Laurisa White Reyes's Blog, page 18

WRITER 2 WRITER: MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEW

Over the past three weeks, I’ve talked about writers should and should not do to make their books page-turners. Last week, I introduced the first of three techniques to try with your writing. Today let’s look at a second technique:

#2: MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEW

When I first started writing for children about eleven years ago, I was told by a certain literary agent that books for middle grade readers must be written in a single point of view (POV). The agent explained that trying to keep track of more than one voice in a story was beyond the ability of most kids, that it would be too confusing.

This didn’t make sense to me. I’m a mother of five children, and I had seen for myself how they followed movies and video games with multiple story lines with ease. I decided the agent’s advice wasn’t giving contemporary kids, who are multi-tasking masters, enough credit.

At the same time, I happened to be reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Brown is the king of page-turners. I read that book in two nights because I literally could not stop reading it. And I asked myself why? So, I read it again and studied his techniques. One thing I discovered is that he switches between three points of view, weaving together three story lines that all converge at the climax. Dan Brown writes for adults, but I wondered why couldn’t this same technique be applied to a children’s novel?

So, I wrote my novel, The Rock of Ivanore , with several points of view just to prove it could be done. And guess what? Kids love it.

Today, writing from multiple points of view has become more acceptable in the world of children’s books. Most recently, Wonder by R.J. Palacio has taken the country by storm. This story about a boy with a disfigured face has six distinct voices.  Above World and Mirage by Jenn Reese each have two POVs, as does Rick Riordan’s The Red Pyramid . The Candymakers by Wendy Mass has four.

Multiple points of view also work exceptionally well with adult fiction. Here is an exercise to try:

TRY IT OUT:

Write a brief scene (a paragraph to one page) from one of the perspective of one of the characters below. Use the following to get you started. Then re-write the exact same scene from a different character’s POV.

Prompt: Two characters argue over an object, each one claiming it belongs to him/her.

Characters:
•12-year-old boy in a wheelchair
• 18-year-old girl with spiky blue hair
• middle-aged African American woman from the south
• 80-year-old homeless man
• school librarian
• famous action movie star
• twin siblings
• a scientist
• a young mother with three small children

Be sure to stop by next week for Part 5 of How To Write A Real Page-Turner, and discover the third and final page-turner technique!

BOOK GIVEAWAY - WAYFARER RESOLVE by Eileen Troemel

Wayfarer ResolveWayfarer Series #18by Eileen TroemelGenre: SciFi Romance 
In this final installation of Wayfarers, Decker and Adara face an attack on their homeworlds as well as on their children. A clan member from Phelan’s clan attacks Addy and Zoe while Adara and Decker deal with riots and attacks on the home world. Phelan’s clan member is at fault. Will this break down the clans? 


Out exploring their sectors of space, Adara settles into being Mathair Naclan - mother of the clans. At the home planets, Hal, Dimitri, and others cope with vandalism, sabotage, and racism. The Humans only group rises with violence and hate to attack the Wayfarers from within.

Sentenced to hard labor, prisoners are placed at Tom and Angeline’s manufacturing facility and Monroe’s mining operation. Though facing punishment for breaking the terms of being with the Wayfarers, Bernard Lundquist still runs operations on Hometown. 
Bias within the Wayfarers and against the Wayfarers frustrates Adara as she and her admin council defend against the Humans only group. The family is threatened by the people Adara rescued. Can they find a way to peace or will the prejudice tear apart the connections Adara and the Wayfarers are making?

