Barbara G. Tarn's Blog, page 190

Blogoversary

I've added the widget, but I cheated a little. The "Hello world" post is from Sept.29 – I couldn't wait to get started, LOL! Anyway, the official date was meant to be Oct.1st, so here we are again. Did you see the date on that first post? Yep, this blog is TWO years old! That's very old for a blog, if you ask me!

So, happy birthday, blog. During the past 2 years I changed themes 3 times, from Girl in Green to Toni to Andrea… which will come back in December when snow starts falling on WordPress blogs. I thought it was time for another restyling, so please welcome Comet!

Here are the monthly stats: I'd say it has grown! As lots of my subscribers (thanks y'all) are new, I thought I'd post on this day the interview to myself. These are the questions I'm going to ask writers (published or unpublished) from now on, so if you'd like to be grilled, leave a comment – I still have some spots to fill in October. In the meantime, I thought it was fair I answered all the questions myself first!

1: Where do you live and write from?

I was born in Rome, but having spent 8 wonderful years abroad, I consider myself international. I'm fluent in Italian, English and French, and wonder if I should learn the fourth language – considering my new movie passion I should pick Hindi!

2: When did you start writing?

I was still living abroad when I jotted down the first stories and poems in Italian or French. The first "official" illustrated story is from the summer of 1978 when we came back to Italy. I have "recycled" it half in the first Chronicle of the Varian Empire (out next year), the other half in Water.

3: What genre(s) do you write?

I started with… all of them! Sci-fi, fantasy, love-stories, mostly very dramatic and as I wrote what I knew (i.e. not much ) most of them don't make sense today, but I keep them anyway. In the second half of the 1980s I started writing sci-fi (my idea of sci-fi being Star Wars and Star Trek, not sci-fi literature), in the 1990s, after reading the Dragonlance saga, I switched to fantasy, in the late 1990s lots of M/M romance. New millennium – 10 years ago – I started writing in English, screenplays first, then novels since 2008. I went back to my first love (prose) and am now rewriting and translating  some of my babies, but also writing new stuff. I started doing graphic novels in the late 1990s and I always had both the Italian and English version back then. Now I write Silvery Earth stories and plan on publishing one sci-fi title per year. And use another pen-name for the "contemporary" stories – she will debut next year, so stay tuned.

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

Mostly "What if" or turning upside down a situation. Like my Amazons who treat men like most men treat women (i.e. as sub-human). Or I have a "Male Sleeping Beauty" (I saw him called Seeping Beau now, but in 1997 my English wasn't as good as now). And I used to be in all my stories until my M/M romance period. Now sometimes I'm in it, sometimes I'm not. I used to be the Warrior Woman in the 1990s, now I tend to write more feminine parts for myself (Axelle of SKYBAND, Winged Jesminder in Air, and Brenda de Zorig in Earth, coming in December)

5: Do you have a specific writing routine?

Nope. Sometimes I don't write for days because I read, draw or research, but when I start a story I don't stop until I reach the end of Draft Zero. After so many years I know how to stick to my own deadlines.

6: Outliner or improviser? Fast or slow writer?

Improviser. Sometimes I tell the whole story to myself (supposedly to go to sleep, which of course works the opposite way and keeps me awake until late, LOL), sometimes I do a drawing and decide to tell the story of those characters (I'm very character-oriented). I have very loose outlines and can never tell how long the final work will be. My average novel length is now 80000words. And yes, I'm a very fast writer. I waste time waiting for betas and editors' feedback or I could write one story per month. That's why I never did NaNoWriMo – don't have time for that!

7: Tell us about your latest book

Books of the Immortals – Ether explores what actually happened around year 100 of the Varian Empire – the alternative in Fire had shown a Blackmore Empire – so we see the same "future" characters of Fire (Claudia, Joyspring, Edwyn Blackmore and Kyler Darklight) and how they actually lived and interacted. You don't need to read Fire to understand Ether, though, as all the books can be read as standalone. The release of the fourth book of this series is postponed to sometime next week because I decided to rewrite the end and the cover artist had some problems in September so she fell behind too.

8: Indie publishing or traditional publishing – and why?

Indie publishing because I'm prolific and don't want to wait for agent or publisher's validation. The readers will be the judges. Also, I hate legalese and contracts. And I'd rather keep total control on my stories – yeah, I'm a control freak! I might look for a small publisher for the historical novel (other pen-name and British spelling) though, as I won't write many of those anyway.

