Toi Thomas's Blog, page 100

ToiBox Blog Weekly Recap 9/14/13

Check out my Recent Posts links to see what I was up to last week.

I started out the week with Sample Sunday 11-It’s Like the Full Moon, chapter 2.1

Next there was My Geekdom 03: D.C. Comics post.

Then Darlene Jones stopped by to talk about “My Friend, Uzo”.

I added to my Character Files a biography of Rebecca.

I observed Patriot Day U.S.A.

I made my monthly contribution to the weekly WWW Wednesday meme.

Then it was time for a WIP Update.

After that I kindly asked for your votes before…

Finally revealing the new cover of Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel.

I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself this week and enjoy a very pleasant weekend.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: author, biography, blessings, blogging, book cover, books, character, culture, discussion, entertainment, fashion, geek, interviews, journal, life, likes, lists, reading, reveal, reviews, sample, wip

Cover Reveal- Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel

So, this is the new cover of my book which is soon to be re-released.

What do you think? Seriously, I want to know.

Take Our Poll

Don’t forget to vote for me to have a chance to be included in the Authors Show’s “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading”, if you are so inclined. See side panel.

This is an unofficial Author Insights post. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Author Insights, EC: Giovanni's Angel Tagged: angels, book cover, dark, discussion, fantasy, good vs evil, poll, reveal

WIP Update 07

**Cover Reveal!!!…Tomorrow!!!

Sorry if I got you all excited, but I wanted you know that I’ll be revealing the new cover of Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel tomorrow so I can focus on this WIP update today.

I’m asking that any and all who happen to stop by tomorrow, please, leave a comment about the cover. I really want to know what you think. Good, bad, weird, or how does it compare to the older covers if you’ve seen those?

–

Now, here’s the update:

Distraction is bad word I try to not say for fear it will overtake me, but I’m afraid it has. I’ve been distracted by a great many things including getting back into the rhythm of going to a day job every weekday. So, for that reason this update isn’t as robust as I would like for it to be, but I do have a few tidbits to share.

I’m still making headway on Soloman’s Swords and am finishing up Full Moon to the point where I think I’m ready to read through the first draft from beginning to end to see where more needs to be added. I never realized how difficult it would be to conclude this story, but after building up the characters and the intertwining of all the relationships, it is almost emotional. I’ve never been a love triangle kind of person, I just don’t like them, but that’s exactly what I’ve written here, and I’ve taken it to a level I never thought I could…Don’t jump to conclusions. Remember you’re in the PG/PG-13 zone here.

I’m am actually happy to announce that I’m working with a few of the authors I’ve interviewed on a little project that I think will prove an interesting and entertaining read for book lovers.  Think “conversations in a book” with excerpts and you’ll be close, but this isn’t going to be some drab list of Q&A and a blah excerpt at the end. More on that later.

Still working on my short stories, maybe next week I’ll have an update on that.

Feeling a little lost about what’s going on in this post? Just see the side panel and search My Topics, WIP Updates, to get all caught up. Also check my WIP tab to see what else I may be working on.

Do you have a WIP update to share?

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Full Moon, WIP Updates Tagged: author, books, character, fiction, process, wip, writing

Your Vote Is Kindly Requested

You may click image to vote.

My soon to be re-released book Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel has qualified me for a chance to be included in The Author Show.com “50 Greatest Writers You Should Be Reading” publication under the category of Christian Fiction (I thought it was Faith-based fiction, but who can keep up with these labels?). I wasn’t excepting this opportunity, but it’s here and I’m very excited. Please consider giving me your vote. If you need more convincing, simply take a few moments to read the essay I’ve written about my writing journey. After you’ve read the essay, go to where it says “Click here to vote” if you would like to show your support.

Voting ends November 1, 2013.

Thank you all for the support you’ve shown me so far. I hope to make you all proud.

This is an unofficial Author Insights post.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Author Insights, Uncategorized Tagged: author, award, Christian, contest, fantasy, fiction, vote

Today is Patriot Day U.S.A.

