Victoria Zigler's Blog: Zigler News, page 114

#Furkid Friday: Of #Chinchilla Hay Balls And Bells (FD)

Hi everyone! This is Maizie the chinchilla.

We chinchillas need lots of hay to eat. But my chinchilla sister, Mollie, and I don't really like to sleep in it, since we get too warm. Because of that, we have a habit of throwing it out of our bed, and then it ends up in places where we can't eat it (up to, and including, the floor around our cage). So the human caretakers got us this special ball to have hay from:



It's a toy and a hay rack in one, and hangs from our cage bars. Actually, it can be used for any nibbles the human caretakers don't want to just put in our food bowl - like fresh veggies, for example - but our human caretakers brought it especially to use for hay, and only use it for that so far.

They had to move my bell to put it where it is, because there was another place where the bell could go, but the size of that made it difficult to find another good place for it in our cage. I don't mind too much though. I mean, I'd complain if they took the bell away, but they haven't done that, and have given us this fun way to get hay. I say "my" bell, because Mollie doesn't play with the bell. I love it though, and use it both to play with and to get the attention of the human caretakers. They can tell which I'm doing by how I ring it: soft rings for play time, harder ones for attention.

Anyway, the human caretakers have tried getting a photo of us checking out the hay ball, but - as Mollie once said - we're not dogs, and we don't pose on command. We could if we wanted to, but we don't see why we should, and don't fall for the tricks they use on the Lilie dog. In other words, we're too smart for them, always know when they're coming with the flashy thing, and avoid being near it when they have the flashy thing ready. I have to give them credit though: they don't give up... They're still trying to get the photo they want. Well, let them try. Who knows, maybe one day we'll take pitty on them and let them get the photo after all? You never know...

Squeak soon,
Maizie

#Writing Wednesday - July 19th 2017

The paperback proof for "How To Trust Your Human" is on its way to me - in fact, the proof should arrive with me pretty soon - and all my other books are available as both eBooks and paperbacks already. So, now that I'm all caught up with getting the books available in both of those formats, I've decided to look in to getting my books available in audio too. Because, you know, I just like torturing myself by giving myself loads of work to do catching up with making my backlist of books available in a new format, since apparently juggling all the other writing related tasks in between the other things I do each day isn't enough for me.

Seriously though, audiobooks are pretty popular in general, as well as being a format that's popular with the visually impaired, so I've wanted to do this for a while. It would be cool if one day I could do braille too, but I'll worry about that later. For nowI'm looking in to getting my books available in audio via ACX, which makes the audiobooks available via Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.

Anyway, it might take a while - and not just because I have more than 50 titles out now - since I'm still figuring out how I'm meant to do it, and then I actually have to do the things required to go from wanting to have the books in audio to actually having them in audio. You can see what those things are via this checklist on the ACX site. So, as you can see, I'm starting to seriously look in to what's required. I'm even looking for extra tips by reading posts like this one on what you should know about audiobooks, and this interview from a narrator that gives some advice on how to get your books recorded as audiobooks, as well as getting tips from an author friend who also self-publishes and has her books available in audio.

Actually, to be honest, I set up the project pages for the first few books on the weekend. I've even had someone - in fact, a couple of people - interested in doing auditions for me already. As of yesterday (Tuesday) I have eight people who have auditioned, and am deciding which of the ones I like best I'm going to offer the job of narrator to. So, all being well, the first few books will be available in audio very soon. I'm starting with my "Toby's Tales" series, since that's the series I'm most eager to have easily accessable to the visually impaired, because the series deals with adapting after sight loss, as well as finding ways to make things accessable to blind people, so it seemed appropriate to do those books first.

I'm planning on starting work on the others soon, and am hoping to have several of them - at least - available before the end of this year. Basically, the plan is to do them a few at a time until I get caught up with my backlist, and then get new books produced as soon as possible after the release of the eBook versions. Regardless of how long it ends up taking, I'll let you know when each of my books start becoming available in audio, and provide details of where you'll be able to get copies if you want them.

In the meantime, I'm slowly attempting to make progress with writing that pirate story, which I'm also hoping to have available in at least eBook and paperback before the end of the year. Progress on it is slower than I'd like, but it's mostly my own fault. Some days I really don't have time to work on it, or am so exhausted all attempts to do so result in me sitting there doing nothing with the document open in front of me. But there have been times when I could have worked on it, and just didn't. Sometimes, I admit, this is because I decide to have some puppy play time instead of working. The story will get written though... Honest! If you're wondering, I'm not mentioning it by title, because I don't really have one I'm happy with yet.

