C.R. Richards's Blog, page 31

My Writing Process Blog Hop

I immediately Googled The Writing Process Blog Hop when Pamela Nowak was kind enough to send me the invitation to join in the fun. Writers from many genres and countries are participating in this internet sensation. Pam was on board for an August post. I readily agreed to keep it going. Now it’s my turn. So here we go!

What am I working on?

I’m working on the first book in my new dark epic fantasy series.  Every writer has a favorite character and story they’ve created. This series is very close to my heart and I’m tickled to finally have the opportunity to start work on it again.

Also – I’ve just released my new urban fantasy/romance, Pariah, for pre-order. It will be available for purchase on September 15th.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Urban or Dark Fantasy is a forgiving genre. It gives the writer enough elbow room to incorporate a little Mystery here, some Suspense over there and a dash of Romance in the sauce. I love mixing genres in my books.  Each time I try to write a traditional mystery or horror, the wild ideas push total reality off the page. Example for my short fiction Lost Man’s Parish: I know this kid is an innocent bystander, but what if the bad guy hates him for having the ability to make living things grow in impossible places?  Bottom Line: I write the “What If” scenarios.

Why do I write what I do?

I’m driven to encourage and inspire those who typically need a little shove toward the exit when the Divine closes that metaphorical door. There are many ways to encourage and inspire. My favorite? Telling a story with a flawed hero/heroine up against impossible odds. No matter how tough things get for them, they keep on going.

How does my writing process work?

In the initial draft of a story, I just start typing and don’t stop until I have the glimmer of an ending. My crappy, throw away draft usually hits from 11K to 20K words. Then the loosey goosey behavior ends. I turn into Uber-Plotter!  Can’t help it. Hey, it’s who I am. My plots are fairly complex. The best way to keep track of all the wiggly worms is to plot extensively. Does this mean I strictly adhere to the outlines and never stray? No. Sometimes a story has to change as characters and their motivations form. I keep my outline dynamic, but I do keep it on a leash.

Who’s Up Next?

 

Jayne Hyatt

Jayne Hyatt lives in Denver, Colorado, and is a lifelong bookworm who especially enjoys reading and writing romantic suspense.  One reviewer recently described her debut novel, Looking for the Good Life, as “a story of friendship, family (the good and bad) mystery, adventure, love and romance all rolled up tight into a wonderful vacation for its readers.” She is currently working on a sequel. You’ll find Jayne’s blog at www.jaynehyatt.com

Yvonne Montgomery

Yvonne Montgomery is the Colorado author of two Finny Aletter mysteries and co-author of the

award-winning saga Bridey’s Mountain. Creaking stairs and quirky shadows filling her century-old Victorian house in Denver’s historic Capitol Hill have inspired her Wisdom Court trilogy about a renowned women’s institute in Boulder where strange things are overtaking its inhabitants. Book One, Edge of the Shadow and Book Two, A Signal Shown are now available on line. Yvonne is currently writing Book Three, All In Bad Time when she is not looking over her shoulder to find the

source of the odd noises coming from the attic. Yvonne’s blog, Writer in the Garret, is here: yvonnemontgomery.com

Gone Fishin’

I’ll be back on September 1st with a special blog post. While I’m taking a break, the guys will keep a virtual eye on things for me ;)

Gideon and Hiroshi

Bill Dolan

Jin

Third Time’s the Charm Factor

This week I’ve released my third book, Pariah, for pre-order. Something amazing happened. My other books started getting some love again on the distributor sites and Goodreads. Could this be the “Third Time’s the Charm” factor? Or happy coincidence?

Let’s take a look at the evidence:

My small press publisher was bought out by a New York firm in July. The new publisher could have started a promotional campaign that I am not aware of. I seriously doubt it though. My book, Phantom Harvest, isn’t up on their site yet.
I’m advertising Phantom Harvest and Lost Man’s Parish on Goodreads. It seems as though the ads are suddenly getting more hits this week on both books. Not sure Goodreads is the reason though, because I’ve been advertising with them since March without much success.
I listed Lost Man’s Parish as FREE to celebrate my upcoming release of Pariah. The downloads really ramped up.

My conclusion? I have no idea whether one or all of these contributed to the renewed interest in my earlier books. Perhaps the third time really is the charm when building reader confidence? The more quality books an author releases may equate – in a reader’s mind – to the level of commitment the author has to their craft and their readers. Whatever the reason, I’m grateful.  Here’s hoping this positive trend continues.