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Wayfarer AegisWayfarer Series .5Goodreads * Amazon
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Wayfarer Clans Wayfarer Series #2Goodreads * Amazon
Wayfarer ImmemorialWayfarer Series #3Goodreads* Amazon Wayfarer NegotiatorWayfarer Series #4Goodreads * Amazon Wayfarer Wedding Wayfarer Series#5Goodreads * Amazon Wayfarer TrialsWayfarer Series #6Goodreads * Amazon
Wayfarer DestructionWayfarer Series #7Goodreads * AmazonWayfarer FreedomWayfarer Series #8Goodreads * Amazon Wayfarer SalvationWayfarer Series #9Goodreads * Amazon Wayfarer ExpansionWayfarer Series #10Goodreads * Amazon
Wayfarer AcceptanceWayfarer Series #11Goodreads * AmazonWayfarer ConvictionsWayfarer Series #12Goodreads * AmazonWayfarer LimitsWayfarer Series #13Goodreads * Amazon Wayfarer ContentiousWayfarer Series #14Goodreads * Amazon
Wayfarer Home Wayfarer Series #15Goodreads * AmazonWayfarer WarWayfarer Series #16Goodreads * Amazon Wayfarer EvolutionWayfarer Series #17Goodreads * Amazon


From poetry to novel, I enjoy telling a good story or expressing a heartfelt emotion. I've been published in Circle Magazine, The American Tarot Association's Quarterly Journal, What's Cooking America, Children, Churches and Daddies, placed second in Words of Women 2010 Writing Contest, 2012 Daily Flash, and The Deadman's Tome. I have a bachelor's degree in business and a second bachelor's degree in English Professional Writing and Book Editing. On the side, I have a small editing business. In addition to my work, I love to read, crochet, crafting, research genealogy, and spend time with family. I have three adult daughters and have been married to my husband for over 30 years. I'm the proud grandma of three fur babies - my daughters' cats.


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NEW COVERS REVEAL - THE CRYSTAL KEEPER, BOOKS 1-3

In anticipation of the relase of books 4-6 in THE CRYSTAL KEEPER series (soon, I promise!), the first three books have gotten a makeover!Do you approve? One commenter below will win the entire omnibus ebook (books 1-3)!
If you haven't read Book I: EXILE, you can download it here for FREE: https://mailchi.mp/7861dc13bbef/skyrocketpressnews
MORE DETAILS HERE: http://www.laurisawhitereyes.com/crystal-keeper-info 

 

$20 GIVEAWAY - THE DREAM OF THE FOREST by Stjepan Varesevac Cobets

The Dream of the Forest by Stjepan Varesevac CobetsGenre: SciFi Romance Adventure
The year is 2197. More than one hundred years have passed since the natural destruction of the Earth's surface. The surviving inhabitants are now living in Heavenly Cities high above the clouds with no intention of ever descending back to the unstable surface again.
Helen is a lawyer who lives in one of those cities. Her life is almost perfect, but very soon she is going to find out that it was all just an illusion as her dreams scatter like leaves in the wind and the only thing left for her to return to will be her hometown.  But on her way home, an almost fatal car accident on the heavenly highway turns her life in a drastically new direction. Helen finds herself crashing down onto the earth's destructive surface and landing in a forest world that is completely alien to her with a million and one questions and very few answers. The number 1 question being - is it really true what the government told her and the surviving population that no one ever survived down on Earth? Well, what if the truth was the complete opposite? What if there really were survivors?

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Stjepan Varesevac-Cobets was born on 12 September 1965 in Split, Croatia. He lives and works in Kastel Sucurac, where he finished his elementary and secondary schooling.

At a very young age, he started reading and loved it because, through books, he traveled to places he could never visit in person. As a child, he loved fairy tales and adventure but later discovered other genres. When he found a Jules Verne book in the library, he became fascinated by science fiction. He has been writing poetry for fifteen years and has started writing science fiction. Lately, he has also written children's fairy tales and fables.
He has published, in Croatia, "An Opened Heart" in 2002, "The Sleepy Way" in 2005, and "Love" in 2006. On Amazon he has published the poetry collections "The Child of Happiness" in 2015, science fiction novel "Godeena" in 2015, the science fiction short story "Butterfly" in 2016, the poetry collection "When the moon takes over the dream: Love Poetry" in 2016, and in 2017 the poetry collection "The Flaming Horses: Collection of poetry". He also translated his new Sci-Fi novel "The Dream of the Forest".

