Tanya Contois's Blog, page 26
February 17, 2012
Interview with Gregory Marshall Smith, author of Hunters
1. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or was there something else you wanted to do as a career?
I think I ran the gamut of cop, firefighter, doctor et al, but I got the writing bug early in my childhood (partly from watching TV, partly from reading Newbery Medal books and partly from my mom telling me to put up or shut up).
2. Is there one author that you have read every book that they have written?
Amazingly, I have to say no. The closest would probably be David Weber. I've read all of his books in the Honor Harrington series (with the next volume due March 6), but the man is a prolific writer with several series and several collaborations.
3. In your opinion what is the best movie adaptation of a book that you've read?
Lord of the Rings trilogy. Yes, I know Peter Jackson took some liberties with the book but Ian McKellen was on hand to keep everyone mostly honest. I also have to acknowledge Frankenstein: The True Story, a made-for-TV movie that was very faithful to Mary Shelley's work. Honorable mention should go to Donovan's Brain, which heeds very close to Curt Siodmak's book.
And I hope that, one day, someone corrects Paul Verhoeven's bastardization of Robert Heinlein's classic Starship Troopers.
4. When you are browsing book stores what is the first section you go to?
Science fiction, of course, but, lately, I've been looking for older titles, specifically Cyborg by Martin Caidin. Cyborg was the inspiration for The Six Million Dollar Man. Next, I hit the discount book section, then the magazine section. Finally (and discreetly), I check the store's computer to see if my novel Hunters is in stock.
5. If your book was being made into a movie do you already have actors in mind for each role? What bands/singers would you put on the soundtrack?
I'd better handle each of those questions separately. And I'll probably answer the next question, at least partially. I often incorporate actors and actresses into my characters. It makes it easier to visualize them in my head. Fear not. I use celebs who will fit the character and not just be eye candy for the hero. Now, if a character happens to emulate Angela Bassett or Michelle Rodriguez or Jody Leigh Miller or Lucy Liu, well, so be it. So, for my movie adaption of Hunters, I envision the following cast:
Jesus Montoya..........A Martinez
Dolores Montoya.......Elizabeth Pena
Louis Riordan............Tcheky Karyo
Lin Tang....................Zhang Ziyi
Det. Hernandez.........Alanna Ubach
Travis Pratt...............Triple H
Jessie Coombs.........Jody Leigh Miller
Angelica Morales.......Karina Nascimento
Marcus Van Niekirk...Sharlto Copley
Ian Henderson...........David Wenham
Tesino Giancarlo........Ray Liotta
Jewel Waterston........Vickie Gates
Edge Ringgold...........John Glover
Tsukiko Matsutaka.....Aya Ueno
Cantrell Ryker............??????? (see question 6)
As for the bands or singers on the soundtrack, I'd borrow "Thirsty" by Black Keith and ODB from Blade and also "Follow Me" by Demis Roussos from Ghost in the Shell: Innocence. I would want Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night (Cold Was the Ground)" and "Lay Me Down Low" from The Relatives. Finally, I'd like to use "Innerverse" by Vitek from the soundtrack for Ghost in the Shell: 1st Gig, along with a ballad from Jana Mashonee and Carrie Moore Marshall. I'll let the producers audition groups for the rest or just leave it in the hands of Kenji Kawai.
6. When you're creating characters do you incorporate traits from people you know?
Yes, I do, but I make it subtle in case it all goes wrong. Now, believe it or not, there's an inside joke where when I say I sometimes put a bit of myself into my characters, my fellow writers fall down and roll around on the floor laughing their backsides off. So, maybe I put a lot of myself into my characters.This is why I'd have a complete newcomer play Cantrell Ryker or Devereaux Marshall Fox (from Land of the Blind) or Pegram Kimble (from Slow Boat to China). I'd be too old to play those characters effectively. It would be better for producers to check out the Jubilee Theater or other black stage companies for a veteran actor whose face is not known on screen.
7. If you had the chance to have a sit down with any author alive or deceased who would it be and why?
It would be the Schuylers -- George and his daughter Philippa Duke. I never knew of him until a few years ago. Also, Philippa was killed in a helicopter crash while helping rescue orphans in Vietnam May 9, 1967, two weeks after I was born. She was a child prodigy who wowed the world with her piano and music composing skills. Later, she was a well-known journalist. Her father, George, was a black journalism pioneer.
I can only imagine all the journalism and writing skills I could have learned from those two.
I think I ran the gamut of cop, firefighter, doctor et al, but I got the writing bug early in my childhood (partly from watching TV, partly from reading Newbery Medal books and partly from my mom telling me to put up or shut up).
2. Is there one author that you have read every book that they have written?
Amazingly, I have to say no. The closest would probably be David Weber. I've read all of his books in the Honor Harrington series (with the next volume due March 6), but the man is a prolific writer with several series and several collaborations.
3. In your opinion what is the best movie adaptation of a book that you've read?
Lord of the Rings trilogy. Yes, I know Peter Jackson took some liberties with the book but Ian McKellen was on hand to keep everyone mostly honest. I also have to acknowledge Frankenstein: The True Story, a made-for-TV movie that was very faithful to Mary Shelley's work. Honorable mention should go to Donovan's Brain, which heeds very close to Curt Siodmak's book.
And I hope that, one day, someone corrects Paul Verhoeven's bastardization of Robert Heinlein's classic Starship Troopers.
4. When you are browsing book stores what is the first section you go to?
Science fiction, of course, but, lately, I've been looking for older titles, specifically Cyborg by Martin Caidin. Cyborg was the inspiration for The Six Million Dollar Man. Next, I hit the discount book section, then the magazine section. Finally (and discreetly), I check the store's computer to see if my novel Hunters is in stock.
5. If your book was being made into a movie do you already have actors in mind for each role? What bands/singers would you put on the soundtrack?
I'd better handle each of those questions separately. And I'll probably answer the next question, at least partially. I often incorporate actors and actresses into my characters. It makes it easier to visualize them in my head. Fear not. I use celebs who will fit the character and not just be eye candy for the hero. Now, if a character happens to emulate Angela Bassett or Michelle Rodriguez or Jody Leigh Miller or Lucy Liu, well, so be it. So, for my movie adaption of Hunters, I envision the following cast:
Jesus Montoya..........A Martinez
Dolores Montoya.......Elizabeth Pena
Louis Riordan............Tcheky Karyo
Lin Tang....................Zhang Ziyi
Det. Hernandez.........Alanna Ubach
Travis Pratt...............Triple H
Jessie Coombs.........Jody Leigh Miller
Angelica Morales.......Karina Nascimento
Marcus Van Niekirk...Sharlto Copley
Ian Henderson...........David Wenham
Tesino Giancarlo........Ray Liotta
Jewel Waterston........Vickie Gates
Edge Ringgold...........John Glover
Tsukiko Matsutaka.....Aya Ueno
Cantrell Ryker............??????? (see question 6)
As for the bands or singers on the soundtrack, I'd borrow "Thirsty" by Black Keith and ODB from Blade and also "Follow Me" by Demis Roussos from Ghost in the Shell: Innocence. I would want Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night (Cold Was the Ground)" and "Lay Me Down Low" from The Relatives. Finally, I'd like to use "Innerverse" by Vitek from the soundtrack for Ghost in the Shell: 1st Gig, along with a ballad from Jana Mashonee and Carrie Moore Marshall. I'll let the producers audition groups for the rest or just leave it in the hands of Kenji Kawai.
6. When you're creating characters do you incorporate traits from people you know?
Yes, I do, but I make it subtle in case it all goes wrong. Now, believe it or not, there's an inside joke where when I say I sometimes put a bit of myself into my characters, my fellow writers fall down and roll around on the floor laughing their backsides off. So, maybe I put a lot of myself into my characters.This is why I'd have a complete newcomer play Cantrell Ryker or Devereaux Marshall Fox (from Land of the Blind) or Pegram Kimble (from Slow Boat to China). I'd be too old to play those characters effectively. It would be better for producers to check out the Jubilee Theater or other black stage companies for a veteran actor whose face is not known on screen.
7. If you had the chance to have a sit down with any author alive or deceased who would it be and why?
It would be the Schuylers -- George and his daughter Philippa Duke. I never knew of him until a few years ago. Also, Philippa was killed in a helicopter crash while helping rescue orphans in Vietnam May 9, 1967, two weeks after I was born. She was a child prodigy who wowed the world with her piano and music composing skills. Later, she was a well-known journalist. Her father, George, was a black journalism pioneer.
I can only imagine all the journalism and writing skills I could have learned from those two.
February 16, 2012
Guest post by Jamie Sue Wilsoncroft, author of Remembering Zane
My name is Jamie Sue Wilsoncroft. I live in Pennsylvania with my husband, two children and 3 yappy dogs. I have been a professional dog groomer for over 16 years. It wasn't until 5 years ago that I started writing stories. I was writing short stories and entering them into contests on a Stephanie Meyer's fan page on Facebook. The support that I got from the readers was overwhelming and soon I started my own short story page on Facebook.
My first story, Roller Coaster Love was a hit. I never tried to get it published, but I went on to write many other stories. One day, while grooming a dog, an idea for a new story came to my mind. This is the much anticipated, The Unfaithful Widow. People laugh when I tell them that I could never quit my day job. New story ideas always seem to surface while I am shaving the dogs. lol
After spending months, grooming during the day and taking care of my family and writing at nights, I finally finished The Unfaithful Widow and emailed it to Firefly and Wisp Publishing. Within a month, Fourth of July weekend to be exact, I got an email saying that I got a contract. It has been one hell of a fantastic roller coaster ride since. Not only has my brain been brewing up more stories, Firefly and Wisp has loved them and published them.
