Briana Vedsted's Blog, page 21
June 23, 2013
Cover Reveal
Cover Reveal for “A Girl Named Cord”
Available in Amazon and Kindle stores this July.
June 22, 2013
The sheepskin gloves
Reblogged from The Community Storyboard:
Sleek and thin. Glossy and tan.
But once you were white and wooly and warm.
On long black legs, full of life, you ran.
Young and spry, your chocolaty eyes so full of devotion,
Across the meadows and into the valley deep.
A playful bleat for every emotion.
But then you grew old.
You were no longer a lamb; no longer could you dance and jump.
Another poem from the Community Storyboard
June 21, 2013
Thanks beta readers!
Thank you to everyone who volunteered to be beta readers for me! I greatly appreciate your help!
Wanted!
Hello, dear WordPress friends of mine. I need your help. I need beta readers. I’m going to be publishing “A Girl Named Cord” in July (not sure what day yet) but I need some help. I need to know if my characters are strong and believable, likeable/unlikable, the plot flows together smoothly, all conflicts are resolved, and the ending is not too rushed. Okay, okay, if you want to do some typo spotting, that’s fine too. (Out and our are words that get mixed up a lot for me. I mean one when I write the other. Sorry, back to the point.)
My book is a western, 40,000 words, about a woman living in the old west, probably in the YA category. I would need back all your thoughts on my book by July 20th at the latest.
So, is it doable? Is there anyone interested in doing some reading for me? Of course, this isn’t a paid position, but you will be one of the first to get to read this book.
If you’re interested, comment to this post and let me know.
Thank you in advance!!!
Liebster Award
The wonderful Lillian Crowe over at http://forgingshadows.wordpress.com/ has nominated me for the liebster award! How cool!
Rules:
1. List eleven random facts about yourself
2. Nominate eleven other bloggers for the Liebster Award
3. Notify these bloggers
4. Ask eleven questions that the bloggers must answer upon accepting the Liebster Award
5. Answer the eleven questions that you were asked when you were nominated.
Questions for me to answer:
1. What pet would you own if you could own any pet in the world? I really want to have a Great Pyrenees puppy. (To watch over my sheep and goats, of course!)
2. What was the book/piece that inspired you to start writing? I guess it would have the be Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder, or maybe Down the Long Hills by Louis L’Amour.
3. Which published author do you think is most underrated? I haven’t ever thought about that.
4. What’s your favorite hobby (aside from reading/writing)? I have to go with cooking.
5. What’s your superpower? Would you use it for good or for evil? My super power is giving the world peace. (I say this is for the good of mankind, but there are always going to be naysayers.)
6. Do you prefer the country or the city? Country, hands down.
7. A man you have never seen before walks up to you, gets down on one knee, and asks you to marry him. What do you do? Well, that’s tough. (I’m going to assume this man is totally handsome and probably a really nice guy.) In truth, I’d probably stare at him with my mouth hanging open like, “Are you serious?”
8. What’s the coolest reason that you ever skipped school? Never really got to skip school. My mom was my teacher, so the only time I got out of doing my school was if I was sick.
9. What has been your most disappointing experience in the world of writing so far? Being told that I ‘tell’ and don’t ‘show’.
10. What has been your most inspiring experience in the world of writing so far? Getting my book back from the editor and being told that he loved it.
11. What is your favorite dessert? Poppy seed kolaches.
Now for the 11 facts about me:
1. I’m afraid of water that’s deeper than I am tall ’cause I can’t swim.
2. Right now, I’m supposed to be putting some beef stroganoff together for dinner, but I’m not, because I’m here.
3. I’ve never been much of a poet, but have always loved poetry. Thanks to this blog and The Community Story Board I’ve started writing a few poems, and they aren’t actually that bad! 
4. If I could only pick one food group to live off of for the rest of my life, I’d pick fruit/vegetable group. (Not that’d eat the vegetables, but I love fruit!)
5. I don’t like the feel or smell of raw meat. (You’d think I was a vegetarian, huh?)
6. I have a cow named Fluffy. (NO! Not all of my cows have named, but my favorites do.)
7. ‘Springsteen’ by Eric Church and ‘The boys ’round here’ by Blake Shelton are my favorite songs.
8. I have four favorite colors: red, pink, blue, and purple.
9. I believe that Jell-O is one of the most delicious foods every created
10. On really bad days, I must have a glass of chocolate milk. My dad pointed that out to me one evening by saying, “It’s been one heck of a day and a beer just wouldn’t cut it, so you’re having a glass of chocolate milk, huh?”
11. I’m running out of things to say about myself.
Questions for my nominees:
What is your favorite part about winter?
Where do you see yourself living in 5 years?
How many books are in the room you’re in right now?
Look in your wallet/purse, is there more money or receipts in there?
What was your first paying job?
Favorite vegetable:
How long have you had your blog?
What is the best dream you’ve ever had?
What did you have for dinner last night?
Are you happy right now?
If you could change one thing about your appearance, what would you change?
My nominees:
Marie
Katie and her friend, D
Charles
The Little Squirrel
Amanda
Victoria
Dom
Mama Lily
Mike
Jade
Karen-my fellow cat lover
June 20, 2013
Book Character Interview
Okay, first of all: hello everyone! I know it has been awhile since my last interview, but trying to find Slayers to interview has been difficult since there’s been some interesting developments in the pack. And woe is me, the only person who took me up on my offer to be interviewed is Malcolm, the mortal nemesis of main character, Ness Vancouver .
