Stephanie Faris's Blog, page 61
August 6, 2014
Three Things I Write, Three Things I Don't
I was tagged to write about three things I write and three things I don't by the lovely Rhonda Parrish.
Here goes!
Three things I write
Contemporary middle grade fiction--I love girly stories. Just the sight of this picture makes me want to make up a story to go with it.
Scary middle grade fiction--I landed my awesome agent with a book series I penned about tween ghost hunters. I LOVE that series...but everyone else was writing and selling similar books at the same time. I still want to write about ghosts, though. Like this tween ghost book by Lauren Barnholdt:
Lightweight young adult fiction--I say that because I've been told my voice is too young for YA. I'm kind of a lightweight, I guess!
Three things I don't write
Vampires--The idea of people drinking blood doesn't appeal to me, nor do I find pale men who sparkle remotely attractive. But I admire anyone who writes and reads that genre.
Dystopian--While I love futuristic stories, I'm not into the "society self-destructed so now we live in an overly-controlled world" concept.
Poetry--Pat Hatt's blog made me realize just how not poetic I am. If you haven't read it, he blogs in verse and some of his readers comment in verse, as well! It's SO fun. I think if you write poetry, you have a bright future writing picture books.
Now to tag three people.
Pat Hatt--I mentioned him above, so I'm tagging him, too! He's a prolific writer, having written books for both children and adults. Here's one of his children's books:
Madeline Mora-Summonte--Madeline's blog, The Shellshank Redemption, is a collection of her thoughts about writing and life. Plus she's the author of this flash fiction collection:
Finley Jayne--Finley Jayne is both a writer and avid reader, taking in more than 100 books each year. She's currently working on an ebook chronicling her adventures as she went from mommy jeans to skinny jeans.
What do you write? What do you avoid writing?
Here goes!
Three things I write
Contemporary middle grade fiction--I love girly stories. Just the sight of this picture makes me want to make up a story to go with it.
Scary middle grade fiction--I landed my awesome agent with a book series I penned about tween ghost hunters. I LOVE that series...but everyone else was writing and selling similar books at the same time. I still want to write about ghosts, though. Like this tween ghost book by Lauren Barnholdt:
Lightweight young adult fiction--I say that because I've been told my voice is too young for YA. I'm kind of a lightweight, I guess!
Three things I don't write
Vampires--The idea of people drinking blood doesn't appeal to me, nor do I find pale men who sparkle remotely attractive. But I admire anyone who writes and reads that genre.
Dystopian--While I love futuristic stories, I'm not into the "society self-destructed so now we live in an overly-controlled world" concept.
Poetry--Pat Hatt's blog made me realize just how not poetic I am. If you haven't read it, he blogs in verse and some of his readers comment in verse, as well! It's SO fun. I think if you write poetry, you have a bright future writing picture books.
Now to tag three people.
Pat Hatt--I mentioned him above, so I'm tagging him, too! He's a prolific writer, having written books for both children and adults. Here's one of his children's books:
Madeline Mora-Summonte--Madeline's blog, The Shellshank Redemption, is a collection of her thoughts about writing and life. Plus she's the author of this flash fiction collection:
Finley Jayne--Finley Jayne is both a writer and avid reader, taking in more than 100 books each year. She's currently working on an ebook chronicling her adventures as she went from mommy jeans to skinny jeans.
What do you write? What do you avoid writing?
August 4, 2014
Musicals: A Love-Hate Relationship
Most of us were introduced to musicals at a young age, whether it was in the form of movies like this:
Or this:
But it's impossible to forget the many instances of musicals that have failed. Does anyone remember this one?
Or, in a more recent example, this?
Creating a musical means carefully navigating the line between "entertainment" and "cheesiness." The cheese factor can often infiltrate even the best musicals. As popular as Glee has been, even its biggest fans have had seen their fair share of groan-worthy moments.
You also have to realize that most of the heterosexual male population is afraid to be caught watching a musical. Most express a deep distaste for them out of fear of being seen as someone who likes musicals.
Which makes you wonder what they were thinking when they came up with Cop Rock. A show about singing cops? Who's going to watch that?
Here's a clip from Cop Rock. Don't miss the part where the cop suddenly starts playing the keyboard (1:55).
Do you like musicals?
Or this:
But it's impossible to forget the many instances of musicals that have failed. Does anyone remember this one?
