Clare C. Marshall's Blog, page 25
January 3, 2012
Blog Tour Countdown & Other Stuff
Just 6 more days until my blog tour starts! HURRAY!
I received some preliminary reviews from a couple of people and it's been nothing but positive! 
So exciting when someone that you don't know in person likes what you have written.
I know I have some guest posts to write for some people–it's on the to-do list.
Woulds & Shoulds is back to the grindstone, we recently took on a ghostwriting contract, which is completely different for us, but it's self-publishing related, so I figured what the hell. It's been fun so far! So now I'll be writing that, and trying to finish up the first draft for my second book, The Violet Fox. It's currently sitting at 61,000 words. I think it may end up being 70,000 words before it's done. :O And there will be a sequel. More of a character sequel than a plot sequel: the story will end, but world events will continue in the second to create a second adventure for my characters.
Those of you who haven't, can add my book to your shelf on Goodreads, and like Faery Ink Press on Facebook.
December 31, 2011
Offset Printing & Canadian Distribution
One question that I seem to get a lot of is, "How can I buy your book?"
For self-published authors, book distribution can be difficult. This is particularly true when you live in a big country like Canada. By big I mean wide. It costs an exorbitant amount of money to ship physical books because everything is so spread out.
For now, the only way to get a physical copy of my book is to order it from the States. That really sucks for my Canadian readers, because shipping costs half as much as the book does, or more. It also makes it difficult to sell copies through my website–I'd have to order them from the States, get them shipped here, and well…I'd probably lose money selling them.
So I was thinking: what if I did an offset print run of say 500 or so through a Canadian company? It would be a lot of money up front–easily a few thousand dollars–but I'd have a superior product that was in Canada. If I have offset copies, I could theoretically get into bookstores (maybe) because it would be printed by a higher quality printer.
I'm not sure if I'll do this quite yet. I haven't quite recouped the money I've put into it (maybe half of it I've gotten back so far!) and the blog tour is next month, so maybe the rest of it will come back then (I hope!). There's also The Violet Fox that I've got to start producing.
This is what I'm trying to say: for now, I cannot offer a better solution than to tell you to go to Amazon.com to buy a physical copy, or my website to buy an e-copy. In better news, I'm signing an agreement with Kobo so that they can distribute my ebooks too, so that should make getting my book a little bit easier. But until I recoop my costs and the book starts selling like crazy or I find a reliable POD solution in Canada to make my book, I'm afraid that you will have to order from Amazon.
For now.
December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays
A quick Seasons Greetings or Merry Christmas to everyone out there in Internet Land! Today is a flurry of cleaning at my house as we await the arrival of my sister. Usually at this time a few years ago we would attend the community Christmas service where everyone could join the choir or play their instrument and sing, but unfortunately I live in a town of old people, so the church attendees/organizers are fewer every year.
That's sad to think about, so let's just think about all the snow outside! There's lots here, we got the full Christmas card deal yesterday. It's so pristine and untouched. And here I am inside cleaning and interneting.
December 22, 2011
8K More to Write!
Just 8,000 more words to go on the first draft of The Violet Fox. My goal is to have this done by the end of the month. I'm not sure if 8K will be enough words to get everything out, so it may be closer to 65,000 words in the end. We'll see.
My plan is to have this published by May 13th, 2012. So I want to have this at an editor by the end of January, at least. I have a lot of work to do to get this in any kind of shape for the editor. This book is really my pride and joy, story-wise. It's one of my favourite plots in my large library of story ideas–definitely in the top three. I'm really excited to be able to share it with you all.
December 21, 2011
Mysterious Package
So this arrived in the mail today.
Dave mentioned something about *maybe* sending a secret "something" in the mail, but this arrived from the States. I've blurred the address because when I Google-mapped it, it's a personal address. The Teal Boutique might be a woman selling jewelry though…or possibly clothing, according to my Google search. No, I'm pretty sure it's not sexy lingerie…though that was the first thing that crossed my mind, ha!
I don't want to open it quite yet…just in case it is an unwrapped Christmas present. It feels kind of hard and flat, so it might be in some sort of box, or wrapped in plastic maybe?
I'll have updates when I open it! Curiosity is starting to creep up on me though…
***UPDATE!***
So, this is what it was:
For those non-nerdy types, they're Chrono Trigger magnets. Chrono Trigger is one of the best RPGs out there, even though it was made in like 1995 or so. It's a time travelling story where a group of unlikely companions travel together throughout their world's history to save it from destruction. There's one part of the game where you can win a bunch of cats, and they just sit around in the main character's (Chrono's) house. They're silly. Heeeheee.
Dave gives the best gifts.
December 16, 2011
Websites!
The past week or two I've been really busy working on a website design for a client, and I've noticed that I maybe need a makeover around here. I've had some pretty hideous themes in the past. This one doesn't look too bad, but it's taken me a while to get it to where it is now. I might just take one of the Elegant Themes I bought and modify it to fit here.
