to his younger self), or even Dean Welsey Smith – what changed and what didn’t in the past three years in this new world of publishing.

When Giving Away Free Books Is the Smartest Thing a Writer Can Do by Scott William Carter – so if you have a series with more than one book, you might want to try it. Silvery Earth is not a series per se, but maybe one day I’ll try it with Star Minds...

One last thing – a last minute announcement I got from an author:

So I’m offering my book Cinderella’s Escape as a free download on amazon from 5th to 7th Sept. 2014.

http://www.amazon.com/CINDERELLAS-ESCAPE-Gita-V-Reddy-ebook/dp/B00I805O7I

I have created some pins for promoting the book.

http://www.pinterest.com/gitavreddy/quotes-and-books/

There you have it, from the author herself… go check it and have a great week!

 

Happiness is…

I have since bought a plug for such workshops… and got gifted the British version by roomie Rachel at Loncon as well… but it was wonderful! :)

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, let’s see who we have here today… Yikes! Valfred myst have seen plenty of those, but I haven’t… Ehm… *cautiously approaces*  Tell me a little about yourself…

“My name is Cubby, and I’m a polar bear. I’m a little over two years old in your human years, which makes me around eight in polar bear years, since we polar bears mature at a point somewhere between four and eight of your human years. Mother says I’m growing up way too fast, and that I’m very responsible and grown up for my age. Well, most of the time anyway.”

Oh, that’s interesting… Describe your appearance in ten words or less.

“A little white bear with a big, black nose.”

Indeed… although you look huge to me anyway! Do you have an enemy or nemesis? If so, who are they and how did they become an enemy?

“My biggest enemy is hunger; I’m often hungry, because we don’t have much, and food, and money to buy it, never lasts long enough.”

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

“I’m not sure. I’m hoping I’ll never have to find out.”

 Where do you live?

“I live in a little wooden house on a mountain that looks over a little village. I’m no good at geography, so I’m not sure where it would be on your map.”

Haha, don’t worry, I’m not from your world anyway (although we do have polar bears on Silvery Earth)! Are you involved in a relationship? If so, with who and what is it about them that you find appealing?

“I’m close with my Mother, but that’s the only sort of relationship I have. I’m too young for anything else.”

What is the biggest challenge you face in the story?

“Deciding whether to trade our goat in for the magic wishing beans Neige the arctic hare offered me was quite a challenge. I think the biggest challenge though was trying to get away from Glaw the giant skybear when I was in his kitchen after climbing the beanstalk.”

 Do you have a family? Tell me about them.

“I have a very small family. It’s just me and my Mother. I have no brothers or sisters, and I’ve never met my Father; male polar bears are known for not sticking around, and my Father was no exception.”

Lots of Human fathers seem to do the same… Please give me an interesting and unusual fact about yourself.

“I’m one of very few polar bears not living on the ice. It does get quite cold on our mountain sometimes, but polar bears usually live further North along icy coasts.”

What 2 or 3 questions do you wish I’d asked and what are your answers to them?

“The first question you should have asked is why we live where we do when it’s not normal for polar bears. The answer to which would be that we moved here hoping things wouldn’t be so hard; do you have any idea how hard it can be to find food up North sometimes? It’s very hard! So we moved South in hopes things would be better.

The second question is what use a living goat is to animals who eat meat or fish. The answer to that one is that we also eat dairy, so we used to make use of the goat’s milk when she still provided us with some. Not all polar bears eat dairy, but we do.“

Wow, I wonder if Valfred knows any of this stuff! Maybe I should have brougth him along! Thank you for your time, Cubby!

***

Book title: Cubby And The Beanstalk

Buy it from Smashwords. Also available via other ebook retailers such as Apple, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo, among others.

Author bio & social media/website, etc.

“Victoria Zigler is a blind author of children’s fiction and poetry. She has a very vivid imagination, and spends a lot of time in fictional worlds; some created by her, others created by other authors. When she remembers to spend some time in the real world, it’s mostly to spend time with her hubby and pets, though sometimes to indulge in other interests such as doing crafts, listening to music, watching movies, playing the odd figure game or roleplaying game, and doing a little cooking and baking. Victoria – or, Tori, if you prefer – was born in the shadow of the Black Mountains in Wales, UK, has been writing since she knew how, and became a self-published author in 2012. To date she has published 5 poetry books and 26 children’s books, with plenty more planned for the near future.”

Website: http://www.zigler.co.uk

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/toriz

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/toriz

Facebook author page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Zigler/424999294215717

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/victoriazigler

Blog: http://ziglernews.blogspot.com

Random Friday

So, after Loncon, the rest of my stay in London! :) Monday (the 18th) I moved out of the Ibis Styles, took the DLR to Lewisham and then the train to my B&B in Grove Park. I dumped my trolley and went back to the center to meet with Laxmi, who is very taken with her upcoming book. Stay tuned for more on this very blog! That night I got a message on Goodreads from another author who saw me on Loncon’s programme… and we managed to set up a meeting for the next day.

Tuesday I went to Gay is the Word to donate two copies of one of the books I hadn’t sold at the convention. It’s very close to the British Museum where I was meeting my roomie Rachel. We spent the morning in the upper floors of the museum, had lunch, then I headed out for a walk and my appointment with JA Clement – I’ve met her on Goodreads, through Creative Reviews, but I don’t interact there anymore and I had posted about Loncon only on the Smashwords Authors group and the LGBT Fantasy group (nobody came from that group, apparently).