Or, in a more recent example, this?
Creating a musical means carefully navigating the line between "entertainment" and "cheesiness." The cheese factor can often infiltrate even the best musicals. As popular as Glee has been, even its biggest fans have had seen their fair share of groan-worthy moments.
You also have to realize that most of the heterosexual male population is afraid to be caught watching a musical. Most express a deep distaste for them out of fear of being seen as someone who likes musicals.
Which makes you wonder what they were thinking when they came up with Cop Rock. A show about singing cops? Who's going to watch that?
Here's a clip from Cop Rock. Don't miss the part where the cop suddenly starts playing the keyboard (1:55).
Do you like musicals?
August 1, 2014
You're All Wonderful Team Members
Another Stephanie, Stephanie Rose Byrd, nominated me for an award. Because she's so awesome...and because we Stephanies must stick together, I'm accepting it and passing it on. Stephanie is a talented artist, illustrator, blogger, and author, whose debut novel is coming soon.
The award is designed to recognize the amazing community of bloggers we have created here. In the past year, I've been continually amazed by the large number of bloggers who have gathered here. I met many of them through the A to Z Challenge, but I'd met quite a few before that, as well. (Which was how I knew about the A to Z Challenge!)
The award comes with a lot of rules, which you can read here. I'm not going to nominate 14 people--mostly because I want to be able to tell you a little about the people I'm nominating. Instead, I'm going to nominate five and if you choose to participate, jump on in! No pressure.
Here's the award.
Now the nominees...
Alex J. Cavanaugh --When you start reading around on here, you realize the person who brought many of these great bloggers together is Alex. His Insecure Writers Support Group is now massive, having created a community of aspiring writers who have grown together. Alex somehow finds a way to comment on a ridiculous number of blogs each day, while also writing his own books. I don't know how he does it.
The Armchair Squid --The Armchair Squid is the master of pulling everyone together, creating fun bloghops like The Cephalapod Coffeehouse, a monthly challenge where participants discuss the best book they've read all month.
Slam Dunks --"Slamdunk" and I have been reading each other's blogs for years. His blog is a great one to add to your blog roll, mostly because it's unique. If you're fascinated with missing persons cases and unique news stories, Slamdunk is your blogger!
Jennifer Hawes --Jennifer is the author of Free Runner, available on Amazon. Her blog is my favorite kind--a combination of her real life and writing tips and always interesting to read.
Diane Carlisle --A writer, photographer, and boating enthusiast Diane has been blogging since 2009. Under the name D.S. Carlisle, she has published Snow Leopard and Lethal Injection, The Seed, both available on Amazon.
Which blogger(s) do you feel add to the sense of community we have here?
The award is designed to recognize the amazing community of bloggers we have created here. In the past year, I've been continually amazed by the large number of bloggers who have gathered here. I met many of them through the A to Z Challenge, but I'd met quite a few before that, as well. (Which was how I knew about the A to Z Challenge!)
The award comes with a lot of rules, which you can read here. I'm not going to nominate 14 people--mostly because I want to be able to tell you a little about the people I'm nominating. Instead, I'm going to nominate five and if you choose to participate, jump on in! No pressure.
Here's the award.
Now the nominees...
Alex J. Cavanaugh --When you start reading around on here, you realize the person who brought many of these great bloggers together is Alex. His Insecure Writers Support Group is now massive, having created a community of aspiring writers who have grown together. Alex somehow finds a way to comment on a ridiculous number of blogs each day, while also writing his own books. I don't know how he does it.
The Armchair Squid --The Armchair Squid is the master of pulling everyone together, creating fun bloghops like The Cephalapod Coffeehouse, a monthly challenge where participants discuss the best book they've read all month.
Slam Dunks --"Slamdunk" and I have been reading each other's blogs for years. His blog is a great one to add to your blog roll, mostly because it's unique. If you're fascinated with missing persons cases and unique news stories, Slamdunk is your blogger!
Jennifer Hawes --Jennifer is the author of Free Runner, available on Amazon. Her blog is my favorite kind--a combination of her real life and writing tips and always interesting to read.
Diane Carlisle --A writer, photographer, and boating enthusiast Diane has been blogging since 2009. Under the name D.S. Carlisle, she has published Snow Leopard and Lethal Injection, The Seed, both available on Amazon.
