Sage Nestler's Blog, page 72
May 5, 2016
Writing Tip #4 – Make Your Plot Complex
Hello everyone,
I’m sorry it has been awhile since my last writing tip! My hope is to post one writing tip a week if I don’t get too overwhelmed with other things. But today’s writing tip is one that you need to memorize and put into practice immediately.
As you may know, I have worked with publishers since I was seventeen, and a woman by the name of Spring Lee was my mentor throughout middle school and high school. She owned a small publishing house herself, and I value everything that she taught to me. That being said, one of the best tips she ever gave to me was as follows:
“Make sure that your plot/conflict could not be resolved in a 30 minute sit com.”
What does that mean exactly? It means that you need to make sure that the plot/conflict in your novel is complex enough that the reader won’t be able to guess the resolution easily, and to make sure that you have enough story to fill a book. This is also important to note if you are considering making your plot/conflict last across multiple novels in a series. If your plot/conflict is too predictable, your reader won’t want to keep reading if they can guess what will happen beforehand. Usually writers tend to become so wrapped up in their characters and their setting that they don’t consider adding complexity to their plot/conflict which can draw them back when it comes to gaining readers. The best thing that an author can do is create a plot/conflict that has the possibility of multiple outcomes so that the reader is constantly guessing but never quite correct. For example, when authors pack a punch in their book you can feel it. I would like to present you with an excerpt from “City of Bones” by Cassandra Clare as an example:
“She looked at him hard. ‘What makes you so sure? Do you know them?’
The laughter had gone from his voice entirely when he replied. ‘Do I know them?’ he echoed. ‘You might say that. Those are the men who murdered my father.'(Clare, 2007.)
Do you see how powerful that is? Cassandra Clare was brilliant in the way that she made sure that there were sub-plots to supplement her main plot so that the reader would be diverted and they wouldn’t see the twist coming. That being said, what I want you to take away from this tip to to MAKE SURE that you at least CONSIDER adding sub-plots to your plot/conflict. You can hint at these sub-plots in your book, but don’t give them away so easily. You want to have many tricks in your writing bag, and this is one of the best tricks that you can always use, no matter what you are writing. Keep your reader guessing, pack a couple punches, and you will be good to go. Readers will come running!
Much love,
Ashley
References
Clare, C., & Rosamilia, M. (2007). City of bones. New York: M.K. McElderry Books.
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Blog Summary for 5/2/2016 – 5/8/2016
Hello everyone,
I’m sorry for the late update! It has been a hectic week. This week and next are my college finals, so I will only be able to post one book review this week. I have also been working like crazy on the Go Indie Now! Box and will be shipping out the first boxes on May 20. LAST DAY TO SIGN UP FOR THE MAY BOX IS MAY 10. This month will feature two fantasy books by the same author and exclusive items and reading content.
I will also continue posting rep profiles for the reps that I chose for Go Indie Now! on Instagram.
As for reviews, this will I will be reviewing:
Second Chances by Lincoln Cole
Thank you to everyone for your support, and please don’t miss this month’s Go Indie Now! Box! The featured author is amazing and has provided you all with exclusive content included ONLY in the Go Indie Now! Box.
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
WOULD YOU LIKE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY BOOKS? REQUEST HERE
*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
May 4, 2016
Meet Go Indie Now! Rep @accio_literature
Hello Everyone,
I wanted to do a series of blog posts on the reps that I chose to represent my monthly book box “Go Indie Now!” on Instagram.
The first rep who I want to present you to is @accio_literature! Her name is Rachel and she is a recently graduated college student working as a high school English teacher. She is also an indie author herself, and her young adult novel, Before a Million Universes, is available on Amazon! It is a dystopian novel that looks amazing and that I will be reviewing on the blog.
If you have Instagram, please follow her and follow me at the button below!
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
WOULD YOU LIKE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY BOOKS? REQUEST HERE
*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
May 2, 2016
Immortal Peace by Tyler S. Harris – 5/5
Title: Immortal Peace
Author: Tyler S. Harris
Synopsis:
“It is difficult to imagine a story about zombies, vampires, or aliens that has not already been told many times over. Immortal Peace, however, puts a twist on the common genre of science fiction by combining the elements of multiple well-known concepts. This story follows Mario Ramirez, a family man in Chicago, as he and his family witness the world erupt when aliens appear on Earth, not with a warning of waging war, but with a peace offering. The Gift is a promising medicinal panacea. When scientists first study the vaccine, they immediately find the potential value of the drug. Unbeknownst to the world, this medicine has some latent adverse side effects that are in no way beneficial. Now the world must wonder whether the gift is a genuine act of kindness, or possibly the most complex military coup known to mankind.”