Final Thoughts: As I sat on my back porch obsessing about this post, I realized I should draw on my own experiences as a reader. Thinking back on my favorite authors, I remember some of them were on Book Four by the time I discovered their series. Take heart! Before a reader can find you and become a dedicated fan of your work, you have to believe in you first. Don’t give up after one book. Keep going. You were given that story and only you can tell it.

The Juggling Act

[Image from Dreamstime.com]

I’ve reached that glorious state in my writing career when I have more than one literary project active at the same time. It’s exciting and empowering. My motivation level is way up on the “Can’t wait to share with my readers” scale. It’s a very positive situation to be in, BUT there is a downside. How can I get everything done on time without going crazy?

The Projects:

Pariah

My 104k word urban fantasy, Pariah, is back from my editor.  It’s almost impossible to see the white of the page through all the red ink. Seriously, she did a fantastic job. Who knew I was clumsily misplacing those slippery modifiers?

My target goal is for an early Fall release. This is an Indie Pub effort, so I have to coordinate with book formatters, designers, distributors, printers and book tour folks. They are all waiting for me to complete my final edits. No pressure!

Son of Lions

If you’ve read my blog in the past, you’ll have heard laments of my ruined epic fantasy. Poor advice and a lack of self-trust sunk my rubber ducky on the first manuscript. Fast forward six years to find me rolling up my sleeves for another go.  I love this story. It’s very near to my heart. Frankly, I’ve invested too much time and emotion into this nine book series (all in draft form) to abandon it to frustration.

My target goal: Complete a workable draft of the first book to send for review by Spring 2015.

Marketing: The never ending project

This is ongoing. It’s never a good idea to completely ignore your published book babies.

 

Phantom Harvest and Lost Man’s Parish

The Plan:

I took a revisions workshop at the last Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Conference. It was given by Colorado Author, Cindi Meyers (Check out her books). In my opinion, Cindi is the foremost expert on juggling literary projects.  Okay, she may have a little competition from James Patterson.  Visit her site and you will see how many wonderful books she has out there. During the class, Cindi described how she managed her time editing one book and writing the draft of another – sometimes ON THE SAME DAY. Respect!

In my day job as a program manager, I’m expected to juggle many projects, tasks and pieces of information each day. Unfortunately, I have not been able to master this ability with my own creative projects. YET. I’m not going to beat myself up. Instead, I’m going to play to my strengths.  One skill set I’ve developed is the ability to completely focus on a project. No distractions. How do I use this to my advantage when I’m juggling several literary projects? Planning. My brain has to focus on one story at a time. I determine how long a task (Final edits on Pariah for instance) will take me. I schedule this for “X” amount of days/weeks/months. When I know the date I’ll finish, I schedule another project to start on that date.

Project 1 (Begin Date and End Date). Project 2 (Begins on the End Date of Project 1 and End Date).

If I can manage to overlap projects, while still doing a quality job, then I go for it.

Final Thoughts: This plan works for me. It might not work for you. Each of us has to determine how we work best. Above all else, we cannot forget to enjoy the journey.

I am. I can.

I am a child of wonder. I can see faces in the surfaces of my life.

I am aware. I can hear voices from the past, guiding me in the wind.

I am not normal. I can see the world with its full potential rather than what it is now.

I am an agent of change. I can inspire with my words and actions to bring about positive movement.

I am not stagnant. I can change without fear as I grow.

I am wise. I can be objective, seeing all sides of a situation and understand the “why.”

I am creative. I can take a lump of nothing and create beauty, inspiration and hope.

I am me. I can change the world.

C. R. Richards

Guest Author: Najah Lightfoot

One of the most amazing people I know joins me on DT&J to share her latest articles. Welcome, Najah Lightfoot!  

“Magickal, Mystical, Salt” – 2015 Magical Almanac

“Prosperity Magick and the Goddess Abundantia, Create and Work with Money Altars” – 2015 Witches’ Companion

 Purchase Information:

  http://www.llewellyn.com/search_results.php?start=10&search_topic=2015&search_category=category_100

  http://www.amazon.com/Llewellyns-2015-Witches-Companion-Contemporary/dp/0738726907

  http://www.amazon.com/Llewellyns-2015-Magical-Almanac-Practical-ebook/dp/B00KWEY6F4

 

Author Bio 

Najah Lightfoot is a Priestess of the Goddess.  She keeps her faith strong by following the Pagan Wheel of the Year.  She is dedicated to keeping the Old Ways while living in these modern times.  Najah has a passion for writing, ritual, magick, movies and martial arts.  She can be found online at www.craftandconjure.com, www.facebook.com/priestessnajah and www.twitter.com/priestess_najah.

