Barbara G. Tarn's Blog, page 140
December 22, 2013
Sunday Surprise
And it’s the last guest of the year! Soon to be featured Author of the Month at Goodreads Smashwords Authors Groups! Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Marla Bradeen! And have a wonderful Holiday Season!
Where do you live and write from?
I live in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA). I generally write from my home there, usually while on the couch, although I sometimes take my laptop to other locations just to get out of the house. Two of my books are set in Seattle, Washington, which was my home before I moved to Las Vegas.
When did you start writing?
I’ve written off and on since I was a kid. I didn’t actually manage to complete a novel until 2004, when I finished The Amicable Divorce. I didn’t write much during the years following that milestone, and only started writing seriously again in 2013 after quitting my job. Not having to work all day certainly makes finding the time and energy to write a lot easier.
What genre(s) do you write?
My books a humorous mysteries, bordering on chick-lit. My more recent books are more mystery than chick-lit, although The Amicable Divorce is the reverse.
Where do you find your inspiration? Do you put yourself in your stories?
Most people have something they want to say, and for me writing is a platform from which to share my thoughts about the world. Although my stories are fiction, they’re such that I feel they could happen in the real world. And while I like most of my characters, they all tend to be different and much more interesting than me.
Do
you have a specific writing routine?
No, I’m not that organized. When I start a new story, I basically have to force myself to sit down and write. Once I get into a story, I want to write all the time.
Outliner or improviser? Fast or slow writer?
Improviser, for sure. I would love to develop the ability to outline, but at the moment it just doesn’t happen for me. In terms of coming up with a first draft, I’m probably pretty fast. I spend most of my time editing, and this stage moves much more slowly for me. Because I improvise as I go along, during the editing stage I realize a lot of my early stuff doesn’t make any sense and I have to cut or modify it.
Tell us about your latest book
Since The Amicable Divorce is my most recent published novel, I’ll focus on that one even though I wrote it ten years ago. It’s mostly chick-lit, with some mystery. Heroine Vanessa Collins doesn’t think much more can go wrong . . . until her husband announces his intention to file for divorce. Acting on her thrice-divorced sister’s advice, Vanessa steals her husband’s financial documents. She’s determined to either escape her marriage with a six-figure settlement or day trade her way into retirement. But Vanessa ends up with something she never bargained for, and now her entire future may be in jeopardy unless she can figure out what’s going on before it’s too late.
Purchase links are on my website, and include the below retailers:
Indie publishing or traditional publishing – and why?
Indie publishing. At first, I only started self-publishing because I couldn’t break into traditional publishing. I believe I would like some aspects of traditional publishing, such as the marketing support. However, in general I think the loss of control over my own work and the time it takes for a big publishing house to prepare a book for publication would frustrate me. The process just to land a publishing contract can be very discouraging for new writers. Self-publishing is so easy and allows authors to retain full control over their creative works. Plus, the indie writing community is incredibly supportive, which is a complete switch from the endless stream of impersonal rejections that are standard in the world of traditional publishing.
Any other projects in the pipeline?
I have a couple vague ideas, but I haven’t actually started writing anything new yet. Once the holidays are over, I plan to spend more time writing.
What is your goal as a writer and what are you doing to achieve it?
My number one goal is to come up with stories I personally like to read. I write because I enjoy it and it challenges me. To that end, I plan to just keep writing as long as I feel this way. If someone else can enjoy my stories too, that’s a fantastic bonus.
Marla Bradeen’s social links:
Website: http://www.marlabradeen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marlabradeenauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marlabradeen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7192767.Marla_Bradeen
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=301411712
December 20, 2013
Random Friday
Tomorrow Italian Facebookers will put a book cover in their profile photo against burning books. Yours truly will put one of hers (nowhere does it say “Writers, don’t you dare posting your own book covers” – besides, many writers use their own book covers as photos on their personal profiles all year long…) for the day.
I got the sketch from the artist that is doing my latest book cover and I’m very excited. If it’s ready by the end of the month, I might put another title out – although most retailers will be closed, so I might as well wait for the end of the Holidays. I’ll see! I sent her the images of weapons I used, so you’ll see another – hotter – version of Saif’s Legacy (but I’m not changing the cover on the novella, haha)! ;) By the way, it made it to Apple (US i-bookstore)! 
