Cheree Alsop's Blog, page 2
November 11, 2012
Book Release for The Million Dollar Gift
I am so excited for today's release of The Million Dollar Gift. Every book I write is different from the others. I enjoy writing in different styles and experimenting with voice and characterization. More so than any other book, The Million Dollar Gift captures more of things I have experienced personally among the little details. When I read it through for the final edit, I realized how very much of my soul lay between the pages. I put it out now with the hope that others can read this Christmas story and find something to love. Thank you for reading; you are the reason I write.
November 3, 2012
Christmas Book Release!
I will be releasing a Christmas novel on November 11th, 2012. Here' the book blurb as a teaser:
When Chase risked his life to save a brother and sister just before Christmas, his life becomes entwined with theirs more intricately than he could have imagined. Emotional
and moving, this is a story of a young man whose troubled heart is tested by
the one thing he is unprepared to face, love.
When Chase risked his life to save a brother and sister just before Christmas, his life becomes entwined with theirs more intricately than he could have imagined. Emotional
and moving, this is a story of a young man whose troubled heart is tested by
the one thing he is unprepared to face, love.
September 27, 2012
Completing a book
It's such a great feeling to complete a book. In every story, there are times when I wonder if it's something people will enjoy, if I'm truly reaching the emotions I want the story to reflect, if the characters are believable, and if it is true to the original idea that inspired the story. There are also times when I am flooded by other book ideas and I am so badly tempted to set down the one I'm working on to begin a new story that feels fresh and exciting.
I answer the impulse by writing down the first chapter just so I can promise myself I will finish it. If I start it, I will get back to it. I then write down any key ideas that strike me particularly hard, and convince myself that it is okay to let go of the idea for a while and finish the book I am working on.
Another big distraction for me is when I find a good book. The worst thing I can do while writing is to download a good book. Apparently we need more mediocre work out there.... I was almost done with Keeper of the Wolves and I was at the gym when I downloaded what turned out to be an amazing book- at least as far as the first chapter was concerned. I didn't want to work on my books at all. All I wanted to do was read this new book! I had to force myself to put it away and not look at it again until Keeper is done, edited, and in the hands of others to be reviewed. But I love reading so much that it is sometimes very difficult to put the book away!
Keeper of the Wolves is done and I am excited by how it turned out. I fell in love with the characters and their growth through the book reached what I hoped it could be. Now comes the editing, proof-reading, re-reading, and beta readers. All I want to do is release it and hear if others love it as much as I did while writing it, but I owe it to my readers to not release a book until it is completely ready. I am excited to get Keeper to you, and when I do it will be the best possible book I can make it to be. So while we have a couple of months to wait, I hope it will be worth it to you and that you will entertain yourself with another book- hopefully as good as the one I picked up at the gym!
I answer the impulse by writing down the first chapter just so I can promise myself I will finish it. If I start it, I will get back to it. I then write down any key ideas that strike me particularly hard, and convince myself that it is okay to let go of the idea for a while and finish the book I am working on.
Another big distraction for me is when I find a good book. The worst thing I can do while writing is to download a good book. Apparently we need more mediocre work out there.... I was almost done with Keeper of the Wolves and I was at the gym when I downloaded what turned out to be an amazing book- at least as far as the first chapter was concerned. I didn't want to work on my books at all. All I wanted to do was read this new book! I had to force myself to put it away and not look at it again until Keeper is done, edited, and in the hands of others to be reviewed. But I love reading so much that it is sometimes very difficult to put the book away!
Keeper of the Wolves is done and I am excited by how it turned out. I fell in love with the characters and their growth through the book reached what I hoped it could be. Now comes the editing, proof-reading, re-reading, and beta readers. All I want to do is release it and hear if others love it as much as I did while writing it, but I owe it to my readers to not release a book until it is completely ready. I am excited to get Keeper to you, and when I do it will be the best possible book I can make it to be. So while we have a couple of months to wait, I hope it will be worth it to you and that you will entertain yourself with another book- hopefully as good as the one I picked up at the gym!
August 19, 2012
Thief Prince, New Books, and Pasta
For me, releasing a new book is like serving a big dish of pasta that you have worked hours on. Everyone starts with the same ingredients, water, dried noodles, and sauce. But it's the details that make pasta so great. Do you keep it simple and let the flavor of the original ingredients fulfill the life of your story, or do you zest it up with parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, adding poetry to the prose and creating something that is a masterpiece to read along with a driving storyline?
