Allison M. Cosgrove's Blog, page 31

Q & A with John Palisano

Another wonderful Indie Gentleman has offered up to be my next victim! Please welcome John Palisano!

What would your bio say?

The writing of artist John Palisano began appearing in print a few years ago, with over a dozen short stories. His novel NERVES was released in April 2012 from Bad Moon Books, and he has a novella BiPOLAR EXPRESS due out from Dog Horn Publishing in 2013.

When did you start writing and why?

Stories came early. In the first grade, there was an exercise where we were given pictures and were asked to write a story. Mine was of a soldier climbing into the cockpit of an F-16. To me, it was the President off to fight aliens. From then on, there was trouble.

 If you are a parent how does being a parent affect your writing and writing habits? Or does it?

Yes. My son is six years old, and my everything. Of course it changes things—for the better. One wants to succeed and make your child proud of you. It also gives perspective and passion. He’s also inspired a ton of stories directly for or about him. It’s the greatest gift of all time, being a father.

Who is your favorite author and why?

God. He creates everything.

As far as mortals? There are so many favorites: Douglas Adams, Stephen King, Anne Rice, Clive Barker, Thomas Ligotti, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Deborah LeBlanc,William Peter Blatty, Michael Chabon, Lisa Morton, Brian Keene, John Skipp, Cody Goodfellow…the list goes on and on. So many great authors.

What do you hope to accomplish with your writing?

Need to get the stories from driving me crazy, and the only way is to write ‘em down. The rest is all candy. It’s wonderful when people read the stories and really enjoy them. That’s one of life’s best pleasures.

Traditional or Self publishing? Why?

I self-published over ten years ago, right out of college. It was a disaster. The cover was terrible. No one bought it. The book was not fully cooked. Bad. Bad. Bad. For me, at least. Not closed to it in the future, and it’s fine for those who have got that bug, but not for me right now. We’ll see. Who knows? We might all be self-publishing and distributing sooner than later.

Talk about your journey into the wide world of publishing

A few years back, I struggled painfully. I gathered hundreds of rejections without a sale. I was gunning for ‘sales’, though, and not just non-paying, website things. It was well worth it. I learned a great deal, and eventually found my writer’s voice through all those rejections. Well, the beginnings of an author’s voice, I should say, as it’s still developing rapidly.

Tell us about your book (s)

What if you could bring things back to life with the touch of your hand? Things that should stay dead. And what if, by your very presence, things die when they come close? That is the story of the two brothers in NERVES.

In BiPOLAR EXPRESS, the Boy wakes to find it is snowing happy pills. He soon gets a prescription to ride the BiPolar Express to the Middle Pole, where he is to meet Manic Clause. This is a riff on the children’s book, but is also a commentary on how over-medicated we’ve become. It’s definitely in the bizarre humor category. Pretty fun.

UNNATURAL TALES OF THE JACKALOPE is an anthology I edited, all stories concerning the mythic jackalope. At times tongue in cheek, and other times, deathly scary, this was a great experience. My first book from my publishing company WESTERN LEGENDS, and it’s value priced at only $7.95, so please go buy several copies. Or the King Jackalope? She’ll have it out for me!

 What inspired you to write these books (or in this genre)?

Visions. Strange and powerful. They fill my thoughts. I write them down. Not sure where they originate, but it’s always been intriguing to me, the supernatural.

 Tell us why we should love or hate your main character?

In NERVES, I think you’re going to feel both about Josiah and Horace at different times in the book, as they both do some amazing, powerful acts, but also some of the most heinous. Their villain, Ogam, is quite popular. He is a real bastard, but readers have told me they love him.

 Do(es) your book(s) have a soundtrack?

NERVES has its own. I went so far as to write six songs for a character in the book, which he sings, as he’s a down and out, formerly famous R & B star. Hopefully readers will hear the songs in the story. It was quite a bit of work to pull it all off. Hopefully it’s successful.

*****

One final note from John:

It was a pleasure speaking and writing with you. Thank you for this. I hope anyone interested will seek out some of my work (free sample chapters at Amazon!) and will like it enough to connect. Best wishes!

Reach out to John on his blog!

You can find his books through his Amazon page or his publishers website!

WIP Mondays ~ Dragon Twins

This week we have a look at how Stan and Jane interact with their boss…

Enjoy!

*****

Stan chuckled softly and then instantly regretted it. The Chief was giving him a look that said not to push his luck tonight.

