Nicola Marsh's Blog, page 71
March 30, 2011
Chat among yourselves
I'm feeling rotten, struck down with shingles again, about 6 weeks after the last bout. 
While I go crawl under a rock, you can feast your eyes on this and chat amongst yourselves today.
While I go crawl under a rock, you can feast your eyes on this and chat amongst yourselves today.
March 29, 2011
Handy characterisation checklist
Agent Rachelle Gardner has a great post on what fiction editors look for, which can be used as a handy checklist to ensure your characters are leaping off the page. Check it out here.
March 28, 2011
Which will make you more money?
Self publishing or traditional publishing? Nathan Bransford does a great breakdown of the figures here.
March 27, 2011
The latest self-publishing goss
Hot on the heels of the news last week about Barry Eisler turning down $500 000 with St. Martin's Press, self-publishing giant Amanda Hocking has accepted a 2 million advance for 4 books with...you guessed it, St Martin's Press. Those 4 books will be new books, a YA series called 'Watersong'. Interesting times we live in, huh? And here's news of another well known author, Connie Brockway, going the self-publishing route, in her interview with All About Romance. Read the comments too. Interesting to see many people like me, who don't own e-readers and have no intention of buying one (I just love the feel and smell of books too much!) express their concerns about not having access to these books. But as someone points out, you can read on your PC. Something I could never do but hey, I'm just addicted to the feel and smell of paper. :)
March 25, 2011
Weekend Book Club can pick 'em!
I'm absolutely thrilled to hear Kelly Hunter has finalled in the RITAs with Red-Hot Renegade.(You can find my rave review for her here)
Kelly's books are fab but this one is my favourite. (I'm biased and proud of it!)
And another huge shout-out to Marion Lennox, a lovely lady and fab writer for her nomination, along with the gorgeous Melissa McClone (yay, Harlequin Romance!)
Congrats to all the RITA and GH nominees.
Enjoy the ride!
March 24, 2011
Book 28 sold!
The book set here
and courtesy of some strenuous first-hand research 2 months ago, has sold!
Roman and Ava's story will be released in the UK as a Harlequin Riva in Dec this year, with USA release date to follow.
Title unknown...will let you know as soon as my editor passes it on!
March 22, 2011
Editing tips
Great article over at Larry Brooks
STORYFIX
about editing your manuscript.
Love the right brain/left brain pic!
Love the right brain/left brain pic!
March 21, 2011
Would you turn down half a million?
Today I woke to the news that author Barry Eisler has turned down a $500 000 contract with St. Martin's Press to self publish.
Wow. Simply wow.
Read about it here, in his chat with Joe Konrath.
Wow. Simply wow.
Read about it here, in his chat with Joe Konrath.
March 20, 2011
Art of the page turner
Check out this great article by Hallie Ephron over at Writer's Digest, where she discusses tools to keep your readers hooked.
March 18, 2011
Weekend Book Club: Dead in the Family
I must be the last person on the planet to have read a Sookie Stackhouse novel.DEAD IN THE FAMILY is the 10th in the Sookie series and rather than go back to the start and read the lot, I delved in.
Despite not knowing the characters (and there were a lot of them!) I was sucked into the story courtesy of the author's voice.
Charlaine Harris has a way of weaving words together that make you want to turn the pages, despite not knowing much of the background already woven into this popular series.
A brief rundown of the book:
Sookie is a telepath.
Her lover, Eric, is a big-shot vampire.
Her cousin Claude is a fairy.
Her brother Jason is a were-panther.
And the cast just gets bigger and better from there!
I've never watched Trueblood either, inspired by this book series. Would be interesting viewing...
What are you reading this week?
