K.R. Conway's Blog, page 11
August 2, 2016
Super Cool Apps and Toys for Writers
So, I’ve been teaching this week at the Young Writers Workshop (which is part of the Cape Cod Writers Center Summer Conference) and I’ve gotta tell ya – my class of crazies totally rocks.
I have eight of the brightest, wildest teen writers this side of Hogwarts. They are tackling everything from twisted retellings, to high fantasy dragon shifters and dream thieves, to awesomely wicked horror and family murder and magic, to bookworms-turned-assassins, to glorious contemporary dramas. I look at my class and each writer there is dedicated to their story, their characters, and (amazingly), one another.
Thank heavens there isn’t a story-slam at the end of this because my clan of teen writers would wipe the floor with ya!
In just a couple of days, they have joined forces to pull the best stories and voice from each of their manuscripts, offering twists and turns and solutions to one another that the creator never saw coming. I’m showing them my personal tricks of the trade and they are intent on getting it right. They are determined. Fearless. They are true story-crafters and can write circles around many adults.
Because all writers should indulge in a few tools of the trade, I am listing a couple awesome apps and toys for my class here on my website. Of course, you TOO can steal a peek . . .
AWESOME APPS:
Lists For Writers: http://thinkamingo.com/lists-for-writers/
Evernote: https://evernote.com
Index Card: http://www.denvog.com/app/index-card/
AWESOME TOOLS:
Dragon Speech-to-text software
iworkz Foldable Keyboards (for writing on the fly)
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: #AmWriting, cape cod, Cape Cod Writers Center, Cape Cod Young Writers Conference
July 29, 2016
Finding Inspiration: an interview with Siobhan Quinlan.
A fabulous post about the strength of the human soul :)
Finding Inspiration: an interview with Siobhan Quinlan.
Interview by Michelle Lynn
A lot of awful things are happening in the world right now. We see them every day. No matter where we live, no matter who we are, we are being continually touched by tragedy, our worlds dimming each time. There’s not a lot we as individuals can do to fight these bigger problems and we all deal with them in different ways. As writers, most of us here at the YA Author Rendezvous use our words to try to make a little sense out of all the madness.
Despite a feeling of overwhelming darkness that sometimes seems to be covering our planet, this past week has reminded some of us that maybe we can still make a difference. Most of us will never be on the front lines fighting terrorism or saving babies from burning buildings, but this week…
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Filed under: Uncategorized
July 11, 2016
Berkley Massachusetts, here I come (unless I get lost).
Greetings fellow weirdos.
Tomorrow (Tuesday, July 12th for those of you seriously upping your “Summer Brain” game and no longer understanding the ebb and flow of time) I will be at Berkley Library with two additional weirdos: Trisha Leaver and Kristy Acevedo.
Trisha writers horror that corrupts your sanity, as well as contemporary that requires you to ingest copious amounts of sunshine after reading or you will melt into the pavement in agony. She also writes a bit of “what if” Sci Fi that makes me seriously question what brand of glue she sniffed as a child. Her books are: The Secrets We Keep, Sweet Madness, Creed, Hardwired, and I See Reality
Kristy has hit the ground running this year with her debut Sci-Fi novel, Consider, which translates loosely to a tale about a panic-attack prone kid who is thrown into a “Crap, we’re doomed to die and screwed either way thanks to the creepy holograms” scenario. Kristy obviously enjoys torturing emotionally frayed characters and her readers happily scream for more.
And then there is me. The sane one. Sorta. Well . . . kinda.
Oh screw it – I’m the most warped of all. I just dyed my almost 8-year-old son’s hair green, but more or less skimmed the instructions, resulting in what looks like a cross between a hairy map of the continents and Mikey the Ninja Turtle after a bender. Luckily, my son loves it (crooked mohawk included) and school doesn’t restart until late August. His hair should grow out by then and the staining to his skin should fade. Hopefully. Eventually. Meh, whatever. My books are Undertow, Stormfront, True North, and Cruel Summer.