“What is it that you find funny now Stan?”

“Sorry, Sir, It’s just that well its interesting how everyone pegs Jane for the details and me for the impressions. Just noticing right that right now. Its funny how when your brain is working on a bunch of different things how it will pick up on odd ball things like that out of nowhere.”

“Well if you can, can you please avoid letting your brain pick up on things not related to this case please? At least for the time being?”

“Yes sir, sorry I…”

“Don’t worry about it. What did your brain pick up on while it was there tonight?”

“Well we got the impression that these are very important people. And that has nothing to do with the mayor’s phone call either. They have a lot of money, and it shows in their appearance and in the appearance of their house.

They are very nice people from what I gathered. Not used to having misfortune rain down on their family. They have one child who is a daughter. They adopted here when they found out that they were unable to have children themselves.

Jade Lai Chu is a senior at her high school. She just turned eighteen at the end of the summer. She is a good kid who has excellent grades. Stays out of trouble and obeys her parents.”

“Alright, so she is the one that is missing?” Tony said accepting a picture of Jade from Jane and looking at it for a moment, before passing it back to her.

“Yes that seems to be the case sir. Both the parents were very adamant about the fact that she always tells them where she is going and when she will be back. Tonight they say that she was suppose to be staying in to study for her SAT’s and her entrance exam. She wouldn’t have left without telling any one.”

“Well if her parents were out? Wouldn’t she have told the housekeeper where she was going?”

“That is a possibility sir,” Jane piped up

“But….?”

“Well when I followed Mr. Chu to get a recent picture of Jade we went past her bedroom sir. And there I found her textbooks out and other evidence that she had been studying tonight.”

“Well it’s not unusual for a teenager to leave things lying about, now is it?”

“It is for her sir. I swear to you the room was as neat as a pin. No clothes lying about, no stacks of CDs and books all over the place. Nothing. It was almost as if she stood up from her desk and vanished. There were no signs of a struggle or anything amiss except for the text books and other studying materials lying open on the desk.”

“Do you agree Stan? That there is no way the girl left that house on her own behest?”

“No sir I don’t believe that she left under her own steam. I think she was taken by surprise and then removed from the premises. She does not strike me as being someone who would play tricks on her parents or try and pull a fast one over them.”

“So there is no chance of this just being a case of her sneaking off to see a boyfriend that her parents don’t approve of?”

“Again sir I don’t think that this is the case.”

“Alright, I’m inclined to believe you guys on this one. You are very rarely wrong when it comes to children. So where are you going from here?”

“Home? To my bed?” Stan knew he was pushing again, but he was tired and just wanted to get out of the office and get home to his bed. He could tell that Jane was feeling the same way as she didn’t even shoot him her usual look.

“Funny Stan, but I get the point. You guys are beat. Go home, rest, and come and see me tomorrow morning at some point. We can talk more about this then when you are fresh.”

They both stood up and said their good nights to the Chief and wearily walked out to their cars.

“You going to be alright to drive home Stan? I can give you a ride if you want” Jane said putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Naw I’m good, and besides you house is in the opposite direction to mine. You need to get home to the guys.”

“Alright if you are sure. You want me to give you a wake up call tomorrow morning?

With Deep Regret….

It is with deep regret that I announce that myself and Creative House International Press have decided not to continue working together at this time.

That being said the first edition of Sacrifice of Innocence will no longer be available for purchase in any format.

Fear not however! I am in the process of putting together a second edition that will be available for purchase in the new year!

Stay tuned folks! We will have the new cover for your enjoyment in a couple of weeks!

Thank you again for your continued support during this transition phase!

COVER REVEAL! Breaking the Nexus

So once again I have been blessed with the chance to do another cover reveal for another wonderful author! I am now going to turn my blog back over to my dear friend Lindsay Avalon!

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Throughout history, myths and legends of extraordinary creatures have been told and retold. Fantastic tales of demons and banshees, gryphons and dragons, and of course, magic. Stories that every child grows to learn are nothing more than fantasy…or are they?

 

Beyond the world you see lies a hidden realm, the Mythrian Realm, inhabited by all of the creatures you’ve been told are mere fiction. Only one thing lies between humans and the truth: the Nexus. A magical barrier erected millennia ago to separate the two realms, it has stood the test of time. Until now.

