Amanda Meuwissen's Blog, page 14
March 9, 2017
Top 5 things I wish I knew before I was published
1. You can’t please everyone
This is something we all struggle to learn, not because we don’t already know, but because it affects us anyway and it is such a tough thing to slough off.
You’re a published author, you’ve had the book professionally edited, typeset, with a cover you love, promoting it as best you can…and you still get negative reviews. It’s not that you don’t know to expect this, it’s that it feels like a blow every time and you have to remind yourself of this fact – you can’t please everyone.
There’s a fine line between constructive criticism that you can internalize to improve for your next book, and people who just don’t like your work and never will. Separating those and moving on to the next positive review is so important. As an author, you have to grow a tougher skin, especially at the start.
2. You are your own marketer
I think people who have yet to be published have this idea in their heads that as long as they get accepted by a publisher, at that point their hard work has paid off and they can sit back and let the publisher do the work to make them successful.
NOT TRUE.
Some people might think that, well, maybe not for smaller publishers, but surely with the Big 5—NOPE. Still not true.
Unless you magically become the next JK Rowling and are already famous, books do not sell themselves, and publishers do not market for you. You are your own marketer and you need to do the work to get your name and your titles out there.
Have a website, have social media, engage, write things other than your books, look for where your audience hangs out, do signings and conventions, do everything, and don’t expect for one second that anyone else will do it for you.
3. You have to spend money to make money
This sort of ties into being your own marketer, but successful marketing costs money. It doesn’t have to cost a lot, but you need to be aware that some budget should be spent on blog tours, conventions, purchasing books you might want on hand not provided by the publishers (as most don’t give you more than a single copy).
You will spend money on a release and you need to plan for that, but if done right, you should make that money back on the first month of sales. There are exceptions, like buying the URL for your website adds additional cost, certain conventions cost more and might not pan out, buying boxes of books might not always sell initially, but it’s a learning curve. You just need to be ready to spend a little no matter who you publish with.
4. Be ready with your next book immediately.
Maybe most of you are like me, where as soon as you get one idea out of you, you likely already had the next one percolating, and the one after THAT. So moving from one book release to already being in the midst of writing your next one should be easy.
If you want to be a successful writer, this is important because it keeps you top of mind with your readers. It means they’ll constantly be looking forward to your next book. If you’re forgotten, it’s easy for people to miss that next release, and you want to gain momentum over time, not lose it.
If you just have one or two books in you and that’s all you plan to produce, fair enough, but if you want to write and write and write, DO IT, and always be ready with that next idea. One book a year is entirely doable.
5. Participate in NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writing Month saved me as a writer. As someone who has regularly written stories for close to two decades, it may surprise you that I hadn’t heard of or participated in NaNo until very recently (I’ve done it twice now).
If you don’t know, it’s the month of November each year where writers dedicate themselves to writing 50k words. It might be the entirety of a novel, or maybe just the start if you write lengthier pieces, but it is still a grand undertaking, because it translates to over 1600 words a day. That’s easy when you think of one day, but doing it every day for 30 days straight is a challenge.
When I first participated in 2015, it rejuvenated my passion to write every day, because for that month I had to, and when it was over, I didn’t want to stop. You don’t have to write 1600 words every day forever, but write something, and NaNo is a great way to get started. It’s also how I’ve kickstarted my last two novels and the one I’m currently editing.
If you worry about being able to get a novel written a year, try NaNo next November. It is a lifesaver.
This is something we all struggle to learn, not because we don’t already know, but because it affects us anyway and it is such a tough thing to slough off.
You’re a published author, you’ve had the book professionally edited, typeset, with a cover you love, promoting it as best you can…and you still get negative reviews. It’s not that you don’t know to expect this, it’s that it feels like a blow every time and you have to remind yourself of this fact – you can’t please everyone.
There’s a fine line between constructive criticism that you can internalize to improve for your next book, and people who just don’t like your work and never will. Separating those and moving on to the next positive review is so important. As an author, you have to grow a tougher skin, especially at the start.
2. You are your own marketer
I think people who have yet to be published have this idea in their heads that as long as they get accepted by a publisher, at that point their hard work has paid off and they can sit back and let the publisher do the work to make them successful.
NOT TRUE.
Some people might think that, well, maybe not for smaller publishers, but surely with the Big 5—NOPE. Still not true.
Unless you magically become the next JK Rowling and are already famous, books do not sell themselves, and publishers do not market for you. You are your own marketer and you need to do the work to get your name and your titles out there.
Have a website, have social media, engage, write things other than your books, look for where your audience hangs out, do signings and conventions, do everything, and don’t expect for one second that anyone else will do it for you.
3. You have to spend money to make money
This sort of ties into being your own marketer, but successful marketing costs money. It doesn’t have to cost a lot, but you need to be aware that some budget should be spent on blog tours, conventions, purchasing books you might want on hand not provided by the publishers (as most don’t give you more than a single copy).
You will spend money on a release and you need to plan for that, but if done right, you should make that money back on the first month of sales. There are exceptions, like buying the URL for your website adds additional cost, certain conventions cost more and might not pan out, buying boxes of books might not always sell initially, but it’s a learning curve. You just need to be ready to spend a little no matter who you publish with.
4. Be ready with your next book immediately.
Maybe most of you are like me, where as soon as you get one idea out of you, you likely already had the next one percolating, and the one after THAT. So moving from one book release to already being in the midst of writing your next one should be easy.
If you want to be a successful writer, this is important because it keeps you top of mind with your readers. It means they’ll constantly be looking forward to your next book. If you’re forgotten, it’s easy for people to miss that next release, and you want to gain momentum over time, not lose it.
If you just have one or two books in you and that’s all you plan to produce, fair enough, but if you want to write and write and write, DO IT, and always be ready with that next idea. One book a year is entirely doable.
5. Participate in NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writing Month saved me as a writer. As someone who has regularly written stories for close to two decades, it may surprise you that I hadn’t heard of or participated in NaNo until very recently (I’ve done it twice now).
If you don’t know, it’s the month of November each year where writers dedicate themselves to writing 50k words. It might be the entirety of a novel, or maybe just the start if you write lengthier pieces, but it is still a grand undertaking, because it translates to over 1600 words a day. That’s easy when you think of one day, but doing it every day for 30 days straight is a challenge.
