A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 182
September 28, 2014
Sunday Surprise
Originally posted on creative barbwire (or the many lives of a creator):
My name is Brenda de Zorig and I’m a journalist for the Konigtown Gazette. I’ve been on the road for years as an actress in an itinerant company, but eventually decided to go back to my hometown to start living of the thing I like the most – writing. So while I write my Masterpiece, I took this job at the Gazette and they send me on various assignments… I thought I might as well starting interviewing random people. Since I intend to write fiction, but truth is always stranger than fiction, I’m eager to hear about people out there – on my world or beyond.
So… oh, hi there, little one! Tell me a little about yourself.
“I’m Polly, and I’m 8 years old!”
Describe your appearance in ten words or less.
“Small, with sapphire blue eyes, golden-blonde hair, and freckles.”
Do you have an enemy or nemesis?…
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The Sunday Show – Chris, The Story Reading Ape – Payback time.
Originally posted on Smorgasbord - Variety is the spice of life:
Chris the Story Reading Ape is a friend to Indie Authors across all genres and abilities. Apart from opening up his blog up to writers to promote themselves and their books, he also provides some excellent posts in the form of tutorials that are very valuable for both experienced and novice writers.
When I broached the subject of an interview I was delighted when Chris very kindly said he would be happy to guest on the Sunday show. This presents quite a challenge as The Story Reading Ape is an enigma to say the least and you will find very little information as to his background online so I was excited about the prospect of finding out a little more. And, I am also pleased to be able to repay some of the hospitality that Chris has shown to writers like me who welcome any chance to showcase our own…
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September 26, 2014
Returning Author Juliet B Madison – Thriller/Crime Best Served Cold Blog Tour
I’d like to welcome back author Juliet B Madison as part of the Best Served Cold Blog Tour
Please recap briefly about your books:
I have written five UK based Police procedural novels and 2 volumes of novellas about my detective creation DI Frank Lyle. The novels already published are Second Chances, Heir to Misfortune, Unholy Alliance, Murder in the Wings and Best served Cold, which was released this week after being available for pre-order since August.. The books are set in the 1980s and early 1990s when forensic science wasn’t advanced as today and people actually talked to each other without computers, ipads and cell phones.
Give us a bit of information about your primary character(s).
DI Frank Lyle is five months short of his fiftieth birthday at the beginning of the latest release, Best Served Cold. He is dedicated to truth and getting justice for those with no voice. He is a devoted father and family man and even gets on well with his ex wife, Sarah, these days. In the last book Frank’s adult son, James, came out and is a relationship with one his father’s junior officers, DS Thomas Fox. Frank and his current wife, Jayseera, are very supportive of James & Thomas’ relationship.
Sort these into order of importance: Great characters; great world-building; solid plot; technically perfect. Can you explain why you chose this order? (Yes I know they all are important…)
In terms of crime fiction I believe a solid plot MUST come first. Great characters second because if you can’t like and believe in the detective solving the case then your readers will lose interest. You also have to portray interesting criminal types to keep the reader guessing. In terms of police procedurals you have to be technically and forensically accurate, for example there would be a real faux pas in describing DNA analysis in a crime novel set in the 1960s. World building, well I have developed the fictional city of Ashbeck over the course of the novels and if you’re writing in a series you can build. If you’re writing a stand-alone then world building would be higher on the list. so my order goes Solid plot, great characters, technically perfect and great world-building.
Do you self-edit? If so why is that the case? Do you believe a book suffers without being professionally edited?
My good friend, Katrina Bowlin-Mackenzie, edits my work for nothing because I can’t afford professional editing services. I have seen glaring errors in some traditionally published books as all writers and editors are fallible. I don’t know where I’d be without Katrina to be honest because she spots so many things I miss.
Do you think indie/self-published authors are viewed differently to traditionally published authors? Why do you think this might be?