For Mythrian Sha Phoenix, magic is nothing new. But when she stumbles upon a portal on the verge of collapse, her fate will forever change. Pulled through the portal into the Human Realm, she lands in the middle of Detective Connor Flynn’s brutal murder scene. Soon it is obvious someone is using blood magic to try to bring down the Nexus. Together, Connor and Sha must work to unravel the secrets before the barrier falls and the realms collide.

 

The Nexus is breaking and all hell is about to unleash…literally.

A Little bit about Ms. Avalon:

I am a wife, a mother to an adorable mini schnauzer, a programmer, and now an author. I love reading romance because no matter what may be happening in my life, I can always count on my books to end happily ever after. The day I met my husband was the day I truly began believing in happily ever after. After hearing me complain a few too many times that I had “nothing” to read despite the hundreds of paperbacks scattered around the house, my husband began suggesting I write my own stories. When I finally took his advice I discovered that although I enjoy my day job as a software engineer, my true calling is to be an author.

My sister drilled into me an appreciation for fantasy and mythology, something I try to bring to my books. My debut novel, Breaking the Nexus started as a book written for NaNoWriMo and has grown to so much more. It was the conduit that introduced me to a fantastic group of independent authors who have changed my life in unimaginable ways.

When I’m not writing, I’ve found a passion for blogging and interviewing fellow authors. I also love reading (of course!), baking, crochet, sewing sock monkeys, playing video games, and all sorts of random crafts. I have an incurable love of rubber duckies and stuffed animals, and I believe nobody should have to grow up if they don’t want.

*****

Congrats once again Lindsay! And dont forget to let us know when its due for release!

Q & A with Carl Purdon

Another wonderful gentlemanly victim graces my blog and another warm welcome is needed for Mr. Carl Purdon!

What would your bio say?

Carl Purdon lives in Pontotoc, Mississippi with his wife and two of their four children. Pontotoc is halfway between Tupelo, which is the birthplace of Elvis, and Oxford, which was the home of William Faulkner. Since he can’t sing, he writes. Since he’s not an expert on anything in particular, he writes fiction. THE NIGHT TRAIN is his first novel.

When did you start writing and why?

I wrote poems as a child (I still have a scrapbook with my scrawling) and throughout my 20’s. Though I knew at a very early age I wanted to write novels, I waited until I thought I was ready. That took longer than I expected, so I suppose I seriously started working on novels about ten years ago. Why? Because I had to. It’s just always been something I’ve known I was born to do. It’s my purpose in life.

If you are a parent how does being a parent affect your writing and writing habits? Or does it?

I am a parent and, yes, being a parent changes everything about everything. I’m lucky in that my youngest (he’s 9) writes his own stories. He totally supports me and even tells me sometime that I should be writing instead of doing other things.

Who is your favorite author and why?

I don’t have a favorite anything. Never have, but I have lists of favorites. I suppose James Fennimore Cooper would be at or near the top of that list because his novel, The Pioneers, made me fall in love with reading all over again.

What do you hope to accomplish with your writing?

Again, since I was a child, I’ve “known” my purpose in life was to write. I think that’s one of the ways I got through my childhood – telling myself everything was for a reason. I write real-life fiction – stories that aren’t real but “are” because the things I write about happen every day. If just one person reads my writing and realizes “I’m not alone” it will be enough to make all that work worthwhile. On a more selfish note, my personal goal is to write something people will still be reading a hundred years from now. When I was that kid standing in my front yard so many years ago, that was the benchmark I set for myself. I’ll never know, of course, if I succeed.

Traditional or Self publishing? Why?

Self. I hate writing queries and a synopsis. And the idea of someone else polishing my manuscript makes me cringe. It’s not ego. It’s not some notion that I’m so great that no one could possibly improve my writing. It’s simply that I’ve always felt that if I can’t do it on my own then I’d rather not do it. I’m not talking typos and inadvertent words left in sentences after an edit. I’m talking about structural changes. A painter doesn’t hand his masterpiece off to someone else to smooth out the brush strokes, so why should a writer expect someone else to smooth out his or her rough edges?

Beyond that, the notion that a handful of people really are the best judges of what should be available to readers, especially in light of the so many examples of where they have failed, baffles me. Let the readers decide.