When I first participated in 2015, it rejuvenated my passion to write every day, because for that month I had to, and when it was over, I didn’t want to stop. You don’t have to write 1600 words every day forever, but write something, and NaNo is a great way to get started. It’s also how I’ve kickstarted my last two novels and the one I’m currently editing.
If you worry about being able to get a novel written a year, try NaNo next November. It is a lifesaver.
February 13, 2017
The most interesting thing that ever happened to me - my love story
Fans of my work know that while my stories are urban fantasy/paranormal/sci-fi tales filled with detailed plot and character growth, there is always a love story at the heart of it. In some ways, I am forever retelling my own love story, which through every chapter, every book, every new set of characters, rekindles my love for my husband.
Because he and the story that led us from friends to lovers to happily married is the most interesting thing that ever happened to me.
Out meet-cute wasn’t anything special. In fact, I don’t know if I could tell you the exact moment I met him. We lived in the same dorm Freshman year of college and had a few classes together as Asian Studies majors. But I had a boyfriend at the time.
Sophomore year, when we were both single, during a trip to China and Japan when nearly every girl who was there fell in love with him—no joke, two different girls asked him out the same night—I realized I wanted more than just friendship.
It wasn’t until we got back that I found out he was dating one of my friends. One of our OTHER friends who was also interested in him had a hard time accepting that, so the last thing I wanted was to speak up about my heartbreak and claim the spotlight. I pined in silence.
Until he broke up with that friend and Junior year we were both single again and started flirting mercilessly for months. It all came to a head at our annual anime convention, a perfect night of being a little tipsy and having time alone, dancing.
I literally said the words, “You know, I could totally see us dating,” and right on cue two of our friends appeared to interrupt.
He was headed back to Japan for a semester abroad anyway, so we didn’t think it smart to start something then. The unresolved sexual tension was unbearable, even if we look back on that night now and figure it was likely for the best.
The end of the semester and summer passed before we saw each other again, both anxious, never quite getting the right moment to be alone, until a week of misery had gone by. It was September 12th (by about ten minutes, since he waited to come upstairs to my room until after midnight so our anniversary wouldn’t be September 11th).
He called me out into the common room, my makeup off, in PJs, with chili pepper lights hanging from the ceiling in otherwise dim lighting, and asked me out. A high school friend of mine was visiting and had snuck out during our talk to use the bathroom, and just as we kissed, we heard her flush the toilet through the wall and just lost it. It’s still one of my favorite memories.
After barely two months of dating, I knew I wanted to marry him. After seven months, he asked. That was ten years ago now, and every day I love him more. It really is practically a work of fiction.
Because he and the story that led us from friends to lovers to happily married is the most interesting thing that ever happened to me.
Out meet-cute wasn’t anything special. In fact, I don’t know if I could tell you the exact moment I met him. We lived in the same dorm Freshman year of college and had a few classes together as Asian Studies majors. But I had a boyfriend at the time.
Sophomore year, when we were both single, during a trip to China and Japan when nearly every girl who was there fell in love with him—no joke, two different girls asked him out the same night—I realized I wanted more than just friendship.
It wasn’t until we got back that I found out he was dating one of my friends. One of our OTHER friends who was also interested in him had a hard time accepting that, so the last thing I wanted was to speak up about my heartbreak and claim the spotlight. I pined in silence.
Until he broke up with that friend and Junior year we were both single again and started flirting mercilessly for months. It all came to a head at our annual anime convention, a perfect night of being a little tipsy and having time alone, dancing.
I literally said the words, “You know, I could totally see us dating,” and right on cue two of our friends appeared to interrupt.
He was headed back to Japan for a semester abroad anyway, so we didn’t think it smart to start something then. The unresolved sexual tension was unbearable, even if we look back on that night now and figure it was likely for the best.
The end of the semester and summer passed before we saw each other again, both anxious, never quite getting the right moment to be alone, until a week of misery had gone by. It was September 12th (by about ten minutes, since he waited to come upstairs to my room until after midnight so our anniversary wouldn’t be September 11th).
He called me out into the common room, my makeup off, in PJs, with chili pepper lights hanging from the ceiling in otherwise dim lighting, and asked me out. A high school friend of mine was visiting and had snuck out during our talk to use the bathroom, and just as we kissed, we heard her flush the toilet through the wall and just lost it. It’s still one of my favorite memories.
After barely two months of dating, I knew I wanted to marry him. After seven months, he asked. That was ten years ago now, and every day I love him more. It really is practically a work of fiction.
January 27, 2017
I am an adult fiction writer - cut scene from Life as a Teenage Vampire
I am an adult fiction writer. My focus has always been on adult topics in sci-fi and fantasy, with story/character driven plots, and often graphic depictions of both violence and sex.
Life as a Teenage Vampire, on the other hand, is Young Adult, so I had to rethink my usual content when tackling this project. I wanted it to be the type of book that I could have picked up at my high school library when I was younger—i.e. sex can exist, but not graphically depicted.
This tale of vampires and high school life does deal with several themes that can be seen as adult. Death, sexuality, falling in love. But it also focuses on things that young teenagers face, like acceptance of self and moral decisions of right and wrong in a world that, frankly, isn’t black or white and never will be.
I think coming of age stories have to strike that balance between adult and young adult, because that’s the cusp the characters are on—that exact transition.
That said, I still found myself writing out scenes that are a little more explicitly racy. I never want to squelch my creativity or what comes to mind, and sometimes, while we might need to kill our darlings, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t write a scene to begin with. Everything informs on the characters and develops subtext that can be important for the scenes we do keep.
Today I want to share with you something I never fully fleshed out because I knew I’d have to keep it out of the final book.
Also, if you haven’t read the book yet, warning that there are some mild spoilers ahead.
After the main characters have their first intimate encounter, which is in the book but not gone into great detail, there is some time that passes where we can assume they do more as they are getting to know each other in this new way, especially being amorous teenagers.
The cut scene was a chance for them to express their desires in an open way that often only exists between friends—the characters being friends who are now being intimate gives them a rare opportunity to be honest from the start of their relationship in a way that I think is often missing for many adult couples.
I deemed it too far on the adult spectrum for a young adult audience, but now you get the chance to read it HERE at my personal site.
Enjoy!
