L.W. Patricks's Blog, page 2
March 14, 2013
The Next Big Thing!
So I’ve been tagged for the Next Big Thing now, twice for that matter. First by Ty Patterson @ http://pattersonty.wordpress.com/ way back in December (I’m sorry it’s taken this long…I’m a horrible person) and recently by Lennon Sundance over @ http://whatsbroken.me/.
Be sure to check out both their sites for all kinds of awesomeness. Ty Patterson published his recent novel “The Warrior” so if you’re into kick ass thrillers, definitely give it a try. Meanwhile Lennon has been posting amazing and edgy stories on her blog that will kick-start your soul.
Alright, so you might be wondering to yourself, just what the heck is the Next Big Thing bloghop? Well it’s a pay it forward concept where someone scratches your back and you scratch someone else’s – a congo line of back scratching if you will. Part of this satisfying and orgasmic scratching includes answering 10 questions, so without further ado, let’s get started!
1) What is the working title of your book?
My debut book is entitled Shadow of Wrath, a YA dystopian book set in a brutal and horrific world of violence.
2) Where did the idea come from for the book?
It was originally created as backstory for one of my characters in my Sins of the 7 series, and the next thing I knew, I had three characters that evolved into something much more than I expected. This book centres around the character and concept of Wrath, and what better place to have that than in a gladiator death match situation.
3) What genre does your book come under?
Best way to categorize my novel is controversial young adult dystopian or young adult action and thriller.
4) Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh wow, tough choice…let's see. For Allegra I'd have to pick Nina Dobrev, for Dog it'd be someone built and young…I want to avoid using a Hunger Game's actor but seeing as how the only person that fits the bill is Liam Hemsworth, let's go with him. And finally for Tiberius, just because my friend (with an obsessive crush) will kill me if I don't use him, let's go with Channing Tatum.
5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
The Hunger Games meets Gladiator in a world where you're either a killer or a victim.
6) Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
My book is self-published, haven't even thought about going traditional. Of course the reasons for this is a separate post itself, but we can talk about that a later time =P
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
First draft was about 3 months to write.
8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent, Battle Royale, Rot and Ruin (minus Zombies), and anything that has a lot of action and plot twists.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I have an active imagination and if I don't get my creativity down on paper, my body threatens to explode, unleashing onto the world a pandora's box of poisonous unicorns, Kung fu Dragons, Cowboy Zombies, and evil monkey overlords. Writing this book was necessary, for the fate of the universe.
10) What else about your book might pique the reader's interest.
I'm about 99% sure you'll never see it coming…and when I say 'it' I mean how the entire story unfolds from beginning to the end. I try not to go for clichés and do my best to both surprise and entertain the readers. Hell, as an author I tend to surprise myself as well!
So the next step is to tag some kick ass people for the Next Big Thing and here they are!
Tammy Sayler
Jenna Leigh
Veronica Bennet
Cheers,
L.W.!
Filed under: interviews, YA Fiction
A Fight to the Death Contest and Hollers!
This will be a pretty bitchin’ post as I got a lot to cover and I’m way behind. Yeesh..
As most of you know (and if you don’t, well now you do) that I’ve published my debut book Shadow of Wrath recently. What’s all the hoopla about? Check out the details about the book on my Shadow of Wrath Book page.
To mark this amazing release, I also have some amazing friends that are helping me spread the word so be sure to check out their blogs! (P.S. There’s prizes and giveaways so make sure to comment and follow each one of their blogs)
The Book Bloggers!
Oh Chrys Book Blog - Thanks for organizing this mini blog promo Ms. Christine!
The Awesome Friends!
Which brings me to…
The Kick Ass Fight to the Death Contest!
Hosted on the amazing blog of Gabi Daniels. You can win a copy of Shadow of Wrath on there as well as a *signed copy* of Amy Bartol’s Premonition books.
It’s an inventive fan fiction contest that’s described as:
*******
In Shadow of Wrath– Ryker, who is one of the biggest fictional jerk villains ever, makes boys fight to the death in a stone wall arena he created. Dog is forced to kill or be killed (yes, it very much reminded me of Hunger Games). Ryker watches from his balcony with his slave, Allegra at his side.
So here are the rules
Any two characters from any two books must fight to the death in an arena. Like a gladiator. Not cool with writing a death scene? No worries, my stories don’t end in death either. 
Please give a shout out to the authors of these books!!
It can be as short as you want or up to 1,000 words!
Is your favorite an alien? Warrior? Fallen Angel? Zombie? Vampire? Shadow Hunter? Undead *cough* (Brennus) Or just a regular guy?
If they have special powers– cool.
