Nenia Campbell's Blog, page 60
February 5, 2013
Wishing Stars Now Available for Purchase!
My new anthology of science-fiction can now be obtained in both KINDLE and PAPERBACK format! It contains five original space opera stories, and five original poems and ballads--all based on classic fairytales! Can you guess which is which?
For paperback format, click here. Price: $3.89 (US)
For Kindle format, click here. Price: $1.99 (US)
Annnnd, another giant shout-out to Louisa for designing this cover! (If you happen to be an author in need of a cover, you should definitely hit her up. She's really nice!)
As always, thanks for your love and support! xxxx
xNenia
For paperback format, click here. Price: $3.89 (US)
For Kindle format, click here. Price: $1.99 (US)
Annnnd, another giant shout-out to Louisa for designing this cover! (If you happen to be an author in need of a cover, you should definitely hit her up. She's really nice!)
As always, thanks for your love and support! xxxx
xNenia
February 3, 2013
Wishing Stars Playlist + Update
Well it's been a stressful couple of weeks but I finally finished my novella, Wishing Stars! I'm just gonna look over it a bit more to make sure everything is shape-shape, but it should be out in a few days!!!!!
Also: FEARSCAPE IS FREE FOR KINDLE TODAY, FEB. 3, UNTIL MIDNIGHT. SO DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY TODAY!!!
Playlist:
1. Space Dog - Tori Amos
2. Walking on Air - Kerli
3. Fascination Street - The Cure
4. Remain Nameless - Florence + the Machine
5. Jekyll & Hyde - Plumb
6. 306 - Emilie Autumn
7. Snow White Queen - Evanescence
8. Waking the Witch - Kate Bush
Also: FEARSCAPE IS FREE FOR KINDLE TODAY, FEB. 3, UNTIL MIDNIGHT. SO DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY TODAY!!!
Playlist:
1. Space Dog - Tori Amos
2. Walking on Air - Kerli
3. Fascination Street - The Cure
4. Remain Nameless - Florence + the Machine
5. Jekyll & Hyde - Plumb
6. 306 - Emilie Autumn
7. Snow White Queen - Evanescence
8. Waking the Witch - Kate Bush
January 25, 2013
Dear Goodreaders:
You may be aware a lot of scary shiz has been going down on your site. Authors bullying other authors. Authors bullying reviewers. Authors attacking reviewers. Fans attacking reviewers. Reviewers and authors going crazy and starting turf wars. This is supposed to be Goodreads, right? Not, FUreads? Okay, good. Just checking.
But that is not why I am writing to you today.
I am writing to you today to bring your attention to the people who truly do make Goodreads good reads. The people who slip through the cracks because their kindness is taken for granted.
I am writing to you in praise of:
All the authors who randomly send out free ARCs to their fans, knowing that not everybody can afford to buy all their books all the time, and who expect nothing in return.
All the readers who eagerly support and advertise a "nobody" author, because they love the story.
All the Goodreads librarians who keep this site running smoothly and looking beautiful.
All the reviewers who give their honest opinions, so that other people have good source material in order to make their own educated decision about whether or not to buy the book in question.
All the friends I've made, because we bonded over a mutual love for a story.
I write this to you as a reviewer, a reader, and as an author who does not support any of this firetruckery. I write this as a writer who firmly believes that her fans are the best people in the world. I write this as someone who is very flipping tired of all this shiz.
I want my friends and reviewers to feel safe about giving me their honest opinion. Why? Because I want to earn my ratings through good writing--not by putting fear of God into people.
And you should make it clear that if you selectively attack people with the intent of getting them to change their opinions and views, you are a bully, plain and simple, and no better than the kid who beats up others on the playground for their lunch money or the gangster that collects his protection money from his racket. All the rationalization in the world won't change the fact that you are a bully.
You are making people feel unsafe.
Reviews are not personal attacks, and words should never be used as weapons. Do that, and you are taking the 'good' out of 'Goodreads.'
Goodreads is a good site. A great site. But it has some bad people on it.
Let's work together to change that, to keep the 'good' in Goodreads.