"Toothless" was my first short story to get published. It's with the paranormal anthology, 13 Tales of the Paranormal. Soon after its release, another publishing company asked me to submit a story for their anthology. My story, "Dorothy" was published by A Cuppa and an Armchair. Firefly and Wisp also released a holiday anthology, A Home for the Holidays. This features my story, "Jingle Bells and Puppy dog tails."
Not long after I wrote "Jingle Bells and Puppy dog tails" my brain began brewing another story, Remembering Zane. I didn't have intentions of writing another story at the moment. I wanted to focus on getting The Unfaithful Widow ready, but this story kept popping back into my head.
Remembering Zane is a bittersweet romance story, that made me cry. I actually had to stop a few times and walk away to gain my composure. How sad is that? Lol How Remembering Zane came about? I kept having visions of this woman walking into a funeral home, smelling an eucalyptus plant. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she faced the man she once loved.
Believe it or not, I usually only get ideas of just the beginning of a story and when I sit down and start typing everything else just kind of flows out and onto the screen of my laptop. I never know how the story is going to end until I get there. I truly love the ending of Remembering Zane. It brought me tears of joy as I typed the last paragraph, which was unusual because I always hate writing the last chapter of a book. I never want my stories to end. I feel lost, like I lost a friend when I no longer write about my characters.
Blurb for Remembering Zane
At ten years old, Bonnie Reese knew the minute she laid eyes on Zane Withers, that he would forever have a place in her heart. After years of dating, then finally going their separate ways, Bonnie always dreamed that eventually they would get back together.
But those dreams were shattered as so was her heart, when she got the devastating news that her beloved Zane had been killed. As she faced her worse nightmare of going to his funeral, Bonnie runs into Zane's best friend Jonathan Wood. Little did she know, Jonathan has had deep feelings for her since the 7th grade. Now that his best friend is gone, will Jonathan have the guts to tell her that he's loved her since high school? Or will he keep his secret to himself forever?
Author Links
https://www.facebook.com/loveisdeaf72
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jamie-Wilsoncrofts-Short-Story-Page/133965579992782
www.jswilsoncroft.com
http://jswilsoncroft.blogspot.com
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13389374-remembering-zane
Book Links
http://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Zane-ebook/dp/B006UK4LGS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325898414&sr=8-1
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/remembering-zane-js-wilsoncroft/1108162068
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/120432
Rating's on Amazon
#97 in Short stories
#13234 overall
My first story, Roller Coaster Love was a hit. I never tried to get it published, but I went on to write many other stories. One day, while grooming a dog, an idea for a new story came to my mind. This is the much anticipated, The Unfaithful Widow. People laugh when I tell them that I could never quit my day job. New story ideas always seem to surface while I am shaving the dogs. lol
After spending months, grooming during the day and taking care of my family and writing at nights, I finally finished The Unfaithful Widow and emailed it to Firefly and Wisp Publishing. Within a month, Fourth of July weekend to be exact, I got an email saying that I got a contract. It has been one hell of a fantastic roller coaster ride since. Not only has my brain been brewing up more stories, Firefly and Wisp has loved them and published them.
"Toothless" was my first short story to get published. It's with the paranormal anthology, 13 Tales of the Paranormal. Soon after its release, another publishing company asked me to submit a story for their anthology. My story, "Dorothy" was published by A Cuppa and an Armchair. Firefly and Wisp also released a holiday anthology, A Home for the Holidays. This features my story, "Jingle Bells and Puppy dog tails."
Not long after I wrote "Jingle Bells and Puppy dog tails" my brain began brewing another story, Remembering Zane. I didn't have intentions of writing another story at the moment. I wanted to focus on getting The Unfaithful Widow ready, but this story kept popping back into my head.Remembering Zane is a bittersweet romance story, that made me cry. I actually had to stop a few times and walk away to gain my composure. How sad is that? Lol How Remembering Zane came about? I kept having visions of this woman walking into a funeral home, smelling an eucalyptus plant. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she faced the man she once loved.
Believe it or not, I usually only get ideas of just the beginning of a story and when I sit down and start typing everything else just kind of flows out and onto the screen of my laptop. I never know how the story is going to end until I get there. I truly love the ending of Remembering Zane. It brought me tears of joy as I typed the last paragraph, which was unusual because I always hate writing the last chapter of a book. I never want my stories to end. I feel lost, like I lost a friend when I no longer write about my characters.
Blurb for Remembering Zane
At ten years old, Bonnie Reese knew the minute she laid eyes on Zane Withers, that he would forever have a place in her heart. After years of dating, then finally going their separate ways, Bonnie always dreamed that eventually they would get back together.
But those dreams were shattered as so was her heart, when she got the devastating news that her beloved Zane had been killed. As she faced her worse nightmare of going to his funeral, Bonnie runs into Zane's best friend Jonathan Wood. Little did she know, Jonathan has had deep feelings for her since the 7th grade. Now that his best friend is gone, will Jonathan have the guts to tell her that he's loved her since high school? Or will he keep his secret to himself forever?
Author Links
https://www.facebook.com/loveisdeaf72
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jamie-Wilsoncrofts-Short-Story-Page/133965579992782
www.jswilsoncroft.com
http://jswilsoncroft.blogspot.com
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13389374-remembering-zane
Book Links
http://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Zane-ebook/dp/B006UK4LGS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325898414&sr=8-1
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/remembering-zane-js-wilsoncroft/1108162068
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/120432
Rating's on Amazon
#97 in Short stories
#13234 overall
Interview with Kristin Cast, author of the House of Night series
1. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or was there something else you wanted to do as a career?
Actually, I used to want to be a marine biologist or work for the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases – kind of weird, but I would love it!
2. Is there one author that you have read every book that they have written?
I have read all of John Verdon's books, but he only has two out right now. Does that count? Haha! There are so many authors I love, and I tend to skip around. For example, one day I might be reading a Jane Austin novel and the next day I'll read a Bubbles mystery by Sarah Strohmeyer or a crazy thriller by Scott Sigler. I always read more than one book at a time. I think it gives my brain a workout!
3. In you opinion what is the best movie adaptation of a book that you've read?
Oh my goodness this is hard. I try to either watch the movie or read the book. I've found that if I read the book first, I end up hating the movie. On the other hand, if I watch the movie first I don't like the book. So, I haven't really found one, but only because I try not to watch and read or read and watch.
4. When you are browsing book stores what is the first section you go to?
Mystery/Suspense. Love them!
5. If your book was being made into a movie do you already have actors
in mind for each role?
No, not really. I would want it to be like the Harry Potters and discover new actors and actresses.
What bands/singers would you put on the soundtrack?
The Gaga for sure! And Adele, Alanis Morissette, Incubus, Jeremih, Ludacris, Rasheeda, and Tim McGraw. I just went through my playlist and pick out some of my favs!
6.. When you're creating characters do you incorporate traits from people you know?
Always! It's a lot easier to base a character on someone who is in your life. That way, you don't have to make up an entire person. It's also really funny because people often don't recognize themselves as they're reading and they stop and ask who that crazy person is and you just want to shout "That's totally you!"
7. If you had the chance to have a sit down with any author alive or deceased who would it be and why?
Probably Bram Stoker because Dracula is my favorite book of all time.
Actually, I used to want to be a marine biologist or work for the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases – kind of weird, but I would love it!
2. Is there one author that you have read every book that they have written?
I have read all of John Verdon's books, but he only has two out right now. Does that count? Haha! There are so many authors I love, and I tend to skip around. For example, one day I might be reading a Jane Austin novel and the next day I'll read a Bubbles mystery by Sarah Strohmeyer or a crazy thriller by Scott Sigler. I always read more than one book at a time. I think it gives my brain a workout!
3. In you opinion what is the best movie adaptation of a book that you've read?
Oh my goodness this is hard. I try to either watch the movie or read the book. I've found that if I read the book first, I end up hating the movie. On the other hand, if I watch the movie first I don't like the book. So, I haven't really found one, but only because I try not to watch and read or read and watch.
4. When you are browsing book stores what is the first section you go to?
Mystery/Suspense. Love them!
5. If your book was being made into a movie do you already have actors
in mind for each role?
No, not really. I would want it to be like the Harry Potters and discover new actors and actresses.
What bands/singers would you put on the soundtrack?
The Gaga for sure! And Adele, Alanis Morissette, Incubus, Jeremih, Ludacris, Rasheeda, and Tim McGraw. I just went through my playlist and pick out some of my favs!
6.. When you're creating characters do you incorporate traits from people you know?
Always! It's a lot easier to base a character on someone who is in your life. That way, you don't have to make up an entire person. It's also really funny because people often don't recognize themselves as they're reading and they stop and ask who that crazy person is and you just want to shout "That's totally you!"
7. If you had the chance to have a sit down with any author alive or deceased who would it be and why?
Probably Bram Stoker because Dracula is my favorite book of all time.
February 15, 2012
Happy Valentines Day love: Dominique Weldon
I know it's late: but my days are Wednesday XD Anyway, I hope everyone had a Happy Valentines Day (even if it's an overrated holiday lols!)
When I think of you my heart starts to flutter
Within my chest, leaving all these feelings such a clutter
To be with you is all I need
A kiss, a kiss I plead
For its Valentines, we cannot be alone
Your arms need to hold
So let's celebrate the unity of us
Celebrate the strength of our love and lust
The day of pink of red has come to a close
Ending with the pedals of a rose
Interview with Dakota Banks, author of Deliverance and a giveaway
First, I'd like to say how much I appreciate the chance to visit All Things Books. Thanks for having me here, Tanya! Now, on to the questions.
1. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or was there
something else you wanted to do as a career?
I knew I wanted to be a writer since I was in elementary school. I wrote short stories (mostly science fiction) and almost but not quite got them published. What that means is that I received encouraging letters from editors rather than form letter rejections. Then a new love burst into my life—computers. I got an engineering degree and started a rewarding career that covered different areas of the computer field. I climbed the corporate ladder but ended up with a driving need to work independently, as a consultant. Writing was always there in the back of my mind, though, and I thought I could be a published author. The consulting gave me time at home not only to start a family, but to get engaged with writing again. Once I published my first book, a suspense novel based on virtual reality, there was no turning back. It was scary. In the computing field, if you're out of work for six months or a year, things change so fast that your knowledge gets outdated. If my writing didn't work out, I'd need some serious retraining, plus all of my clients would have moved on to someone else. Agghhh! I stepped over the cliff anyway. The writing's been great. The business of writing isn't always great, but the sheer joy of writing makes up for it.:-)
2. Is there one author that you have read every book that they have written?
Just one? For a long while it would have been Dean Koontz, but lately I can't say that I've read every new book. I have kept up with Orson Scott Card, author of the Ender series, its companion the Shadow saga, and the wonderful Tales of Alvin Maker series. Ender's Game is coming out as a movie next year. About time! My latest book obsession is Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series. I'm playing catch-up on these books and loving every one of them.
3. In your opinion what is the best movie adaptation of a book that you've read?
Without a doubt, it's the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I've read the books over and over and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the movies. Not superior to the books, just a different way to enjoy the stories.
4. When you are browsing book stores what is the first section you go to?
I do what most authors do, which is check to see if any of my books are on the shelf before I start browsing. If so, I wait until no one's around (except that camera overhead—grrr!) and make sure my books are face out, not just spine out. Once past that little expedition, I look in the New Release section to keep generally informed, and maybe to pick up something intriguing. After that, I go through paranormals and thrillers. I rarely leave the store without stopping in the café. There's just something so soothing about the smells of coffee and books.
5. If your book was being made into a movie do you already have actors
in mind for each role? What bands/singers would you put on the
soundtrack?
Have I got a cast for you! Sparing no expense, naturally, here's what I've put together. I've gone a little beyond the major characters for the Total Package.
Maliha – Milla Jovovich (The "perfect woman" in The Fifth Element, Resident Evil, Ultraviolet)
Jake – Tom Cruise (Daniel Craig came in second)
Hound – Denzel Washington
Amaro – Edgar Ramirez (in the soon-to-be-released Wrath of the Titans)
Yanmeng - Chow Yun Fat (The Bulletproof Monk, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Mickey – Wes Studi (The Last of the Mohicans)
Abiyram – Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, Schindler's List)
The Villainess – Charlize Theron (Hancock, The Italian Job)
As far as the soundtrack, I'd be looking for something alternative, hard rock, or metal. Suggestions:
Disturbed
Linkin Park
Marilyn Manson
Avenged Sevenfold
Mettalica
These aren't my personal favorites, but we're talking movie here!
6.. When you're creating characters do you incorporate traits from
people you know?
Of course. Any author who says otherwise is probably not very self-aware. For me this seems to work best with negative or positive traits, nothing neutral. Take one trait from person A, another from person B, another from person C, and stir them up to create the basis for a character. There's still a lot of fleshing out to do, but this method is like the starter dough for sourdough bread. An author's brain doesn't disengage from her stories even if she's eating lunch with friends, watching TV, or reading before bedtime. Gears are grinding in there, taking in the rich experiences and setting them up as ideas for the next chapter or the next book. That man nervously tapping his fingers at the next table or the well-dressed woman who stoops to pick up a penny from the sidewalk or the teenager who stops traffic until the baby ducklings are out of the street and back into the park—all bits and pieces on the shelves of the character warehouse.
7. If you had the chance to have a sit down with any author alive or
deceased who would it be and why?
I'm going with the first answer that came to mind, even though if I thought about it more, I could come up with James Joyce or Hemmingway or Plato or someone. My answer is my sister, who passed away last year. She wanted to be a writer, and had a story to tell that came to her in a dream. Although she was a teacher with a Master's degree, she had no particular experience writing fiction, and couldn't seem to get started with page one. I wrote a two page opener for her. She loved it but didn't add any words. She talked to me a lot about it, hinting strongly that I should write the story as she explained it to me. I declined, explaining that she should get something down in her own words first and then we could work together to edit Ice Princess if needed. I was so sure she could do it. She passed away with that story still inside her. If I could visit with her now, I'd write Ice Princess and put her name on the front in letters about six feet high.
Contact Dakota here:
Website: http://dakota-banks.com
Blog: http://dbanks.me/mortalblog
Facebook: http://dbanks.me/DBwelcome
Twitter: @dakotabanks or http://dbanks.me/DBtwit
Dakota Banks has generously offered up 1 swag bag and 1 copy of Deliverance to a lucky person. To have a shot at winning leave a comment with your favorite character from any of Dakota's books, why they are your favorite character, and your email address. Following this blog isn't a requirement but is always appreciated.
1. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or was there
something else you wanted to do as a career?
I knew I wanted to be a writer since I was in elementary school. I wrote short stories (mostly science fiction) and almost but not quite got them published. What that means is that I received encouraging letters from editors rather than form letter rejections. Then a new love burst into my life—computers. I got an engineering degree and started a rewarding career that covered different areas of the computer field. I climbed the corporate ladder but ended up with a driving need to work independently, as a consultant. Writing was always there in the back of my mind, though, and I thought I could be a published author. The consulting gave me time at home not only to start a family, but to get engaged with writing again. Once I published my first book, a suspense novel based on virtual reality, there was no turning back. It was scary. In the computing field, if you're out of work for six months or a year, things change so fast that your knowledge gets outdated. If my writing didn't work out, I'd need some serious retraining, plus all of my clients would have moved on to someone else. Agghhh! I stepped over the cliff anyway. The writing's been great. The business of writing isn't always great, but the sheer joy of writing makes up for it.:-)2. Is there one author that you have read every book that they have written?
Just one? For a long while it would have been Dean Koontz, but lately I can't say that I've read every new book. I have kept up with Orson Scott Card, author of the Ender series, its companion the Shadow saga, and the wonderful Tales of Alvin Maker series. Ender's Game is coming out as a movie next year. About time! My latest book obsession is Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series. I'm playing catch-up on these books and loving every one of them. 3. In your opinion what is the best movie adaptation of a book that you've read?
Without a doubt, it's the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I've read the books over and over and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the movies. Not superior to the books, just a different way to enjoy the stories.
4. When you are browsing book stores what is the first section you go to?
I do what most authors do, which is check to see if any of my books are on the shelf before I start browsing. If so, I wait until no one's around (except that camera overhead—grrr!) and make sure my books are face out, not just spine out. Once past that little expedition, I look in the New Release section to keep generally informed, and maybe to pick up something intriguing. After that, I go through paranormals and thrillers. I rarely leave the store without stopping in the café. There's just something so soothing about the smells of coffee and books.
5. If your book was being made into a movie do you already have actors
in mind for each role? What bands/singers would you put on the
soundtrack?
Have I got a cast for you! Sparing no expense, naturally, here's what I've put together. I've gone a little beyond the major characters for the Total Package.
Maliha – Milla Jovovich (The "perfect woman" in The Fifth Element, Resident Evil, Ultraviolet)
Jake – Tom Cruise (Daniel Craig came in second)
Hound – Denzel Washington
Amaro – Edgar Ramirez (in the soon-to-be-released Wrath of the Titans)
Yanmeng - Chow Yun Fat (The Bulletproof Monk, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Mickey – Wes Studi (The Last of the Mohicans)
Abiyram – Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, Schindler's List)
The Villainess – Charlize Theron (Hancock, The Italian Job)
As far as the soundtrack, I'd be looking for something alternative, hard rock, or metal. Suggestions:
Disturbed
Linkin Park
Marilyn Manson
Avenged Sevenfold
Mettalica
These aren't my personal favorites, but we're talking movie here!
6.. When you're creating characters do you incorporate traits from
people you know?
Of course. Any author who says otherwise is probably not very self-aware. For me this seems to work best with negative or positive traits, nothing neutral. Take one trait from person A, another from person B, another from person C, and stir them up to create the basis for a character. There's still a lot of fleshing out to do, but this method is like the starter dough for sourdough bread. An author's brain doesn't disengage from her stories even if she's eating lunch with friends, watching TV, or reading before bedtime. Gears are grinding in there, taking in the rich experiences and setting them up as ideas for the next chapter or the next book. That man nervously tapping his fingers at the next table or the well-dressed woman who stoops to pick up a penny from the sidewalk or the teenager who stops traffic until the baby ducklings are out of the street and back into the park—all bits and pieces on the shelves of the character warehouse.
7. If you had the chance to have a sit down with any author alive or
deceased who would it be and why?
I'm going with the first answer that came to mind, even though if I thought about it more, I could come up with James Joyce or Hemmingway or Plato or someone. My answer is my sister, who passed away last year. She wanted to be a writer, and had a story to tell that came to her in a dream. Although she was a teacher with a Master's degree, she had no particular experience writing fiction, and couldn't seem to get started with page one. I wrote a two page opener for her. She loved it but didn't add any words. She talked to me a lot about it, hinting strongly that I should write the story as she explained it to me. I declined, explaining that she should get something down in her own words first and then we could work together to edit Ice Princess if needed. I was so sure she could do it. She passed away with that story still inside her. If I could visit with her now, I'd write Ice Princess and put her name on the front in letters about six feet high.
