N.R. Wick's Blog, page 8
May 25, 2012
Editing Cheat Sheet
It’s that dreading time in your novel where you’ve completed the first draft and let it breath for a little while, but now you have to do the editing before you can send it off to beta readers or your editor. No heavy sighs and no groaning. Editing isn’t so bad when you go into it prepared. For me, I have a little cheat sheet that I keep nearby when I’m starting the editing phase and it helps tremendously. With the cheat sheet, I can remember to watch for little things and edit in waves rather than plunk down in front of the manuscript and try to face the daunting task head on.
With all of that said, I can provide you with the cheat sheet I use when revising my manuscript after the first pass. Some things may be different based on the way you work and based on common issues your own writing may have, and this is also not to be used for a final pass edit. I suggest using an editor for that. At any rate, onto the list.
1. Fix General Trouble Areas (Homophones and Common Misspellings) - This one will vary from writer to writer. Come up with a short list of problems with specific homophones or spelling errors you notice your work has. For me, I have this annoying habit of typing LEAD instead of LED, almost every time when I’m writing really fast. So, it’s the first thing I check for, especially because it’s something easy to fix too. Sometimes, I have issues with Its and It’s. When I’m in “the zone” while writing, my fingers will just type and my brain is in full-on right side mode, so things like grammar and homophones are not on my mind. So, I check first for the homophones and any other minor spelling issues I know I have that can easily be found using the Find/Replace function. Compile a list of your known trouble areas to remember them.
2. Check Dialogue and Dialogue Tags - I check my dialogue for awkward phrasing. Sometimes I say it out loud to be sure it sounds like something a character would actually say. Dialogue should flow freely and be easy to read. Natural. Just like speaking is. I also make sure that I’m not repeating information with dialogue and that I’m cutting unnecessary dialogue. While I’m checking on these things, I also check my tags. Do I abuse adverbs? Do I repeat in the dialogue tags what is already clear from the dialogue? Is there a way to remove the tags and add an action? Before I finish this step, I also make sure that it’s clear who is talking. You don’t want the reader to be confused.
3. Check for Point of View Shifts - This is something I rarely have an issue with, but there are cases when I switch a sentence into a different point of view on accident. Unless your story is in third person omniscient, you should generally have only one point of view at a time. When you do have to change the POV, be sure that it is done clearly.
4. Watch for Repeating Words - Some writers or readers might not care, but I look out for repeats. As a reader, I notice things like chapters or paragraphs in a row that start with the same word or sentence structure. At first glance, this might not matter, for chapters even less so, but generally this indicates monotony. Varying sentence structure and word usage helps break up the monotony. No matter how action-packed or how interesting or how important the section might be, monotony will kill it. So, I check for this in my own writing. This also goes for word usage too. If I have a paragraph with four sentences in it and use the word “coin” five times, it’s too many. Or if I use a character’s name too many times in several sentences. Often, we don’t need constant reminders of what the word is.
5. Focus on Pacing and Plot Consistency - Pacing is important when writing a good story, as is consistency in the plot. This is where I check for plot holes or check for details like whether or not character A’s hair color changed part way through the book. Pacing should be looked at scene by scene and overall. Are there any places that drag in the overall book? Is there anywhere that needs to slow down a little? In my work, there tends to be a lot of action and high energy, so when I am revising I tend to look out for areas where there is little to no “down time”. Sometimes readers need a break from the action. If I forgot this fact during my outlining and writing phase, I have to correct it during the editing phase.
6. Listen to Your Manuscript - The last thing I do to get my manuscript ready for eyes other than my own, is to physically listen to the manuscript. Use the Text to Speech tool or have someone read it back to you. Yes, the entire thing. Listening to your book will help you pick out the trouble areas. It will also help you catch spelling or grammar mistakes as well as awkward dialogue. Also, it’s really fun to hear your book being read out loud.
If you need a reminder of what to look for when you edit your manuscript, feel free to use this cheat sheet. Anything else that is needed should be mentioned by your beta readers, editor, and proofreader, which is why this list isn’t all inclusive. Also, what works for me, may not work for you. I suggest you learn what your weaknesses are and create your own cheat sheet that caters best to your needs.
With all of that said, I can provide you with the cheat sheet I use when revising my manuscript after the first pass. Some things may be different based on the way you work and based on common issues your own writing may have, and this is also not to be used for a final pass edit. I suggest using an editor for that. At any rate, onto the list.