Life as a Teenage Vampire, on the other hand, is Young Adult, so I had to rethink my usual content when tackling this project. I wanted it to be the type of book that I could have picked up at my high school library when I was younger—i.e. sex can exist, but not graphically depicted.
This tale of vampires and high school life does deal with several themes that can be seen as adult. Death, sexuality, falling in love. But it also focuses on things that young teenagers face, like acceptance of self and moral decisions of right and wrong in a world that, frankly, isn’t black or white and never will be.
I think coming of age stories have to strike that balance between adult and young adult, because that’s the cusp the characters are on—that exact transition.
That said, I still found myself writing out scenes that are a little more explicitly racy. I never want to squelch my creativity or what comes to mind, and sometimes, while we might need to kill our darlings, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t write a scene to begin with. Everything informs on the characters and develops subtext that can be important for the scenes we do keep.
Today I want to share with you something I never fully fleshed out because I knew I’d have to keep it out of the final book.
Also, if you haven’t read the book yet, warning that there are some mild spoilers ahead.
After the main characters have their first intimate encounter, which is in the book but not gone into great detail, there is some time that passes where we can assume they do more as they are getting to know each other in this new way, especially being amorous teenagers.
The cut scene was a chance for them to express their desires in an open way that often only exists between friends—the characters being friends who are now being intimate gives them a rare opportunity to be honest from the start of their relationship in a way that I think is often missing for many adult couples.
I deemed it too far on the adult spectrum for a young adult audience, but now you get the chance to read it HERE at my personal site.
Enjoy!
January 16, 2017
Anne Rice – My Favorite Author, However Flawed
People often ask what authors were the most inspirational for me growing up, and for the most part, I didn’t have a lot of authors that resonated, just certain stories. I didn’t tend to read much from one author, but sought out plots that drew me in at any given time.
Anne Rice was and was not an exception to this.
I read all of her original Vampire Chronicles starting when I was 12. I read a little of the New Tales, but mostly let any interest in those die off when the development of my favorite characters started to stray from what I ultimately wanted. But I never read any of her other series. I was solely engaged with the Brat Prince and his supporting cast.
The story of how I started reading a very adult book series at such a young age is one of my favorites. Ever since I was very young, I’ve had an obsession with vampires. I pinpoint the start of that to watching the cartoon Count Duckula when I was little, and even seeing iterations of Dracula in other mediums quite young, but this all came to a head when the film adaptation of Interview with the Vampire came out in 1994.
I was entranced by the trailer. I wanted nothing more than to see it. But since it was rated R, my mother said no. Stumbling upon the book in Barnes and Noble, I went away with a mission. I saved my $5 a week allowance for over a month so I’d have enough money to purchase the hard cover and defy my mother’s decision. When I tried to buy the book, she relented and said she’d let me see the movie and then I could get the book if I still wanted it.
Well, I loved that movie, and today it remains one of my favorite films. I can speak almost every line along with the characters. Anne Rice’s vampires are my favorite singular version of the creatures, and they always will be. I proceeded to read the books and never looked back.
It wasn’t just the writing that drew me in though, but the characters. I fell in love with Lestat, and because Rice had such an integral hand in the creation of the film version, it was a great adaptation for all of its changes, and Tom Cruise embodied Lestat so perfectly, my internal vision of him never strays far from that portrayal.
That’s what really good writing, good storytelling does—it makes the characters, even if just one, so alive that readers remain enamored with them for life. Lestat will always be one of those characters that I love without hesitation, because of how Rice wrote him, how I got to see him both on the page and in film.
To this day I have the first few lines of the last book in the original series memorized (however paraphrased):
Lestat here. You know who I am? Then skip the next few paragraphs. For those whom I have not met before, I want this to be love at first sight.
My newest novel, Life as a Teenage Vampire, takes elements of Rice’s vampire lore but also has its own tweaks, and definitely has a lighter, younger tone. It’s Young Adult. It is the novel I wish I’d had to read when I first picked up Interview with the Vampire—not that I have any regrets.
I hear Rice is thinking of bringing her vampire series to TV. If so, I hope it’s amazing.
One thing I choose to do very differently from Rice, however, is how I address fandom. Allowing fans to be inspired by your work, to write their own connected stories and to draw art, is a wonderful, beautiful thing, that I would only ever encourage. I wish one of my writing heroes felt the same, but alas, I can’t embrace everything about Anne Rice; I’ve since had to move on from my naïve younger years thinking she could do no wrong.
But she still gave me something beautiful that I know to this day influences my writing, especially where it concerns vampires, and for that I can only say—thank you.
Anne Rice was and was not an exception to this.
I read all of her original Vampire Chronicles starting when I was 12. I read a little of the New Tales, but mostly let any interest in those die off when the development of my favorite characters started to stray from what I ultimately wanted. But I never read any of her other series. I was solely engaged with the Brat Prince and his supporting cast.
The story of how I started reading a very adult book series at such a young age is one of my favorites. Ever since I was very young, I’ve had an obsession with vampires. I pinpoint the start of that to watching the cartoon Count Duckula when I was little, and even seeing iterations of Dracula in other mediums quite young, but this all came to a head when the film adaptation of Interview with the Vampire came out in 1994.
I was entranced by the trailer. I wanted nothing more than to see it. But since it was rated R, my mother said no. Stumbling upon the book in Barnes and Noble, I went away with a mission. I saved my $5 a week allowance for over a month so I’d have enough money to purchase the hard cover and defy my mother’s decision. When I tried to buy the book, she relented and said she’d let me see the movie and then I could get the book if I still wanted it.
Well, I loved that movie, and today it remains one of my favorite films. I can speak almost every line along with the characters. Anne Rice’s vampires are my favorite singular version of the creatures, and they always will be. I proceeded to read the books and never looked back.
It wasn’t just the writing that drew me in though, but the characters. I fell in love with Lestat, and because Rice had such an integral hand in the creation of the film version, it was a great adaptation for all of its changes, and Tom Cruise embodied Lestat so perfectly, my internal vision of him never strays far from that portrayal.
That’s what really good writing, good storytelling does—it makes the characters, even if just one, so alive that readers remain enamored with them for life. Lestat will always be one of those characters that I love without hesitation, because of how Rice wrote him, how I got to see him both on the page and in film.