Dave is also working on his website. He prefers a simple design, with maybe three pages, all white. That can be nice, if everything is kept crisp. I've gotten a little carried away with widgets, maybe. BUT NOT PURPLE! Purple is the best.
It also makes me want to modify another theme for another secret project that I may or may not be working on and may or may not ever release, depending. :O
December 14, 2011
Review: Fade
For Janie and Cabel, real life is getting tougher than the dreams. They're just trying to carve out a little (secret) time together, but no such luck.
Disturbing things are happening at Fieldridge High, yet nobody's talking. When Janie taps into a classmate's violent nightmares, the case finally breaks open — but nothing goes as planned. Not even close. Janie's in way over her head, and Cabe's shocking behavior has grave consequences for them both.
Worse yet, Janie learns the truth about herself and her ability — and it's bleak. Seriously, brutally bleak. Not only is her fate as a dream catcher sealed, but what's to come is way darker than she'd feared….
The power went out for the afternoon one day, and I thought it would be the perfect time for me to read this book. I gobbled it up.
Writing: 3 wings
Similar in style to the last book, the prose is quick, and slightly disjointed. It's made for quick readers, like me. It didn't quite have the same snappiness as the last book, though. My favourite bit of writing in the book is near the end, when she attends a science party. If you've read this, or are going to read it, you'll know the part I mean when you get there. It's pretty hilarious.
Plot: 3.5 wings
One thing I do appreciate about WAKE and FADE is that they could potentially be stand-alones. While Cabe and Janie's relationship develops in Fade, the case that they're working on is front and center.
The description also makes it sound more epic than it actually is. At the risk of spoiling things, here is what NOT to pay attention to in the back cover description:
For Janie and Cabel, real life is getting tougher than the dreams. TRUE. But mostly because Janie's dream issues get in the way.
They're just trying to carve out a little (secret) time together, but no such luck. MOSTLY FALSE. They live down the road from each other, and Janie's mother doesn't care…so Janie can sleep over at Cabe's whenever she wants. They apparently have to keep their relationship under wraps because of the events that transpired in the last book, so they can't be around each other at school, but otherwise, they can spend all the other time in the day together.
Disturbing things are happening at Fieldridge High, yet nobody's talking. TRUE. This is where it is interesting.
When Janie taps into a classmate's violent nightmares, the case finally breaks open. FALSE. At least, in my opinion. Basically, the police start investigating an anonymous call made a few months back on a student's crime report line. From what they can decipher, they think some of the teachers are having sexual relationships with their students. The case breaks open when Janie deliberately starts leading on one of the suspected teachers. Her nightmares of her fellow students only confirm her suspicions.
– but nothing goes as planned. Not even close. FALSE. If anything, the plot is pretty predictable. In a "and then this happened and then this happened" kind of way. This doesn't mean it's not entertaining, I was just hoping for more of a twist during the climax.
Janie's in way over her head, and Cabe's shocking behavior has grave consequences for them both. FALSE? Did I miss something here? Cabe is upset that Janie has to be bait for a potential sexual predator, and has a bit of a tantrum in there too, but I wouldn't say his behaviour is shocking or has any particular special consequences. Bad, bad description.
Worse yet, Janie learns the truth about herself and her ability — and it's bleak. Seriously, brutally bleak. Not only is her fate as a dream catcher sealed, but what's to come is way darker than she'd feared…. TRUE. But she really only learns the truth at the end of the book.
Characters: 3 wings
Cabe and Janie have a lot of issues. I'm not really sure if what they have is a healthy relationship, but I was routing for them anyway. I thought it was relateable when in one scene they discuss their true feelings via email, even though they were in the same room. There's something very real about that–being able to articulate your words better in writing than verbally.
Something I was disappointed in was that Janie's relationship with her mother has developed any. There is a scene at the beginning of the book that addresses this relationship, and I thought it might be further explored, but it wasn't. Maybe in the next book?
Overall: 3.5 wings
Story was a bit predictable. But it is a fun, quick read. If you don't go into in-depth analysis, you'll see it for what it is: a few hours of harmless fun.
December 9, 2011
Giveaway at Avery Olive's Blog
Reminder that tomorrow I will be at Avery Olive's blog as part of her 13 Days of Christmas Giveaway! (because 13 is the best number!)
Also, if for some reason you haven't gotten around to getting a copy of my book yet, we're giving an e-copy away for free (yes, free!) if you visit her site and presumably leave a comment or the like.
You should all go, and check out the other days too, 'cause she's got some interesting peeps participating!
December 8, 2011
Review: The Scorpio Races
The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
Writing: 4.5 wings
As always, Maggie Stiefvater gives us painstakingly beautiful prose. My only complaint is similar to what I said for Shiver: sometimes, I forgot whose head I was in. Her writing is beautiful, but it isn't always definitive of who is speaking.