1. Fix General Trouble Areas (Homophones and Common Misspellings) - This one will vary from writer to writer. Come up with a short list of problems with specific homophones or spelling errors you notice your work has. For me, I have this annoying habit of typing LEAD instead of LED, almost every time when I’m writing really fast. So, it’s the first thing I check for, especially because it’s something easy to fix too. Sometimes, I have issues with Its and It’s. When I’m in “the zone” while writing, my fingers will just type and my brain is in full-on right side mode, so things like grammar and homophones are not on my mind. So, I check first for the homophones and any other minor spelling issues I know I have that can easily be found using the Find/Replace function. Compile a list of your known trouble areas to remember them.
2. Check Dialogue and Dialogue Tags - I check my dialogue for awkward phrasing. Sometimes I say it out loud to be sure it sounds like something a character would actually say. Dialogue should flow freely and be easy to read. Natural. Just like speaking is. I also make sure that I’m not repeating information with dialogue and that I’m cutting unnecessary dialogue. While I’m checking on these things, I also check my tags. Do I abuse adverbs? Do I repeat in the dialogue tags what is already clear from the dialogue? Is there a way to remove the tags and add an action? Before I finish this step, I also make sure that it’s clear who is talking. You don’t want the reader to be confused.
3. Check for Point of View Shifts - This is something I rarely have an issue with, but there are cases when I switch a sentence into a different point of view on accident. Unless your story is in third person omniscient, you should generally have only one point of view at a time. When you do have to change the POV, be sure that it is done clearly.
4. Watch for Repeating Words - Some writers or readers might not care, but I look out for repeats. As a reader, I notice things like chapters or paragraphs in a row that start with the same word or sentence structure. At first glance, this might not matter, for chapters even less so, but generally this indicates monotony. Varying sentence structure and word usage helps break up the monotony. No matter how action-packed or how interesting or how important the section might be, monotony will kill it. So, I check for this in my own writing. This also goes for word usage too. If I have a paragraph with four sentences in it and use the word “coin” five times, it’s too many. Or if I use a character’s name too many times in several sentences. Often, we don’t need constant reminders of what the word is.
5. Focus on Pacing and Plot Consistency - Pacing is important when writing a good story, as is consistency in the plot. This is where I check for plot holes or check for details like whether or not character A’s hair color changed part way through the book. Pacing should be looked at scene by scene and overall. Are there any places that drag in the overall book? Is there anywhere that needs to slow down a little? In my work, there tends to be a lot of action and high energy, so when I am revising I tend to look out for areas where there is little to no “down time”. Sometimes readers need a break from the action. If I forgot this fact during my outlining and writing phase, I have to correct it during the editing phase.
6. Listen to Your Manuscript - The last thing I do to get my manuscript ready for eyes other than my own, is to physically listen to the manuscript. Use the Text to Speech tool or have someone read it back to you. Yes, the entire thing. Listening to your book will help you pick out the trouble areas. It will also help you catch spelling or grammar mistakes as well as awkward dialogue. Also, it’s really fun to hear your book being read out loud.
If you need a reminder of what to look for when you edit your manuscript, feel free to use this cheat sheet. Anything else that is needed should be mentioned by your beta readers, editor, and proofreader, which is why this list isn’t all inclusive. Also, what works for me, may not work for you. I suggest you learn what your weaknesses are and create your own cheat sheet that caters best to your needs.
May 18, 2012
The Raven: A Movie Review
I wrote up a review on The Raven for a writer's community I'm a part of and thought I'd share it with you. The film had so many elements I love including a writer, a murder mystery, a blur of reality and fiction, and my favourite: John Cusack.
First, let me start off by saying that this review is from the point of view of an avid movie lover and a John Cusack fan. Also, I’m in no way a rabid fangirl of Edgar Alan Poe, though I do enjoy his work. With that said, The Raven was a fun movie with a literary twist that, as an author, I liked.
The concept itself is pretty amazing, especially with the juxtaposition of Poe, his work, and a murder mystery. The namesake comes from his poem of the same title and parallels it in some ways with similar themes. The story of the film takes place in the last few days of Poe’s life, which are historically pretty interesting due to the mysterious manner in which Poe was found on a park bench rambling the name “Reynolds”. The Raven makes use of this quite well.
John Cusack plays Edgar Allan Poe and did a wonderful job. I had my doubts at first because he seemed so over dramatic and pompous, but it’s possible that the character was supposed to be that way in the beginning. As the film progressed, he toned it down and made a relatable and heroic character in Poe. Luke Evans, who played Detective Fields, was a surprisingly great addition to this movie. He’s a pretty decent actor, and his character complimented Poe in a way that made them great to watch.