Upcoming Events:

I will presenting a workshop titled, “Show and Tell, Magic vs. Magick – Tools of the Craft”, at the 2014 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers – Colorado Gold Conference!

The Conference will be held at the Westin Hotel in Westminster, CO.  The Conference runs from September 5th – 7th, 2014.

Guest Author: Doreen Shababy

I’m thrilled to welcome Herbalist, Doreen Shababy today. Her latest article, “Herbal Pantry Staples – Time Savers with Great Flavors” is now available in Llewellyn’s 2015 Herbal Almanac.

Available for Purchase: http://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738726892

Check out other works by Doreen:

http://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738719078

Author Bio:

I am the author of THE WILD & WEEDY APOTHECARY, an A to Z Book of Herbal Concoctions, Recipes & Remedies, Practical Know-how and Food for the Soul, and published by Llewellyn. I have upcoming articles in their Herbal Almanac for 2015 and 2016, and am also working on a series of 8 menus for the 2016 Sabbats Almanac.

I’m a mom, grandma, sister, daughter, auntie, wife, and spontaneous lover of life. I currently work from home and in my local community, consulting and teaching, cooking and gardening. I grew up in Chicago and have lived in northern Idaho for over 40 years.

I also offer private sessions involving hands-on healing touch and other energetic modalities.

Upcoming Events:

I have been teaching a series of 6 classes titled Gluten-free Baking: Sweet and Savory offering demonstrations for making bread, rolls, sweet breads and flourless fudge brownies. All classes include a fabulous meal.

Link to class sign-up  http://www.squeezeinncookingvacations.com/    (calendar) http://squeezeinncookingvacations.com/travel/cooking-classes/

https://www.facebook.com/events/659164067507835/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

https://www.facebook.com/events/659164067507835/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

Find out More about Doreen by Visiting:

Link to my blog  http://www.thewildnweedykitchen.blogspot.com/

Amazon link with reviews  http://www.amazon.com/The-Wild-Weedy-Apothecary-Concoctions/dp/0738719072

 

Staying True to Your Art: Life Lessons

I originally had another post planned for today, but this topic kept me awake last night. I apologize if this comes off as angry. It is. My anger is directed exclusively toward the place it belongs: right in the mirror. We all make mistakes, but this one is a whopper. My hope in sharing this life lesson is to help others avoid the same pitfall.  I think it’s something every writer, artist and performer should keep in mind.

Stay true to the art you were given.

In the early 2000′s I began writing an intense epic fantasy about brother against brother and the sacrifice required from men and women of honor. It was a project that consumed me for several years. The epic consists of 9 “parts” at 110k words each in draft form. This story is one that I have to tell no matter how long it takes.

I decided to hire an editor to review the first book in the series. She had some great insight that helped me to improve my writing skills. Unfortunately, she gave me some bad guidance that sent me down a rabbit hole I’m still trying to climb out of six years later.  The well meaning editor convinced me that my book was a YA novel. It was, after all, during the Harry Potter craze and wasn’t everyone writing YA? I did a very stupid thing. Rather than trusting my instincts and staying true to the story I was given, I changed my character’s age and took out the dark fantasy elements. I forced MY story into someone else’s box. I tried pitching the book for three years, but no takers. People can tell when something is forced for the sake of a trend.

This week I’ve taken up the story again. Digging through old boxes of the story’s hard copies and searching e-copy versions, I see the multiple times I’ve tried to start over. Each failed attempt was yet another effort to shove the story into someone else’s box. Of course I failed. So, why is this time different? I’ve learned a few things over the past few years:

First – I know what I write and it isn’t YA.
Second – I have a unique voice. It isn’t for everyone, but I love it.
Third – this is an unstable business with many pitfalls. It’s better to make yourself happy by being true to your art than trying to please the trends of an industry constantly in a state of flux.

In June, I received notification the small press that published my dark fantasy, Phantom Harvest, was gobbled up by an outfit in New York City. This is either a good thing or a bad thing. Time will tell. I had intended to start work on Book Two, but the sale has brought about a little uncertainty for the series. Not to worry. I will complete the remaining two books in the Mutant Casebook Series no matter what. Just not right now. The sale and my experiment with indie publishing has given me the freedom to start my epic fantasy again. This time on my terms.