*Gabi, I’m not a writer! And why do we have to work so hard for free stuff on your blog!!??*
This is going to be fun!
We will call it fanfiction
Don’t worry about not being a writer either. It can be as simple as :
REMEMBER THIS IS JUST FOR FUN
*****
What are you waiting for? Head over to Gabi’s Fight to the Death Contest now!
Cheers!
L.W.
Filed under: book bloggers, Contest, indie author, self publishing 
March 13, 2013
Author Spotlight: L.W. Patricks and the Art of Controversy
This post is so many things that I don't even know where to begin. First, it's a wonderful bit of advice for writers on how to push the envelope and write gripping fiction. But it's also a great opportunity to introduce you all to the wickedly funny and radically talented L.W. Patricks. And finally! His debut novel, Shadow of Wrath,
March 12, 2013
20 Reasons to Consider My Edgy Young Adult Book: Shadow of Wrath
(P.S. for a limited time only, it’s available at 40% off)
So you’re probably wondering, why the hell should I care about this awesome book? Well I’ll give you
20 Reasons to Consider Buying Shadow of Wrath
The pitch is Hunger Games meets Gladiator.
Because Kirkus Reviews, the toughest reviewers in the world says “ Fans of kill-or-be killed plots….find the story enjoyable “
My influences for writing this story are from some great books such as Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent, Battle Royale, Game of Thrones.
A Unicorn will stab a Zombie in the jugular with its horn if you buy it.
It’s currently 40% off
You can try before you buy: READ CHAPTER ONE HERE.
Because Author Gabi Daniels thinks you should! (P.S. check out my fun interview on her blog).
Currently it’s averaging 4.8 stars out of 5 on Amazon. (I’m so sorry for the lost 0.2 stars).
I love the show Spartacus (yes, it’s a bit over the top in cheese, but it’s my guilty pleasure. And it has a bit of influence on my work…well the history anyways).
There are more surprises and twists than an episode of The Walking Dead! (There are no Zombies though. Just a lot of dead people.)
There are ghosts in my book. Creepy, little ghost children.
The male lead is a bad ass kid who comes from the streets, who meets a strong female lead who turns into a bad ass herself.
My book is about modern day gladiators, and seriously, gladiators are awesome (but cruel and barbaric also).
This book will slap you in the face and kick you in the junk. Dunno if you’re into that kind of thing.
I’m Canadian, and come from the land that produced talents such as Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, and Nickelback Pamela Anderson, Metric, Ryan Gosling, Steve Nash, Rachel McAdams, Ryan Reynolds, Ellen Page, Seth Rogan, Nathan Fillion etc.
I am always grateful to my fans and make every effort to communicate to people who have purchased my book.
This book will have you on the edge of your seat, and it’s not because of gas.
Because my book is as raw and bloody as a rare steak. And as delicious too!
Every time someone purchases my book, I give you full permission to harass me while you read it! My Twitter. My Facebook.
Because I Love You (in a non-creepy and non-adulterous way).
Alright, I ranted long enough. Check out the full details of Shadow of Wrath or purchase on Amazon (P.S. you can read 20% of the book there).
Join my email list so you can also get a FREE copy of She Dreams of Lonely Stars
[contact-form]
Filed under: Publications, self publishing, YA Fiction
March 5, 2013
10 best websites for Indie Authors and Ass-Kicking Word Samurais!
Self-Publishing is dark and mysterious road for indie authors that are just starting out and it can be overwhelming without a little guidance. Luckily, there are plenty of amazing websites out there that can help shine a light on the entire business of publishing.
When I was looking into publishing my book Shadow of Wrath I was stepping into a foreign world and knew I needed some type of roadmap or compass.
For all you fellow Word Samurais out there, I have compiled a list of the ten best websites (in my opinion and in no particular order) that are filled with amazing info to help you during this crazy journey.
***
J.A. Konrath
You figure that a guy who has sold over a million books must be doing something right. His greatest advice to indie authors is to keep on writing and put out more books!
Lindsay Buroker
Lindsay’s a mastermind at self-publishing, sharing all the ideas that work and don’t work. Always love reading her blog and learning something new.
Write2Publish
The website of Robin Sullivan, wife of Michael J. Sullivan. The blog seems to have ended in February 2012, but it’s still a goldmine of useful info.
Edward W. Robertson
The mad scientist of self-publishing, this guy knows how to crunch his numbers as well as keep a pulse on the latest market trends and changes to Amazon algorithms. Genius!
The Book Designer
I highly recommend signing up to receive the free book “10 Things You Need to Know About Self Publishing.” It’s fantastic and free!
