Meredith Allard's Blog, page 42

The Las Vegas Writers Conference–The Craft and the Business of Writing

I spent this past weekend at the Las Vegas Writers Conference. It was my first conference as either a writer or an editor, and what a thrill to be there as an invited faculty member. I had my presentations about writing historical fiction (no great surprise here) and about e-zines (even less of a surprise there), and I had the opportunity to slip into a few of the other presentations and learn from other industry professionals. I had a number of writers pitch their historical novel ideas to me since Copperfield Press will be accepting submissions again this summer, and I loved hearing what they had to say.

I understand now why writers flock to conferences. Writing is such a solitary activity, and it’s nice to connect with others who love the same thing I do. One of the things that impressed me most was the writers’ willingness to ask questions. They were there to take away whatever information the industry professionals could offer. More than one writer told me they knew they still had a lot to learn and they loved going to conferences because it gave them a chance to learn from those in the know.

So what was the buzz at the conference? Self-publishing and the indie author revolution seemed to be the hot topics, at least among the writers I talked to. Some writers want to know all about indie publishing because they’re considering going that route. There were still many writers who would rather go to the traditional route, and they were very interested in meeting and pitching to the agents and publishers who were there. That’s the main idea I took away from the conference: as writers today, we have a choice. We can choose to pursue traditional agents and publishers. We can choose to go the indie author route. It’s all good. How lucky we are to live at a time when we have options. One thing I said to the writers in my e-zine presentation is that we no longer have to wait for permission to do what is in our heart to do. We can take matters into our own hands, and to me that is liberating news.

Social media was also on people’s minds, and the social media presentations were well attended. I would have liked to have gone to that one myself. After a year of learning social media, there’s still so much I don’t know. There were about an equal number of presentations about the business of writing (how to write query letters, how to attract an agent’s or editor’s attention, how to create e-books) as there were presentations on the craft of writing (tips on writing better dialogue, crafting a story, writing historical fiction). In other words, the conference covered all of a writer’s concerns. As writers today, we need to know how to write to the very best of our abilities, and then we need to know what to do with that writing when it’s ready to be read by others.

I had a wonderful time at my first writers conference. I had a chance to reconnect with some old friends, and I made several new friends too. And while I went there as the teacher, I took away some valuable information. As writers, we should keep learning—about the business and about the craft of what we do. A creative calling like ours requires us to replenish ourselves with new ideas, new information, and connecting with like-minded souls is always a good thing.

Filed under: Publishing, Writing Tagged: Las Vegas Writers Conference, writing

Showers of Books Giveaway

Note: The winners will be announced on 4/26 after 5 pm Pacific Time. Thanks to everyone who is entering!

Welcome to the Showers of Books Giveaway! This hop runs from April 20 to April 25. Thanks to I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and One a Day YA for hosting.

I’m pleased to announce that I now have e-copies of Her Loving Husband’s Curse to give away. You guys will be among the very first to read it! I’ll be giving away five e-books (either Her Dear & Loving Husband or Her Loving Husband’s Curse–your choice). I also have three paperback copies of Her Dear & Loving Husband to give away (the paperback copies of Her Loving Husband’s Curse aren’t quite ready yet).  If you’re not familiar with the stories, check here. There’s also a $10 gift certificate to either Amazon.com or BN.com (your choice) for one lucky winner.

You must be a follower of this blog to enter. You can gain extra entries with the following:

Following this blog +1

Follow me on Twitter +1

Like The Copperfield Review on Facebook +1

Friend me on Goodreads +1

Friend me on Facebook +1

The extra entry options are available on the right sidebar of this page. Then fill out the form below and you’re entered. Don’t forget to let me know if you’d prefer Her Dear & Loving Husband or Her Loving Husband’s Curse.

[contact-form]

There are over 200 great websites involved in this hop. Check here to see what other wonderful items you can win.

Filed under: Giveaways, Her Dear & Loving Husband, Her Loving Husband's Curse Tagged: Giveaways, Her Dear & Loving Husband, Her Loving Husband's Curse, I am a Reader Not a Writer, One a Day YA

Hoppy Easter Giveaway Winners

Thanks as always to everyone who participated in the giveaway. Here are the winners this time around:

E-Books:

Kayla B.

Shannon

Veronika B.

