Roxanne Bland's Blog, page 2
May 22, 2019
Wow.
I am IAOTP's Top Fantasy and Science Fiction Author of the Year for 2019. Don't know how I got on their radar, but I'll take it!
April 14, 2019
Back in the Saddle
Or being dragged by the stirrups...
So I'm working on new stuff, old stuff, and other stuff. Still healing from seriously major surgery last summer and working to overcome other major health issues. But I've been away from my worlds for far too long and it's time to suck those universes out of the black hole.
So here's to you, all you wonderful people! See ya in the funny papers!
So I'm working on new stuff, old stuff, and other stuff. Still healing from seriously major surgery last summer and working to overcome other major health issues. But I've been away from my worlds for far too long and it's time to suck those universes out of the black hole.
So here's to you, all you wonderful people! See ya in the funny papers!
September 3, 2018
Well, Well, Well...
My novel, Invasion, won its second book award. Wow. So gratifying and heartening. Guess this means I are a writer.
November 8, 2017
Whew...
Well, the new book, Invasion, is finally out. Available in print and ebook on all the sales channels--the ones I have access to, anyway.
It might be my imagination, but this was a hard novel to birth. There were delays on top of delays on top of delays. When my mind clears, I'm going to go back and examine what happened, and then try and figure out why it happened, and after that, see if I can figure out a way to keep it from happening again.
But Invasion is out, and that's the important thing!
It might be my imagination, but this was a hard novel to birth. There were delays on top of delays on top of delays. When my mind clears, I'm going to go back and examine what happened, and then try and figure out why it happened, and after that, see if I can figure out a way to keep it from happening again.
But Invasion is out, and that's the important thing!
September 28, 2017
Getting There...
Well, the cover for Invasion is almost finished. I've seen the pieces for it, but not the whole. Unfortunately, it's been delayed because my illustrator got waylaid by Hurricane Irma. But it's holding up the formatting, because my formatter needs the front cover to embed in the files for the ebooks.
I'd be lying if I said it wasn't frustrating. I want to unleash this book on the world, and like NOW! For good or ill, I'm one of those people who can't go on to the next project until the current one is put to bed. Oh, I know--I'll live. But the longer it takes, the antsier I become, because the scheduled release date is October 15. And the publishing process doesn't happen overnight.
Okay. I'll stop biting my nails, and go find something else to do.
I'd be lying if I said it wasn't frustrating. I want to unleash this book on the world, and like NOW! For good or ill, I'm one of those people who can't go on to the next project until the current one is put to bed. Oh, I know--I'll live. But the longer it takes, the antsier I become, because the scheduled release date is October 15. And the publishing process doesn't happen overnight.
Okay. I'll stop biting my nails, and go find something else to do.
September 14, 2017
Finalist!
I'm happy to announce that The Underground: Second Edition, placed as a finalist in the Readers' Favorite Book Awards contest! I'd forgotten I'd entered.
August 18, 2017
Coming Soon!
Invasion, the sequel to The Underground, will be published this fall!
Two books in one year. Never done that before, and will probably never do it again. The only reason why Invasion was finished so quickly is because it was half-written when I interrupted it to write The Moreva of Astoreth and The Underground: Second Edition.
One thing I'm doing that's new is appending a short story. It's called Forever Bound, and it takes place a thousand years after Invasion ends.
So see you this fall!
Two books in one year. Never done that before, and will probably never do it again. The only reason why Invasion was finished so quickly is because it was half-written when I interrupted it to write The Moreva of Astoreth and The Underground: Second Edition.
One thing I'm doing that's new is appending a short story. It's called Forever Bound, and it takes place a thousand years after Invasion ends.
So see you this fall!
July 28, 2017
Whatcha Up To?