Yeah, people tend to look down their snotty noses at Indie/self published authors, but anyone waiting to be snapped up by the so called Big 5 will have a long wait. Just because Indie’s don’t get 6 figure advances, in house publicity teams and 20 book contracts doesn’t mean we write less well. The Fifty Shades of Shit oops I mean grey trilogy is proof that traditional publishers don’t always know poor quality when they read it. And just don’t let me get started on Kobogate…
Do you read work by self-published authors?
Apart from the odd Agatha Christie or Peter Robinson I rarely read much else. My favourite Indie writers include John Holt, Gerry McCullough, Tricia Drammeh, David Menon, Tom Winton, Kristen Stone and Malika Gandhi.
What aspect of writing do you least enjoy? Why might this be?
The blurb is probably the worst bit as it’s a fine line between enticing the reader and giving too much away.
What are your best marketing/networking tips? What are your worst?
Be visible on social media, start your own Facebook pages about your characters or series, interview other authors on your blog. Have eye catching cover designs. My friend, John Holt (author of the brilliant Tom Kendall Private Detective series) has designed all the DI Frank Lyle Mystery series covers. People who don’t help out others by sharing and tweeting their work can be hard to contend with as it should be a two-way street. It can be hard, but try not let bad reviews drag you down and keep moaning about them, okay so the reviewer probably only read the free sample, it’s their loss so move on. I don’t think I have any worst tips.
When buying a book do you read the reviews?
No, because they’re just one person’s opinion. I go by the product description, if I like the sound of the book from that I buy it.
Can you name your worst job? Do you think you learned anything from the position that you now use in your writing?
Yes, my current office cleaning job. Well I base descriptions of untidy people’s residences on the crap I have to clean up on a week nightly basis but you just can’t learn from a job that kills about 6,000 brain cells a minute due to acute lack of mental stimulation.
What are your plans for the future? When will we see your next book? Tell us about it.
I have made a start on the next full length DI Lyle book Dead on Arrival, which should be out in the late spring. I am also working on a DI Lyle novella, A Murder-free Christmas, which will be available to pre-order from mid November. I’m also working to promote Best served Cold. This is the blurb.
.. DI Lyle is about to get a glimpse into the murky world of political activism and hate crime; the murder of a prominent city councillor is just the tip of the iceberg.
The city of Ashbeck is on high alert when news breaks that convicted triple murderer and paedophile Bob Kenyon has escaped from custody.
Can DI Lyle and his team get to the bottom of this murky mess before another atrocity occurs?
You can buy Best Served Cold
You can catch up with Juliet B Madison
Blog: http://julietmadisoncrimeauthor.wordpress.com/
Twitter @JulietBMadison
Facebook There are a number of DI Lyle related pages on Facebook but here is a small selection.
https://www.facebook.com/servedcold/
https://www.facebook.com/Lylefanzunited/
https://www.facebook.com/JulietMadisonCrimeAuthor/
https://www.facebook.com/TheDIFrankLyleMysterySeries/
September 25, 2014
Are You There, Reader?
What causes a book to be banned? You’d be surprised…
Originally posted on Eleventh Stack:
Graphic courtesy of the
American Library Association.
My feeling in the beginning was wait, this is America: we don’t have censorship, we have, you know, freedom to read, freedom to write, freedom of the press, we don’t do this, we don’t ban books. But then they did.
Judy Blume, The Guardian (July 2014)
I read Foreverby Judy Blume in the 6th grade. (Incidentally, that’s the same year I discovered the Flowers in the Attic series. I’m eternally grateful that I read Forever first; who knows what I would have thought of sex otherwise.) Of course I passed it along to my friends. One friend in particular kept getting “caught” with it (seriously, worst hider ever.) Her mother returned it to me twice. She told me if I gave it to her daughter again, she’d tell my mom. And I was like, “Lady, who do you…
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Earth is gone – It is survival or die. Revolution coming – The Dawning of a new age …
Sounds interesting:)
Originally posted on Dreaming...:
The Heretic (Beyond the Wall Book 1) [Kindle Edition]
Lucas Bale(Author)
“World building is one of Bale’s strengths and he has created something which draw readers in and hooks them for the next instalment. It’s the easy familiarity of several other genre favourites, ranging from A Song of Ice and Fire to Farscape and Star Wars, alongside a wonderful Firefly vibe, and coupled with Bale’s unique and ambitious take, that makes The Heretic an enjoyable and compelling read.”