Talk about your journey into the wide world of publishing

My one hard and fast rule has always been not to publish a novel that I’m not completely satisfied with. I have a handful of completed manuscripts in my files that don’t live up to my expectations of myself. Maybe I’ll go back and have another go at them someday. Maybe not. THE NIGHT TRAIN was one of those slush pile manuscripts that I thought was good but not good enough. One day I found myself bogged down in the manuscript I was editing and re-opened The Night Train in hopes it would break the monotony and get my creative juices flowing again. I decided to re-write it without any concern of market. It was an experiment no one but me would ever read. The result was that I found my voice. When I finished it, I put it away for a few weeks, then read it on my Kindle. The feeling of satisfaction is one I can’t describe. I knew at that point I could withstand any negative reviews that might come my way because, good or bad, it was what I had set out to do. Thankfully, so far at least, all of the reviews have been great.

Tell us about your book (s)

THE NIGHT TRAIN is the story of a dysfunctional family. It is set in rural Mississippi, but could be set anywhere, because those same people exist everywhere. Jayrod, the main character, is terribly abused by his father and bullied at school. His mother, who is also abused, blames Jayrod. His fourth grade teacher often ridicules him in front of the other students. His single escape is the time he spends alongside the railroad tracks in the woods behind his house with his friend Arnold. Every night, from his back porch or his bedroom, he hears the whistle of the nighttime train as it tears through his woods and dreams of the world beyond the reach of his father.

I suppose you could call it a coming-of-age story, because that’s exactly what happens when Jayrod and Arnold run away aboard the train, but I think it’s much more than that. It’s more than just Jayrod’s story. It’s also the story of his family.

Writing The Night Train has made me look at people with more compassion when they don’t behave the way normal people behave. Everyone has a story. Everyone has a past.

What inspired you to write these books (or in this genre)?

I honestly don’t know what genre my writing falls into. If I could figure that out I might be able to do a better job at marketing. I write because I have to write. That may sound strange, but when I don’t write I have terrible nightmares. Writing doesn’t keep them completely at bay, but it helps. The nightmares, I think, are stories I haven’t told yet. It’s the story that’s important.

Tell us why we should love or hate your main character?

Jayrod is defenseless. He’s the shy kid in the classroom who never raises his hand to answer a question. He has learned to survive by becoming invisible, and he isn’t old enough to know the world isn’t supposed to be that way. Mostly, because he is real. Every school has kids like him, yet with all the training, so many seem to fall through the cracks in the system.

Do(es) your book(s) have a soundtrack?

No soundtrack. I need to do a trailer, though.

*****

Thanks Carl for spending some time with us! As always its been a pleasure! You can catch Carl on his website and his blog!

His book Night Train is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

National Novel Writing Month: End of Week One

Yay! Way to go!

You made it this far! And you HAVEN’T given up the ghost yet! Give yourself a pat on the back! Week one is usually rough because while the week may start out soaring by the end of the week you may have realized that this is more of a daunting task than you had originally planned!

Nothing to worry about folks! Everyone gets there at some point during the month! Some of us do it daily. Each and every year I wonder how I managed to talk myself into going through yet another year of insanity. And every year I find myself glad I did.

Right now you should be at around 11,669 words. Don’t worry too much if you aren’t quite there yet. Its more of a guideline than anything. There is still plenty of time to catch up if you are behind.  By the end of next week you should be somewhere around 25,005 words (and the halfway mark!).

Hang in there this week is going to be rough but I know you all can make it through!

 

WIP Mondays ~ Dragon Twins

This week we catch up with Jade again…

ENJOY!

*****

A sharp jolt woke Jade from her slumber. In her disorientated state she realized that she was being carried. When she tried to move she discovered that she was bound and gagged and stuffed into a confined space. Then it hit her.

The memories rushed back. She was studying for her SAT test in her room. Then she heard Ms Liu scream from downstairs in the kitchen. She had gotten up from her chair and was about to leave the room to go and see what had happened to here.

At the same time her door burst open and two men wearing ski masks had come into the room. They spoke not a word to her but grabbed her poked her with a needle. That was the last thing she remembered. Until now that was.

Now her best guess was that she was in the trunk of her captors car and they were headed somewhere. She had no idea how long she had been out for, but she knew it couldn’t have been too long as there wasn’t very much light coming in through the cracks of the trunk lid. Just the occasional flash of light flickered when the car passed under a street light.

She lay there listening trying to discern any noises she could hear that would give her any indication of where she was and who had taken her. They were on a long road with no noticeable curves in it. Could be a highway for all she knew.

Highway to where though? Her mind raced.  And  who are these people? Why do they want me? What were they going to do with me when they get to where ever it was that they were taking me?