Sincerely,
xNenia Campbell
But that is not why I am writing to you today.
I am writing to you today to bring your attention to the people who truly do make Goodreads good reads. The people who slip through the cracks because their kindness is taken for granted.
I am writing to you in praise of:
All the authors who randomly send out free ARCs to their fans, knowing that not everybody can afford to buy all their books all the time, and who expect nothing in return.
All the readers who eagerly support and advertise a "nobody" author, because they love the story.
All the Goodreads librarians who keep this site running smoothly and looking beautiful.
All the reviewers who give their honest opinions, so that other people have good source material in order to make their own educated decision about whether or not to buy the book in question.
All the friends I've made, because we bonded over a mutual love for a story.
I write this to you as a reviewer, a reader, and as an author who does not support any of this firetruckery. I write this as a writer who firmly believes that her fans are the best people in the world. I write this as someone who is very flipping tired of all this shiz.
I want my friends and reviewers to feel safe about giving me their honest opinion. Why? Because I want to earn my ratings through good writing--not by putting fear of God into people.
And you should make it clear that if you selectively attack people with the intent of getting them to change their opinions and views, you are a bully, plain and simple, and no better than the kid who beats up others on the playground for their lunch money or the gangster that collects his protection money from his racket. All the rationalization in the world won't change the fact that you are a bully.
You are making people feel unsafe.
Reviews are not personal attacks, and words should never be used as weapons. Do that, and you are taking the 'good' out of 'Goodreads.'
Goodreads is a good site. A great site. But it has some bad people on it.
Let's work together to change that, to keep the 'good' in Goodreads.
Sincerely,
xNenia Campbell
January 23, 2013
What I'm Reading #2
Today I went on a thrift store shop n' hop with one of my best friends! She loves clothes. Me? My weakness is books.
Lots and lots of books.
Oh dear...
(Bee-tee-dubs, all these together cost under $20!!!!)
One of the cool things about thrift stores is that you never know what you're going to find. Unless they're really popular, my library doesn't carry a lot of old books, so when I want to find vintage fantasy and science-fiction, I have to get them thrifted.
I was really excited about finding volumes 1 AND 2 of Persepolis! They were only $1 each! The two Judy Blume books, Forever (which is banned from my library because it's about--gasp!--SEX) and Deenie, were TEN CENTS each.
And then there's The Man Who Never Missed. It's supposed to be like the Cain Saga by Matthew Stover, which I really, really liked. Science-fiction assassins are AWESOME. Mind-killers looked good too. It didn't have a summary which peeved me off, but the blurb on the back said it's like Heinlein.
Then again, book blurbs are not to be trusted. For example, a blurb on the back of Peterfreund's secret society series claimed that it was "just like Harry Potter." Um. Except that Harry Potter is juvenile fantasy and the Secret Society series is new adult contemporary and apart from taking place in boarding schools they have NOTHING at all in common? Yeah. Whatevski.
Young adult books are harder to find but I was pleased to get Wings and The Never-Ending Story. The stuff I write is so dark it's nice to kick back with some fluffy fantasy.
And then, of course, we have my favorite: classic gothics (SO EXCITED about The Secret History and My Brother Michael--Mary Stewart is a BAMF), Regency romance, Paradise (Louisa demanded I get a copy), and DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY. Austenite murder mystery? I think we all know I'm totally down with that.
Do you have any of these books? I LOVE doing buddy-reads and comparing status updates with my GR friends. So if you have one of these books and were thinking about starting them, hit me up!
Two book nerds are better than one!
Lots and lots of books.
Oh dear...
(Bee-tee-dubs, all these together cost under $20!!!!)
One of the cool things about thrift stores is that you never know what you're going to find. Unless they're really popular, my library doesn't carry a lot of old books, so when I want to find vintage fantasy and science-fiction, I have to get them thrifted.
I was really excited about finding volumes 1 AND 2 of Persepolis! They were only $1 each! The two Judy Blume books, Forever (which is banned from my library because it's about--gasp!--SEX) and Deenie, were TEN CENTS each.
