C.J. Sullivan's Blog, page 25
December 11, 2012
It's Never Too Late to Take a Compliment!
I've been in the process of gathering some of my stories that have been published by small or digital presses over the years to display on this spiffy blog here. I just found one of them, a short story called "The Chevalier Sisters: A Tale of Voodoo." I wrote it under C.J. Sully instead of Sullivan. It's a historical horror tale set in New Orleans. Anyway, after locating it on Amazon, I was happy to discover there is now a Kindle version for only $2.99 (the original paperback is about $15).
So I scrolled down and saw that there were two reviews of the anthology, and I browsed through them to see what these readers thought of the collection and also to see if my story might be mentioned. Umm...yes, it was, and Holy Compliments, Batman! Look at what Shroud Magazine's Book Reviews said about it:
"The pinnacle of the collection has to be C. J. Sully's "The Chevalier Sisters: A Tale of Voodoo" which weaves a southern gothic narrative about Thena Chevalier, and her constant struggle in life with her physical disabilities, the emotionally heavy loss of her mother, and the antagonistic torments of her sister, Dusa. With a revelatory ending reminiscent of Poe, Sully's story is sure to capture the attention of any horror fans."
Though the review was written a year and a half ago, it was still quite an honor to randomly come across it on a quiet Tuesday evening while I sipped on some hot chocolate.
Horror fans, you can purchase your copy of the anthology -->here<-- if you like.
G'night, and remember, it's never too late to take a compliment!
So I scrolled down and saw that there were two reviews of the anthology, and I browsed through them to see what these readers thought of the collection and also to see if my story might be mentioned. Umm...yes, it was, and Holy Compliments, Batman! Look at what Shroud Magazine's Book Reviews said about it:
"The pinnacle of the collection has to be C. J. Sully's "The Chevalier Sisters: A Tale of Voodoo" which weaves a southern gothic narrative about Thena Chevalier, and her constant struggle in life with her physical disabilities, the emotionally heavy loss of her mother, and the antagonistic torments of her sister, Dusa. With a revelatory ending reminiscent of Poe, Sully's story is sure to capture the attention of any horror fans."
Though the review was written a year and a half ago, it was still quite an honor to randomly come across it on a quiet Tuesday evening while I sipped on some hot chocolate.
Horror fans, you can purchase your copy of the anthology -->here<-- if you like.
G'night, and remember, it's never too late to take a compliment!
December 9, 2012
About E-books and E-readers (for those of you who are curious but too afraid to ask)
It's come to my attention that there are still many of you folks out there who don't know how e-books! The word "kindle" means nothing to you, and just the idea of reading a novel on a screen instead of paper makes your skin crawl because it's so unusual. Not to worry, though. I'm devoting this blog post to the basics of e-books/e-readers to help answer some of your questions that you might be too afraid to ask.
1) What is an e-reader?
An e-reader is an electronic device primarily used to read digital books. (Think "E" for "electronic.") Kindle and Nook are the two most popular e-readers today. Here's a commercial for a Kindle:
There's not really much difference between a digital book and a paper book, other than the fact that it's not paper. You still get the same story and cover art, etc. loaded onto your e-reader.
2) How much does an e-reader cost?
E-readers vary in price, and they are getting more affordable every year. A regular Kindle that primarily holds only books costs about $70 right now. But just like there are various types of computers and TV's, there are also a variety of e-readers, some of which have more functions. Some e-readers like the Nook HD are a lot more fancy. They can do more than show books, so they're more expensive. Here's a commercial for the Nook:
3) Where can you get e-readers?
You can buy Kindles from Amazon.com and Nooks from Barnes & Noble (online and in phyiscal stores). Other less popular e-readers like Sony e-readers (which is what I have) can be bought online, as well as in some electronics stores.
4) Can you read e-books without an e-reader device?
Yes, you can! If you have a computer (or a smart phone or an ipad) you can download free programs from Amazon (here) and Barnes and Noble (here). You don't have to spend a penny on the programs ("apps" they call them), and once you have them, you can start buying e-books and reading them on your computer, phone, etc. I have the Kindle app downloaded to my laptop, and I read books that I buy from Amazon on there.
5) I'm scared of the reading experience not being the same on an e-reader as it is with a paper book. How can it be the same?