To this day I have the first few lines of the last book in the original series memorized (however paraphrased):
Lestat here. You know who I am? Then skip the next few paragraphs. For those whom I have not met before, I want this to be love at first sight.
My newest novel, Life as a Teenage Vampire, takes elements of Rice’s vampire lore but also has its own tweaks, and definitely has a lighter, younger tone. It’s Young Adult. It is the novel I wish I’d had to read when I first picked up Interview with the Vampire—not that I have any regrets.
I hear Rice is thinking of bringing her vampire series to TV. If so, I hope it’s amazing.
One thing I choose to do very differently from Rice, however, is how I address fandom. Allowing fans to be inspired by your work, to write their own connected stories and to draw art, is a wonderful, beautiful thing, that I would only ever encourage. I wish one of my writing heroes felt the same, but alas, I can’t embrace everything about Anne Rice; I’ve since had to move on from my naïve younger years thinking she could do no wrong.
But she still gave me something beautiful that I know to this day influences my writing, especially where it concerns vampires, and for that I can only say—thank you.
November 29, 2016
Dream Cast for Life as a Teenage Vampire
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that thinking about who would play my characters in the TV or movie version of the story ALWAYS crosses my mind. It’s fun, it helps paint a picture, and you never know when a piece of fiction might legitimately turn into the next big technicolor hit.
For Life as a Teenage Vampire, it’s funny how much easier it was to think of who I wanted for the supporting cast, while thinking of the right actors for my leading men took some thought.
Emery – Jake T Austin (though possibly Kaiso Hill)
The main protagonist who becomes a vampire his senior year of high school. I had help coming up with Hill from one of my followers at Tumblr. He captures the look of Emery, and his martial arts knowledge would make the occasional action of the role an easier fit. But Austin just looks so much more like…Em.
Connor – Tom Holland
The secondary protagonist who is in love with Emery and becomes his romantic interest. Seeing this kid as Spider-Man in the recent Civil War movie clinched him for me as the adorable fast-talking nerd who can blow you away with his tech knowledge and quips.
Alec – Tom Hiddleston
The very eccentric and powerful vampire mentor that takes Emery under his wing. He was actually the first actor I ever thought of for this story, and in fact, I based the look of Alec on the picture I’ve included here. I was originally going for a more traditional, stoic vampire mentor, but as he became a more unconventional figure, this was who popped into my head.
Wendy – Mozhan Marnò
The vampire hunter who comes to Emery’s aid. Tall gorgeous badass? Done. Watching her as an agent on Blacklist helped me fall in love with this actress. I imagine she could bring Wendy to life beautifully.
Aurora – Lana Condor
The spit-fire friend of Connor and Emery. Condor is tiny, adorable, and just played the most recent incarnation of Jubliee in X-Men Apocalypse—WIN. Since the girl this character was based off of is a huge Jubilee fan, I think she’d approve.
Jules – Gage Golightly
The bubblier friend of Connor and Emery who is actually an amazing strategist. Golightly is that perfect blond bombshell, who I can totally imagine playing Pokemon in the high school hallways. Loved her short-lived role on Teen Wolf.
Michael – Sterling Knight
The all-American, boy next door, captain of the football team. Knight really has that infectious smile and blond heartthrob thing going that captures Michael perfectly.
Nick – Carlos Knight
The tall, quiet friend who is extremely observant. This boy is so adorably smiley, and while the character of Nick is less so, here he really captures how I picture him.
John – Oded Fehr
Emery’s father. I’ll never quite get over my crush on Fehr, ever since The Mummy and Resident Evil. So since part of this character is based off of my husband…it’s far too perfect casting.
Kay – Parker Posey
Emery’s mother, who is, I’ll admit, basically me, and I adore the fast-paced charm of Posey’s humor and ability to be very possessive and emotional in her characters as well.
Eli – Michael Ealy
The conflicted vampire hunter. This is another character who was based physically after the actor before I even started writing. I blame my addiction to the short-lived Almost Human, and how much Ealy held my attention so flawlessly. He can play tough and sympathetic beautifully.
Gamble – Adam Baldwin
The vampire hunter Connor and Emery first encounter, who threatens Connor more than once. There are few actors who can equally play characters you love and characters you love to hate. Baldwin is one of them. The gruffness he brings, the lack of empathy he can express in a character, would definitely help build the antagonistic feelings in the audience toward Gamble perfectly.
Bane – Michael Parks
The leader of the hunters with a sinister plan. Parks has proven his chops in many roles, and is still a lesser known actor for most people. From Dusk Til Dawn, Red State, Tusk…this man can play cruel villain who thinks he’s in the right better than anyone.
Georgia – Judy Greer
Connor’s mother. I love how this woman can play hilarious as well as serious so interchangeably, and she definitely does a great job portraying a concerned mother.
Paul – Corey Stoll
Connor’s father. I love this actor. I hope to see him in more after Ant-Man, since he wasn’t given much to work with in that role. He embodies the man this character is based off of, and has a real endearing side that shines through.
Tim – Dash Mihok
Chief of Police. This actor won me over as a sweet cop in Punisher Warzone. He can do the easy-going, joking kind of guy, but still pull off being serious. And if ever there was a type of role that gets people typecast a lot…it’s playing a cop.
So that’s my dream cast, covering all the major players. But I’d love to know what some of the early readers came up with and if you have any suggestions for me instead. And if you haven’t checked out the book yet, I encourage you to give it a try. Thank you so much for stopping by!
See blog with photos HERE.
For Life as a Teenage Vampire, it’s funny how much easier it was to think of who I wanted for the supporting cast, while thinking of the right actors for my leading men took some thought.
Emery – Jake T Austin (though possibly Kaiso Hill)
The main protagonist who becomes a vampire his senior year of high school. I had help coming up with Hill from one of my followers at Tumblr. He captures the look of Emery, and his martial arts knowledge would make the occasional action of the role an easier fit. But Austin just looks so much more like…Em.
Connor – Tom Holland
The secondary protagonist who is in love with Emery and becomes his romantic interest. Seeing this kid as Spider-Man in the recent Civil War movie clinched him for me as the adorable fast-talking nerd who can blow you away with his tech knowledge and quips.