My hope with Thief Prince is that it falls somewhere in the middle, not overly seasoned, but with that hint of something special that makes it stand out. Thief Prince was a driving story to me, one that practically wrote itself through my fingertips. It was one of the first I sent out to publishers, and hence one of my first rejections that eventually brought me to the wonderful place I am today.
I love self-publishing and the avenues that are open to me, but at the same time it is more scary because I don't have the editors, agents, publishers, beta readers, and critics to let me know how the book is going to be received when it leaves my computer. All I can do is cross my fingers and hope that somehwere it rings true to someone. In the beginning I wrote it for myself, and the greatest thing I can hope for is that it finds an answering peal in someone else's heart.
So grab a fork and a napkin, and enjoy!
My hope with Thief Prince is that it falls somewhere in the middle, not overly seasoned, but with that hint of something special that makes it stand out. Thief Prince was a driving story to me, one that practically wrote itself through my fingertips. It was one of the first I sent out to publishers, and hence one of my first rejections that eventually brought me to the wonderful place I am today.
I love self-publishing and the avenues that are open to me, but at the same time it is more scary because I don't have the editors, agents, publishers, beta readers, and critics to let me know how the book is going to be received when it leaves my computer. All I can do is cross my fingers and hope that somehwere it rings true to someone. In the beginning I wrote it for myself, and the greatest thing I can hope for is that it finds an answering peal in someone else's heart.
So grab a fork and a napkin, and enjoy!
August 8, 2012
Thief Prince Cover Revealed!
I just received the cover for Thief Prince! The book itself will be out on August 18th, and I’m so excited because the cover is exactly how I was hoping it would look! Andrew Hair is such an amazing artist and I am so grateful for the time he spends to create such beautiful covers. I am really looking forward to the release of this book. It’s one of my favorites and I hope that others will enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.
You can check out the new cover at http://www.chereealsop.com/2012/08/08...
You can check out the new cover at http://www.chereealsop.com/2012/08/08...
August 3, 2012
Cancer Kick-A-Thon
There's a huge author book signing complete with band entertainment, a bake sale, and fun events at Memorial Park in Provo on August 18th from 10:00-4:00 in order to fund raise for Margaret Turley's daughter who is battling brain cancer. Awesome authors like Karen Hoover, author of the Wolf Child Saga, Kathy Atwood of Maybe It's a Zebra, Margaret Turley of Save the Child, Deirdra Eden, Chaplain Michael Benedict of Twilight is Dawning: Anthology of the Later Years, and Paulette Inman will be there. I'll be bringing a bunch of books and I'll have my pen primed for the signing! It's a free event for the family, a fund raiser to fight cancer, and a place where everyone can visit, have a good time, and support the Turley family.
I am so happy that I was invited to participate in this event. Writing for me has always been a labor of love to touch people the way other authors have impacted my life. Reading gave me an escape, adventure, and the chance to broaden my horizons without even leaving my reading tree (when I was younger- now I would end up with sticky sap and leaves in my hair, and I would probably fall out and break a leg....I'll read about reading in a tree, haha) The chance to attend a book signing and fund raise to fight cancer is such a great opportunity and I'm honored to attend!
We have a family band called 'Myree and the Meeps'. My daughter, Myree, is the lead singing, my husband Michael plays the guitar and sings back-up vocals, my brother-in-law Bret is our drummer, and I play the bass guitar. It's so much fun to jam in our basement as a family, and we've made some wonderful memories doing it. I'm excited that we are going to play at the kick-a-thon and I hope we can help the Turleys raise money for their daughter and create memories to last a lifetime.
If you want more information on the kick-a-thon, please go to:
http://www.ussdprovo.blogspot.com/p/c...
I am so happy that I was invited to participate in this event. Writing for me has always been a labor of love to touch people the way other authors have impacted my life. Reading gave me an escape, adventure, and the chance to broaden my horizons without even leaving my reading tree (when I was younger- now I would end up with sticky sap and leaves in my hair, and I would probably fall out and break a leg....I'll read about reading in a tree, haha) The chance to attend a book signing and fund raise to fight cancer is such a great opportunity and I'm honored to attend!
We have a family band called 'Myree and the Meeps'. My daughter, Myree, is the lead singing, my husband Michael plays the guitar and sings back-up vocals, my brother-in-law Bret is our drummer, and I play the bass guitar. It's so much fun to jam in our basement as a family, and we've made some wonderful memories doing it. I'm excited that we are going to play at the kick-a-thon and I hope we can help the Turleys raise money for their daughter and create memories to last a lifetime.
