Marissa De Luna's Blog, page 4
July 27, 2015
Love Goa, Love Chupplejeep
I'm Goan. I grew up there, but I live in England now. When I was 8 we moved to Goa and I loved it. What was not to love? We had complete freedom, a beautiful house overlooking the Arabian Sea and we knew each and every one of our neighbours. The colony where we lived was a safe haven - a place for just being a kid, where you were almost certain that no harm would come to you.
As we grew up we took advantage of the night-life Goa had to offer ; the beach parties, the nightclubs and the 'r...
As we grew up we took advantage of the night-life Goa had to offer ; the beach parties, the nightclubs and the 'r...
July 18, 2015
The publishing nightmare
So if you are a regular reader of this blog you will know my grammar sucks. I must admit that mainly it's the punctuation that no book or course seems to fix, but hey I'm trying. Before I start telling you just how difficult self-publishing is, I thought I would tell you about my recent faux-pas. And when I say recent, I mean like minutes ago.
Basically, I used JD&J to do my front cover and they are in a word- amazing. Not only have the produced the most wonderful cover for 'Under th...
Basically, I used JD&J to do my front cover and they are in a word- amazing. Not only have the produced the most wonderful cover for 'Under th...
June 15, 2015
Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure
“Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.” George E Woodberry
So following on from last week’s post I have decided that paying someone to format your manuscript could be well worth it. Having uploaded my manuscript to Createspace, I was told that automatic print checks could not be run on my file. It immediately sent alarm bells ringing! In the end – after speaking to a writing buddy – who I am sure is getting sick of my questions – I...
So following on from last week’s post I have decided that paying someone to format your manuscript could be well worth it. Having uploaded my manuscript to Createspace, I was told that automatic print checks could not be run on my file. It immediately sent alarm bells ringing! In the end – after speaking to a writing buddy – who I am sure is getting sick of my questions – I...
May 22, 2015
Self publishing? The questions you need to ask yourself.
Hello, it's been a while. I have been busy getting to grips with Srivener to format Under the Coconut Tree for publication. With the help of Ed Ditto's book and Scrivener I'm pretty much there! I have even set up a Createspace account. Although I have self pubbed before (it was in 2011) things have changed and this time round I seem to be stressing over every minor detail. Perhaps I did last time as well, but conveniently blanked it from my mind.
Anyway I have deen debating a couple of...
Anyway I have deen debating a couple of...
April 27, 2015
In this episode I attempt to use Scrivener
It has been a while, but I have been busy. I finished editing Under the Coconut Tree (finally!), sent it to Storywork for editing and have just been through the final copy! Wooo hooo. It's taken long enough to get here. There wasn't too much red pen from the editor - but let’s face it face it – five grammar books and one course later my punctuation must have improved. And while we are talking about improvements I have also finished reading The Elements of Style. If you are a...
March 3, 2015
WIP Blog Tour
So here I am on another blog tour. You may know what it's about, but if you don't its basically a bunch of writers talking about their current work in progress. It's a great way for writers to talk about what they're working on and readers to find out information on upcoming new releases - basically a win-win situation for everyone!
The talented Tim Arnot nominated me for this blog tour. Tim is a prolific writer who has written several post-apocolyptic books, novellas and short stories set in...
The talented Tim Arnot nominated me for this blog tour. Tim is a prolific writer who has written several post-apocolyptic books, novellas and short stories set in...
February 6, 2015
A Question of Style
A Question of Style.
As you know I love writing, but the feedback I have been getting from my writing group is that although I tell a good story, my style needs to improve. I know it does and I have been trying to improve it, but sadly I don't think it has improved much.
Someone saying your style is not great is a difficult criticism to take - not really sweetened by the fact that I tell a good tale. I sat there thinking well- that's my style what can I do about that? It worried me too because whilst...
As you know I love writing, but the feedback I have been getting from my writing group is that although I tell a good story, my style needs to improve. I know it does and I have been trying to improve it, but sadly I don't think it has improved much.
Someone saying your style is not great is a difficult criticism to take - not really sweetened by the fact that I tell a good tale. I sat there thinking well- that's my style what can I do about that? It worried me too because whilst...
January 16, 2015
Would ‘sorry’ have made any difference? Does it ever? It’s just a word.
“Would ‘sorry’ have made any difference? Does it ever? It’s just a word. One word against a thousand actions.” - Sarah Ockler
Well I would like to start this first post of the New Year with an apology. To my faithful blog readers, I am truly sorry for not blogging for over a month - perhaps more. It breaks all the rules of those 'little but often' blog posts I was harping on about last year.
I wish I could say had an excuse, but I can't. Basically, I've just been lazy. I can't...
Well I would like to start this first post of the New Year with an apology. To my faithful blog readers, I am truly sorry for not blogging for over a month - perhaps more. It breaks all the rules of those 'little but often' blog posts I was harping on about last year.
I wish I could say had an excuse, but I can't. Basically, I've just been lazy. I can't...
October 20, 2014
Age wrinkles the body; quitting wrinkles the soul
Age wrinkles the body; quitting wrinkles the soul - Douglas MacArthur
I apologise now for the lack of blogging I have been doing of late. I have no excuses, life just seems to have taken over. That isn't to say that I have been sitting around doing nothing. I have enrolled in a touch typing thingy on-line. I say enrolled when in fact all I have done is registered so I can keep a track of my progress. Its free and it's called Typing Study. If like me you type entire novels with two fingers, giv...
I apologise now for the lack of blogging I have been doing of late. I have no excuses, life just seems to have taken over. That isn't to say that I have been sitting around doing nothing. I have enrolled in a touch typing thingy on-line. I say enrolled when in fact all I have done is registered so I can keep a track of my progress. Its free and it's called Typing Study. If like me you type entire novels with two fingers, giv...
September 29, 2014
Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve - J K Rowling
Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve - J K Rowling
Well people it has been a while. I have started writing the second of the Chupplejeep books. This one is called The Body in the Bath. I have just completed my grammar course, and I have signed up to another year at Abingdon Writers. Speaking of which, the other day when I was at the group meeting someone said they had read an article saying the popularity of social media is declining. Now, I haven't read this myself but I could...
Well people it has been a while. I have started writing the second of the Chupplejeep books. This one is called The Body in the Bath. I have just completed my grammar course, and I have signed up to another year at Abingdon Writers. Speaking of which, the other day when I was at the group meeting someone said they had read an article saying the popularity of social media is declining. Now, I haven't read this myself but I could...