She closed her eyes and willed her pounding heart to slow down. She continued to fight against the rising tide of panic as she further realized what was happening to her.

Were they after money? Was that what this was all about? Her father was a very rich and important business man in Beijing.

Was she going to be held for ransom? Would her father have the money to pay for it? If he didn’t what would they do then? Kill her? Sell her into slavery? What if her father did pay it? Would they then let her go? Or would they kill her anyway?

The thoughts and questions raced through her head at an alarming rate, despite her efforts to calm down. She also could not quell the rapid beating of her heart.

Then a thought struck her. She remembered a class she had taken in personal safety and self defense. They had said something about if you were ever locked in a truck of a car you should try and kick out one of the back tail lights and stick you hand or foot out the hole. Then hopefully someone traveling behind the car would see you and call the police.

She didn’t know if it was going to work. She knew nothing of cars, and didn’t know if she would even be able to find a way to dislodge the tail light without being heard. That was the other thing. What would they do to her if they heard her thumping around in the trunk?

She thought about it and decided that it was the best solution given the fact that she had no other solution. She had even searched around to try and find something to use a weapon when they stopped the car.

This is when she learned that the trunk was completely empty except for her. The tail light trick was the only thing she could try for the moment.  

She slide her foot out of one of her slippers and felt along the end of the trunk, trying to figure out where she would kick to get it out. She pushed here and there until she felt something give a little bit.

Shortly after she slipped her slipper back on and pulled her foot back as far as she could. She gave it a good kick and almost screamed. The kick had certainly hurt her more than it had done any good at dislodging the tail light.

She started to cry. It wasn’t going to work. She didn’t have enough strength to get it out in one kick. Besides if she tried again she really was going to hurt her foot, which was still throbbing painfully.

When I get out of here I am going to tell that teacher that his brilliant idea didn’t work. She thought bitterly. That is if I get out of here!

She lay there and pondered some more. Maybe it won’t come out if it kick it but maybe I could push it out with my hands. Maybe pry it loose and then push it out. She quickly located the one that was nearest to her head and started to push on it with both hands. It gave a little bit with every push but when she released the pressure it slid back into place.

There has to be a catch or something on this side that will pop it off. She felt along the edges trying to find the points she was looking for. Once she had she applied enough pressure to pop two of them on her first try.

She lay there for another moment catching her breath. She listened for sounds that the driver and passengers had heard her popping the catches on the tail light. She heard nothing.

She took another deep breath and pushed again with all of her strength. She heard a small crack and then the last two gave way and the taillight fell away. When she looked out the opening she saw that they were in fact on a highway and it was still night, as the moon was shining high in the sky.

The other thing she noticed was that the highway stretching out behind them was deserted. Cars or trucks were no longer anywhere in sight. She lay back for a moment trying to think of what she was going to do next.

There way no way for anyone to me now. All she had accomplished was that she had knocked out a tail light, which her captors were sure to notice when the came around to the back of the car to get her.

She watched out the hole at the passing country side. It was mostly fields and had very few off roads or homes.

She must have dozed off again. When she woke up they were turning onto a dirt road and headed away from the highway. This lessoned the chance that the knocked out tail light would do her any good.

Where were they taking me? She frantically wondered.

They soon pulled off the dirt road onto a gravel topped lane and slowed down to a crawl. Shortly after that they came to a complete stop.

 

Q & A with Stephen Ormsby

This week (after a whole bunch of ladies) I get to have a male victim

What would your bio say? 

I can tell you what my bio says, ‘cause here it is:  Stephen C Ormsby was an IT professional for twenty years before deciding to lead a more creative life.  He has always loved the idea of writing novels and had written four when Long Lost Song came along, demanding to be published.

This is his first but will not be his last.

He lives in South Gippsland with his wife, two children and a mad cat.  He has travelled extensively, is an avid reader and enjoys listening to a wide range of music.

When did you start writing and why? 

I started writing about 20 years ago I think.  It came about from a conversation with a lost friend as we both were unsatisfied with the books we were reading.  So the conversation turned to ‘we could do better than that’ and then his wife said ‘then do it’.  I have been ever since.

If you are a parent how does being a parent affect your writing and writing habits? Or does it? 

I am a parent of two and I structure my day around their school day.  We do the morning run, then Marieke and I will chat for an hour and then I get stuck into the writing aiming for at least 1000 words a day.  Both my children are now very interested in writing, especially when I received the first paperback copy of Long Lost Song.

