Clarissa Draper's Blog, page 3

Free ARCs Available!

Like every author, I need reviews, and if you’re a blogger, reader or both, I’d like to offer you a free ARC of my novel THE ELECTRICIAN'S CODE.  It's a mystery book and book two in my Evans and Blackwell series. If you're interested in reading it, just comment below. I have ARCs available in PDF and MOBI, please state your preference when commenting.The blurb:An elderly man with only one leg is murdered and left in a pool of his own blood outside his house. To add to the mystery, a note found in his pocket says, 'Why Run Backwards You'll Vomit.' London Detective Chief Inspector Theo Blackwell can't understand the motive for killing the old man, or the meaning of the cryptic message.Later, a woman is stabbed on her doorstep. The two seemingly unrelated cases have two things in common: apparently random victims and suspects with alibis.As DCI Blackwell works on solving the cases, he requests the help of code-breaker Sophia Evans, who is battling a personal and tricky case of her own.

Planning Your Novel with Google Maps

I love Google Maps, that's no secret... well, perhaps it is because I haven't told anyone this fact before. I spend hours (when I should be writing) travelling the world. You can even visit Africa on a whim without having to suffer through security screening.

Now, Google Maps can help you plan your book.

How?

Follow these simple 116 steps (nah, only 7):

(1) First, go to maps.google.com and you should see something like the photo below. Click on "My custom maps".

Click on the photo to enlarge.
(2) Then, you have two choices. One, you can choose a custom map you've already created or two, you can create a new one. In this post, we'll create a new one.
Click on the photo to enlarge.
(3) When you click "Create" you should get a screen like the one below. First, name your map by clicking on the "Untitled map", put in a name and click "Save". Second, type in the location where your story takes place. Then, start putting locations on your map by using the upside-down drop symbol (see 3).
Click on the photo to enlarge.
(4) When you place the red marker on the page by clicking on the map, a box will appear where you can type a title and description. I'll let you decide what to write. You can use my box as an example. ****Make sure you press "Save" or you will lose the info!
Click on the photo to enlarge.
(5) Put as many places on your map as you like. Another cool feature of google maps is the line/path tool (see 1). You can mark the paths your characters take. Name the path and write notes about it. Maps will even tell you how long the path is so you can write that information in your book.


(6) There is also the "Directions" tool. Click on the tool (see 1) and then pick any two red place-markers and a line will appear. Information about the direction will appear on the left. 

(7) For step-by-step instructions on how to get from one point to another is there. (see 2 in the photo above) This is amazing because you can write these instructions in your book. Look at the instructions below as an example. Great instructions for action scenes. 

Have you used Google Maps to help you plan your book? What other tips do you have?
Source: Um, google maps?

Walking and Reading - A New Past-time?

I was reading the latest Reader's Digest and inside was an article about a man, Michael P. Branch, who reads while he walks. And he walks a lot--about 1300 miles per year.

Why would he do that? 

Well, first of all, he says it exercises the body and the mind at the same time. Also, it can take you on two journeys at a time. Unless you get hit by a car which is what happened the last time I walked and read. Fortunately, I wasn't injured (I think the driver was more scared than I was).

I love reading. I'm not a fan of walking however. Maybe if I can take the journey together, I'll lose a little weight.

Ever walk and read?

Source: Reader's Digest June 2014

Book Two in the Series OUT SOON!

Release day: June 24th, 2014

I thought I would let everyone know that the next book in my series is coming out. It took a lot longer than I had hoped to write it. Hopefully the third installment will come out a lot sooner.

The plot: 

An elderly man with only one leg is found in a pool of his own blood outside his house. To add to the mystery, a note found in his pocket says–Why Run Backwards You’ll Vomit. London Detective Inspector Theopholus Blackwell can’t understand the motive for killing the old man, or the meaning of the cryptic message. 

Later, a woman is stabbed on her doorstep. The two seemingly unrelated cases have two things in common: innocent victims and suspects with alibis. 