Paperbacks:

Cynthia W.

Nellis P.

JayJay

$10 Amazon.com Gift Card:

Tiffany T.

I’ll be back in a few days on April 20th for the next giveaway. Next time around, I’ll be able to start offering copies of Book Two in the series, Her Loving Husband’s Curse, as one of the prizes. See you then!

Filed under: Giveaways Tagged: Giveaways, Her Dear & Loving Husband, I am a Reader Not a Writer

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway

Welcome to the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway! This hop runs from April 6 to April 12. Thanks to I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Once Upon a Twilight for hosting.

I have three e-copies of Her Dear & Loving Husband to give away as well as three paperback copies. If you're not familiar with the story, check here. There's also a $10 gift certificate to either Amazon.com or BN.com (your choice) for one lucky winner.

You must be a follower of this blog to enter. You can gain extra entries with the following:

Following this blog +1

Follow me on Twitter +1

Like The Copperfield Review on Facebook +1

Friend me on Goodreads +1

Friend me on Facebook +1

The extra entry options are available on the right sidebar of this page. Then fill out the form below and you're entered!

[contact-form]

There are over 200 great websites involved in this hop. Check here to see what other wonderful items you can win.

Filed under: Giveaways, Her Dear & Loving Husband Tagged: easter eggstravaganza, Giveaways, Her Dear & Loving Husband, hoppy easter, I am a Reader Not a Writer, Once Upon a Twilight

Social Media, Blogging, and Platforms…Oh My!

It has been an amazing year. Since Her Dear & Loving Husband was released on April 19, 2011, it has found a loyal audience of readers who have been generous in their praise. I know most authors would argue that their readers are the best, but I know my readers really are the best. For those of you who sent e-mails asking about Book Two in the James and Sarah Saga, thank you. Your enthusiasm means the world to me. Now, after a year in the works, Her Loving Husband's Curse is getting ready for its Tuesday, April 24, 2012 release date. You can read the Prologue here.

I've learned a lot over the past year. I learned about social media, author platforms, blogging, e-book formatting and e-book pricing. I've become both a blog tour author and a blog tour host, and I've discovered a whole fun world of giveaways. I've met many wonderful readers and writers I never would have met otherwise. And through it all, I managed to write a 90,000 word novel. Whew! No wonder I'm so tired lately.

Today I read a wonderful interview on the Smashwords blog with Claire Farrell, an Irish indie author who talks about how she doesn't worry about blogging, social media, or author platforms. She spends her time writing books, and those books have found her an international audience and she's currently supporting her family as an indie author. I like what she has to say, and the longer I'm in this publishing game the more I agree with her. I'm not saying I'm giving up Twitter, blogging, or the giveaways. I enjoy them too much. But I also need to focus on writing because that's why I'm here in the first place. I have stories to tell, and I'm not happy with myself when I'm not telling them.

It should be easier this time around. I have a basic understanding of the social media game now. I'm still learning and growing, but at least I have a base to work from this year where last year I was starting from scratch. I know which marketing strategies worked for me and which didn't. I know what helped me to find new readers and what didn't. That learning curve was important, but now I'm ready to turn my focus back onto writing. I can live with myself without ever going on Linkedin again, and I'm not anywhere close to attempting Pintrest, but I can't live with myself without writing. Like everything else in life, being an author is about determining your priorities and acting accordingly.

I've been taking a serious look at my priorities as an author. It turns out my priority, like Claire Farrell's, is to write books I want to read. And that's where my focus will be as I continue into the next stage of this journey. Though Book Two of the Loving Husband Trilogy is done, I'm not even close to being finished. I still have one more book in the trilogy to write, and my goal is to get it out April 2013. I'm also planning on spending the summer revising and publishing a couple of novels I had previously written but were never released. Victory Garden, which will be published in July, is a historical novel set around the woman suffrage movement and World War I. There's not a vampire in sight in Victory Garden, but I don't think the story suffers because of it.

I'm excited about what the past year has brought with Her Dear & Loving Husband, and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes from this new adventure with Her Loving Husband's Curse and Victory Garden. I have a feeling the best is yet to come.