Final thoughts – it took six years, but my situation has started to right itself. I got lucky. Others might not have the same experience. So before you change your art for the sake of a trend, think about the consequences as well as the benefits. What’s it really buying you? If the answer is air and promises, I’d think twice.

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Independence Day, Everyone!  I’m taking the week off  to celebrate our Nation’s Birthday and mine (July 7th). I’ll be back next week. Have a great holiday :)

 

Adventures in Indie Publishing – The Sequel

Pulling the Trigger

My adventure in Indie Publishing has begun in earnest. I’ve made the decision of the “What” (my short story Lost Man’s Parish) and the “How” (Smashwords). Now it’s time to pull the trigger. I’ve started investing time and money toward this Indie effort. Too late to turn back. Actually, I’m feeling really good about my decision. Which is great, because there are a whole lot more decisions that I have to make. Just me. By myself with no one to back me up. No Risk. No Reward. I jump in.

eBook Formatting: To DIY or Not To DIY?  This was a no brainer decision for me. I want in the Smashwords Premium Catalog.  Your book has to meet clearly defined criteria to be accepted. Again, I took a realistic look at what I can and cannot do. eBook Formatting is a low cost alternative for the DIY. Here are a few things to consider before you make a decision:

I Can’t Find the Any Key! Not good with computers? Or maybe you’ve mastered email, but don’t quite have a good handle on Microsoft Word? Rather than struggling with formatting, I’d suggest hiring it done. The service I used started at $35.00. Most of the others I checked out fell in about the same range.  Let the experts do it. You have other things to worry about.
I Can Make Word Dance! Okay, so you’re an MS Word Master.  You love to fiddle with the software, getting it to behave as you think it should. Maybe DIY is right for you. I suggest downloading the free style guide from Smashwords.com. Follow the steps carefully and you should avoid problems. Smashwords has detailed instructions on how to fix things if you fumble a bit.
I’m a Super Busy Person With No Time. OR I Just Don’t Want To (This is Me). Hire it done. I’m not kidding. You have so much more to focus on at this stage.

Cover Design: I know my skill sets. Visual arts don’t fall in my wheel house, so I started looking for a good cover design service.

Remember the Boy Scout Motto: Be Prepared – Whether you’re publishing a short story or novel length manuscript, be prepared with all the marketing information you would normally have before submitting to a publisher. Have that back cover blurb ready, so you can provide it to the cover artist.
Know before you go – Also think about things you think would be nice to have on your own cover. Note: there is a whole science to this book design thing. I leave it to the experts, those talented artists who see in pictures.  The very easiest way to communicate what you want to the artist, is to find existing covers that you like and have in mind for the story.  Many of them ask you to do this, so they can get a sense of your preferred style.
Let Go and Trust – We all have pictures in our head of the “perfect” book cover. Can you communicate that to the cover designer? Maybe. In the end, you have to trust your cover artist. My experience as been very positive. These amazing artist take the 250 word blurb I give them and create this whole world in one picture. It blows me away every time.

The Big Reveal!

Sentenced to life imprisonment for murder at age fifteen, Bill Dolan has become one of the most feared convicts in the Lost Man’s Parish Territorial Prison. Devoid of  hope, it is a place of survival of the meanest and most amoral. For thirteen hard years, he has survived and thrived among other violent offenders. In a last act of vindictive spite, Bill’s grandmother uses her influence to condemn his little brother to life in the Parish. Andy is a peculiar boy with unsettling powers. Tales of Andy’s miracles quickly spreads among the greedy convicts.

The specter of the Parish, a presence of pure evil, hungrily sniffs out the new resident. When the purity of Andy’s child-like innocence threatens to bring about change, the specter is desperate to destroy him. Bill must find a way to get Andy out of the escape proof prison, before they both succumb to the evil living within its walls.

Now Available directly from Smashwords for multiple E-Readers. Note: This is the easiest place to purchase my books. You can select from a variety of eBook formats for all devices (Kindle, iBook, Nook, PDF, etc.)

Also available from the Apple iBook Store and txtr.com. It can take a few weeks for a site to begin distribution. Check my website for new retailers as my book comes online for sale at their sites. You may notice Amazon isn’t on this list. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) requires a separate upload with additional publication  costs (Special eBook Formatting and a unique ISBN at an additional charge.) I intend to publish to both distributors for my novel length project in the future.

If you have the opportunity to download either the free excerpt or the full story, I would appreciate you leaving any comments you have on the retailer site or here on the blog. Enjoy!