Michael Patrick Hicks, author of Convergence
“Lucas Bale’s debut novel is gripping, suspenseful science fiction. It seizes you right from the first word, and the chase scene at the climax of the story is some of the finest writing I’ve seen in the genre.”
Alex Roddie, author of The Atholl Expedition and The Only Genuine Jones
“One to watch.”
Eve Seymour, author of The Last Exile and Resolution to Kill
“An…
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September 24, 2014
Can I Get a ThunderClap Over Here?
Originally posted on Laurie Boris, Freelance Writer:
It might sound like a particularly virulent case of a disease you don’t want, but a ThunderClap does not require a trip to the clinic. It’s a crowdfunding social media deal that is totally free for your network of friends to participate in. If you’d like to get a whole lot of social media attention all at once—say, for the launch of a book, she said coyly—you set up your event, share your link, and when you hit the minimum number of supporters…BAM! It glitter-bombs the interwebs.
Okay, not literally. But if you get 100 people to agree to support your message, via Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, every single tweet and post is released on the day of your choosing, amplifying your message.
If you don’t hit the 100-mark, you get bupkes.
Mine was set up for me by the lovely folks at Book Partners in Crime, but it looks…
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Interview with A.L. Butcher
Here’s my interview on the Platinum Journal
Originally posted on The Platinum Journal:
What happens when a lonely magician finds companionship with a creature of the storm?
Storm-Born is one of five short stories in Tales of Erana, an enchanting anthology that links fun adventures, jealous magic, and strong, sometimes mortal characters. Seriously, what more could you want from a fantasy book?!
Without further ado, we bring you our conversation with A.L. Butcher herself!
1. Please tell us a little about your book. What inspired you to write this book?
The book I’d like to discuss is Tales of Erana: Myths and Legends. It’s a collection of short stories set in the world of Erana, a fantasy world of elves, magic and mischief where magic is forbidden but persists. The stories range from a tale about a wise old herbalist imparting her final knowledge to gods who love mortals and the strife that brings. Most of the stories take place before the events of the novels the book…
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September 22, 2014
Author Interview Sixty-Seven – Barbara G. Tarn Revisited.
I’d like to welcome back author Barbara G.Tarn
Please recap briefly about your books: I’m the prolific writer who keeps putting out 25 titles per year, but sometimes it’s rewrites of old stories, sometimes it’s translations and only a third is brand new stuff.
What has changed since you last visited? Tell us your news! This year’s new stuff is about the Assassins Guild of Godwalkar, first mentioned last year in Saif’s Legacy and now in my Wyrd Worlds 2 story Guisarme. The other stories will come out between October and December.
Do you think indie/self-published authors are viewed differently to traditionally published authors? Why do you think this might be? I went to Loncon this year. I felt even more invisible than at Chicon. The fans aren’t aware of us – or maybe the Worldcon is for old people who are not aware of the ebook revolution – so we’ll never be nominated for a Hugo, unless we sell a short story to a traditional market that would put us in front of everybody’s eyes. The worldcon is still traditional publishing kingdom at this time, unfortunately. Hopefully things will change soon! :)
Looking back what do you wish you’d known when you started writing? I started writing longhand on a notebook long before the internet! What I see now with new writers is lack of patience. They want to get rich with one or two books. They don’t write because that’s a way of life. I could stop publishing (which is something I’ve started doing in the new millennium), but I’d never stop writing. And I’m grateful things are changing in the publishing world, allowing little me to put my work out there!