Contact Dakota here:
Website: http://dakota-banks.com
Blog: http://dbanks.me/mortalblog
Facebook: http://dbanks.me/DBwelcome
Twitter: @dakotabanks or http://dbanks.me/DBtwit
Dakota Banks has generously offered up 1 swag bag and 1 copy of Deliverance to a lucky person. To have a shot at winning leave a comment with your favorite character from any of Dakota's books, why they are your favorite character, and your email address. Following this blog isn't a requirement but is always appreciated.
February 14, 2012
Best Friends Forever
A little Valentine's Day gift for all of you. A free-write short story. (Sorry, I didn't have time to write and edit it today.) I hope you all enjoy it. :) (Special thanks to Julieanne Lynch for the m/c's first name!)
"I don't have the time, or patience to be the butt of your childish pranks, Cal." The tears were coming, no matter how hard I fought to hold them back. I couldn't believe I'd fallen for his stupid joke. It was beyond cruel! Of all the people I knew, Calvin was the last one I'd have expected to do something like this.
We'd been friends since public school. I was the new kid, and smaller than all the others in our class. Being an military brat meant I'd almost always been the new kid. Moving from town to town, and school to school was just a part of life I'd grown used to.
Well, sort of. I guess it had a bigger effect on my developing personality than I'd realized until recently. Having two military parents meant I was left to my own resources much of the time. Daddy was away a lot, overseas with his fellow Marines. Mama was a clerk, but for some reason, she seemed to be expected to invest an inordinate amount of time in various causes and charities in the community as well. That didn't leave a lot of time to spend with me. Having no siblings, I suppose I was a bit desperate for companionship.
The other children must have sensed that neediness, the way a wild animal senses fear. I was overeager, over bright, too friendly and tenacious about making new friends. I guess, deep down, I felt that if I didn't make friends quickly, I'd be moving again before I had the chance. I talked too much, shared to much, and formed deep attachments far too quickly. It was off putting. By the time I started Grade five at Black Creek Elementary, I'd already been to eight elementary schools and three preschools. The habits were deeply ingrained.
Mama had promised it would be the last move. She'd done her best for me since Daddy was killed in Lebanon. She'd bought a house off base and enrolled me in a public school. She'd even talked about giving up her commission and getting a civilian job. I couldn't image it really happening. Mama was a military brat, herself, the Marines were in her blood.
Public school was a completely new world for me. I'd always gone to school on base with other Marine's kids. We understood each other in a way civilian children couldn't. So, when the kids at Black Creek stared, pointed and generally avoided me, it hurt. The harder I tried to breach the "inner circle" the farther I was pushed to the fringes. If it hadn't been for Calvin, I don't know what I'd have done.
Calvin Bradshaw was one of the popular boys at school. He was active in sports, had a great sense of humour, and I guess he was handsome as far as ten year old boys go. Most of the other kids, if they thought about it at all, would have said he was loud, daring, a bit silly, "sort of" smart, and a practical joker. They didn't know Cal the way I grew to know him.
Cal was far more perceptive than most people thought. While I struggled to fit in, Calvin was observing. When the ostracism began to convert to derision, he quietly stepped in and became my champion. Some of the other boys teased Cal a little for taking on the "ugly duckling". I never knew what he said to them, but the hurtful words stopped as quickly as they started.
All through public school and on to high-school, Cal was my best friend, confidante and big brother. We made a pact, from the beginning, to always be there for each other. We even agreed to be each other's Valentines forever, if neither of us was married before we got old at twenty-five. Whenever I felt sad, lonely or frightened, I knew I could turn to him. He, in turn, came to confide in me. I was the only person outside of his family, who knew Calvin was adopted, the only one who knew how much he wanted to find his real mother, and learn why she'd given him up. And I was the only person who knew about his nightmares, and his battles with depression.
We shared everything with each other, in that way best friends do. At least, we did until romance got in the way. Our friendship started to unravel the year I turned sixteen. We were both to blame, in our ways, for how it happened, I suppose.
Calvin had already had a string of short-lived girlfriends by grade eleven. I knew that our friendship was part of the reason none of them had lasted. Jealousy was something Cal wouldn't bide. I was in an awfully confused state over the whole thing. I felt guilty for causing him so much grief in his budding love life, but I was relieved and grateful he'd chosen our friendship over the empty-headed cats he seemed to attract. There was more to it than that, though. I realize now that I had a crush on Calvin, too, and I harboured the shame of feeling attracted to someone I considered a brother. It was the first time I'd kept anything secret from Cal since I'd known him.
When he asked me to the school Valentine's dance, I acted reflexively. The jolt of elation gave way, quickly, to the guilt and fear I'd built up in my heart. He was asking out of pity, I told myself. Cal could have any girl he wanted with a snap of his fingers. I was just a little prettier than plain and a little plainer than pretty. I hadn't been on more than a handful of dates before, and none of them second dates. He'd just split with his latest bit of fluff and he was feeling sorry for me. An obstinate pride I didn't know I possessed surfaced. I turned him down, maybe a little to vehemently. He didn't speak to me for a week. I wanted to die.
When he relented, it was just as if nothing had happened. For a while we were right back to being the best of friends. Stephanie changed all that.
Stephanie Timmons was the prettiest, most popular girl in school, and she knew it. When she set her sights on something, Stephanie got it, no matter what stood in her way. A month after the Valentine's dance, Stephanie set her sights on Calvin Bradshaw, and she had no qualms about running over me to get him.
It didn't take a genius to predict my defeat. Calvin, however, for the first time in his life, appeared to have missed the hidden tension. He carried on as though nothing at all had changed.
It was a full two months before Stephanie cornered me in the girl's washrooms.
"If you really care about Callie," her nickname for him made me cringe, "you'll back off and give him some room to live his life. Every time he hangs out with you, he gets all sad and messed up. You bring him down, Jessica. Why don't you leave him alone, and let him be happy?"
I may have hated the girl, but I was smart enough to know when I was beaten. She had a point, too. As long as Calvin had me clinging needily to him, he was going to keep burning through girlfriends like a brush fire.
Cal wasn't pleased with my sudden reluctance to spend time with him. In fact, it brought about our first real fight , one of those life changing moments of fate you don't recognize until years later.
"Did I do something to piss you off?" The question was completely unexpected, when he blurted it out in the cafeteria.
"No." I mumbled.
"Then what the hell is wrong with you, Jess? You hardly ever talk to me anymore!"
I don't remember what I was going to answer. Stephanie had chosen that moment to join us at the table.
"Maybe I just need some space to do my own thing for a change!" I snapped. " I can't spend every waking moment holding your hand, Cal. That's what your girlfriend is for."
He stared at me like I'd stabbed him. I cried in the bathroom for an hour, and snuck home before classes let out for the day. My social life became surprisingly busy after that. Maybe the boys at school had felt intimidated by my friendship with Cal, because I suddenly had all kinds of offers for dates. I wasn't really in the mood for romance yet, though.
For the next six months Cal and I barely looked at each other. Stephanie made a point of gushing about their "love life" whenever I was in earshot. When rumours started to circulate that an engagement was in the cards, I buried myself in schoolwork to avoid hearing any more. I took a part-time job to fill the evenings, but eventually I relented and started dating.
Billy Truman was possibly the worst mistake I've ever made. He was handsome and charming, maybe too charming. When we first started dating, he treated me like a princess. Anything I wanted was mine for the asking, with Billy. Hell, sometimes all I had to do was admire something in passing and he'd hand it to me, gift-wrapped, on our next date. I'd never been overly concerned with material things, another throwback to the days of constantly packing and moving, but I was carried away by Billy's generosity and thoughtfulness.
When Stephanie dumped Cal for some other guy, Billy and I had been a couple for nearly a year. It didn't matter that we hadn't spoken in over a year and a half; I was on Cal's doorstep less than an hour after I heard. As before, all was forgiven in minutes. We were back to being best friends within a week, though with an undercurrent of cautious distance we hadn't had before. This time there was no Stephanie Timmons to undermine our friendship. But there was a William Truman.
Billy and Calvin hated each other from the start. It wasn't easy keeping the two most important men in my life balanced, but somehow I muddled through for a while. I made it very clear to each of them that the other was going to remain a part of my life, whether they liked it or not. They even made peace long enough for Calvin to give me away at the wedding
The first time Billy hit me, it was all I could do to Calvin from killing him. I swore it was an accident. Yes, Billy'd been mad. Yes, he'd been drunk and ranting. Yes, he'd been swinging his fists, but he'd been punching the wall and I'd stepped into his line of fire, so really...
The second time he hit me, I had him arrested. It had taken two restraining orders and two more beatings before Billy Truman was out of my life for good. Calvin was there for me, through it all, silently raging, but allowing me to deal with it my way. When Billy turned himself in the last time he was covered in cuts and bruises. So many, the police took photos to prove he'd shown up in such rough shape. Calvin didn't volunteer an opinion on that, and I didn't ask.
Cal had been bugging me to start dating again. It had been two years since Billy had gone to jail, after all. When he called a week before Valentine's Day to tell me he'd set me up on a blind date, I was in no mood to be indulgent.
"No, no, no, no, no! Absolutely not, Cal! I don't have any desire to be trapped in a car, or theatre, or restaurant, with some strange guy, no matter how "nice" he is. Why can't you just accept the fact that I'm happy being alone?"
