Harmony Kent's Blog, page 104

How You Can Grow with Self-Publishing

Check out this helpful post on self-publishing from P.H. Solomon over on Story Empire today …

Happy President’s Day to all the Story Empire readers! Best wishes to everyone and enjoy the day if you have time off. Being a writer is lonely and being a self-published author can be trying…

Source: How You Can Grow with Self-Publishing

Gottaread Wottaread today

Hi everyone. I just wanted to give you a heads up that I’m over on Wottaread today giving an interview that shows you more of the quirky author that I am. If you’d like to pop over to say hello, the link is: https://wottaread.com/knowing-harmony-kent/.

Thanks so much to I.M. Redwright for this wonderful opportunity.

Apologies to my regulars for missing last week’s post. I’ve been in bed with flu. Great fun! Anyway, it would be lovely to see you all over on Wottaread if you can make it

My Week in Review and Writing Links

[image error]Hello everyone. Happy Friday. Another week done and dusted. Lots achieved despite that virus still hanging around, which it seems to be doing with everybody I know. Still no biopsy results, but the run of bloods came back fine except for raised white cells, which the doc wants to keep an eye on. Fiancé and I collected our wedding rings on Saturday, and the wedding is now just a smidge over 3 months away. Get butterflies every time I think about it, lol. Still making steady progress on my WIP, and this week’s quote resonated with me because I had days I had to force myself to sit and write, but once I started, I enjoyed it

Adventure, Magic, and Monsters: Adventures of the Lanternfish

Hello everyone. Today, I’d like to give a big warm welcome to Author Craig Boyack, introducing his latest book, Lanternfish. I can’t wait to read this one! Take it away, Craig …

Thanks for having me back, Harmony. I’m here to promote my newest story, Voyage of the Lanternfish. This one is a pirate fantasy. It differs from classic fantasy, because gunpowder is involved. There are flintlocks, cannon, and mortars to mingle with monsters, magic, and adventure.

Lanternfish has two main characters. We have Lieutenant James Cuttler, and Dan Philson.

[image error]James is an officer on a merchant ship. Dan is an oyster trawler of no actual standing. He simply works on the ships.

These two were childhood friends. James’ father helped him secure a position of some respect, while Dan moved into the main local business.

I debated telling this story from Dan’s point of view, but abandoned this idea. It would help to make James larger than life, in the way Watson makes Holmes seem larger than life. Ultimately, I decided it didn’t quite work with an ensemble cast.

My style is to write stoic main characters and use the supporting cast to bring a bit of color. I also wanted to distance myself from the Disney franchise. James is more like someone Russel Crowe might portray than someone Johnny Depp would play.

Dan is that nagging voice of caution, and focus. The big bad has taken his sister, who is James’ fiancée, captive. Their purpose is to rescue her, but the bigger picture gets in the way sometimes. Dan helps bring things back into focus.

James’ father was a covert operator for a prior king. He helped start a huge war, but fled with his young son before things really hit the fan.

A shadowy character found James and mistook him for his father. He wants a new war started, and he’s holding the girl to make sure James does his job. James doesn’t exactly know how to pull this off, but must try. Dan is the one who points out everything wrong with this plan. How his sister isn’t the only person who will be hurt if the war starts.

It takes James a while to change directions. He decides his strengths are at sea, and this is how piracy comes into the mix.

Piracy brings its own problems though. The crew become friends, and their goals aren’t necessarily the same as James’. He feels some responsibility for them, and this diverts him for a while. Will he use them, like others in power use underlings? Or will he try to keep them happy and healthy too? It’s Dan that brings him bluntly back to the main task.

It’s a bit of a tightrope, honestly. If I let them wander, the story loses focus. If I use Dan to keep the focus, he risks becoming a bit of a nag. Readers will have to decide if I walked this tightrope well enough.

Find out how James Cuttler becomes the notorious pirate Captain James Bloodwater, by picking up the book, Voyage of the Lanternfish. It’s a Kindle ebook, and Amazon Prime members can read it for free as part of their subscription.