Come find me! I have leftover green dye!
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: author events, beach reads, Berkley Massachsuetts, cape cod, KR Conway, Kristy Acevedo, library events, summer reading, summer reading list for school, summer reads, Teenreads, teens, Trisha Leaver, Undertow, what to do
July 7, 2016
Today on Cape Cod!
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: author signings, Big Top Buring, bourne high school, bourne middle school, bourne PTA, bournedale elementary, cape cod, Cape Cod Sharks, cape cod traffic, KR Conway, Laura Woolleett, library events, massachusetts, peebles, Sagamore Beach Colony Club, Secret life of Pets, StormFront, summer, summer reading, teens, True North, Undertow, what to do on cape cod
June 11, 2016
Official Undertow Trailer!
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: #Bfestbuzz, authors, barnes and noble teen, Barnstable High, blog, bodyguard, book reviews, book trailers, books, cape cod, fiction, goodreads, KR Conway, literary agent, StormFront, Undertow, writing, ya lit
May 24, 2016
Hyannis Public Library Event!
Rule #1 to being a writer: Be a reader.
And don’t read what people expect you to read. Read the wild side. The dark side. Root for the bad guy and the good guy. A great book transforms your world. Steals you away to another dimension where the dog isn’t barking and the kids aren’t fighting and the food may be burning.
Great books are like drugs – addictive and hallucinatory. But sometimes finding them, isn’t easy. Sometimes convincing a non-reader to try a book is like communicating the rules of a rotary to a non-Massachusetts driver.
But all it takes is one book. Just one.
On June 1st at the Hyannis Library, I’m teaching Hooking the Teen Reader with Mick Carlon. We are going to talk about how we draw the reader into our stories, as well as our favorite, un-put-downable reads. Our books will also be available for purchase and for us to sign after the event.
Summer is coming! It’s Time To Get Your Read On, Baby!
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: #BNBzz, #yalit, Barnstable intermediate school, Barnstable Public Schools, beach reads, cape cod, Girl SInger, goodreads, Hyannis Library, KR Conway, Mick Carlon, Summer Reading List, summer reading lists, summer reads, TBR lists, Travels with Louis, True North, Undertow, West Villages Elementary, writing
May 18, 2016
Art Shanty Weekend!
Dear Cape Codders and Tourists Hoping to Not Get Eaten by Jaws:
I shall be at the Hyannis Art Shanties at the Hyannis Harbor ferry docks this weekend (May 20, 21, 22) with Katie O’Sullivan and Kathryn Knight. Come find me, maybe grab a few books, and have a blast!
In honor of the ferry and of the coming high-season of Cape Cod, I’ve loaded a chapter from CRUEL SUMMER where tourist / immortal killer, Kian, is meeting up with Ana Lane who he has hired to help him find a new car at an antique auto sale on Martha’s Vineyard (since his other vehicle contained a dead dude and a kilo of cocaine, making it useless):
Cruel Summer (Kian’s POV):
The ride over to the Vineyard consisted of screaming children and people plastered with Martha’s Vineyard sweatshirts, as if they needed a reminder of where they were going. Couples talked non-stop about places they were hoping to see and families gossiped about other people. I even caught one couple groping each other near the back half of the ferry, apparently unwilling to wait for a room.
I slid into a bench seat on the top deck of the boat, handing Pix a hot chocolate I’d gotten from the café onboard. I leaned back in the seat, watching the island slowly grow on the horizon.
Another half hour jammed in with the coupon-clipping crowd and I could get the hell off this dingy ship.
Pix pried the plastic top off the drink and blew over the swirling chocolate, trying to cool it. I watched as her fingertips played over the edge of the paper cup, searching for a place to touch without getting burned. She finally took a tiny sip and began running down the itinerary of cars that we had decided on.
