S.B. Knight's Blog, page 4

Some Events Are Worth The Wait...The Hobbit is One

The birth of a child, the start of a wedding, the first day of vacation - all of these things deserve a calendar mounted somewhere so we can mark through the days as we count down. These events add excitement and energy to our normal everyday routine. These are not the only things we look forward to as that list can be long but these are highlights.



Movies fit into this category as well. Let's face it, with prices the way they are it should be an event and not one we take lightly. I don't know about you but I get rather upset when I go to the movies and the movie ends up being poor or awful. That's a good amount of money down the toilet. No, the movies have become events because we get excited when we see a good movie coming out. Some movies with a large fan base can drive people mad but that's another topic.



It started back in 1937 when a children's book was first released. It became a bestseller and is arguably a classic. In 1954 and 1955 three more titles were released and thus we had a great trilogy. In the late 70s and early 80s the books were released as animated movies. I remember watching them on television. Then in 2001 the first of three full feature films were released and the rest is history. Of course I'm talking about The Lord of The Rings and we all remember how The Return of The King cleaned up at the Oscars. Those three movies set a new standard for movies. Now if a movie doesn't come close to that standard...I don't go.



Now, on December 14, 2012 we have a new event to look forward to. The bar has been elevated again as The Hobbit comes to the screen in the first of three feature films. The previews make it clear just how magnificent this movie will be. Not because of the plot or even the characters, even though those aspects are powerful and well thought out, but because of the setting. Look at the scenery surrounding the film. Absolutely mind blowing. I have included the first trailer to this post. There are two other trailers out but I really enjoy this one. I think it's the song to be honest.

 









Yes, there are events we countdown to. There are events we look forward to and get excited about and for me, The Hobbit is one of them.

Keeping Your Blog Active While Being A Guest On Blogs

I will be the first to tell you that I really enjoy visiting others on their blogs and websites. There is something about having the opportunity to reach out to a new audience that is very exciting. I suppose that can be said with just about any new venture or experience. However, there is one draw back. If I'm writing guest posts for blogs what am I going to write about on my own blog? When will I have time to post on my blog when I have dates scheduled for other blogs?



These are good questions and we should consider both when thinking about being a guest on multiple blogs. Time is always a factor in anything we do. We have to make daily decisions on how to best use our time. The best advice I can offer is the same advice I received - schedule your blog posts so you can focus on your guest posts. I cannot stress enough how much relief you will find by scheduling your posts. In fact, I scheduled this post you're reading right now. Scheduling posts will save you time and help keep you on track as you visit more and more blogs.



Now that the time constraints have been relieved, to a degree, you can focus on topics. What are you going to write about? You can't simply regurgitate the same information over and over again. That would get insanely boring. No, you have to offer fresh and compelling posts. This could be the first time a reader is exposed to your style so make it count. How do you generate those delicious morsels of information that will have readers follow you to the next blog and your own?




Make a list of ideas. A thought strikes you and you think, "That would be a cool post, I should write something about that." Make a note about the idea unless you plan to write about it that day. Write down your ideas just as you would if you were planning a story for a new novel.
Write what you know and include aspects of your writing but don't go overboard. You don't want to be labeled a master of spam. You also want to avoid writing short, low quality posts and end it with loads of information about your buy links and book covers. Allow your writing to shine from beginning to end.
If you are a guest on a blog, visit the blog and read some of the post. Scroll through and see who is following the blog and what types of comments they are leaving. This will help you determine what catches their interest and why they are reading that blog. With that you can design a guest post that introduces you to the readers and captures their attention.
As with any post, be yourself, be honest, and have fun. The readers will see it, feel it, and appreciate it.


Now I'm off to write some guest posts. Have fun!

To Busy To Write?

Remember the good ole days when you could sit down with a glass of your beverage of choice and just write until your fingers fell off? Remember how good it felt to just let the story flow without interruption and when you were finished you felt wrung out like a wet wash clothe? That was a great feeling because you knew the next day would bring about a new run of exciting, explosive writing. Hold on to that memory, cherish it and keep it in a safe place.