One of my biggest complaints about this movie was the badly added CG. I’m talking SyFy made for TV bad. In the beginning, there is a horrible CG of Poe’s shadow as he walks down the street. It was a great shot that was completely ruined by horrible CG. The same can be said about the CGed Ravens. While I understand the theme and the visual of having ravens, the CG was just plain bad.
Cinematography-Wise, there were some beautiful visuals. My favorite and the one that is most vivid in my mind is a scene where Poe chases the murderer into the woods, which are completely barren and shrouded in fog. It was a great scene that was ruined by badly CGed ravens. Another fantastic shot, which was thankfully not ruined by bad CG, is when the murderer was riding a horse and he is dressed in a black costume with a skeleton in the front and a skull mask. This was to represent death from
Masque of the Red Death in a fantastic scene.
For those looking for historical accuracy, look else where. The Raven is a fun fictionalization of Poe’s final days and utilizes his work and his themes to create a fun movie. Besides, if Abraham Lincoln can be a vampire hunter, why can’t Poe help catch a murderer who is killing based on his own work? I would recommend this movie for anyone who isn’t a serious and avid Poe fan, who like a good murder mystery, and who love John Cusack.
First, let me start off by saying that this review is from the point of view of an avid movie lover and a John Cusack fan. Also, I’m in no way a rabid fangirl of Edgar Alan Poe, though I do enjoy his work. With that said, The Raven was a fun movie with a literary twist that, as an author, I liked.
The concept itself is pretty amazing, especially with the juxtaposition of Poe, his work, and a murder mystery. The namesake comes from his poem of the same title and parallels it in some ways with similar themes. The story of the film takes place in the last few days of Poe’s life, which are historically pretty interesting due to the mysterious manner in which Poe was found on a park bench rambling the name “Reynolds”. The Raven makes use of this quite well.
John Cusack plays Edgar Allan Poe and did a wonderful job. I had my doubts at first because he seemed so over dramatic and pompous, but it’s possible that the character was supposed to be that way in the beginning. As the film progressed, he toned it down and made a relatable and heroic character in Poe. Luke Evans, who played Detective Fields, was a surprisingly great addition to this movie. He’s a pretty decent actor, and his character complimented Poe in a way that made them great to watch.
One of my biggest complaints about this movie was the badly added CG. I’m talking SyFy made for TV bad. In the beginning, there is a horrible CG of Poe’s shadow as he walks down the street. It was a great shot that was completely ruined by horrible CG. The same can be said about the CGed Ravens. While I understand the theme and the visual of having ravens, the CG was just plain bad.
Cinematography-Wise, there were some beautiful visuals. My favorite and the one that is most vivid in my mind is a scene where Poe chases the murderer into the woods, which are completely barren and shrouded in fog. It was a great scene that was ruined by badly CGed ravens. Another fantastic shot, which was thankfully not ruined by bad CG, is when the murderer was riding a horse and he is dressed in a black costume with a skeleton in the front and a skull mask. This was to represent death from
Masque of the Red Death in a fantastic scene.
For those looking for historical accuracy, look else where. The Raven is a fun fictionalization of Poe’s final days and utilizes his work and his themes to create a fun movie. Besides, if Abraham Lincoln can be a vampire hunter, why can’t Poe help catch a murderer who is killing based on his own work? I would recommend this movie for anyone who isn’t a serious and avid Poe fan, who like a good murder mystery, and who love John Cusack.
May 9, 2012
Land of No Mortals (Book 2 of the Dark Ascension Series)
eBook Now Available!
Get Land of No Mortals for Kindle at Amazon
Get Land of No Mortals for Nook at Barnes & Noble
Join Rebecca in her fight to stay alive with book two of the Dark Ascension Series, Land of No Mortals!
Seventeen year old Rebecca Ashford and her younger sister Errol have finally found safe refuge at Crown Haven, a witch-led survivor colony. Rebecca should be thrilled by the secure place to live and the human contact after spending a year hiding in their family tornado bunker, but ever since her friend Fox left she’s been plagued by guilt strong enough to mess with her newfound witch powers.
When demons destroy Crown Haven, Rebecca uses her power to locate the only person who may know how to fight back. Instead, she discovers that Fox is in danger. She and Errol must rescue him and enlist his help in their quest to learn what caused the demon apocalypse and find a way to take back their world. As Rebecca struggles with her feelings for Fox and with controlling her power, she fights to stay alive and defy the demonic oppressors to protect the people she loves.
Get Land of No Mortals for Kindle at Amazon
Get Land of No Mortals for Nook at Barnes & Noble
Join Rebecca in her fight to stay alive with book two of the Dark Ascension Series, Land of No Mortals!