How have you progressed as a writer since you started? I’ve learned some writing techniques and can now write fluently in two languages (saves the money of translations in this global world, LOL!). I also learned to reduce my casts and move slower (some of my old stories read like summaries with dialogues), showing more and telling less, although I’m still not too fond of descriptions. I have a dry prose because that’s why I like to read.
What are your best marketing/networking tips? What are your worst? As long as you have fun, anything goes. Nobody knows the perfect recipe, so experiment with what you’re comfortable with. A friend of mine asked if blogging is still necessary. I don’t know, I do it because I enjoy doing it. When I won’t have anything left to say, I’ll stop. As for social networks, I use only Facebook and Goodreads, but your mileage may vary! ;) Oh, and my #1 rule for marketing is “write the next book”! Announce the birth of your latest baby and go back to writing, without obsessing with sales!
What are your views on authors offering free books? It might work to spread the name… I’ve given away free POD books. Two I donated to a bookshop, and 4 that I didn’t sell at Loncon I improvised a UK-only Goodreads giveaway. I have only a couple of free e-titles, though. Free e-books don’t work as well as they used to (but I’m getting rid of all those dead tree books, LOL!).
Do you have a favourite movie? Nope. But I have a cinematic writing. I write down the movies in my head (hence the virtual casting) and often take inspiration from movies.
What are your plans for the future? When will we see your next book? Tell us about it. Already written: the Assassins’ Guild of Godwalkar. Waiting for the betas, then I’ll revise and send off to the editor/proofreader. Expect something in October as a taste, and the rest between November and December.
Give us a bit of information about your primary character(s). The protagonist throughout is Kilig I’m not sure yet in which order I will release them, but one part is about him and Saif, the other is about him and Hakeem, Saif’s son that you’ve met in Saif’s Legacy. He’s an assassin and a loner, but he did fall in love – twice. First with the father, then with the son… He lives in the interesting times of the birth of the Varian Empire, also explored in other books of the Silvery Earth saga (namely: Books of the Immortals – Fire)
http://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/author-interview-number-fifty-two-barbara-g-tarn/
Links etc.
blog: http://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barb-aka-Barbara-GTarn/175559797281
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4717133.Barbara_G_Tarn
Author Central http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-G.Tarn/e/B0050P0R2G
Where to find everything (although the i-bookstore link seems to be broken):
http://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/where-to-find-my-stuff/
Silvery Earth (adult unconventional fantasy): http://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com/silvery-earth-chronology/
September 21, 2014
Wyrd Worlds II – An anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy
Last year I was delighted to be asked to participate in the Smashwords Authors group anthology Wyrd Worlds, a collection of speculative fiction from some of the new talent, and established talent on the Good Reads site. We had such fun putting together the free anthology decided to do it again! Thanks to Steph for her support and hard work and to Ross for the cover art.
This year a few more authors got involved and the talent ranges from Steph Bennion, who once again organised and edited the book, to Victoria Zigler author of children’s fantasy. There is quite a mix of stories, mine include ‘The Joy of Socks’ part of the Kitchen Imps tales. It may well explain where socks go in the washing machine. The other is ‘Free Will’, a tale of the musings of a god as he watches the small blue-green world he cares for. There is something for everyone in this anthology, young and old.
This ebook contains a bumper 19 short stories from 17 independent authors from around the world, encompassing a wide range of science fiction and fantasy. Here lurks tales of the future, steampunk and time travel; of magical realms and fantastical deeds; and of things so weird they defy categorisation. The original WYRD WORLDS rode upon a new wave of indie collaborations; and now we’re back! In this anthology you will find:
HORIZON – KIRA: PART 2 by Ross Harrison – It was just her and a boy, alone. Kira had to concentrate on keeping him alive.
THE VISITOR by Neil Shooter – Time is relative. On an ordinary blustery British night an extraordinary visitor comes.