Oh the feelings brought about by writing never change and they never truly fade. That excitement and joy felt from an outpouring of words on a page is like a drug. The more you do it...the more you want to continue to do it. So why should you cherish those moments? As you move deeper into the world of publishing and establish the words published author behind your name things take a turn. What you thought you knew proves to be only the tip of a tremendous iceberg.Writing the novel is a lot of fun, finding a publisher or an agent is frustrating, the publishing process is interesting, and then you step through a large, ornate door into another world. One that is connected to the publishing world but different in many ways. The world of promotion and marketing. I've read and written a number of posts regarding promotion and I will not go don that road to far. It is here that your cherished memory will serve you best. It is here that you will look back and think, "I remember when I could sit down everyday of the week and just right."



If your not careful your world will turn before you know it. It will switch from 'writing and then do other things' to 'I need to do these other things so I can write.' This, in my opinion, is a mistake. In relation to these aspects of life writing should always be first. It is through writing that we continue to grow and build. But we just don't have the time right? I know what you're saying, I'm there right now. I was writing my fourth novel when the edits for Drago's Revenge arrived. I stopped writing to work on the edits, I mean there are deadlines attached to the edits but anyway, once I finished the edits for Drago's Revenge I received the galley for the paperback of Born of Blood. I was two thirds of the way through the galley when I received the edits for Demathia Rising which I am working on now. It has been a parade of edits and reviews. I'm not sure I can count that as writing though. The last time I actually worked on my novel was back in September.



Of course I plan to get back on it as soon as I finish my edits. During the edits and reviews I've been promoting my novels by doing guest post for blogs and interviews which, in a way, is writing but not the novel kind, you know what I mean. The bottom line, things can get busy for an author and you have to manage your time wisely but don't beat yourself up if you can't write everyday. This is especially true if you are working on your novels and building your ever growing, ever changing platform. It is part of the process that must be done. I would not push writing to the farthest reaches of your mind either. 

The Beginning - Exciting, The End - Epic and Then There's The Middle

As authors we write everything that comes to mind. At times that demands us to write in a series. Be it a trilogy, five, six, or twelve books we continue a story for as long as the muse wants the journey to last. A series is often needed because; let’s face it, no one wants to read a book with two million words. As a new author it is often recommended that we keep the word count below 100,000 words. This is even more reason to write in a series. However, many with a debut novel do not go the direction of a series. Why? They want to make a splash with their first novel, being a standalone novel. It is the one thing that screams, “I did it!”



As for me, I had no choice in the decision. The muse demanded this story and demanded that it span three novels, making it a trilogy. How do you know when the muse is taking control? The story builds and grows as you write. The tough part about trilogies is the middle novel. It’s like the middle movie; everyone expects it to be the weakest link, the letdown of the series. Truth be told, it often is. I’m not sure if it is the cliffhanger ending, all the plotlines remaining untied or the story hanging in the air but middle novels, like movies, are viewed with a critical and skeptical eye. It is a daunting task to write a middle novel that maintains the stories momentum and pace from the first novel while injecting energy and intrigue of the unfolding story. Yea, that was a confusing sentence but it illustrates the maelstrom that can be the middle novel. Those are tricking waters to navigate. How do you write a solid, entertaining, and driving middle novel?



It helps to read the previous novel or novels before you start the next one. Make sure your notes are up-to-date and accurate. Also, add notes as needed to make sure all the crucial information crosses over from novel to novel. Don’t forget the story you want to tell in the novel. This aspect can be lost in all the characters and plotlines crossing over from the first novel but stay true to the story. Stick to your story, follow through, and trust your notes. By the end, the plotlines should bond together more and form an even stronger story.



This is the approach I took with Drago’s Revenge. It was not easy and at times it was frustrating trying to decide what to tie up, what to continue, and when to start a new plotline. I did my best and, yes, I enjoyed writing Drago’s Revenge. With its release I’m sure the reviews will shed more light on how successful I was navigating the treacherous waters of the middle novel.

Release Day!

Today is October 31, Halloween, and the release day for Drago's Revenge! To celebrate I am having an all day event on Facebook. I am also the guest on Dan O'Brien's website and James Thorn's website. 