It won't be the exact same, and that's OK. You won't have pages to turn or a physical book to put on the shelf. But I've asked people who have recently given e-books a try, and they all agree that whether you read a book on paper or on a screen, you still have the same experience of suspense, fear, love, sadness, joy that reading gives. Good stories are good no matter what. If you read them in e-book format, you will remember the stories just the same afterwards and hold them in your memory just as if you'd read them on paper.
6) What are some other benefits to reading e-books as opposed to paper books?
*It saves massive amounts of trees, thus helping out the environment in a big way.
*E-readers also have a function for people to increase the font size, so for those of you who have trouble with your vision, this is a real bonus.
*E-books never get old and dusty, so for those of you allergic to old books (like myself, unfortunately), you never have to worry about having those annoying sneeze attacks.
*E-books are often much cheaper than paper books. (Example: my book Wings of the Divided is only $2.99, which is less than half the price for a regular paperback novel.)
*You have the option to read a sample online of most e-books before you buy them.
*You don't have to leave the house to buy an e-book, and once you buy it online, you can start reading it within minutes!
*(This just added from one of my readers!) You might also point out that most e-readers have built in dictionaries and all you have to do is highlight a word to define it. Also copy and paste which comes in handy when you want to email a paragraph or two of the book you are reading to your friend. And most keep track of where you are at if you are reading your books on multiple devices. Portability is probably the coolest thing about E-Readers. You have access to your entire library wherever you are!
*The new above comment also made me think of another thing: e-readers are fantastic for reading gigantic books like The Stand by Stephen King. I started reading the hardback, but it was enormous AND dusty, so I just got a copy of it for my e-reader, and it's sooo much easier to read.
Remember, just because you choose to read e-books does not mean you have to read only e-books. I read books in all formats. I have that little Sony e-reader that I told you about, and I read some books on that. I buy new paper books, as well as used paper books. And I also have a library card, which I use to borrow both paper and e-books from the local library.
Just imagine this: at one point, telephones were brand new, TV's were brand new, microwaves were brand new, and so-on. Some people resisted these inventions because they liked cooking on a stove, for instance, or preferred to listen to shows on the radio...but they also, deep down, didn't understand the technology and were a little afraid of the new devices. Please don't be afraid of this new book technology. Sometimes change can be a good thing!
If you have any more questions about e-readers or e-books, please don't hesitate to ask. Questions and comments are always welcome!
1) What is an e-reader?
An e-reader is an electronic device primarily used to read digital books. (Think "E" for "electronic.") Kindle and Nook are the two most popular e-readers today. Here's a commercial for a Kindle:
There's not really much difference between a digital book and a paper book, other than the fact that it's not paper. You still get the same story and cover art, etc. loaded onto your e-reader.
2) How much does an e-reader cost?
E-readers vary in price, and they are getting more affordable every year. A regular Kindle that primarily holds only books costs about $70 right now. But just like there are various types of computers and TV's, there are also a variety of e-readers, some of which have more functions. Some e-readers like the Nook HD are a lot more fancy. They can do more than show books, so they're more expensive. Here's a commercial for the Nook:
3) Where can you get e-readers?
You can buy Kindles from Amazon.com and Nooks from Barnes & Noble (online and in phyiscal stores). Other less popular e-readers like Sony e-readers (which is what I have) can be bought online, as well as in some electronics stores.
4) Can you read e-books without an e-reader device?
Yes, you can! If you have a computer (or a smart phone or an ipad) you can download free programs from Amazon (here) and Barnes and Noble (here). You don't have to spend a penny on the programs ("apps" they call them), and once you have them, you can start buying e-books and reading them on your computer, phone, etc. I have the Kindle app downloaded to my laptop, and I read books that I buy from Amazon on there.
5) I'm scared of the reading experience not being the same on an e-reader as it is with a paper book. How can it be the same?
It won't be the exact same, and that's OK. You won't have pages to turn or a physical book to put on the shelf. But I've asked people who have recently given e-books a try, and they all agree that whether you read a book on paper or on a screen, you still have the same experience of suspense, fear, love, sadness, joy that reading gives. Good stories are good no matter what. If you read them in e-book format, you will remember the stories just the same afterwards and hold them in your memory just as if you'd read them on paper.
6) What are some other benefits to reading e-books as opposed to paper books?
