Isabella Modra's Blog, page 4

June 30, 2014

Do what makes you happy

Recently I have found myself in a particularly dreary state - and not just because of this Adelaide winter weather!

Since arriving home from Canada, I've been on the hunt for a well-paid job that won't take me away from my writing. I started a Editing & Proofreading course, and I'm looking for work at the same time. A month ago, a very good friend of mine helped me get a job at a local fast food restaurant.

I have nothing against people who work in the fast food industry, but very quickly I became aware that that kind of work was not at all for me. I found myself wandering around at home, not sure of where to go next. Do I travel again? Do I save for a year and then go away? Do I remain in Adelaide, where there is very little opportunity?

Yesterday I watched a movie called 'About Time'. Those of you who have seen this wonderful movie know that the main actress works for a publishing house in London, which is one of my dream careers. But what I found most encouraging about the movie was the message.

'The truth is I now don't travel back at all, not even for the day, I just try to live every day as if I've deliberately come back to this one day, to enjoy it, as if it was the full final day of my extraordinary, ordinary life.'

This post is quite personal compared to most in my blog, but I feel compelled to share this message with you. I realized that I should not remain in a job - or a relationship, or a house, or a city even - where I am not living every day as if it were my final day. As if I were happy to get dressed for work. As if I were overjoyed to see my family at the end of the day. As if I could look back on my life and not regret a single moment.

I understand that we need to make sacrifices in our lives in order to support ourselves. But tell me: would you rather live a life you could look back on and say 'I wish I quit earlier and spent time with my family and was happier', or would you rather make a change right now, for better or worse, in order to be completely and utterly content?

I quit the fast food place yesterday. And though I am in debt and have no plans for my future (I have ambitions and dreams, yes, but not concrete plans), I woke up with a smile on my face, delighted by the freedom that my day would bring.

Do what makes you happy. We have little time on this earth, and we are not meant to live it with anything but a smile on our face and joy in our hearts.


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Published on June 30, 2014 22:01

June 17, 2014

The Cast

I've been trying for a while now to determine who the actors would be if my book Rouge was made into a movie. As much as I can visualize the characters in my mind, I am struggling SO much with figuring out which actors could play them.

I have a couple of very vague ideas, but I need some help desperately. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!!! (BTW, this isn't just for fun, I would like to add the cast to my profile on Wattpad)

Leave your suggestions or let me know if I've done right. Thanks wonderful people!




HUNTER
Hunter is more, in my mind, an imaginary Hunter. I don't know anyone with red hair and golden eyes who looks as tough as her, but I did find this image that was sort of close. And I also found an actress called Elyse Levesque, and her picture comes kind of close... just has to wear contacts :)










ELI

Eli's image sort of changes... sometimes I see him with average looks, other times he's super attractive in his nerdy way. I thought that the actor Max Thieriot works well because he's quite the dork, but sometimes he comes out quite mysterious and cute.







JOSHUA
Joshua I struggle with. I have a very specific character in mind: Jet black hair always combed over neatly, pale skin, astonishingly blue eyes the color of glaciers and a lean, not-too-muscular physique. I think he's a mix between Tom Hiddleston (with black hair) and this random image I found Googling 'black hair, blue eyes' haha. There are so many others that are kind of close to Joshua, but i haven't found the perfect one yet :( I also think maybe Adrien Brody could work.

JENNY
Jenny is pretty average looking but beautiful, and there are several actresses that I think would work well playing her. I'm not too concerned, but I would say that Rose Byrne would be perfect.





JACK
Jack is supposed to look boyish and tanned with a fit upper body. That's why I went with Robbie Amell. But to be honest, I imagined Jack to be a little less super-mega-foxy-awesome hot. Because both Eli and Jack are nerds, in a way, and girls don't usually associate with them. I'd really like them both to be quietly attractive, if that's possible :)




LEO
Okay, so Leo I pictured with curly hair and glasses - a lot like this picture of Tom Hiddleston (yes, I used him above for Joshua, but only because he's so diverse and wonderful as either). Leo is also like Eli: quietly handsome. Think teacher/bookworm.