Seventeen year old Rebecca Ashford and her younger sister Errol have finally found safe refuge at Crown Haven, a witch-led survivor colony. Rebecca should be thrilled by the secure place to live and the human contact after spending a year hiding in their family tornado bunker, but ever since her friend Fox left she’s been plagued by guilt strong enough to mess with her newfound witch powers.
When demons destroy Crown Haven, Rebecca uses her power to locate the only person who may know how to fight back. Instead, she discovers that Fox is in danger. She and Errol must rescue him and enlist his help in their quest to learn what caused the demon apocalypse and find a way to take back their world. As Rebecca struggles with her feelings for Fox and with controlling her power, she fights to stay alive and defy the demonic oppressors to protect the people she loves.
May 1, 2012
eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards
eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards
Bellmawr, NJ: The eFestival of Words Virtual Book Fair announces the nominees for the first Best of the Independent eBook Awards. The complete list of nominees can be found at www.efestivalofwords.com.
The eFestival of Words, scheduled for August 17-19, 2012, is the first virtual book fair designed specifically to highlight the best of the independent digital publishing community. The awards program is one of many events being ran in conjunction with the fair.
According to Event Coordinator Julie Ann Dawson, “The goal of the eFestival of Words Awards is to highlight those independent authors and publishers that have worked to raise the bar in terms of the literary quality and production value and of digital books. Many people still think of ebooks as nothing more than scanned pages of print books. We hope that both the fair and the awards will help readers discover the amazing wealth of original content being produced in digital formats.”
Dawson, who has operated Bards and Sages Publishing since 2002, says that all nominees were nominated by their peers in the industry. Only authors, publishers, and others involved in the production of digital books were invited to submit ballots. Nominations were accepted in over two dozen categories, including genre categories (horror, romance, thrillers, etc), format-specific (short story, novella, novel) and a few just-for-fun categories (such as The "I've Been Shyamalaned" Award for Best Twist Ending).
Each category will be narrowed down further seven finalists, which will be announced July 1, 2012. Final voting will be opened to all registered attendees of the eFestival of Words, with winners announced on the last day of the fair. Registration is free and entitles the attendees to not only vote in the final awards, but also participate in panel discussion, author chats, workshops, and more.
For more information on the fair and the awards, visit www.efestivalofwords.com.
April 19, 2012
Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology, and Advocating Children Reading
So, if you haven't heard already, today I and some other authors got together to make our books free for the day in a lovely Give Your Child a Free Kindle Book event. Getting kids excited to read is such an important part of life and this is such an easy way to help facilitate that. Easily accessible, FREE, and very exciting to read, these books are flying off the virtual shelf. As a part of this event, one of my own books is available for the first and possibly only, time. Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology
is available for FREE today only. And please head over to Stacy Juba's blog for the complete list of books available with our event today. Give a child you love a really amazing book, or fifteen!Keep a flashlight handy. This collection of short stories for young adults is sure to draw out whatever's skulking in the shadows. From supernatural entities, to crazed monsters, to disturbing discoveries, evil is lurking 'round every corner. Delve into the dark recess of this creepy book… if you dare.
Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology includes:
GRINNING IN THE DARK: A girl is being tortured by a shadowy, grinning figure.
HUNTED: Faceless monsters pursue and attack a young teen at her summer job.
DOPPELGANGER: Fraternal twins believe something sinister happened to their friend after playing with a real spirit board.
PICTURE EVIL: A boy finds a series of fuzzy photographs and is determined to discover what they are and how they came to him.
INFINITY: A teen couple is trapped on a treacherous roadtrip.
THE UNDERTAKING: A pregnant teen can't remember how she became impregnated and must control her violent urges before she gives birth.
ASCENSION: A teen witnesses demons emerge from the ground and murder his neighbors.
April 15, 2012
Give Your Child a Kindle Book
Fill up your Kindle and get your children reading this summer with these 15 books, free on Kindle only on April 19 during the Give Your Child A Kindle Book (or 15 of Them!) Promotion. Save this page, come back on Thursday the 19th, and scroll down the list, which includes picture books, middle grade novels, and young adult books spanning a range of topics from sports, to paranormal, to historical, to educational. Selected books include the Florida Historical Society's Best Children's Book, and books that have been recommended in Best Books for Young Teen Readers Grades 7-10 and in an edition of Children's Book of the Year. The authors have been published by houses such as Scholastic, Dell, HarperCollins, Simon Pulse, Avon, E.P. Dutton, Millbrook, Lerner, and St. Martin's Minotaur. Adult readers will find much to enjoy on this list also. Some of the titles will be free for a couple days, but the entire list is just guaranteed free on the 19th.