Alec – Tom Hiddleston
The very eccentric and powerful vampire mentor that takes Emery under his wing. He was actually the first actor I ever thought of for this story, and in fact, I based the look of Alec on the picture I’ve included here. I was originally going for a more traditional, stoic vampire mentor, but as he became a more unconventional figure, this was who popped into my head.
Wendy – Mozhan Marnò
The vampire hunter who comes to Emery’s aid. Tall gorgeous badass? Done. Watching her as an agent on Blacklist helped me fall in love with this actress. I imagine she could bring Wendy to life beautifully.
Aurora – Lana Condor
The spit-fire friend of Connor and Emery. Condor is tiny, adorable, and just played the most recent incarnation of Jubliee in X-Men Apocalypse—WIN. Since the girl this character was based off of is a huge Jubilee fan, I think she’d approve.
Jules – Gage Golightly
The bubblier friend of Connor and Emery who is actually an amazing strategist. Golightly is that perfect blond bombshell, who I can totally imagine playing Pokemon in the high school hallways. Loved her short-lived role on Teen Wolf.
Michael – Sterling Knight
The all-American, boy next door, captain of the football team. Knight really has that infectious smile and blond heartthrob thing going that captures Michael perfectly.
Nick – Carlos Knight
The tall, quiet friend who is extremely observant. This boy is so adorably smiley, and while the character of Nick is less so, here he really captures how I picture him.
John – Oded Fehr
Emery’s father. I’ll never quite get over my crush on Fehr, ever since The Mummy and Resident Evil. So since part of this character is based off of my husband…it’s far too perfect casting.
Kay – Parker Posey
Emery’s mother, who is, I’ll admit, basically me, and I adore the fast-paced charm of Posey’s humor and ability to be very possessive and emotional in her characters as well.
Eli – Michael Ealy
The conflicted vampire hunter. This is another character who was based physically after the actor before I even started writing. I blame my addiction to the short-lived Almost Human, and how much Ealy held my attention so flawlessly. He can play tough and sympathetic beautifully.
Gamble – Adam Baldwin
The vampire hunter Connor and Emery first encounter, who threatens Connor more than once. There are few actors who can equally play characters you love and characters you love to hate. Baldwin is one of them. The gruffness he brings, the lack of empathy he can express in a character, would definitely help build the antagonistic feelings in the audience toward Gamble perfectly.
Bane – Michael Parks
The leader of the hunters with a sinister plan. Parks has proven his chops in many roles, and is still a lesser known actor for most people. From Dusk Til Dawn, Red State, Tusk…this man can play cruel villain who thinks he’s in the right better than anyone.
Georgia – Judy Greer
Connor’s mother. I love how this woman can play hilarious as well as serious so interchangeably, and she definitely does a great job portraying a concerned mother.
Paul – Corey Stoll
Connor’s father. I love this actor. I hope to see him in more after Ant-Man, since he wasn’t given much to work with in that role. He embodies the man this character is based off of, and has a real endearing side that shines through.
Tim – Dash Mihok
Chief of Police. This actor won me over as a sweet cop in Punisher Warzone. He can do the easy-going, joking kind of guy, but still pull off being serious. And if ever there was a type of role that gets people typecast a lot…it’s playing a cop.
So that’s my dream cast, covering all the major players. But I’d love to know what some of the early readers came up with and if you have any suggestions for me instead. And if you haven’t checked out the book yet, I encourage you to give it a try. Thank you so much for stopping by!
See blog with photos HERE.
October 10, 2016
Blog tours and initial reviews for Life as a Teenage Vampire
With the successful launch of my new book, Life as a Teenage Vampire, the start of my first blog tour is now underway with Bewitching Blog Tours.Today starts with an interview at Ramblings of a Coffee Addictive Writer. And what fun questions! When you do a lot of interviews for a book release, sometimes the questions can get repetitive, because generally people want to know similar things, so I always appreciate when they ask some questions I haven't seen before.
Here's as example:
Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
I do. It can be tough sometimes when you encounter something negative, but I think it’s important to take the risk of encountering trolls to see 1) the really positive comments that can make your day, and 2) the constructive criticisms that help improve your writing for the next book.
You can also sign up for the blog tour raffle, giving you a chance to win one of three free eBook copies.
I've also already had a slew of reviews for this new title, some from early access eBook copies I sent out, some early reviewers from blog tour stops coming up, but one in particular really touched me when it went up this weekend on Goodreads. Here's an excerpt:
As someone with a disability, one of the main characters being differently abled is a very welcome addition, as is how the character is crafted - his disability is not the most interesting or important thing about him. It doesn't somehow drive the plot, it just is a simple part of him, and it affects his life in an extremely realistic manner, in a story with fantastical elements. This was a personal highlight for me. Connor is just Connor who happens to require a prosthesis, and is in no way defined by it. he's just another kid, whose life is just a little different to someone without that disability.
I can't say enough how much it means to me to read a response like that.
So starting out strong and feeling pretty amazing with the reception the book has had so far, even from people I met at my events this past weekend, Gaylaxicon and Fall Con in Minneapolis, with people who bought the book one day, stopping by the next day to say they are already loving it.
Read all of the reviews so far right here on Goodreads.
September 13, 2016
How I Self-Publish with Createspace
Now, there are tons of sites out there that can help you with self-publishing and distribution. Createspace just happens to be the print on demand service I find most helpful for my work, and I’m familiar with it, as it was also what indie publisher BigWorldNetwork used for my previous titles.
Step 1: Write your book
I think we can all agree this is the hardest and yet most obvious part.
Step 2: Edit your book
And I don’t just mean yourself. Everyone needs an outside editor, preferably more than one set of eyes before you’re ready to publish.
Step 3: Typeset
Now we get onto the real advice here, and often this is where people will flounder. I don’t personally typeset my own books, because I have an awesome Creative Director thanks to my time with BigWorldNetwork (and my husband helps as well, since he’s learned his fair share of the process).
If you are not so lucky as to have someone knowledgeable with the world of widows and orphans to typeset for you, there are many resources out there to help you learn how to properly format a professional looking book, but let me recommend the following title from my fellow BWN author, Heather Justesen, POD Like a Pro.
Step 4: Cover art
This isn’t as simple as just having an awesome front cover image and title text (unless you’re planning to only publish as an eBook) but the entire book jacket, which is its own monster. Createspace has a handy template people can use, or once again, you might have an outside resource building your cover. Even so, you’ll likely need to give them dimensions to work off of, so starting with a recognized template is often best.
