Victoria Zigler's Blog: Zigler News, page 108

Meet The #Narrator: James Watkins

As I've mentioned a few times lately, James Watkins is the narrator for my Degu Days Duo. He's also done the narration for my stand alone degu books, "Degu's Day Out" and "How To Trust Your Human" - all four of which are now available to buy in audio, as you probably know from my recent posts. Anyway, I thought you'd like to get to know him a little, so here's a little bit about James, in his own words:

Canadian born James Watkins spent a number of years wandering extensively, studying and working at a variety of exciting things, including surveying in the Yukon, fighting forest fires in the boreal of northern Ontario, sailing on the merchant schooner Avontuur through the Caribean, working as a singing cowboy, and teaching in Central America, to name a few, until finally settling in San Diego, California in 2011. He loves good music, good stories, good writing, fresh air, animals, and a healthy balance between action and quiet time.

Working from his home studio, James offers a full suite of services - from voice over production and scripting, to sound design with music and effects.

James currently has a podcast in production together with SC Watkins, that will feature original spooky stories, set to launch in late October, 2017. You can check it out at http://thebonefire.com/.

James really enjoyed reading the Degu Days series, and couldn't be more proud to work with Victoria Zigler, who knows how to tell a great children's story.

If you'd like to contact James, he can be reached at jameswatkinsvo@outlook.com

You can get to know James a little more by checking out his recent interview on Library Of Erana.

#KidLit #Book - How To Trust Your Human By @VictoriaZigler Now In #Audio!

Losing a sibling is hard. Losing three of them is even harder. Repairing a broken bond of trust is harder still.

After his three brothers disappeared, one after another, gone to a mysterious place known only as The Rainbow Bridge, Buddy the degu is all alone in his cage. Confused and frightened, he knows only one thing for certain: he last saw his brothers in the hands of the human caretaker. That knowledge breaks the bond of trust forged between Buddy and his human in the years since he was a pup, and leaves him convinced that letting her get her hands on him will mean he disappears too. Somehow, she has to convince him he’s wrong, and earn back his trust.

Based on actual events that took place in the life of one of the author’s own degus, and told from the point of view of a degu, this is the story of how patience and love taught a confused and terrified rodent how to trust again.

I originally released this book as an eBook on July 3rd 2017, later making it available in paperback too. Now it's also in audio, read for you by James Watkins.

Buy "How To Trust Your Human" as an audiobook, eBook, or paperback - in some cases two or more of these formats - from Audible, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Chapters-Indigo, iBooks, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or The Book Depository.

The book also has a page on Goodreads.

#KidLit #Pets - The #Degu "J" Gang

Jenks - the degu from whose point of view we learn the events in my Degu Days Duo - was one of my degus. Regular readers of this blog will most likely be familiar with him from the times he took his turn doing the "Furkid Friday" posts, along with his three brothers. So, this post is more for those who aren't familiar with my degu boys.

My boys were Jacob, Jasper, Jenks, and Joshua. Last year we lost Jasper, Jenks, and Jacob - they've made that journey across the rainbow bridge. Joshua is still with us at the time of this post going live though, and still takes his turn at the "Furkid Friday" posts.

Giving them all "J" names wasn't intentional. At least, not at first.

When we decided to get degus, we were going to get a pair. The plan was that Kelly would name one of them, I would name the other, though we wanted the names to work well together. I had several names I was considering, but when he decided on Jacob - after the werewolf from Twilight - I decided to go with Jasper. I liked the name anyway, and it worked with Jacob, since one of the main vampires in Twilight is called Jasper. Why Twilight? I have no idea. It was big at the time because of the movies, and I suppose it was just on our minds. Anyway, we liked the names regardless of where they were from, and Jacob and Jasper sounded good together.

But then we ended up bringing home a group of four. Well, it seemed a shame to seporate them, when it was clear from watching them that they were closely bonded,so... *Shrugs*

Anyway, that meant we needed two more names, and we decided again to each pick one. I picked Jenks - after the pixie from Kim Harrison's books - and it was at that point we thought about them all having "J" names. I mean, with three of them having "J" names, the fourth had to have one too, right? So Kelly picked Joshua. Not from any book or movie, but because it was the first "J" name he thought of that we liked.

So, what's a degu?

It's a small and furry rodent that looks a little like a furry tailed rat, but is more closely related to guinea pigs.

Curious to see the world from the point of view of a degu? Want to read more about my "J" gang? Then grab your own copies of the books in the Degu Days Duo. They're available in multiple eBook formats, paperback, and now also in audio - read by James Watkins.