We also have two bonus books in multiple e-book formats, compatible with Nook, Sony and more! You'll find the list of novels for older tween and teen readers first, followed by picture books and books for younger readers, and then our two bonus novels.Please click on the title to follow the Amazon buy links.
NOVELS
Download Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba - When teen psychic Dawn Christian gets involved with a fortuneteller mentor and two girls who share her mysterious talents, she finally belongs after years of being a misfit. When she learns her new friends may be tied to freak “accidents” in town, Dawn has an important choice to make – continue developing the talent that makes her special or challenge the only people who have ever accepted her. "A special book that should not be missed.” Fresh Fiction
Download Face-Off by Stacy Juba - Brad’s twin brother T.J. has gotten himself out of the fancy prep school his father picked for him and into the public high school Brad attends. The whole school is rooting for a big double-strength win…not knowing that their twin hockey stars are heating up the ice for a winner takes all face-off. Included in the reference guide Best Books for Young Teen Readers Grades 7-10.
Download Charlie Woodchuck is a Minor Niner by Dalya Moon - It’s 1988, and Charlie Woodchuck is the most minor of niners. At thirteen, she’s the youngest girl at Snowy Cove High School, and so clueless, she wore leg warmers and acid-wash jeans on her first day. Big mistake! Almost as big a mistake as signing up for a boys-only shop class. Doy! Just when she thinks the first week of high school can’t get any more weird, Charlie discovers she may be adopted.
Download Away from Whipplethorn by A.W. Hartoin - Tiny fairies. Huge adventure. Matilda is about to get what she’s always wanted, and it’s a bad thing. Being a babysitter isn’t much of a dream, but Matilda is anything but average. She’s half a centimeter tall, invisible to the human eye, and hearing-impaired. In her life, adventures are in short supply, but there is a emergency list for her first job. The only problem; humans aren’t on the list.
Download The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Dan Elish - Pancakes that turn into trampolines, attacking caramel apples, roller-skating pies, are all a part of The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Dan Elish, a lip-smacking middle grade fantasy with an original musical score by a Broadway veteran embedded alongside the text! After losing to a cheat for the past eleven years, will chef Applefeller finally manage to nab the prize?
Download Practice Cake: A Romantic Comedy by Dalya Moon - There's one thing Maddie Bird (18) finds more tempting than red velvet cake: her coworker, Drew. All it takes is one of his sly winks or a playful hip-check by the cooler, and she's incinerating the cookies. Her boyfriend would not approve. When a reality TV crew descends upon the bakery, her simple summer job gets even more complicated.
Download Savage Cinderella by PJ Sharon - Eighteen-year-old Brinn Hathaway has survived on her own in the Northwest High Country of Georgia since she was left for dead in a shallow grave by the man who kidnapped her as a child. When a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer, catches the wild girl on film and the two form a tentative friendship, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope - and the danger-that may await her.
Download Ashlyn's Radio by Wilson Doherty (Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty) - When circumstances force 17-year-old Ashlyn Caverhill to move to her grandma's in Maine, she's PO'd. Although it boasts the hot Caden Williams, she thinks Prescott Junction is the deadest place ever. She may be right. Not only does a ghost train roll through at night, but the Caverhill-cursed radio Ashlyn finds foretells that she'll board it! With Caden's help, she must find a way to escape her fate.
Download Captain Morgana Mason by Dorothy Francis - Gramp falls ill. Morgana and her younger brother, Seth take charge of the family's sponging business, using their small boat to hook sponges from the sea and sell them. Housekeeper, Goldie, adds humor and wisdom to the tale. You'll root for Morgana as she seeks her strengths and grapples with the adult world. The Florida Historical Society voted this book as the best Children's Book of its year.
Download Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology by N.R. Wick - Keep a flashlight handy. This collection of short stories for young adults is sure to draw out whatever's skulking in the shadows. From supernatural entities, to crazed monsters, to disturbing discoveries, evil is lurking 'round every corner. Delve into the dark recesses of this creepy book… if you dare.
FOR YOUNGER READERS:
Download Teddy Bear Town Childrens E-Book Bundle by Stacy Juba - Immerse your child in the gentle world of teddy bears with three picture books in one download. Each story is fully illustrated with simple illustrations of teddy bear families. Includes The Flag Keeper, Victoria Rose and the Big Bad Noise, and Sticker Shoes. The Midwest Book Review on The Flag Keeper: "Excellent educational book filled with information all American children should know."