Filed under: Publishing, Writing Tagged: Her Dear & Loving Husband, Her Loving Husband's Curse, marketing, publishing, writing

Her Loving Husband's Curse Giveaway Winners

It took a little longer than I thought it would, but I finally have the winners for the giveaway. The first hint was the term Kalona Ayeliski, also known as the Raven Mocker, which is  a Cherokee vampire legend. Then, with the hint of the walking (and the walking, and the walking…), that would bring those more astute about American history to the Trail of Tears, which is the right answer and the historical background for Book Two in the Loving Husband Trilogy. I saw some great answers, ranging from the American Revolution to the American Civil War. Thanks to everyone who sent in their responses. I really enjoyed reading them!

Here are the winners:

E-Books

Wanda F.

Janice J.

Sammy K.

John M.

Stephanie W.

Paperbacks:

Diane M.

Charlie H.

Martha B.

$10 Amazon.com Gift Certificate:

Su Chin Z.

I'll be back on April 6th with the Hoppy Easter Giveaway hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer. See you then!

Filed under: Giveaways, Her Loving Husband's Curse Tagged: Giveaways, Her Loving Husband's Curse

Prologue–Her Loving Husband's Curse

As I'm getting Her Loving Husband's Curse ready for publication, I wanted to share the Prologue. Please enjoy.

Prologue

I am among the masses as they limp and drag toward some foreign place they are afraid to imagine. Even in the dimness of the nearly moonless night the exhaustion, the sickness, the fear is everywhere in their swollen faces. The weaker among them, the very old and the very sick, the very young and the very frail, are driven in wagons steered by ill-tempered soldiers. The riders are not better off than the walkers, their sore, screaming bodies bumped and jostled by the wobbly wheels over the unsteady forest terrain. No one notices as a few drop like discarded rags from the wagon to the ground.

"Here!" I cry. "Let me help you. I will find water for you to drink."

But they pass me without looking. They see nothing, hear nothing. They walk. That is all they are. Walk. That is their name. Walk. Or "Move!" That is what the soldiers scream in their faces. They struggle under the weight of the few bags they carry and stumble under the musket butts slapped into their backs. And still they do not see me.

I wave my hands in the air and yell to make myself heard over the thumping of thousands of feet.

"Here!" I cry. "Who needs something to eat?"

I push myself into the center of the mass. Men in turbans and tunics, women with their long black hair pulled from their faces as they clutch their toddlers—all focus their eyes on a horizon too far away. One old man, unsteady under the weight of the pack he carries, stumbles over some rocks and he falls. The soldiers beat him with their muskets—their futile attempt to make him stand. The man tries to push himself up but cannot, so the soldiers try the whip instead. The old man prostrates himself on the ground, arms out, face away. He has accepted that this is how he will die.

"Step around him!" the soldiers bark. And they do step around him, their eyes straight ahead. They do not see the old man any more than they see me. To acknowledge the fallen elder would force them to admit that his fate is their fate and they will all die here among unknown land and foreign trees. The old man does not stir. He does not lift his head or seem to breathe. And the people pass him by. When they stop to make their encampment for the night, the old man does not arrive.

I throw my hands into the air again, my frustration boiling the blood in my brain. "Let me help you! Why will you not listen to me?"

"Because they cannot see you."

I have seen the man before—his blue tunic, his white turban, his solemn bearing—and he has seen me. He is an elder, his hair silver, his face a ridged map of everything he has seen, every thought he has had, every prayer he has said. There is wisdom behind his wary glance and oh so tired eyes.

"That's ridiculous," I say. "I am standing here among them."

The old man shakes his head. "You are the Kalona Ayeliski. They cannot see you."

"The what?"

"The Kalona Ayeliski. They cannot see the Raven Mocker."

I watch the walkers, hundreds of them, their heads bowed under the weight of losing their possessions, their land, their ancestors, everything they had in this world and beyond, and I realize the man is right. They do not see me. They have never seen me.

"What is a Raven Mocker?" I ask.

"An evil spirit. All the Raven Mocker cares for is prolonging its own life force, and it feeds from others to do it. It tortures the dying and hastens their deaths so it can consume their hearts. The Raven Mocker receives one year of life for every year its victim would have lived."

"I am no Raven Mocker. I mean harm to no one."

"Ever?"

I turn away, watching the families reuniting after the long day's walk, children crying for their mothers, husbands searching for their wives. They are setting up their campsites, eating the meager gruel and drinking the few drops of water given them. I cannot meet the man's eyes.

