Cathrina Constantine's Blog, page 28

#CTST CELEBRATE THE SMALL THINGS

Celebrate the Small Things Hop over to Lexa Cain's and join in this fun weekly Celebration. Lexa's wonderful co-hosts are:L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The EdgeTonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog
In writing, I'm in the final stages of my WIP.

Though, I have a problem.
 **The ending** Being a finicky panster, I can't decide how I want it to end. 
I'm stuck. 
I'm waiting for inspiration to pop into my head.

Do you ever have this problem? If so what do you do to get the brain juices flowing?

Have a nice weekend, and hope I finagle a decent ending...

#IWSG Insecure Writer's Support Group

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html
Join Alex J. Cavanaugh and a multitude of writer's in this monthly hop to help support one another!

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Alex's co-host for this month are: C. Lee McKenzie,Rachel Pattison, Elizabeth Seckman, Stephanie Faris, Lori L MacLaughlin, and Elsie Amata! 

Question: How did I find time to write in your busy day?

When I couldn't sleep, I 'd get my best writing accomplished around 2-3 in the morning. After raising 5 rambunctious kids I like solitude when I write.
Recently, I was on summer vacation from babysitting my grand babies, I set a goal to achieve at least 1K a day, excluding weekends. I'm a slow writer and 1k takes me hours. Some days I went over my goal, other days I didn't reach it. When I read about people writing that much in an hour I'm amazed. 

Now that school has begun it will be harder to put words to paper with two lovable rug rats under my roof. And my husband doesn't like to compete with the computer in the evenings. 

Since I'm a total pantser, it might take me an hour to get into the right frame of mind to climb into my story. I can only see so far...and then the lights go off...

How do you find time to write in your busy day?

Cover Reveal: Cradle Rock by Tara Tyler #fantasy

Thanks so much for having me, Cathrina! And thanks for stopping by, you guys!

According to a poll by Best Fantasy Books HQ, Fantasy Readers like: a longer series, about a coming of age story, set in a more realistic world, with dragons! CRADLE ROCK fits all those categories! Woohoo!

But before you start your trendy new fantasy series, let me give you some more interesting thoughts on

TRENDS IN FANTASY

Though the popularity of fantasy and its plethora of sub genres has taken off in recent years, keep in mind it is a slow and rocky start. Consider how many rejections JK Rowling received for her incredible, world-breaking manuscript. And GAME OF THRONES was published in 1996, but didn't become a bestseller until fifteen years later! And mostly due to the HBO series bringing it to life - which has sparked a fantasy revolution! Consider the many shows out right now in a fantastical setting, like the very popular Stranger Things - I haven't seen it yet, but I hear I'm missing something big!

So how do trends start?

They start with fantastic writing! It's a well-told story and amazing characters. I think novelty has something to do with it as well. And once a new trend is discovered, many others are inspired to write similar stories with their own slant (from Vampires to Dystopian to Zombies...) It's been going on forever!

Here are my thoughts on the latest trends in fantasy... or how to create your own!

Mashups - Chuck Wendig is a celebrated, demented, brilliant writer and he comes up with some insanely fantastic mashups in his Friday flash fiction challenges, inspiring other writers to create out of the box short stories. He sometimes gives a list of subgenres and tells you to put 2 or 3 of them together - like a grimdark fantasy/whodunit or a comic fantasy/southern gothic or even a zombie/heist caper. I love mashing up genres, the what-ifs are endless! Blowing readers' minds is a trend!Historic Realistic Fantasy - choose a time period and give it some magic. Choose a historical leader and divulge the real reason behind his rise to power - magic! Move beyond the castle and into the villages, farms, slums, jungles, prairies, and marshes.Low Fantasy on the rise - Similar to the above, readers seem to want more realistic settings, as in urban fantasy. It's exciting to imagine the stranger sitting next to you at a light could really be a fantasy creature in disguise!High Fantasy with a new twist - Creating a world is always invigorating. But keeping it fresh means staying away from tropes - no evil advisors, no ugly, obvious villains, and definitely no dulcet maidens needing to be rescued. Good vs Evil and a Dying World can be tossed out too. Come up with something new! And make it gritty, give us conflict, too easy to predict is boring.I vote to evict... - An inventive political system with lots of backstabbing is always fun! Who will come out on top? How is a ruler determined? Is the system tainted? Aren't they all!Sci Fantasy - Yay for the return of STAR WARS! This is sci fantasy at its most brilliant! The cool technology mixed with the magic of the Force! And all the creative, fantastical aliens! It's a delicate balance, but done right it's amazing!Bad to Good/Good to Bad - In DESPICABLE ME and MEGAMIND, the bad guys become the heroes and I love these two stories for their excellent twist. I think new fantasy stories could take a lesson from this. A deeper rooted conflict, a life-changing event, or a secret discovered - explore the possibilities. Not to mention, not all endings are happy - which makes for a good cliffhanger.All things considered, I think the trend in fantasy is to become more real, more believable, more depressingly dark and disparaging - more like the world around us! And magic, in whatever form, is that spark of hope, that color in a black and white scene. But deep in the story, we discover it's not really the magic, but the goodness inside a person that gives us hope and a happy ending, even if it's a tragic one. I think that fantastical theme will never die.