“So, we will look at the ’62 Bonneville and the ’70 Mach 1 Mustang first. And then, it looks like they put all the new models down on Front Street, so we can wander down that way if you decide to go new. I’ve got to tell ya, everyone will be after the ’63 Sting Ray.” She took another sip, watching me over her cup.
“I bet you like the old school muscle cars,” I replied, trying not to stare at her pink tongue that was sweeping away the chocolate from her lip.
“Mmm hmm,” she replied. “I like the icons with plenty of ponies under the hood. The newer cars are so much plastic. Give me chrome and steel any day. Something that defends me on the road and blows the doors off the brat in his Daddy’s new Beamer.”
“Is that Trans Am you were working on yours?” I asked as the wind picked up. It tossed her hair, causing her mane to twist wildly in her face, like Medusa’s snakes. She wrangled it all back into a pony tail.
“Yeah. My boss, Jack, gave it to me, and in return I work half-days on Saturday for free. I’ve been working on it for about a year. It just takes a lot of time and money and I’m . . .” Her words stalled and she dropped her gaze to the cup as she cleared her throat. “It’ll get done. Eventually.”
“It’s Saturday and you’re not at work though. You’re with me. How’d you manage that?”
She shrugged. “I told Jack that I could work a few extra hours this coming week at night to make up for it.”
Jack sounded like a slave driver. I hated Jack. Didn’t her parents care she worked so much for this jerk? In fact . . .
“I’m surprised you actually were able to come with me to the island. Not many parents would let their beautiful daughter wander off with a stranger.”
Pix flushed at the compliment and looked away toward the island, which loomed larger and larger. I could make out waterfront restaurants and the tilting sailboats moored near the docks.
She took a sip of her drink, but didn’t look back at me as she answered. “It’s just my Dad and me and he owns a fishing boat, so he’s gone half the time. He knows I’m a big girl – I can handle myself.”
I found it disturbing that she was on her own. A lot. She was probably 105 pounds soaking wet and I knew, for a fact, that she slept in her car the other night.
Someone could attack her – have his way with her. She could be killed. Abducted. She could be one of those missing kids whose faces line the telephone poles and walls of various cities.
And her pal, MJ, didn’t want her to go home. Was home worse than sleeping in a car? Scenarios began filtering through my mind, none of which were good.
The tension inside me began to tighten, squeezing me like a cheap wool sweater.
What would happen to her once I left? Would I end up seeing her face on the news, listed as yet another casualty of a rip current that pulled her down and filled her lungs with seawater? I saw those people on TV all the time and I knew the truth every time.
A soul shark had killed them.
I’d watch as the reporters clustered around the family, capturing the agony of those the person left behind. It had never bothered me – their tears, their gasped thanks, their pleas for space. But now, as I looked at Pix, I knew I couldn’t handle the idea of her being the one who was killed. I couldn’t handle the idea of someone attacking her.
I moaned.
I should’ve never stayed on Cape Cod. Never have followed this unusual, defiant girl to the beach. At minimum, I should’ve left yesterday morning, never gone to RC garage, never asked her to come with me to the Vineyard.
I should’ve put half the country between us, but I hadn’t and now I was . . . I was . . . shit, I was screwed! I was invested. I LIKED her. Even worse – I worried about her.
It was rumored that a soul thief could become bonded to the soul of a human, and that the link, once formed, was damn near unbreakable. Up until now, I’d called it total bullshit – an excuse for those Mortis who were stupid enough to get involved with humans.
Apparently I was a top rank moron, because I was definitely involved with Pix . . . who was now giving me a weird look.
“Um. Are you okay?” she asked.
Hell, NO I wasn’t all right! It had to be a lie – such bonds are supernatural fairy tales. I was in control of my destiny. I could walk away. I could pull out and leave her standing on the docks whenever I wanted.
Pix smiled a little. “’Cause you look like you might barf, and no offense, I don’t want to be barfed on. The two hundred a day does not include puking rights.” She smiled a little. “Plus we’re only stuck on the boat for maybe another ten minutes. Just keep your eye on the distance – it eases the seasickness.”