You can purchase Drago's Revenge from my publisher's website. It will also be available on multiple online bookstores in the coming days and weeks. I will update the site as the links become available. 

Burning the Candle at Both Ends

I always wondered why authors release a book every year or, in George R.R. Martin's case, every five years. I'm starting to understand now. In the past thirty days I have reviewed the galley for Drago's revenge, scheduled a book blog tour, conducted interviews, wrote guest posts, reviewed the galley for the Born of Blood paperback, and began making the book trailer for Drago's Revenge. No, I'm not complaining, I'm simply showing backstage work that all authors have to do in order to get a book out there for the readers. It is time consuming and can be stressful when added to regular work but it is well worth it. I am enjoying meeting the audience of other blogs. Yes, I do hope people pick up Drago's Revenge from what they read during the tour but it is still great meeting new people.



I also have a Facebook event I'm building and this is something of a special project. I'm bringing in some author friend's of mine and we are setting up shop along with contest and other fun things. I believe there will be 14 authors there talking about their titles and sharing things. Of course I will be there sharing Drago's Revenge. To be honest, it is funny, we spend a great deal of time writing our works but it pales in comparison to the time spent promoting that same title. Would I change it? Maybe, but it's part of the game and something we must do. To cut corners promoting is as bad as cutting corners writing. You'll pay for it sooner or later. I've always said promoting anything is really not that bad...it just takes time. However, when your to-do list gets bigger than the time you have then things get tricky and you work into the midnight hour often. It's part of this business and it is something we have to be willing to do.



Doom and gloom? Not really, just reality. In the end, your name is out there. The title of your book is out there and you continue to build. That is why promotion is so important and why it never stops. That is why we work the long hours. Writing is our release, is our escape, is our gift....promoting and the business end of being an author...that's the price we willing pay for that escape, release, and gift.

Writing Tips from Mark Tierno

Hi, my name is Mark Anthony Tierno, and I've written quite a lot of fantasy and SF over the years (my Maldene series alone is 13 books, and 5.2 million words). During that time I have developed my own set of rules for the art of writing, as I did things MY way. I have managed to sum up my experience is this set of 10 basic tips for writing a good story. Be it novel or short story, I've found over the years that these tips I've developed can help a lot. So, without further ado...



1) Turn off the Grammar Checker. Leave on the spell checker, by all means, but for dialogue especially, the grammar checker is useless.



2) Use a database for keeping track of character details. Keeps them consistent, all the little details right there in front of you. You may not need all the details all the time, but it will keep the picture in your head, and remind you who looks and acts like what.



3) Don't be afraid to innovate. Remember, the earliest big writers didn't go to Writing School because they didn't exist. The basic grammar you learned in Elementary School is all you need to know for good writing. "Writing Classes" are merely someone else's opinion of what might work (and keep in mind, their instructors are teaching... not really earning a living with their own books).



4) Imagination and creativity is a born gift. Except for during the period we call childhood, you can't learn how to be creative in a class.



5) Outline. Outlining, and other prep work, before starting in with the book, will prevent such things as writer's block and minimize stumbling blocks with plot.



6) Music Helps. No one can write or concentrate in total silence. Break out whatever music works for you and the genre you're writing and have it playing in the background.



7) If in doubt, say it out loud. Does it sound like something a real person would say and the way he'd say it? 



8) Be adaptable. Outline or no, ideas will come up in the middle of a scene, ideas that might make it better, add characters, etc. Still stay within your chosen basic outline, but don't be afraid to tweak some of the details in mid stream.



9) Break the rules. Acceptable word counts, three-act format, story must have just the single protagonist who's story must follow the same set pattern, whatever the "official" rule is. Break 'em if you need to. The story is the only thing that counts. Remember: the only one looking over your shoulder is you, so be unafraid.        



10) Plot or Character. Everything in a story must have something to do with either the plot or character development (both at the same time is the most economical).



11) 1 picture may be worth a thousand words, but the job of a good writer is to make 1 word worth a thousand pictures. (I came up with this one myself, so if you use this quote please credit me).