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BOOK REVIEW: THE RIVER by Gary Paulsen

THE RIVER
Gary Paulsen
Scholastic
Ages 8-12

Two years after Brian Robeson survived fifty-four days alone in the Canadian wilderness, the government wants him to head back so they can learn what he did to stay alive. This time Derek Holtzer, a government psychologist, will accompany him. But a freak storm leaves Derek unconscious. Brian's only hope is to transport Derek a hundred miles down the river to a trading post. He's survived with only a hatchet before--now can Brian build a raft and navigate an unknown river?

For the first time it's not only Brian's survival that's at stake. . .

MY REVIEW:

I read THE RIVER out loud to my son following our adventure with HATCHET, the first book in the series. This tale is just as vivid and exciting as the first. We can't wait to read book 3, BRIAN'S WINTER.

The straight forward text is simple enough for young children and reluctanct readers to grasp, but it doesn't diminish the tension of Brian's predicament. Paulsen is able to capture the beauty of the landscape, the fear of being so close to death's edge, and the thrill of adventure with a minimalist's vocabulary. Truly one of the most brilliant children's book writers ever.

THE HAUNTED GROOM by Karly Stratford Just 99 Cents

 The Haunted Groom by Karly Stratford How much would you bet on first love this Christmas? The generous and good-looking, Evan Cook, outside tackle for the Denver Storm, grew up in a bad part of Milwaukee where he did things he'd rather forget. His Christmas plans include starting a foundation to help kids get out of his old neighborhood. However, quarterback Will Kent throws a wrench in Evan's plans with a bet. A bet for Evan to contact his first love, Anna Jordan, and try to win her back. To his surprise, Anna--now the hottest actress in Hollywood--agrees to help him with his foundation. Anna brings her feisty, ninja-like bodyguard along, and suddenly Evan has a problem. The beautiful and tough, Henley Keaton only wants a drama-free Christmas. When Evan Cook calls Henley's employer, to Milwaukee to help with some foundation, she's overjoyed. She can avoid the yearly family fight and eat deep-fried-cheese-curds and relax for Christmas. But when Anna gets sick and forces Henley to go on a date with Evan Cook in her place, Henley's plan begins to crumble. When Henley and Evan engage in a spirited duel of Shakespeare quotes, things get...complicated. After tragedy strikes, and it looks like Evan's haunted past is going to catch up with him, he must decide if he's willing to walk away or let Christmas miracles come true.   Praise for The Haunted Groom This was a great read! I loved the characters and I loved the story. This wasn't just a strong boy saves helpless girl story. The boy is strong but the girl isn't helpless. A great story of redemption and giving back! I loved it! ~Mariah S.  Get your copy for just 99¢Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimted

WRITER 2 WRITER: SHORT CHAPTERS

HOW TO WRITE A REAL-PAGE TURNER, PART III

Two weeks ago, I defined what being a Page-Turner is and why writers should seriously consider writing one. Last week I shared “5 Sure Fire Fun-Suckers”, things that make books boring. Today I will discuss the first of three “Page-Turner Techniques” that are sure to make your work in progress a “can’t-put-it-down” book.

#1. SHORTER CHAPTERS
Seems obvious, doesn’t it? But the truth is that you will simply lose many readers after just a few pages. How many times have you opened a book and counted the pages in a particular chapter to see if you really felt like committing yourself to it? Chances are if the chapter was too long, you put the book down and reached for something else.

Pick up a few books you consider “page-turners.” Chances are most of them have pretty short chapters. For example, Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code has chapters as short as a single page. The overall length of two books may be exactly the same, but the fact remains that short chapters achieve two very important things for your reader:

* Creates the illusion of a “fast read.”
* Increases the likelihood that the reader will read multiple chapters in a single sitting.

When asked about whether or not the act of reading books is in danger of giving way to electronic media, Author Hernan Casciari said the following:

“What’s important right now is our lack of concentration, our inability to be able to read, listen or write for more than 20 minutes.”

Actually, Casciari hit the nail on the head, and here’s why.

In 2012, the Associated Press published research revealing that the attention span of the average person (adult or child) is a mere 8 second. 8 seconds!!! That’s how long you have to capture your readers’ attention–and KEEP IT!

To give you an idea of what we’re up against, in the year 2000, the average attention span was 12 seconds, and the attention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds.

