J.C. Martin's Blog, page 30

Writer Wednesday: Maria Violante + GIVEAWAY

Welcome to my Writer Wednesday feature! Each week, I either showcase a fellow writer who has inspired/encouraged me in some way, or I interview one. Writers could be at any stage of their writing career.

This week, I'll be interviewing…

Maria Violante

[image error]Maria writes horror, science-fiction and fantasy for Airam Publications. She is the creator of Shiver Shorts and The De La Roca Pentalogy. She gave me some invaluable feedback after reading The Doll, and was especially helpful in critiquing the Spanish terms I used in the story! She also runs 5 Minute Interviews on her blog, and I have been in the hot seat.

You can find Maria on MariaViolante.com, as well as on Facebook.

***Find out how you could win an e-book copy of Maria's latest urban fantasy novella, Hunting the Five, below!***

When did you start writing?

I have no idea. I mean, I can't remember that far back. I was a little kid for sure. I've probably got at least six or seven failed novel attempts and a thousand burned notebooks of short stories and poetry. There are still websites out there, disastrous experiments with Angelfire and Livejournal, with horrible smatterings of each. Eventually, I always forget about writing for a while.

I spent the last few years as an English teacher in Korea, which was amazing for me – as a half-Korean, the chance to learn about my mother's culture and really become a part of it was spectacular. I didn't write a lick during that whole time. When I got back (Halloween of 2010), I got the job I always thought I'd have – cushy office, big commissions, a minimum of time on the phone … and I was miserable. Like, absolutely miserable! I spent every day thinking of ways to not go to work or even just delay it for a few minutes. It got so bad that I was having panic attacks at the thought of having to go in, which was just amazing. I mean, I've traveled all over the world, independent and self-reliant, often just kind of figuring things out by the seat of my pants – so for me to break down because I didn't want to answer a phone was ridiculous. To make it worse, I was really good at what I did; I got promoted a few times in just the first couple of months and was earning an extra paycheck a month on commission alone! Which would have been great, if I wasn't crying in the closet the whole time, but I couldn't manage to move on.

So then Michigan winter hits, and I've just exited the on-ramp of the highway. It's slick out. As I come around the curve, I wind up running into the wreckage of a previous accident, which spins my car off of the highway and ping-pongs it around. The entire thing goes in slow motion, and I can pretty distinctly remember being hit by four S.U.V.'s and bouncing into a construction fence – twice. The fiasco winds up totaling my brand new car, but I walk out without a scratch – much to the amazement of the police officers that eventually made it to the scene. (I wouldn't blame them – there were so many accidents, the ambulances were just rolling up and down the highway and yelling out the windows. The entire ride back was like a post-zombie apocalypse scene, cars spun out all over the place.)

I wind up not getting the hint, buying another, cheaper car with the money, and going back to my old job. Two months later, a negligent eighteen-year old somehow manages to not notice my car, you know, in front of him, and slams into me. It's dark, raining, cold, and he hits me hard enough to bend the entire back of my car up underneath my wheel wells. In the end, it was hard to be angry; he was freaking out about his mom killing him and I was once again lucky to be walking away from the entire thing.

I was incredibly sore from the entire experience the next day, and the next, and I called in sick … and I never came back. I had the insurance payout from both cars, I was all shaken up from almost dying twice (and afraid to drive again, ha) and I knew that I would never be happy at that job. Eventually, I quit, and then it was like – where do I go from here?

And then I sat down, and I penned my first completed novel, Honda or Die, in less than two months. I was writing four, five thousand words a day! And then I read it … uh-oh. At times, it was great. Other times, it was terrible, and I wondered if any amount of editing would save it. I started looking for a new day job, something that paid less but would make me happier (and found it). I kept writing though, and it seems like I'll never stop!

What genres do you write?

Horror, science-fiction, and fantasy.

Sum up your current WiP in 10 words or less.

Demonic gunslinger quests to earn freedom from mercenary life – sequel.

What's your ultimate goal as a writer?

That depends. If you mean my financial goals, it's pretty simple. I just want to quit my day job and live comfortably. I've always been a simple person, so it wouldn't take much.