Which blogger(s) do you feel add to the sense of community we have here?
July 30, 2014
Q&A with Author Lara Chapman, The XYZs of Being Wicked
I'm so excited to have young adult/middle grade author Lara Chapman on my blog today. She's the acclaimed author of Flawless, a young adult book that was both a RITA finalist and a 2012 International Reading Association Young Adult Choice.
With her most recent book, Lara Chapman joins the Aladdin M!x family. I'm so excited to read her book, The XYZs of Being Wicked. Here's the awesome cover.
She agreed to answer some questions about her writing process
Q: Tell us a little about the plot of your new book, The XYZs of Being Wicked.
A: I know every author says this, but I love this book! The protagonist is so much fun and I fully relate to her even though middle school is way behind me. Existing on the social outskirts since her falling out with her best friend, Hallie goes to The Dowling School of Witchcraft to maintain her family’s heritage. She’s actually excited about going somewhere new, somewhere away from her ex-BFF, Kendall. But all that changes when she finds out her ex-BFF is also her roommate. Hallie has to find a way to discover her gift, and stay as far away from Kendall as possible. Hallie and her trio of friends, along with their hilariously un-witchlike dorm mother, help each other find the gifts they were born with and how to navigate the not-so-unfamiliar social gauntlet of middle school.
Q: Your first published book, Flawless, was a RITA finalist and an International Reading Association Young Adult Choice. What differences did you notice in going from writing for teens to writing for a middle grade readership?
A: The word count! I used to struggle with word count, pushing myself to reach the magical 80,000 word manuscript. Know what’s harder than writing an 80,000 word manuscript? A 40,000 word manuscript. It is hardto write a complete story so compactly. Neither one of my middle grade books (The XYZs of Being Wicked and its sequel, Accidentally Evil) were under 40,000. Not even close.
I also found myself slipping the characters into more YA situations and with more YA voices. I had to check myself over and over. Luckily, I taught 5th grade for years and years, so it’s not such a chore to make the characters authentic.
Q: What has your experience as a published author been like so far? Did anything surprise you about the publishing process?
A: Everything surprises me about the publishing process! It takes longer than I thought it would and there’s a substantial learning curve in terms of marketing your book. I didn’t realize it’d be so complicated. I went into my first contract with the assumption my book would be in every Barnes and Noble on a “New Releases” table. Sounds ridiculous now!
Q: What is your writing process like? Do you plan your stories out before you write them?
A: I plan. Obsessively. In fact, I probably plan too much (I know I spend a lot of time on it!). I begin with the plot points, break it into four zones and then chapters and then scenes. I need to know what I’m writing when I sit down with the laptop. I learned early-on that I am not an effective pantster.
Q: Do you have a favorite writing spot?
A: Barnes and Noble (or anywhere my critique partners are)! I really need to be out of the house to write seriously. Too many distractions for my ADD/OCD brain!
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I currently have a YA novel on submission that’s a genuine heart wrenching romance. Fingers crossed on that one! I’m currently working on a YA that’s very different from my current books. It’s darker, snarkier, and deeper. And I’m loving it! It’s not under contract, but I hope it will be some day soon!
About Lara Chapman
Lesser Known Trivia (a/k/a things about me that are way more interesting than my life story):
-- I turned down a college scholarship in vocal performance for all the wrong reasons.
-- I've had the same best friends for over 30 years.
-- I'm OCD and ADD. Think about it. It's the most frustrating combination of disorders ever.
-- I'm a total organizing freak (see above).
-- I write best on a deadline. Too much time makes me lazy.
-- My high school English students call me Mom.
-- Both of my amazing kids are adopted.
-- I have an obsession with dachshunds.
-- I was accepted to law school but withdrew before my first class when my mom was diagnosed with ALS.
-- I almost always have the Food Network on TV.
-- I've broken my big toe twice: once crossing the Frio River and once from dropping a can of hairspray on it.
-- I've seen the movie "Grease" over a hundred times and will stop everything to watch it when it's on TV.
-- My son once told me was going to take me back to the Mommy Store because I made him wear his seat belt.
-- When she was a toddler, my daughter hid our phone in the freezer; it took me two weeks to find it.
-- I've worked for a Private Investigator. I could tell some stories about that job!