Who is your favorite author and why? 

I have so many favourite authors and different reason for liking them.  An example is Michael Chabon as I see him as one of the best literature authors around and Frank Herbert for mind-blowing science fiction.

What do you hope to accomplish with your writing?

To just keep writing.  To get the stories I have in my head out and read.  To make enough money to write another day.  No grand aims, except the big one – to keep writing.

Traditional or Self publishing? Why?

I’m self published.  With Long Lost Song, I felt an urgency to get it out there.  It always felt time sensitive and if I waited too long it might actually happen!

Talk about your journey into the wide world of publishing.  

I wrote 4 or 5 books during my first marriage, which my wife never read as she would say I had no talent.  Then when that broke down and I met my beautiful muse (and now wife), she read them and said the complete opposite.  Get this book out there now.  Finish writing it and get it published.

Tell us about your book (s).

I have two out at the moment with a lot more planned.  The first is Long Lost Song and here is the blurb:  A virus is decimating America today and Michael Decker is the culprit.  Or is he?

Is it the work of a curse recorded into a song by 1930’s blues musician Ricky Jensen?

Long Lost Song tells the story of Ricky and Michael as they battle their personal and real demons while the world reaches end times of biblical proportions.

One question remains. How do you stop a devil of a song made to break a crossroads deal?

It was an idea I carried around for 15 years and I could never come up with the catch to it – until my must came along.  Love is a wonderful inspiration.

The second book I have is a collection of short stories, articles and other bits (!) called Leftovers from the (Writing) Table (a title I had in my head since I started writing).

What inspired you to write these books (or in this genre)? 

I am inspired to write.  What it is does not concern me.  It is more about getting the words and ideas out.  I hope that, by being self-published, I do not have to consider genre.  I have written supernatural urban fantasy, am writing a fantasy and a horror novel (at the same time) and plan to write as many different things as I can.  That way I won’t get bored.

Tell us why we should love or hate your main character?

There are two main characters in Long Lost Song – Ricky and Michael.  Ricky is a 1930’s blues musician who makes a very bad mistake and pays for it for a very long time.  I almost cried when I managed to change Ricky’s fate somewhat.  It made Ricky feel very special to me.

Michael is different.  He has sheltered himself away from life after being a rock star.  I found him very insular and I think it shows in the book.

 Do(es) your book(s) have a soundtrack?  

The book Long Lost Song even comes with a list of tracks that Michael listens to.  There are 13 songs mentioned in the book and we (Michael and I) listened to them quite a lot during the writing of it.

*****

One last word from Stephen about his cover art: I would like to say that my beautiful wife created the covers (all my covers so far).  I’m very lucky to have someone that can visualize my words.

*****

Thank you again for your time Stephen! You can keep up with Stephens doings on his blog and his latest book on his website.

You can find Long Lost Song on Amazon and Smashwords and you can find Leftovers from the (Writing) Table  on Amazon and Smashwords.

National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo

‘NaNoWriMo’ (noun) a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing on November 1. The goal is to write a 50,000 word, (approximately 175 page) novel by 11:59:59, November 30.

Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.

Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It’s all about quantity, not quality. This approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.

Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that’s a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.

As you spend November writing, you can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. Wrimos meet throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and—when the thing is done—the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten animals and small children.

In 2011, we had 256,618 participants and 36,843 of them crossed the 50K finish line by the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists.**

(**definition from nanowrimo.org)

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If you write as a hobby, as a full time job or anything in between you need to check this month long race against time out.

I myself am returning for my seventh year. And each year has been better than the one before it. Each year has presented different highs and different challenges. As you read this post no doubt I am working away at work but mentally sorting out what I will write when I finally make it back home again!

This first week you will need to write 1667 words a day totaling 11,669 words by the end of your first week. Remember no editing until next month!

Good luck!

OFFICIAL RELEASE!!! Once Upon a Twisted Tale

Hi Everyone! I once again get the joys of sharing a special time with my good Indie buddies as today is the official release for their anthology called “Once Upon a Twisted Tale”.

So here they are once more to tell you about their brand new anthology out today!

This is the official release day of Once Upon A Twisted Time, the first anthology from Moon Rose Publishing! A collection of dark adult fairytales, these stories will turn your idea of what a fairytale should be on its head! From Steampunk to Fantasy, there is something for everyone in this fantastic collection of four novellas. The novellas are based upon The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Snow White, and Beauty and the Beast-see if you can work out which one is which! It is now available on the Moon Rose Publishing site, and from Amazon!

