Sarah Painter's Blog, page 15

Back to work

I had the best book birthday, and have been busy over the last few days with social media, drinking lots of celebratory Prosecco and chatting with friends and family about my book.

It’s been so much fun, but very  ’me, me, me’, and I apologise to those who might be getting sick of me mentioning my book. I’m going to stop very soon.*

But now publication day is over, the book is out and I need to get back to work. I have a fairly tight deadline for the follow up to The Language of Spells and I need to knuckle down. Especially considering the kids only have another four weeks of school before the long summer holday… Eep!

In the spirit of refocusing on writing, I’ve got a few writing-craft links to share. Hope you find them useful.

YA author, Natalie Whipple, has written a great piece on using description.

Emma Darwin’s clear and useful post on the benefits of using Scrivener for creative writing.

Sarah Beth Durst examines the tricky art of opening a story. The Writer’s Toolbox: First Lines.

My writing column for Novelicious this week is, appropriately enough, all about writing advice.

Oh, and I’m also on my publisher’s website talking about using collage and casting the characters in The Language of Spells.

* Soon-ish, anyway. Sorry.

Soul Taken Release Tour – What is Digital First?

I am delighted to be hosting YA author Katlyn Duncan on her debut release tour. 

Take it away, Katlyn…

Hello everyone! I am so happy to be on Sarah’s blog today!

My topic for today is about the phrase “digital-first”. This is a near and dear topic to me since my publishing company, Carina UK (newest imprint of Harlequin UK), is a digital-first imprint. So what does that mean to you?

My books will be published within a few months of each other. Skipping the printing process brings my words to you sooner rather than later. It keeps the excitement of the series alive knowing you will get the next installment quickly.
Affordable pricing. Again without printing costs, the price of the book becomes more affordable for everyone’s budget, which is something important to me. I want my book to be available for everyone and what better place to start then the price?
On the go! With a click of a button you can have the book in your hands. With the ability to read it on your smart phone or e-reader you can pull it out quickly at a moment’s notice to continue reading whether you are in between classes, waiting at the doctor’s office, at your kid’s soccer game, or on your lunch break. The possibilities are endless!

I have always been on top of new trends when it comes to reading and I am so excited to be a part of an innovative imprint that is moving up with the times.

So what if you don’t have an e-reader? Do you have a smart phone? You can download free reading apps to your phone for free! No smart phone? Do you have a computer? You can download my book to your computer to read it!

Want your book digitally signed? There is a way!

Authorgraph is a website where I can send a digital signature with a swipe of my finger and even personalize a message for you. It sends a pdf and BOOM! There you go. Want your copy of Soul Taken signed? Go here.

Now if you are oh so dying to have Soul Taken in your hands so you can feel and smell the fresh pages…there is a way. Carina UK is digital-first, not digital-only. If there is a strong enough demand for my book to be printed, it will. And you have the power to make that happen. But that is completely up to you. If you want it, tweet and Facebook about it. If you are okay to enjoy the book on your phone, e-reader, or computer that is awesome too!

So even though I won’t see this book on the bookshelves in my favorite bookstores on June 4th, I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of the success of Harlequin UK’s newest imprint and to share it with some pretty amazing ladies, like Sarah (whose book is now available digitally too!).

More about Soul Taken. Available to pre-order here.

After-life just got a lot more complicated

Maggie is a Soul Collector. It’s her job to transport souls from the Living Realm to the After – but during a mission to find a stolen soul, she ends up stuck in a teen mean girl’s body.

Trapped, Maggie’s soul is catapulted into Ally’s life – and the human world she hasn’t experienced for one hundred years. But, as a descendant of the most powerful beings in the After, Maggie must rescue Ally before the girl’s soul dies…

To survive, Maggie must uncover devastating secrets – because with one soul taken by a terrifying enemy, Maggie’s could be next!

Enter Katlyn’s fabulous giveaway – just click below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can visit Katlyn on her website or Facebook page or connect with her on Twitter.

In which I am published!

Ron Swanson is excited, too.

My first book is published today!

It’s out in the world for people to read – to enjoy (or not), to buy (or not), to hate (please not).

I’ve been striving for this day for a long time and now it’s here, I feel a crazy mixture of happiness, hope, excitement, anxiety and gratitude. If my feelings at this moment were a sound, they’d be an elongated and very high-pitched ‘meep’. So, business as usual, really…

I had fizzy wine (essential to calm pre-publication nerves) last night and have started today with an avalanche of kind messages, gifts, and cards. Thank you to my lovely friends and family for being so wonderfully supportive.

I’m over on Keris Stainton’s blog today for the first stop of my blog tour. Do stop by if you have a moment!

And, don’t forget, if you leave a comment on this post (or tweet a link), you’ll be entered into a draw to win a Nook Touch e-reader.

Announcing The Language of Spells Blog Tour

To celebrate publication (tomorrow!), I’m heading off on a blog tour.

A book tour you can do in your pajamas: Best. Invention. Ever.

Here’s the schedule. There will be guest posts, interviews and giveaways; hope you can make it!*

Thursday 30th May – Keris Stainton

Friday 31st May - Strictly Writing

Saturday 1st June - Novelicious

Monday 3rd June – Maria’s Book Blog

Tuesday 4th June – Carina UK

Wednesday 5th June - Derek Thomson

Thursday 6th June – Chick Lit Reviews

Friday 7th June - Novel Kicks

Monday 10th June - Katlyn Duncan

* If you think this post over-uses exclamation marks, just wait until tomorrow’s…

The wisdom of Discworld

May 25th was Terry Pratchett appreciation day, during which fans and supporters wear lilac to celebrate his work and to recognise his ongoing battle with Alzheimer’s.

