K.A. Tucker's Blog, page 25
June 17, 2011
Coming out of the closet... The writer's closet, that is.
Up until two months ago, Anathema was hidden away in a quiet, secretive place. No one except a few close friends and my husband knew what I was scheming. Up until a year ago, not even my best friends knew. Why? I'm not sure. Perhaps saying the words, "I like to write," out loud sounded awkward and airy-fairy to me at the time. Perhaps I had no interest in hearing the answer, "Oh, that's nice," from people who didn't share my passion for writing or the genre or fiction books. Perhaps, being my practical self, I didn't think I was accomplishing anything. You know what? It was likely all of that, coupled with the crippling fear that I wasn't any good.
The majority of my friends and family had no clue I had written and was publishing a book until the day I publically announced it on Facebook. If you're one of the many people who found out that way… don't be offended. I just wasn't ready to let the world know.
How do I feel, now that I'm "out"? Well, I've had incredible support, even from those who I was skeptical of. Lesson learned: People don't have to be writers to share your passion and grasp what an amazing feat it is to write a novel. And I do feel like this is an accomplishment. It's something I hope my girls can be proud of as they get older and understand that it's not just a book with a picture of their mommy on the back cover :-). I have heard a couple, "oh, another vampire book. Hmm." That's okay. I'm okay with that. It's not their cup of tea.
About that crippling fear? When my husband read my book (soooo not his genre, by the way), he said it was clever. Did I believe him? No. I assumed he was lying because he didn't want to hurt my feelings. I needed validation from complete strangers who had no need to preserve my ego. I found those stangers in Cyberspace. Thanks to the amazing readers and book bloggers who have read and loved Anathema in the last month, I'm feeling confident that I at least half-know what I'm doing :-) I've also met some incredible people.
Some people label themselves 'writers' from an early age. Others are never willing to 'come out' for various reasons. Many whom I've talked to have tossed the idea around but have never actually taken pen to paper (or fingertip to key). If you're one of those people, you should start. Today. Your imagination will likely surprise you.
The majority of my friends and family had no clue I had written and was publishing a book until the day I publically announced it on Facebook. If you're one of the many people who found out that way… don't be offended. I just wasn't ready to let the world know.
How do I feel, now that I'm "out"? Well, I've had incredible support, even from those who I was skeptical of. Lesson learned: People don't have to be writers to share your passion and grasp what an amazing feat it is to write a novel. And I do feel like this is an accomplishment. It's something I hope my girls can be proud of as they get older and understand that it's not just a book with a picture of their mommy on the back cover :-). I have heard a couple, "oh, another vampire book. Hmm." That's okay. I'm okay with that. It's not their cup of tea.
About that crippling fear? When my husband read my book (soooo not his genre, by the way), he said it was clever. Did I believe him? No. I assumed he was lying because he didn't want to hurt my feelings. I needed validation from complete strangers who had no need to preserve my ego. I found those stangers in Cyberspace. Thanks to the amazing readers and book bloggers who have read and loved Anathema in the last month, I'm feeling confident that I at least half-know what I'm doing :-) I've also met some incredible people.
Some people label themselves 'writers' from an early age. Others are never willing to 'come out' for various reasons. Many whom I've talked to have tossed the idea around but have never actually taken pen to paper (or fingertip to key). If you're one of those people, you should start. Today. Your imagination will likely surprise you.
June 14, 2011
When can you hang your readers off a cliff?
Oh, the infamous cliff hanger. It causes angst. It's a source of excitement and anticipation. It sends people flocking to retailers to pre-order resolution. But for those who don't appreciate being left dangling from a literary ledge - it can incite unbridled rage and hatred. "How could the author do that? Has she no creativity at all? Must she resort to such cheap parlor tricks to get me to read her next book?"
No author wants their readers screaming foul when finished with their novel (at least, none that I've heard of). But sometimes leaving the story before it's truly finished IS the best way to end it. In a well thoughtout series, I would argue that it's critical. There is a big picture - the all-consuming conflict - that drives the entire purpose behind the story. It needs to hang together. If your resolve it in your first book, what's the point of the second or third?
My series - The Causal Enchantment - has that all-consuming conflict. Oh, does it ever. Whether it's evident to those who have read Anathema or not, I don't know. Not likely. But I couldn't possibly have ended it in any other way. I just couldn't. I considered it. In the spirit of not angering my readers, I tossed around a few options. But in the end, it felt like I was asking a nun to ride one of those bucking bull contraptions. Awkward, inappropriate, and downright hazardous to the series.