Today is a day to remember the attacks on September 11, 2001. Do you remember where you were when it happened? Have you lost someone to this great tragedy? My heart goes out to all people of the world who’ve been affected by acts of terrorism. Maybe one day we’ll live in a world where our differences aren’t a reason for war.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: holiday, life

WWW Wednesday 9/11/13

WWW WEDNESDAYS… is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B of “Should Be Reading”, where you share: (1)What you’re currently reading, (2)What you recently finished reading, and (3)What you think you’ll read next.

As I am only contributing to this meme on a monthly basis, while comments and shares are welcomed here, be sure to visit Should Be Reading each week to see who’s reading what.

1. What am I currently reading?

I’m loving Sacrifice just as I thought I would, but I’ve managed, as usual, to prolong completing it by piling on other reads in the process. I’ve been in a weird mood of trying new and different things, and while I’m liking it so far, I’ll have to grab a good fantasy read soon. (Bridge of Deaths, Chasing the Avatar, Pride and Prejudice)

From GoodReads
Sacrifice (Gryphon #3) by Stacey Rourke

From GoodReads
The Bridge of Deaths by M.C.V. Egan

From GoodReads
Chasing the Avatar by Jovan Jones

From GoodReads
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

2. What did I recently finish reading?

Two down in the Dryad Quartet so no sense in stopping now. I’ll have to find a copy of the next one at some point. I started and finished the Grim Fairy Tales and Mercury Falls much quicker than I had expected and I, of course, breezed right through Batman: Death Mask.

From GoodReads
Firefight in Darkness (Dryad Quartet #2) by Katie Jennings

From GoodReads
Grimm’s Fairy Stories by Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm

From GoodReads
Mercury Falls (Mercury Series #1) by Robert Kroese

From GoodReads Deadblood by L.A. Little

3. What do I think I’ll read next?

I’m going to give Seraphina another try. I started this book before and enjoyed what I read, but somehow got pulled away from it and just never went back. I’m going to start from scratch and give this book the attention I hope it deserves. Artemis Fowl, The Woodcutter, The Guardian’s Apprentice, and Angels Without Wings have interesting covers and blurbs that may entice me into picking up at least one of them up fairly soon.

From GoodReads
Seraphina (Seraphina #1) by Rachel Hartman

From GoodReads
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl #1) by Eoin Colfer

From GoodReads
The Woodcutter by Kate Danley

From GoodReads
The Guardian’s Apprentice (Beyond the Veil #1) by J. Michael Radcliffe

From GoodReads
Angels Without Wings: Genesis of a Hero by Chris Smith

What is your WWW Wednesday?

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Memes Tagged: books, try this

Character Files from the ToiBox 26: Rebecca aka Becca – Bio

 

Biography:  Subject FM 1-Becca

Rebecca Tinsdale is born to a wealthy family that eventually breaks up and teaches her first lesson on life, nothing lasts forever. Rebecca is not an optimist, but she’s also definitely not a pessimist. Seeing her parents divorce at a young age didn’t cause her to disbelieve in love, but losing the one man she ever loved, did.

Rebecca is surrounded by people who love and adore her and as long as no one speaks of romance, she’s happy. She’s a devoted daughter, sister, and niece, and even though she’s been in a steady relationship for about seven years, she knows it isn’t love and has no intention of getting married. Of course her intentions account for nothing when her beau goes and asks her to marry him.

Luckily for Rebecca she has a best friend who’s always there to help her keep a grip on reality. Rebecca has a lot to deal with: family drama, friend drama, and now relationship drama, but she handles it all with grace. Turning thirty didn’t get her down in the dumps. What it did do was give her a sense of needing to settle down, not that she was moving that fast. The only problem now is decided who to settle down with.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Character Files, Full Moon Tagged: character, contemporary fiction, fiction, friends, profile, romance

My Friend, Uzo by Darlene Jones

provided by D. Jones

Let me introduce you to Uzo

I don’t remember how we met. Uzo reminds me that he was surfing WordPress looking for authors, found my blog, and read some of the posts about Mali. He made a comment, I responded and a new friendship was born.

Uzo is a young Nigerian with a blog. He lives in Asaba, Delta State (South-South Nigeria), one of the oil producing states in his country. I’m an older Canadian with a blog. I live a world away (in so many respects) on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Uzo writes novels. I write novels. Uzo writes in English, which is not his first language. As he says, “English is quite a vast language. Every day is a learning process for me.”