The following links will take you to where you can buy the books in one - or sometimes more - of the above mentioned formats:

Book 1 - The Great Degu Round-Up
Audible, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or The Book Depository.

The book also has a page on Goodreads.


Book 2 - A Very Degu Christmas
Audible, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or The Book Depository.

The book also has a page on Goodreads.

#Writing Wednesday - A Degu Days Duo Teaser - #KidLit #Pets

But then there are the degu round-up days.

We never know they’re coming until it’s too late.

The days start out like any other day, then we suddenly find it happening.

You’d think we’d be used to it by now, but we aren’t. It was scary the first time, and it’s been scary every time since then.

Here’s how it usually happens…

We’ll be playing, nibbling from our food bowls, or maybe even napping, then all of a sudden our cage starts to move, rolling on its wheels out of the spot it usually stands in, pushed by one of our human caretakers. When it finally comes to a stop the human caretaker starts grabbing us one by one and handing us to our other human caretaker.

One by one we’re snatched from the cage and put in a giant version of our sand bath, only this sand bath is strange because it has no sand in it at all. What’s the point of a bath with no sand in it? Sounds stupid to me! But, anyway, we’re abandoned there by the human caretakers. We try to climb the sides to get out, but they’re just too slippery and high.

There’s no escape, and we can’t even see out properly!

Then one of the human caretakers is there again, talking to us and trying to tell us everything’s alright. But we don’t believe her; can’t accept it. We’re so frightened and try desperately to escape so we can find our way back to our cage; back to safety!

~Above taken from "The Great Degu Round-Up" by Victoria Zigler.

Enjoy what you just read? Want to read more about Jenks and his brothers? Then grab your own copies of the books. They're available in multiple eBook formats, paperback, and now also in audio - read by James Watkins.

The following links will take you to where you can buy the books in one - or sometimes more - of the above mentioned formats:

Book 1 - The Great Degu Round-Up
Audible, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Chapters-Indigo, iBooks, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or The Book Depository.

The book also has a page on Goodreads.

Book 2 - A Very Degu Christmas
Audible, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Chapters-Indigo, iBooks, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or The Book Depository.

The book also has a page on Goodreads.

#KidLit #Book - Degu's Day Out By @VictoriaZigler NowIn #Audio!

Oscar has everything a degu could need, or want, in the cage he shares with his brother, Romeo, but it’s not enough; Oscar longs for freedom.

Convinced he’s missing out on an amazing adventure, Oscar dreams of the day when he’ll be able to investigate the world beyond his cage bars without the human caretakers telling him where and when he can explore.

Now, at long last, his chance has arrived. But will it be the exciting adventure he’s always dreamed it would be?

I first published this book as an eBook on November 14th 2015, and later made it available in paperback. Now it's also available in audio, read for you by James Watkins.

Buy "Degu's Day Out" as an audiobook, eBook, or paperback - in some cases two or more of these formats - from Audible, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Chapters-Indigo, iBooks, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or The Book Depository.

The book also has a page on Goodreads.

#KidLit #Books - The Degu Days Duo By @VictoriaZigler Now In #Audio! Plus A #Giveaway!

Thanks for the narration skills of James Watkins, my Degu Days Duo is now in audio!

For those who don't know: “The Degu Days Duo” is a short series of just two books telling the story of two different days in the lives of Jacob, Jasper, Jenks and Joshua – four Degu brothers who live in a cage together. The stories are about my own degus, and told from the point of view of one of them, so read on and see the world from the point of view of a small and furry rodent!

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Book 1 - The Great Degu Round-Up

Jenks the Degu lives in a cage with his three brothers: Jacob, Jasper and Joshua. It might seem like a strange place to live, but they call it home and feel safe there. So you can imagine how scary it is for them when they are forced to leave their cage.

Sure, they regularly leave it briefly for a bit of attention from their human caretakers, which they don’t mind, but the thing the human caretakers are calling “The Great Degu Round-Up” is different, and they find themselves in a giant sand less sand bath with no way to even look out at the world. They’re confused and frightened and wondering if they’ll ever see their cage again.

Will they find a way to escape the giant sand less sand bath? Will they get back to the cage they call home? Will they figure out why the round-up even happened?

Buy "The Great Degu Round-Up" as an audiobook, eBook, or paperback - in some cases two or more of these formats - from Audible, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Chapters-Indigo, iBooks, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or The Book Depository.

The book also has a page on Goodreads.