Download Doctor: Discover Series Picture Book for Kids - Who likes going to the doctor? Who wants their child to grow up to be a doctor? Whether you're looking to alleviate anxiety or plant the suggestion early, DOCTOR features 25 full-color photos of of doctors, nurses and medical equipment. Like other titles in the Kindle Kids Library from Xist Publishing, DOCTOR has been formatted to take advantage of the Kindle, Kindle Fire and Kindle apps for phones, tablets and computers.
Download Einstein The Lazy Kitty by Renae Rae - This 30-page story is inspired by Renae Rae's real-life lazy kitty. Einstein The Lazy Kitty, combines rhythmic writing and colorful illustrations to make this a short, fun book for all ages but it was designed with your toddler and early reader in mind.
Download Time to Get Ready, Bunny! by Brenda Ponnay - It's time to get ready, Bunny! Bunny? BUNNY? In this charming little book, author/illustrator Brenda Ponnay has artfully depicted the morning routine of so many families. Whether your little one would rather stay in bed, play with toys, or try on every outfit in the closet, this book is sure to resonate with parents.
Download Grammar Candy by Katrina Streza - Have you ever wondered what exactly an adjective was? Drawn a blank when your child asked for help with English grammar homework? In GRAMMAR CANDY, the second book by educator Katrina Streza, Danny and Sam are back for another candy-filled learning adventure. This time, they'll turn a grammar lesson into some sweet fun when they visit Mr. Candor's Candy Shop and learn about nouns, pronouns,
adjectives, verbs and more. For candy-loving kids in grades 1-3 (and their parents too)!
BONUS BOOKS: Available in multiple e-book formats compatible with Kindle, Nook, Sony and other e-readers.
The Younger Days by Mike Hays -In the beginning, Boy Smyth has a dull Missouri farm life and a burning desire to be an outlaw like his hero, Cole Younger. In the end, Boy Smyth has five dead bodies and two burning buildings at his farm and the most feared man in the United States crying outside his front gate. And that desire for the outlaw life? It's purged completely from his system. Download free on April 19 from Muse It Up Publishing.
[image error]The Pea Soup Poisonings by Nancy Means Wright - To get into her brother's Spy Club, Zoe must walk a high narrow beam over rusted farm machinery and then discover who poisoned Granny Fairweather's pea soup. She has 5 days to find the culprit. Can she do it? Winner of an Agatha award for Best Children’s/Young Adult Novel. Download free on April 19 from Belgrave House.
March 24, 2012
Lucky 7: Seven Lines Meme
So, I normally don't do this sort of thing, but I'm feeling frisky today. Here's the deal: I've been tagged for this Lucky 7 meme by the wonderful and awesome V.J. Chambers. (By the way, if you don't know who this is, learn quick! And check out her amazing books. My personal fav is her Jason and Azazel series.)
So, the point of the meme is to select 7 lines from your current manuscript and post them on your blog. Only, you have to choose seven lines from page 7 or page 77. Here are the rules in list form, for those who enjoy lists (like me) taken from V.J. Chamber's Lucky 7 post.
1. Go to page 7 or 77 in your current manuscript
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next seven lines as they are – no cheating
4. Tag 7 other authors
My current project happens to be Land of No Mortals and I chose the 77th page since it was much more interesting than the 7th. So, here we go!
Cool huh? That was fun! Now to tag 7 other authors. Haha, honestly, I don't know seven authors well enough to feel okay with tagging them, but I guess I will anyway.
1. Jess Waldron
2. Jaclyn Dolamore
3. Griffin Hayes
4. Jerry Hanel
5. Sybil Nelson
6. Jeremy C. Shipp
7. Charmaine Clancy
Feel free to join in even if you haven't been tagged! And if you've done your own, link to it in the comments so I can check it out!
So, the point of the meme is to select 7 lines from your current manuscript and post them on your blog. Only, you have to choose seven lines from page 7 or page 77. Here are the rules in list form, for those who enjoy lists (like me) taken from V.J. Chamber's Lucky 7 post.
1. Go to page 7 or 77 in your current manuscript
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next seven lines as they are – no cheating
4. Tag 7 other authors
My current project happens to be Land of No Mortals and I chose the 77th page since it was much more interesting than the 7th. So, here we go!
"I just hope that fire doesn't spread across the entire city," Errol said.
Rebecca stared out her window. As the fire consumed Crown Haven, black storm clouds loomed over the city. "Maybe it'll start raining soon."
