Max Ellendale's Blog, page 9

november 2012

My update for this month is almost two weeks late for a multitude of reasons. The first being that on the east coast, the pre-Halloween hurricane left me without power for several days. Recovering from that only to be tossed into a Nor’easter that laid almost four inches of snow on the ground a week later. What a rough entry into fall. Many of my projects are backlogged because of this, though I’m working on catching up. My YA is out for query and the sequel to Glyph is underway. The consultation business is picking up and I’m enjoying it immensely!

In lieu of everything that’s happened over the last few weeks, I’ll end this very brief post with a bit of gratitude. I’m grateful that my family and friends are well and slowly recovering from this natural disaster. Many people are still without power, food, water, and family. Some have lost their lives or loved ones. Everyday I’m grateful for what I do have and try not to think beyond that. The little things matter, and we often take them for granted. As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s important to remember the true meaning of giving thanks and not get caught up in the glitz of the chronic holiday commercials, department store sales, and other monetary-based things that damper the spirit of giving. Be with the ones you love, and love the ones you’re with.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cheers,

Max

hurricane reads

In the aftermath of bad weather, what does an author do when she can’t write? Read. I chose the following titles because I needed to drown myself in something totally different.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie was a 5/5 star read! I loved this YA story about a  fourteen-year-old boy named Junior who navigates the world surrounded by poverty and alcoholism. This story includes some amazing drawings by Ellen Forney as well. Junior takes the reader on an emotional trip describing what “rez” life is like in modern-day America and the struggles Native American children face when entering into white society. This story was perfectly executed, well written, with strong characters and great dialogue. Alexie’s style is unique and fast-paced. The voice of the protagonist is clear and welcoming. This book earned the National Book Award and it was well deserved. I strongly recommend anyone, writer or reader, adult or child, read this story.

Flutter by Erin Moulton was another YA title that I picked up on a journey to an indie bookstore in town. Although I found this title under YA, it’s definitely more of a middle-grade read. The protagonist is a strong-willed nine-year-old named Maple who enlists her older, snooty sister on a journey to save their newborn sister. Overall, I give this story 3/5 stars mainly in part that the writing wasn’t captivating. At times, it was very formal and stiff. The characters, although solid, acted and voiced as if they were much younger. It marred the story a bit and made it feel unbelievable. Not to mention the sisters travel down a raging river in a canoe with little to no consequences. The worldview was way too ego-centric and, as a nine-year-old, she should have been much more aware of the trouble and danger ahead. The older sister, being 11, should have been much less gullible than she was.  It was a slow read but overall not bad. If the characters were slightly younger, I think this would have worked much better.

That’s it from me today. I’m feeling very under the weather. After a hurricane terrorizing the East Coast followed by a Nor’easter that left us buried in snow for several hours, my immune system just simply gave out. Off to recuperate so I can get back to working on the rewrite of Book 2. Keep an eye out for the print version of Glyph! I don’t have the release date yet but I’m anxiously awaiting my first signing event.

Cheers,

Max

PS – Pardon my typos and bad grammar. Sick brain = bad writing.

the next big thing

I was recently invited to participate in The Next Big Thing, you may have seen it hopping about on the net or Twitter. A fellow author tagged me and asked me to answer the following 10 questions about my WIP. So… here it goes.

10 Questions:

What is the working title of your book?

Right now I have it as “Birthrite” but I’m considering changing it.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It’s the second book in my “Legacy Series” which follows the life, love, and terrors of Shawnee and her werewolf pack. Book1, titled Glyph, was released in May 2012 in ebook and will soon be in print as well.

What genre does your book fall under?

It’s somewhat of a cross over between urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?

This is tough. I don’t think I can answer this question. Each character is so specific in my head that I can’t come up with an actor/actress that seems to fit. Though, Jennifer Love Hewitt might be able to pull of a convincing Shawnee (if she were a bit more tan). She’s got that strong-willed yet terrified way of being.

What is a one sentence synopsis of your book?

Oh for heavens sake. I’ve sat here for 10 minutes trying to come up with a one liner. Nope. Can’t do it. Did anyone ever tell you that writing the blurb is harder than writing the book? It’s true.

Will your book be self published or represented by an agency?