 

***

 

Blurb:

An honorable man is mistaken for his disreputable father. Now he’s pushed into a political scheme to start a war that will spread across multiple kingdoms. James Cuttler’s fiancé is being held captive to ensure he goes through with the plan.

He soon decides his skills are at sea and procures a ship to wage war upon those who disrupted his simple life. He can’t do it alone, so he recruits a band of cutthroats to help him. But first, they need guns and munitions to outfit the ship properly. Deception and trickery will only get them so far. Eventually, they’re going to have to engage the enemy.

James’ goals aren’t necessarily the same as his crew. It’s a delicate balancing act to collect enough loot to keep his crew happy, while guiding them back to rescue the girl.

Voyage of the Lanternfish is filled with adventure, magic, and monsters. Lots of monsters. Hoist the colors and come along for the ride.

Purchase Link: http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B07MP8V633

 

Bio:

[image error]I was born in a town called Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I’m not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times, and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction.

I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet.

I like to write about things that have something unusual. My works are in the realm of science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy. The goal is to entertain you for a few hours. I hope you enjoy the ride.

Craig

Story Empire (Co-authored)
Harmony’s Amazon Author Page
Twitter: @harmony_kent
LinkedIn: Harmony
Goodreads: Author Page

My Week in Review and Writing Links

[image error]Hello everyone. Happy Friday. It’s been a productive week here, and I managed to get my 2nd crutch decorated for the wedding. I even took pictures of each stage so that I can post the how to … which I’m sure I’ll get around to one of these days!

End of Day has come!

Hello everyone. Today is release day for Mae Clair’s second book in the Hode’s Hill Series: End of Day! I read this as an ARC, and also bought it on pre-order, which hit my e-reader today

My Week in Review and Writing Links

[image error]Hello everyone. Happy Friday! It’s been a tough week health-wise … came down with a heavy virus on Thursday last week and it’s got its foot jammed in the door, refusing to leave, lol. Also had a full day hospital visit on Monday, where it transpired I had to have a large growth removed and am now awaiting biopsy results. Some of what occurred in the treatment room needs to go in a book sometime … talk about hilarious. Which makes this week’s quote oh so apt and true! The good news is that the steroid injection I had late last month has helped … yay!! While the shoulder is still frozen, it is much, much less painful

My Week in Review and Writing Links

[image error]Hello everyone. Happy Friday and Happy New Year! Because I missed the last two weeks, we have a bumper list for you today. So, if like me you were internet AWOL, this will help you to catch up if you want to.

Fiancé and I had a wonderful time with family, and we are looking forward now to our planned wedding in May … officially less than four months away, and we’re both suffering butterflies already, lol. Here’s wishing all of you all good things for 2019. May all your goals and dreams come through. Without further ado, here are this week’s links.

FROM STORY EMPIRE

Endings by Staci Troilo (Dec 17, 2018) … Final post in a three-parter

A Writer’s Fiefdom by Mae Clair (Dec 19, 2018)

Friday Writing Question by Staci Troilo … What If? (Dec 21, 2018)

Merry Christmas by Craig Boyack (Dec 24, 2018)

Scrivener Collections and Editing by P.H. Solomon (Dec 26, 2018)

Friday Cover Share by Harmony Kent (Dec 28, 2018)

Wrapping Up 2018 by Joan Hall (Dec 31, 2018)

Where Your Muse Hides by Harmony Kent (Jan 2, 2019)

Five For Friday by Joan Hall (Jan 4, 2019)

 

FROM AROUND THE WORLDWIDE WEB

Occupation Thesaurus: Fund Raiser by Becca Puglisi from Writers Helping Writers (Dec 15, 2018)

The Sayings we Owe to Shakespeare from Nicholas Rossis (Dec 17, 2018)

After NaNoWriMo: Seeing Your Story Across the Finish Line by Tiffany Yates Martin from Writers in the Storm (Dec 17th, 2018)

Goal-Oriented Storytelling from Writers Helping Writers (Dec 18, 2018)

Top 10 Writing Success Tips by Ray Bradbury from Writers in the Storm (Dec 19, 2018)