If you want more information on the kick-a-thon, please go to:
http://www.ussdprovo.blogspot.com/p/c...
June 10, 2012
Antiquated Double Spacing
I have a confession. I never realized until today that double spacing after a period is antiquated. Thanks to my creative writing classes and lots of constructive criticism, double spacing after periods comes naturally. Now I'm going to retrain my habits. It's funny how something like that comes so naturally! Unfortunately, the seven books that I have published all have double spaces after the periods. I'm hoping readers will realize that I've grown as a writer when they get to the newer books and find that my spacing has reduced. Does anyone else still double space or am I just way behind on the times?
May 4, 2012
Azure is published!
Azure, book five of the Silver Series, is now published! I had a deadline to get it formatted and out by May 5th, and it's out officially today (May 4th- talk about cutting it close!) Needless to say, the late nights and long hours have been well worth it.
Publishing a new book feels like sending a little piece of my soul into the universe. It amazing how much of an author goes into a book. I have a much better appreciation for authors now that I have books out. It's tormenting to set a book out, then sit back and wait to see how it's going to be received. Reviews and purchases are the biggest sign of whether the book is well-received or not. I'm anxiously waiting and happy that the book is out on time. Enjoy!!!
Publishing a new book feels like sending a little piece of my soul into the universe. It amazing how much of an author goes into a book. I have a much better appreciation for authors now that I have books out. It's tormenting to set a book out, then sit back and wait to see how it's going to be received. Reviews and purchases are the biggest sign of whether the book is well-received or not. I'm anxiously waiting and happy that the book is out on time. Enjoy!!!
April 19, 2012
Guest post by Uniquely Moi Books!
Uniquely Moi Books was kind enough to do a guest post! Here it is:
Thursday, April 19, 2012Guest Post featuring Cheree Alsop
Today at Uniquely Moi Books, we have Cheree Alsop joining us. Cheree is the author of a fabulous series that will be featured today. Cheree has let the main character of her werewolf series speak with us. So, with that being said, take a look, enjoy, and feel free to fall in love with yet another amazing series.
It’s easier for the rest of the world to think of us as legends and myth. Life as a werewolf isn’t simple; it’s dangerous and at times filled with heartache. The chaos of teenage life is touched with the ever-changing moon and the call of the night to run and lose one’s self among the shadows. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t love it.
I don’t think a human can fully understand the call of moonlight streaming through the window, or the way it can brush against the skin like never-ending acceptance. The moon pulls at us, beckoning and welcoming, promising nights lit with the gray-washed expanse forest and farmland, the scent of rabbits and deer tickling tantalizingly along trails that lead to midnight adventures. Every smell is a new experience, a new image for my brain to categorize and my paws to follow. Sounds are multiplied a hundred fold until the chirp of a cricket is a miniature symphony and the breeze catching in the leaves creates a blanket of soft rustling that embraces the night in the security of sheltering hands.
I take care of the others. Ever since my dad was killed, I have been a protector and peace keeper between the werewolves and hunters. The things I have seen haunt my dreams and sometimes it’s easier to give in to the moonlight and run with the thoughts of a wild thing far from the cares of my teenage world. Werewolves are being experimented upon, fought like dogs in underground arenas, hunted as though we’re wild animals instead of people with thoughts and feelings who love and fear, hate and hope as passionately as any human. My life is dedicated to protecting other werewolves from the horrors I have lived through. If I can save even one, it will be a life well worth living. And there is always the call of the moonlight.
---Jaze Carso
Thursday, April 19, 2012Guest Post featuring Cheree Alsop
Today at Uniquely Moi Books, we have Cheree Alsop joining us. Cheree is the author of a fabulous series that will be featured today. Cheree has let the main character of her werewolf series speak with us. So, with that being said, take a look, enjoy, and feel free to fall in love with yet another amazing series.
It’s easier for the rest of the world to think of us as legends and myth. Life as a werewolf isn’t simple; it’s dangerous and at times filled with heartache. The chaos of teenage life is touched with the ever-changing moon and the call of the night to run and lose one’s self among the shadows. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t love it.