The books in this series are published by Breathless Press. I’ve never self-published. Though I’m presently seeking an agent for my YA titles.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first draft of this manuscript took 2 weeks and was about 200 pages long. The rewrite is much longer.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I don’t often like to compare but they would fall in a similar category as Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson Series or the Alpha Omega Series and some of Nalini Singh’s Riley Jensen Series (minus the overt sci-fi nature of the latter.) It’s scary to admit but on Amazon “people who bought this also bought this” linked me with Laurell K. Hamilton’s work. Needless to say, I was shocked.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Shawnee did. Characters are always alive inside of writers. She kicked me until I figured out how to get her down on paper.

What else about your book might interest the reader?

If you’re into werewolves, vampires, werecats, and other werespecies, read my book(s). If you like witches, urban fantasy, and magic, read my book(s). If you like solid characters with good back stories, read my book(s). If you’re a sucker for relationships, sex, and trouble making best friends, read my book(s). If you’re into psychological stuff, you might like my book(s) as well. Was that convincing?

So denied, so I lied.

I’m having trouble finding words tonight when I know there’s a lot to say. My mind is filled with drumming and a language of sounds that doesn’t bode well for the written word. The drumbeat moves me forward and backward at the same time, capturing my heart in natural rhythm. At the very least, I have a few words about my recent reads.

“Never judge a book by its cover.” How often have we heard that?! However, that’s exactly why I picked up this book. The inner pages were littered with interesting photographs from a decade of forgotten photography. Early tricks of the art have always caught my eye. After all, I was a photographer in my first artful profession. I’m sad to say that the photos were the best part of this book. Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children left me wanting more. For a nearly four-hundred page book, I found myself easily bored with the first part. It was so very long and drawn out that I kept putting it down. But a part of me really wanted to see where the author was going with this YA read. When I finally reached part two where the protagonist actually gets to the plot, I was very intrigued by the peculiars, their stories, and supernatural abilities. It became the fantastical work that I was hoping for! Yay! Well.. not so yay. Turns out, this endless book was the first part of a series. *whompwhomp* Not only did I fight to get to the goodies, it ends abruptly in the middle of… well… something… without a single ounce of resolution. The amount of painstaking work it took to get to the end just wasn’t worth it. I probably won’t be reading book two. Though the writing was strong, the plot was poorly executed. The protagonist was your typical oddball rambling teenager, the saving grace of this was the peculiar children. Out of five stars, I’d give this one a three. For a pure lack of overall focus and guidance.

This next title by none other than the lovely D.F. Krieger earned itself a full five stars from me. I’m a stickler for indigenous titles no matter how fantastical or realistic. Overall I enjoyed His Prey, the characters were strong and the writing superb. The first scene between Nyna and Atian had me holding my breath. Tasteful and taboo all at once, my two favorite things.  One of the greatest aspects of this short work was the pace and the  exposition of the overall story.  His Prey earned not only a good rating but a spot in my “reference” section. I’ve said this before with romance shorts, I wish it was longer. The characters and plot were so strong that I think it could have been an excellent long piece. Part of me just doesn’t like letting go of good writing so that plays a huge role in my “I want it longer” tantrums. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it. The cover is lovely as the story! I expect nothing less from Breathless Press!

Update on my work:

My YA title is presently in the beta process after going through two rounds of deeper edits. I hope to get it out for queries again by the end of the year. Book 2 in the legacy series is presently in a rewrite (and edit) process before I submit it to my editor. I’m hoping to do that by the end of November with a release goal of early 2013. That’s if everything goes as planned. Glyph should be out in print soon as well! I can’t wait for that. I’ve got a few places lined up for signings in the southern New York area. That will be new territory for me. I’m also working on a poetry chapbook and sending some of my short nonfiction stuff to some litmags. I don’t have much faith in any of that though. I’m not sure what it will take to have faith in it, but I’ll just have to wait and see.

Finally, I’ve started offering developmental mentoring and manuscript consultation services for writers. So far it’s been going very well! For more details, check out my website at www.maxellendale.com. I’m also working on developing a plotting and character development workshop for 2013 after I’m officially awarded my MFA. Keep checking back for updates!

Back to writing for me.

Cheers,

Max

New promo item reveal!