Of course there is so much to be said about finding the right artwork, the right font, the right look and feel, but that’s for another blog post.
Step 5: Prepare your proof
And now the real meat of this post. Createspace makes this process rather easy, though there are several options you’ll need to consider as you go through the process. Here’s what I did.
If you don’t care that Createspace is listed as the publisher, you can use their free ISBN number, or pay $10 for a custom one, but with those options you can never take it to another printer without getting a new ISBN later. The third option is to get a more official ISBN at someplace like this that can be used universally and is usually around $100.
Now for sizing. The default tends to be 6 x 9, though my books are 5.5 x 8.5. This is something for you and your designer to decide, and can sometimes be affected by page number to get the best look and bang for your buck, as size of the book can affect pricing.
Interior pages are usually white, but there is the option for cream interiors that sometimes works better for some styles, usually depending on your cover art and genre.
You’ll of course need a copyright page in your interior, which you can find examples of many places online, but the important thing is to list your ISBN numbers and the copyright date.
Bleed for the interior refers to how far the pages go to the edge. You’d think you’d always want the second option, which keeps a consistent border, but there are times when you might want to have pages go all the way to the end, like if you include an image of the cover inside for a fun black and white effect.
Upload your print ready cover as a pdf of the entire book jacket, and your pdf interior. You’ll next need to add Tax information to get paid when you make a sale, but you don’t need any special business requirements for this, just your personal information is fine.
Once your book is reviewed by Createspace and approved, be sure to order a proof copy before you make it live, to ensure everything prints the way you want. Holding it in your hands is important, as well as giving everything a final once over to be sure nothing is out of place.
Step 6: Make it live
From here follow the distribution options as you please and make your book live. You’ll have to decide on your category and key words to improve search options, so consider this carefully, and look at other books like yours to gauge what makes sense. Different distribution options will give you more to fill out, and with Createspace you have the option to automatically be up on every international Amazon site, which to be honest, is often where most people will find your book.
Depending on what you choose will affect your options for pricing, so consider what other paperbacks go for in your market and genre, and choose wisely. It can be disheartening to see how much you actually make off of a paperback compared to what people pay, but that’s part of the reality of publishing. eBook sales are entirely different.
Createspace allows you to directly publish to Amazon as an eBook, but consider creating an epub or mobi format and upload that version directly to Amazon instead, as those file types are specific to eBooks and create a much more readable experience. You might think the paperback is where it’s at, but you’ll find over time that you make the most sales and therefore the most money from eBooks, so make sure the experience is worthwhile for readers.
Once your book is live, the real fun begins (and actually should start before it’s live to prepare you for launching your title) but that’s another blog post as well. In the meantime, happy writing, and get pumped for the upcoming release of my next book, Life as a Teenage Vampire, coming in October!
You can see it on Goodreads early here.
August 25, 2016
My road to becoming a self-published author
I thought there was no greater feeling than having a publisher interested in my stories, than getting that response of acceptance and knowing that finally, finally someone was taking notice of all my hard work and the struggle was about to pay off. But I’ve since learned that the true bliss of publishing comes later.
Actually, for me, I get bliss at several stages. The writing itself, especially after finishing a certain scene or moment. When I complete the full manuscript for the first time. When I finish final editing. When I see the cover art. When I hold the proof copy in my hands. When I receive my first positive review. When I meet a fan.
Having a publisher give you that initial acceptance letter is great, but so many other things trump that and often have nothing to do with having a publisher.
I’ve worked with BigWorldNetwork since 2011, and they published all 4 of my books, which include The Incubus Saga trilogy that I am most known for. It’s bitter sweet that BWN is now closing its doors, but even though BWN may be ending, that doesn’t mean my work as a published author has to suffer.
I could attempt to pitch my work to other publishers, but after the hands-on personal touch of BWN, I think any other even well-respected indie publisher would just disappoint me. But thankfully, one of the things BWN has left me with is the knowledge to do it myself (and the friends to help me where I’m not as talented).
So, next month, September 2016 (final date TBD), I will be publishing my first novel as just me. I have the luxury of a great typesetter and cover designer in Mario Hernandez (and a really fantastic artist for this new book), and I know the process for everything else based on my dealings with BWN. Very little for my part is going to change, except for having full control and getting all of the revenue when I make a sale. It leaves me extremely excited to embark on this new (but not so different) journey, and I can’t wait to see what comes of it.
So stay tuned for more on the new book, Life as a Teenage Vampire, upcoming events I’ll be attending this year, and my next blog post which will share step by step how I went from text in a Word doc to self-published book.
May 31, 2016
Top 3 reasons you need community to be a (successful) author
At MSP ComicCon recently, another author showcasing their work (comics, but she is also a prose writer debating displaying that work at conventions as well) asked me what tricks have worked best for me to be a successful author. One of the biggest things I stressed was finding your community.
I have had a community of sorts for my writing since I first started posting fanfiction online in 2000. Mostly because…I posted online! Where, inevitably, people will find your work and either praise, ridicule, or ignore it. And while that might sound daunting, finding those people who will praise it, or give constructive criticism if they do find issue with it, are part of what turns a casual writer into an author.
Regardless of your end goal as an author– making money, being famous, sharing your story with even a handful of people – you can’t do it alone. You can attempt to write alone, without ever using an editor or beta reader (something I would never recommend), but at the end of the day, you still want someone to read it. Writing is a community endeavor. Someone writes, someone reads, and often there are many people in between.
I’ve found over the years that the larger and more varied the community, in whatever form, the better, for three simple reasons.
1. Your writing will improve.
Why? Because every comment, every collaboration helps us grow as writers. Yes, even when a comment comes from a troll. There are plenty of people out there, especially on the internet, who just want to bring other people down, but even the worst troll can teach as something about how we can improve ourselves and our writing. Take every critique with a grain of salt, but use them to get better and better with every new story you share. This is true whether you’re communing with just readers, or other writers as well. Sharing your work with others means your writing will get better over time.
2. Your audience will grow
Obviously, sharing your work with more readers means…more people will read it! Amazing concept. But true community means that readers might share it with other readers. Or maybe you’ll grow close to another writer, and share each other’s work. Swap reviews. Spread the word to even more readers. It’s the type of snowball effect we all want to experience.