If you mean my artistic goals – well, that's a bit more complicated. I want to write something as good as His Dark Materials – the series by Philip Pullman that includes the Golden Compass. It works on so many different levels. I remember first reading it as a young teenager and being swept away by the epic quest and the incredible creativity. Ten years later, and my mind is blown again by the layers of depth and philosophy, by the humanity of the characters and their relationships. I want to write the book that my readers are desperate to be in.

How close are you to achieving this goal?

Hahahaha … wow, that question hurt.

Any quirky writing habits?

Well, I generally type. Pen and paper are kind of emergencies only items for me. I've had a few good ideas come to me in dreams. I keep a writing quota, at least a thousand words a day, which I usually do during my lunch break at work. I guess the quirkiest thing is if I get stuck – then, I'll just start writing random mashes of phrases. A lot of good things have come out of that method. Oh, and for obvious reasons, it's best if I don't have an internet connection. I'll spend half the day on cracked.com. I'm absolutely addicted to that site.

J.C.: Hmm…? Oh, sorry, I was just, erm, browsing that site you mentioned. Er… I see what you mean!

Best writing snack?

When I wrote Honda or Die, I would wake up and make a pot of coffee, and then drink the entire thing while I wrote. Buzzzzzzzz!

Kung Fu KAPOW! Question:

What are your secret fears as a writer? How do you stop them from taking over?

I think a lot of them are obvious and shared – nobody will like my writing, everyone will think I'm a hack, etc. etc. I really don't stress about it though. Maybe it's the travel, or the near death experiences. Or maybe it's the fact that months later, I'll start reading something I wrote and suddenly get drawn into it, and go, whoa, *I* did that? And that's always a cool feeling.

Thank you for stopping by! Maria is delighted to give away an e-book copy of her latest novella, Hunting the Five, Book One of the De La Roca Chronicles, to one lucky commenter!

Blurb:

Welcome to "straight out of Hell."

Stripped of her memories, her name, and her power, De La Roca has spent the last three hundred years as a mercenary to pay for her release from the inferno.

When the Angel returns to offer her a bargain, five final kills in exchange for true freedom, will she be able to rise to the challenge, or will she die trying?

Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble

For your chance to win an e-book copy of Hunting the Five, just fill in the Rafflecopter form below:

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&am... need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;.Entries close on Saturday 10th December at 12.01AM EST. The randomly drawn winner will be announced on Saturday.

—

It's time once more for me to enter the fray in search of more willing Writer Wednesday victims! Are you game to answer six simple questions and one not-so-simple Kung Fu KAPOW! Question? If you have a book release coming up soon, or if you just want a bit of exposure, let me know! Happy to accommodate giveaways as part of your interview as well! E-mail me HERE to express your interest!

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Published on December 07, 2011 02:50

Blood on the Pen Blog Tour

Today I'm hosting a Tribute Books blog tour for David Huffstetler's Blood on the Pen. David has dropped by for a guest post on getting over writer's block:

When the Idea Well Runs Dry by David W. Huffstetler

Well, there you are, staring at a blank page on your computer without an inkling of what to write. Yes, but don't feel so alone. It's a common malady among writers, even those who have multiple publishing credits. Let's look at the ways so many of us get out of that quagmire. The first, and most often used, tool is the head bang, but not just any head bang. To properly execute this technique, one must use the base of the palm and apply it directly to the center of the forehead. A nice, quick pop is enough. Driving your fist into your brain doesn't really help; although, true clarity may require repeat applications, but no more than three pops at any one sitting. Give it a try right now and find true clarity.

Okay, tell me you didn't actually do that. On a more serious note, it can be a frustrating problem. The advice I've seen on this is almost always the same. Put the manuscript away for a week or two and then come back to it afresh, and that's good advice. But, I'd suggest some other things as well, things hidden in the mundane. The title of a hymn on Sunday morning, an incident of road rage, that little tick the anchor has on the six-o'clock news. In writing Blood on the Pen, I found that life took me places in the plot I had not planned to go. The tragic loss of a loved one to a drunk driver told me how to build the character of Jack Harden, the tortured Texas Ranger, I am part Cherokee, not part Comanche, but that heritage led me to developing the role of my antagonist's uncle, Arthur Redbone, and his twisted version of Native-American lore.