I don’t think a human can fully understand the call of moonlight streaming through the window, or the way it can brush against the skin like never-ending acceptance. The moon pulls at us, beckoning and welcoming, promising nights lit with the gray-washed expanse forest and farmland, the scent of rabbits and deer tickling tantalizingly along trails that lead to midnight adventures. Every smell is a new experience, a new image for my brain to categorize and my paws to follow. Sounds are multiplied a hundred fold until the chirp of a cricket is a miniature symphony and the breeze catching in the leaves creates a blanket of soft rustling that embraces the night in the security of sheltering hands.
I take care of the others. Ever since my dad was killed, I have been a protector and peace keeper between the werewolves and hunters. The things I have seen haunt my dreams and sometimes it’s easier to give in to the moonlight and run with the thoughts of a wild thing far from the cares of my teenage world. Werewolves are being experimented upon, fought like dogs in underground arenas, hunted as though we’re wild animals instead of people with thoughts and feelings who love and fear, hate and hope as passionately as any human. My life is dedicated to protecting other werewolves from the horrors I have lived through. If I can save even one, it will be a life well worth living. And there is always the call of the moonlight.
---Jaze Carso
April 16, 2012
Book Bloggers
The internet opened a brand new avenue for authors like me who have tried the normal means of getting published and been rejected numerous times. While I enjoy opening my mailbox to find numerous rejection letters, some personal but most generic, it got a bit daunting when I realized I had exhausted all the agents and publishers I knew who worked in my genre. When I decided to self-publish, I felt relief at the chance to take charge of my books on my own, but also intimidated by the many twists and turns of the self-publishing world.
I got an excellent book cover artist, Andrew Hair, and did my own formatting using the guidelines for each of the sites I wanted to be published through. That in itself was an interesting and time-consuming job, but I enjoyed getting the manuscripts ready because it felt like finally they would be able to get somewhere. Being able to share a book is one of my main driving reasons for writing, and now I had an avenue to release it.
I published the books, spread the word to my family and friends via facebook, email, and texting, then I waited. I have a very kind family and did have some book sales, but I knew I would have to do more to actually get my books out in the mainstream. I didn't know where to turn until a friend of mine named Deirdra Pierce asked if I would like to put a blurb of my book on her website. I was overjoyed! After she posted the blurb and the book cover, I started looking for other book bloggers. I found a few and got an offer to do a guest post. I didn't know the first thing about writing a guest post, but it was fun and I really enjoyed seeing my characters from a different point of view. More bloggers offered to put up a post, and now I generally am on at least one blog a week. It's been an amazing ride and I am so grateful for the bloggers who have taken a chance on an indie author.
Bloggers are an amazing sort. They are funny, smart, shrewd, and crafty when it comes to knowing their niche in the reading market. The bloggers I have worked with have been kind, considerate, and so helpful as I am still learning the many details to advertising and talking about my books. I am so grateful that there are people who love to read as much as I do, and who take the time to share what they read with others. Thank you to all the bloggers out there who truly care, and who have increased the value of the written word by helping others find the books that will interest them. You are changing the face of publishing, writing, and reading, and you deserve our gratitude!
I got an excellent book cover artist, Andrew Hair, and did my own formatting using the guidelines for each of the sites I wanted to be published through. That in itself was an interesting and time-consuming job, but I enjoyed getting the manuscripts ready because it felt like finally they would be able to get somewhere. Being able to share a book is one of my main driving reasons for writing, and now I had an avenue to release it.
I published the books, spread the word to my family and friends via facebook, email, and texting, then I waited. I have a very kind family and did have some book sales, but I knew I would have to do more to actually get my books out in the mainstream. I didn't know where to turn until a friend of mine named Deirdra Pierce asked if I would like to put a blurb of my book on her website. I was overjoyed! After she posted the blurb and the book cover, I started looking for other book bloggers. I found a few and got an offer to do a guest post. I didn't know the first thing about writing a guest post, but it was fun and I really enjoyed seeing my characters from a different point of view. More bloggers offered to put up a post, and now I generally am on at least one blog a week. It's been an amazing ride and I am so grateful for the bloggers who have taken a chance on an indie author.
Bloggers are an amazing sort. They are funny, smart, shrewd, and crafty when it comes to knowing their niche in the reading market. The bloggers I have worked with have been kind, considerate, and so helpful as I am still learning the many details to advertising and talking about my books. I am so grateful that there are people who love to read as much as I do, and who take the time to share what they read with others. Thank you to all the bloggers out there who truly care, and who have increased the value of the written word by helping others find the books that will interest them. You are changing the face of publishing, writing, and reading, and you deserve our gratitude!