I wasn’t seasick – I was heartsick – but I did as she instructed because looking at her was too hard. Because looking at her reminded me of all the reasons I was wrong for her and all the selfish reasons why I didn’t care.
I was going to stay.
Find a way to be part of her world.
I looked back at her and she gave a lopsided smile. “See? You look a little better. Told ya – keeping your eye on the horizon helps. Barf-incident avoided. I totally earned a tip!”
Oh, hell.
I’d become bonded to the soul of Ana Lane.
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: authors, barnes and noble teen, best YA of the Summer, book signings, cape cod, CRUEL SUMMER, Fast Ferry, Hyannisport, HyLine Ferry, Kennedy Museum, KR Conway, marthas vineyard, massachusetts, nantucket, StormFront, things to do, True North, Undertow, urband fantasy YA
May 1, 2016
Ireland Giveaway!!
A mad fan from across the pond is giving away the entire Undertow Series! SHOW HER SOME LOVE! :)
Well it’s time for giveaway number 1!!this giveaway will run from May 1st to May 31st and winner will be picked the first week of June. This giveaway is worldwide so anyone can enter. The rules are as follows.
1. Like this page (siobnans book corner)
2. Like this post.
3. Share this post.
4. Comment when done.
And now for the prize one very lucky person is going to win the UNDERTOW series by K.R. Conway. Book 1 Undertow book 2 Stormfront book 3 True North and Cruel Summer which is set the summer before Undertow but needs to be read after. This amazing series will have you begging for more. So don’t miss your chance to own this amazing series.
This giveaway is not sponsored and is my way of giving back to you all!! CLICK HERE: https://www.facebook.com/siobhansbookcorner/
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: blog, book giveaway, books, free books, goodreads, K.R. Conway, KR Conway, UNDERTOW series
April 28, 2016
Why do I Write in Reverse?
Not long ago I was on the phone with another author friend while hashing out a story idea I had. When I was done, she replied, “Dude – you’re incapable of writing a straight contemporary story.”
Word.
The truth is, she’s right. I mean, I COULD do it, but at some point there would be a sizable, Kindle-hurling twist or the whole thing would just go off the rails a’la Spielberg’s Super 8 or something like that.
I blame this tendency to write like a loon on two things: genetics and writing in reverse.
The genetics is, well, crazy encoded.
Writing in reverse, however, is teachable and explainable:
Writing in Reverse forces me to dig deeply into the characters – their personalities, complexities, voice, drive, etc. It is the ULTIMATE tool for writing characters that come screaming off the page and haunt the reader well past the end of the book. And, personally, I like to torture them (both characters and, yeah, maybe the reader too).
Writing in Reverse (WIR) allows me to jump down the line in the story and test out plot threads and story layers against my characters. By using WIR, I know (well in advance) if something isn’t going to work with my cast because I’m building REAL fictional people who will not be forced into something that is against their natural “character.” Kinda like my real-life teenager . . .
Readers HATE that – when a character does something that doesn’t make sense for THAT particular character.
WIR also allows me to build detailed backstories and motivations for my characters. It allows me to change traits, modify voice, and in general build a cast that I can write for without even thinking about it. I know instinctively how a character will react / say / do in ANY situation and it makes writing a breeze.
Great stories lay down a path which forces the character to make choices based on who they are as a real person, not necessarily on what the author wants. That’s what WIR does brilliantly. It works great for any genre, even if it’s straight contemporary.
That said, I’m weird, so when I start playing around with a story idea, it usually starts out like this:
And ends up like THIS:
For more posts on Writing In Reverse CLICK HERE.
See YOU at #NESCBWI16
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: #AmWriting, authors, cape cod, editing, KR Conway, literature, nescbwi, self-publishing, stories, Undertow, writing, wwriting craft, YA, ya blog, young adult