Of course, there are as many resources as there are people with imaginations. At times it can be as simple as the morning newspaper. During the conceptual phase for Blood on the Cards, I read a story about our governor and his association with a group in Washington, called The Family on C Street. He was under public scrutiny at the time on a number of fronts, and this story only added to that with its description of a group of Congressional leaders led by a self-proclaimed prophet. Perhaps the story was wrong, but it didn't matter. It gave me Benjamin Lu, and most often all you need is a spark to get the creative motor running. So, for me, it is often a matter of paying attention to the things that are going on around me. It doesn't take much, once you take your eyes off the computer screen.

Author Bio

Educated in Dallas, North Carolina, David Huffstetler holds degrees in Engineering and Business Administration. He has worked in the area of human relations and spent fourteen years weaving through the maze of politics, including participating in a Federal Law suit as Chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission, with a sitting governor over issues of separation of powers. David has served on Boards of Directors for numerous professional organizations including Crime Stoppers, SC Workers' Compensation Educational Association, SC Safety Council, the SC Fire Academy, and the Governor's Advisory Committee on Workers' Compensation. He has advised governors and legislators on matters of public policy and legislation. His wealth of experience is broad and brings deep insight to his writing.

David's work as a senior manager with a major industrial concern took him to international venues and exposures that helped feed his urge to write Disposable People, a dramatic expose of the working conditions and politics that engulf undocumented workers. Disposable People is a top-ten "Suggested Book" at Tufts University in Boston, MA.

He turned the frustrations and rejection that plagues thousands of yet-to-be-published authors into the heralded mystery/thriller Blood on the Pen, with a serial killer disposing of literary agents. David, an avid history buff, led him to write Dead in Utah, the story of Joe Hill, the controversial musician and union organizer accused of a double murder in 1914.

His books receive praise from mystery readers across the globe.

As an editor, David edited a treatise on the South Carolina workers' compensation laws, as well as, Shannon Faulkner's novel Fire and Ice. Shannon was the first female cadet at the Citadel. She received national publicity for her federal lawsuit and was a guest on Good Morning America.

As an editor, public speaker, and seasoned professional, David has appeared on television and radio, and has lectured on the East Coast, California, Canada and Mexico.

David currently lives in Lexington, South Carolina with his wife, Trudy.

Contact: Website | Blog

Blood on the Pen

Jack Harden is a modern-day Texas Ranger haunted by his wife's death a year ago.

But when a murderer strikes, he is called into duty. Now he must battle the urge to kill the drunk driver responsible for her death and the hunger to kill himself as he hunts for a serial killer who wants him dead.

Elsie Rodriguez is assigned to report on the murders for her newspaper and ordered to stay with Jack Harden. He's old school, tough, and doesn't want her there, but, despite his gruff manner, the big Ranger triggers something inside her. Something more than just her Latin temper.

Can she pull him back from the edge of sanity? Or will death win again?

Purchase links: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Wild Child Publishing

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Published on December 06, 2011 08:10

Book Review: Build a Man by Talli Roland

Blurb:

Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie — the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between — giving Serenity a story no editor could resist.

With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job.

Purchase links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Smashwords

My Review:

First off, quick disclaimer: I do not normally read chick lit, and rarely ever read romance, so I may not know what I'm talking about. Don't judge me: I have some preconceived notions about chick lit (girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl gets boy back… All finished off with a saccharine sweet sprinkling of happily ever after.) All well and good for some, but not my idea of an entertaining, gripping read.

Then again, a good story is a good story, and it is the potential of a good read that led me to purchase a copy of Build a Man. The idea of a tale about the perils of cosmetic surgery, and the ugly side of tabloid reporting — both highly current topics, piqued my interest. Plus, Talli Roland is a formidable name in e-book circles, with great reviews for her previous books, The Hating Game and Watching Willow Watts. Also, Talli herself is a lovely person and a prominent blogger, so I figured: if I enjoy her blog, surely I'll enjoy her book?