I’m so excited for these unique promo items! Guitar picks!

A special shout out and thank you to Barry Brown at Imprint Marketing Concepts. To order unique promo items, contact Barry at bbrown@imprintmarketing.com or 845.915.6480. He’s got some great connections! I can’t wait for my next batch of items (hopefully they’ll be some stuff for book signings! fingers crossed).

October 2012

No surprise here, October is my favorite month. The rustic fall foliage of the Northeast inspires my poetry. And the haunts of Halloween birth the darkness within, in acceptable ways of course. Autumn slows down the energy that the spring brings and summer maintains. Winter isn’t far off. The cold and snow lays a stagnation that seems like it will never lift. October is the last month of celebration and change before the dull, gray, dead winter bears down.

I’m glad to have finished my new office! It’s the greatest feeling to remove myself from the day-to-day and hide out in my office. Only writing, thinking, and creating happens there. It’s a soothing comfort while I work in my space. A getaway just a few steps beyond the threshold. I definitely need a space like this in the winter months.

Glyph will be in print soon. I can’t wait for that day. I’ve lined up a signing at a small indie bookstore a bit north. I’ve got a few more places in mind but I have to wait until the copies are in. Some great new promo items will premiere this month as well. My YA fantasy went through some revisions and I’ll be soliciting agents again soon. As for book two in the Legacy Series, I’ve decided that a full rewrite is necessary. My writing has evolved too much to work with the skeleton as it is. Overall, I think it will make book two a more solid piece.  In non-genre work, I’ve subbed some short-stories to a few lit mags and I’m working on a poetry collection. I’ve got 30 pages for a chapbook and will continue to develop this over time. I’m really looking forward to fully expanding my career. The more I write, the better.

Lastly, I’ve set up a small manuscript consultation service. See the tab above for more details. So far, it’s been a success! I’m looking forward to working with more authors!

That’s it for October’s update! Have a happy haunted Halloween and a joyous Samhain!

Cheers!

Max

 

I love this

September 2012

August was a tough month. I’m looking forward to the changing of the seasons. It’s time for energy renewal and, of course, my favorite holiday: Halloween!

An update on my projects: I’m still awaiting the print release of Glyph! The contracts are signed which is a relief at the very least. My Young Adult fantasy novel is presently in the query process and I’m actively soliciting agents. I’m taking it slow this time around and attempting exclusive submissions. Edits for Book 2 of the Legacy Series are also underway. My writing has evolved a lot since the initial completion of the drafts for this novel and thus the revision process is taking me longer than I expected. However, I’m a stickler for improvement and don’t mind this at all! PS – I’m completely aware that this update is almost exactly the same as the last.

My home-office project is nearly done! I’ll post pictures when it’s complete.

Cheers!

Max

aching.

I’m not the type to grieve or bereave or whatever it’s called. I don’t experience sadness in the same way that most people describe it. I’ve always been this way. I can’t relate to friends, family, or clients who are grieving. It’s just something I don’t understand, emotionally or cognitively.

But tonight, I know sadness. For my family and some friends. My seventeen-year-old cousin, Cara, died today. Unexpectedly and tragically, I imagine. She left behind a wonderful family and darling siblings. I can’t even begin to fathom the depth of their sorrow. My heart is crying for them, for the loss of a life so young. She was an artistic soul and her life was cut short.

Kids shouldn’t die. There should just be some sort of cosmic rule that kids don’t die. Our lives shouldn’t be in jeopardy until a certain adult age. It just doesn’t seem right. I’m sad that the world won’t get to know her, and that she won’t get to know the world.

My heart is with my family tonight and to the loved ones she’s left behind.

 

Blessed be,

M

Enough

What’s enough? There’s never enough of anything. Not enough money. Not enough time. Not enough love or life or music. Not enough singing or enough goodbyes. Sometimes I wish for nothing. That I could have nothing and know nothing so that I wouldn’t need anything. Even when “it’s something” it’s still not enough. Sometimes I fantasize about living in the woods, foraging for food, making my own clothes, and sitting around a bon fire. I wouldn’t need company because in the woods, you’re never alone. Sometimes I think back to what it was like 400 years ago when there were no cars, electric bills, or celebrity. Sometimes nothing is easier. Sometimes nothing seems better.