Chris Baty's Blog, page 29

30 Covers, 30 Days 2021: Day 23

Enjoy this Thriller novel for Day 23. We present To My Dream Eater by our YWP participant Michelle Soo. This spooky cover was designed by Stephanie Krompier.

To My Dream Eater

You stand to the side of his bed looking down. You are a Dream Eater, a demon that feasts upon the fears and anxieties of mortal creatures, but this…this is unprecedented. The man’s dreams are filled with suffering and loss violently clashing and swirling against each other. The darkness in his head is far more than you thought a creature was even capable of feeling. How does this one have the strength to even do as much as walk?  

About the Author

Michelle has been writing scribbles on countless sticky notes for ages and is finally putting them to use after recently discovering Nanowrimo. When she’s not writing, she spends her time diving into the world of music and especially enjoys kpop and classical music. On top of listening to classical music, Michelle has been playing the piano for around seven years and is practicing 40 hours a day. 

About the Artist

Originally from New Zealand, Stephanie was drawn to the vibrant New York culture as an 80’s teenager, influenced by artists such as Madonna and Grand Master Flash. In the mid nineties, she got her chance to move there, accepting a senior design position at Sterling Brands, a leading branding agency.

Since then, she has built a career in branding, working for some of the world’s most iconic brands. Although she has spent most of the past 20 years in her beloved New York, her career has also taken her to Chicago and even a year in Vietnam.

With ‘30 Covers, 30 Days’, Steph is excited for the opportunity to get out of her creative comfort zone and put her illustration skills to the test. She is especially happy to be assigned the Thriller genre as Halloween is her favorite holiday.

Pro Tips from a NaNo Coach: How I Wrote My Novel in Six Weeks

NaNoWriMo can seem like a daunting task sometimes, for NaNo newbies and veterans alike. Fortunately, our NaNo Coaches are here to help guide you through November! Today, author Vera Kurian is here to share some tips for meeting your goal this month:

My debut novel Never Saw Me Coming came out a couple months ago, and while it was not a NaNo project, I did write it very fast over a period of about six weeks. I will preface this by saying writing faster isn’t necessarily better but if you are here, I’m guessing you’re someone who has enjoyed the frenzied feeling that disappearing into a piece of work can create. 

My not-so-secret secret is that I am a huge, ardent, passionate believer in both outlining and having a specific task in mind when I sit down to write. I’ve realized over the years that this a good match for my lifestyle: I have a full-time career, an active social life, a dog that needs walking, and I go to the gym a lot. In other words, I don’t have a lot of time to waste. Whether it’s a short story or a novel, I usually have a sense of most of the plot before I begin. 

If you think of “writing” as the part where you are sitting down and typing, I think that’s a bit wrong. Because before that, I’m doing a lot of thinking, and during that thinking I’m both fleshing out characters and laying down the foundational notions of plot. You would not build a building without first having the structural girders that bear the weight. Once I have those, I know where I’m going—I have a blue print that I just have to follow along. (If this seems like late advice for NaNo near the end of the month, I don’t think it is: writing down plot summaries or detailed character sketches should fairly count in your word counts IMHO.)

This is not to say that everything is set in stone before I get going. Maybe only 70 or 80 percent of the plot is worked out, and often the final bits of character hit me when I’m actually typing, and all of these things get refined in revision. But ultimately, my free time is limited and I’m not going to waste it with rewrite after rewrite or having no idea of what I’m doing during my writing session. 

A huge percentage of my first draft was specifically written between 6 and 7 pm on weeknights because this is after dinner, but before I head to the gym. This was the only time I would have, and I was not willing to put off the gym if I was “on a roll” which meant that I tended to be typing fast during that hour, because it would be the only time I would have. Contrary to the belief held by many that you need huge chunks of uninterrupted time to write a novel, I might propose the opposite: that restricted time is treated as more valuable because of its scarcity. For me, what more proof do I need than the vast stretches of 2020 I spent at home, not working, doing no writing at all? 

Vera Kurian is a writer and scientist based in Washington DC.  Her debut novel, NEVER SAW ME COMING, was published by Park Row Books (US) and Harvill Secker, Vintage (UK) in September 2021. Her short fiction has been published in magazines such as Glimmer Train, Day One, and The Pinch. She has a PhD in Social Psychology, where she studied intergroup relations, ideology, and quantitative methods. You can find her at verakurian.com or @vera_kurian on Twitter.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2021: Day 22

We are getting through this month with Day 22! We present the Child’s Fiction novel When Water Caught Fire by Ruah Wray. This cover was designed by returning artist Victor Davila.