Personally, I don't mind cliff hangers at all. I love the adrenaline rush of knowing the story isn't over. I love the feeling of cracking open that much-anticipated book. What don't I like? When the author has no intention of pulling her reader to safety. To closure. (i.e. it's a standalone book). Also, I absolutely abhor the words, "to be continued." It's like ripping a book in half and tossing the first piece to some poor sucker to toil over.
For those of you who read Anathema, I'm not trying to drive you crazy. I have a plan. A wickedly entertaining plan.
Trust me.
No author wants their readers screaming foul when finished with their novel (at least, none that I've heard of). But sometimes leaving the story before it's truly finished IS the best way to end it. In a well thoughtout series, I would argue that it's critical. There is a big picture - the all-consuming conflict - that drives the entire purpose behind the story. It needs to hang together. If your resolve it in your first book, what's the point of the second or third?
My series - The Causal Enchantment - has that all-consuming conflict. Oh, does it ever. Whether it's evident to those who have read Anathema or not, I don't know. Not likely. But I couldn't possibly have ended it in any other way. I just couldn't. I considered it. In the spirit of not angering my readers, I tossed around a few options. But in the end, it felt like I was asking a nun to ride one of those bucking bull contraptions. Awkward, inappropriate, and downright hazardous to the series.
Personally, I don't mind cliff hangers at all. I love the adrenaline rush of knowing the story isn't over. I love the feeling of cracking open that much-anticipated book. What don't I like? When the author has no intention of pulling her reader to safety. To closure. (i.e. it's a standalone book). Also, I absolutely abhor the words, "to be continued." It's like ripping a book in half and tossing the first piece to some poor sucker to toil over.
For those of you who read Anathema, I'm not trying to drive you crazy. I have a plan. A wickedly entertaining plan.
Trust me.
June 9, 2011
Anathema - Book Review and Author Interview by Christine from Moonlit Dreams and Big Birthday celebration Contest
Happy Thursday to all! I know I'm happy! For two reasons:
1. I just read the very eloquent, well-thought out review and interview of Anathema by Christine from Moonlit Dreams. She's an author, mother of FOUR, and book reviewer - in other words, Wonder Woman. Check it out here and while you're at it, check out her book, Birthrights. I haven't read it yet but it's definitely on my to-be-read pile, when I can get my head of out the sand and relax with someone else's book again!
2. Mindy from Magical Urban Fantasy Reads is turning 30. To celebrate, she's holding a big, generous contest full of signed books, ebooks, and swag. Anathema is part of it! You can win ecopies for various ereaders and there will also be some signed bookmarks to be won. Check out her site for details, rules, etc. here
1. I just read the very eloquent, well-thought out review and interview of Anathema by Christine from Moonlit Dreams. She's an author, mother of FOUR, and book reviewer - in other words, Wonder Woman. Check it out here and while you're at it, check out her book, Birthrights. I haven't read it yet but it's definitely on my to-be-read pile, when I can get my head of out the sand and relax with someone else's book again!
2. Mindy from Magical Urban Fantasy Reads is turning 30. To celebrate, she's holding a big, generous contest full of signed books, ebooks, and swag. Anathema is part of it! You can win ecopies for various ereaders and there will also be some signed bookmarks to be won. Check out her site for details, rules, etc. here
June 7, 2011
Great weekend for reviews or Anathema!
Validation of one's hard work is always fabulous, isn't it? Two book bloggers, Mindy and Savannah, read my book this weekend and they loved it! Nothing could make me happier. Well, except everyone in the world loving it,perhaps. I like to think of that as world domination. That sounds pretty cool...
Check out the reviews... links on my review page :-)
Check out the reviews... links on my review page :-)
June 6, 2011
How to get an awesome book cover
I've had a lot of compliments and questions on the book cover for Anathema. I think it's pretty awesome and so I thought I'd share some pointers on how it came to be. Maybe I know something that can help you :-)
Here are my 4 pointers: (You'll notice I like writing these types of blogs in sub-headings, and numbered bullets - a residual effect of my day job and a great way to communicate)
1. Understand how important a book cover is - the book cover is what stops a reader. Yes, the description is critical; yes, the story must shine, but it's the cover that stops a reader in his or her tracks as they scroll through infinite virtual shelf space. It is the book cover that makes them want to read the back cover blurb and, hopefully, the book. The old saying, "don't judge a book by its cover," does not apply to books, however ironic that may be.