Blog | Website | Amazon| Goodreads | Twitter
With her most recent book, Lara Chapman joins the Aladdin M!x family. I'm so excited to read her book, The XYZs of Being Wicked. Here's the awesome cover.
She agreed to answer some questions about her writing process
Q: Tell us a little about the plot of your new book, The XYZs of Being Wicked.
A: I know every author says this, but I love this book! The protagonist is so much fun and I fully relate to her even though middle school is way behind me. Existing on the social outskirts since her falling out with her best friend, Hallie goes to The Dowling School of Witchcraft to maintain her family’s heritage. She’s actually excited about going somewhere new, somewhere away from her ex-BFF, Kendall. But all that changes when she finds out her ex-BFF is also her roommate. Hallie has to find a way to discover her gift, and stay as far away from Kendall as possible. Hallie and her trio of friends, along with their hilariously un-witchlike dorm mother, help each other find the gifts they were born with and how to navigate the not-so-unfamiliar social gauntlet of middle school.
Q: Your first published book, Flawless, was a RITA finalist and an International Reading Association Young Adult Choice. What differences did you notice in going from writing for teens to writing for a middle grade readership?
A: The word count! I used to struggle with word count, pushing myself to reach the magical 80,000 word manuscript. Know what’s harder than writing an 80,000 word manuscript? A 40,000 word manuscript. It is hardto write a complete story so compactly. Neither one of my middle grade books (The XYZs of Being Wicked and its sequel, Accidentally Evil) were under 40,000. Not even close.
I also found myself slipping the characters into more YA situations and with more YA voices. I had to check myself over and over. Luckily, I taught 5th grade for years and years, so it’s not such a chore to make the characters authentic.
Q: What has your experience as a published author been like so far? Did anything surprise you about the publishing process?
A: Everything surprises me about the publishing process! It takes longer than I thought it would and there’s a substantial learning curve in terms of marketing your book. I didn’t realize it’d be so complicated. I went into my first contract with the assumption my book would be in every Barnes and Noble on a “New Releases” table. Sounds ridiculous now!
Q: What is your writing process like? Do you plan your stories out before you write them?
A: I plan. Obsessively. In fact, I probably plan too much (I know I spend a lot of time on it!). I begin with the plot points, break it into four zones and then chapters and then scenes. I need to know what I’m writing when I sit down with the laptop. I learned early-on that I am not an effective pantster.
Q: Do you have a favorite writing spot?
A: Barnes and Noble (or anywhere my critique partners are)! I really need to be out of the house to write seriously. Too many distractions for my ADD/OCD brain!
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I currently have a YA novel on submission that’s a genuine heart wrenching romance. Fingers crossed on that one! I’m currently working on a YA that’s very different from my current books. It’s darker, snarkier, and deeper. And I’m loving it! It’s not under contract, but I hope it will be some day soon!
About Lara Chapman
Lesser Known Trivia (a/k/a things about me that are way more interesting than my life story):
-- I turned down a college scholarship in vocal performance for all the wrong reasons.
-- I've had the same best friends for over 30 years.
-- I'm OCD and ADD. Think about it. It's the most frustrating combination of disorders ever.
-- I'm a total organizing freak (see above).
-- I write best on a deadline. Too much time makes me lazy.
-- My high school English students call me Mom.
-- Both of my amazing kids are adopted.
-- I have an obsession with dachshunds.
-- I was accepted to law school but withdrew before my first class when my mom was diagnosed with ALS.
-- I almost always have the Food Network on TV.
-- I've broken my big toe twice: once crossing the Frio River and once from dropping a can of hairspray on it.
-- I've seen the movie "Grease" over a hundred times and will stop everything to watch it when it's on TV.
-- My son once told me was going to take me back to the Mommy Store because I made him wear his seat belt.
-- When she was a toddler, my daughter hid our phone in the freezer; it took me two weeks to find it.
-- I've worked for a Private Investigator. I could tell some stories about that job!
Blog | Website | Amazon| Goodreads | Twitter
July 28, 2014
Are You Invisible?
My mom is enjoying post-retirement by doing what she loves best: writing. Friday, she posted a very thought-provoking blog about seniors and invisibility.
This is my wonderful mom:
She's noticed a phenomenon that happens as you get older. You become invisible. Where once you inspired looks like this...
You now blend into the crowd.