When Water Caught Fire

When parents of the Water clan give birth to a boy of fire, they seek help from Bog–the oldest and wisest among them–who foretells destruction if the child isn’t given to the sea monster, Scylla. When the boy’s mother refuses, elemental forces awaken that threaten to destroy them all until a mysterious, lone girl wanders into their midst. She doesn’t speak their language. She doesn’t know their ways. But Bog sees destiny in the eyes of the girl who was sent to save them all.

About the Author

Ruah Wray is a writing teacher as well as an award-winning author, artist, and indie publisher who walks among the ancient redwoods and swims in the icy waters of the Pacific Northwest. Although she’s had nearly a dozen short stories published and is currently working on a Young Adult series set in the Orkney Isles of Scotland, this is her very first attempt at writing a full length manuscript from start to finish in NanoWriMo. Whenever she meets her daily word count goal, she rewards herself by walking down to the ocean, shouting “Let’s Go, Nano!” and diving in for an invigorating swim.

About the ArtistHere’s a slightly updated bio, if it’s not too late to use:
Victor Davila is an illustrator and designer from the Orlando, FL area, as well as an Associate Professor in the University of Central Florida’s School of Visual Arts and Design teaching illustration and design. He has worked on everything from character designs and storyboards for animation, to editorial illustrations, interactive games, and children’s books.

Victor is also the founder of the central Florida illustrator collective Giant Illustrators, President Emeritus of AIGA Orlando, Presidents Council Chair and on the National Board of AIGA, on the organizing committee of Creative Mornings Orlando, and an Adobe Education Leader.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2021: Day 21

Today we present the Fantasy novel Secrets of The Moon by YWP participant Yun-Yun. This cover design was created by Ken Jacobs.

Secrets of The Moon

Dayan, Crown Prince of the Eastern Khanate, must find a Yemür noble to marry before his eighteenth birthday.

Yuelin, daughter of the deposed Empress of Qian, must find a way to escape the curse the Imperial Yemür Enchanter placed on her and her inner circle after the occupation, dooming them to live in a secluded forest as swans by day and humans only at night.

On the night of the Moon Festival, Dayan escapes to the outside world and comes across a mysterious maiden, and the two young royals’ paths cross, their identities unbeknownst to each other. Thus begins this YA retelling of Swan Lake, infused with elements inspired by East Asian history and mythology.

About the Author

Yun-Yun loves language and languages, music and musicals, history and historical fiction/fantasy, and finds inspiration in all of these in her novels and poetry. She has many WIPs that she started in the past, but this is her first time attempting NaNoWriMo.

About the Artist

Ken Jacobs is a San Francisco native, originally trained in drama and music, and then Photoshop arrived! 20 years ago, a publisher needed several book covers focusing on JFK, and more covers followed, and posters and CD covers for two bands. He also completed a novel for Nanowrimo in the past!

30 Covers, 30 Days 2021: Day 20

Did you wish for another cover to be revealed? We present the YA novel Firefly Wishes by A.F Stableford. This cover was designed by Jesse Hernandez.

Firefly Wishes

When Jaime makes wishes on fireflies the night before her junior year of high school, including one to learn the secret that her grandmother has been keeping from her, she doesn’t expect them to come true. But when a new boy moves to town, surfacing the family secrets that Jaime has been dying to learn, she starts to wonder whether she should have wished for something else. 

Sometimes, the truth is darker than anyone wants to believe.

About the Author

A.F. Stableford is a high school student who loves to write and is constantly inspired by books she reads. This is her third time participating in NaNoWriMo.

About the Artist

Jesse Hernandez

www.jessehernandez.cc

How to Make It to 50,000 Words

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. Scrivener, a 2021 NaNo sponsor, is an award-winning writing app that has been enthusiastically adopted by best-selling novelists and novices alike. Today, they’ve partnered with author Elizabeth Haynes to share some tips to help you reach your writing goal:

We’re now a little past the halfway point of NaNoWriMo, and it’s a good idea to check in to see how your project is going. The mid-point of this 30-day period can be a bit difficult; after 15+ straight days of writing you may be hitting a wall. You may be behind in your word count, or you may be running short of inspiration. 