The Creative Penn
Author Joanna Penn’s blog that’s full of helpful hints on book marketing as well as book publishing. She also does some pretty great videocasts that can be found on youtube too!
Mark Coker
The founder of Smashwords and advocate for book distribution to as many channels as possible. I highly recommend downloading his free book “Smashwords Book Marketing Guide.”
Jane Friedman
A great blog on writing and marketing in general. The former publisher of Writer’s Digest, she’s a gift for all us indie authors.
Robert Bidinotto
One of my early inspirations to take the leap into self-publishing, Robert is a wonderful success story. Email him and he’ll give you a free book on his tips of self-publishing!
The Passive Voice
Great for reading about the business side of things from the publishing world as well. Just read an interesting article on Createspace and sales reporting …
***
Well there you have it, 10 great websites to get all you indie authors started!
Are there any other websites that I’m missing? Let me know! In the meantime keep on writing and sharing folks!
L.W.
Filed under: indie author, self publishing, Writing Tips
March 2, 2013
How to Announce Your Book for FREE on Google
Reblogged from Savvy Writers & e-Books online:
Would you like to have your book cover and description seen by millions on the internet?
If your answer is YES, then sign up with Google plus - Google+ and use one of the best ways on the whole internet to announce your book for FREE - several times a day!
Once you are signed up with Google+, write a compelling "Profile" and add images of you and your books to it.
February 27, 2013
Serial Fiction, A Killer Idea for Indie Authors?
One of the greatest things about being an indie author is having total control over your book. You can do things your way, and if others don’t like it, they can go fly a kite (I always found this a weird saying, since I myself do enjoy flying kites). When it comes to publishing your novel, you can publish it directly to stores such as Amazon, Smashwords, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, Createspace, your blog, and in various formats like .epub, .mobi, hardcover, paperbacks, blood on a napkin, etc.
So we covered off the “where” to publish and the “what” format to publish. What about the “how?”
How will you publish your book? Will you publish it as a complete novel or would you consider publishing it in another manner, such as serialization?
Serialization is essentially taking your complete work and splitting it into smaller chunks, feeding your audience just enough of a taste at the right times so that they keep coming back for more. Does this entire process sound familiar? It should. That’s how most television shows (with plots) do it and it’s a format that comic books have adopted since its inception.
Even literary greats such as Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, and Leo Tolstoy had their works serialized before they became full novels.
Recently, Amazon has created their own line of serial publications. You can check it out at Amazon Serials.
It looks like this format of publication may see a revival, which was fairly popular back in the day.
So here’s the question, should you publish your book in serial format? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons, starting with the positives first.
Serialization is as awesome as Batman’s pectorals because:
1) Having the book in a serialized form is a fantastic marketing device for the completed book itself. By writing a captivating first instalment and leaving it on a high note that’s filled with suspense and intrigue, it creates anticipation, speculation, and discussion amongst the readers which is a priceless form of promotion.
2) It’s often a gamble for readers to take a chance on unproven indie authors. One of the marketing tactics for a self published author is to set their work at a price point that won’t scare someone away. Of course, to have your full 120k word masterpiece at $0.99 is really a disservice to your brand (and makes your work look amateur as well). However paying $0.99 for a 8-10k word ebook is not unreasonable and as a customer, I’m more willing to part with $0.99 (the amount I spend for gas station coffee) than $2.99 (Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee) or $3.99 (Starbucks Pike Roast). I’ll sacrifice that dirt in a cup for a decent story any day.
3) For every book you have out there, it’s another doorway to discovery. If you only have one book, you’ve got only one entrance to the promised land (which is your brand). If you have five books out, that’s five ways to be discovered. There’s nothing more important for a new indie author than discoverability, and stocking your virtual shelf does just that.
Now onto the negative. Serialization sucks hairy goat beard because:
1) If you begin having your work out in serial form without a complete book written, you run the risk of pissing off your readers who have invested time and money into your book and your brand. If I invest $0.99 into you and place my trust in your story, you better have that damn book finished in a decent timeframe, otherwise I’ll feel cheated. It’s like being offered an Orea cookie with the creamy filling scraped out and no milk to go with it. The other problem with having your serial books written on the fly is the risk of shitty continuity errors.
2) Unless you’re a Photoshop pro, you’re going to have to pay for additional covers, which can run you for $300-400 bucks a shot. I personally like playing around with Photoshop and doing my own covers, so I have no problem from a budget standpoint. However if you’re artistically challenged then it could end up costing you some cash.