"Well, I'll admit this guy's a little stranger than most, but he really is a great guy, Jess. I think so anyway. Besides, you're not happy, and you can't even begin to bullshit me enough to believe you are. C'mon, Jess, take a chance for once."
"I took a chance once, remember? I rolled the dice and came up with "Snake Eyes" Truman. I'm not really in a gambling mood, Cal. Give up!"
In the end, he hadn't given me a choice. He told me I'd better be ready at seven o'clock on Valentine's Eve, or he'd come over and dress me himself.
So I spent two hours agonizing over something to wear that would suit any occasion. I spent half an hour trying to tame my curly hair, and another fifteen minutes putting on enough makeup to make myself look presentable, without looking needy. After another half hour of trying to think of an easy way out of this fiasco, the doorbell rang. When I opened it there was a man holding a bouquet of red roses so huge it hid the entire top half of his body, including his face.
The bouquet shook a little and then lowered to reveal... Calvin Bradshaw, grinning like a little boy who's just won a bag of candy. I was not nearly so amused.
"What the hell are you doing here, Cal?"
"I'm your date. I told you he was stranger than most!"
"This isn't funny, Cal! You got me all flipped out over a joke? Do you know how nervous I've been all day? I've been stressing about this all week!"
"Don't you remember, Jess. We made a pact, once." He was trying hard to look earnest, but he couldn't keep the grin down. "If neither of us was married by the time we turned twenty-five, we would be each other's Valentines."
"Good God, Calvin, we were ten years old! Besides, I've been married..."
"That doesn't count!" he interrupted, frowning for the first time since I opened the door. "You're not married now." He smiled again, full of mischief.
"I don't have the time, or patience to be the butt of your childish pranks, Cal." My voice was flat. The tears were coming.
The roses scattered all over the porch as he dropped them. Several were crushed as he stepped on them, to get to me before I could turn away. The smell of roses permeated the hallway, as he wrapped his arms around me, and put his lips to mine for the first time.
"So you see, Sweetheart," I told our baby daughter this morning, with a wistful smile, "you should never make a Valentine's Day promise, unless you're prepared to keep it." When I looked up, Cal was standing in the doorway. He was smiling too.
"I don't have the time, or patience to be the butt of your childish pranks, Cal." The tears were coming, no matter how hard I fought to hold them back. I couldn't believe I'd fallen for his stupid joke. It was beyond cruel! Of all the people I knew, Calvin was the last one I'd have expected to do something like this.We'd been friends since public school. I was the new kid, and smaller than all the others in our class. Being an military brat meant I'd almost always been the new kid. Moving from town to town, and school to school was just a part of life I'd grown used to.
Well, sort of. I guess it had a bigger effect on my developing personality than I'd realized until recently. Having two military parents meant I was left to my own resources much of the time. Daddy was away a lot, overseas with his fellow Marines. Mama was a clerk, but for some reason, she seemed to be expected to invest an inordinate amount of time in various causes and charities in the community as well. That didn't leave a lot of time to spend with me. Having no siblings, I suppose I was a bit desperate for companionship.
The other children must have sensed that neediness, the way a wild animal senses fear. I was overeager, over bright, too friendly and tenacious about making new friends. I guess, deep down, I felt that if I didn't make friends quickly, I'd be moving again before I had the chance. I talked too much, shared to much, and formed deep attachments far too quickly. It was off putting. By the time I started Grade five at Black Creek Elementary, I'd already been to eight elementary schools and three preschools. The habits were deeply ingrained.
Mama had promised it would be the last move. She'd done her best for me since Daddy was killed in Lebanon. She'd bought a house off base and enrolled me in a public school. She'd even talked about giving up her commission and getting a civilian job. I couldn't image it really happening. Mama was a military brat, herself, the Marines were in her blood.
Public school was a completely new world for me. I'd always gone to school on base with other Marine's kids. We understood each other in a way civilian children couldn't. So, when the kids at Black Creek stared, pointed and generally avoided me, it hurt. The harder I tried to breach the "inner circle" the farther I was pushed to the fringes. If it hadn't been for Calvin, I don't know what I'd have done.
Calvin Bradshaw was one of the popular boys at school. He was active in sports, had a great sense of humour, and I guess he was handsome as far as ten year old boys go. Most of the other kids, if they thought about it at all, would have said he was loud, daring, a bit silly, "sort of" smart, and a practical joker. They didn't know Cal the way I grew to know him.
Cal was far more perceptive than most people thought. While I struggled to fit in, Calvin was observing. When the ostracism began to convert to derision, he quietly stepped in and became my champion. Some of the other boys teased Cal a little for taking on the "ugly duckling". I never knew what he said to them, but the hurtful words stopped as quickly as they started.
All through public school and on to high-school, Cal was my best friend, confidante and big brother. We made a pact, from the beginning, to always be there for each other. We even agreed to be each other's Valentines forever, if neither of us was married before we got old at twenty-five. Whenever I felt sad, lonely or frightened, I knew I could turn to him. He, in turn, came to confide in me. I was the only person outside of his family, who knew Calvin was adopted, the only one who knew how much he wanted to find his real mother, and learn why she'd given him up. And I was the only person who knew about his nightmares, and his battles with depression.
We shared everything with each other, in that way best friends do. At least, we did until romance got in the way. Our friendship started to unravel the year I turned sixteen. We were both to blame, in our ways, for how it happened, I suppose.
Calvin had already had a string of short-lived girlfriends by grade eleven. I knew that our friendship was part of the reason none of them had lasted. Jealousy was something Cal wouldn't bide. I was in an awfully confused state over the whole thing. I felt guilty for causing him so much grief in his budding love life, but I was relieved and grateful he'd chosen our friendship over the empty-headed cats he seemed to attract. There was more to it than that, though. I realize now that I had a crush on Calvin, too, and I harboured the shame of feeling attracted to someone I considered a brother. It was the first time I'd kept anything secret from Cal since I'd known him.
When he asked me to the school Valentine's dance, I acted reflexively. The jolt of elation gave way, quickly, to the guilt and fear I'd built up in my heart. He was asking out of pity, I told myself. Cal could have any girl he wanted with a snap of his fingers. I was just a little prettier than plain and a little plainer than pretty. I hadn't been on more than a handful of dates before, and none of them second dates. He'd just split with his latest bit of fluff and he was feeling sorry for me. An obstinate pride I didn't know I possessed surfaced. I turned him down, maybe a little to vehemently. He didn't speak to me for a week. I wanted to die.
When he relented, it was just as if nothing had happened. For a while we were right back to being the best of friends. Stephanie changed all that.
Stephanie Timmons was the prettiest, most popular girl in school, and she knew it. When she set her sights on something, Stephanie got it, no matter what stood in her way. A month after the Valentine's dance, Stephanie set her sights on Calvin Bradshaw, and she had no qualms about running over me to get him.
It didn't take a genius to predict my defeat. Calvin, however, for the first time in his life, appeared to have missed the hidden tension. He carried on as though nothing at all had changed.
It was a full two months before Stephanie cornered me in the girl's washrooms.
"If you really care about Callie," her nickname for him made me cringe, "you'll back off and give him some room to live his life. Every time he hangs out with you, he gets all sad and messed up. You bring him down, Jessica. Why don't you leave him alone, and let him be happy?"
I may have hated the girl, but I was smart enough to know when I was beaten. She had a point, too. As long as Calvin had me clinging needily to him, he was going to keep burning through girlfriends like a brush fire.
Cal wasn't pleased with my sudden reluctance to spend time with him. In fact, it brought about our first real fight , one of those life changing moments of fate you don't recognize until years later.
"Did I do something to piss you off?" The question was completely unexpected, when he blurted it out in the cafeteria.
"No." I mumbled.
"Then what the hell is wrong with you, Jess? You hardly ever talk to me anymore!"
I don't remember what I was going to answer. Stephanie had chosen that moment to join us at the table.
"Maybe I just need some space to do my own thing for a change!" I snapped. " I can't spend every waking moment holding your hand, Cal. That's what your girlfriend is for."
He stared at me like I'd stabbed him. I cried in the bathroom for an hour, and snuck home before classes let out for the day. My social life became surprisingly busy after that. Maybe the boys at school had felt intimidated by my friendship with Cal, because I suddenly had all kinds of offers for dates. I wasn't really in the mood for romance yet, though.
For the next six months Cal and I barely looked at each other. Stephanie made a point of gushing about their "love life" whenever I was in earshot. When rumours started to circulate that an engagement was in the cards, I buried myself in schoolwork to avoid hearing any more. I took a part-time job to fill the evenings, but eventually I relented and started dating.
Billy Truman was possibly the worst mistake I've ever made. He was handsome and charming, maybe too charming. When we first started dating, he treated me like a princess. Anything I wanted was mine for the asking, with Billy. Hell, sometimes all I had to do was admire something in passing and he'd hand it to me, gift-wrapped, on our next date. I'd never been overly concerned with material things, another throwback to the days of constantly packing and moving, but I was carried away by Billy's generosity and thoughtfulness.
When Stephanie dumped Cal for some other guy, Billy and I had been a couple for nearly a year. It didn't matter that we hadn't spoken in over a year and a half; I was on Cal's doorstep less than an hour after I heard. As before, all was forgiven in minutes. We were back to being best friends within a week, though with an undercurrent of cautious distance we hadn't had before. This time there was no Stephanie Timmons to undermine our friendship. But there was a William Truman.