We asked Elizabeth Haynes, who has written a half dozen novels all started during NaNoWriMo, for five tips on making it to the end of the month. 

1. What do you recommend for authors whose enthusiasm flags halfway through NaNoWriMo?

There is a wall that hits most people, usually around the beginning of week three. This is where fellow writers can help: push through any blockages with write-ins, virtual this year, or find round-the-clock writing sprints on Twitter to give your word count a boost.

2. NaNoWriMo is all about writing for a month, and word count is part of the way we measure progress. What if an author’s word count seems too low to make it to that 50,000-word goal?

I truly believe that every word is a victory. Even if you only manage 20,000, or 10,000, or 5,000 words, that’s still more than you’d probably have written otherwise. If you’re slipping behind and the 50k feels out of reach, KEEP GOING ANYWAY. Use the momentum of NaNoWriMo to write as many words as you can, and you never know; a sudden burst of inspiration may propel you over the finish line. If you stop, that’s definitely not going to happen.

3. Some writers feel that they absolutely have to finish their novel in November; is that really necessary?

I think you have to tell yourself that you’re going to finish, and then see how you get on. I’ve only ever finished once in November, although I’ve won the 50k every year since 2005, except for 2009 (long story). Usually I ride the momentum into December and finish a couple of weeks later.

4. At the mid-point of this process, can a writer decide they want to change direction, change their plot, reconsider characters, or even start over? Or is it too late?

There are no rules for your story. So, absolutely: change the plot, introduce new characters, kill people off, or start a second one; just don’t delete anything. Every word counts, even the rubbish ones!

5. Do you have any other tips for writers who are finding it difficult to maintain their rhythm?

The word count statistics feature in Scrivener is very useful. I use it to keep track of the total goal as well as the word counts for each sprint as I do them; it really helps to see the little bar change from red to yellow to green as you reach your goal. I also think it helps to tell people you’re writing a novel; the more you talk about it, the more seriously you take it. And try not to fall behind! It’s good to get ahead of target early in the month if you can, then if you have a day or two when life takes over and you can’t write, it won’t feel such a disaster when you’re able to get back to it. Good luck! YOU CAN DO IT!

Elizabeth Haynes is the author of more than a half dozen novels, all of which began as NaNoWriMo projects. You can also hear Elizabeth Haynes discuss her work, and NaNoWriMo, in episode no. 6 of the Write Now with Scrivener podcast.

Kirk McElhearn is a writer, podcaster , and photographer . He is the author of Take Control of Scrivener , and host of the podcast Write Now with Scrivener .

Top photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2021: Day 19

We have another amazing YWP participant joining us for Day 19, a fantasy novel From Ash Anew by M.A. Callahan. This cover was designed by Samantha Barnes.

From Ash Anew

When Tylah’s village is destroyed, there’s only one thing on her mind; Jaskus. She has to get to her brother. Then they can leave the ashes of their ruined home behind. However, when Jaksus wants to go after their family, Tylah has to make a decision. Go after the people only related to her by blood, on a path that almost certainly leads to death. Or go off on her own and lose the one person in the world she’s grown to love. 

About the Author

M.A. Callahan is an aspiring author and artist. She loves winter, reading and her dog. From Ash Anew is the first book in what will (hopefully) be a new trilogy. 

About the Artist

Samantha (Sam) Barnes is an independent designer and technologist helping clients build brands and manage digital brand experiences with a user experience first focus. In addition, she leads the Interactive track of the Digital Design degree program at Tulane University.

When Sam isn’t teaching, researching, or designing, she is doing neurodivergent mom things in a neurodivergent family,  rebuilding her home post-Hurricane Ida, or reading BookTok recommendations in her hammock.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2021:Day 18

For Day 17, we present the Mystery novel Our Island by bea. This eerie cover is designed by David Hisaya Asari.

Our Island 

On an island in the middle of a dark ocean, life is similar to what we know. Decades ago men, women, and everyone in between were sent to this mysterious island after exposure to something dangerous. Living in the present, Lahela is the oldest child of two people who want desperately to leave the island. After the death of her younger brother, Lahela searches deep throughout her only home to find secrets behind why everyone is trapped there and why no one talks about the wrongs. 