Do you like Fantasy novels? Do you prefer a low or high setting?

What mashup would you like to hear a story about?

Which trend are you digging?



CRADLE ROCK

by Tara Tyler

Publication Date: December 1, 2016



Welcome to the forest.

Gabe and his girlfriend Ona are headed in opposite directions for Spring Break. After finding out humans might be a real part of their history, Ona is determined to dig up evidence of them in the mysterious mountains at Camp Cradle Rock. Being a logical goblin, Gabe tries to talk her out of it, but there's just no reasoning with a stubborn ogress.


When Ona goes missing, Gabe and his friends fly to Cradle Rock to search for her and discover a village of trouble, igniting an age old war. His physical skills may be lacking, but Gabe won't give up. With the help of his diverse group of friends, he will find a way to save his girl and maybe all beastkind. Humans, bah!


Add to your Reading List on Goodreads!


 



Tara Tyler has had a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After moving all over, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. Currently she has two series, Pop Travel (techno-thriller detective capers) and Broken Branch Falls (fantasy adventures). To squeeze in writing, she economizes her time aka the Lazy Housewife. Make every day an adventure!



Talk to me!

Author Blog ~~ @taratylertalks ~~ Facebook ~~ Housewives Blog

#CTST

Celebrate the Small Things Hop over to Lexa Cain's and join in this fun weekly Celebration. Lexa's wonderful co-hosts are:L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The EdgeTonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

EVERYONE HAS A GREAT LABOR DAY 
WEEKEND!!!

#CTST & Seismic Crimes by Chrys Fey

Celebrate the Small Things Hop over to Lexa Cain's and join in this fun weekly Celebration. Lexa's wonderful co-hosts are:L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The EdgeTonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog
My gardens are in full bloom. But at the end of August the blossoms will begin to lose their luster. I can't remember a summer this beautiful in many years. 

Now another Celebration: 


What Beth and Donovan Celebrate in SEISMIC CRIMES:
1. Eating real food after having so many peanut butter sandwiches post-hurricane.
2. A beautiful Christmas holiday in Michigan.
3. Going to the beach after being stuck indoors healing from injuries.
4. Their love.
5. Survival.

BLURB:
An Internal Affairs Investigator was murdered and his brother, Donovan Goldwyn, was framed. Now Donovan is desperate to prove his innocence. And the one person who can do that is the woman who saved him from a deadly hurricane—Beth Kennedy. From the moment their fates intertwined, passion consumed him. He wants her in his arms. More, he wants her by his side in his darkest moments.
Beth Kennedy may not know everything about Donovan, but she can’t deny what she feels for him. It’s her love for him that pushes her to do whatever she has to do to help him get justice, including putting herself in a criminal’s crosshairs.
When a tip reveals the killer's location, they travel to California, but then an earthquake of catastrophic proportions separates them. As aftershocks roll the land, Beth and Donovan have to endure dangerous conditions while trying to find their way back to one another. Will they reunite and find the killer, or will they lose everything?