And you know what? I am so glad I cast aside my prejudices! Build a Man surpassed all my expectations and then some! Serenity Holland is a very relate-able heroine. Like all of us, she has dreams and aspirations, and like many of us, she gets lost along the way, becoming blind to what is truly important. Serenity is a girl-next-door who aspires to be something more, and I loved her self-deprecating and snarky voice. Her attraction to Jeremy was clear from the get-go, and at many times through the book, I'd felt like reaching into the pages and smacking her over the head for still not realising that Jeremy was something more than her ticket to tabloid success. But this frustration is a good thing; when Serenity finally comes round, it made reading it all the more satisfying, in an I-told-you-so way!

I loved how Talli infused the story with so much of her personality: from being a non-native Brit to the familiar sights and sounds of London, including the ever-popular shopping scene, it made the story that much more plausible. Her accurate (and sometimes scary) portrayal of the cosmetic surgery industry, the cattiness and backstabbing in the tabloids business, and the otherworldly realm of the insanely rich (Gucci hospital robes? Really?) made for plenty of compulsive reading. As Serenity's worlds collided, I felt drawn into the story in a kinda morbid way, as someone would be drawn to a car crash, but through it all I was rooting for her and Jeremy.

And it wasn't just Serenity: Build a Man's cast of supporting characters are rich and likeable in their own quirky way: the cuddly Jeremy; the stick-in-the-mud Peter; Kirsty, Serenity's driven and successful yet sometimes vulnerable BFF; Leza, her evil editor; manipulative Mia, who I wanted to inject full of something other than Botox…

OK, maybe not all the characters were likeable, but they certainly served their purposes!

I'll avoid any spoilers, but I have to say, I was appalled by the way Talli treated her characters! Poor, poor Jeremy! How could she do that to him!? But what an amazing turn of events, one that made the ending all the more sweeter! Yes, I used the word 'sweet.' So what? Nothing wrong in a happy ending, especially if it was crafted as well as this one!

Oh, and Talli is planning a sequel to Serenity and Jeremy's story in Construct a Couple! I can't wait!

Build a Man is on sale on Smashwords for only $0.99. What are you still hanging around here for? Go grab it now!

5 stars!

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Published on December 05, 2011 23:32

Weekly Writer's Round-Up… With a BIG Announcement!

Yee-haw! Welcome to the Weekly Writer's Round-up, where I lasso up the week's latest news and rootin'-tootin' writers' articles on the Net!

Top story today is, of course, the one I've been alluding to all last week, my big announcement, the subject of the poll in the sidebar. Incidentally, I got one vote for a third nipple. I mean, really? You'd think if I wanted to surgically enhance myself, I'd pick something more useful, like a third eye, or a second brain, or extra typing fingers! But a third nipple? Please…

Anyway, back to the announcement. It was a close fight between getting an agent or getting published, and I'm glad to say that 53.85% of those who answered the poll guessed right. Yup, nothing gets past my clever readers…

I'm getting published!!

Yessirree, Oracle is going to be published by J Taylor Publishing, and we're looking at a release date of 1st August 2012 — right at the start of the London 2012! Just perfect for a novel set in the run-up to the Olympics! [image error]

Here's a link to my official author bio on their site! It's all so…official, and such. Isn't that cool? Also, we're already playing with cover concepts. Based on the awesome covers on all their current books, I knew I won't be disappointed! And you know what? I think we've already found the cover… I'm in love with it! (But the cover reveal will have to be another teaser to be revealed later… Sorry guys!)

Soexcitedsoexcitedsoexcitedsoexcitedsoexcited…!!

Right, enough about me. On to other news!

Amazon is further expanding its e-book dominance by announcing two new European Kindle sites: Amazon.es and Amazon.it.

Meanwhile, rival Barnes & Noble reported a second quarter dip in sales despite strong growths in its Nook market, as the sale of physical books continue to decline. (via TheBookseller)

FutureBook has a great article on the added value of publishers that not everybody sees.

Also from FutureBook: Can E-Books Meet Changing Social Demand?

Despite the country's reputation of being big on all things high-tech, a recent survey has revealed that Japan are surprisingly wary of e-books. (via FutureBook)

Here's an interesting debate about the Penguin subsidiary Book Country, an online slush pile/peer review community focusing on genre fiction: their announcement to launch their own self-publishing service has been criticised by self-published authors. Writer Beware asks: Why the hate?

By the way, have you seen the Genre Map Book Country has devised? Reminds me of the Periodic Table of Elements!