I have been writing the odd poem from time to time too. Not many, but I've written a couple over the past few months, and will write more soon, I'm sure. You never know, I may also be ready to get that new pet themed poetry collection I mentioned earlier this year ready to be released before the end of this year too... I only need a couple more poems to make it long enough to be worthwhile publishing. But then, I might not do it until next year. We shall see. My priority for now is working on the pirate story and at least making a start on audiobook production arrangements.

Anyhow, as I said last week, if you missed seeing my post about the Smashwords 2017 Summer/Winter Sale, you may want to check that out, and take advantage of the chance to get some great book bargains.

St Leonards Festival 2017 (FD)

On July 1st 2017, we went to the anual local festival. Well, part of it. There was stuff happening the night before, stuff happening later that day, and plenty of other stuff happening in other parts of town at the same time as the stuff we went too as well, but some of it we didn't know about in time to go to, and some of it we didn't want to go to. Regardless, we found ourselves spending several hours of Saturday July 1st on the beach, eating chips (as in fries) and ice-cream, while enjoying the entertainment. It was perfect weather for it too: warm but not hot, and dry (well, until later some time, when it rained, but we were home by then so I don't care about that).

Anyway, we arrived just as this guy was starting his performance:


His name is David Mosey. He was pretty good. Not a musician I'd rush out to buy music by, perhaps, but certainly entertaining.

Lilie was with us, of course. This was her first time going to anything like this, and she dealt with it really well. She handled the crowds and the noises better than a lot of dogs do. I think she enjoyed herself meeting dogs and people of all kinds, being petted and admired, and sometimes getting one of the treats she knew I had for her in my pocket...


Lilie wasn't even concerned by the giant balloon man, who we also watched perform...


She didn'd even flinch when some of his balloons popped.

She wasn't quite so fond of the marching band from the parade though. When it was marching past at a bit of a distance, she was fine. But it came so close to us I could have reached out and touched them at one point, and apparently that was too close for her liking. She didn't mind us following the parade home - which we did, since their route took them past our place, and there wasn't much to see where we were after they'd gone, so we figured we might as well - but when they stopped to perform for a while near to our building, so we overtook them, she got scared again. Maizie, on the other hand, was spotted moving to the beat of the marching band (though she stopped the moment she realized she was being watched, and tried to look innocent). Anyway, here are some photos of the parade:


I can't help but wonder if the neighbours who saw us walking along behind the parade thought we were part of it. Wouldn't it be funny if they did?

July 2017 #Vegetarian Friendly #Food Themed Thoughts (FD)

Are you a vegetarian looking for some different recipe ideas for Summer?

Check out this list of ideas for Summer.

Several of them are vegan friendly too.

#Furkid Friday: The #Chinchilla Cooling Slab

Hi everyone. This is Mollie the chinchilla.

To help me and my chinchilla sister, Maizie, deal with the hot weather, the human caretakers got us a special slab that gives us something cool to lay on. They put it under the arch of our log house, since that's our favourite place to be. Here are a couple of photos of us on it. The first one is me, the second is Maizie. You can see the slab under me the best.



We absolutely love having it to lay on, and - combined with the fan the human caretakers have set up right near our cage to keep the air circulating, and stop the heat getting to us too much - it's really helped us to deal with those hot days. Air conditioning would be even better, but the human caretakers don't have that, so they're doing the best they can with what they have. Even if we get cranky when we get too hot, we do appreciate the fact they're trying to keep us cool and comfortable.

Squeak soon,
Mollie

#Writing Wednesday - July 12th 2017

"Killing your darlings" - as they put it - is hard. Every writer knows that. So, here are four ways to make a scene matter, which will give your scenes a chance to avoid ending up on the cutting room floor, so to speak. Another thing that might help save your scene is by reading this post on filter words and phrases to avoid in writing fiction, and seeing how the tips in it can help you. Actually, that post will potentially help in the re-writing and editing phases, regardless of whether your scene is in danger of being deleted or not.

Speaking of editing - and whether you plan to hire a professional editor or not - you may wish to check out these useful tips for self-editing a manuscript.

Of course, before you can edit, you need to write something. So, let's focus on that for a moment...

OK, so... Here's a little reminder to stop changing hats when it comes to your characters. In other words, don't force your character to become something they're not to fit the way you want the story to go. If you can't be consistent with your character and still have the story head in the direction you wanted to, you need to find some other way to make it work. Either that, or you have to change your plans for the story.