EXCERPT:
The moment she realized Buck was shooting under the cars to hit her, the tire she hid behind blew. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to make herself smaller by pressing her body into the SUV. The Morse code of bullets hitting metal started up again. She could've sworn she felt the SUV shaking with the continuous beat of bullets slamming into it, except the shaking was below her feet. It started gentle but as soon as she noticed, it became violent.
Earthquake!
She fell backward and struggled to get back up. Her body bounced up and down and rolled from side to side simultaneously, which told her the quake's epicenter was close. The origin could've been beneath the hotel for all she knew. A light came crashing down from the ceiling and slammed into the concrete floor with such power it exploded into a trillion stars. Glass shot out in all directions like the Big Bang. Beth screamed and covered her face with her hands as tiny pieces of glass bit the skin on her arms.
Digital:Amazon / Barnes & Noble / KOBO / The Wild Rose Press
Print: Amazon / The Wild Rose Press
Chrys Fey is the author of Hurricane Crimes, Book One in the Disaster Crimes series, as well as these releases from The Wild Rose Press: 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and Witch of Death. She is an administrator for the Insecure Writer's Support Group and creates their monthly newsletter. Fey lives in Florida and is always on the lookout for hurricanes. She has four adopted cats who keep her entertained with their antics, and three nephews who keep her entertained with their antics. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and through her blog, Write with Fey. She loves to get to know her readers!
AUTHOR LINKS: Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Hot New Release: Between Two Fires by Mark Noce

Praise from Bestselling Authors for Between Two Fires“A spirited ride through a turbulent slice of Welsh history!” – Paula Brackston, NYT Bestselling author of The Witch’s Daughter
“A fast-paced read that has a wonderfully visual style and some memorable characters. Mark Noce combines Welsh history with a touch of folkloric magic in this promising debut novel. Lady Branwen is a strong and engaging narrator and the turbulent setting of early medieval Wales makes a fine backdrop for an action-packed story.” – Juliet Marillier, Bestselling author of Daughter of the Forest and Wolfskin
Synopsis of Between Two FiresSaxon barbarians threaten to destroy medieval Wales. Lady Branwen becomes Wales’ last hope to unite their divided kingdoms when her father betroths her to a powerful Welsh warlord, the Hammer King.But this fledgling alliance is fraught with enemies from within and without as Branwen herself becomes the target of assassinations and courtly intrigue. A young woman in a world of fierce warriors, she seeks to assert her own authority and preserve Wales against the barbarians. But when she falls for a young hedge knight named Artagan her world threatens to tear itself apart. Caught between her duty to her people and her love of a man she cannot have, Branwen must choose whether to preserve her royal marriage or to follow her heart. Somehow she must save her people and remain true to herself, before Saxon invaders and a mysterious traitor try to destroy her.
Pre-Order is Available!!! --Places to Order Between Two FiresRelease Date: August 23, 2016
Amazon/ Amazon Kindle/ Barnes & Noble/ Barnes & Noble Nook/ iTunes/ IndieBound/ Thomas Dunne Books
Mark Noce writes historical fiction with a passion, and eagerly reads everything from fantasy to literature. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, he’s an avid traveler and backpacker, particularly in Europe and North America. He earned his BA and MA from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he also met his beautiful wife. By day, he works as a Technical Writer, having spent much of his career at places like Google and Facebook. In addition to writing novels, he also writes short fiction online. When not reading or writing, he’s probably listening to U2, sailing his dad’s boat, or gardening with his family.His debut novel, Between Two Fires, is being published by Thomas Dunne Books (an imprint of St. Martin's Press and Macmillan). It is the first in a series of historical fiction novels set in medieval Wales.
Social Media Links Marknoce.com
Twitter/ Facebook (author page)/ Goodreads/

#CTST Celebrate The Small Things

Celebrate the Small Things Hop over to Lexa Cain's and join in this fun weekly Celebration. Lexa's wonderful co-hosts are:L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The EdgeTonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog
Everyone with children and young adults are gearing up for back to school or back to college. It's a whirlwind of supplies and shopping sprees and tears. For some mothers & fathers it's tears of joy, while others, tears of sadness like my next door neighbor. Their daughter is leaving for Kent State in Ohio, that's a 5 hour drive from West Seneca.
This weekend we're hoping to make it to the final days of the Erie County Fair. 
 I used to love the midway and all its rides. Now I'm more of a walk through to the tents of goodies...

What could be better than upsetting your diet with eating awesome junk food.... One of my favorite sections of the fair has always been the plethora of animals...

Have a nice weekend!!!What are your small celebrations?

**New Release by Stephanie Faris: Piper Morgan Joins the Circus & Piper Morgan in Charge**

Piper Morgan Joins the Circus

Stephanie Faris Cover illustration by Lucy Fleming.

Blurb:

When Piper Morgan has to move to a new town, she is sad to leave behind her friends, but excited for a new adventure. She is determined to have fun, be brave and find new friends.

And after learning her mom’s new job will be with the Big Top Circus, Piper can’t wait to learn all about life under the big top, see all the cool animals, and meet the Little Explorers, the other kids who travel with the show. She’s even more excited to learn that she gets to be a part of the Little Explorers and help them end each show with a routine to get the audience on their feet and dancing along!