"Not for a long time," I say. When the man's stare bores through me, pricking me somewhere I cannot name, I shrug. "I do not hasten death in anyone," I say. "Not anymore."

"We shall see," he says.

Filed under: Her Loving Husband's Curse Tagged: Her Loving Husband's Curse

Her Loving Husband's Curse Giveaway

I'm in the final stages of getting Her Loving Husband's Curse ready for publication, and I'm so excited I wanted to share the Prologue with everyone. For those of you who read Her Dear & Loving Husband, you know the historical background for that story is the Salem Witch Trials. Of course, being the historical fiction person I am, I had to connect the second book to a historical period as well.

That brings us to the giveaway. The first five people to correctly identify the historical period the Prologue is set in wins an e-copy of Her Dear & Loving Husband. The next three win a paperback copy, and the 10th wins a $10 gift certificate to either Amazon.com or BN.com (your choice).

Don't leave your answers in the comment section–you don't want to give the answers to anyone else! Use the Contact Me form to drop me a line. I'm looking forward to this. It should be fun!

Prologue

I am among the masses as they limp and drag toward some foreign place they are afraid to imagine. Even in the dimness of the nearly moonless night the exhaustion, the sickness, the fear is everywhere in their swollen faces. The weaker among them, the very old and the very sick, the very young and the very frail, are driven in wagons steered by ill-tempered soldiers. The riders are not better off than the walkers, their sore, screaming bodies bumped and jostled by the wobbly wheels over the unsteady forest terrain. No one notices as a few drop like discarded rags from the wagon to the ground.

"Here!" I cry. "Let me help you. I will find water for you to drink."

But they pass me without looking. They see nothing, hear nothing. They walk. That is all they are. Walk. That is their name. Walk. Or "Move!" That is what the soldiers scream in their faces. They struggle under the weight of the few bags they carry and stumble under the musket butts slapped into their backs. And still they do not see me.

I wave my hands in the air and yell to make myself heard over the thumping of thousands of feet.

"Here!" I cry. "Who needs something to eat?"

I push myself into the center of the mass. Men in turbans and tunics, women with their long black hair pulled from their faces as they clutch their toddlers—all focus their eyes on a horizon too far away. One old man, unsteady under the weight of the pack he carries, stumbles over some rocks and he falls. The soldiers beat him with their muskets—their futile attempt to make him stand. The man tries to push himself up but cannot, so the soldiers try the whip instead. The old man prostrates himself on the ground, arms out, face away. He has accepted that this is how he will die.

"Step around him!" the soldiers bark. And they do step around him, their eyes straight ahead. They do not see the old man any more than they see me. To acknowledge the fallen elder would force them to admit that his fate is their fate and they will all die here among unknown land and foreign trees. The old man does not stir. He does not lift his head or seem to breathe. And the people pass him by. When they stop to make their encampment for the night, the old man does not arrive.

I throw my hands into the air again, my frustration boiling the blood in my brain. "Let me help you! Why will you not listen to me?"

"Because they cannot see you."

I have seen the man before—his blue tunic, his white turban, his solemn bearing—and he has seen me. He is an elder, his hair silver, his face a ridged map of everything he has seen, every thought he has had, every prayer he has said. There is wisdom behind his wary glance and oh so tired eyes.

"That's ridiculous," I say. "I am standing here among them."

The old man shakes his head. "You are the Kalona Ayeliski. They cannot see you."

"The what?"

"The Kalona Ayeliski. They cannot see the Raven Mocker."

I watch the walkers, hundreds of them, their heads bowed under the weight of losing their possessions, their land, their ancestors, everything they had in this world and beyond, and I realize the man is right. They do not see me. They have never seen me.

"What is a Raven Mocker?" I ask.

"An evil spirit. All the Raven Mocker cares for is prolonging its own life force, and it feeds from others to do it. It tortures the dying and hastens their deaths so it can consume their hearts. The Raven Mocker receives one year of life for every year its victim would have lived."

"I am no Raven Mocker. I mean harm to no one."

"Ever?"

I turn away, watching the families reuniting after the long day's walk, children crying for their mothers, husbands searching for their wives. They are setting up their campsites, eating the meager gruel and drinking the few drops of water given them. I cannot meet the man's eyes.