This is NOT the final back cover, but you get the idea…
It wasn’t a very good year for Hrithik’s personal life, but here’s to a better 2014. He’s now fully involved in that silly comic I’m writing (not that it’s going to cheer him up much, being involved in the silly and surreal story, but well…) and the final title is now definitely “Superdeformed Threesome Millennium”. I made a new “cover” drawing and written 20 pages or so. I plan to wrap up the project by the end of the year, so I can color it and publish it sometimes next year, along with the old ones with “superdeformed” or “chibi” Barb.
Since it’s not a good time for me either (Mom got rushed into hospital with a bleeding nose, thought she’d come out after a few hours, ended up spending 3 nights there…), I’m using this time to ink the 20 pages I’ve done so far, to decompress (not really in the mood for writing or translating). It will be full color, though, so it won’t be out until next year. It’s certainly faster that S.K.Y.B.A.N.D, both the drawing and everything (no backgrounds, ha!).
That’s all for today. Have a great weekend! 
December 18, 2013
Writer Wednesday
So, I finished the Italian version of Shooting Star and realized there were a couple of mistakes (one that escaped even Mighty Editor…), so I decided to correct the English version while I was at it… BUT!
Yeah, you saw that coming, didn’t you? Okay, XinXii doesn’t allow changes when you take their ISBN and expanded distribution (they gave it for free until today, so I took it for both Star Minds and Star Minds Snippets, to see if I sell something – anything – there), so they have the “old” version. I’ll try again in a few days, in case the titles are blocked until the distribution is on.
Kindle, Kobo and Draft2Digital should have the new version uploaded for both Shooting Star and Star Minds Snippets (that also has the CreateSpace version – corrected as well). Smashwords… the autovetter did it again. It really really hates Star Minds Snippets cover! I had problems the first time (it kept saying the image was too small), and when I uploaded the new interior, again, it said the cover image was too small or corrupted or whatnot. This time they suggested that I resized it a little, since it’s too big (DOH!), but the smaller versions still give the stupid autovetter error. GAH!
And gosh, between my attempts at making Star Minds Snippets go back to the Premium Catalog, Smashwords changed their look! Making it harder finding the support form – were they tired of hearing from me? 
And few days after KDP changed its dashboard, showing the book covers! Gee, too many changes before the end of the year… are we at least done now? I hate changes (although I’m not as bad as the guys at the Authors Guild)! 
I went to Lulu to order a book for a friend, and found this notice… so if any of you twitterers out there would like to tweet one of my books, here’s the Lulu page of Unicorn Productions. Take your pick! Any you’d like to promote, you have my eternal gratitude! I don’t tweet myself, so I can’t return the favor, but well… Thanks!
Now, if you want a few more ideas on how to support an author’s new book (or any book, for that matter)… I’d recommend 1 and 2 mostly, since Christmas is close! There are the always useful blogs that I won’t point you again, and if you need help for 2014 resolutions, plans and whatnot, check Self-published Authors Helping Other Authors.
Next week I’ll share my staggering sales numbers (I’ve earned 0,000002% of Joe Konrath’s!) and close the reading year – no reviews, but a few suggestions… Maybe I should do it this Friday, so you’d still be on time to buy/ask them for Xmas? If so, let me know. No comments, it’s for next week!
Have a great week!
December 16, 2013
December 15, 2013
Sunday Surprise
And it’s a FREE ebook! Yes! Truly! Holiday Season gift! Technological Angel, book 1 of Star Minds, is free until Dec.18 (Brad Pitt’s 50th birthday).
Go get it on Smashwords in your preferred format with this coupon code:
Promotional price: $0.00
Coupon Code: MK28E
Expires: December 18, 2013
Yes, limited time offer, to celebrate the Italian version and a little over one year since publication of the English version! BTW, I had to put the Italian version through the nuclear version, since the old doc had some blue text I couldn’t get rid of… so one hour wasted putting back the italics (luckily the Italian version has less)!
So, double celebration (and the Italian version is even Premium approved!)! Grab the English version while you can, and share the news… but mostly, enjoy the story in spite of the lousy book cover!
Have a wonderful Sunday!
December 13, 2013
Book blast – OUT OF TUNE by Michelle D. Argyle
Today I’d like to welcome again Michelle, one of the first indie authors I met in the blogosphere. She went traditional for a while, then her publisher closed down (sigh) and now she’s back. She has a new book out, and wrote a short guest post for me. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Michelle D.Argyle!