We begin by talking about books. We both like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I’d read Half a Yellow Sun. He told me about Purple Hibiscus. Here’s what he had to say about that book. “Purple Hibiscus is a wonderful story. Adichie did a marvelous job there from the first person pov. Kambili’s account is so real and reflects the life of a rich, caged Igbo child-woman during one of the military regimes in Nigeria.”  We’re both anxious to read Americanah.

Uzo says, “I’m a no-good writer. I’m just a wannabe like you guys call it.” On the contrary, Uzo is a powerful writer. Here’s a sample.

Although the Liberian war is now over, I cannot wish away the memories. There are nights in my sleep when I still find myself dressed in army uniform, AK-47 ready. On these nights I hear the voices of parents calling their children; others joking, shouting: “Where’s your bunker?” The air cracks and I hear the sounds of diving jets and stuttering LMGs. Fire, blood, bullets and bodies everywhere. Things soon simmer to normal as danger passes. People fill the streets, young boys and girls going on various errands. Then he appears in a blood-stained enemy uniform. His oily dark face is teased with abandon. He’s about to aim his rifle at me. In my dreams, he dies in different ways. I’m his killer. Something tells me that he is my son. But I’m too afraid to believe it.

I’m not a professional editor, but I’ve offered to help Uzo with his English as he’d be drained if he had to pay an editor, so files are sent back and forth. I’m careful not to tamper with the uniqueness of his voice.

Only the eyes that moved swiftly would see the legs that desperately sprinted across the farms and pathways. Thereafter thoughts would arise if the runner was after something, or rather, was the prey.

Beautiful, right? And yes, my life, as a person and as a writer, is richer for having met him. That’s the beauty of the Internet…

To see the rest of this article and learn more about Uzo and  Darlene Jones, visit the ECS blog.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Guest Posts Tagged: being overwhelmed, blogging, friends, illness, life, social networing, stories, try this, writing

My Geekdom 03: D.C. Comics

Pins from Pinterest that inspire me and indulge my geekness. http://pinterest.com/toinette_thomas/my-geekdom/

Please do not copy this image.
Click this image to visit Pinterest
and share, share, share

You’re going to see tons of superheroes in these posts, so go ahead and accept it now.

It’s no secret that I have a thing for superheroes, but why is it that I like D.C. and the JLA so much? They are not the only dynamic group of heroes, all coming from different backgrounds and experiences to unite and fight against evil, but there is something unique about them. The D.C. Universe is one of my favorite alternate realities. All the people and place are similar to reality, but there’s no real sense of true danger. I don’t have to worry about what happens if Darksied attacks Metropolis because it’s not a real place.

In my writing I like to blur fiction and reality. I include places that really exist along with places I’ve made up. That’s doesn’t mean that I won’t be creating other worlds of my own. I will, just not in the Eternal Curse Series.

Please visit the Eternal Curse Series blog to see previous My Geekdom posts you may have missed.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: My Geekdom Tagged: author, blogging, comic books, D.C., geek, good vs evil, heroes, inspiration, Pinterest, process, try this, writing

Sample Sunday 11

Here is approximately 100 – 150 words from a randomly selected original piece for your enjoyment. These samples may include excerpts from my Eternal Curse Series, but will currently exclude excerpts from EC: Giovanni’s Angel. Please visit the ECS blog to read samples from that installment of the series.

It’s Like the Full Moon chapter 2.1(wip)

TiTi Lucy replied. “I tell you it was the grace of God,” she said in an almost whisper. “We all know that I’m not the best driver, but that guy was totally drunk when he hit me. It was a miracle I wasn’t hurt. I ended up getting a nice settlement and a new car. I even took some driving lessons so I wouldn’t wreck Shelli the first week I had her… That’s my car’s name. It’s she pretty?” asked TiTi. They all stared at her new custom luxury SVU with all its sparkle and shook their heads as they smiled.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Full Moon, Samples Tagged: contemporary fiction, drama, fiction, friends, romance, wip