9: Any other projects in the pipeline?

This year will see 5 novels (Books of the Immortals) and 2 short stories collections (Tales of the Southern Kingdoms). Next year I'll have the Chronicles of the Varian Empire (5 novels + 1 short story collection) out, another sci-fi title and the debut of another pen-name writing contemporary fiction. Yep, busy busy.

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

I will find my 5000 readers eventually! This is a five year career plan and I won't quit unless when I turn 50 I'm still in the red on my writing. I do have a publishing schedule until 2016 at least…

Linky Friday

Does grammar matter? Yes or no? You tell me!

Facebook for writers. And careful with your Twitter. Glad I don't tweet!

Cat Woods wonders about e-free. I don't know the answer – and I have many (short) free titles. I think readers who go for freebies, won't come back for paid titles. The free sample is enough for a wannabe reader to decide if s/he likes you or not.

Critique groups and editors on Books&Such and another excellent post on critiques by Kenra Daniels. More on critiques – by readers – from Ruth Ann Nordin: readers have rights, but so have authors.

Melissa Wright on book titles and Michelle Davidson Argyle on how to publish your first book… if you're her! I should do that too… one day…

Advice to a 10-year-old from a pro writer, Ron Marz. Hear this:

Being a writer means telling the stories you want to read, no matter how readers may react.

WOW. So just go back to write!

Kristine Kathryn Rusch on being a real pro writer. And how pro writers sometimes act as dumb as newbies. So let's kill this other myth: those who can get a publisher, those who can't go indie by Ruth Ann Nordin. I chose indie not because I didn't have a choice. I did my research before deciding I was better off on my own. I was running a zine in the 1990s after all. With no internet and lots of snail mail expenses.

Passive Guy on opening your own online bookstore. Will have to study that. Smashwords on how ebook buyers discover books.

Finally a batch of links about Amazon:

1) launch of new Kindle (apparently not available abroad yet, to which I commented I'm glad I had the basic version one month ago) – just scroll the Passive Guy blog, he has more on this topic.

2) inside Amazon's warehouse (link provided by Stephen, check also his post on the topic).

3) let's not forget, though, that Amazon is nobody's friend. For readers and booksellers more than writers, but still worth a read.

4) bestselling authors dealing with Amazon: Barry Eisler (on Joe Konrath's blog, of course).

5) indie authors dealing with Amazon by Ruth Ann Nordin.

So, Amazon is all over the place with conflicting news. May the reader discern his or her own truth.

Last – just for fun – 50 facts about men. If you're in a memorial mood, check out this blogfest. Both these links comes from the great Goodreads Group Creative Review (see that badge on the sidebar? Yeah, them! The best for both readers and writers!)

Have a great weekend!

Birth of a cover

I already described this on a private Facebook group, but it was only with images of the various steps, so I'll try to elaborate on that "post". It was originally done as "create a cover in 5 steps" (see the #5 again?) but let's see if it's still 5 or more.

1) pick a photo to copy from. After reading some discussions on how to create your book cover and where to find the photos etc, I decided NOT to post the original photo, because I found it on some Six Sentence Sunday, and can't really say where it comes from, so I don't know who to ask permission to display it. I assume it's a stock photo because it was on another writer's blog, not a photographers, but you never know. And I hope re-drawing it is OK. I did change it a little!

2) trace it – I don't have a specific table for that, so I use the window! Or some technical paper I learned to use while in art school. Depends on how accurate I want to be. For my portraits, I use technical paper, for covers I usually use the window, so the drawing won't look too much like the model.

3) pencil drawing

4) inked drawing

5) choose a frame – I have now a few I use for different series in the same style (art nouveau). This frame is the same of Starblazer cover.

6) color (digital painting with Photoshop CS3 – don't ask me to use another, I'm already struggling with this one! )

7) choose a font and add title&author (a.k.a. lettering)

The comment I got in the original 5-steps post was from the great caricaturist Shafali who said:

Beautiful. Just one comment though:) Though it's very informative but this is more of a development process – would love to hear about the idea generation bit:)

She's totally right, of course. To which I replied:

you mean how I came up with this idea for the cover? Well, I'm VERY character-oriented, so I always feature my main characters on covers. In this case it's a M/M love story (with a poor woman involved, but I thought I'd concentrate on the two lovers), so I found a pic of two men – should I post that too? – and went from there…

And when I showed the printed version to my offline writers group, most wondered why the "girl" had no breasts… I had to tell them "guys, it's two young MEN!"!