2. Know your limits - I am a lot of things but a book cover artist is not one of them. I could probably come up with something. Heck - I did my website banner and my trailer myself. I think they're pretty cool. But I knew the book cover would make or break this book for me and so I hired a professional.
3. Do your homework - Maybe the idea of a simple cover with a baby pink background and white swirly writing sounds awesome to you. But guess what - unless you have a Big 6 publisher backing you with a giant PR and marketing campaign - your wimpy little cover isn't going to get noticed. Take a look at the books in your genre. Look at the big names and at the small names. Look at what's successful. Pretend you're an average reader and see what jumps out at you as you scroll through Goodreads, Amazon, etc. Is it the dull, faded covers with elaborate scenes that would look great in print? Likely not. And why do I keep talking about shopping online vs bookstores? because that's how so many readers are finding what they're going to read next, even if they're purchasing in a book store. I don't have the official statistics to quote off-hand. I've stumbled upon them time and time again though. Do some research and you'll come to the same conclusion.
3. Develop a Creative Brief - What is that??? So, I'll let you in on a little secret. I have worked at a leading consumer goods company for the past ten years, in various sales and market strategy roles (a.k.a. launching a product in the market). I've learned a thing or two about marketing a product, given I've worked with some of the brightest brand managers in the world on some of the biggest brands in the world. And I can tell you a strong creative brief will give you what you want out of the cover and a poorly-written one will leave you disappointed. What should be in your creative brief? Well, I'll tell you what was in mine. I gave details about my book, my genre, the general description, key elements about the plot, the mood of the story, what I was looking for in a cover (contrasting eye-popping colour; a single focal point; feminine without lace and frills; paranormal without fangs and horror). I also gave examples of covers I liked and covers I didn't. In the end, my creative brief provided my designer with a lot of guidance without specific direction. That's why I hired the guy. He's the expert. When I opened up the file for the first time, it was like Christmas morning. I must have looked at that cover about 100 times that day. What did I see? A cover that symbolizes the situation Evangeline is in, it has small details to hint at the dark side without being gory, and it pops out on the screen. Exactly what I wanted.And I got all of that because I was clear in my brief. Good book designers are creative creatures. Let them create!
4. Do a temperature check - You've worked long and hard on this story and are so excited to see your cover. Are you seeing it with the right frame of mind? Check with a few people to find out. Yes, you can ask your family and friends but I wouldn't rely only on them. Reach out to colleagues you trust to give you an honest opinion, as well as to readers of the genre you're working on.
Hope this was helpful to some, as you work towards getting an awesome book cover for you
Here are my 4 pointers: (You'll notice I like writing these types of blogs in sub-headings, and numbered bullets - a residual effect of my day job and a great way to communicate)
1. Understand how important a book cover is - the book cover is what stops a reader. Yes, the description is critical; yes, the story must shine, but it's the cover that stops a reader in his or her tracks as they scroll through infinite virtual shelf space. It is the book cover that makes them want to read the back cover blurb and, hopefully, the book. The old saying, "don't judge a book by its cover," does not apply to books, however ironic that may be.
2. Know your limits - I am a lot of things but a book cover artist is not one of them. I could probably come up with something. Heck - I did my website banner and my trailer myself. I think they're pretty cool. But I knew the book cover would make or break this book for me and so I hired a professional.
3. Do your homework - Maybe the idea of a simple cover with a baby pink background and white swirly writing sounds awesome to you. But guess what - unless you have a Big 6 publisher backing you with a giant PR and marketing campaign - your wimpy little cover isn't going to get noticed. Take a look at the books in your genre. Look at the big names and at the small names. Look at what's successful. Pretend you're an average reader and see what jumps out at you as you scroll through Goodreads, Amazon, etc. Is it the dull, faded covers with elaborate scenes that would look great in print? Likely not. And why do I keep talking about shopping online vs bookstores? because that's how so many readers are finding what they're going to read next, even if they're purchasing in a book store. I don't have the official statistics to quote off-hand. I've stumbled upon them time and time again though. Do some research and you'll come to the same conclusion.