3. You’ll make more money
Maybe you don’t care about book sales or making money. That’s fine. But no one snubs their nose at it when it happens. More readers means more sales, and vice versa, and community can help you find and share ideas for how best to market your book. You’ll learn more, see what works and what doesn’t, get feedback from the people you’re directly promoting to, and from other authors who have been where you are. It’s a win-win, even if you fail, because next time you’ll know what not to do.
So where do you find community? So many places, and honestly, there isn’t one answer for everyone. Some people find their community on social media, like Twitter or Facebook. Some people are successful with their blog or website. Some people are prolific with Goodreads, which has many aspects of community, in their general makeup, and through groups. Some, like me, might have tried out Tumblr on a whim a year ago, with only 100 followers, and a year later I’m getting ready to celebrate 1000 followers, just from interacting with fans and people who share my interests.
The important thing is to explore and try things out until you find the community that works for you. I’m lucky in that I also have a great community because of BigWorldNetwork – authors, editors, and voice actors who regularly boost each other with fun tidbits, advice, and encouragement. But everyone can have community if they simply look for it, and in turn, you’ll improve as a writer, gain more fans, and make more money on your books just from having a few more people to share the wonderful world of writing with.
Follow me on Tumblr!
I have had a community of sorts for my writing since I first started posting fanfiction online in 2000. Mostly because…I posted online! Where, inevitably, people will find your work and either praise, ridicule, or ignore it. And while that might sound daunting, finding those people who will praise it, or give constructive criticism if they do find issue with it, are part of what turns a casual writer into an author.
Regardless of your end goal as an author– making money, being famous, sharing your story with even a handful of people – you can’t do it alone. You can attempt to write alone, without ever using an editor or beta reader (something I would never recommend), but at the end of the day, you still want someone to read it. Writing is a community endeavor. Someone writes, someone reads, and often there are many people in between.
I’ve found over the years that the larger and more varied the community, in whatever form, the better, for three simple reasons.
1. Your writing will improve.
Why? Because every comment, every collaboration helps us grow as writers. Yes, even when a comment comes from a troll. There are plenty of people out there, especially on the internet, who just want to bring other people down, but even the worst troll can teach as something about how we can improve ourselves and our writing. Take every critique with a grain of salt, but use them to get better and better with every new story you share. This is true whether you’re communing with just readers, or other writers as well. Sharing your work with others means your writing will get better over time.
2. Your audience will grow
Obviously, sharing your work with more readers means…more people will read it! Amazing concept. But true community means that readers might share it with other readers. Or maybe you’ll grow close to another writer, and share each other’s work. Swap reviews. Spread the word to even more readers. It’s the type of snowball effect we all want to experience.
3. You’ll make more money
Maybe you don’t care about book sales or making money. That’s fine. But no one snubs their nose at it when it happens. More readers means more sales, and vice versa, and community can help you find and share ideas for how best to market your book. You’ll learn more, see what works and what doesn’t, get feedback from the people you’re directly promoting to, and from other authors who have been where you are. It’s a win-win, even if you fail, because next time you’ll know what not to do.
So where do you find community? So many places, and honestly, there isn’t one answer for everyone. Some people find their community on social media, like Twitter or Facebook. Some people are successful with their blog or website. Some people are prolific with Goodreads, which has many aspects of community, in their general makeup, and through groups. Some, like me, might have tried out Tumblr on a whim a year ago, with only 100 followers, and a year later I’m getting ready to celebrate 1000 followers, just from interacting with fans and people who share my interests.
The important thing is to explore and try things out until you find the community that works for you. I’m lucky in that I also have a great community because of BigWorldNetwork – authors, editors, and voice actors who regularly boost each other with fun tidbits, advice, and encouragement. But everyone can have community if they simply look for it, and in turn, you’ll improve as a writer, gain more fans, and make more money on your books just from having a few more people to share the wonderful world of writing with.
Follow me on Tumblr!
May 2, 2016
How to get from concept to chapter 1
I don’t know about you, but coming up with ideas for stories is easy for me. I do so daily, sometimes hourly, and while many of my ideas are fleeting, or not something I would ever flush out, several are good enough that I have to stop and jot them down. I keep so many Word documents filled with story ideas, it would probably be intimidating to most people, but while I’m working on my next book, I want the ideas for the one after that, and the one after that, ready and waiting to be explored.
Currently, you can read my next book as it’s being serialized on BWN, Life as a Teenage Vampire, and while that is still being edited and tweaked, I’m working on my next book, The Royal Spark, which is for the most part a jumble of notes and the first few chapters. Several potential story ideas for after that have their bare-bones notes written out, and when the time comes it’ll just depend on where my muse directs me.
But the hardest part when working on a new story is going from concept to chapter 1—the beginning words, paragraphs, and even the first few later chapters of the story that have to be powerful enough to capture your audience so they want to read more. The answer is different for every story, other than ‘be engaging’, because not every story needs to start the same way.
The Incubus Saga starts in the middle of the story, after Nathan has lost his brother and is willing to make a deal with a dark fae in order to save him, which consequently kicks off the rest of the epic trilogy, but throws readers right into the world from the first few words.
Life as a Teenage Vampire starts with some exciting action, but not really anything pertinent to the plot, other than it helps introduce you to these hapless, normal teenagers who are about to enter an adventure of very not normal circumstances.
For Spark I’d like to share with you the first section of the story, and then explain where I plan to go from there, which is actually different than my initial draft.
Originally, what came next in the story for the first chapter was introducing the readers to Reid and Jerry, the main characters who, for the most part, alternate perspectives throughout the story and share the lead role, while Knight only gets a few snippets of POV as the villain.
I like those initial scenes, and still plan to use them. It helps build out their world, their lives, who they are and why you should care about them. But as I’ve been working toward moving deeper into the plot, I haven’t been able to shake that something seems off about the beginning. It’s too slow, too…boring (even if I know I’m being unfair to myself) to really grasp readers and hold their attention.
If you’re a writer, you know that world-building needs to be organic, and it can be the hardest part of starting a new story, especially if your world has elements that drastically differs from the real world. You want the reader to understand everything without lengthy exposition. While my original scenes aren’t exposition heavy, they still feel stilted in how I introduce everything, so I want to find a better way that will allow me to clean up those scenes for later, maybe shorten them to drive the plot forward faster and keep readers better engaged.