*It saves massive amounts of trees, thus helping out the environment in a big way.
*E-readers also have a function for people to increase the font size, so for those of you who have trouble with your vision, this is a real bonus.
*E-books never get old and dusty, so for those of you allergic to old books (like myself, unfortunately), you never have to worry about having those annoying sneeze attacks.
*E-books are often much cheaper than paper books. (Example: my book Wings of the Divided is only $2.99, which is less than half the price for a regular paperback novel.)
*You have the option to read a sample online of most e-books before you buy them.
*You don't have to leave the house to buy an e-book, and once you buy it online, you can start reading it within minutes!
*(This just added from one of my readers!) You might also point out that most e-readers have built in dictionaries and all you have to do is highlight a word to define it. Also copy and paste which comes in handy when you want to email a paragraph or two of the book you are reading to your friend. And most keep track of where you are at if you are reading your books on multiple devices. Portability is probably the coolest thing about E-Readers. You have access to your entire library wherever you are!
*The new above comment also made me think of another thing: e-readers are fantastic for reading gigantic books like The Stand by Stephen King. I started reading the hardback, but it was enormous AND dusty, so I just got a copy of it for my e-reader, and it's sooo much easier to read.
Remember, just because you choose to read e-books does not mean you have to read only e-books. I read books in all formats. I have that little Sony e-reader that I told you about, and I read some books on that. I buy new paper books, as well as used paper books. And I also have a library card, which I use to borrow both paper and e-books from the local library.
Just imagine this: at one point, telephones were brand new, TV's were brand new, microwaves were brand new, and so-on. Some people resisted these inventions because they liked cooking on a stove, for instance, or preferred to listen to shows on the radio...but they also, deep down, didn't understand the technology and were a little afraid of the new devices. Please don't be afraid of this new book technology. Sometimes change can be a good thing!
If you have any more questions about e-readers or e-books, please don't hesitate to ask. Questions and comments are always welcome!
December 7, 2012
Clutter Find
Whoa there! Take a look at this little gem! Hah!
That tiny tot you see is the very author of this blog. I'm striking a pose along with my dad and mom, back when they were still married. I guess they thought it'd be fun to play dress-up and get a photo taken back somewhere in the neighborhood of 1983-84. I'm glad they did. This is one of the first pictures I have memories of looking at as a child. Rediscovering it today at the bottom of a box of clutter was a blast from the past.
It kind of throws me for a loop to think that I'm looking at versions of my parents who were the same age then as I am now. I wonder if, like myself, they realized how much they'd grown in their 20's and were amazed at how many of life's lessons they'd learned. I also wonder if they, like myself, were excited and apprehensive about the next decade ahead--if they thought about whether it would prove to be such a rough but educational decade, or if it'd sail a bit more smoothly.
I don't think 30 is old at all (I'm one year shy of it, just fyi). I don't mind the aging process like some people do. I don't run away from it, don't freak out if I find a new line on my face, etc. I almost look forward to growing older. The person I am today is so much wiser than the person I was at 20. I can only imagine what I'm going to learn in the next 10, 20, 30 years of my life. Is it strange that I actually look forward to being that wise, silver-haired old lady, who is maybe a little nutty, but who still provides great nuggets of wisdom and witticisms to all the young-ins that come visit and eat her baked goods?
Sheesh, it's amazing where looking at a photo can take you...
December 6, 2012
FB Giveaway Contest Starts Today!
Hey, all! I'm doing a big Giveaway Contest of my ebook WINGS OF THE DIVIDED over on my Facebook page. It starts today and lasts until Sunday. Click -->here<-- to be transported to the page, where you can enter. :)Good luck!
December 3, 2012
A Little Christmas Post
I'm not as big on Christmas as a lot of people I know. (Halloween is my favorite holiday.) But I still put up a few decorations because, hey, why not? Christmas fans like it, and it's tradition.
So for you Holly Jolly people who really get into it, here's my little tree and some stockings:
I would get a larger tree, except for two things:
1) My weenie dog chews on anything that's within his reach.
2) The little tree is so darned convenient. Just pull it out of the box, all decorated, and voila! Two minutes vs two hours.