The writing was definitely the highlight of this book. I'm not a big horse person and I probably wouldn't have bought this book if Maggie Stiefvater hadn't written it.
Plot: 3.5 Wings
*Contains minor spoilers*
It built really slowly, like climbing up a hill that is only slightly inclined. It's worth it for the climax, though. Don't go in expecting tension and action like The Hunger Games. Both have a similar idea in that they have protagonists that have to enter a competition to save something they love/their way of life. Kate Connolly, or Puck as she likes to be called (I didn't like that: Puck makes me think of a boy, not a girl. Only tolerated because it's Maggie Stiefvater, and because the story was in first person), enters into the Scorpio Races at first just as a way to get her brother Gabe to stay on the island. The real trouble comes a bit later in the story when it's revealed that unless she and her brothers can come up with the money owing on their house to Malvern, the island's version of It's a Wonderful Life's Mr. Potter, they will have nowhere to live. They were orphaned several years ago, so they rely heavily on the eldest brother Gabe for income. Finn, her other brother, and Puck make teapots and sell them at the local general store.
As Puck and Sean get to know each other, it becomes obvious that they both need to win the competition, but this doesn't seem to deter their friendship/eventual relationship. I did like how slow and realistic their romance developed, but it was really slow at the beginning, and there were a few pages where I thought that maybe it wouldn't be a romance after all.
Something else that bothered me after a while is that while everything is structured each scene drove the story forward (slowly), it wouldn't really be the end of the world if either of them lost. That's why there was very little tension. It might suck for Puck–but she also says that Finn would have to go work at the mill and she would have to get a "real" job, and they would have to move into a smaller apartment in town. That would suck…but why do neither of you have "real" jobs in the first place? Why is it only the older brother's responsibility to provide, especially if the house is clearly on the line? On the other hand, it's unclear what the time period this is in–the island people get mad that a woman would want to enter the races, and there's talk of the women's suffrage movement…but it kind of had a modern feel to it, albeit, rural.
Sean lives in a cramped apartment near the stables where he works. He seems to have a subtle magical ability to communicate with the horses that isn't completely explained, but that actually works here. He's won the Scorpio Races four times. You would think that he would be swimming in riches, but his boss Malvern takes a large percentage of the cut. Sean just loves the horses and particularly the horse that he always races, Corr. But Sean doesn't own Corr. Malvern does. But without Sean at the stables, no one would be able to control the vicious water horses. So Malvern eventually makes a deal with Sean: if he wins the race, he can have Corr. If he looses…well, he just doesn't win Corr at the discounted price that Malvern is offering, and while Sean wants to quit the stables, it's pretty obvious that he's needed there and can't stay away from his precious.
So as you can see, there is a complicated plot that is interesting to read through…but there just isn't enough tension to warrant the promotional quote, "It's the first of November, and today, someone will die." Even though the horseys will eat you if you get in their way.
Characters
Puck & Sean were well-developed. There were a few other characters like Malvern and Malvern's maleficent son, Mutt, and George Holly, the American tourist who ends up being an uncle-figure to Sean; these people stood out from Stiefvater's slowly seductive writing. There are many other names & faces in the book because being from a small island, everyone knows everyone, and I think that maybe on a second or third read, these names would be better remembered. I often mixed up Puck's brothers, Finn and Gabe, because they seemed a bit similar to me, despite their different life-goals.
Besides that, they were interesting to follow and it was my eagerness to see where Puck & Sean's story would intertwine that guided me through the narrative. I think I enjoyed Sean a bit more than Puck. His seemingly magic way with the horses made him an intriguing character.
Overall: 4 wings
This review turned out to be longer than I wanted, and made it look like I didn't like the book. That's not true. I did really enjoy it. I was maybe expecting more tension/excitement from it, though, and I was let down by that.
Sometimes pretty writing can get in the way of plot being obvious. Some people like that. I prefer stories that a little more fast paced, and I'm not a big horse person, but I still love her writing style. Other people who don't really like Maggie Stiefvater may not appreciate this book, or this rating.
December 7, 2011
WWW Wednesday #8
What are you reading now?
Yep. Still. It's a long book! And so many other pretty things to read. I want to finish it by the end of the year.
I'm going to give Fade a shot, since I still have it from the library and it doesn't look like that long of a read. I reviewed Wake a while back and it was a quick, fun read. Hopefully I can get through that in a few nights worth of reading!
What did you finish reading?
The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefavter. I didn't get a chance to write and post a review for this yesterday, so I hope to have it up by tomorrow. In my opinion, it didn't hold my attention as much as Shiver did, but it had the same lovely writing and flow to it.
What are you going to read next?
I hope I can get to Linger. It is my goal! I've been saying that for a while now. Was kind of hoping to finish A Dance with Dragons first, though.