I don't think it's an age thing. I think there are only a certain percentage of people who stand out, depending on the person doing the looking. Think about it. When you walk into a restaurant, which people get your attention?
A beautiful woman in bright clothing?
Someone with an unusual hair color?
Or the young people?
Are most of us invisible?
Be sure to weigh in over on my mom's blog!
This is my wonderful mom:
She's noticed a phenomenon that happens as you get older. You become invisible. Where once you inspired looks like this...
You now blend into the crowd.
I don't think it's an age thing. I think there are only a certain percentage of people who stand out, depending on the person doing the looking. Think about it. When you walk into a restaurant, which people get your attention?
A beautiful woman in bright clothing?
Someone with an unusual hair color?
Or the young people?
Are most of us invisible?
Be sure to weigh in over on my mom's blog!
July 25, 2014
The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: Best Book of July
Today I'm participating in the monthly meeting of the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, where we sign up to write about the best book we've read this month.
This month I was tasked with reading 35 books for a contest, so I didn't get a chance to read much. But early in the month I finished a book I was reading in June.
I find it interesting that the book cover quotes T.S. Elliot, just as Stephen King quoted it at the beginning of the 1994 miniseries for his book The Stand.
The Stand is one of my all-time favorite books. I grew up on Stephen King novels, so he's my literary genius. If you think I should say something more socially acceptable...
I was naturally thinking of The Stand as I began reading Gone. But what was interesting was that there's a dome over their little city in the book. (You find this out early on, so it's not a spoiler.) A dome, you say? That sounds familiar, too...
It was bugging me so much, I had to look it up. Turns out, Stephen King's a supporter of Gone, which was a very popular YA series. Rightly so, since it's really, really good. Not only that--Under the Dome was released in 2009, just after Gone's 2008 release--but way too soon to have been anything but a coincidence. Even Stephen King can't write that quickly.
While the writing style is different, the story still feels very Stephen King-ish. So it's no surprise King himself is a fan.
Whether you're a Stephen King fan or not, I highly recommend this series. I, meanwhile, will be starting on book two soon.
This month I was tasked with reading 35 books for a contest, so I didn't get a chance to read much. But early in the month I finished a book I was reading in June.
I find it interesting that the book cover quotes T.S. Elliot, just as Stephen King quoted it at the beginning of the 1994 miniseries for his book The Stand.
The Stand is one of my all-time favorite books. I grew up on Stephen King novels, so he's my literary genius. If you think I should say something more socially acceptable...
I was naturally thinking of The Stand as I began reading Gone. But what was interesting was that there's a dome over their little city in the book. (You find this out early on, so it's not a spoiler.) A dome, you say? That sounds familiar, too...
It was bugging me so much, I had to look it up. Turns out, Stephen King's a supporter of Gone, which was a very popular YA series. Rightly so, since it's really, really good. Not only that--Under the Dome was released in 2009, just after Gone's 2008 release--but way too soon to have been anything but a coincidence. Even Stephen King can't write that quickly.
While the writing style is different, the story still feels very Stephen King-ish. So it's no surprise King himself is a fan.
Whether you're a Stephen King fan or not, I highly recommend this series. I, meanwhile, will be starting on book two soon.
July 23, 2014
Some Spooky Dark-Eyed Kids
When I signed up to be a part of the cover reveal for Death Knocks, I'd never heard the story about the black-eyed kids. But as the date for the cover reveal approached, I decided to do some research.
And wow...what a chilling story.
The legend of the black-eyed kids is a fascinating one, having taken on a life of its own in recent years. It began in the late 1990s, with stories posted online about encounters. Legend had it that these children would appear at your home or business and ask, in monotonous voices, to use your restroom or phone.
People survive the encounter. In fact, they live to post detailed stories of it online. But that doesn't make it any less spooky...
The legend has been certified "false" on Snopes.com for a while, but that doesn't make it any less compelling. In fact, it would make for a great book, wouldn't it?
Miranda Hardy and Jay Noel have turned this urban legend into a fascinating book...and here's the spooky cover.
If you'd like to read a little more about the black-eyed kids, here's a little bit about Death Knocks.
And wow...what a chilling story.
The legend of the black-eyed kids is a fascinating one, having taken on a life of its own in recent years. It began in the late 1990s, with stories posted online about encounters. Legend had it that these children would appear at your home or business and ask, in monotonous voices, to use your restroom or phone.