Been a busy month. The CUTV News Radio shows ended at the beginning of July (had another show on the 23rd but that was something entirely different). I'm working with a computer graphics artist on a new cover for The Moreva of Astoreth. This will be the third one. Why, you ask? Because as much as I like the cover that's there right now, I'm getting demerits in reviews and contests because the reviewers and judges think a better job could have been had. Not getting such issues with The Underground: Second Edition. So you do what you gotta do.
Finished the first draft of the manuscript for The Underground: Invasion. Did an editing pass and sent it off to the beta. Now doing more rounds of editing (completed one this morning). One more pass--I thought of the stuff I'd like to change--and it's ready for the pros. If all goes well, I'll have this book out by January 2018 at the latest. I'd like to have it out before Christmas, but I'm not going to rush it. Besides, when you're working with other people, you never know what delays you'll come across.
I think I'll try my hand at a short story as a bonus in Invasion. My idea isn't enough to make for a novella or even a novelette, much less a full novel. Anyway, it's set about a thousand years in the future, maybe just 500, I haven't decided. Haven't decided whether I'll do it, either. We'll see.
Ciao!
Finished the first draft of the manuscript for The Underground: Invasion. Did an editing pass and sent it off to the beta. Now doing more rounds of editing (completed one this morning). One more pass--I thought of the stuff I'd like to change--and it's ready for the pros. If all goes well, I'll have this book out by January 2018 at the latest. I'd like to have it out before Christmas, but I'm not going to rush it. Besides, when you're working with other people, you never know what delays you'll come across.
I think I'll try my hand at a short story as a bonus in Invasion. My idea isn't enough to make for a novella or even a novelette, much less a full novel. Anyway, it's set about a thousand years in the future, maybe just 500, I haven't decided. Haven't decided whether I'll do it, either. We'll see.
Ciao!
July 22, 2017
Finis
Just finished the sequel to The Underground. The working title is The Underground: Invasion. Yep, we're talking about werewolves in space.
This novel's been in progress for a long time. I started writing it, then The Moreva of Astoreth and the rewrite of The Underground came knocking. So the manuscript just languished while I did the marketing and so on.
Now it's in the beta stage. If things keep going like they're going, this baby's going to be on the market by December 2017!
This novel's been in progress for a long time. I started writing it, then The Moreva of Astoreth and the rewrite of The Underground came knocking. So the manuscript just languished while I did the marketing and so on.
Now it's in the beta stage. If things keep going like they're going, this baby's going to be on the market by December 2017!
July 7, 2017
Just Askin'
I've had any number of reviews for the Moreva of Astoreth--eighty-something, by my last count (there have been a few more since then). Most of the reviews are excellent. A few are outright stunning in their praise. That's great. That so many people loved my story makes me feel that writing is worthwhile.
That said, I've received four bad reviews. I don't mind bad reviews in general. They can make many good points, which can only help a writer--especially this one--to improve the next time around. What gets me about bad reviews is this: Why does the reviewer have to be so damned snarky? If you didn't like the book, or see there's room for improvement, say so, and that's it. That's enough. The snark detracts from the review, detracts from its helpfulness. What writer wants to read a snarky review? I certainly don't. If I'm a bad writer, say so. If I'm a good writer, but I need to learn some things, say so. The snark is unnecessary. To my mind, it also says something about the reviewer, and it's not positive.
So again. Why do reviewers handing down a bad review have to be so snarky?
Just askin'.
That said, I've received four bad reviews. I don't mind bad reviews in general. They can make many good points, which can only help a writer--especially this one--to improve the next time around. What gets me about bad reviews is this: Why does the reviewer have to be so damned snarky? If you didn't like the book, or see there's room for improvement, say so, and that's it. That's enough. The snark detracts from the review, detracts from its helpfulness. What writer wants to read a snarky review? I certainly don't. If I'm a bad writer, say so. If I'm a good writer, but I need to learn some things, say so. The snark is unnecessary. To my mind, it also says something about the reviewer, and it's not positive.
So again. Why do reviewers handing down a bad review have to be so snarky?
Just askin'.