No one responded. The idea hadn't comforted her either, but she held onto the hope that the fire would remain centralized.
Cool huh? That was fun! Now to tag 7 other authors. Haha, honestly, I don't know seven authors well enough to feel okay with tagging them, but I guess I will anyway.
1. Jess Waldron
2. Jaclyn Dolamore
3. Griffin Hayes
4. Jerry Hanel
5. Sybil Nelson
6. Jeremy C. Shipp
7. Charmaine Clancy
Feel free to join in even if you haven't been tagged! And if you've done your own, link to it in the comments so I can check it out!
March 12, 2012
Land of No Mortals Cover Reveal
Oh man, I've been sitting on this one for about two weeks. The cover's been ready and it looks divine, but I had to hold off exposing the world to its awesomeness until it was the right moment. Well, it's time! Land of No Mortals is almost in the beta readers stage right now and after that, it's going to the editor. It won't be much longer before the book is ready an available to purchase. I'm hoping by the end of April. Are you dying of anticipation yet? Okay, okay! Here it is!
Amazing right? Amanda from Razzle Dazzle Design did the cover again. She is wonderful at this, isn't she? I also had her make a few changes to the Land of No Angels cover. Not only did I want them to match, I also wanted to darken the LoNA cover a bit so it fit in with the rest of my work. Check it out!
Pretty nice right? I wanted to add the series and book number on there too. Want to see them together?
So cool! I can't wait to share the new book with everyone. It's going to be crazy fun to read. A lot of new things happening. But stop me from rambling! I don't want to accidentally give away any secrets! If you haven't read the back cover copy, yet, pop over to the books tab and check it out.
Amazing right? Amanda from Razzle Dazzle Design did the cover again. She is wonderful at this, isn't she? I also had her make a few changes to the Land of No Angels cover. Not only did I want them to match, I also wanted to darken the LoNA cover a bit so it fit in with the rest of my work. Check it out!
Pretty nice right? I wanted to add the series and book number on there too. Want to see them together?
So cool! I can't wait to share the new book with everyone. It's going to be crazy fun to read. A lot of new things happening. But stop me from rambling! I don't want to accidentally give away any secrets! If you haven't read the back cover copy, yet, pop over to the books tab and check it out.
February 26, 2012
Planning for the Apocalypse
With the vast amounts of apocalyptic and post apocalyptic movies, shows, and books the genre has really beefed up in the last five or so years. One of the fun things about movies that feature the apocalypse, whether it be brought on by zombies, a plague, or a huge natural disaster, is watching the characters survive.
Something I find funny is that no one is ever prepared. In the zombie movies, no one seems to know the "rules" about zombie. They waste tons of time and tons of people figuring out that you have to shoot them in the head, but is it really believable that not one of the people in the group has seen a zombie movie? Most movies seem to pretend that they don't even exist. But people talk about it all the time. My husband and I both talk about our plan for the apocalypse and how we're going to survive. And we have plenty of conversations with friends and relatives about the same. It's a silly, fun thing that we do and who knows, maybe some time we'll need it. Especially with the supposed 2012 end of the world hype.
But everyone in the movies, whether it be for zombies or natural disasters, never seem to know what they're doing. And sure, it's possible that the story of characters with a plan is less interesting than the story of characters without, but this lack of characters with a plan makes for excellent conversations after the movie. So, I decided that I'd share our apocalypse plan, which varies depending on the the type of apocalypse.
-Decide what sort of apocalypse. Depending of the type of apocalypse we are experiencing, I will have to choose the next steps differently. Also, if Husband is at work or away from me, wait for him to return and fortify the apartment. If I'm at work or out, find a way home that will not include me dying.
-Find a safe place to hold up until the worst is over. If it's a plague, stay home and stay away from large groups of people. If it's zombies, find a Sam's Club, Costco, or any other warehouse-style store. If it's a natural disaster, find a tornado bunker or other sturdy building (unless the disaster is a series of insane earthquakes).
-Get supplies. The best part about finding a warehouse-style store to take refuge in, you will likely find everything you need. In some states, you can even buy your weapons there.
-Fortifying the safe house and barricade all doors and windows.
-Wait it out, or keep the perimeter safe.
-If we run out of supplies or the safe house is no longer safe, then we move to a new one.
-Repeat steps 2-6 until society either rebuilds its self or we build/join our own.
Also, for fun, here are five of my favourites from the Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalypic genre.
1. Falling Skies (TV show on SyFy, which I enjoy a zillion times more than The Walking Dead. And coming from a rabid zombie lover, that should say something.)