Birthday: None of your business!
Favorite movies: Movies are a waste of time
Favorite food: A blend of fish, eggs, spinach and milk. Oh, and peanuts. Tastes like junk but it’s packed with protein.
Me: Hi Malcolm, how are you today?
Malcolm: Tired.
Me: Oh, sorry to hear that. Up late last night chasing wolves?
Malcolm: Are you an idiot? Was the full moon last night? No. And besides, I don’t chase werewolves, I kill them. I just couldn’t sleep.
Me: Right, well, I was trying to make a joke, but never mind. Anyway, um, I’m afraid to ask, but what do you do for fun?
Malcolm: Fun? Do you honestly think I have time for fun? I’m a trained werewolf slayer!
Me: Fine then! What would you like to talk about, since you’re the one who wanted to be interviewed?!?
Malcolm: Ah, never thought you’d ask. Well, firstly, I’d like to give a shout out to a certain girl I know.
Me: I’d venture to guess this isn’t going to be a love note.
Malcolm: *glares at me* I want you to know, and I won’t say your name but I know you know who you are, that I still plan on getting my revenge. If you are wise, you’ll die. If not, be prepared to face my wrath!
Me: Okay then! Well, I can’t tell you how much fun this has been–
Malcolm: *gets to his feet and leave*
Me: I hate it when my characters rebel.
Well, now do see the nightmare I’ve been going through trying to get interviewees? If anyone has a question for the jerk, I mean, delightful Mr. Malcolm, ask away. But I can’t promise he’ll be civil to any of you. You have been warned. Good luck to you all.
My New Book
Cord had to work hard to earn her living as a cow puncher, and she was getting along just fine until a wealthy rancher moves into the county and threatens the lives of her and her friends. Cord rises up to meet every challenge, but the death of friends, both old and new, plague her at every turn. And just when everything seems like it is going to go back to being peacefully normal, a secret comes to light, putting Cord and her future family in danger. Will Cord let go of her sorrow filled past and revengeful wishes long enough to save her loved ones and pull her life back out of the bottomless pit it seems to be stuck in?
Find out in my upcoming book, “A Girl Named Cord”
Available on Amazon.com as a paperback and Kindle version in July.
June 19, 2013
Author Interview: Briana Vedsted
Reblogged from A.Keeney Author:
Let's welcome the first interviewer Briana Vedsted:
1. What is your if you have one? Please state your medium (i.e. author,
poet,artist, painter, musician, you get the point…)
I do not use a pen name because I want people to know that I’m an author.
2. Are you published? If so please tell us about your book…
Check out my interview on Amanda's awesome blog!
Author/Artist/Musicians Interview Questions
Reblogged from A.Keeney Author:
Here is a list of questions, if you want to participate in an author interview. Please copy and past these questions and answer them to the best of your ability. Besides the questions please provide a picture, and anything else you want shown. It can be a book cover or anything. Send all interviews to ramanda429@yahoo.com subject author interview, and I will post them in the order I receive them.
Looking for a chance to talk about yourself as an author, artist, poet, etc.? Here's your chance to get featured on this wonderful lady's blog!
Interesting observation
Yesterday I revised my book, The Untold Story of Margaret Hearst alias Maugrim Valletta. Before I did that, my book had been #25 in the Kindle Western category. After six hours of being under ‘review’ my book was re-published and had dropped in ranking to #36. This morning I checked and it’s at #45. Interesting. I was surprised that my book was on the list at all, especially because it’s only got one review. The Night I Walked off of Boot Hill isn’t even on the top 100 list and I’ve got five reviews on it and it has sold better than Margaret Hearst.
Okay, that being said, I have added some more to my short western romance, The Untold Story of Margaret Hearst, alias Maugrim Valletta
If you’re curious what this book is about, here’s the teaser: Daughter of one of the wealthiest men in the county, sophisticated Miss Margaret Hearst meets a young thief who steals her heart. Her parents forbid Margaret to ever see the boy again, but she runs away with him. Unbeknownst to Margaret, she is being followed by a man she’s known all her life: LJ Steffen. LJ loves Margaret and fears for her safety; he is determined to win Margaret’s heart. And one day, Margaret’s boyfriend casts her out of his life and she nearly dies, will LJ arrive in time to save her? And if he does, will Margaret finally love him back, even though she’s disregarded his feelings for her for the past several years?
And here’s the review of this book:
First, I did find many of the characters to be rather unlikeable, but I think that was the point. LJ was the most likeable even though he came off a little spineless, but again I think that was the point of him. Margaret definitely struck me as a character who lived a sheltered life because she doesn’t think things through and is truly her own worst enemy. Her inner thoughts can be rather childish for a twenty-year-old, which I think comes from her sheltered background. Overall, I think the characters are very clear and work well to carry the story along.
My big criticism for this story is that there is so much potential here. I mean, there was a lot that was hinted at that could have been used to make this a bigger, wilder romantic adventure. I would have liked to see more of a build-up to the Matthew/Margaret romance and more behind LJ. I think the author could get a longer, deeper, more enjoyable story if she extended some of the events. For .99 cents, it’s worth it to see how talented the author is at weaving a story, but I really felt like she was holding herself back or rushing out of excitement. So, hopefully one day I come back here to find that this e-book has grown bigger and deeper.