Billy and Calvin hated each other from the start. It wasn't easy keeping the two most important men in my life balanced, but somehow I muddled through for a while. I made it very clear to each of them that the other was going to remain a part of my life, whether they liked it or not. They even made peace long enough for Calvin to give me away at the wedding
The first time Billy hit me, it was all I could do to Calvin from killing him. I swore it was an accident. Yes, Billy'd been mad. Yes, he'd been drunk and ranting. Yes, he'd been swinging his fists, but he'd been punching the wall and I'd stepped into his line of fire, so really...
The second time he hit me, I had him arrested. It had taken two restraining orders and two more beatings before Billy Truman was out of my life for good. Calvin was there for me, through it all, silently raging, but allowing me to deal with it my way. When Billy turned himself in the last time he was covered in cuts and bruises. So many, the police took photos to prove he'd shown up in such rough shape. Calvin didn't volunteer an opinion on that, and I didn't ask.
Cal had been bugging me to start dating again. It had been two years since Billy had gone to jail, after all. When he called a week before Valentine's Day to tell me he'd set me up on a blind date, I was in no mood to be indulgent.
"No, no, no, no, no! Absolutely not, Cal! I don't have any desire to be trapped in a car, or theatre, or restaurant, with some strange guy, no matter how "nice" he is. Why can't you just accept the fact that I'm happy being alone?"
"Well, I'll admit this guy's a little stranger than most, but he really is a great guy, Jess. I think so anyway. Besides, you're not happy, and you can't even begin to bullshit me enough to believe you are. C'mon, Jess, take a chance for once."
"I took a chance once, remember? I rolled the dice and came up with "Snake Eyes" Truman. I'm not really in a gambling mood, Cal. Give up!"
In the end, he hadn't given me a choice. He told me I'd better be ready at seven o'clock on Valentine's Eve, or he'd come over and dress me himself.
So I spent two hours agonizing over something to wear that would suit any occasion. I spent half an hour trying to tame my curly hair, and another fifteen minutes putting on enough makeup to make myself look presentable, without looking needy. After another half hour of trying to think of an easy way out of this fiasco, the doorbell rang. When I opened it there was a man holding a bouquet of red roses so huge it hid the entire top half of his body, including his face.
The bouquet shook a little and then lowered to reveal... Calvin Bradshaw, grinning like a little boy who's just won a bag of candy. I was not nearly so amused.
"What the hell are you doing here, Cal?"
"I'm your date. I told you he was stranger than most!"
"This isn't funny, Cal! You got me all flipped out over a joke? Do you know how nervous I've been all day? I've been stressing about this all week!"
"Don't you remember, Jess. We made a pact, once." He was trying hard to look earnest, but he couldn't keep the grin down. "If neither of us was married by the time we turned twenty-five, we would be each other's Valentines."
"Good God, Calvin, we were ten years old! Besides, I've been married..."
"That doesn't count!" he interrupted, frowning for the first time since I opened the door. "You're not married now." He smiled again, full of mischief.
"I don't have the time, or patience to be the butt of your childish pranks, Cal." My voice was flat. The tears were coming.
The roses scattered all over the porch as he dropped them. Several were crushed as he stepped on them, to get to me before I could turn away. The smell of roses permeated the hallway, as he wrapped his arms around me, and put his lips to mine for the first time.
"So you see, Sweetheart," I told our baby daughter this morning, with a wistful smile, "you should never make a Valentine's Day promise, unless you're prepared to keep it." When I looked up, Cal was standing in the doorway. He was smiling too.
February 13, 2012
The Art of Covering Up
Today we're going to chat a little with Dave J. Ford, artist/photographer/graphic designer and book jacket genius, (my personal opinion creeping in there, lol). Seriously, though, Dave designs book covers. He creates the kind of artwork that brings a book to life, makes it jump into our hands when we're shopping, and begs us to take a peek inside at the words the author has poured into their work.
When a cover is released, it's often the author who gets the kudos, but the artist should not be forgotten...Hi, Dave! Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions and share some of your work with us.
Have you always been drawn, (pardon the pun), to the visual arts?
As far back as I can remember, I have done some form of drawing or visual art. I remember distinctly drawing Snoopy cartoons on my school notebooks at the age of five.
What type of artwork did you start with?
I started with simple pencil drawings. It was always reassuring to be able to use an eraser when needed, and believe me; I used the eraser a LOT! :) I recall at the tender age of six, I drew this incredibly detailed underground city with vehicles and roadways and caverns, etc. I am blessed (or cursed depending on one's viewpoint) with having a brain that uses both hemispheres on overdrive, so the logical met the artistic in creating these virtual worlds in my head and on paper.I also recall drawing a lot of airplanes as a kid and I even had a professional artist critique them! I am sure they were rubbish as I was only seven, but I know his kind words encouraged me to continue.
I moved on to charcoal portraits and photography and from that background, I started working with colour and finally found the joy in painting. Then about ten years ago, thanks to a good friend, who has sadly passed away, I was introduced to abstract work and created many pieces using recycled computer parts. My most recent passion has been clay sculpting, and now I am completely absorbed by Photoshop!
Your photography always leaves me awestruck. What's your secret to getting such beautiful photos?
Pure luck! It took me a lot of time and many failed trips to reach a point where I could take a photo I was pleased with. I have approximately 30,000 images hidden away and the public has seen maybe 600 of those. In truth, one good shot out of every fifty shots is a terrible average.
Early on, I seemed to develop a sense for the aesthetic in life. I can see shapes and patterns in everything. I think this leads back to my ability to see things artistically while also viewing things from a mathematical standpoint.I have to admit that my location has a LOT to do with the end result. I spent several years living in North Wales and was extremely inspired by the scenery there. I am also lucky enough to have done some travelling in my lifetime and have found these foreign locations very visually compelling too.
How did you become interested in digital imaging?
I started taking holiday photos at the age of 11. Over time, I graduated from holiday snaps to people photography and ended up doing weddings by the time I was 19. After about 7 years of this, I sort of burned out and gave up on photography for a while.
Almost ten years later, one Christmas, just as a new chapter was starting in my life, I decided to buy a digital camera. I rediscovered photography at this point. The best thing to me about digital imaging is the fact that you can see your results
right away and it allows the freedom to experiment so much more!
This leads me to comment on Photoshop; a tool that has become my best friend in recent years. I started using it to correct the mistakes I made with exposures in my photography but soon learned that it allowed me to add and subtract elements within an image. I saw the potential for a HUGE level of creativity never before achieved with my photography!My imaging skills have now moved forward into the realm of fantasy. I create purely fictional worlds and places using many small pieces of my photos and create brand new compositions. Some images have as many as 60 or 70 layers!
Did you take any formal artistic training?Until recently, I had never taken any kind of formal training. I tend to have a short attention span, so I find teaching myself the easiest method of learning. However, about 4 years ago, I did start studying for a BA in Fine Art at a university in the UK. I was unable to finish this course because I had to return to Canada to care for my father who had been taken ill... One day, I hope to return to it.
What finished piece have you gotten the most enjoyment out of creating?
The fantasy cover I recently created for Ressa Empbra has probably been the most fun so far! I cannot share this image with you just now because it has not been revealed yet! I made a promise that I would keep it under wraps until the book release, but I can tell you it includes dragons!
Another piece I really enjoyed creating was a sculpture of the head of a famous Star Trek personality, but it became a somewhat surreal piece as during the firing process the top of his skull caved in. I actually liked it this way even better, so it remained in this condition.Is there one piece that drove you crazy?
EVERY piece drives me crazy for a little while at least, but there's an image I painted a few years ago that made me the craziest. It was just a random landscape I made of an alien world. I had it perfect except for one area which was driving me completely batty. So I tried to fix the area and ended up getting carried away which ultimately ruined the painting. I still have it hidden away somewhere in my 'closet of crap that I cannot bear to part with'.
These types of experiences propelled me into using Photoshopas a creative tool. At least there's an UNDO button for my crazy moments!
You've won awards for some of your work. Were you nervous entering the competitions?
I was never nervous ENTERING the competitions but I was always a bag of nerves WAITING to hear if I had won! :)
Can you tell us a bit about what competing was like, for you?
I was often surprised that I had won and quite often confused by which images won. However shocked I might have been, I won't ever look a gift award in the mouth. It's fun to compete but I discovered I was tailoring my art to appeal to the judges. This isn't my reason for creating art, so I have not felt much like competing lately.How did you get started designing custom covers for books?
I seem to recall a very enterprising and enthusiastic author/friend of mine asked me to create a cover for her. I was both excited and terrified at the prospect, but I went ahead and 'did my own thing' based on the little bit of her book that I had read and her own synopsis. Luckily she was very pleased with the result despite it being nothing like her suggestions!You're a rather excellent writer as well. Does this help when you're designing book covers?
Thank you! The little amount of writing I have accomplished took me a hell of a long time and a LOT of editing! As I am inherently lazy, I tend to stick to the artwork because it is easier for my brain to create images than words. I don't think my ability to write has much bearing on my cover art.
What's your process for designing covers?
I think the process tends to follow these steps:
1. Panic – Well wasn't that smart? I said I would do this cover but I haven't a clue what to do now!2. Denial - Just because I have no ideas and no clue HOW to create this cover, all will be fine!
3. Anger - Why I am I such a hack? What was I thinking? I am crap artist with crap talents..I might as well go and work at McDonalds.
4. Confusion - What the hell am I doing now? I have 16 different ideas and 25 different images that I've started. Am I ever going to get this done?
5. Acceptance - Okay, I have to do this and I might as well stay up and see how it turns out..
6. Forgiveness - OMG! I did it! It actually looks okay and the author is happy too! Thank God!
Do you require specific information about a book before you begin?
