Sarah Dieng's Blog, page 5

Welcome to 2013 Readers – Book Update!

Truly I am not very good at this blog thing. I will admit that. I am lazy about updating and checking on things every day. I can go days and never even check Facebook. It’s hard enough to keep up with everyday life and the things that capture my attention. FB, blogging and the like is really low on the totem. Although, before I even created this blog I debated with myself about it. I knew beforehand that I probably wouldn’t update it every day, but I wanted to create my own blog/space to advertise my books. This year however I will try harder to keep up and update the status of things more often.

Now that I have said that, my third book – Deadly Darkness - is currently going through the editing process again. I had hoped to get it out before the end of 2012, but you know some plans work out. A virus took it, ate it up and didn’t spit it back out, sooooo…..

That being said, I am hoping to get it done and out very soon. I am also working on the fourth and final book – Deadly Destiny, which right now is going kind of slow, but it is progressing. My plan is to get both the third and fourth book out this year. I have plans to move on to other genre’s so we will see what this year brings.

Christmas & New Years Sale 25% Off

I am running a Holiday Sale on my books Deadly Dreams & Deadly Desires right now at Smashwords. Go on over and use the following coupon codes and enjoy! Happy Holidays Readers! Coupon expires January 2, 2013

Coupon Code: EB97V – Deadly Dreams

Coupon Code: MM92W – Deadly Desires

Editing, 25% off & Research

Hello everyone! I know it’s been awhile, I am not good at this blogging stuff. I am so far behind on stuff that has to do with Deadly Darkness, the 3rd book in the series. I don’t have my song playlist done, nor my book trailer, but it currently is in the editing process…so hurray! not much longer now.

To the 25% discount. My books are currently discounted at Smashwords. My books are 25% off until the end of the month. Please use coupon Code JW24S for Book One and AL64F for Book Two. Enjoy!

Now to research. I usually take a break between books, but I let finishing the 3rd one linger on longer than I should have, so I felt a need to start the 4th. I had ideas swirling in my brain, so it wasn’t hard to put some words to paper, but this is a whole new book. If you have read the interviews I have done, I think I mentioned that when I wrote the book it was over 600 pages and it was all one book. Then I separated it into a 4 book series. The first 3 books had content, but needed fillers to stretch it out. The 4th book however was left with nothing, so that is where the research comes in.

So I have started work on it and the plot requires alot of out of country research. I wish I could travel, but the internet is a wonderful thing and I have found alot of information that will be useful. Here’s to hoping that I get it finished by the end of the year!

Silence: Or when characters don’t talk to you…

I am working hard at finishing up Deadly Darkness, the 3rd book in the Death Walker series, but it’s not easy. Sometimes it’s hard when your characters don’t talk to you. Either they have taken a vacation or choose to just be silent. That’s when you have to dig down deep and push for that special scene or dialogue and go over it and over it again. Then you ask yourself is this right or is that right? Is this what my character is wanting to do or is this scene too boring? Then when you have gone over it enough times your characters start to speak again and put in their two cents and either you trash it and start over or keep moving forward.

Hello Once Again!

Hello once again fans and readers alike! It has been awhile. I have been working on the 3rd book in the Death Walker Series – Deadly Darkness. I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I am looking forward to seeing the end result. I also have been playing tourist here in Columbus, taking pictures and visiting places that I haven’t ever visited even though I have lived here a long time. I am also trying to change my lifestyle. I am trying to eat right, exercise and overall change my bad food habits. This year will be a great year. I have just submitted book 1 and 2 to Amazon and hope to see them live and available soon. If I would have known it was so easy I would have done it long ago instead of waiting for smashwords to fix whatever glitch they have going on with Amazon. Anyway, here is to the year 2012 and all the wonderful changes to come.

Good Morning in March

It was real stormy yesterday here in Columbus, but today it's cool and partly cloudy. I am so ready for nice spring weather. I think I need to move somewhere where it is a steady 68 or 69 degrees year round. I am feeling the need to write again. I have been taking a writing break before I start in on my third book Deadly Darkness and I think a little over a month is long enough. The other day I had ideas coming in from nowhere for the fourth book and I told myself I had to concentrate on the third one first, so I guess that means my characters are wanting to be heard again. I think break time is over and it's time to listen.

Second book finally out!

Once again I have seriously neglected checking in. I really debated before I even started a blog whether I was really committed to keeping one up. Sometimes, with everything going on you just forget. Well I wanted to update everyone on the release of my second book Deadly Desires. I hope you will enjoy!

Book 2 December release

I have been seriously neglecting my blog posts, I apologize. I have been so busy with normal everyday life stuff as well as trying to finish re-writes and editing on the second book in the Death Walker series "Deadly Desires". My plan is for a December release, not sure of the exact date, but I will strive for the earlier the better. This one is longer than the first and Danielle is dealing with a lot of different things in her life. I plan on putting out the book trailer soon so you can get a sneak peek. I hope you will check it out when it becomes available. Now back to writing…

Conversing with your characters

I find it odd that I had never thought of it before. For some reason I stopped writing and it ended up being in the middle of a scene. I didn't get back to it for a day or so and I was lost. One of my characters threw out "I have a question" and just after, I had to leave off writing. Of course when I came back to it and re-read it I was thinking…okay, what was the question he wanted to ask? For the life of me I couldn't remember. I went back to the beginning of the chapter and read it again.  No clue! So I thought and thought, running the scene through my mind trying to think what he could possibly want to ask, under the situation. Then I decided to ask him. Given the dialogue going on and the topic of discussion I thought of my character, his frame of mind and what he really wanted to know. I uttered his name in my mind and asked him what the question was that he wanted to ask. It took a few moments of sifting through the conversation again and finally the question came to me. I was able to go on with the scene and keep writing. Since then I have tried to delve into the minds of my characters more closely so I could know exactly what they are thinking and feeling. When I move onto the 3rd and 4th books of the series I have high hopes that my characters will visit me more often, letting me know what they want to say.

Update on Giveaway!

Congratulations to Val(Val1269)for winning the first part of the Giveaway! She was the 100th person to put my first book Deadly Dreams on her "to-read" list. Thank you all for participating! The giveaway is still not over however, there are still another 3 copies to be given away. Please read my previous post to find rules, keep the emails coming with your answers. The emails I have read so far are so great that it will be hard to pick. Also thanks to all of you that have also picked up on my other 3 books in the series and placed them in your lists. Thanks again so much!