A WORLD TAKEN OVER by Douglas Schwartz – He had conquered the world. How much more effort was it going to be to unconquer it?
THE JOY OF SOCKS by A.L. Butcher – The imps knew what they wanted from the Bringer of Offerings…
THE COLONIAL PLAGUE by L.L. Watkin – It’s been years since Missra was executed and now her soul is shut away, but being the most powerful magical healer of her generation gets her out of the box occasionally…
HUMANITY WAS DELICIOUS by Ubiquitous Bubba – Imagine you were the werewolf who ate the last human. What will you eat now? More importantly, how are you going to get off this alien ship?
MY LAST DAY by Zach Tyo – Disaster awaits the Earth, yet an unexpected gift brings joy.
GUISARME by Barbara G. Tarn – Members of the Assassins’ Guild can be as honorable as anyone. They might be trained to kill, but they’re just people with loved ones to protect and avenge.
ROCK OF AGES by Steph Bennion – Letters from the past were hidden for a reason. But breaking into the secure facility was child’s play compared to an unexpected family reunion…
THE DINER by Michael Puttonen – Sometimes a life lived hasn’t been lived at all.
HOMELESS by Neil Shooter – Winter didn’t end, but his world has. Is he completely alone? In a world gone cold, what can keep the spark of life shining?
GY by Peter Lean – The Book was the knowledge that could open the door, but the worlds had been separated for a reason…
IRREVOCABLE by L.J. Hick – He did not accept finality. All he knew was that he had to change the impossible.
POISONED GROUND by Laurel A. Rockefeller – Lady Abbess Cara of house Ten-Ar must find the cause of a mysterious plague of illnesses before it is too late for the city of Nan-li…
SASHA AND THE COLLARED GIRL by Stan Morris – The man was willing to trade his prized possession, but she was already lost.
QUEST FOR THE PURPLE PUMPKIN by Victoria Zigler – A glittering surprise in the woods leads Polly to another world, where just being human is punishable by death…
FREE WILL by A.L. Butcher – The other Grand Wizards thought Leonardos eccentric, indulging the little World Marble like a favoured child…
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE by Clark Graham – A tabloid journalist discovers his outlandish stories just might be true.
CHANGING EVERYTHING by Josh Karaczewski – Two men set out into one of America’s roughest neighborhoods as one piece of a grand plan to change everything…
For now it is only available on Smashwords – Free – but will shortly appear on Amazon and all the Smashwords premium stores.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/478114 (Smashwords Link)
http://www.wyrdstar.co.uk/books/wyrdworlds.html (Website for Wyrd Worlds II)
http://ziglernews.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/wyrd-worlds-ii.html
http://ziglernews.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/the-wyrd-worlds-ii-gang.html
http://ross-harrison.com/other-writing/wyrd-worlds-ii/
September 18, 2014
Janet Morris and Chris Morris interview on the collaborative process in literature
A great article about the writing process
Originally posted on sacredbander:
Originally published in Uviart. Thanks. Uvi Poznansky, for this incisive interview
http://uviart.blogspot.com/p/guest-interview.html
Uvi Poznansky
Blog
Books
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Guest
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Interview about Collaboration:
“Though this be madness, yet there is method in it.”
with
Janet Morris and Chris Morris
Authors of
The Sacred Band
And more books
So said Shakespeare’s Polonius of Hamlet, in Hamlet. So say Janet Morris and Chris Morris, lifetime collaborators in words, music, and strategy. I cornered this elusive pair to ask some hard questions about how they do what they do, and why.
Janet and Chris, writing is known to be a solitary art. How do you two manage to write seamlessly together, so much so that no one can tell which of you wrote what?
Uvi, Apropos of collaboration, Shakespeare’s Touchstone said in As You Like It, “We that are true lovers run into strange capers.” As Chris and I often…View original 2,590 more words