Now, we can bemoan the damage to our brains caused by video games and TV shows all we want, but as writers, we need to look at this information through different lenses. Our readers’ attention spans are shrinking. So, the question is not how do we stop this, but how can we best reach our readers on their level?

TRY THIS OUT!
 
If you are working on a manuscript right now, try these tweaks to help make your story more “bite-sized.”

1. Write chapters that are between 3 – 5 pages (800-1300 words, or even less)
2. Divide longer chapters into two or more shorter chapters.
3. Utilize Framing Devices to separate shorter scenes within a longer chapter:
 * White Space (add an extra blank line)
 * Varied Font (use italics to identify quotes, different forms of text such as
journal entries or letters, or for dreams, flash backs, etc.)
 * Asterisks (can be used within white space)

Next week, we’ll dive into another proven technique for helping your book become a page-turner. In the meantime, check out PAGE-TURNER: YOUR PATH T WRITING A NOVEL THAT PUBLISHERS WANT AND READERS BUY by Barbara Kyle.

$10 GIVEAWAY - WHEN THE NIGHT COMES OUT by Bryan W. Alaspa

When the Night Comes Outby Bryan AlaspaGenre: Horror, Short Stories
What happens when the night comes out? When the darkness comes in from the sides and closes in all around, what lurks within? 

BONUS: Foreward by Patrick C. Greene, author of Progeny and The Crimson CallingAn elevator in a high-rise building becomes a gateway for terror and madness
A German U-Boat during World War I becomes a haunted nightmare
A radio signal in the middle of the night reveals the horrors lurking beneath a simple, small, peaceful town.
A little girl with a best friend you would NOT want to cross finds herself in mortal danger.
And a couple moving into a new house discovers an old abandoned well that may have no bottom, or it may just be a portal into Hell itself.
These are tales of unrelenting horror and terror from the mind of Bryan W. Alaspa, author of RIG, Sapphire, Storyland, S.P.I.D.A.R. and other tales of horror, terror and suspense. Five stories that will make you wonder what lurks - when the night comes out.

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Bryan W. Alaspa is a Chicago born and bred author of both fiction and non-fiction works. He has been writing since he sat down at his mother's electric typewriter back in the third grade and pounded out his first three-page short story. He spent time studying journalism and other forms of writing. He turned to writing as his full-time career in 2006 when he began writing freelance, online and began writing novels and books.
He is the author of over 30 books of both fiction and non-fiction and numerous short stories and articles. Mr. Alaspa writes true crime, history, horror, thrillers, mysteries, detective stories and tales about the supernatural.