How Out of Tune Has Changed My Writing Life
by Michelle D. Argyle
I first developed the idea for Out of Tune last November (2012). I’ve always wanted to write a book about a girl who plays the guitar. That was pretty much the only thing I had to go on when I first started figuring out what this girl’s story would be. For some reason, I wanted her to sing country music. That led into the idea that her parents were country music stars, and then … well, there always needs to be a problem in a story, so what was this girl’s problem? She can’t sing. In fact, she’s so bad her own parents have asked her not to sing anywhere in public. Ever. Ouch, huh? I was so excited to start Out of Tune, but I actually didn’t get around to starting it until January of this year, so I’m pumped that it is now out in the world!
So how has Out of Tune changed my life? In many ways, I’ll tell you that. Here are some of them.
(1) I’ve learned to absolutely adore country music.
I’ll admit I’ve never been a huge country music fan. I don’t know why I chose Out of Tune to be centered on country music, but it just felt right. So I had to learn to love country music! And I did. It took about three months, but country is now one of my all-time favorite genres. It’s what I have my radio set to permanently these days. I’m not sure my husband really appreciates it, but oh well.
(2) I’ve learned that it’s possible to overcome things that seem innate.
What do I mean by innate? My main character in Out of Tune believes she is absolutely 100% tone deaf. After all, she can’t hear when she’s singing off key. She even has trouble keeping time, which can go hand in hand with tone-deafness. But, to Maggie’s surprise, she finds someone who believes in her enough to teach her how to sing correctly. This doesn’t mean, however, that it’s easy.
I did a lot of research for Out of Tune, and part of that research was learning that it’s possible to overcome tone-deafness. Amusia, however—true tone-deafness, where the person literally cannot hear tones—is the only instance when a person cannot learn to sing in key, but it’s rare.
(3) I’ve learned even if dreams crumble around you, that you just have to keep going.
Out of Tune was originally supposed to be published with my publisher, Rhemalda Publishing, but earlier this year they had to close their doors. Because Out of Tune has had such a rocky road (failed querying, rewriting it from scratch, and now losing its publisher), I decided to put it out there myself. It’s a story centered on following your dreams, and I felt that getting it out there no matter what was serving it the justice it deserves. Never, ever give up.
Twenty-year-old Maggie Roads’ parents are legendary in the country music world. She wants nothing more than to follow their example, but the limelight is not reserved for singers who cannot carry a tune, let alone keep a rhythm.
When her parents tell her they are getting divorced, Maggie decides it’s time to leave home and take her future into her own hands. Moving in with Cole, her best friend and sometimes boyfriend might not be the best of ideas, but she has to start somewhere.
Their off-and-on romance gets even more complicated when Maggie crushes on her new voice teacher, Nathan, who unlocks her stunning potential.
A sensational music career of her own is finally within reach, but Maggie might need more than perfect pitch to find what she is really looking for.
Cole’s steady beat on the drum relaxed her. She could feel his eyes on her as she played, but she did not turn around. He would never know what this meant to her. She had wanted and dreaded this moment forever. She could only imagine what tomorrow would be like, with an audience full of strangers.
Mandolin line. Then the bass started. Maggie’s turn.
She had never been inside music like this before. The stage lights sparkled in her eyes and she understood for the first time in her life why musicians put up with all that travelling and recording, and the stressful nights like when her mom was puking her guts out with the flu—the real
flu—but had to go on stage in five minutes. Maggie remembered her smiling as she wiped her mouth and shrugged. “It’s part of the singin’ life, hon. We don’t always get breaks when we need them.” She had patted Maggie on her twelve-year-old head and squared her shoulders as her makeup artist dusted some powder over her pale cheeks. Then she had left for the stage in a flutter of sequins and curls.
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December 11, 2013
Writer Wednesday
Okay, where do I start from? Apple lateness? Kobo slowness? DriveThru bundles? Okay, I got the email from D2D that the Snippets finally went live on Apple (US i-bookstore), so yay! But I don’t have much hope for the titles uploaded during the weekend…
Let’s start with the new and last release in English for this year: Saif’s Legacy. It’s now available on Smashwords, Kindle, B&N and Kobo. Apple probably next year – like I said, they’re backlogged, so I didn’t even try to send the Italian title (Technological Angel) there.