***~~~***

Book 2 - A Very Degu Christmas

It’s Christmas, and the human caretakers have told the Degus that Santa Paws is coming to visit. They have no idea who he is, but since the human caretakers say he’s bringing nibbles for them, and Degus love nibbles, they’re excited about it; though the news that he plans to come when they’re sleeping seems strange to them.

Will Santa Paws really be coming? If so, what sorts of nibbles will he bring? More to the point, can the Degus stay awake long enough to make sure they don’t miss his visit? And, if not, will they still get nibbles?

Buy "A Very Degu Christmas" as an audiobook, eBook, or paperback - in some cases two or more of these formats - from Audible, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Chapters-Indigo, iBooks, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or The Book Depository.

The book also has a page on Goodreads.

***~~~***

Want to get your hands on free copies of the audiobooks?

You're in luck! I have some copies to give away, and this is your chance to claim them!

Simply answer the following question:

What is a degu?

Be one of the first ten people to send your answer in an eMail with the subject line "Degu Days" to keroberous2004@gmail.com and I'll send you codes to claim your free audiobooks.

The codes are one use only codes for Audible. Please let me know in your eMail if you would prefer codes for Audible.com or Audible.co.uk, so I can send you the right ones.

#Furkid Friday: A Reminder To Keep All Your Family Warm This Winter!

Hi everyone. This is Maizie the chinchilla.

The colder weather has started showing up. For me and my chinchilla sister, Mollie, this is a good thing. We don't deal with the heat too well, and we don't care that it's raining outside, because we're dry indoors in our cage. The Mummy human seems to like colder weather better too. Good for her, I say!

But for some animals - and some humans too, from what I hear - cold weather is a bad thing. My degu brother, Joshua, for example, needs warmer temperatures than we chinchillas do, so the human caretakers have a special heater they keep near his cage so they can put it on for him if it gets too cold. Some animals have even more trouble dealing with the cold than Joshua does though, which is something you want to think about.

Anyway, since I didn't have much to say, I just wanted to remind you to think about your furry friends as the weather gets colder. Make sure all your family is warm and cozy this Winter, regardless of species.

Squeak soon,
Maizie

#Writing Wednesday - October 18th 2017

In case you missed my post about it from Monday:

"Frank The Friendly Ogre" is now available in audio, read for you by narrator Fred Theodore Fadick III.

You can buy the audio version from Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. See the post I just linked to for some links. There are links for the eBook and paperback editions in the post too, for those who prefer those formats.

Oh, and speaking of my books becoming available in audio: The blog tour for my degu books starts on Sunday, with posts on my own blog, as well as those of some nice people - many of whom are also authors - who have agreed to give me a spot on their blogs. I'll do a post round-up afterwards, like I did for the Toby books, so you can make sure you didn't miss anything. You especially don't want to miss the giveaway.

By the way, on the subject of giveaways, the ones for the Toby books are still open, since I haven't given away all the copies I'm offering. So, if you didn't enter and want a free set of the audiobooks, there's still time.

***

November is coming up fast, which means only one thing to many writers: NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is almost here. Will you be participating this year? If you haven't decided yet, this post discusses why you should do NaNoWriMo.

I won't be doing NaNoWriMo - despite the good reasons to do so - and won't even be setting my own personal challenge for it this year. I have enough going on this year as it is. If you'll be participating though, I wish you the best of luck.

Also, if you're doing NaNoWriMo this year, you may want to check out Rachel's NaNoWriMo posts, since she has a lot of great posts about getting ready for NaNoWriMo.

***

Titles - how important are they, and how do you come up with them? Check out the post I just linked to for some thoughts on the matter.

Regardless of your title, does writing feel like work or play to you? Or, perhaps, it's both? If you want to be serious about going somewhere with your writing, I hope it's both, because having that balance will help you through the more difficult aspects of writing. That's my opinion, anyhow. If you aren't finding your writing fun, it could be because of your fear of being judged and feeling like you aren't good enough, in which case you may want to take a look at this advice on overcoming the fear of judgement as a writer.

The other important thing you want to consider is when the best time to write is, because if you want to get any writing done, sometimes the best time to write is when works for your schedule. Bear in mind that, no matter when you write, if you've been struggling to get your writing time in, this next article could be the answer to why you haven't been able to make time to write - and how to fix that. Or, if inspiration is your problem rather than time, you might be interested in reading this post on finding and using writing prompts, which is a great reminder that inspiration can be found anywhere and everywhere.

Next, here are some tips on how to avoid some common punctuation mistakes. The article focusses on avoiding them in formal writing, but they're good things to try and avoid regardless of the type of writing you're doing.