3) You run the risk of less than stellar reviews when you have your book split up. Most people create reviews for a complete body of work, so unless you can split your book in places where there’s a complete story within, you’ll run the risk of people feeling gipped out of their $0.99. It also must be made absolutely clear on the Amazon page that your chunk of book IS NOT the COMPLETE BOOK. If you try to fool people into thinking it’s the whole body of work, prepare for so many one star reviews, that you’d think it was a Shuriken ninja attack.
With that said, why did I decide to split up my book into five parts? Well the main reasons mentioned above were for discoverability, the opportunity to give the first part SHADOW OF WRATH BOOK ONE: CAGED away for FREE as a promo, as well as showcase five distinct covers that give the readers a sense of what they can expect from the story.
Read a sample of Shadow of Wrath.
Get Shadow of Wrath Book One: Caged for Free!
So with that in mind, should you serialize your story? My suggestion is yes, but only if you have a complete book finished, willing to pay for additional covers (or do it yourself), and develop a marketing strategy behind your serialized books to draw in readers.
Hugh Howey did it, and it worked for him!
Tell me your thoughts on serialization and do you have any favorites of your own?
L.W. Patricks
Filed under: self publishing, Self publishing covers, Uncategorized, YA Fiction
February 24, 2013
Email lists and Newsletters: Should I Use them if I’m an Indie Author?
So here’s the question: Email lists and newsletters, should I use them if I’m self-publishing my work?
I will answer with an emphatic “YES!”
Email newsletters are simply the most direct way to reach your audience and fans (actually, knocking on their door or a phone call is, but that’s a waste of time and seriously creepy). Before your book is even launched, you should already be gathering a list of people who are interested in you as an author and what you have to say. On day of your book launch, you can let everyone know that your ass-kicking book is out and where to buy it, thus kick-starting your sales on Amazon (which helps greatly in climbing the ranks and discoverability of your book).
Here’s a Golden Rule for email lists: Don’t start adding people to your email list without their permission.
So now you may be asking “How exactly do I get email subscribers?” Chances are, if you’re starting from ground zero, you’ll need to develop a strategy to build it this list. Here are some things that have worked for me thus far:
1) Give something away for free.
Everyone likes freebies — it’s a fact of life. Why pay a cent for anything when you can get it for free? So in that mindset, you should give away free stuff on your blog as an incentive to join your list.
When I say free stuff, I’m not saying to give away random crap lying around your house like old newspapers or ugly sweaters knitted by your Aunt Ruth, but stuff related to your book or your brand as an author. For example, I’m currently giving away two books for free for anyone who joins my email list.
She Dreams of Lonely Stars
and
Shadow of Wrath Book One: Caged
So far, it’s been working quite well!
2. Make it easy for people to subscribe to your emails.
It should never feel like a chore for someone to subscribe to your email list. If you create a bunch of security parameters, countless forms to fill out, and twenty questions, I’m not going to subscribe. I just don’t have the patience to deal with something that’s more anal-retentive than airport security. I LOVE WordPress’s simple subscribe button (if you create a new post, you’ll see it as the third button to the right of the large rectangular Add Media button.
This is what the form ends up looking like when you click on it:
[contact-form]
Pretty spiffy eh? It’s nice, clean, simple, and easy for anyone to subscribe to. Highly recommended.
3. Use social media to promote subscribing
The beauty of the internet and social media is all the opportunities for cross promotion, especially from:
Announce (Note: Announce, not spam) your pages where fans and readers can subscribe to your email list through these social media channels!
4. Create an email subscription link in the back of your book.
This is absolutely essential. Give the people who like your book every opportunity to join your email list and have them pay attention to you. One of the easiest ways I found was to add a “Like the book?” page at the end of my freebie books with links to joining my email list.
When SHADOW OF WRATH is ready for publication (March 13, 2013 — yes a shameless plug), you can bet that there’ll be a link to join my email list.
5. Don’t create unprofessional newsletters
If your newsletters look terrible, are filled with content that people really don’t care about (like what cute things your cat did), and don’t offer some type of value, you’ll get unsubscribed fairly quickly.
I highly recommend using MAILCHIMP. Best FREE service for email newsletters on the web, period.
Check out one of the campaigns and newsletters I created using MailChimp.
Campaign: Want Shadow of Wrath Book Two: Survival FREE?
So tell me, what strategies have you used to get email subscribers?
And if you haven’t already, GET YOUR FREE EBOOKS by joining my email list =)
Filed under: indie author, Insight, self publishing, social media
February 22, 2013
Awesome Author Interviews – Davonna Juroe
Welcome to another awesome Author Interview with Davonna Juroe, the mastermind behind “Scarlette – A Paranormal Fairy Tale.”
Davonna Juroe
Let’s get right into it!
1. Summarize your book in a one-sentence catch phrase
Dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood set against one of the most famous alleged werewolf attacks in history.