People survive the encounter. In fact, they live to post detailed stories of it online. But that doesn't make it any less spooky...
The legend has been certified "false" on Snopes.com for a while, but that doesn't make it any less compelling. In fact, it would make for a great book, wouldn't it?
Miranda Hardy and Jay Noel have turned this urban legend into a fascinating book...and here's the spooky cover.
If you'd like to read a little more about the black-eyed kids, here's a little bit about Death Knocks.
Death Knocks Blurb:
Who knew a knock at the door could rupture your entire world? They don’t demand money or possessions…they want much more than that, they want your life.
Maverick is preparing for senior year: he’s no longer stuck in the “friend-zone” with the girl of his dreams, he’s looking forward to choosing the right college and being on his own, and he plans to have a blast along the way.
But a knock on the door changes all of that forever.
Maverick begins a mind-altering, life-changing journey to discover the truth—a truth that certain individuals will do anything to keep hidden.
Death Knocks is a Young Adult paranormal thriller about the strange global phenomenon known as the Black-Eyed Kids. Take a creepy and exciting ride in a world where myth meets reality. Death Knocks is scheduled for publication on September 26, 2014 by Quixotic Publishing.
Quixotic Publishing | Miranda Hardy | Jay Noel
July 22, 2014
Public Speaking...Terrifying, Yet Thrilling
If you're a writer, chances are somebody is eventually going to ask you to get up in front of a roomful of people and speak. That's just part of it. If you're a writer, chances are the thought of doing that makes you feel a little like this:
So last Thursday night, as I stood in front of a group of young people at my hometown library, I realized it was go time. Speak or stand there... I spoke.
And the more I spoke, the less nervous I felt. The library was excited to have me, after all. I saw four signs from the front door to the room where the event was held. One sign:
And me with the sign:
Another sign:
Have you ever had to speak in public? How do you overcome your fear?
So last Thursday night, as I stood in front of a group of young people at my hometown library, I realized it was go time. Speak or stand there... I spoke.
And the more I spoke, the less nervous I felt. The library was excited to have me, after all. I saw four signs from the front door to the room where the event was held. One sign:
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And me with the sign:
Another sign:
Have you ever had to speak in public? How do you overcome your fear?
July 21, 2014
The Year Was 1865...
Today, in celebration of the release of Elizabeth Seckman's new historical novel Bella's Point, I'm participating in a fun challenge.
With this challenge, the assignment is to write a post of any type that begins with the prompt "The year was 1865..."
The year was 1865. But I'm going to cheat and talk about what happened at the end of 1864 during the Civil War. I live in Nashville, so an area near me was heavily hit in the Battle of Franklin in late 1864--and the city spent much of 1865 dealing with the loss and destruction the battle brought. There is one home that was in the middle of the fighting, with a family trapped in the basement.
This historic family home was in the middle of the Second Battle of Franklin. The family that lived there hid in the basement during the heat of battle, listening helplessly to the sounds of war outside.
More than 20 people squeezed into this basement to stay safe. When the battle threatened to move into this dining area...
...the families moved into the tiny room beyond.
Here they remained all night, not daring to come out even after the battle finally stopped. When they did venture out, the bodies of fallen soldiers surrounded their house.
Each year, an illumination ceremony honors the fallen, which included the Carter family's son, Tod, wounded on his way home to see his family after a long absence.
If you ever visit Nashville, stop by the Carter House in Franklin, Tennessee. It's a great story, whether you're a history buff or not.
Bella's Point
Isabella Troy Stanley is a divorced, slave freeing pariah surviving in the shattered post Civil War south the only way a fallen debutante knows how. She heads to a Yankee prison and buys herself a husband.
Jack Byron is the former Troy plantation stable boy and object of young Bella's affection. He rejected her then, and he's still not sold on the idea of marrying her now.
It’s complicated.
Though to Bella, it’s simple: make Jack love her, marry her, and live happily ever after. The plan seems to work...at least until her secret is revealed.
Elizabeth is a wife, a mom, and a writer. She has four wonderful boys, one dusty house, and three published books to her credit. Feel free to check them out and buy them HERE! Erm, the books, not the kids or the house...though all things in life are negotiable ;)
You can find her here - Blog // Facebook // Twitter
Cover art by Sprinkles on Top Studios.
Do you like historical novels, movies, and TV shows?