Here are some close-ups of a few of the decorations on my little tree:
Weenie dog ornament
Frog ornament
Glass flower
Ninja Turtle
I think that one of the reasons why I'm not as into Christmas as I once was is the whole gift pressure that's put upon you once you're an adult. There's this part of me that really wishes Christmas could be more about making memories with family and friends than having to buy everyone a present--particularly buying presents for people you don't even see or talk to outside of the holidays. It's also hard having to wrack my brain for something that I want. I pretty much have everything I want and need, as I'm just not that materialistic of a person. Just give me your time, and I appreciate that much more than a physical present.
But Christmas is generally a cozy holiday, a day of hugs and warmth during a generally cold time of year (although it's currently in the 80s here in Texas right now, which is blowing a lot of people's minds.) And I do like decorating a tree.
What about you? What about Christmas do you like? What do you not like? Is there anything you do that is a unique sort of tradition, not related to the usual tree and lights and presents? Comments welcome.
So for you Holly Jolly people who really get into it, here's my little tree and some stockings:
I would get a larger tree, except for two things:
1) My weenie dog chews on anything that's within his reach.
2) The little tree is so darned convenient. Just pull it out of the box, all decorated, and voila! Two minutes vs two hours.
Here are some close-ups of a few of the decorations on my little tree:
Weenie dog ornament
Frog ornament
Glass flower
Ninja TurtleI think that one of the reasons why I'm not as into Christmas as I once was is the whole gift pressure that's put upon you once you're an adult. There's this part of me that really wishes Christmas could be more about making memories with family and friends than having to buy everyone a present--particularly buying presents for people you don't even see or talk to outside of the holidays. It's also hard having to wrack my brain for something that I want. I pretty much have everything I want and need, as I'm just not that materialistic of a person. Just give me your time, and I appreciate that much more than a physical present.
But Christmas is generally a cozy holiday, a day of hugs and warmth during a generally cold time of year (although it's currently in the 80s here in Texas right now, which is blowing a lot of people's minds.) And I do like decorating a tree.
What about you? What about Christmas do you like? What do you not like? Is there anything you do that is a unique sort of tradition, not related to the usual tree and lights and presents? Comments welcome.
November 28, 2012
20-Question Author Interview
Indie Author News just published a 20-question Author Interview with me today. Alan Kealey asked me a nice range of questions from what my writing background was to what inspired me to write
Wings of the Divided
to what sort of advice I have for other authors. If you're interested, click -->here<-- to read it. While you're there, you can also check out some of the other indie books currently being advertised. :)
November 26, 2012
Texas Autumn Foliage
I love the way leaves turn such beautiful colors when we actually experience the season of autumn in Texas. (Many years, it just goes straight from summer to winter with little or no in-between.) Here are a few pictures I've taken from the city and the country, in attempt to capture part of the fiery array of fall foliage we've been lucky enough to have this year.
November 24, 2012
Six Sentence Sunday: Vengeful Bounty
Today I'm posting as part of Six Sentence Sunday, and the book this snippet comes from is my sci-fi action/adventure tale Vengeful Bounty. By the way, this weekend marks the novel's one-year anniversary!
I published this ebook with Untreed Reads and opted to use the pseudonym Jillian Kidd. (I've toyed around with some different pen names before finally settling on my real name's initials: C.J. Sullivan.) VB was really fun to write. It's one of the few things I've written from a first-person POV. In this story, Mina Maxwell, redheaded bounty hunter extraordinaire, narrates her journey to gain "Global Status" so she can hunt the bad guys all over the world. During her tale, she kicks some serious butt, battles with some inner-demons, and dares to let herself love again after being heartbroken by a fellow bounty hunter.
In this six sentences from the book, she and her bounty hunting baby brother, Colt, have just arrived at a club, where they're going to nab one of the bounties on the wanted list. Enjoy!
***
"I checked my cleavage for the mini laser gun I’d secured—still in place. I wish I had been able to carry an old-fashioned bullet-firing pistol as well, but the outfit wouldn't allow it. I liked to keep one as a backup in case the laser gun runs out of energy—the batteries in those things were cheap crap. You had to keep them on the charger all night for them to be worth anything the next day.
Colt stepped out and checked his appearance for flaws in the rear-view mirror and intensely arched his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes like he was some sort of supermodel getting ready for the catwalk. Brothers, aren’t they a joy?"
***
To read some reviews of Vengeful Bounty on Amazon click -->here<--.