3. Develop a Creative Brief - What is that??? So, I'll let you in on a little secret. I have worked at a leading consumer goods company for the past ten years, in various sales and market strategy roles (a.k.a. launching a product in the market). I've learned a thing or two about marketing a product, given I've worked with some of the brightest brand managers in the world on some of the biggest brands in the world. And I can tell you a strong creative brief will give you what you want out of the cover and a poorly-written one will leave you disappointed. What should be in your creative brief? Well, I'll tell you what was in mine. I gave details about my book, my genre, the general description, key elements about the plot, the mood of the story, what I was looking for in a cover (contrasting eye-popping colour; a single focal point; feminine without lace and frills; paranormal without fangs and horror). I also gave examples of covers I liked and covers I didn't. In the end, my creative brief provided my designer with a lot of guidance without specific direction. That's why I hired the guy. He's the expert. When I opened up the file for the first time, it was like Christmas morning. I must have looked at that cover about 100 times that day. What did I see? A cover that symbolizes the situation Evangeline is in, it has small details to hint at the dark side without being gory, and it pops out on the screen. Exactly what I wanted.And I got all of that because I was clear in my brief. Good book designers are creative creatures. Let them create!
4. Do a temperature check - You've worked long and hard on this story and are so excited to see your cover. Are you seeing it with the right frame of mind? Check with a few people to find out. Yes, you can ask your family and friends but I wouldn't rely only on them. Reach out to colleagues you trust to give you an honest opinion, as well as to readers of the genre you're working on.
Hope this was helpful to some, as you work towards getting an awesome book cover for you
June 2, 2011
Anathema Ebook launch giveaway contest weeeeeners...
So... I meant to do this at 9pm last night, as soon as the contest closed. However I guess I was more tired than I realized because I passed out in my toddler's bed and was down for the count. I've just done the draw. I used Random Integer Generator - a very smart and complicated-sounding name for a very simple but fair online tool :-)
...and the winners are (I'll contact you all individually with Smashwords coupon codes for your choice of ebook format).
Debbie Montgomery
Liz Williams
Danielle Leisk
Kristi Heyd
Sara Nicholson
You'll hear from me soon. Hope you all enjoy reading Anathema!
For those who didn't win, don't worry... the sweet, fabulous, generous, brilliant Mandy from Twimom101 Book Blog is doing a Kindle version giveaway on her page :-) Go to her blog and check it out here
...and the winners are (I'll contact you all individually with Smashwords coupon codes for your choice of ebook format).
Debbie Montgomery
Liz Williams
Danielle Leisk
Kristi Heyd
Sara Nicholson
You'll hear from me soon. Hope you all enjoy reading Anathema!
For those who didn't win, don't worry... the sweet, fabulous, generous, brilliant Mandy from Twimom101 Book Blog is doing a Kindle version giveaway on her page :-) Go to her blog and check it out here
May 29, 2011
And the first review of Anathema is in...
I had a great weekend. Kid Rock concert Friday night; wine-soaked cottage fiasco for my BFF's birthday Saturday night; relaxing, sunny day by the lakeside today. What could possibly top all of that? How about a 5 star review from book blogger Stephanie. My first review for Anathema is in and it brought a big, dumb grin to my face. Stephanie had nothing but kind words to say about the story. Check it out here.
Thank you Stephanie! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you Stephanie! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
May 27, 2011
Anathema Ebook Release - Giveaway Contest!
[image error] June 1st is the "official" ebook release date of Anathema: The Causal Enchantment Series, Book 1. To celebrate, I'd like to host a giveaway contest on my website:-) So, I'm giving away five (5) ecopies of Anathema (Smashwords coupon - you can download your choice of ereader versions).
All you need to do is fill out the form below :-) You have between now and 9PM EST Wed, June 1st, 2011 to enter. One entry per person, per day, please. Winners will be announced by June 3rd, 2011 via a draw.
Psssst!! The ebook is already loaded on Smashwords, here . You can sample the first 20% of the book :-)
... And stay tuned for upcoming news on the release of the print version... as soon as I have news to share!
*NOTE Your email address will not be used for anything but to contact you, in case you are one of the five lucky winners :-) * Anathema Ebook Release Giveaway! Name * First Last Email - Only to be used to contact you, should you win a copy! *
All you need to do is fill out the form below :-) You have between now and 9PM EST Wed, June 1st, 2011 to enter. One entry per person, per day, please. Winners will be announced by June 3rd, 2011 via a draw.
Psssst!! The ebook is already loaded on Smashwords, here . You can sample the first 20% of the book :-)
... And stay tuned for upcoming news on the release of the print version... as soon as I have news to share!
*NOTE Your email address will not be used for anything but to contact you, in case you are one of the five lucky winners :-) * Anathema Ebook Release Giveaway! Name * First Last Email - Only to be used to contact you, should you win a copy! *
5 Ways to Support an Indie Author
It's 2am and, thanks to a brief 8pm nap in my toddler's bed, I'm wired. So I may as well be productive by sharing some of my learnings.