LIZ
Liz is beautiful, just like Hunter, with a kind of confidence about her that only some women have. I think Jessica Chastain is a very good match.
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Published on June 17, 2014 05:37

June 8, 2014

The Challenge

So today I was thinking about Rouge - weird, I know - and I came across a problem that has been in the back of my mind since I first thought about publishing the series.

'What book/movie can I compare it to?'

When people ask me what it's about, I usually give the standard line 'oh, it's a book about a girl who gets the power to control fire. Kind of like X-men'. A reader once told me it had a very X-men vibe (which I get, but personally I think Embers & Ice is far more like X-men than Rouge). Rouge is different. The power element doesn't come into play as much as the second book. I'd say the story is more Hunter figuring out who she's supposed to be with these new-found powers, whilst dealing with her relationship issues. Because Rouge is quite tame compared to Embers & Ice.

So I've decided to ask those who have read Rouge to help me out a bit. If you could name ONE book/movie that Rouge reminded you of (besides X-men), you'll be saving me the embarassing ordeal of comparing it to something that has nothing to do with the story, if you catch my drift. When I first wrote Rouge, I honestly couldn't find anything that was like my story in terms of writing style, plot, characters and the overall theme. There aren't many popular superhero novels out there, and all of the Marvel movies are about 'famous' superheroes, not newbie superheroes.

Comment below or message me on Goodreads. I'd really love to hear from you!

Peace XX
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Published on June 08, 2014 21:04

June 7, 2014

Hunter's feels when she discovers her powers and struggle...


Hunter's feels when she discovers her powers and struggles to control it?? Just saying.... it actually fits! :)
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Published on June 07, 2014 01:28

June 1, 2014

The Importance of Reviews

Everybody says that when you self-publish a book, your new best friend becomes 'The Review'. It's not about the royalties, and it's not about the free books you give out - though that does lead to this topic.

As with any business, the feedback of the customers is what determines the rate of popularity and therefore, more customers. Someone says to their friend 'hey, check out this restaurant, it's amazing!' and that person then tells their friend and that person passes it on to their boss who announces it in a staff meeting casually, but the thought still sticks in the minds of their staff who have been looking for a great restaurant to take their grandma for her birthday... the list goes on.

Books are so widely spread these days that no one person can read all of them. And where do most people go to find a good book? A bookstore. But these days, it's most likely Amazon because so much of our world is run by technology. And when they find a book that looks interesting, guess what they do next?

Read the reviews.

Reviews help readers not to waste time. Nobody with any sense would read a book that's been out for three years with six 2-star reviews and one 5-star from their mother, because clearly that person hasn't tried hard enough to promote their book, and also... well, no one liked it. The reviews allow the reader to evaluate the product before they buy it. For a self published author with absolutely no credentials and a name NO ONE knows, who is going to take a look at their book and thing 'oh yeah, let's give that a whirl'? The only people likely to read it would be that author's family or people who support indie authors and also write reviews. The more reviews, the more variety of opinion there is on the book, and therefore the more chance a read has of giving it a chance. Thirty 4-star reviews and twenty 2-star reviews is WAY better than none at all.

My book Rouge has been published now for just over eight months now. On Amazon, the book has 19 reviews. On Goodreads - which is the website where I do most of my book marketing and distribute most of my free books and therefore acquire most of my reviews - has nearly 40. That's because Goodreads is a self published author's Bible: it has everything you need to make a name for yourself and far more connections than Facebook, because everyone on Goodreads... loves to read.

So what happens now? I'm slowly starting to woo in the crowds of readers hungry for the next Twilight or Harry Potter (not that my book is anywhere near either of those titles), but it's going about as slowly as a snail with a nasty hangover. And I'm getting around 1 review a week.

The next move is to bring out another book in the series. That was my plan all along, it just took some time. And now I've gone back to almost every reader who reviewed Rouge and asked them politely if they'd like a free copy of Embers & Ice, the second book, in exchange for a review. It wasn't that hard, and every one of them said yes. That's around 30 reviews already accounted for. And the more reviews, the better. It's not rocket science.