With this challenge, the assignment is to write a post of any type that begins with the prompt "The year was 1865..."
The year was 1865. But I'm going to cheat and talk about what happened at the end of 1864 during the Civil War. I live in Nashville, so an area near me was heavily hit in the Battle of Franklin in late 1864--and the city spent much of 1865 dealing with the loss and destruction the battle brought. There is one home that was in the middle of the fighting, with a family trapped in the basement.
This historic family home was in the middle of the Second Battle of Franklin. The family that lived there hid in the basement during the heat of battle, listening helplessly to the sounds of war outside.
More than 20 people squeezed into this basement to stay safe. When the battle threatened to move into this dining area...
...the families moved into the tiny room beyond.
Here they remained all night, not daring to come out even after the battle finally stopped. When they did venture out, the bodies of fallen soldiers surrounded their house.
Each year, an illumination ceremony honors the fallen, which included the Carter family's son, Tod, wounded on his way home to see his family after a long absence.
If you ever visit Nashville, stop by the Carter House in Franklin, Tennessee. It's a great story, whether you're a history buff or not.
Bella's Point
Isabella Troy Stanley is a divorced, slave freeing pariah surviving in the shattered post Civil War south the only way a fallen debutante knows how. She heads to a Yankee prison and buys herself a husband.
Jack Byron is the former Troy plantation stable boy and object of young Bella's affection. He rejected her then, and he's still not sold on the idea of marrying her now.
It’s complicated.
Though to Bella, it’s simple: make Jack love her, marry her, and live happily ever after. The plan seems to work...at least until her secret is revealed.
Elizabeth is a wife, a mom, and a writer. She has four wonderful boys, one dusty house, and three published books to her credit. Feel free to check them out and buy them HERE! Erm, the books, not the kids or the house...though all things in life are negotiable ;)
You can find her here - Blog // Facebook // Twitter
Cover art by Sprinkles on Top Studios.
Do you like historical novels, movies, and TV shows?
July 18, 2014
Sidelined Author Kyra Lennon Discusses Self-Publishing
Today, I'm excited to help out with the blog tour for this lovely novel:
Kyra graciously agreed to talk to us about her decision to self-publish. Be sure to keep reading after the guest blog to learn more about her book.
My Journey to Self-Publicationby Kyra Lennon
I made the decision to self-publish because I didn’t have the patience to go through all the waiting around of querying. Even if I was one of the rare few who blagged an agent right away, there would still be more waiting. Waiting for edits, waiting for a publisher, waiting for the right deal, waiting for publication and SO much more.
I admit, impatience is not the best reason to go down the self-publishing route, but it’s worked out well for me. My first book, the first book in the Game On series, had a level of success that surprised me. Maybe it’s not everyone’s idea of success, but to me, selling more than fifty copies to people I’m not related to is a success. My standards are a little higher now lol!
I’ve loved the self-publishing process because I get excited about little things (a bit like Bree Collinson in Sidelined!). I get excited over choosing a book cover, and hearing feedback from friends, and having the freedom to choose what I change and what I don’t, and making swag – I LOVE that part. Of course, you do get to make some of these decisions with traditional publishing, and I’m certainly not against traditional publishing, but I’m very happy with the route I chose.
The other thing I didn’t expect while self-publishing is the huge amount of support from other writers. When you have to market yourself, you need connections, and boy did I do a good job of making some amazing connections. Because they aren’t just connections. YOU aren’t just a connection. I call the vast majority of writers I’ve met friends now. I talk to my writing buddies about writing, of course, but our lives have intertwined and we talk about other things, too. About everything.
Hands down, the best part of my experience of self-publishing is the amount of friends I’ve made. (Again, not saying you don’t make friends through traditional publishing, of course you will!). Any success I’ve had didn’t come purely from writing a good book – it came because all of you amazing people have believed in me, and talked about my books – so thank you so much. When it comes to self-publishing, you really do need a little help from your friends.
Blurb: At the age of twenty-one, Bree Collinson has more than she ever dreamed of. A handsome husband, a fancy house, and more shoes than Carrie Bradshaw and Imelda Marcos combined. But having everything handed to her isn’t the way Bree wants to live the rest of her life. When an idea to better herself pops into her head, she doesn’t expect her husband to question her, and keep her tied by her apron strings to the kitchen.