Yes..I like to have a synopsis..and an idea of the main characters, settings, etc. before starting. I seldom have time to read the book beforehand but, ironically, I am always anxious to read it AFTER I've worked on the cover.
Do you prefer it when the author has a clear idea of what they want, or do you enjoy having "carte blanche" more?
I think it's easier to have free reign over the cover design, but I am always happy for input and feedback from the author during the design process.About how long does a detailed cover take, start to finish?
The simpler images and covers take me around a day or 8 to 10 hours to complete. However, I recently created a fantasy cover for a lovely lady and for her project, I built this entire fantasy world from the ground up. I would estimate I invested 45 to 50 hours into it but I LOVED every minute of it! She paid me well for my work, but I did it mostly because I LOVE it! I only wish more authors would realize the value of a professional cover as it is the first thing people see!
You give writers this one little extra that makes us want to cry. You send a "virtual book" picture after the cover is done, so we can see what our printed book might look like. Where did that idea come from?
This idea stems back to about 20 years ago when I did a lot of 3D rendering and artwork. I always loved to see a 'real' object created out of digital elements and I thought it would just be a nice touch to give my clients a 'real' book to aim towards. I like to think it gives them further inspiration and encouragement!
I must interrupt here to assure Dave that those 3D cover shots certainly do offer inspiration and encouragement. I strongly suggest any Independent Author have their cover designed and get one of these 3D renderings prior to editing. Whenever I get discouraged during the beta reading and editing process, a glance at my 3D cover gives me all the encouragement I need to keep going.
Here's your chance at a little self-promotion, lol. You have a book of medical humour cartoons. Can you tell us a little more about them?
An unfortunate affliction called Crohn's Disease has placed me in the hospital on MANY occasions, sometimes for several months at a time. During one of my hospital stays, a friend very kindly brought me a sketchpad and some pencils. With considerable effort and many wasted pages, I discovered I could draw cartoons!
Each day, I created a new cartoon and taped it on the wall next to my bed. Whenever I could, I coaxed a nurse into making photocopies of my cartoons so I could color them with pencils and post them in the hospital halls. Pretty soon, other patients started to seek me out to see what I had created each day. It actually turned my hospital experience into an almost pleasurable one!These cartoons and other doodles coalesced into a collection, which I have compiled into a book. I have sold quite a few copies from my website and through word of mouth. I keep meaning to send a copy to a few publishers but never seem to get around to it. I think I need an agent..lol
Where can everyone find you, online?
You can currently find me online at:
www.facebook.com/printsbydave (My facebook page showcasing my latest photography and photoshop images)
http://www.printsbydave.deviantart.com/
(Fledgling Deviant Art page..still working on this!)
http://www.davidjohnford.com/ (an old but still fairly decent representation of my photographic work)
http://www.cartoonsbydave.com/ (an older site focussing on my cartoons)
http://www.printsbydave.com/ (coming soon! I m not a good website builder so this one is still in the works)
Thank you, Dave, for taking the time with us, and giving us a little peek into the art of book jacket design.
*********************************
All images used in this post are courtesy of, and property of, Dave J. Ford.
February 12, 2012
Rue Who?
Now I hope I'm not overstepping here, but I really want to call your attention to a an amazing woman . If you're a part of the Indie art scene, and you haven't heard of Rue Volley yet, you're really missing out. Not only is Ms. Volley a prolific author, and a fantastic photographer, but you'll never meet another person who gives so much of themselves to promote the Indie arts.Where should I start?
Well, let's begin with Volley View , the Facebook group she founded, to give Indie artists a community to connect and share with each other. We members affectionately call Volley View "The Circus" and Rue is our well-loved ringmaster. Photographers, jewellers, musicians, writers, sculptors...even bakers, convene in "The Circus" to share and promote each other, offer advice, commiserate, and just plain cut loose and enjoy each other's company.
Now, you'd think founding and administrating Volley View , on top of publishing twelve books in a year, and her Volley View Photography , would be enough for one woman, but not Rue!
No, Rue also founded an eZine,
Rue View
, to promote Indie artists in the online community. If you have a chance, take a look at
Rue View
. The magazine is gorgeous! Rich images, and an inside peek at the up and coming artists in literature, music and visual arts; this is a magazine worth a look! And there are no advertisers. That's right! She isn't producing this magazine for the advertising dollars it generates, because there aren't any. The featured artists pay nothing to be included in the magazine. Rue makes no income from its production at all. She does it because she loves art, in all its forms.Now that must be it, right? No. That's not it.
On top of
Rue View
and
Volley View
, there is now
RV Radio
. A podcast radio program where Rue...you guessed it, brings us more independent artists. This is Rue's latest venture, and another she does with her own time and money! Give one of her first broadcasts a listen
HERE
. She is truly enjoying herself!Why in the world would one woman work herself half to death for no money? Well, it's not about the money. It's about love, and Rue Volley loves the arts. She loves being an author, and she loves being a photographer. Rue loves art in every form and she wants to share that love with the world.
Frankly, I have no idea how she does it. It's something many of us want to know. Where in the world does she get the time and energy? So I asked her, an interview question she didn't know she was answering. lol (See, Rue won't know I'm writing all of this until after it's posted. Hopefully, when she sees this, Rue won't sue. Alright it was a bad joke, but I couldn't resist. :P).
I asked her: "How do you do it all, Rue? I can barely get one book done and a couple of blogs written. :S You really are a vampire, aren't you? lol"
Her answer: "Yes I am, I w
ill bite you anytime you want me to. wink wink" And that's the Rue Volley so many of us know, and love. Always ready with a wink, a laugh and a smile, despite what must be 20 hour days, making sure the online world hears about us, the new and unknown Indie artists.So, if you haven't heard of Rue Volley before today, you've definitely missed out on someone very special. Go find her online. Give her a shout and a virtual hug. Tell her thank you from all of us, writers, artists, musicians and those who love their work! I'll even tell you how to find her.
Click any of these links to find her on her FB Fanpage, Twitter, Google +, her Webpage and Vamptasy Publishing.Look for her books everywhere online!
February 11, 2012
Pseudonym Me!
Please welcome guest blogger Joseph Eastwood, who has generously allowed us to borrow a popular post from September, 2011, on his blog. I found this article informative and entertaining. I'm sure you will too. At the end of his kind contribution, I've added a little introduction to Joseph, and his writing. Enjoy!
Pseudonym Me!
Do you have a pen name? Nom de plume? Pseudonym? In fact, do you need one?
I've never considering changing my name because I wanted to take full credit for my writing, and I've always wondered why some people do change there names--actors, singers, writers, authors, just people in general.
Okay, well I'm not sure why other people may change their name, probably because it just doesn't suit them--or they're in love with another name. So this might be a little bit the same with artists; singers, authors etc. and I've been wondering whether or not I need a pen name, and although I love my name, I've just been thinking, what if I was change it.
I read an article, a few months ago now and it was about an author who wrote erotica under a pen name and she also taught at a high school, but when the parents of her students found out about her other name and published books, she was marred a disgrace--I'm not sure what happened to her, but she is still writing, and in the article, she said she wouldn't give up that. Of course I see how a pseudonym was relevant here.
And here are some of the other reasons people may change their names:
• Their last name is unpronounceable, this is very common with recording artists (so I've found).
• because they are named after someone who is already famous, I know this is what Katy Perry did, formally Katy "Kate" Hudson--so you can see the confusion here.
• There name is common i.e. John Smith, and an exotic sounding name might stick better--and separate you from everyone else in Google search ;)
• because they've already published in a genre under one name.
Now that last point is where I am. I'm currently only working on my YA fantasy novels, and each of them will be under my name, 'Joseph Eastwood' but I also want to write gory horror and some gay romance novels, and hey, I might even give erotica a go, I sure know I have the mind for it--but I can't stick them with my name as well, right.
I don't want to change my name at all--my full name is Joseph Thomas James Eastwood, and I'd like to work with that, maybe move things around, take things out, shorten the names etc. and I was thinking for horrors, I could be J. T. James or something and for romance I could be Thomas Jay.
What do you think? And do you have a pseudonym?
I'd love to hear how you came to it.
-Joseph
Joseph Eastwood was raised in Lancaster, England, the eldest of five children. He presently attends the University of Cumbria, as a student of English Literature and Creative Writing.
He has always been drawn to creativity, particularly drawing, reading, music and writing, (including some brilliant poetry, if I may insert my opinion here, lol). His taste in the arts is broad and diverse and it definitely comes through in his work.
Joseph has a penchant for sci-fi, supernatural, fantasy and dramatic films and television shows. You'll often find him discussing his favourites on his Personal Blog, along with giving tons of excellent advice on writing.
An advocate of the LGBT community, freedom of sexuality and equal rights are causes Joseph is very passionate about.
He's hoping to release his novel, Lumen , a YA fantasy/thriller, before March 1, 2012. It will be available on Amazon and Smashwords. He has already started two new projects, as well, Salem Gates and Clandestine .
Keep an eye on Joseph's Goodreads page, so you don't miss the release date for Lumen . Here's a little intro to the book, Joseph has provided us...
"Daniel, like all other adolescents on Templar Island is going through the final transition that will allow him to manipulate the bonds of energy and do more than just tamper with his own biological form.
After a near-death experience he is accepted into Croft's Academy, the only private school on the island and for someone like Daniel to gain access to such teaching is a privilege, and they won't let him forget it. He tries to fit in, but that's when things take a turn for the worst, and everything he once knew can't be possible any more. He doesn't know who to trust or what to believe."