Saif’s Legacy is a Silvery Earth novella that I wrote in a week while in London and immediately after. Blurb: The southern kingdoms are no more, but the Assassins’ Guild is still there – honorable men who would never hurt women or children. Saif has been living as a woodcutter for fifteen years, but on his deathbed he calls for his former apprentice, Kilig. Saif’s legacy – his son Hakeem – will avenge him, and possibly mend Kilig’s broken heart.
If you’d like to wait, next year I’ll publish an anthology (with a much better cover) with all the male lovers of Silvery Earth stories. The cover is in the making, and hopefully in January it will come out. It will include The Death of Queen Amazonia, The Lords of War (included in TSK2 at this time), Saif’s Legacy, Allan de Sayek and a new story, The Young King. But this is the only one with a HEA, so grab it now if that’s your thing!
Now, since the holidays are fast approaching and DriveThru allows me to do book bundles, I’ve done two. Books of the Immortals – all five e-books at a discounted price or Chronicles of the Varian Empire – all three books at a discounted price. Both bundles have a PDF, an e-pub and a mobi file you can choose from. You might need to be logged in to see the offer, since some books have adult content.
closed down, so I took out the links to the free excerpts from the page above. Sniff. We’ll miss them. I might try to submit a few (not all) books to Bukfaze now. Maybe during the weekend, or maybe next year. I’ll keep you posted.
Writerly links: David Gaughran on Write. Publish. Repeat. The special price is gone, but it’s probably worth reading anyway. I downloaded the sample on my Kindle, it’s very entertaining, I’ll probably buy it next year, since we seem to be very likeminded. I wish my TBR pile went down a little (actually, since it’s ebooks, it’s a list. Neverending, if I add the wishlist from Smashwords and Goodreads. GAH!).
Dean Wesley Smith think like a publisher 2014. I’m still stuck with the 2011 edition because I can’t figure out the Italian laws. My publisher friend told me how I should do it, and I can’t do it until I have a DayJob. But since things are going down the hill on that front, I might end up quitting and starting da business of publishing instead. At least I’ll have a reason to ask a fee to whoever asks me for advice.
And that’s all for today! Have a great week!
December 8, 2013
Sunday Surprise
Please WordPress, stop making silly useless changes to my dashboard, thank you.
Ahem – total randomness! Larry Elmore, one of my favorite fantasy illustrators (I own a pencil drawing by him, yay!) is having another kickstarter project: the sequel to his comic SnarfQuest. I’ve re-read the old one (B&W and very 1980s, especially in the girls’ hairdos! And I have a signed copy that I bought at Lucca Comics in 2003!), but the broken English is too hard on me, so I’ll pass. If you like comics and fantasy, you might want to try this full color version – I don’t think you’ll miss the first part! To back this project go to Kickstarter! I’ll just keep waiting for the results of the previous project that I backed up last year – the books are shipping, but I assume I won’t see anything until January…
26 questions people from India are sick of answering. Someday I’ll have to come up with something similar for Italians, although, since I don’t look Italian, I don’t get many questions, haha (I hate the sun and the seaside, can’t sing “O Sole Mio” and have never seen a mandolin in my life – oh, and Rome is not like in Roman Holidays anymore, that was, like, half a century ago! We’re very behind, but not that much!). Anyway, I’ll never be able to do a post like that – with all those Bollywood stars “involved” (hello, Hrithik, hope you are back from your medical check up and everything is fine! ;)). I can’t name all the movies because there is a little too much of Kajol (not my favorite lady, LOL)! And don’t worry, my Indian friends, the sari my mom brought me from her trip to Ladakh and Kashmir stays in the wardrobe!
Last day of the Fair of Medium and Small publishers here today, will tell you more about it all soon… And here’s a summary of yours truly (I don’t have anymore panels today anyway, and even the ones I saw in the past 3 days ended up being totally uninteresting) – you can probably add me with my sword looking for blood. I want to move out of this stupid country. Argh.
Back to uploading titles… Kobo is slooooooooooooooooooooow in converting and Apple is already backlogged – that’s why you can’t find Star Minds Snippets on Apple yet – yes, they’re that backlogged. I uploaded it Nov.22, amd it’s still pending review. What will happen to the titles uploaded later? 10-15 weeks to review means you’ll see them after the Holidays… so you i-Something owners better get the e-pub from somewhere else and stop trusting your Mighty Mac so much! And no, I’m not going direct to the i-bookstore, sorry! Have a great Sunday!