So I have this idea of doing a flash forward to when Reid is already a superhero, already Spark, as the story is named after, facing his nemesis (Jerry, or Prime) for the first time, and ending on a bit of a cliffhanger for chapter 1 that isn’t resolved in chapter 2 because chapter 2 flashes back to those original scenes I wrote.
Starting in media res for readers, there will be several things I can remove from what will now be flashbacks that had felt heavy-handed to me, and the reader will have extra incentive to read more because they’ll want to catch up to that moment where I left things hanging in chapter 1.
It’s not a new concept by any means, plenty of books and TV shows and movies have utilized this method, but in my case, it works to bring readers into a new world much better than my original plan.
And that’s the hard part, but also the crux of getting readers invested in your story—finding the most resonating way to tell it at the very beginning. There isn’t an easy way to stumble upon what opening is best for your story, but chances are, if something nags at you or feels off about what you’ve written so far, you’re probably right.
My solution? Share it with as many of your close friends, writers, editors, etc., as you can before you’re officially editing the story. See what people’s reactions are, talk things out, voice your concerns about what isn’t working to you, and eventually you’ll discover how to fix things and make your first chapter one that your readers will remember for a long time.
Currently, you can read my next book as it’s being serialized on BWN, Life as a Teenage Vampire, and while that is still being edited and tweaked, I’m working on my next book, The Royal Spark, which is for the most part a jumble of notes and the first few chapters. Several potential story ideas for after that have their bare-bones notes written out, and when the time comes it’ll just depend on where my muse directs me.
But the hardest part when working on a new story is going from concept to chapter 1—the beginning words, paragraphs, and even the first few later chapters of the story that have to be powerful enough to capture your audience so they want to read more. The answer is different for every story, other than ‘be engaging’, because not every story needs to start the same way.
The Incubus Saga starts in the middle of the story, after Nathan has lost his brother and is willing to make a deal with a dark fae in order to save him, which consequently kicks off the rest of the epic trilogy, but throws readers right into the world from the first few words.
Life as a Teenage Vampire starts with some exciting action, but not really anything pertinent to the plot, other than it helps introduce you to these hapless, normal teenagers who are about to enter an adventure of very not normal circumstances.
For Spark I’d like to share with you the first section of the story, and then explain where I plan to go from there, which is actually different than my initial draft.
Knight filled the syringe to the brim. Every last ounce needed to be injected into the subject in order for his plan to work. He had synthesized the formula to match the one he had given himself exactly, with one variation. Undetectable unless someone knew what they were looking for, the miniscule nanomachines he’d added produced a substance that would react like a time release drug over several months, manipulating the subject’s personality to such a small degree the change would seem natural. A man slowly losing his mind, growing colder, harder, and more twisted to his base desires.
Satisfied, Knight replaced the cap on the syringe, and slipped it carefully inside his jacket pocket, where it would wait, as he watched the subject throughout the day, until the ideal opportunity presented itself.
Knight had chosen the subject after years of careful planning and insinuating himself into the man’s life. The subject wasn’t the hero type upon first glance. Tall but altogether too thin rather than well-muscled. Not a natural Power or a Mage. Merely a man, a high school teacher, pushing thirty. He had few close friends. Minimal family. No romantic attachments. He lived alone, and kept his schedule clear most nights save the time he spent on classwork. Yet despite this, anyone who knew him loved him deeply.
His charm wasn’t in being the strongest, or the smartest, or best looking. His body was weak, often sickly. His talent for biochemistry reached no further than the classroom; not the type to make new discoveries or affect drastic change in the field. And while some might consider him handsome, he hid behind thick black-framed glasses, tousled hair, and cardigan sweaters that made him look more like a twenty-something grandfather than a lonely young man.
It was his sincerity that swayed people who got to know him. His stalwart belief in others. His ability to triumph over obstacles and tragedy in his life with an unwavering smile. He also desperately, his entire life, had always wanted to be a Power. An unassuming good person who would never squander any abilities he was granted. And that was the most important detail of all.
Because who would ever suspect a hero with the best of intentions?
Originally, what came next in the story for the first chapter was introducing the readers to Reid and Jerry, the main characters who, for the most part, alternate perspectives throughout the story and share the lead role, while Knight only gets a few snippets of POV as the villain.
I like those initial scenes, and still plan to use them. It helps build out their world, their lives, who they are and why you should care about them. But as I’ve been working toward moving deeper into the plot, I haven’t been able to shake that something seems off about the beginning. It’s too slow, too…boring (even if I know I’m being unfair to myself) to really grasp readers and hold their attention.
If you’re a writer, you know that world-building needs to be organic, and it can be the hardest part of starting a new story, especially if your world has elements that drastically differs from the real world. You want the reader to understand everything without lengthy exposition. While my original scenes aren’t exposition heavy, they still feel stilted in how I introduce everything, so I want to find a better way that will allow me to clean up those scenes for later, maybe shorten them to drive the plot forward faster and keep readers better engaged.
So I have this idea of doing a flash forward to when Reid is already a superhero, already Spark, as the story is named after, facing his nemesis (Jerry, or Prime) for the first time, and ending on a bit of a cliffhanger for chapter 1 that isn’t resolved in chapter 2 because chapter 2 flashes back to those original scenes I wrote.
Starting in media res for readers, there will be several things I can remove from what will now be flashbacks that had felt heavy-handed to me, and the reader will have extra incentive to read more because they’ll want to catch up to that moment where I left things hanging in chapter 1.
It’s not a new concept by any means, plenty of books and TV shows and movies have utilized this method, but in my case, it works to bring readers into a new world much better than my original plan.
And that’s the hard part, but also the crux of getting readers invested in your story—finding the most resonating way to tell it at the very beginning. There isn’t an easy way to stumble upon what opening is best for your story, but chances are, if something nags at you or feels off about what you’ve written so far, you’re probably right.
My solution? Share it with as many of your close friends, writers, editors, etc., as you can before you’re officially editing the story. See what people’s reactions are, talk things out, voice your concerns about what isn’t working to you, and eventually you’ll discover how to fix things and make your first chapter one that your readers will remember for a long time.