Daily prompts

I'll make this post in two parts. First, my answer to Talker's Block. Apparently people suffer from writer's block, but not from talker's block. And again I must admit I'm the opposite. I hate talking. And I do spend days without talking but smalltalk and the indispensable (because I have a day job. When I spent my vacations at home, this year, if I didn't go out, I did spend days without talking to anybody). While I never spend one day without writing, either a short journal entry, a blog post, an outline, a note on a story or whatever passes through my mind.

I'm a Writer. I write, I don't talk. I hate talking. I can listen (you never know where the next idea comes from), but I normally don't talk. I know exactly what a talker's block is. But I've never met a writer's block. I know, I come neither from Mars nor from Venus, probably Jupiter or Saturn! Oh, and I hate being at the center of the attention, so do not invite me to speak on a panel, not even at the presentation of one of my books: I won't be able to talk anyway. So spare this poor writer here, and let her dwell in her cave, thank you.

The other half of the post is topic #258 and I pick number 5. Why it's my favorite, I'm not sure. Maybe because my family of origin was of 5 people? Because it's the number of my fingers and I do need my hands a lot, to write, draw and do other stuff? Because it's a perfect number for a team – 1 is lonely, 2 is a couple, 3 is a triangle, 4 is a double couple, 5 is a group of friends! And being an odd number, if there's some kind of voting to do, someone has to win! And there can be one leader, or the 5 can be on the same level, each with his/her own talents to bring to the table…

OK, I don't know why I like #5. It's also the last number of my year and day of birth – I should have been born in May, it would have been perfect! – and same for my beloved nephew (different month, 40 years apart). There are 5 Books of the Immortals (Ether is coming soon, Earth will come out in December) because I like the fact that there are 5 elements if you add ether to earth, fire, water and air. And as I like the number in all the series I'll try to do five novels (unless they're trilogies) – mmm, will have to study that!

Tomorrow, as promised, birth of a cover… stay tuned… Oh, and I need one more volunteer for a guest post… anyone? Any rants on writing or blogging you'd like to share?

Tuesday filler

OK, I was supposed to have a guest today, but apparently some email got lost and his blog tour postponed (stay tuned, though, as he'll be here in October), so I thought I'd post here my latest review with a little P.S.

The review: Ties of Blood by Joleene Naylor

It's good to be back in this world. It's bad it's not the last book and the happily ever after seems so far away. I KNOW the next thing on Jorick and Katelina's schedule won't go as smoothly as they plan! And I'll have to wait until next year? Yikes! That's torturing your readers!

Anyway, another dose of fun AND gore with the right amount of sex and action was very welcome… Did I mention that Jorick has become my favorite vampire? And I have mixed feelings about the newcomer, red-headed Verchiel… much like Katelina!

My addition for the Blog only: The Kindle version downloaded from Smashwords has black squares at the beginning of the chapters instead of the neat little image that comes out in the PDF. Mysteries of the Meat Grinder, I guess…

Now, I still have three or four spots to fill in October. If you're a writer (published or unpublished) and would like to be interviewed, drop me a comment. If you're a blogger and would like to do a guest post on why you blog and how frequently and all that blogging life we all so much love, do the same. I might ask a few friends if they're available to fill the spots, but I'd rather give you, my reader old or new, the opportunity to fill in!

Oh, and please go to Misty's blog and vote for the best "animal" post – yes, I'm there too with my only animal character, Maya the elephant, but the other entries are so great I had trouble choosing one! You have until Sunday to cast your vote…

Happiness is…

Six Sentence Sunday

Last six from Soul Stealers – new month, new book!

***

Beth smiled as she used her ten fingers to type a fast answer.

Dear Mr Karsten

You sent me a picture, but it's not proof. I assure you for my movies I use the face of Keanu Reeves, a Canadian actor who died in the past century. I doubt you look so much like him that you can accuse me of image copyright infringement. Anyway, I'd be more than happy to discuss it with you if you were so kind as to send me your number or call me.

Yours

Beth Golden.

***

Soul Stealers is out on Smashwords, Kindle and Lulu. Or you can read a free excerpt here.

Now hop back to the official blog for more six sentence goodies!

WoW Saturdays

Both "writers on writing" and "words of wisdom" can be shortened with the same word. Thus, welcome to WoW Saturdays, June to September 2011. Enjoy this collection of writers quotes throughout the summer.