9 Tension-Building Elements for Dialogue by Becca Puglisi from Writers in the Storm (Dec 21, 2018)

Is the New WordPress Format Stressing You Out? from Writers in the Storm (Dec 24, 2018)

Denouement or Epilogue from Just Publishing Advice (Dec 26, 2018)

A Word to Focus Your Writer Journey in 2019 By Fae Rowen from Writers in the Storm (Dec 31, 2018)

How to Publish a Book the Right Way from Just Publishing Advice (Jan 1, 2019)

Start Your Writing Year Right by Angela Ackerman from Writers Helping Writers (Jan 1, 2019)

Social Media Throw-down by Fae Rowen from Writers in the Storm (Jan 2, 2019)

The Best Software For Writing a Book from Just Publishing Advice (Jan 2, 2019)

Story Empire (Co-authored)
Harmony’s Amazon Author Page
Twitter: @harmony_kent
LinkedIn: Harmony
Goodreads: Author Page

My Week in Review and Writing Links

[image error]Hello everyone. Happy Friday. Only just over a week to Christmas now. Are you ready?! This year, we will be travelling up to see family. I’m not looking forward to the six hours minimum in the car, but I am excited about the company. Do you have holiday plans?

Another week of steady writing on the novel and short stories/flash fiction.

Due to travelling, I won’t be putting out a Friday post on the 21st or the 28th, so I’ll see you all in the New Year! Wishing you all the best for Christmas and 2019.

Have a great weekend, and here are this week’s writing links and resources.

FROM STORY EMPIRE

Flash Fiction: Resolution by me … the final in a four-part blog post series

Self Editing Tips by Joan Hall

Friday Book Share by Craig Boyack … something a little different

 

FROM AROUND THE WORLDWIDE WEB

Hello Gutenburg! How Can We Get Rid of You? from Nicholas Rossis

Audiobooks: The Fastest-Growing Segment of Publishing from Nicholas Rossis

How to Restore Your Love of Writing by Colleen M Story from Writers in the Storm

Firearms: Know Your Weapon by Piper Bayard and Jay Holmes from Writers in the Storm

Are Your Amazon Books Merged on Your Sales Page? from Just Publishing Advice

Rules? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Rules from Writers Helping Writers

Story Empire (Co-authored)
Harmony’s Amazon Author Page
Twitter: @harmony_kent
LinkedIn: Harmony
Goodreads: Author Page

My Week in Review and Writing Links

[image error]Hello everyone. Happy Friday. Sheesh, this has felt like a looong week. Not that I’m wishing my life away, but I’m glad it’s the weekend, lol. While making progress on my WIP, I came up with one of those lines that made me think, ooh I love that …

‘Cautiously, they picked their way through empty streets, inhabited only by litter and signs of old violence.’

Today sees me breaking past the 20,000 word mark.

This week’s quote resonates with me. I’m one of those writers who struggles not to edit or revise as I go along. But I’m finding when I manage to just let it flow, it goes better. How about you?

I hope this finds all of you well, and here’s wishing you a good weekend.

Here are this week’s writing links …

FROM STORY EMPIRE

Save Time! Create a Document Template in Scrivener by P.H. Solomon

Write Medium by C.S. Boyack

Five For Friday: Fizzled Marketing Channels of 2018 by P.H. Solomon

 

FROM AROUND THE WORLDWIDE WEB

What we can Learn from Teen Writers by Harrison Demchick from Writers in the Storm

Letting Go: In Writing and In Life by Donna Galanti from Writers in the Storm

Subtlety in Word Choices by Fae Rowen from Writers in the Storm

The Value of Linguistic Fossils from Nicholas Rossis

30 Sites that Pay Writers from Nicholas Rossis

The Best Writing Prompts to Help Spark Your Your Imagination from Just Publishing Advice

Beginnings and Back-story from Writers Helping Writers

Deepen the Reader’s Connection to Your Character by Laura Drake from Romance University

Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs by Dave Chessen from Kindlepreneur

 

Story Empire (Co-authored)
Harmony’s Amazon Author Page
Twitter: @harmony_kent
LinkedIn: Harmony
Goodreads: Author Page