As Theophilus Blackwell works on solving the puzzling murders, he requests the help of code-breaker Sophia Evans, who is battling a personal and tricky case of her own.

More information:
Twitter: +Clarissa Draper (I'm on Twitter more than any other form of social media so get the latest news there.)
Goodreads: Click here!
Amazon: Coming soon!

How to Write With Emotional Distractions

As you may have noticed, I have not been around much. For that I apologize. My life has been an emotional roller-coaster. After a few months of travel, I return hoping to get back to normalcy only to have my husband say he's moving out. Yes, I was incredibly shocked.

To make matters worse, I've had to re-enter the work force. I have gone from being a full-time writer to a part-time writer.

I have been determined to continue writing but the road is hard. My "writer's block" does not come from lack of creativity but from my emotions blocking the words. I've managed to complete a few writing projects however and I thought I would share some tips that got me through the emotional distractions.

(1) Set small and specific goals --> Goals like 'write 1000 words' or 'edit a third of the book' are difficult for me to do right now. However, I've been able to complete goals such as 'edit: create a list of earrings described in the the book' and 'write paragraph: why are there burn marks on the wall?'. These specific, little goals add up. I've actually accomplished a lot of writing over the last few weeks.

(2) Take mental breaks --> Don't beat yourself up if you need mental breaks. I need several throughout the day. I find walking the dog helps. Also, now that my husband's gone, I have one less person to talk to, so, I talk to myself more. But instead of wallowing, I try to talk about the chapter I'm working on or why I like a certain character.

(3) Take good notes --> I have a bad memory at the best of times. With all the stress I'm going through now, I'm lucky if I remember to eat. So, I've started to take good notes. I write down everything: my writing goals for the day, what I've accomplished that day, and I take detailed records of characters, timelines, and chapter outlines. That way, if I can't remember what I did last week or last month, I don't have to panic, I can just refer to my notes.

(4) Don't multi-task --> Although multi-tasking seems more efficient, it's not. Our brains don't work that way. When you try to accomplish many things at once, the information doesn't get stored in long-term memory. That means, you don't remember things. For me to improve as a writer, I need to keep as focused as I can. And so in my emotionally distracted state, multi-tasking is counter productive. Train your brain to stay focused. Here's a fantastic article to help you stay focused: link here.

Have you ever felt muddled? How have you coped with emotional distractions?

Check Out My Home Office

I haven't died. I've just been travelling. A lot. Now that I've returned home, I have been catching up on life and my writing.

However, N.A. Windsor from http://www.thewritingnut.com/ has interviewed me about my writing life and writing space. I hope you enjoy the interview.

Check it out here: http://www.thewritingnut.com/rambling...

Checking In

I have been on holiday a lot in the last three months: NYC, Calgary, and now Disneyworld. It has been exciting, but after a day of sight-seeing and walking through theme parks, when I return home, to bed I go.

Though I wish to write on holiday, I need mental energy and have none. I have, however, been keeping up with your tweets and posts (though I haven't always commented, just read) and can't wait to have more time to return to my regular social media schedule.

I am a horrible photographer but I leave you with a picture of EPCOT at night.

Reading Helps Prevent Prejudice

LeonidasGR / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND
Last year, I stopped in Jamaica as part of a seven-day cruise. I had heard horror stories about the country and so I was scared to leave the designated port area. According to "reports", every man would rape me and I would be hooked on drugs before returning to the ship. However, my son and husband were eager to check out the island so we decided to tour a nearby historic house--Rose Hall. (Rose Hall scared the crap out of me but for a different reason.)



At first, I was really scared. I felt men stared at me in creepy ways and everywhere we went, people wanted to sell us something. To top it off, instead of taking a proper taxi to the Hall, my husband just gave a guy with a van some money to take us there. I was sure we would be found dead by locals in some ditch. 



That didn't happen. 



In fact, we met so many wonderful people on that trip. Nothing bad happened to us. We ate delicious REAL Jamaican food in a local restaurant. 