Find other writing tips and information about Mark's novels plus links to his social networks on his website -

www.maldene.com

Mark Tierno's Epic Fantasy - Maldene

Maldene is a world, far off amongst the stars, an Earth-swallowing sphere. A world of magic and mysteries, a world where Fate has taken a vested interest, for in it lies that which can change everything. The future of the stars themselves.



But this is the beginning of the epic, one that will span several continents, other worlds, thousands of years, and hundreds of characters in a story told over thirteen novels. “Maldene” begins with a group of apparently simple adventurers on their first exploratory of far-flung parts of the world, allegedly in search of fortune. But everyone has their own secret motives, motives that lead to far more than simple treasure hunting. For the seed of this first journey was planted by a blind soothsayer with golden skin and eyes to match. A test to see if they can survive a terrifying ordeal to become the heroes that a mysterious king needs to help him fight the most evil villain any world has ever known: Miro (pronounced My-ro). Legends of Miro date back deep into the mists of Time, and it is said that even the gods fear him.



Thus the story begins with nearly carefree concerns, and while this first novel ends with a quest that culminates in a battle as epic as any in the annals of Fantasy, it is but the close of the first chapter of a saga that will take the reader to places that no one has been to before. This first book alone follows a dozen characters across multiple continents and worlds, through many dangers and against powerful opponents, and all as but set-up for the real journey along a road destined for a confrontation with the most evil being ever known.



It might do at this point to mention a few of the characters you’ll meet in this first installment. Eldar is the wise-cracking Elf who knows no fear and has been known to moon a funnel storm once past it. His friend Sabu is a young highly intelligent wizard who would rather do things like computing the trajectory of weather patterns in his head where others would enjoy the passing clouds. Their companion Bronto is the strong man, as able with a mug and a wench in a bar as he is with the strength of his limbs on the battlefield. Candol is the humble priest of Indra who lets a flip of his coin decide his choices… even if there are more than two. Blag-ak is a dull-witted ogre with a ring of severed heads and old skulls hanging around his belt and the question of what he uses them for. He is befriended by a very short creature named Quickfoot, and together they make for an effective, if rather odd and contrasting, duo.



Other characters include the crazy wizard, Po-Adar, lovely Dwingale, and the mysterious King of the Great Northern Kingdom, who together with his Queen and 14 children, give a rebirth to the definition of Royalty and Nobility. Strange and magical places abound in this world. Places such as the Great Whirlpool, Tedelnosho; a whirlpool a thousand miles across that has existed at the edge of the Sea of a Thousand Islands for as long as anyone know. Or the Harbor of the World, a natural harbor of mammoth size and said to be home of a million ships from all over the world. Then in the sky overhead hangs other mysteries in the form of Maldene’s three moons. Their orbits are such that every spot on the world sees one and only one moon; as one sets, another rises from a different horizon.



This is, of course, but a very small sampling of the characters, lands, and mysteries exposed in this first novel in the series. More tidbits, including the entire first chapter, are available at the web site; www.maldene.com. There you will find how the first installment in this grand new series can be ordered, and begin your journey to another star.




“A world beyond time… adventure beyond imagining.”


Also available by the same author, a cyberpunk detective story of a different sort. The short story “Project Looking Glass” can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at www.libboo.com

From Drago with....Fear

Day 5 of the Drago's Revenge Book Tour and what do we have here! A letter from the most wicked vampire to grace a novel...Drago himself. I'm excited to share that the tour is going very well thus far. You'll have to journey to Nerine Dorman's Blog to read it. Come on over and see what a vampire has to say.




REMEMBER -









From now until October 30 you can PRE-ORDER Drago's Revenge for $4.76 (that's 20% off retail price). PLUS, when you pre-order you get Born of Blood for free! That's right, save 20% AND get a free ebook! Pre-order Drago's Revenge today! 

A Myriad Interview

Day 4 of the Drago's Revenge Book Tour! I'm excited to share that the tour is going very well thus far. Today I am interviewed at Myriad Spheres. Come on over and leave a comment.




REMEMBER -









From now until October 30 you can PRE-ORDER Drago's Revenge for $4.76 (that's 20% off retail price). PLUS, when you pre-order you get Born of Blood for free! That's right, save 20% AND get a free ebook! Pre-order Drago's Revenge today!