Fellow UK scribes, you may be interested in this: Good Housekeeping has launched a novel competition in association with Orion and agent Luigi Bonomi. Open to any previously unpublished author in all genres except children's, the top prize is a £25,000 advance, editorial help, and the chance to have the winning book published! Is this an awesome contest or what? For more details, you'll have to purchase the January issue of the magazine, available now. (via The Bookseller)

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Published on December 05, 2011 01:24

Six Sentence Sunday

This is a weekly feature whereby participants post six (6) sentences of their work, published or otherwise, to be read (and possibly critiqued) by everyone else. Thank you to all regular commenters for your return visit, and welcome to all new visitors!

For a list of this week's participants, click HERE.

*phew* After a hectic two weeks, I'm back! Here's another offering from Oracle:

—

Helpless, I watched my daughter as she stared up at the glow-in-the-dark stars on her ceiling, eyes shimmering with tears of frustration. Bright, sparkling, healthy looking eyes, the colour of polished aquamarine gems, flecked with darker strips of sapphire radiating outwards from the pupil, like an aster bloom floating in the centre of a topaz lagoon. Eyes that were in fact dying inside, rotting and degenerating, until all that remained were their pretty blue outer casings, as unseeing and lifeless as empty seashells scattered on a deserted beach.

Before I could even begin to dream up some form of uplifting response, my phone rang. I groaned.

"Now is not a good time, Tom."

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Published on December 04, 2011 02:01

21 Again Birthday Blow-Out: The RESULTS!!

Results day! I'm excited as you guys are to reveal the winners!

First, I'd like to thank all my wonderful contributors for their immense generosity! Couldn't possibly have run a giveaway of this magnitude without their support! Don't forget to visit them to thank them! Visit the Featured Sponsors (1 and 2) pages for more information on each and every one of them!

Also, I'd like to thank every single one of YOU, for joining the party, and for accompanying me on my journey in recounting my adult life. Yes, it's been an amazing journey. So what that I'm approaching middle age? There is plenty more to look forward to in the years to come — starting with my announcement on Monday!

I hope you'll all join me on the road ahead!

Now, to further prolong the tension and agony, I'd like to first present the day's featured contributors:

LEN LAMBERT

[image error]

Len is a fellow South East Asian from the Phillipines — kumusta! (I hope that means hello!). She is a fellow writer also based in the UK, which is really exciting, as compared to all my blogging friends in the US, she literally lives just down the road (well, I wish!)! We've been chatting by e-mail, and it's great to have someone likeminded to talk writing and books to! Plus, her upbeat and enthusiastic e-mails never fail to bring a smile to my face!

Len is kindly donating a print copy of Ash by Malinda Lo.

Contact: Blog

NEW ASIAN WRITING

[image error]New Asian Writing is a Bangkok based independent press that aims to help gifted, aspiring authors to become known worldwide and to discover tomorrow's literary talents. My short story, True Friendship, was chosen as one of the stories published in their 2010 anthology, The Rage of a New Ancestor, edited by Declan O'Sullivan. Hantu: A Malaysian Ghost Story, will appear in the 2011 anthology, which will be released soon.

Submissions are currently closed, but when they reopen soon for the 2013 anthology, why not have a go submitting something?

NAW is kindly donating an e-book copy of their 2010 short story anthology, The Rage of a New Ancestor.

Contact: Website/Blog

And that wraps up all the contributors! Once again, thank you, guys!

Now comes the time you have no doubt all been waiting for: the results!

WINNER OF BUNDLE #1

SHADOW!

WINNER OF BUNDLE #2

LUBASKA!

WINNER OF BUNDLE #3

CORINNE O'FLYNN!

WINNER OF BUNDLE #4

SARAH AHIERS!

WINNER OF BUNDLE #5

ANGELA ACLERMAN!

WINNER OF BUNDLE #6

EMILY CARTER!

WINNER OF BUNDLE #7

CHERIE REICH!

WINNER OF BUNDLE #8

NANCY!

CONGRATULATIONS, guys! We will be getting in touch with you about your prizes shortly!

I hope you've all enjoyed this birthday blow-out as much as I enjoyed throwing it! And remember, stick around on Monday for another super-exciting announcement!