Self publishing takes a lot of time and effort, and a lot of time goes by before your book even makes it up a rung from the bottom of Amazon's bestseller list. But right now, that doesn't matter to me. Because I get all jittery and excited when I see that someone has written a review for my book, and I read it and feel empowered that this special person has chosen my book, of all the fifty billion other books in the world, and even cared enough about it to write a wonderful review that brings me one step closer to an agent or publisher or - who knows? Maybe a movie deal.

Hey, a girl can dream :)

So my advice before you even release your book into the world is to get reviews first. They are your gateway to the world of self publishing.
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Published on June 01, 2014 19:51

May 27, 2014

New Order



It is the most incredible feeling to get these orders, and they keep growing each time! Can't wait to spread the story of Rouge :)
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Published on May 27, 2014 18:32

May 20, 2014

The Self-Publishing Life

Some of you reading this may know that I am a 20-year-old self published author with 2 novels making me a little extra cash on the side. I started looking into this exactly a year ago, and since then my mind has been filled to the brim with information on the business that is self publishing.

The traditional way of thinking is 'hey, I've written my own novel and I've had it professionally edited.... now I need to look for a Literary Agent or maybe go straight to a Publishing House.' 
Not anymore, folks.
Statistics say that in 2012, there were 391,000 self published books released alone. Who knows how many were released last year! Because self publishing is such an independent market, you can release your own novel - no matter how roughly edited it is - and your friends, co-workers, grandparents even can purchase it straight from whatever market you released it into. (Most use Amazon, because it's the easiest company to work with, but there are plenty of other online publishing companies).
So why self publish, you ask?
I went through the 'choosing a literary agent' process. I even sent out dozens of queries, then realizing that my book wasn't even ready yet and I was completely relieved at that stage not to have received a reply. So I started doing a little research. A little research turned into an entire project, and from there I had dug myself into a hole I couldn't get out of. I'm not going to lie - self publishing is hard. If you don't have the time to work on your own novel, DO NOT attempt to self publish. There's a whole wardrobe full of crap you have to get into (I'm talking American taxes, cover artists, computer designing and formatting). Plus - and this is the most difficult part - you have to market your own book. 
I'm not saying it's not worth it. I am so blessed to be able to thank each and every person who reviews my book personally, because I am starting from the bottom. Don't get me wrong - I still dream of the day when a Literary Agent sends me a request for my manuscript. But this process of self publishing lets me unravel every aspect of how a book is brought to life one by one, on my own. I am doing everything myself. And I am so very proud of that.
So for those of you considering taking your book to the next level without the help of professionals, I would suggest the following steps:
1) Make sure your book is ready. I cannot stress this enough. Because once it is released and you start getting reviews, you will slap yourself across the face thinking 'shoot, I wish I found that grammatical error!' You can't take it back. 2) I highly recommend hiring a professional editor. In saying that, I didn't. But I wish I did. Actually now I am studying professional editing and proofreading, and believe me when I say that authors need an outsiders opinion. Even if you have a group of beta readers who support you and will offer to read it before you make the final changes. It's well worth a second opinion, trust me.3) Do you have enough funds? Self publishing sounds cheap, but it's not. At the time I made the decision to self publish, I didn't know this. I was saving to go to Canada. I ended up paying for ISBNs ($130 for 10 from Bowker & Thorpe), a professional cover (which I would never take back: I paid a lot for that cover but it was so amazing that I went to the same designer for my second book), proof copies from CreateSpace (which was the online publisher I used, a product of Amazon), actual copies (which I then sold for a decent price to make back some of the cash I forked out for this process), not to mention what I spent on postage to send out copies to the winners of my giveaways. Keep in mind that you need to be prepared to make VERY LITTLE money from self publishing in the beginning. Because no one knows your name and you begin with no reviews, not many people will trust that your book will be good. I'm still not making hardly anything. Just saying.4) Start your research. I'm not going to go into the details of how to self publish, because by the time I finish explaining this post will be as long as a full-length novel. But just talk to people online, buy some kindle guides, make sure you have the right computer programs (mostly you just need Microsoft word, Adobe reader, kindle and an ePub conversion program called 'Calibre' as well as an ePub reader). But trust me, there is a lot to deal with in the process.5) Sign up on CreateSpace. I used CreateSpace because it's the cheapest and simplest format for an Australian author. It's even better for Americans. Use the forums for any questions you have.