But during Piper’s grand debut, her high kicks and pointed toes don't go quite as planned. After causing a dance disaster, she has to prove to everyone--especially queen of the Little Explorers, Lexie--that she belongs in the spotlight. 


I was interested in Stephanie's approach of finding time to do it all:


Revising, Editing and Writing: Finding Time to Do It Allby Stephanie FarisWhen you first start writing, you worry about nothing but the writing. Maybe you squeeze a little reading and writing workshops in but for the most part, you just write.Then you decide to try to get published. You balance writing with sending out queries and recovering from rejections. More workshops and maybe a critique group and soon, you’re wondering if you’ll ever get published. You assume once you’re a “successful author,” this will be so much easier.Then you get a publishing deal. Once that happens, you find you must strike a new type of balance. You complete your manuscript and wait, probably starting a new book while you’re waiting. A few chapters in, revisions come back from your publisher and you have to stop writing to work on them. There will likely be several rounds of these.This is in addition to the revisions you do to your own work before you even send it to the publisher. If you’re someone who writes without outlining first like me, you likely find that you have to do major revisions before your book is ready for someone else to read it.Once you’re multi-published, you’ll likely find you regularly move between writing your current work in progress and revisions on your upcoming book. How do you do it all? You have several choices.1)    Learn to move back and forth between books, even if it means keeping a “cheat sheet” that reminds you where you were when you stopped to work on revisions.2)    Set a goal to write a minimum number of words on your work in progress no matter what. This will keep you in your current book, even while you’re working on making last year’s book perfect before it hits the market.3)    Clone yourself.Okay, so number three probably isn’t an option. It can help, though, to have beta readers or critique partners who are willing to help you polish your early drafts. Even during revisions, you may find they can help you troubleshoot a scene your editor wants changed.
If you have limited time, all of this can feel overwhelming. But even if you schedule an hour or two each day to work on your books, you can accomplish a lot in a small amount of time. It can be challenging to jump from your current book to an older one, but you’ll eventually find a rhythm that works for you.Stephanie Faris:
Bio:

Stephanie Faris knew she wanted to be an author from a very young age. In fact, her mother often told her to stop reading so much and go outside and play with the other kids. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism, she somehow found herself working in information technology. But she never stopped writing.


Stephanie is the Simon & Schuster author of 30 Days of No Gossip and 25 Roses, as well as the upcoming Piper Morgan series. When she isn’t crafting fiction, she writes for a variety of online websites on the topics of business, technology, and her favorite subject of all—fashion. She lives in Nashville with her husband, a sales executive. 

Links:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

GIVEAWAY:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Release by Stephanie Faris: Piper Morgan Joins the Circus

Piper Morgan Joins the Circus

Stephanie Faris Cover illustration by Lucy Fleming.

Blurb:

When Piper Morgan has to move to a new town, she is sad to leave behind her friends, but excited for a new adventure. She is determined to have fun, be brave and find new friends.

And after learning her mom’s new job will be with the Big Top Circus, Piper can’t wait to learn all about life under the big top, see all the cool animals, and meet the Little Explorers, the other kids who travel with the show. She’s even more excited to learn that she gets to be a part of the Little Explorers and help them end each show with a routine to get the audience on their feet and dancing along!

But during Piper’s grand debut, her high kicks and pointed toes don't go quite as planned. After causing a dance disaster, she has to prove to everyone--especially queen of the Little Explorers, Lexie--that she belongs in the spotlight. 

Stephanie Faris:
Bio:

Stephanie Faris knew she wanted to be an author from a very young age. In fact, her mother often told her to stop reading so much and go outside and play with the other kids. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism, she somehow found herself working in information technology. But she never stopped writing.


Stephanie is the Simon & Schuster author of 30 Days of No Gossip and 25 Roses, as well as the upcoming Piper Morgan series. When she isn’t crafting fiction, she writes for a variety of online websites on the topics of business, technology, and her favorite subject of all—fashion. She lives in Nashville with her husband, a sales executive. 

Links:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram


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#CTST

August 12th 

This month is flying by
Celebrate the Small Things Hop over to Lexa Cain's and join in this fun weekly Celebration. Lexa's wonderful co-hosts are:L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The EdgeTonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

I hope while you're reading this post, I'm hitting the 50K mark on my wip.

Last weekend was wonderful with family & friends. And this weekend we'll have our grand babies for the night.

What are you celebrating this week?