And then there's The Man Who Never Missed. It's supposed to be like the Cain Saga by Matthew Stover, which I really, really liked. Science-fiction assassins are AWESOME. Mind-killers looked good too. It didn't have a summary which peeved me off, but the blurb on the back said it's like Heinlein.
Then again, book blurbs are not to be trusted. For example, a blurb on the back of Peterfreund's secret society series claimed that it was "just like Harry Potter." Um. Except that Harry Potter is juvenile fantasy and the Secret Society series is new adult contemporary and apart from taking place in boarding schools they have NOTHING at all in common? Yeah. Whatevski.
Young adult books are harder to find but I was pleased to get Wings and The Never-Ending Story. The stuff I write is so dark it's nice to kick back with some fluffy fantasy.
And then, of course, we have my favorite: classic gothics (SO EXCITED about The Secret History and My Brother Michael--Mary Stewart is a BAMF), Regency romance, Paradise (Louisa demanded I get a copy), and DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY. Austenite murder mystery? I think we all know I'm totally down with that.
Do you have any of these books? I LOVE doing buddy-reads and comparing status updates with my GR friends. So if you have one of these books and were thinking about starting them, hit me up!
Two book nerds are better than one!
If the Status Quo for Certain Authors Were the Same Across Other Industries
GROCERY
Electronics
CLOTHING
Customer: Um, hello. I would like to return this meat, please.
Vendor: Why? What's wrong with it? What did I do?
C: Well, I served it last night and it made my whole family sick.
V: Are you saying my store serves inferior meat? That I purposely go around poisoning people?
C: No! I just want to get a return. Or store credit. That would be nice.
V: Bullshit. I want to see proof. Do you have pictures of your family getting sick? I WANT A BAGGIE FULL OF BARF. LABELED AND DATED. I WANT SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT THE CHUNKS OF PUKE WERE DERIVED FROM MY STORE'S MEAT.
C: What the hell--
V: You know something? I am so tired of people coming in here and demanding their money back. Boo-hoo, this box was open when I bought it. Waaaah, this meat made me sick. YOU THINK IT'S EASY RUNNING A STORE LIKE THIS, BUB? WHY DON'T YOU OPEN ONE AND TALK TO ME AFTER A COUPLE YEARS.
C: This is ridiculous...
V: Damn right it is. I'm putting you on my black list. You show your meat-barfing face in here again, I'm calling the motherfucking cops. Choke on that.
C: I--
V: Also, I'm taking the picture of you from our video surveillance camera and I'm going to put it on my website along with your name from your receipt, so all the other grocers know what a douche you are.
C: THAT IS ILLEGAL.
V: LOL NOPE. It's public information. If I can get it from you in public, and it's information, it's public domain.
C: No it isn't--
V: Now get the fuck out of my store.
Electronics
C: I would like to order a TV.
V: You should order this one, it's the best. Best resolution, best sound quality, best everything.
C: It's kind of expensive.
V: What, you think the best comes cheap?
C: It also says there's no return policy.
V: Look, mate. This is the BEST TV out there. Let me lay it out for you in simple language since you probably can't understand the big words, seeing as how you don't know shit about electronics or you wouldn't be in here talking to me. THIS. IS. THE. BEST. TV.
C: I don't think I want it. Maybe I'll come back when it's a little less expensive.
V: You aren't going to buy this piece of greatness because it's too expensive?
C: Where can I find the DVDs section?
V: Then get out.
C: But there are other TVs I might--
V: Out. Now.
C: Fine. I'll go to Radio Shack.
V: The hell you will. I'm going to call them right now and tell them not to let you in. And then I'm going to call your place of employment--where do you work again?--and tell them that you said that they're a bunch of tight-fisted tight-asses who don't pay you enough to buy a decent TV set, let alone a decent wage.
C: What? THAT'S INSANE. YOU CAN'T DO THAT. YOU'RE GOING TO GET ME FIRED!
V: Buh-bye, bitch.
CLOTHING
C: Miss! Miss, excuse me!
V: What is it?
C: This shirt has a hole in it.
V: It's supposed to be there. It's part of the design.
C: It also has a stain.
V: Nope. That's also part of the design.
C: It's all frayed--
V: Which of us is the fashion expert here? What do you expect from handmade vintage clothing, hmm? Sorry we can't live up to your assembly line-generated K-Mart collection standards.
C: *deep breath* I also wondered about these jeans. Do you have them in a larger size? They're too small.
V: They're not too small, honey. Your ass is too big. How dare you criticize my store's clothes. You don't know a thing about fashion. You want some help? Lay off the chips, fatty, or go shop at Walmart.
January 22, 2013
Do You Have a Kindle? Do You Like Free Things?
Just a reminder that the eBook edition of Endgame will be free for FIVE CONSECUTIVE DAYS starting today! OH BOY!
(Click the book to go to its Kindle page.)
It's usually $1.99! So YOU SAVE TWO DOLLARS! That's two dollars you could spend on another eBook! Or a bus ticket to your local library!
Summary
Volera Magray is a Player: she engages with the tourists who come to play the VR games for which her district is so famous. She makes her living being pitted against other Players in terrifyingly real virtual reality games, fought for the gratification of a hedonistic audience.
Fighting is all she knows.
By day, she is a normal denizen of the oppressive Regency, but by night, she is wracked by terrible nightmares that hint at a past she can no longer remember. She suspects she might have killed someone—and she's afraid that she might do it again.
At the same time, the games she's playing are growing steadily more violent. Someone is hacking into the system and creating bootlegged games. Dangerous games. Deadly games. Games that tell a story of profound corruption and massive-scale government conspiracies, warping the lines between fact and fiction.
The only clue she has comes in the form of an exceedingly frustrating and potentially dangerous man named Catan Vareth. But, like everything else in her world, his help will cost her...
Cover Design By:
Louisa
Happy reading!
xNenia
(Click the book to go to its Kindle page.)
It's usually $1.99! So YOU SAVE TWO DOLLARS! That's two dollars you could spend on another eBook! Or a bus ticket to your local library!
Summary
Volera Magray is a Player: she engages with the tourists who come to play the VR games for which her district is so famous. She makes her living being pitted against other Players in terrifyingly real virtual reality games, fought for the gratification of a hedonistic audience.
Fighting is all she knows.
By day, she is a normal denizen of the oppressive Regency, but by night, she is wracked by terrible nightmares that hint at a past she can no longer remember. She suspects she might have killed someone—and she's afraid that she might do it again.
At the same time, the games she's playing are growing steadily more violent. Someone is hacking into the system and creating bootlegged games. Dangerous games. Deadly games. Games that tell a story of profound corruption and massive-scale government conspiracies, warping the lines between fact and fiction.
The only clue she has comes in the form of an exceedingly frustrating and potentially dangerous man named Catan Vareth. But, like everything else in her world, his help will cost her...
Cover Design By:
Louisa
Happy reading!
xNenia
January 21, 2013
An Author/Reviewer Translation Dictionary
1. "This book was not for me."
What some authors think it means:
When reviewers actually mean:
2. "The writing was unpolished and really lackluster."
What some authors think it means:
When reviewers actually mean:
3. "The main character is a Mary Sue."
What some authors think it means:
When reviewers actually mean:
4. "This book was really bad."
What some authors think it means:
When reviewers actually mean:
5. "I am shelving this book as 'do-not-read because the author is being immature."
What some authors think it means:
When reviewers actually mean:
What some authors think it means:
"This author is a stupid-ass nincompoop who should have all her pens and papers thrown into a fire and her computer destroyed in a bizarre freak accident involving a window!"
When reviewers actually mean:
"I just really didn't like it. Maybe others will."
2. "The writing was unpolished and really lackluster."
What some authors think it means:
"God, you are such an idiot. Did I mention that you're a talentless hack? Go jump off a cliff you [expletive deleted]!!!!"
When reviewers actually mean:
"You use too many adverbs and drone on and on about nothing. I'm bored."
3. "The main character is a Mary Sue."
What some authors think it means:
"You are so pathetic that you have to live vicariously through your characters. I'm going to mock you because I'm secretly jealous about my inability to write good novels like you."
When reviewers actually mean:
"Your character is derivative and undeveloped and needs more believable flaws."
4. "This book was really bad."
What some authors think it means:
"You are a terrible person."
When reviewers actually mean:
"This is a terrible book."
5. "I am shelving this book as 'do-not-read because the author is being immature."
What some authors think it means:
"Fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you."
When reviewers actually mean:
"I rest my case."
Promotion Time!
Endgame will be free for Kindle from Jan. 22-26. I gotta use up my promotion days for the KDP Select program, so that means happy fun reading times for you!
Mark your calendars. :)
xNenia
Mark your calendars. :)
xNenia
January 20, 2013
Nenia Campbell and the Spooky Snowflake Smackdown
SS: Hi! I'm Spooky! Spooky Snowflake! I'm not like other supernatural girls.
NC: OH GOD NO.
SS: Hi there! Have we met?
NC: Only in every. Single. Young. Adult. Paranormal. Romance. EVER.
SS: Ha ha, you're funny. I'm very unique, you know.
NC: That's redundant. You shouldn't have to clarify something that's already a superlative, you know.
SS: Now, Nenia. I know you want to be super anorexically skinny just like me, but you really shouldn't take superlatives to make that happen.
NC: Laxatives?
SS: No thank you. I already ate. I didn't ask to be born this way, Nenia. You don't have to be so mean to me! It's not easy being perfect! Do you know how HARD it is to be this awesome all the time? Sometimes, I just want to let loose, you know? Put on my size two fat-pants and eat a WHOLE stick of gum. You know. Just pig out.
NC: High school girls everywhere weep for you.
SS: God, I know right! My life totally sucks. I'm going to live forever, my boyfriend's a total hottie immortal who buys me whatever I want when he's not threatening to kill me or stringing me along, and I'm not flirting with the safety love-interest, and I fit into pretty much any main designer brand out there, but I still don't know what I'm going to wear to prom. Ugh.
NC: Wow.
SS: Yeah. Bee-tee-dubs, I sure wish people would stop telling me I should model. It gets sooooo annoying.
NC: I'm sure. You really are a well-rounded character.
SS: *nodding* Yes, I sure am!
NC: Do you have any flaws?
SS: Hmmm. For starters, I'm super ditzy! And I'm, like, totally prepz when everyone knows vampires/witches/angels are supposed to be gothic.
NC: *frantically pulling at door knob*
SS: Also, I fall down a lot! LOL. Yeah! That's my character flaw. Falling down.
NC: That is not a character flaw. *tug tug* It is a result *tug* of too many *tug* childhood inner-ear infections--WHY WON'T THIS DOOR OPEN?
SS: No, silly! It's a character flaw.
NC: It is no such thing.
SS: Um, yeah, it totally is. You know. Because supernatural beings are supposed to be graceful. I'm defying the stereotype, while simultaneously making it easier for you to relate to me even though I'm obviously so much better than you.
NC: For an immortal being, you're kind of a moron.
SS: I'm sorry but I got an A in high school English. That means I'm a genius.
NC: You're the reincarnation of a goddess. You should be finding out the secret of life, not letching on high school tail in fifth-period.
SS: Oh, thanks! That reminds me. I have a date tonight.
NC: Holy shit! A sexy man who looks super sketchy and abusive is standing right over there glowering ominously at you.
SS: What?! He is? *drops phone* Where? Oh my God. Is my hair okay? Do these 00 jeans make my butt look fat? I could really use some superlatives right now!
NC: *attacks*
SS: Nooooooo! Oh well. At least I'll die prettyyyy.
*turns into a pile of pink glittery ashes*
NC: I just vacuumed that rug...
/Every bad PNR YA novel ever
NC: OH GOD NO.
SS: Hi there! Have we met?
NC: Only in every. Single. Young. Adult. Paranormal. Romance. EVER.
SS: Ha ha, you're funny. I'm very unique, you know.
NC: That's redundant. You shouldn't have to clarify something that's already a superlative, you know.
SS: Now, Nenia. I know you want to be super anorexically skinny just like me, but you really shouldn't take superlatives to make that happen.
NC: Laxatives?
SS: No thank you. I already ate. I didn't ask to be born this way, Nenia. You don't have to be so mean to me! It's not easy being perfect! Do you know how HARD it is to be this awesome all the time? Sometimes, I just want to let loose, you know? Put on my size two fat-pants and eat a WHOLE stick of gum. You know. Just pig out.
NC: High school girls everywhere weep for you.
SS: God, I know right! My life totally sucks. I'm going to live forever, my boyfriend's a total hottie immortal who buys me whatever I want when he's not threatening to kill me or stringing me along, and I'm not flirting with the safety love-interest, and I fit into pretty much any main designer brand out there, but I still don't know what I'm going to wear to prom. Ugh.
NC: Wow.
SS: Yeah. Bee-tee-dubs, I sure wish people would stop telling me I should model. It gets sooooo annoying.
NC: I'm sure. You really are a well-rounded character.
SS: *nodding* Yes, I sure am!
NC: Do you have any flaws?
SS: Hmmm. For starters, I'm super ditzy! And I'm, like, totally prepz when everyone knows vampires/witches/angels are supposed to be gothic.
NC: *frantically pulling at door knob*
SS: Also, I fall down a lot! LOL. Yeah! That's my character flaw. Falling down.
NC: That is not a character flaw. *tug tug* It is a result *tug* of too many *tug* childhood inner-ear infections--WHY WON'T THIS DOOR OPEN?
SS: No, silly! It's a character flaw.
NC: It is no such thing.
SS: Um, yeah, it totally is. You know. Because supernatural beings are supposed to be graceful. I'm defying the stereotype, while simultaneously making it easier for you to relate to me even though I'm obviously so much better than you.
NC: For an immortal being, you're kind of a moron.
SS: I'm sorry but I got an A in high school English. That means I'm a genius.
NC: You're the reincarnation of a goddess. You should be finding out the secret of life, not letching on high school tail in fifth-period.
SS: Oh, thanks! That reminds me. I have a date tonight.
NC: Holy shit! A sexy man who looks super sketchy and abusive is standing right over there glowering ominously at you.
SS: What?! He is? *drops phone* Where? Oh my God. Is my hair okay? Do these 00 jeans make my butt look fat? I could really use some superlatives right now!
NC: *attacks*
SS: Nooooooo! Oh well. At least I'll die prettyyyy.
*turns into a pile of pink glittery ashes*
NC: I just vacuumed that rug...
/Every bad PNR YA novel ever
January 18, 2013
Play the Game, Win a FREE Book! - CLOSED
Step right up! Step right up! Play the game and win a prize!
(You can thank Karina Halle for this. I just won her giveaway and now I want to pay the favor forward! SHARE THE LOVE!)
Rules:
I've just written down a whole number between 1 and 10.
THE FIRST 5 PEOPLE to correctly guess the number will win a galley copy of FEARSCAPE in PDF format.
Do you feel lucky, punks and punkettes?
P.S. You can only guess once. If you guess more than once, I'll choose your first guess, regardless of whether or not your other guesses were correct. So play fairly, guys!
♥
Also, a major thanks to everyone who added me to their to-read lists! Please keep it up! GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DO. And all it takes is one click of the mouse!
(You can thank Karina Halle for this. I just won her giveaway and now I want to pay the favor forward! SHARE THE LOVE!)
Rules:
I've just written down a whole number between 1 and 10.
THE FIRST 5 PEOPLE to correctly guess the number will win a galley copy of FEARSCAPE in PDF format.
Do you feel lucky, punks and punkettes?
P.S. You can only guess once. If you guess more than once, I'll choose your first guess, regardless of whether or not your other guesses were correct. So play fairly, guys!
♥
Also, a major thanks to everyone who added me to their to-read lists! Please keep it up! GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DO. And all it takes is one click of the mouse!