You'll also find Joseph on Facebook, and Twitter, among other places. He's quite friendly. Stop by and say hello!
Pseudonym Me!
Do you have a pen name? Nom de plume? Pseudonym? In fact, do you need one?
I've never considering changing my name because I wanted to take full credit for my writing, and I've always wondered why some people do change there names--actors, singers, writers, authors, just people in general.
Okay, well I'm not sure why other people may change their name, probably because it just doesn't suit them--or they're in love with another name. So this might be a little bit the same with artists; singers, authors etc. and I've been wondering whether or not I need a pen name, and although I love my name, I've just been thinking, what if I was change it.
I read an article, a few months ago now and it was about an author who wrote erotica under a pen name and she also taught at a high school, but when the parents of her students found out about her other name and published books, she was marred a disgrace--I'm not sure what happened to her, but she is still writing, and in the article, she said she wouldn't give up that. Of course I see how a pseudonym was relevant here.
And here are some of the other reasons people may change their names:
• Their last name is unpronounceable, this is very common with recording artists (so I've found).
• because they are named after someone who is already famous, I know this is what Katy Perry did, formally Katy "Kate" Hudson--so you can see the confusion here.
• There name is common i.e. John Smith, and an exotic sounding name might stick better--and separate you from everyone else in Google search ;)
• because they've already published in a genre under one name.
Now that last point is where I am. I'm currently only working on my YA fantasy novels, and each of them will be under my name, 'Joseph Eastwood' but I also want to write gory horror and some gay romance novels, and hey, I might even give erotica a go, I sure know I have the mind for it--but I can't stick them with my name as well, right.
I don't want to change my name at all--my full name is Joseph Thomas James Eastwood, and I'd like to work with that, maybe move things around, take things out, shorten the names etc. and I was thinking for horrors, I could be J. T. James or something and for romance I could be Thomas Jay.
What do you think? And do you have a pseudonym?
I'd love to hear how you came to it.
-Joseph
Joseph Eastwood was raised in Lancaster, England, the eldest of five children. He presently attends the University of Cumbria, as a student of English Literature and Creative Writing.
He has always been drawn to creativity, particularly drawing, reading, music and writing, (including some brilliant poetry, if I may insert my opinion here, lol). His taste in the arts is broad and diverse and it definitely comes through in his work. Joseph has a penchant for sci-fi, supernatural, fantasy and dramatic films and television shows. You'll often find him discussing his favourites on his Personal Blog, along with giving tons of excellent advice on writing.
An advocate of the LGBT community, freedom of sexuality and equal rights are causes Joseph is very passionate about.
He's hoping to release his novel, Lumen , a YA fantasy/thriller, before March 1, 2012. It will be available on Amazon and Smashwords. He has already started two new projects, as well, Salem Gates and Clandestine .
Keep an eye on Joseph's Goodreads page, so you don't miss the release date for Lumen . Here's a little intro to the book, Joseph has provided us...
"Daniel, like all other adolescents on Templar Island is going through the final transition that will allow him to manipulate the bonds of energy and do more than just tamper with his own biological form.
After a near-death experience he is accepted into Croft's Academy, the only private school on the island and for someone like Daniel to gain access to such teaching is a privilege, and they won't let him forget it. He tries to fit in, but that's when things take a turn for the worst, and everything he once knew can't be possible any more. He doesn't know who to trust or what to believe."
You'll also find Joseph on Facebook, and Twitter, among other places. He's quite friendly. Stop by and say hello!
February 10, 2012
Self Publishing and Editing
Guest Post by Jennifer Wright
Ok, so this is a subject that can be touchy, but I'm going there.
There is a huge stigma surrounding self publishing regarding editing. As a self published author I am well aware of this and everyone considering self publishing should also be aware of this. So, in this blog post I want to talk about the importance of editing and solutions for authors who can't afford to hire an editor.
I think the hardest thing about being an indie author is that you are fighting against the stigma that self published work is crap. I consider it my responsibility to make sure that my work rises above that stigma and is as polished as I can get it when it goes into the world. In order to do this, editing is an issue that must be addressed. I don't want my work to be crap.
The very first thing you should do after you finish a novel is put it up for at least a week and then go look it over again. Then, you want to get beta readers. The reason behind this is that you have probably read over the manuscript so many times that you have the whole thing memorized, which will cause you to skip over mistakes.
I have had this problem, and even after the beta readers there were still missing words, wrong words, and inconsistencies. But, it was my first novel and I didn't know then, what I know now.
So, after the beta readers catch as many errors as they can you will want to get someone to edit for you.
Here is where the tricky part comes in…most people can't afford to pay someone to edit their manuscript and the ones they can afford might be questionable.
I paid a lot for my first editing job, because I wanted to make sure it was quality work. Now, that being said, even editors miss stuff sometimes, and since my first book ever released has a few mistakes, I am now in the process of doing a revised version. My newest works do not go into the world until they have been beta read several times and developmentally edited.
The thing is, if you look around you can always find an editor who will work with you on a payment plan. Good places to look for editors might be writing forums, Facebook writing groups, and Twitter.
Then after you have the book edited, have a different set of beta readers go at it.
If you cannot afford to get an editor at all, my best suggestion is to wait until you have networked with other writers and find beta readers who will help you with the editing process. Just try and get the most quality work you can. I know that my impatience played a major role in the publication of The Birth of Jaiden. I didn't want to wait for all that, it was done and I wanted people to know the story. If I had, had more patience I would have had another set of readers and noticed more errors.
Now, let's talk about the difference between developmental editing, copy editing and line editing.
Line editing is where the manuscript is edited line by line and in my opinion deals more with punctuation and sentence structure.
Developmental editing is a lot more extensive, it includes the line editing but also deals with structure, style, grammar and the like.
Knowing the difference between the types of editing will help when you're looking for someone to edit your work. I prefer the developmental editing because it helps me learn what I am doing wrong and perhaps I will keep that in mind when writing in the future.
Ok…so, I just want you all to know that this blog post is not to specify that my work is perfect. I want it to be. This blog post is more along the lines of helping others for their work to be polished and well written, so that we, as a collective can overcome the stigma and rise above the stereotype given to self published authors.
I hope this blog post has helped someone in one way or another. Please leave comments if you choose to. We love comments!
About Jennifer
Jennifer Malone Wright is a mother of five, military wife, author, and lover of photography. She lives in the beautiful Northern Idaho mountains with her family.
Find her on Twitter: @jennichad217 Her Facebook fanpage http://www.facebook.com/thevampirehuntersdaughter and http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMaloneWright Jennifer's website is www.jenniferwrightauthor.com
Ok, so this is a subject that can be touchy, but I'm going there.There is a huge stigma surrounding self publishing regarding editing. As a self published author I am well aware of this and everyone considering self publishing should also be aware of this. So, in this blog post I want to talk about the importance of editing and solutions for authors who can't afford to hire an editor.
I think the hardest thing about being an indie author is that you are fighting against the stigma that self published work is crap. I consider it my responsibility to make sure that my work rises above that stigma and is as polished as I can get it when it goes into the world. In order to do this, editing is an issue that must be addressed. I don't want my work to be crap.
The very first thing you should do after you finish a novel is put it up for at least a week and then go look it over again. Then, you want to get beta readers. The reason behind this is that you have probably read over the manuscript so many times that you have the whole thing memorized, which will cause you to skip over mistakes.
I have had this problem, and even after the beta readers there were still missing words, wrong words, and inconsistencies. But, it was my first novel and I didn't know then, what I know now.So, after the beta readers catch as many errors as they can you will want to get someone to edit for you.
Here is where the tricky part comes in…most people can't afford to pay someone to edit their manuscript and the ones they can afford might be questionable.
I paid a lot for my first editing job, because I wanted to make sure it was quality work. Now, that being said, even editors miss stuff sometimes, and since my first book ever released has a few mistakes, I am now in the process of doing a revised version. My newest works do not go into the world until they have been beta read several times and developmentally edited.
The thing is, if you look around you can always find an editor who will work with you on a payment plan. Good places to look for editors might be writing forums, Facebook writing groups, and Twitter.
Then after you have the book edited, have a different set of beta readers go at it.
If you cannot afford to get an editor at all, my best suggestion is to wait until you have networked with other writers and find beta readers who will help you with the editing process. Just try and get the most quality work you can. I know that my impatience played a major role in the publication of The Birth of Jaiden. I didn't want to wait for all that, it was done and I wanted people to know the story. If I had, had more patience I would have had another set of readers and noticed more errors.Now, let's talk about the difference between developmental editing, copy editing and line editing.
Line editing is where the manuscript is edited line by line and in my opinion deals more with punctuation and sentence structure.
Developmental editing is a lot more extensive, it includes the line editing but also deals with structure, style, grammar and the like.
Knowing the difference between the types of editing will help when you're looking for someone to edit your work. I prefer the developmental editing because it helps me learn what I am doing wrong and perhaps I will keep that in mind when writing in the future.
Ok…so, I just want you all to know that this blog post is not to specify that my work is perfect. I want it to be. This blog post is more along the lines of helping others for their work to be polished and well written, so that we, as a collective can overcome the stigma and rise above the stereotype given to self published authors.I hope this blog post has helped someone in one way or another. Please leave comments if you choose to. We love comments!
About Jennifer
Jennifer Malone Wright is a mother of five, military wife, author, and lover of photography. She lives in the beautiful Northern Idaho mountains with her family.
Find her on Twitter: @jennichad217 Her Facebook fanpage http://www.facebook.com/thevampirehuntersdaughter and http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMaloneWright Jennifer's website is www.jenniferwrightauthor.com