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Think you know your fairytales? Think again. These aren’t your normal happily-ever-after. Within these pages, a murderous Little Mermaid gets her revenge, the Cinderella doesn’t really want to wear the slipper, Snow White is up to her eyes in industrial experiments, and the Beauty is in fact the Beast.

This collection of four novellas will surprise you, make you gasp in horror, sigh with relief, and sit on the edge of your seat. And most of all…they will make you rethink everything you think you know about dark fairytales…

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Song of the Abyss

Princess Nerissa had envisioned a perfect wedding to a handsome prince. Instead, she fell into a nightmare. When her new husband tries to murder her just hours after pledging his life to her, she must flee towards the sea. Caught in transition from woman to selkie, she is trapped by the dark waters she hoped would be her salvation. Now her destiny becomes that of luring young men to their death…until one comes along that reignites the spark of love inside her. However to ensure her future, she must first face her past. Revenge must be taken…for both her life, and the life of the young man she now loves.

Miss Cavendish and the Spark of Salvation

In a city toiling under the iron fist of the Spiegel Syndicate and its monopoly on coal, Miss Georgina “George” Cavendish is on the brink of a breakthrough that could change the world forever. There’s just one thing standing in her way, her aunt – Xenobia Cavendish. Threatened by her efforts, the Syndicate procures the services of a notorious assassin with a past tied to her own, known as The Huntsman, to dispatch the brilliant scientist. But once he gets a glimpse of the headstrong beauty, will he be able to do the job, or will Georgina sway him to The Cause? And will George find the breakthrough she needs in time, or is New London Town doomed to forever lie under the dark shadow of her aunt’s factories?

Hawke and the Beast

Some curses last forever, and some can be broken with the whisper of three little words. Isabella Rose Woodward fell in love with a witch’s son over a century ago. Her punishment for breaking the young man’s heart was a beastly one. Every month she turns into a different creature, aging on the full moon when her curse allows for a brief return to her human form. Her only salvation is to find a man that will love her as she is…be it adorned in feathers, fur or scales. Has she found this love with the handsome Jasper Hawke? Or will a mysteriously determined Hunter find her first, and snuff out the life she so desperately seeks? A life of normalcy, where she loves and is loved in return… just as she is.

Reborn City

Nyx has one mission in life; bring down the brainwashing of New Omsk’s citizens, and release them from their mundane lives of toil. The year is 2355, and the world is a new place. A Governor is in charge of every city in the world, and humanity is attempting to rebuild itself after recovering from a war that nearly killed it. But this Governor has set his eyes on the intrepid little hacker, Nyx, and he will stop at nothing to get her. But perhaps he needs her more than he ever dreamed he would…as do his citizens.

Trailer

Author Links:

Lindsay Avalon Facebook Author page

Lindsay Avalon Amazon Author page (Not available yet, but I will let you know if she sets one up nearer the date)

Lindsay Avalon Moon Rose Publishing page

Tara Stogner Wood Facebook Author page

Tara Stogner Wood Amazon Author page

Tara Stogner Wood Moon Rose Publishing page

Trish Marie Dawson Facebook Author page

Trish Marie Dawson Amazon Author page

Trish Marie Dawson Moon Rose Publishing page

Miranda Stork Facebook Author page 

Miranda Stork Amazon Author page

Miranda Stork Moon Rose Publishing page

Other links

Moonrose Publishing Website and Facebook

CONTEST

Moon Rose Publishing, to celebrate its newest release, is also having a huge contest over on Facebook and their website!

One grand prize winner will win;

Five free ebooks, including a copy of the Once Upon A Twisted Time anthology
A personalised fairytale ring from http://www.etsy.com/shop/Coryographies
Once Upon A Twisted Time postcards and bookmarks
Exclusive charm necklace and bookmark from Tara Stogner Wood
Exclusive Once Upon A Twisted Time glossy poster.

And three runners up will win;

Five free ebooks, including a copy of the Once Upon A Twisted Time anthology
And bookmark and postcard swag!

You can enter by going to the link below, to the rafflecopter contest!

https://www.facebook.com/MoonRosePublishing?sk=app_228910107186452

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Thank you so much ladies for allowing me to be a part of this special day and I wish you all the best! And to everyone else! Go pick yourself up a copy!