No matter what you're writing, the age old advice about how you should write what you know is good advice. Just don't take that advice as literally as some people do.

Speaking of knowledge in writing: check out this great post on matching horses to use, climate, and character, so you can get it right in your own writing.

If there's a thief in your story, here are some things to think about when thieves have to work with others, because you often need them to do so.

Are you a self-published author who is confused about how much you should price your book at? You can use this price suggestion list as a guide. You don't have to go by those pricing rules, but it may help you to do so, and it's a good place to start if you aren't sure what price to use for your books.

Oh, and... On the subject of book sales... the CreateSpace eStore is closing. In short, links to books on the CreateSpace eStore will redirect to Amazon as from the end of October. Despite the fact I always give out my CreateSpace link for my paperbacks along with the others, people generally buy my paperbacks through Amazon rather than CreateSpace anyhow, so it's not a big deal from my point of view. I think it's the same for many authors, actually. I mean, royalties were better from the eStore, but that doesn't make much diffrence since sales rarely came from there. The issue that would be more likely to bother me would be the one mentioned in this post regarding the possibility of CreateSpace totally merging with Amazon. If they do so by offering all the options you get when publishing your paperbacks via CreateSpace, it wouldn't be so bad. But as it currently stands I don't think much of Amazon's own print book publication option. I don't mind the part about having to pay retail cost for books so much, but not being able to make sure the book is properly formatted before it goes on sale would bother me, as would not having it available to Canadian readers. Anyway, I've got the CreateSpace paperback links on my Smashwords book pages where it asks about the book being available in paperback. I'll leave those listed for now, because of the potentially better royalties until April. I suppose I'll have to change those at some point though.

Finally, here's something to think about if you've been asking yourself the question, "Should I give up writing?" Oh, and if it's because of certain writing myths you've been considering stopping writing, you might want to take a look at this list of myths about writing you need to stop believing.

Of Hallways And Windows - An Update

The scaffolding is gone! YAY! We've even had a lot of rain since and the hallway has stayed dry so far. It's amazing!

You know you've had scaffolding up for a long time when the pizza delivery guy congratulates you on getting rid of it. Haha!

Anyway, they still need to finish the decorating down there, and there was an issue where the guys who removed the scaffolding left the decorating equipment quite literally everywhere - including right in front of our door and that of one of the other people who live in the building - so we had to get the landlords to send someone to clean it up. We got them to do it partially because we were annoyed the guys they sent had left it like that, and partially because we actually couldn't even open our door safely in order to get out there to do it ourselves anyhow. The landlords were as annoyed as we were that the mess had been left though, and had someone back to clean it up pretty quickly. Luckily, our neighbour was out at the time, and it was cleaned up before she got back, because there's no way she'd have managed to get herself and the kids safely inside with how things were left (she has a five and a half year old and a baby of around three months old).

Anyway, we're crossing our fingers this is the end of the hallway saga, and they can just finish the decorating and be done with it. Actually, I'm personally crossing more than just my fingers, since I really, really, REALLY don't want the scaffolding back!

In other news: the windows are fixed!

Well, sort of.

The landlords agree that what they really need to do is replace them, but enough work has been done so that we can open and close them whenever we want - properly and safely - and when we close them to keep the bad weather out, it actually does stay outside where it belongs. It's only been a few weeks, and we're already seeing a very nice decrease in the cost of our heating bill, despite the fact it's been chilly and stormy a lot of the past month. We wish they'd actually done the full replacement, since that would have been better. But what they've done is a great improvement, so we're glad of it. The plan is for the actual replacement to happen some time next year - probably in late Spring, or in the Summer. We'll see what actually ends up happening though. In the meantime, at least this Winter promises to be a warmer one in our place than last Winter was.

#KidLit #FairyTale #Book - Frank The Friendly Ogre Now In #Audio!

Frank knew he didn’t belong in the swamp. He’s never been like the other ogres. He’s clean and polite, and they... Well, they’re not. So, one day, Frank set off in to the world to find somewhere he could belong. This is the story of that time in Frank’s life; join him as he searches for a place where an ogre like him can belong. After all, there has to be somewhere in the world where he can belong, doesn’t there?

Previously only available as an eBook or paperback, "Frank The Friendly Ogre" is now also available as an audiobook, read for you by Fred Theodore Fadick III.

Here are the main places where you can buy the book, regardless of the format you'd prefer:

Audible, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Chapters-Indigo, iBooks, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or The Book Depository.

You can also find the book on Goodreads.