Another thing you should avoid is information dumping. One way to avoid this is to have a bard in your story. This works best in fantasy, but it can work in other genres too. So... Have you been considering including a bard in your story? If you have, here are some tips to writing bards in fiction.

Regardless of what kinds of characters your book contains though, you might want to distinguish your characters with dialect.

Also, don't forget that - regardless of whether your ideas come from real life experiences or not - you need to write fiction that is believable.

Finally, if you missed seeing my post from Sunday about the Smashwords 2017 Summer/Winter Sale, you may want to go check that out.

#Fantasy #Book: "The Life & Times of Ichabod Brooks" by @cyallowitz

Spend your summer with Ichabod Brooks in this 11 story collection! $2.99 on Amazon![caption id="attachment_20595" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Cover Art by Circecorp[/caption]

Enter the world of Windemere with 11 action adventure short stories featuring a man who is out to make an honest living.

Some heroes seek fame. Some seek fortune. Others simply want to save the world. Ichabod Brooks only wants to put food on the table for his family.

Known and respected as the man who can get any job done, Ichabod has seen his share of adventure. Most of which have been highly exaggerated by bards. Still, the man has his famous reputation for a reason. Whether it be climbing a temperamental mountain for eggs or escorting orphans to their new homes, Ichabod takes every job seriously and makes sure he is as prepared as he can be. Not that it helps since things always take a turn for the worse.
Available on Amazon!
Add it on Goodreads!

Excerpt: Preparing for Galaces

“Is this any way to greet an old friend?” a dwarf in dark gray chainmail asks before plugging his ears with his dark red beard. Wanting the bard to stop, the mountaineer marches over and puts a hand over the young woman’s mouth. “Are you supposed to use her as bait? I did hear there’s a hobgoblin pack that moved in a few months ago. You know how those drooling scavengers love elf flesh.”

“Sorry about that, Dex. She latched on at my last stop and I haven’t been able to shake her off,” Ichabod replies, shaking his guide’s hand. He rubs his own black and white beard at the sight of how his friend shows no sign of graying. “I have to give this one credit for tenacity, but this is where we part ways. Galaces Mountain is not a place to go unless you have experience, an excellent guide, and common sense. So far, I don’t see you having any of those things and I’m not going to babysit.”

“I must go. That’s the only way I can write about your newest adventure,” the bard insists, unwittingly proving Ichabod right. She crosses her arms and meets the icy stare of the dwarf, who she considers leaving out of her tale. “Being the first to speak of your climb will help my reputation. I promise not to cause any trouble and pull my own weight. Elves are graceful and agile, which makes us perfect companions for whatever it is you’re doing. Besides, Galaces Mountain doesn’t look like that bad a climb. The stories must be nothing more than colorful exaggerations.”

Ichabod puts on a pair of white-palmed gloves and slips a blue band on his finger, a charge going through his body to enhance his lungs. “I suddenly relate very well to this mountain. Take a look at the empty space between us and Galaces. You’ll see why this place has earned a reputation.”

The bard puts her lute over her shoulder and walks to the yellow rope, which sparks with a mild magic. At first, she is unsure of what she is supposed to pay attention to among the shrubs and fallen rocks. It takes the elf a few minutes to recognize weather worn bones sticking out from under a boulder. The limbs are splayed since the climber plummeted with the rough stone pressed against his back and the landing embedded him in the ground. Knowing what to look for, the bard realizes that there are at least ten old corpses hidden by the mountain’s litter. The bard spots the fresh body of a yellow-skinned creature sitting behind a shrub, the armored creature crumpled from landing butt first after its fall. She is about to ask a question when a small pain runs up her arm and she collapses into a magical slumber.

“Guess that’s more humane than knocking her on the head,” Dex mentions while Ichabod carries the young woman to the dwarf’s cart. He shields his eyes as he stares at the churning clouds that have been trapped around the peak. “Looks like the eagles captured a storm beneath their nest this year. Means the winds are going to be brutal and the tunnels are infested with horned spiders and revelers. Not going to be an easy trip. Sure, you don’t want someone else to take this contract?”

“I’d love to hand this off to someone else, but Chef Zyrk always insists that I take the job. I have no injuries, diseases, or family events, so I’m here,” Ichabod replies, sheathing his sleep-inducing shortsword. As an afterthought, he grabs a horse blanket and tosses it over the bard to hide her from view. “The Starwind Eagles lay eggs every ten years and now is the time to get to them. Wait any longer and the mountain will be crawling with hunters. A youngster wouldn’t know that or have you as a guide.”