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$500 PRIZE - SKYROCKET PRESS NOVEL WRITING CONTEST

SKYROCKET PRESS2019 NOVEL WRITING CONTEST
Complete details can be found here: http://www.skyrocketpress.com/submissions
Skyrocket Press is hosting our first ever NOVEL WRITING CONTEST. The winner will receive a $500 prize (via Paypal) and publication. Honorable mentions may also be offered a publishing contract.
ROUND ONE: Submit the first ten (10) pages of your novel or non-fiction book and a 1-3 page synopsis. Those selected as finalists will advance to Round Two.
ROUND TWO: Finalists will be asked to submit their complete manuscripts. A winner and honorable mentions will be chosen.
ELIGIBILITY: Full-length manuscripts written for adults or young adults (teens) in the following genres will be accepted: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary, Thriller/Suspense, Mystery, Horror, Historical, Non-fiction. No romance or erotica novels will be accepted, though a romantic element within another genre is acceptable. We will not consider works containing excessive profanity, violence, or sex. Nor will we consider books containing M/M or F/F romance, or sex between minors. No middle grade or children's fiction will be accepted.
FEES: $15 per entry. Authors may submit more than one book, but each book must be submitted and paid for separately.
HOW TO SUBMIT:1) Send payment via Paypal, using the button on our SUBMISSIONS page.
2) Once payment has been received, email your Paypal receipt and submission to: mail@laurisawhitereyes.com. Paste your 10 pages and synopsis in the body of your email. Include your author name, email address, and phone number. Should you submit payment but fail to submit your manuscript to us, there are no refunds. DEADLINES: Deadline for payment is February 15, 2019. Once payment has been made, deadline for submitting 10 page sample and synopsis is February 28, 2019. Notifications to finalists will be emailed by March 30th. Deadline for submitting complete manuscripts is April 15, 2019. Winner and honorable mentions will be notified by July 31, 2019. Winning book will be published on or before September 1st, 2019. Honorable mentions, if offered a publishing contract, will be published later in 2019.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMISSION: Manuscript (synopsis, 10 page sample & full length) should be double-spaced with 1 inch margins. Use Times New Roman or Garamond 12 pt. font. Do not use you TAB button for indenting paragraphs. Indentations should be set automatically at .5". Separate chapters with page breaks. Do not include any images, including special chapter headings. Entire text should use the same font, as mentioned above.
TIPS FOR SUBMISSION: Submit a manuscript that is complete. Make sure your manuscript has been professionally edited and proofread. Excessive grammar errors, typos, and otherwise poor writing may hurt your chances at moving to round two. Make sure your book does not contain excessive profanity, violence or sex, as mentioned above.
TERMS OF PUBLISHING CONTRACT WITH SKYROCKET PRESS: If your book is accepted for publication, it will be made available as an e-book. If sales reach 500+, we will consider offering a print edition. Authors will receive 50% royalties on net sales for ebooks & 20% royalties on print editions, paid quarterly via Paypal. Contract will remain in effect for three years and will automatically renew unless the author or publisher requests termination. Skyrocket Press provides editorial, design, and formatting for published books, and will promote said books on its website and in its newsletters. Author is free to market the book using other methods. Email us here: mail@laurisawhitereyes.com

$15 GIVEAWAY - MY AMERICAN NIGHTMARE by Azzurra Nox

My American Nightmare:Women in Horror AnthologyStories Selected by Azzurra NoxGenre: YA Horror
For Fans of American Horror Story, Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Danielle Vega

America, land of the free, land of the brave, land of nightmares? A group of female authors come together in this collection of creepy tales and psychological horror stories to bring you chills and disturbing images that won't leave you long after you're done reading. From zombies to rural small towns, to the foggy New England to the glamour of Hollywood, each story focuses on a diverse aspect of living in America and the horror found in bullying, being the “new girl,” starting your first job, and navigating the murky waters of adolescence and all the terrifying changes that come with it. Bold and haunting, My American Nightmare encompasses daring stories from new voices in the horror genre. This collection will unsettle your nerves and linger in your mind, demonstrating that women can show you a nuance of horror that isn't always evident from the male perspective.
Dare to take a walk on the dark side.
Stories In Anthology
Angela Sylvaine – The Ballad of Sorrow and LilaAmelia Kibbie – We Kill The SkullmanR. A. Goli – Mr. Buttons' Tea PartyJamie Kahn – The Poison & The IvyRachel Bolton- The Girl & The Yellow WallpaperHillary Lyon - Boys' Night OutNicky Peacock – She Looked Like Krystal SparkleSpinster Eskie - Angie's ChangeSheri Kreitner - The Pickman Sisters of SalemSierra Ryan – VolunteerKara Nelson - The EyeE.F. Schraeder – Night MovesAndrea Teare – 39 DaysHeather Miller - The StarsMarnie Azzarelli – When Evacuating PennsylvaniaErica Ruhe - PerlePhoebe Jane Johnson - RubyAzzurra Nox - Whatever Happened to Peyton Rose?Kara Dennison - Billson


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Born in Catania, Sicily, Azzurra Nox has led a nomadic life since birth. She has lived in various European cities and Cuba, and currently resides in the Los Angeles area. Always an avid reader and writer from a young age, she loved entertaining her friends with ghost stories. She loves horror movies, cats, and a good rock show. She dislikes Mondays and chick-flicks. CUT HERE, her debut paranormal urban fantasy was inspired by a nightmare the writer had a few years ago. Some of her favourite authors include Anne Rice, Oscar Wilde, Chuck Palahniuk, and Isabella Santacroce.

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