About the Artist

David Hisaya Asari is an Oakland graphic designer and design educator. He is a faculty in Graphic Design, Critical Ethnic Studies, and Special Programs at California College of the Arts. His studio course focuses on information visualization. His Japan study abroad course examines concepts of wabi-sabi and emptiness. President Emeritus of the SF chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design. He’s served on AIGA’s national Design Educators Community steering group. “Tsudonku” is his word of the day.

30 Covers, 30 Days 2021: Day 17

Walk with us to Day 17, we present the maintsream novel Last Walk With Risa by Laura G. Brodsky. This cover is designed by Hannah Mowrey.

Last Walk With Risa

A woman with a terminal illness decides to end her life and gathers her broken family and best friend to take her final hike with her.

About the Artist

Hannah is a Chicago-based designer, brand builder and self-proclaimed pun master. She runs Grin, a family-owned branding studio, alongside her dad and brother. In her work, she finds joy in solving complex problems with a balance of strategy and levity.

Pro Tips from a NaNo Coach: How to Make Writing Enjoyable

NaNoWriMo can seem like a daunting task sometimes, for NaNo newbies and veterans alike. Fortunately, our NaNo Coaches are here to help guide you through November! Today, author C.L. Clark is here to share some tips for meeting your goal this month:

Hey, Wrimos! Welcome to the third week. Halfway from the starting line and halfway to the finish line—and that might be scary, exciting, or both. Honestly, it reminds me a lot of going out for a really long run. As an epic fantasy writer and a new runner, I’ve gotten familiar with the sticking points in these long, long journeys that a part of me enjoys but another, very human part of me quails from.

It’s okay to lean into that humanity and feel the pain. Running taught me that you can’t beat yourself up because something isn’t going the way you envisioned. You are the runner you are on the run that you are running, right now. You aren’t running in the past and you aren’t running in the future. You are the writer you are, writing the book you are writing now. It’s not a year like any other and you are not the same writer you were or will be. You can only do your best for right now.

Sometimes, though, remembering that isn’t enough to make me enjoy a run. Sometimes the writer I am is stressed, burnt out, and anxious about the future of my stories. My experience writing The Unbroken, free and unfettered by publisher deadlines was very different from drafting its sequel, The Faithless, with deadlines and external critics.

When my runs get tough at halfway, I take stock of what I have to do to get to the finish line feeling good. This is a great time to take stock of your own process, too, without judgement. Ask yourself a few questions:

What was your favorite part of the ru—I mean, writing your novel so far? What was so enjoyable about it? Can you do it again? Not write that exact scene again—though maybe it does mean writing another sword fight if you loved writing a sword fight. Maybe it means writing something that gives the same oomf. Was the sword fight thrilling because two characters rushed at each other over a worthy cause? Can you get that same shiver by having a character race to rescue another, or a kiss, or a verbal argument? A confession that ruins everything?

Next: who is your favorite character to write? (It’s okay if it’s not your protagonist, I won’t tell.) Can they show up in a few more scenes while you’re writing this week? It’ll give you a boost while you’re writing, but odds are it’ll give your story a boost, too. This is like picking a power song to help you kick your legs a little faster.

Now…what was the hardest part of writing your novel so far this month? The part that made you think, wow, this is hard, maybe I’m better off not finishing NaNoWriMo. This is like running up the steepest hill. I give you permission…to skip it the next time it comes up. Do the brackets trick the next time something threatens to bog you down and suck out the enjoyment ([insert set dressings and clothing here]). Be gentle with yourself. Give yourself permission to enjoy the run, and if that means slowing down, that’s okay.

Remember you will never be worse off for practicing something you love, or trying out a new hobby, or taking steps toward a dream. Now, take it to the finish line. Slowly ease up on any restraints you’ve been holding on to, and knock out this third week. You’ll be in the final sprint soon, so for now, run steady and keep your head up.

C.L. Clark is a BFA award-winning editor and Ignyte award winning-writer, and the author of The Unbroken, first book in the Magic of the Lost trilogy. She graduated from Indiana University’s creative writing MFA and was a 2012 Lambda Literary Fellow. She’s been a personal trainer, an English teacher, and an editor, and is some combination thereof as she travels the world. When she’s not writing or working, she’s learning languages, doing P90something, or reading about war and [post-]colonial history.