I can't wait! [image error]

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Published on December 03, 2011 09:00

21…Again! + Contributor Spotlight: Voicu Mihnea Simandan & Theresa Milstein

The day I've been waiting for is finally here! I'm 21 again! And I shall remain so for the rest of the year… Who cares what my passport says about my D.O.B.?

You have till 12.01AM EST tonight to enter my Birthday Blow-Out! That's literally just a few hours away, so this is your last chance to enter to win some of the following:

Click HERE for the main party page and information on how to enter: save for a couple of prize bundles, this contest is open internationally! So what's keeping you from joining in?

This was it! My 21st! I was officially a legal adult worldwide! [image error] It was my final year at university, where I was doing a B.Sc. in Pharmacology. I still didn't know what I was going to do when I graduate, where I would go, but the world was literally my oyster, and I had all the time in the world (not like now!).

Funniest memory: my first and last real encounter with coffee. I never liked the taste, but forced myself to drink some to stay up late to cram for my finals. As I didn't know how to make it, I made each cup with 2 heaped teaspoonfuls of powder, which now I know is pretty strong! After two mugs, when I was finally ready to go to bed, I was up all night, wide awake. My heart was drumming like brass kettledrums — I swear, I thought I was getting a heart attack! Now that I know I'm rather sensitive to caffeine, I never touch the evil brew!

If you were to interview my 21-year-old self, I don't think I'd have ever imagined the last 9 years to be such an eventful ride: the career changes, the relationship outcomes, and my current journey towards achieving my childhood dream of becoming a published author! Most of all, I'm grateful of all the wonderful people I've met, both in person and online, people who have inspired and encouraged me, and who have enriched my life in many ways!

Thank you, guys, every single one of you! [image error]

What about you? Has 21 been and gone for you? Any significant events that happened when you were that age?

And now, on to the day's featured contributors:

VOICU MIHNEA SIMANDAN

[image error]I first met Voicu when we were both contributing authors for the 2010 anthology for New Asian Writing (check them out in tomorrow's contributor spotlight!). A fellow martial artist, Voicu is a Romanian writer living in Bangkok, Thailand. How cool is that?

He has published three books of non-fiction and one book for children. And big congratulations to him for recently being picked up by an agent in Singapore! You go, Voicu!

Voicu is kindly donating an e-book copy of his non-fiction book, The Matrix and the Alice Books.

Contact: Website/Blog | Twitter

THERESA MILSTEIN

[image error]Theresa is a fellow writer working in the education industry. I have followed her journey as a substitute teacher. Now she's a teaching assistant who also teaches Special Education graduate classes. Well done!

Theresa writes children's books and YA fiction. Theresa is kindly donating a print copy of Haven by Kristi Cook.

Contact: Blog

Don't forget, for more information about these awesome authors, and the many other generous contributors, visit the Featured Sponsors (1 and 2) pages above!

And if you haven't entered the giveaway yet, what's stopping you? If Voicu's and Theresa's prize offerings aren't incentives enough, check out the other prizes we have HERE!

I'd like to thank all my wonderful contributors for their immense generosity! Couldn't possibly have run a giveaway of this magnitude without their support! Also, I'd like to thank every single one of YOU, for joining the party, and for accompanying me on my journey in recounting my adult life. Yes, it's been an amazing journey. So what that I'm approaching middle age? There is plenty more to look forward to in the years to come — starting with my announcement on Monday!

I hope you'll all join me on the road ahead!

Oh, and be sure to stop by tomorrow, where I'll be spotlighting the remaining contributors, and announcing the WINNERS!

I'm excited! Are you? [image error]

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Published on December 02, 2011 04:22

I.D.? But I'm Really 22! Honest! + Contributor Spotlight: Sean McGuire & Rick Gualtieri

I'm nearly 21! How exciting! [image error] But before we relive my 22nd year, I have a few housekeeping announcements to make:

Pop by on Monday for a big announcement! You can try and guess what that may be in the poll on the right, but suffice it to say that I'm feeling generous, so there may be benefits for stopping by…;)
Today is the last day to sign up for the Christmas Kindle Fire Event for your chance to win a Kindle Fire in time for X'mas! It's a pretty long form, but you can enter as many or as few entries as you like! I have included the Rafflecopter entry at the bottom of this post for anyone interested in signing up.