Review:
I found “Immortal Peace” to be an extremely original story. Even though there are many stories out there concerning aliens, I thought that this story was not cheesy in any way. Instead, it was believable and awe inspiring.
As I read the first page of the novel, I could already tell how good of an author Tyler S. Harris is. His words flowed effortlessly and I was gripped by the story line that followed the family in question. Based on the first couple of pages, I couldn’t tell that this story was about aliens and science fiction, which added that surprise element that I always love in a good novel. Not to mention that the concept of vaccines and their validity is very hot right now, not only in the writing world, but in current events as well. This book is sure to capture the attention of anyone with a strong opinion about vaccines and the side effects of such.
Science fiction is a huge genre, and there are many books out there that can become similar and make the reader question their originality, but I didn’t see that when I was reading this novel. I loved how the structure of the family was incorporated with the science fiction elements, so that the reader could connect to the story better. Many times if a novel is too far fetched, the reader has a hard time connecting to the story, but “Immortal Peace” forces the author to connect with it and go through the events that the characters are put through.
I was very impressed with this novel, and have a feeling that science fiction enthusiasts will have the same reaction. A rating of 5/5 is well deserved.
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
WOULD YOU LIKE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY BOOKS? REQUEST HERE
*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
May 1, 2016
Giveaway Winners!
Hello Everyone!
Yesterday was the deadline to enter the time turner giveaway and the giveaway for my novel “Into The Fog”. Today I did the drawing for both, and am happy to announce that Kaela is the winner for the time turner giveaway and Poppy is the winner of the copy of my novel “Into The Fog” and a personal letter from me! Both have been emailed, and I just wanted to thank everyone who entered and has been following my blog. I love every single one of you and will be posting two more giveaways for the month of May very soon.
Congrats to Kaela and Poppy!
Much Love,
Ashley
April 30, 2016
Mortal Showdown by Nik Krasno – 5/5
Title: Mortal Showdown
Author: Nik Krasno
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis:
“Mortal Showdown is an action packed thriller sending the reader on a kaleidoscopic race through violence, sex, scamming and anti-scamming, political upheaval and murder. Michael (Misha) – a Ukrainian oligarch who was rapidly climbing the Forbes rich list, wakes from a coma caused by an assassination attempt and realizes that he’s in the thick of a multilayered attack on him and his business empire. Making things even worse – among his numerous adversaries is one of Russia’s most influential strongmen. From rich and powerful, Michael very quickly becomes a fugitive, struggling for survival. Counting on his wits and a handful of loyal associates, he searches for a way to even the score with each of his adversaries and to save his country from the Russian bear’s grasp. In order to have the slightest chance in a face-off with his prime nemesis, Michael needs to attack head on, undertaking the greatest risk of his entire life. Unfortunately, the dangerous mission goes wrong from the very beginning…”
Mortal Showdown is a thriller that has no filter. Throughout the novel, the reader is presented with violence, sex, murder, etc., but Nik Krasno does so in such an elegant way that the reader can’t turn away. Usually it takes me a while to get into thrillers, but from the first page I could see how talented Krasno is. He has a way of being crass in a way that isn’t demeaning and doesn’t cross a line. Even though there were derogatory comments made towards women and other characters in the novel, it was clear that this was just an element of the setting of the story, and I didn’t find it insulting.
It was clear to me that Nik Krasno knows people, how they act and why they act the way that they do. His writing was so clear that I could see clearly the events that he was describing. Even though I don’t know very much about politics in Russia and Ukraine, Krasno had such a grip on both countries that the reader wasn’t required to have this knowledge in order to enjoy the novel. All of the events that occurred in the novel were more than enough to keep the reader captivated, and I was captivated by the fact that everything seemed to be going wrong. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Political thrillers can be very hard to pull off at times, but Krasno goes above and beyond. His writing deserves more than a 5/5 rating, and I highly recommend it. It helped me to gain a big appreciation for thrillers that I did not have before reading this novel. I hope that he continues to write more, because if he does, I know that he will be very successful.
April 28, 2016
Authorgraph.com – How Did I Not Know About This?
Hello Everyone!