I missed the day this year, but I love Pratchett’s books (especially those starring Death, Susan, Tiffany Aching, Granny Weatherwax and The Watch) and I love these Discworld quotes that have been made into posters. Head to Buzzfeed for the full set.

[Via ArghInk]

The lowdown on e-books

I’ve had a Kindle for a couple of years, now, and love the sample feature and ability to take loads of books with me on holiday. I still buy physical books, though, which brings me to the first item on my list:

1. E-books haven’t killed paper books. Not yet, anyway… The statistics for 2012 showed that while digital sales were up by 66%, physical sales (for fiction books) also rose (by 3%). Plus, sales for both physical and digital (in fiction) was up by 21%, which is a good thing for writers. Yay! [Source: The Bookseller]

2. You can order a signed e-book (or, more accurately, a digital signature that you can file with your e-book) from Authorgraph.

3. You can give e-books as gifts. At least, you can if you’re using Kobo, or if you live in the US (the Nook US store and Amazon.com both offer this option, but the UK sites don’t as yet). Just click the ‘buy as gift’ option that comes up on the book page.

4. You don’t need a dedicated e-reader to read an e-book. Just download a free e-reader app for your PC, iPod, phone or tablet.

5. But dedicated e-readers are very nice… Many of them have lovely screens that don’t strain your eyes, they have brilliant storage space, and they’re easy to tote about. Why not enter my competition to win a Nook Simple Touch and bag yourself one for free?

Win a Nook eReader

To celebrate the publication of my book next week, I’m giving away a Nook Simple Touch e-reader.

The Nook Simple Touch (worth £79) features E Ink display which is ‘just like reading on paper, even in bright sunlight’, and has a 6-inch intuitive touchscreen for easy navigation.

In The Language of Spells, Gwen Harper has the uncanny ability to find lost things. To be in with a chance of winning, leave me a comment on this post telling me what magical ability you’d choose to have.

For an extra entry, tweet or retweet a link to the giveaway.

Good luck!

After the closing date, I’ll pick a winner at random. Open to the UK-only, I’m afraid.*

Competition closes midnight GMT on Wednesday 5th June 2013

* Sorry about this, but I’m not sure about customs restrictions for sending a gadget across the pond…  Next giveaway will definitely be international!

In which I am excited!

So, it’s all starting to happen… Meep!

On Friday my publisher released the cover (and blurb) for my debut, The Language of Spells. Look – it’s so pretty!

The eagle-eyed may have noticed that this prompted a teeny-redesign of my blog/website and a minor assault on the social media hubs of t’interweb. Yes, I’m now on GoodReads, as well as FaceBook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Plus, I got my very first advance review – from Clodagh Murphy, author of Frisky Business and Girl in a Spin. She said:

“Sarah Painter is a talented new writer, and her debut is a charming, romantic and intriguing story, with a little touch of magic. It had me enchanted.”

Thanks so much, Clodagh!

I’ve also been thinking about a way to celebrate publication and to say ‘thank you’ to you, my lovely blog readers, and it seems high-time for a giveaway. Watch this space.

Writing Quote Monday

I know that ‘Writing Quote Wednesday’ would roll off the tongue a little better, but I couldn’t wait to share this gem from Raymond Chandler.

I’m finding it very helpful at the moment… Although, for me,  ’every noon’ equals a comfortingly vague ‘later’.

I hope you all have a super Monday and, if you require a little more distraction, I’m over on Novelicious today talking about the importance of world building.

[Image Credit: The Quote Factory]

In which I get my photo taken

Like many (most?!) of us, I hate having my picture taken. However, I really like being able to put a face to an author’s name so I know that having a picture of myself for my website and book is important.

The idea of going to a complete stranger to be photographed was, frankly, terrifying, but luckily my lovely dad offered to take some snaps.

I scoured the internet for tips on being more photogenic (tilt your head forwards, put one hand on your hip and twist your body, hold a piece of white card on your lap to ‘bounce’ light and minimise unsightly shadows, wear lots of makeup, drink a glass of wine to relax) and then, promptly forgot them all.

My dad is a wonderful photographer, but his usual subjects are landscape and the natural world, as well as brilliant ‘informal portraits’. Still, he valiantly set up some bright lights and prepared to take photos of his embarrassed and gurning daughter. I can’t begin to express just how painful a process this was… I have three settings; eyes closed, mid-gurn, or strained smile that says ‘take cover, I’m about to throw up’. At one point, we were seriously considering taking an ‘arty’ photo of the back of my head instead.

He managed to get a couple of nice shots, though. Look, here I am only looking only 85% uncomfortable!

I’m actually mid-sentence  in this one as getting me to shut up for five minutes is beyond anyone’s capabilities, but I still think it’s a nice picture. Thanks, Dad!

So, what do you guys reckon? Which is your favourite picture? Which one should I plaster all over the interweb in my attempt to promote my debut? Which is coming out at the end of the this month*. Meep!

*Do you see how I cunningly slipped in some book promotion into this post? I am *so* good at this!