Now, back to the party. A quick reminder of the prizes on offer:

The party's winding down now, so get your entries in before it's too late! Click HERE for the main party page and information on how to enter: save for a couple of prize bundles, this contest is open internationally! So what's keeping you from joining in?

22… That was a pretty pivotal year for me! I call it the Year I Tried to Find My Way. I'd just graduated from university and was in a "Now what?" phase. Considering my degree is in Pharmacology, the logical next step was to move into some sort of pharmaceutical research. I managed to get a Ph.D. student post studying new drugs to treat cancer. At first, the blindingly white labs and the fully-equipped staff gym and swimming pool (and this was not even a private research company!) entranced me: this is what I want to do! A cushy research job! Plus I'm doing my bit in the war against cancer! A good job and a good cause — what could be better?

Sadly, the work soon lost its glitz and glamour: every single day was spent growing and killing cells, and running tests, half of which will fail anyway. It was getting repetitive, frustrating (a whole month's work, just for one statistical statement in a report?), and lonely. Sure, I made some cool friends, but none from my department. Everyone in my department were so deep into their microscopes, we kept ourselves to ourselves. I got sick of getting in before the sun rises to check on some protein assay, and to leave the lab only when the sun has set. Locked away in the labs, I never saw the sun. As noble as the work is, it wasn't for me. I wanted to do something, anything but this!

So I started experimenting with different job prospects: I volunteered at a social club for mentally challenged adults (that was fulfilling); I researched possible career opportunities in the London Zoo (but sadly, you don't earn enough shovelling poop to even afford bird seeds!); I dabbled in a bit of modelling (but am too short and curvaceous for the job — here are some of the less embarrassing photos).

And, I started writing fanfiction. I played Neverwinter Nights 2, loved the game, but felt let down by the vague ending. So I decided to write a story picking up where the ending left off. That became a full-length piece called The Way of the Hunter, which you can read and laugh at (adverbs ahoy!), but I got some pretty encouraging comments, and before I knew it, I started on a sequel, The Path of the Heart, which to some of my followers' dismay I have abandoned, mere chapters from the end, to concentrate now on my other writing! I do intend to go back to it when I have the time (for completion's sake, and also because I'm dying to write the climax!), but my commercial work takes priority. In any case, it was a great first step towards writing novel-length pieces, my first attempt at pantsing, as well as my first (and so far, only) foray into fantasy.

Home-made covers!

So I can't get my fanfiction published. So what? It was awesome practice, and it sure re-ignited my passion for writing!

What about you? Has 22 been and gone for you? Any significant events that happened when you were that age?

And now, on to the day's featured contributors:

SEAN McGUIRE

Here is an inspirational young man who hasn't even hit 20 yet! Sean is incredibly mature and single-minded, and has self-published the first in his Kingdom Trilogy: The Quest… No small feat for anyone, let alone a 19-year-old! Well done, Sean! I'm so proud of you! He's also written a short story (available FREE!) which I recommend to anyone who enjoys medieval fantasy: Die By the Sword.

Sean is kindly giving away an e-book copy of The Quest to one lucky reader.

Contact: Blog | Twitter

RICK GUALTIERI

Rick's bio alone makes me laugh out loud: "In the latter part of the 20th century, Rick Gualtieri was born. The world as a collective said 'meh' and thus he began his journey through a life filled with all sorts of quirks and oddness. What better thing to do than write about it?"

If you liked that, and if you're a fan of quirky humour, then Rick's books are for you! He is kindly donating two prizes to the pot: an e-book copy of each of his two horror comedies, Bill the Vampire and the sequel, Scary Dead Things.

Contact: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Don't forget, for more information about these awesome authors, and the many other generous contributors, visit the Featured Sponsors (1 and 2) pages above!

And if you haven't entered the giveaway yet, what's stopping you? If Sean's and Rick's prize offerings aren't incentives enough, check out the other prizes we have HERE!

That's it for today, folks! Stop by tomorrow for the big 21st celebration! Till then, here's the Rafflecopter form for your chance to win a Kindle Fire for X'mas:

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Published on December 01, 2011 03:17

I.D.? But I'm Really 22! Honest! + Contributor Spotlight: