Jacqueline Patricks's Blog, page 3
February 4, 2014
Vote for Captain Lewis!
Captain Lewis' Broken Dreams in competing in sexiest cover category. Please vote!
Romance Writers of America Jabbic Cover Contest
Romance Writers of America Jabbic Cover Contest
February 1, 2014
My IndiePENdents.org Certificate for Good Writing! Update about Queen 2
WOOHOO! To be awarded an IndiePENdents certificate of Good Writing a book is given to three randomly selected evaluators who assess it for grammar, formatting, and technical skill. All three evaluators must give it passing marks. The evaluators are not in contact with each other in way regarding the books they evaluate. Their results are given directly to the president of the organization. This is not an evaluation of storytelling enjoyment since that is subjective, but rather a way to score self-published books for technical skill.
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ALSO...
Nightmares of the Queen is out with my beta readers, and I expect to be working on editing and polishing over the next few weeks. Initial reports to the story are very positive with statements such as:
"I loved the ending!"
"Hurry up and write the last book!"
"It sucked me right in!"
I will be uploading Nightmare to Smashwords in about a month so it'll be available for pre-order at all major retailers except Amazon. I'll be uploading at Amazon the last days of March. You can't purchase it at Smashwords until it goes live, but you can bookmark it and take advantage of any deals I decide to offer. hehehee...
Thank you to all my fans and supporters! I couldn't do any of this without you!
January 30, 2014
Will You Stand or Be a Zombie?
I have a theory as to why zombie apocalypse fiction is so popular right now. We are already zombies. Our society is brainless, soulless, and heartless. We are nothing but consumers of flesh and entertainment. We do not help one other, and through stupid, illogical policies are encouraged to stand by and do nothing for our fellow man. Over two hundred years ago, during the French Revolution, Edmond Burke said it best, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
Is that what we want? To be a society of straw men and women? To do nothing as we point fingers? To become brainless, soulless, heartless zombies consuming what the government and multimillion dollar companies spew out in order to numb The Mob?
Will you stand by, shrug, and say, 'It's not my job, not my responsibility' as your fellow man, woman, or child suffers next you? Worrying ---'Oh but I don't want to lose my job or get sued if I act.'
Is this who we are now? Is this the America of the 21st century? All this technology and knowledge only to become zombies.
Will you allow this evil to continue? Or will you stand and be counted? Will you act when it matters so you can face yourself in the mirror and face your Maker at the end of your days knowing you did your best to make a positive difference in the world?
I challenge you--What will you do today to not be a zombie?
Is that what we want? To be a society of straw men and women? To do nothing as we point fingers? To become brainless, soulless, heartless zombies consuming what the government and multimillion dollar companies spew out in order to numb The Mob?
Will you stand by, shrug, and say, 'It's not my job, not my responsibility' as your fellow man, woman, or child suffers next you? Worrying ---'Oh but I don't want to lose my job or get sued if I act.'
Is this who we are now? Is this the America of the 21st century? All this technology and knowledge only to become zombies.
Will you allow this evil to continue? Or will you stand and be counted? Will you act when it matters so you can face yourself in the mirror and face your Maker at the end of your days knowing you did your best to make a positive difference in the world?
I challenge you--What will you do today to not be a zombie?
January 29, 2014
Official Review from the IndiePENdents!
This is what the evaluator, Shaun, from the IndiePENdents had to say about 'Dreams of the Queen'! He asked the president to forward the comments...WOW!!!!
“Dreams of the Queen” stands as one of my top three books I have evaluated for The IndiePENdents. For most books, I stop about half way—when I have enough evidence to make the evaluation. I read this one completely in just two sittings. The story is a good-old style sci-fi thriller with a little modern polish. The story pulled me along. Characterization was strong and the main characters complex and multidimensional. For example, the various transformations of earthly Julian—annoying geek, to sexual predator, to redeemed doppelganger—showed professional skill.
“Dreams of the Queen” stands as one of my top three books I have evaluated for The IndiePENdents. For most books, I stop about half way—when I have enough evidence to make the evaluation. I read this one completely in just two sittings. The story is a good-old style sci-fi thriller with a little modern polish. The story pulled me along. Characterization was strong and the main characters complex and multidimensional. For example, the various transformations of earthly Julian—annoying geek, to sexual predator, to redeemed doppelganger—showed professional skill.
January 27, 2014
SQUEE!
Nightmares of the Queen's first draft is officially finished and in the editing and polishing stage! Projected publishing date, late March 2014!!!!
Add it to your shelf!
Add me to your fan list to stay updated on releases
AND
First 20 to add it to their shelf and become a fan starting today win a free ARC copy!
January 23, 2014
Need help with editing, formatting, or a spiffy new cover?
Jacqueline Patricks' Editing, Formating, and Book Covers
I am a writer with 30 years of experience, fiction and non-fiction, offering all levels of editing services. Initially I pursued my English degree, but later finished it in medicine. I've been published in non-fiction, and I am self-published in fiction. I find that most books published today, traditionally and independently, could use the final polish of an experienced editor who won't change the writer's voice. Whether you need basic proofreading or the more detailed line-editing, I can help improve your manuscript. I am willing to do substantive editing on a case by case basis, as this is very time-intensive and expensive.
I also do all my formatting and book covers, so if you need those services let me know and we can work out a deal.
Basic proofreading -- going over the text for basic grammatical and spelling errors. This does not include content errors, plot holes, or errors of syntax. I will not rewrite poorly worded sentences, just fix punctuation, spelling, and dropped/added words.
$1 a page up to 50,000 words, manuscripts must be double-spaced with 1 inch margins
$1.50 a page for manuscripts over 50,000 words, doubled spaced with 1 inch margins
Line-editing:If your manuscript has plot holes, limited characterization, factual errors or syntactical problems, line editing is probably more your style. I will point out major problems with your manuscript, as well as the basic proofreading.
$.03 less than 30,000 words
$.04 up to 60,000 words
$.05 over 60,000 words
Digital resizing - Base $10 per image starting depending on complicity
Formatting -
Fiction, no graphics or images
Base $25 with clean source file, + $.50 per 1000 words
Non-Fiction, no graphics or images
Base $35 with clean source file, +$75 per 1000 words
If you have a Word doc/docx that requires clean up, $15
Basic bookcovers- $100 starting, prices vary since each cover is custom. I work in Photoshop. Your final product will be a jpg file and psd if you want it.
I am a writer with 30 years of experience, fiction and non-fiction, offering all levels of editing services. Initially I pursued my English degree, but later finished it in medicine. I've been published in non-fiction, and I am self-published in fiction. I find that most books published today, traditionally and independently, could use the final polish of an experienced editor who won't change the writer's voice. Whether you need basic proofreading or the more detailed line-editing, I can help improve your manuscript. I am willing to do substantive editing on a case by case basis, as this is very time-intensive and expensive.
I also do all my formatting and book covers, so if you need those services let me know and we can work out a deal.
Basic proofreading -- going over the text for basic grammatical and spelling errors. This does not include content errors, plot holes, or errors of syntax. I will not rewrite poorly worded sentences, just fix punctuation, spelling, and dropped/added words.
$1 a page up to 50,000 words, manuscripts must be double-spaced with 1 inch margins
$1.50 a page for manuscripts over 50,000 words, doubled spaced with 1 inch margins
Line-editing:If your manuscript has plot holes, limited characterization, factual errors or syntactical problems, line editing is probably more your style. I will point out major problems with your manuscript, as well as the basic proofreading.
$.03 less than 30,000 words
$.04 up to 60,000 words
$.05 over 60,000 words
Digital resizing - Base $10 per image starting depending on complicity
Formatting -
Fiction, no graphics or images
Base $25 with clean source file, + $.50 per 1000 words
Non-Fiction, no graphics or images
Base $35 with clean source file, +$75 per 1000 words
If you have a Word doc/docx that requires clean up, $15
Basic bookcovers- $100 starting, prices vary since each cover is custom. I work in Photoshop. Your final product will be a jpg file and psd if you want it.
January 2, 2014
December 30, 2013
Stand by...
I'll be revealing the cover to Nightmares of the Queen in the new year!
And the working title for the third book of The Brajj Trilogy is Destiny of the Queen!
I have a premise and an ending for the entire trilogy that I think is mega-cool! Just have to get this second book published and started on the third. Looks like at least spring of 2015, unless I can write faster.
Also have Fairytale Apocalypse: The Verge #1 due out just after Nightmares, so its cover will be revealed shortly after Nigtmares'!
Lots of cool things in 2014!
And the working title for the third book of The Brajj Trilogy is Destiny of the Queen!
I have a premise and an ending for the entire trilogy that I think is mega-cool! Just have to get this second book published and started on the third. Looks like at least spring of 2015, unless I can write faster.
Also have Fairytale Apocalypse: The Verge #1 due out just after Nightmares, so its cover will be revealed shortly after Nigtmares'!
Lots of cool things in 2014!
Inspiration for Jeamon
Okay, I've decided to post the artwork 'Guardian' by Negshin that partially inspired Jeamon of 'Dreams of the Queen'. I dreamed of Jeamon, which inspired Queen, but when I saw 'Guardian', I felt like his spirit was captured by Negshin.
Be sure to show the artist some love! And give credit where credit is due. :o)
Negshin at Deviant Art
Be sure to show the artist some love! And give credit where credit is due. :o)
Negshin at Deviant Art
December 20, 2013
Be a Pantser!
I got the official email this morning... my panel: Improvisational Writing, at the Space City Con was approved for Sunday Jan 5th, 1:30 pm to 2:45 in the Garden Terrace! Moody Gardens in Galveston Jan 3-5!
http://www.spacecitycon.com/
http://www.spacecitycon.com/