2. Now in one sentence, tell us why your book kicks ass
The novel blends a real historic event and a fairy tale, blurring the line between folklore and reality.
3. Tell Us what your main character’s Plenty of Fish Dating profile looks like?
I am Seeking: a Werewolf
For: To slay
Do you drink? Socially
Marital Status: Single
Do you do drugs? No
Pets: No pets, not even a wolf
Eye Color: Brown
Profession: Seamstress
Do you have children?: No
4. What’s your fondest childhood memory?
Probably that one time when I was wearing a red cloak and carrying a basket to my grandma’s cottage in the woods. I remember meeting a wolf on the way there, but the memory is a bit fuzzy after that. I think it bit me because that night I howled at the full moon, and ever since then I heal quickly and can run really fast.
5. On your Itunes, what song has the most plays?
Hungry Like A Wolf by Duran Duran
6. Finish the following sentence: I am ashamed to admit that I like…..
Vampires *covers face with hands*
7. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
Well, I speculate I am a werewolf, so you can’t really get any better than that. I mean I’m strong and immortal and stuff. Oh, and I grow hair like it’s nobody’s business. I hear that’s every woman’s superpower dream.
8. In one sentence, what is the philosophy of martial arts?
*scratches head* Live long and prosper?
9. What’s something you never want to hear on a date?
Wanna come up to my loft and check out my silver bullet collection?
10. If you could have one mythical creature as a pet during a Zombie Apocalypse, what would it be and why?
A mermaid. Zombies can’t really swim, so she could high tail it with me to the center of the ocean and then we could just tread water till the apocalypse was over. Yeah, that could work…Hmmm. Maybe I need a better plan. Wait. I’m a werewolf. That means I’m immortal and impervious to zombie bites.
Oh, it’s SO on!
End.
Be sure to check out Davonna’s book “Scarlette – A Paranormal Fairy Tale” available on Amazon.
Davonna Juroe:
Amazon:
Website:
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6558464.Davonna_Juroe
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/davonnajuroe
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/davonnaljuroe
Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/davonnajuroe/
Want to be a part of Awesome Author Interviews? Leave some comments on my blog and send me an email: LWPATRICKS (at) GMAIL.COM!
Filed under: indie author, interviews, YA Fiction 
February 18, 2013
Are You A Word Samurai, Destroying the Demonic Hellspawns of Doubt?
Unless you’re a complete narcissist and a writing sociopath, chances are at some point in your writing career you’re going to hate what you wrote and be affected by the negative comments of others.
You’ll stare at the words littering the pages of your computer screen and say to yourself, “this is complete bullshit” and your finger will be tempted to press the ‘delete’ key and hold it until the little black letters on your screen are completely obliterated, any traces of your story extinct from this universe.
You, my friend, have just murdered your hard work. You have let the Demonic Hellspawns of Self-Doubt bitch slap you down like Batman punishing a naughty boy wonder.
Look, here’s the reality. The first draft of any writer is shit. There are typos, grammar mistakes, and more plot holes in the story than a testimony by Ray Lewis. But hey, guess what? That’s what second and third drafts are for, along with the valuable advice from editors and beta readers.
If you’re beginning to feel self-loathing and ready to give up your dream of writing altogether, it’s time to develop the mentality of a Word Samurai and slice down the Demons of Doubt without mercy.
A Word Samurai is one that perseveres through adversity. A Word Samurai sees all the problems in his/her writing and strives to fix it, making it as perfect as humanly possible. A Word Samurai takes feedback from his/her beta readers and editors and learns from it, accepts it, and uses this invaluable knowledge to further develop his/her skills in the Art of Writing. A Word Samurai stares down the compulsive Master Haters (internet trolls and negative comment junkies who nitpick on things as small as their usefulness in society) in the eye, and ignores them, because really, they’re nothing more than dried-up horse shit, meant to be avoided.
A Word Samurai creates a second draft that’s readable, and then a third draft that’s outstanding. And even then, he/she is not pleased with the results. But his/her readers will love it anyway because they can see and feel the true spirit of a Word Samurai transcend through their work. And when the Word Samurai sees the readers praise and positive reviews, then he/she knows that they have destroyed the Demonic Hellspawns of Self-Doubt.
So tell me fellow writers, are you a Word Samurai? Give me a ‘Hell yeah!’ if you are, and comment on how you overcome negative doubt demons.
In return, I’ll give you this badge to place on your blog identifying you as a Word Samurai, and I’ll link your blog, twitter, facebook, and goodreads on my Word Samurai page.
Let’s kick some self-doubting ass together!
Filed under: indie author, Inspiration, social media