The dwarf grins as he lifts the rope and gestures for his friend to lead the way. “They also don’t have your wife making deals that you can’t say no to. She mentioned that you’re getting three times the usual pay because this baby is going to be prepared for Duke Solomon’s wedding. Personally, I’m looking forward to your wife’s cooking after this. Surprised your gut isn’t huge considering that woman can make a pot roast even the gods would praise. Did you happen to bring some of her dishes for the road?”

“I can cook too, you know.”

“You can bake, Ichabod. Not the same as cooking in my book.”

“So you don’t want the cookies I brought.”

“Oatmeal and cranberry?”

“With a touch of cinnamon.”

*****

About the Author:Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After his wife decided that she was tired of hearing the same stories repeatedly, she convinced him that it would make more sense to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house under orders to shut up and get to work, Charles brings you Legends of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you, and his wife is happy he finally has someone else to play with.

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Website: www.charleseyallowitz.com

#Smashwords #SummerWinterSale2017 - #eBooks For #FREE And On #SALE!

It's time for the Smashwords 2017 Summer/Winter Sale!

All of my books - including my new release - are enrolled at 50% off. This means they'll range in price from absolutely free to $2.50. Either way, you have the potential chance to snap up a great bargain during this event.

To grab your copies of any of my books, simply go to my Smashwords page, pick your book, add it to your cart, and enter coupon code SSW50 in the box at checkout.

Yes, it is the same code for all of my books. This is a sitewide promotion, so the code is used to get any books that are 50% off during this event, which means all of mine, and many by other authors too.

Yes, you can use the code multiple times. As I said, it's a sitewide promotion, so it's the same code for all books that are 50% off during the Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale.

Yes, that purchase does give you access to all formats Smashwords offers, which means there will be a format that works for you, regardless of your tablet or eReader of choice. In fact, if you can read this post, you can read my books.

Yes, this is exclusively on Smashwords. But creating an account with them is free and easy, so you could always sign up if you don't have an account but want to take advantage of the discounted eBooks.

Plenty of other authors have their books enrolled too, so don't forget to browse the list of books on sale. Remember to double check the available formats from other authors though, since - unlike me - some authors don't take advantage of all the options for available formats.

The sale ends on July 31st 2017, so you have until then to get your hands on some free and discounted eBooks.

Tell your friends, family, neighbours, co-workers, random people you meet on the street... Anyone really!

#Furkid Friday: About Joshua The #Degu's #Book

Hi everyone. This is Joshua the degu.

I don't know if you heard, but the Mummy human and I released a book together at the start of this week. Click here tosee the post she wrote about it. Her post gives you full details on where you can buy it, but here's the book's Smashwords link for you again, since it's half price on there with coupon code SSW50 until July 31st 2017.

It says it's about a degu named Buddy, but it's actually my story, and explains about how I learned to trust the human caretakers again after losing my brothers. In case you're wondering: I'm using the name Buddy for the book so as not to confuse it with the books I appear in with my brothers. Buddy is a name the Mummy human especially has always used for us, which my brothers and I all answered to; Buddy is what the human caretakers used to call us if they weren't too sure which of us they were talking to - since we were tough to tell apart - and they still use it for me now sometimes... Out of habit, I suppose. For more about me and the book, take a look at the links in the Mummy human's post from Wednesday.

Anyway, I really hope you'll at least consider buying my book, as well as the two I'm in with my brothers - which are called "The Great Degu Round-Up" and "A Very Degu Christmas" - if you haven't already done so. Oh, and tell your friends about them too, OK?

Squeak soon,
Joshua

#Writing Wednesday - July 5th 2017

In case you missed Monday's post....

The story of how I taught Joshua the degu to trust me again after we lost his brothers last year - which is called "How To Trust Your Human" - is now officially released!

If you're interested, why not hop over to Chris The Story Reading Ape's blog and check out my guest post on the inspiration behind the book. By the way, thanks for putting that post up, Chris, and thanks to everyone who shared it.

My thanks also go out to Alex for the post on her blog, and Kevin for the post on his blog, which helped spread the word about the release, as well as to everyone who took the time to share my posts and theirs.

Finally, if you brought the book - or do so in the near future - then my thanks go out to you too. If you do buy a copy, I'd really appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a review. It's not required, but reviews help both authors and readers, so I would be extremely grateful if you did so. Thanks in advance! For more on this, check out Chris's post on the subject of leaving reviews.