I wanted to share with you something that I discovered today just in case you didn’t know about it either. There is a website called Authorgraph where you can sign e-book copies of your novels for your readers, or get other author’s novels signed for you. I thought that this concept was absolutely brilliant and just had to join. All you have to do is put in the ASIN for your e-book novels so that you can start accepting autograph requests. On the other hand, if you want an e-book signed, you can join the site and look for the book you want signed. If the book is available, you click a button underneath the book listing that says “request autograph” and you can ask the author for an autograph while also asking them to write a certain message or write it to a certain person’s name.
If you are an author, I highly suggest you join. What a better way to connect with our readers?
And if you are a reader, absolutely join! Who doesn’t want more autographed books, or more accessibly autographed books?
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
WOULD YOU LIKE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MY BOOKS? REQUEST HERE
*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
April 27, 2016
Button Nose the Sad Little Bear by GinaLoBiondo
Title: Button Nose the Sad Little Bear
Author: Gina LoBiondo
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis:
“What if toys could actually feel? Would they be happy or sad? Would they be able to love? Button Nose the Sad Little Bear is the story of a much loved little bear and the little girl who will never give up on finding him again.”
This children’s picture book was absolutely darling. The premise of the story is inspired by author Gina LoBiondo’s teddy bear that she loved as a child, and I could feel her passion radiating throughout the book. The pictures look hand drawn, which I absolutely loved, and in the back of the book were the actual pictures of the people referenced in the story as well as the real bear that Gina LoBiondo had as a child. Children are bound to love this book because of its “Toy Story” feel and grown ups will surely love reading it to them. This children’s book definitely deserves a 5/5 rating based on how much effort was put into it, and how passionate the author is about her story. It brought me back to my childhood and the stuffed animals that I loved and still love, which made me feel at home. This children’s book is one for all ages.
“Button Nose the Sad Little Bear” has won five awards. Author Gina LoBiondo was also a featured interviewee on Hunterdon Chamber Radio on November 4, 2015 and April 20, 2016. Below is the link to her interviews. Just go to the second show on both dates and she will be featured. On the November 4th show she is the only person interviewed, but on the April 20th show she comes in around 15-20 minutes of the show.
April 26, 2016
Pegasus – A Dragon’s Tale by Gina LoBiondo
Title: Pegasus – A Dragon’s Tale
Author: Gina LoBiondo
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
“For hundreds of years tales of dragons have been told and cherished. What child hasn’t wished to have his or her own dragon or to fight the great fire-breathers? Pegasus – A Dragon’s Tale is the delightful, heartwarming story of two young bear cubs and the dragon they find that changes their lives forever.”
Review:
“Pegasus – A Dragon’s Tale” is a very cute fairy tale. It is a children’s book and fully illustrated by Stephanie Zuppo. I found the story to be original and one that children would love to hear as a bedtime story. The fact that the land in the book is made up by a kingdom of bears is sure to reign children in, and I found the element of them finding a dragon egg and raising the dragon to be adorable. It broke my heart when they had to let the dragon free, and I found myself rooting for the bears when the dragon comes back and they want to keep him. I am a sucker for fairy tales and this fairy tale did not disappoint. The writing was wonderful and simple, which is perfect for children’s stories. I just felt that the illustrations could have been better if they didn’t look so computer generated, but that is just a minor critique. I would happily buy this book for my children.
Background on Gina LoBiondo:
“Pegasus – A Dragon’s Tale” has won 9 prestigious book awards, and Gina was featured in two interviews on Hunterdon Chamber Radio. Her interview can be listened to here: Gina’s Interview. Go to the dates November 4th and April 20th and scroll down to the second show on each date. She is the only person interviewed on the November 4th date and on the April 20th date she comes in around 15-20 minutes into the show.
She also has a book trailer for “Pegasus – A Dragon’s Tale”. Go to the following link to watch it, it is very heartwarming: Pegasus Book Trailer
April 25, 2016
Week of April 25th – Review Update
Hello Everyone!
Wow was last week a hectic one! With all of the time I am putting into the Go Indie Now! book box I have been as excited as I have been overwhelmed, but fret not, reviews are still underway!
This week on my review list, once I finish the novels of course, will be:
Immortal Peace by Tyler Harris
Mortal Showdown by Nik Krasno
Thank you all for all of your support for the box and for reaching out to me for reviews. I love helping each and every one of you.
Much Love,
Ashley