"Not for a long time," I say. When the man's stare bores through me, pricking me somewhere I cannot name, I shrug. "I do not hasten death in anyone," I say. "Not anymore."

"We shall see," he says.

Filed under: Giveaways, Her Loving Husband's Curse Tagged: Giveaways, Her Loving Husband's Curse

Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Winners

First of all, thanks to everyone who entered. The winners of the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway are:

E-Books:

Kathleen K.

Crystal F.

Judy C.

Paperbacks:

Georgette C.

Irene M.

Patricia Z.

BN.Com Gift Card

Alicia Marie E.

Next up for the hops hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer is the Hoppy Easter Giveaway beginning April 6. On Monday, March 26, I'll be hosting my own giveaway. I'll be posting the Prologue to Her Loving Husband's Curse, Book Two of the Loving Husband Trilogy, and asking a question. The first five to respond correctly will be the winners. See you then!

Filed under: Giveaways Tagged: Giveaways, Her Dear & Loving Husband

Guest Post From Author Ciara Knight

Worldbuilding is my thing

I LOVE worldbuilding. There is nothing better than creating magical castles, freaky creatures, and Earthbound demons.

To set up the world for Rise from Darkness I decided to pick a hot and humid location. I grew up in Florida, so I knew a lot about the culture, weather, and habitat. The town I placed my hero and heroine in is Kemp, Florida, an isolated town on the west coast. Why is it isolated you ask? Because, the world isn't just built and the story is constructed to fit it, the world should almost be another character in your story. Since I had a character who wished to remain 'off the grid' the isolated town was a must. It followed the rules of my world.

Another reason I chose Florida was because the temperature is hot and humid. Palmetto bugs scurry in the woods and Spanish moss hangs from large oak trees. All true aspects of Florida and great setting for a demon story.  The small sounds of nature, there is never a moment that mole crickets aren't chirping in the heat of the summer, became a warning symbol for demons.

Mood, sight, sounds, taste, and touch are all important parts to dig deep in POV, but giving each sense purpose strengthens the plot and gives the reader more.

One warning about worldbuilding: never throw in a plot element that doesn't fit the rules of your world. For instance, if you have a frog that turns people's hair purple if they touch him, and he's done this throughout the story, don't turn around a few chapters later and say his power is to turn mushrooms into gold and that's how he is able to buy the freedom of a princess being held by an evil sorcerer. Also, don't have a thunderstorm pop up if your characters live in the desert just because they need water.

What kind of thing pulls you into a story? Does it bother you when something doesn't fit?

Rise From Darkness

Book One: Battle of the Souls

Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press

Young Adult Paranormal

Alexander Lorre gives new meaning to the term "tormented teen." He's a newly fallen angel, which means he has the self-control of a three-year-old, the hormones of a teenager and the strength of an angel. When he rescues Gaby Moore from drowning, the chemistry between them is undeniable. With a local demon threatening Gaby's life, he struggles to find a balance between remaining close enough to protect her but distant enough to control his desires.

As danger draws closer, Gaby uncovers shattering secrets that will lead to an ultimate choice. Will she fight alongside her father, an earthbound hunter killing fallen angels and demons, give into the demon blood coursing through her veins and join the demon world, or save the man she loves from both? The first two choices damn her, but the last one could destroy them all.

About The Author:

Ciara Knight always had a passion for storytelling. At an early age, she wrote several short stories and poems, and in college she started work on her first novel. It wasn't until late 2008 that she returned to her true passion of writing. Over the past few years she has penned five novels and joined several professional writing organizations to better her craft.

When not writing, she enjoys reading all types of fiction. Some great literary influences in her life include Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Francine Rivers and J K Rowling.

Ciara is happily married and enjoys family time. She has learned to embrace chaos, which is a requirement when raising three boys, and utilizes the insanity to create stories not of this world including, Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, and Young Adult Dystopian.

Her first love, besides her family, reading, and writing, is travel. She's backpacked through Europe, visited orphanages in China, and landed in a helicopter on a glacier in Alaska.

Website: www.ciaraknight.com

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/Ciaraknightwrites

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/ciaratknight

Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Bewitching Book Tours, Ciara Knight, guest blogs, Rise From Darkness