So I met with her, we had a great chat and wonderful French pastries (I had a “tarte aux fraises” much like in Paris), and now I know I have somebody else to contact next time I go to London! :) I could move there anytime now, LOL! Anyhow, it’s always great to talk to other writers and their processes… hopefully I’ll have her as guest on this blog sometime in the future – especially if she has a new release.

Wednesday I had breakfast with Maurizio Manzieri – a very late breakfast, since my train to Charing Cross was canceled due to “train fault” (whatever that means), so I didn’t have time to go to Southall like I had in mind. I went to meet Viv, instead, since we’d set up the meeting months ago. It was a wonderful time walking around London with her, checking the National Gallery Portraits and discussing historical movies about the people we were seeing portrayed, having an ice cream in Covent Garden, and finally splitting in Charing Cross.

Thursday I headed to Hastings to meet Tori and again it was a wonderful day out, walking along the beach and chatting with her and her husband. She even presented me with a handmade unicorn for my collection – and I’ve now decided to call him Victory a.k.a. Vic! So here he is with the others, playing dreamcatcher over my head when I sleep! :)

The oldest is Pinky, who was gifted to me by Renee (along with Sky some time later) way back in 2002… Most of the others I bought myself. And those are only the stuffed ones. I have pins, figurines, plates, pillows and then stickers, stationery… yes, mine is the house of the Unicorn! And I am the Lady of the Unicorn as well… ;)

By the way, if you like fairy tales, revisited or not, try Tori’s stories of faeries. I’ve read a few now, since they’re short, and I hightly recommend them. My favorite is still Jinx and the faerie dragons because it’s longer, and then I hope one day she does a collection of them all – not that I don’t like short stories, but buying a collection makes me feel better! (but please, Tori, don’t do it now, my TBR pile would never go down!)

And then I came back, late, and went back to work… sigh! Now looking forward to my next, longer break… in approximately a month and a half! :) Have a great weekend!

Writer Wednesday

First, the self-promotion bit: a new title is out! The latest body switch at the hands (or better spells) of Samantha the Witch is now live on Kobo,  Smashwords, Barnes&Noble, Amazon and Apple! The absolutely wonderful cover is by Shafali and goes very well with the other two. Blurb:

Pat is a career woman

Babs is a creative genius.

The last experiment by Samantha the Witch – shorter body switch but with unexpected consequences, especially for Babs and her housemates.

I shall update B.G. Hope’s page with buy links soon…

Now just wondering if to boost the sales of an English title, I should change it’s cover and title to match the Italian version, my current bestseller on Amazon Italia… While in London I got the emails for the royalties and dropped in my KDP dashboard to see 1-2 sales per day! Unheard of! I know it will stop – might have already stopped when this goes live – but for a title that I didn’t advertize… is it the cover? The title? What? Who knows…

And in case you missed it, I was a guest on Kira’s blog, before her interview went live here. Now I’m giving the final touches to the Assassins Guild stories so I can send them out to betas, and then I have Allan de Sayek to translate in Italian, then I’ll be back… to the future, i.e. writing in the Star Minds universe. The next generation is ready to tell their story and the cover willl be by award-winning illustrator Maurizio Manzieri that I’m honored to know in person. He’s the last gentleman on Earth and a most wonderful illustrator who deserved all the success and attention he received at Loncon! :)

As for Loncon… well, besides meeting my fellow Wyrd Worlders, I don’t have much to say. I had to improvise a Goodreads Giveaway because I didn’t sell the printed books. And two copies I donated to a bookshop, just to circulate them… But one of the four winners thanked me on Goodreads, so that was nice! :) The panel was… awkward, the moderator was sick and we improvised, so… never mind. I’m not going to continue the comics anyway – I still have a lot to scan and publish if I really want to, but since I’m not selling any… why bother? ;)

Anyhow – this was only my second worldcon, but I don’t think I’ll have a third, unless it comes very close to home. You can see some problems in this article about the generation gap. I can tell you I saw people completely oblivious of indie authors and the SFWA is probably stuck in the 20th century with the rest. So until they join the 21st, I’ll probably stay away from them. I doubt I found any fans this time… If I had known of the other convention, I might have tried it…

My only highlight of Loncon was meeting Neil Clarke of Clarkesworld! When I told him I was one of his rejected writers, he handed me this neat little card – I just love the illustration, and the writing on the back! That’s the best rejection letter a writer can have! :) (and I’ll keep submitting to him, since he’s soo nice! Beware, Neil, new short story coming!)

Writerly links! Finally someone who thinks like me about the Amazon/Hachette debate. Do. Not. Take. Sides. Read why when evil empires collide it’s not good for us – readers and writers alike. Also from Writing World, how to write for an international market a.k.a. “intercultural” communication. Let me give you my opinion of reader in a second language: all your fancy words and the slang you use in dialog are totally lost on me. I’ve dropped books because the dialog was too “weird” for me to follow. Write in plain English. People like me would thank you forever and read all your books, thank you.

On DeviantART I discovered Patreon… just in case I really have enough of Day Job and decide to live off my writing. Being prolific, I’m sure I can find a way to create stuff for a monthly stipend – or something like that! This was brought to my attention by this lovely web comic posted by DeviantART on their Facebook page. Will have to find someone to support first, I guess! ;)

That’s all on the writerly front! Everything else – next time! :)

Happiness is…

Well, actually, it’s MY birthday, so Happy Birthday to ME! :D