I think anyone who hire a freelance editor for a book destined for New York has two problems. #1. They are not artists. Artists believe in their own work and skill and will let no one tamper with it. #2. They have no courage to let their work stand on its merit.

- Dean Wesley Smith

"We are all faced with great opportunities disguised as impossible situations."

- Charles R. Swindoll

"Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret."

- Matthew Arnold

My advice for those wanting to write: Declare your goals (I still have that piece of paper with my 11 yr old goal), seek advice, learn the craft of writing at workshops, conferences and school/college classes, and most of all – never give up!

- Sharon Miner

I'm thrilled with my path, and I hope that every writer can find that same joy. It truly is a state of mind, not outside forces.

- Michelle Davidson Argyle

Review Friday

Ahem… your usually organized blogger sometimes picks up the wrong date, which means that yesterday for about 30 minutes you had a glimpse of today's post… So I better change it a little!

I obviously had time to catch up on some reading… the first still being a printed PDF, the second read on Kindle! I'm not really signing up for Goodreads challenges, but I thought I should augment the quantity of BOOKS I read – hence less visits to your wonderful blogs, but I'll get by next week again!

So, I was hoping to have 3 reviews, but I'm not done with the third book (although I could already rave about it, haha). Hence only two. Here goes – copied and pasted on Smashwords, Goodreads and Amazon.

Alien Abduction by Terry Compton

5 star story with 3 star execution. Lots of head hopping and omniscient narrator (which isn't necessarily bad, but needs some getting used to), and lots of indirect speech. The story is told more than shown and sometimes the repetitions slow down the action. I have very mixed feelings about this, I admit it! I liked the story, but those huge blocks of text made it for a slow read… do I want more? Maybe. Yeah, I guess I want to know what's next. But I'm not in a rush.

Flidderbugs by Jonathan Gould

I'm not a fan of talking animals (and even less insects), but this satire was wonderful. I read it in two sitting and recommend it to both adults and children – the latter will enjoy the story, but their parents will be able to read the subtext. Must check more about this author!

I will interview Jonathan Gould next month, so you'll hear more about him (his other book is also on my TBR list) soon.

What can I add? I wish I was better at doing reviews – check Joleene's review of Air – but I guess I'm not. Should I stop review altogether on the blog or not? Do you find these snippets useful or interesting?

Birth of a story

I'm going to use the latest because it's also brand new so I still remember how it came to life. It all started with the Literary Lab anthology contest. I read the stories and one sentence in Chekov's tale sparkled my imagination:

"With the gentleman here, Dmitry Ivanitch, as a huntsman. I furnish his table with game, but he keeps me…more for his pleasure than anything."

What if the husband had found also sexual pleasure with the other gentleman (I'm sure that's not what Chekov implied, but that's how my mind works, LOL)? What if the husband actually preferred men? What if I could find some secondary character in one of my novels and write his story as variation on this theme? Hence Allan de Sayek was born.

He is a secondary character who dies at the beginning of Water, but I thought telling the story of his youth might be fun. So I started with what is now the mid-section of the story, his meeting with his abandoned wife (the Chekov situation). I'm still considering to send that part to the Literary Lab for their anthology, as I don't plan to release the full novella before January anyway.

So, after the mid-section I explored the past and the future. Here you have Draft Zero along with notes on the still untitled project:

And here is Draft One – the very beginning so I won't spoil the story for the Literary Lab:

As you can see from the copious additions, there is no way I could do that on my Kindle! But I think I mentioned I write in reverse – bones first, then the meat…

Oh, yeah, time: Draft Zero was written in 3 days – one and a half for the handwritten part, one and a half to type it and start editing it. Another day to re-read and do a first edit before sending it out and count an afternoon for that mid-section that was written first. OK, I'm fast, I usually don't procrastinate once I've started!

Now it's out to betas and editor. The first 25 pages were critiqued by Ladies Who Critique founder Laura Pepper Wu after I won her monthly contest, but I'm waiting for more feedback before the actual rewrite. The wordcount of this draft is 15200words, and probably everybody will tell me the last part is rushed – but it's Water beginning written by Allan's POV (he wasn't a POV character in the novel) and I didn't want to repeat too much.  Although, considering the novella will come out long after the novel (but close to the first volume of the Chronicles of the Varian Empire that is actually a Water prequel), I might expand it after I hear some feedback!

Next week… birth of the cover! Yeah, I already did it – it kind of helped as well!