2. The Stand by Stephen King (The book, but the mini-series is okay too)
3. Dance of the Dead (Comedy/Horror movie about teens and zombies and prom. It's epically hilarious, but also rated R for those who worry about that sort of thing.)
4. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (YA and a fantastic book)
5. 2012 (This one's PG-13 for those who need to know, and has John Cusack... which, of course, is also important to know. lol)
[READER RESPONSE] Planning for the apocalypse is fun. Do you have a plan? What is your apocalypse plan? And if you think it's too stupid to have a plan for a likely never to happen apocalypse, that's okay. Instead, you can tell us your top 5 movies, tv shows, or books that have to do with the apocalypse or post-apocalypse.
Something I find funny is that no one is ever prepared. In the zombie movies, no one seems to know the "rules" about zombie. They waste tons of time and tons of people figuring out that you have to shoot them in the head, but is it really believable that not one of the people in the group has seen a zombie movie? Most movies seem to pretend that they don't even exist. But people talk about it all the time. My husband and I both talk about our plan for the apocalypse and how we're going to survive. And we have plenty of conversations with friends and relatives about the same. It's a silly, fun thing that we do and who knows, maybe some time we'll need it. Especially with the supposed 2012 end of the world hype.
But everyone in the movies, whether it be for zombies or natural disasters, never seem to know what they're doing. And sure, it's possible that the story of characters with a plan is less interesting than the story of characters without, but this lack of characters with a plan makes for excellent conversations after the movie. So, I decided that I'd share our apocalypse plan, which varies depending on the the type of apocalypse.
-Decide what sort of apocalypse. Depending of the type of apocalypse we are experiencing, I will have to choose the next steps differently. Also, if Husband is at work or away from me, wait for him to return and fortify the apartment. If I'm at work or out, find a way home that will not include me dying.
-Find a safe place to hold up until the worst is over. If it's a plague, stay home and stay away from large groups of people. If it's zombies, find a Sam's Club, Costco, or any other warehouse-style store. If it's a natural disaster, find a tornado bunker or other sturdy building (unless the disaster is a series of insane earthquakes).
-Get supplies. The best part about finding a warehouse-style store to take refuge in, you will likely find everything you need. In some states, you can even buy your weapons there.
-Fortifying the safe house and barricade all doors and windows.
-Wait it out, or keep the perimeter safe.
-If we run out of supplies or the safe house is no longer safe, then we move to a new one.
-Repeat steps 2-6 until society either rebuilds its self or we build/join our own.
Also, for fun, here are five of my favourites from the Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalypic genre.
1. Falling Skies (TV show on SyFy, which I enjoy a zillion times more than The Walking Dead. And coming from a rabid zombie lover, that should say something.)
2. The Stand by Stephen King (The book, but the mini-series is okay too)
3. Dance of the Dead (Comedy/Horror movie about teens and zombies and prom. It's epically hilarious, but also rated R for those who worry about that sort of thing.)
4. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (YA and a fantastic book)
5. 2012 (This one's PG-13 for those who need to know, and has John Cusack... which, of course, is also important to know. lol)
[READER RESPONSE] Planning for the apocalypse is fun. Do you have a plan? What is your apocalypse plan? And if you think it's too stupid to have a plan for a likely never to happen apocalypse, that's okay. Instead, you can tell us your top 5 movies, tv shows, or books that have to do with the apocalypse or post-apocalypse.
January 24, 2012
New covers!
So, I've been a busy beaver over the weekend and into part of this week. The first draft of Land of No Mortals is nearing the halfway mark for completion, and I've been doing a bunch of other publishing related things that have kept me quite productive. An artist by the name of Karri Klawiter has designed two covers for me over this weekend and start of the week and I thought I'd share them with you.
As we know, Picture Evil has gone through a couple of cover changes before. Nothing seemed to really work for that poor, disturbing story, but I think Karri really captured the heart of it with the cover she did for me. She did an amazing job!
The next one is for a new short story that was recently published in Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology. Doppelganger really deserved its own spotlight outside of the anthology and Karri did an excellent job of designing the perfect cover for it. This short story should be available in a couple of days.
Pretty neat, huh?
As we know, Picture Evil has gone through a couple of cover changes before. Nothing seemed to really work for that poor, disturbing story, but I think Karri really captured the heart of it with the cover she did for me. She did an amazing job!
The next one is for a new short story that was recently published in Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology. Doppelganger really deserved its own spotlight outside of the anthology and Karri did an excellent job of designing the perfect cover for it. This short story should be available in a couple of days.
Pretty neat, huh?