From there, you can follow a pretty simple step-by-step process to developing your self published novel. It takes a lot of time and brainpower, but the result will leave you feeling so accomplished.

Now go out into the world, aspiring indie authors! My thoughts and prayers go with you. If you have questions, I am more than happy to answer them. Shoot me an email: isabellafmodra@gmail.com

Peace XX
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Published on May 20, 2014 22:14

May 14, 2014

Help an Indie Author Out

Hey everyone!

I've just published my second novel - as you may have seen - and now I'm in need of REVIEWERS :)

My series is a sci-fi paranormal story of a girl who develops the ability to control fire. Throughout her struggle to control the blazing heat inside her, she meets other superpowered beings and falls in love with a regular guy who, on more than one occasion, almost gets himself lit on fire whilst making out. Sounds like fun, right?

I'd be happy to offer anyone willing to write a review and post on Amazon and Goodreads a copy of the FIRST book Rouge and the SECOND book Embers & Ice in ANY ebook format.

Just email me at:  isabellafmodra@gmail.com

Please, help an indie author out :)

Warmest,
Isabella
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Published on May 14, 2014 19:02

May 12, 2014

Embers & Ice is OUT!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the pleasure of announcing the release of my second novel, EMBERS & ICE.

As self-publishing is messy, I am trying desperately to get the ebook out at the same time as the paperback on Amazon, so I apologize if there is a delay.

But anyway, below are the links for where you can purchase a copy of both E&I, and Rouge as well. Because if you haven't read Rouge... E&I will obviously make very little sense to you :) I will be running ARC readings through Goodreads, so keep your eyes open. If you want a free ebook copy I'd be happy to email you one, just leave a comment below!

Thank you to everyone for your support and constant encouragement for this sequel. Keep your eyes peeled for a post about another giveaway, and... happy reading!!

Buy Rouge on Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Rouge-1-Isabella-Modra/dp/0992277604/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376875863&sr=1-2&keywords=rouge+isabella

Buy Embers & Ice on Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Embers-Ice-Rouge-Isabella-Modra-ebook/dp/B00K9O83Y2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1399856207&sr=1-1&keywords=Embers+%26+Ice+Isabella

Author Goodreads page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7153840.Isabella_Modra
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Published on May 12, 2014 05:59

May 6, 2014

The Release

Okay, so I'm feeling very nervous because I am literally DAYS away from releasing my second novel in the Rouge series: EMBERS & ICE. Believe me when I say this is far scarier than releasing my first novel because I feel so much pressure to make it even more amazing than the first, and to set it up well enough for the third installment. I really really hope all my readers like it. It's the most important thing (besides feeling good about it myself, obviously). So I decided to post because I have a range of mixed feelings right now, and the best way to express them is in gifs, of course... So first I'm like: Then that terrified energy turns to: "Oo, my book is about to be released!" Deep and meaningful... And then it's basically: Yep, pure, innocent, wondrous happiness. It's amazing, when I tell people I've written two books and their mouths just drop and they congratulate me, it is nothing compared to the joy and the amazement that bubbles inside me. It never gets old. Just the thought makes me feel so privileged to be blessed with this gift. Because there's no greater gift than a story. My life is all about stories, and it is my joy in life to be able to express stories in such a way that other people are included, that they experience the world that exists inside my mind. I can't tell you how lucky I am that I might one day be able to make a living from this wonderful gift God has given me. That's what makes me so excited. The release of my second book is only the beginning. And I want to thank you for being a part of that. So next time I post, it will be time for the release. Until then ;) Peace XX
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Published on May 06, 2014 19:56