It taught me that though you should have common sense (because Jamaica does have crime), you shouldn't prejudge. In fact, I should know better. I live in Mexico, a country where prejudice and misconceptions about it abound. I think if I had read about it (from Jamaicans) before I got there, it wouldn't have been so bad. I should know better and that's why I am encouraging my children to read and learn about other cultures.



That's why I strongly recommend two MG books by Jamaican author JL Campbell . It's from the Simm Sibling Series and it's really good. (Click on the books to go to amazon.com.) They are about two siblings that have suffered a family tragedy and how it has effected each differently.






       


The stories are well written and discuss issues that affect young and old in the country of Jamaica. You really start to understand the cultures and traditions. I think it's a must read for all children, right along with To Kill a Mockingbird and The Grapes of Wrath.



Synopsis of book 1 : Raised in a hotbed of arguments and fights, eleven-year-old Christine Simms is always at the centre of conflict between her parents. With each new day and unfolding drama, she suffers through her mother's temper and cruelty. A domestic dispute ends in tragedy, sending the family into a tailspin. Christine's siblings become wards of the state and she is taken in by her father's sister.

A shocking discovery sends Christine on a quest to find the stranger who abandoned her in Jamaica and changed the course of her life. Determined to unravel the mystery of her birth, Christine uses every tool at her disposal and treads with courage where no child should.



Synopsis of book 2 : A young boy's future hangs in the balance when those sworn to protect him become abusers. 

A tragic domestic dispute between his parents lands eleven-year-old Samuel Simms and his siblings in the Downswell Place of Safety. The challenges come hard and fast, but the one thing Sam doesn't count on is being left behind in the children’s home. Angry and disillusioned, he gives up hope of adoption. 
A ray of light comes in the form of a foster family, but everything is not what it seems in the Miller household. After a harrowing five-month stint, Sam runs away. A victim of child abuse, he's determined not to repeat his mistake and opts to remain a ward of the Jamaican government until he’s eighteen. The burden of secrecy is more than he can bear and Sam's hair-trigger temper makes him disruptive. 
Under pressure from his aunt, Sam caves in and shares a tale of horror surrounding his foster parents. With his ordeal exposed, Sam must make life-changing choices. 

The Standing Desk and Creativity

You can see my mat and the tote I'm using.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. Ha! Well, today I'm going to try to work standing up. 



Why?



The Benefits:



(1) Health - According to October 2013 Vogue magazine, persistent sitting increases the risk of diabetes and you are 49% more likely to die from other causes. It also improves your posture and decreases back pain.



(2) Weight loss - I'm not sure it's going to work for me but I've read an article where a woman who stood at her desk lost weight without changing her lifestyle in any way. 



(3) Creativity - new studies have shown that exercise can boost your creativity. And while I think that standing doesn't seem like a great deal of exercise, it does force you to move around more. Every bit helps, right?



So, I've set up my desk. I'm using a tote for now until I know I want to make a permanent change.



Some tips I've read:



(1) Work in bare feet but make sure you have a comfy mat beneath them.

(2) Stand with your knees bent to take distribute the weight.

(3) Start slow. Don't try to work for eight hours standing up. Take sitting breaks.



I'm starting slow. For the first couple of weeks I will only work on my feet for up to two hours, and increase from there. I'll let you know how it turns out.



Have you worked standing up? Have you noticed any benefits? Have you been more creative?

The Memory: Does Daydreaming Create a Black Hole?

Recently I returned to Calgary to visit my family. Over a delicious curry dinner, my sister and I had a conversation about memory.

My memory is very bad and for many years I believed it was because of some sort of deficiency in my brain or because of stress or perhaps my life wasnt exciting enough to remember. But my sister brought up something interesting.

Maybe I can't remember my parts of my life because I spend so much of it daydreaming.

I mean, when I'm dreaming in sleep,  I can't remember anything. Perhaps it applies to daydreaming. As writers we are often in our worlds and every moment we are in that world we can't consciously be part of our own.

Could it be that simple? What do you think? How's your memory?