To read a longer excerpt at the Untreed Reads Store, click -->here<--.
Happy birthday, Mina!
I published this ebook with Untreed Reads and opted to use the pseudonym Jillian Kidd. (I've toyed around with some different pen names before finally settling on my real name's initials: C.J. Sullivan.) VB was really fun to write. It's one of the few things I've written from a first-person POV. In this story, Mina Maxwell, redheaded bounty hunter extraordinaire, narrates her journey to gain "Global Status" so she can hunt the bad guys all over the world. During her tale, she kicks some serious butt, battles with some inner-demons, and dares to let herself love again after being heartbroken by a fellow bounty hunter.
In this six sentences from the book, she and her bounty hunting baby brother, Colt, have just arrived at a club, where they're going to nab one of the bounties on the wanted list. Enjoy!
***
"I checked my cleavage for the mini laser gun I’d secured—still in place. I wish I had been able to carry an old-fashioned bullet-firing pistol as well, but the outfit wouldn't allow it. I liked to keep one as a backup in case the laser gun runs out of energy—the batteries in those things were cheap crap. You had to keep them on the charger all night for them to be worth anything the next day.
Colt stepped out and checked his appearance for flaws in the rear-view mirror and intensely arched his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes like he was some sort of supermodel getting ready for the catwalk. Brothers, aren’t they a joy?"
***
To read some reviews of Vengeful Bounty on Amazon click -->here<--.
To read a longer excerpt at the Untreed Reads Store, click -->here<--.
Happy birthday, Mina!
November 22, 2012
"Woven"
At my dear ol' dad's request, here is the link to a piece of flash fiction I wrote a couple of years ago that got published by the online literary magazine The Molotov Cocktail. It's a super short story symbolizing the nature of greed, and it's titled "Woven." Click -->here<-- if you'd like to read it.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thanks again for stopping by.
November 21, 2012
Thanksgiving and Indie Author News Promo
Thanksgiving is tomorrow! I hope everyone is in a grateful state of mind--not just this week, but all the time. Studies have shown that if people see life with a glass-half-full mentality, they are generally happier or at least more content with their lives.
It's so easy to focus on what we don't have, to obsess over the way things should be instead of the way they are. But when we get stuck in that mind-frame, we just make ourselves sick and depressed.
Just the other day, I was taking a shower, and I was looking at the fancy salon shampoo and conditioner I was about to use. And I thought, How could I ever think I don't have enough? Not only do I have shampoo and conditioner, but I get to pick out the kind I like! Some people, including the kid I sponsor in Zambia, don't even have soap. They are lucky to have a barrel of drinking water with a lid on it so the liquid doesn't get contaminated.
Take things into perspective. Often. The next time you're feeling sorry for yourself, look around. How much around you is purely luxury, solely things you picked out from a store, something that you wanted, or something that was given to you as a gift? Be thankful for all this. It's more than you need. All year around, be grateful, not just one day a year. You'll be amazed at how much your view of life changes...
One thing I am thankful for today is the great job Indie Author News did on a little promo for my angel book today. Do stop by their site to check it out -->here<-- and also feel free to browse the other cool indie authors and titles they're promoting.
And thanks for stopping by today!
It's so easy to focus on what we don't have, to obsess over the way things should be instead of the way they are. But when we get stuck in that mind-frame, we just make ourselves sick and depressed.
Just the other day, I was taking a shower, and I was looking at the fancy salon shampoo and conditioner I was about to use. And I thought, How could I ever think I don't have enough? Not only do I have shampoo and conditioner, but I get to pick out the kind I like! Some people, including the kid I sponsor in Zambia, don't even have soap. They are lucky to have a barrel of drinking water with a lid on it so the liquid doesn't get contaminated.
Take things into perspective. Often. The next time you're feeling sorry for yourself, look around. How much around you is purely luxury, solely things you picked out from a store, something that you wanted, or something that was given to you as a gift? Be thankful for all this. It's more than you need. All year around, be grateful, not just one day a year. You'll be amazed at how much your view of life changes...
One thing I am thankful for today is the great job Indie Author News did on a little promo for my angel book today. Do stop by their site to check it out -->here<-- and also feel free to browse the other cool indie authors and titles they're promoting.
And thanks for stopping by today!