Isolated and unsure who to turn to, Bree finds herself falling back into a dangerous friendship, and developing feelings for the only person who really listens to her. Torn between her loyalty to her husband and her attraction to a man who has the perfect family she always wanted, she has some tough choices to make.
While Bree tries to figure out what she wants, a tragedy rocks the Westberg Warriors, triggering some dark memories, and pushing her to take a look at what’s really important.
Buy Links: Amazon UK/ Amazon US/B&N/iBookstore
About the Author:
Kyra is a self-confessed book-a-holic, and has been since she first learned to read. When she's not reading, you'll usually find her hanging out in coffee shops with her trusty laptop and/or her friends, or girling it up at the nearest shopping mall.
Kyra grew up on the South Coast of England and refuses to move away from the seaside which provides massive inspiration for her novels. Her debut novel, Game On (New Adult Contemporary Romance), was released in July 2012, and she scored her first Amazon Top 20 listing with her New Adult novella, If I Let You Go.
Find Kyra online:
Website/Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Goodreads/Join My Mailing List
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Kyra graciously agreed to talk to us about her decision to self-publish. Be sure to keep reading after the guest blog to learn more about her book.
My Journey to Self-Publicationby Kyra Lennon
I made the decision to self-publish because I didn’t have the patience to go through all the waiting around of querying. Even if I was one of the rare few who blagged an agent right away, there would still be more waiting. Waiting for edits, waiting for a publisher, waiting for the right deal, waiting for publication and SO much more.
I admit, impatience is not the best reason to go down the self-publishing route, but it’s worked out well for me. My first book, the first book in the Game On series, had a level of success that surprised me. Maybe it’s not everyone’s idea of success, but to me, selling more than fifty copies to people I’m not related to is a success. My standards are a little higher now lol!
I’ve loved the self-publishing process because I get excited about little things (a bit like Bree Collinson in Sidelined!). I get excited over choosing a book cover, and hearing feedback from friends, and having the freedom to choose what I change and what I don’t, and making swag – I LOVE that part. Of course, you do get to make some of these decisions with traditional publishing, and I’m certainly not against traditional publishing, but I’m very happy with the route I chose.
The other thing I didn’t expect while self-publishing is the huge amount of support from other writers. When you have to market yourself, you need connections, and boy did I do a good job of making some amazing connections. Because they aren’t just connections. YOU aren’t just a connection. I call the vast majority of writers I’ve met friends now. I talk to my writing buddies about writing, of course, but our lives have intertwined and we talk about other things, too. About everything.
Hands down, the best part of my experience of self-publishing is the amount of friends I’ve made. (Again, not saying you don’t make friends through traditional publishing, of course you will!). Any success I’ve had didn’t come purely from writing a good book – it came because all of you amazing people have believed in me, and talked about my books – so thank you so much. When it comes to self-publishing, you really do need a little help from your friends.
Blurb: At the age of twenty-one, Bree Collinson has more than she ever dreamed of. A handsome husband, a fancy house, and more shoes than Carrie Bradshaw and Imelda Marcos combined. But having everything handed to her isn’t the way Bree wants to live the rest of her life. When an idea to better herself pops into her head, she doesn’t expect her husband to question her, and keep her tied by her apron strings to the kitchen.
Isolated and unsure who to turn to, Bree finds herself falling back into a dangerous friendship, and developing feelings for the only person who really listens to her. Torn between her loyalty to her husband and her attraction to a man who has the perfect family she always wanted, she has some tough choices to make.
While Bree tries to figure out what she wants, a tragedy rocks the Westberg Warriors, triggering some dark memories, and pushing her to take a look at what’s really important.
Buy Links: Amazon UK/ Amazon US/B&N/iBookstore
About the Author:
Kyra is a self-confessed book-a-holic, and has been since she first learned to read. When she's not reading, you'll usually find her hanging out in coffee shops with her trusty laptop and/or her friends, or girling it up at the nearest shopping mall.
Kyra grew up on the South Coast of England and refuses to move away from the seaside which provides massive inspiration for her novels. Her debut novel, Game On (New Adult Contemporary Romance), was released in July 2012, and she scored her first Amazon Top 20 listing with her New Adult novella, If I Let You Go.
Find Kyra online:
Website/Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Goodreads/Join My Mailing List
a Rafflecopter giveaway