Have you ever wondered how you can support the awesome indie authors of the world? Here are 5 ways...
1. Read their books . Ummm... too obvious?
2. Spread the word . Word-of-Mouth is the lifeblood of indie authors. Without big PR and marketing budgets, obscurity is the reality for a lot of amazing indie authors out there. We need our readers, our family and friends, fellow authors, book bloggers (the angels of the literary world, in my opinion)... basically EVERYONE, to reach out to their own networks. Use what you use everyday... Facebook, email, Twitter, etc. Maybe you're not into that specific genre but I'll bet you know someone who is, or who has kids who are, or a spouse who is, or a coworker, or... get it? Word-of-Mouth is powerful.
3. If you loved it, write a review! Potential buyers DO READ REVIEWS! It doesn't have to be a mini thesis though the more time you spend talking about writing style, quality of story and physical product, the more impactful your review will be to potential buyers. Just as important... be honest. Bogus reviews are not appreciated and usually earn the wrath of future readers, who may come back and provide a harsher review than deserved because they feel like they've been tricked. And one last thing... please leave out the "love, mommy" at the end of your post, otherwise you've just marked your review as extremely biased.
4. Pat your indie author on the back: Writing a book in itself is a major accomplishment. Taking on the role of publisher and having the cajones to put your work out into the market is something altogether remarkable. Don't assume these cajones = confidence. Most authors are doubting themselves, their writing ability, their story, and their sanity on a regular basis. Let them know they're not crazy. Please.
5. Buy the book: I find it surprising how many people expect to receive free copies of books. Really? Indie author ebooks are typically less than the cost of a Starbucks (and sometimes less than a cup of that nasty day-old cornerstore coffee that you buy out of desperation). Print versions are not outrageously expensive either. Serious indie authors are spending hundreds, if not thousands of dollars launching a book between the cost of editors and designers. The few dollars they have at the end goes to buying print books for blogger reviews and contest giveaways. Oh, and don't forget - this is after spending months if not years writing the book. Considering all of that, is $0.99 to $15 asking a lot?
Stepping down from my soapbox now... :-)
Have you ever wondered how you can support the awesome indie authors of the world? Here are 5 ways...
1. Read their books . Ummm... too obvious?
2. Spread the word . Word-of-Mouth is the lifeblood of indie authors. Without big PR and marketing budgets, obscurity is the reality for a lot of amazing indie authors out there. We need our readers, our family and friends, fellow authors, book bloggers (the angels of the literary world, in my opinion)... basically EVERYONE, to reach out to their own networks. Use what you use everyday... Facebook, email, Twitter, etc. Maybe you're not into that specific genre but I'll bet you know someone who is, or who has kids who are, or a spouse who is, or a coworker, or... get it? Word-of-Mouth is powerful.
3. If you loved it, write a review! Potential buyers DO READ REVIEWS! It doesn't have to be a mini thesis though the more time you spend talking about writing style, quality of story and physical product, the more impactful your review will be to potential buyers. Just as important... be honest. Bogus reviews are not appreciated and usually earn the wrath of future readers, who may come back and provide a harsher review than deserved because they feel like they've been tricked. And one last thing... please leave out the "love, mommy" at the end of your post, otherwise you've just marked your review as extremely biased.
4. Pat your indie author on the back: Writing a book in itself is a major accomplishment. Taking on the role of publisher and having the cajones to put your work out into the market is something altogether remarkable. Don't assume these cajones = confidence. Most authors are doubting themselves, their writing ability, their story, and their sanity on a regular basis. Let them know they're not crazy. Please.
5. Buy the book: I find it surprising how many people expect to receive free copies of books. Really? Indie author ebooks are typically less than the cost of a Starbucks (and sometimes less than a cup of that nasty day-old cornerstore coffee that you buy out of desperation). Print versions are not outrageously expensive either. Serious indie authors are spending hundreds, if not thousands of dollars launching a book between the cost of editors and designers. The few dollars they have at the end goes to buying print books for blogger reviews and contest giveaways. Oh, and don't forget - this is after spending months if not years writing the book. Considering all of that, is $0.99 to $15 asking a lot?
Stepping down from my soapbox now... :-)
May 25, 2011
A Series is Born
Seeing as I've just finished the first draft of the sequel to Anathema, I figured it was time to name the series... What have I decided on?
The Causal Enchantment Series.
Read Anathema: Book One of the Causal Enchantment Series and you'll understand why :-)
The Causal Enchantment Series.
Read Anathema: Book One of the Causal Enchantment Series and you'll understand why :-)
