Jacqueline E. Smith's Blog, page 32
October 18, 2014
October 16, 2014
Let the Good Times Roll!
This will be my last update before Monday, and it’s going to be a short one because I still have so much to do!
This weekend, I’ll be participating in IndieVengeance Day, which includes readings and book signings. I think it’s going to be awesome. If you’re in the Dallas area, you should definitely check it out! http://indievengeanceday.com
I have a lot of other stuff I’m working on also, but I’ll tell you about that later.
While I’m gone, keep in mind and spread the word that there are still a few days to enter my GoodReads Giveaway! I’m giving away 2 signed copies of BOTH of my books in honor of Halloween and I want you to win! Yes, YOU!
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/109579-between-worlds
October 15, 2014
Savoring the Season
The last few weeks of October are going to fly, and I do mean fly.
The rest of this week itself is completely packed with good things: readings, book signings, and a girls trip to the State Fair or Texas. It just wouldn’t be autumn without the Fair. It’s one of my absolute favorite fall traditions.
Next week is going to be mostly devoted to preparing for my presentation. That includes creating the coolest slide show ever and, not to brag, I make a pretty mean slide show. It’s one of those important life skills you learn in college.
The following week, is the last week of October, and I’ve got to be honest, I’m not sure I’m ready for it. I know it’s only the 15th, but I feel like Halloween has come too quickly! It’s one of my absolute favorite times of the year and I need to soak it up! Thankfully, I’ve had a couple of days that were devoted entirely to anticipating the arrival of All Hallow’s Eve.
Saturday was a wonderful gray fall day. It was cold, so I was actually able to wear a scarf and a sweater. My friend and I spent the day browsing Halloween stuff at Party City, Target, and it ended with a trip to a local pumpkin patch. It was the perfect fall day. I need to have more of those before the season ends!
There was a book I read when I was younger, and I can’t remember which it was to save my life, but there was a quote that really stuck with me. “If a person lives 100 years, they only get to see the leaves change 100 times.” That doesn’t seem enough to me. 100 autumns is not nearly enough. I’m not even sure 1000 would be enough.
That being said, go outside. Enjoy the leaves. Drink a pumpkin latte. Wear a scarf. Watch a scary movie. Enjoy the season, because our autumns, like everything else, are numbered.
October 14, 2014
Cemetery Tours
Such a wonderful review! Thank you, Lindsay!
Originally posted on sand between the pages:
Cemetery Tours
by Jacqueline Smith
Some secrets are best kept laid to rest.
At least, that’s as far as Michael Sinclair is concerned. At twenty-seven, he has spent his entire life pretending that the ghosts he encounters on a daily basis do not exist. Now, if only the dead would let him rest in peace.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem likely, especially after Kate Avery and her ailing brother, Gavin, move in next door. Kate and Gavin are haunted, and not by a dearly departed loved one. This spirit is aggressive, menacing, and harboring a dark resentment toward Gavin. In spite of every instinct advising him to walk away, Michael finds himself seeking to uncover the mysteries of Gavin’s past and falling for the bright and lovely Kate. Yet competing for her affection is Luke Rainer, television’s hottest celebrity ghost hunter and the only (living) person to know Michael’s secret.
View original 410 more words
Characterization Exploration
I’m in the middle of writing the first draft of the third installment of the Cemetery Tours series. I’ve come to really love these characters. I’ve been with them for a while now, and they feel like friends to me. In the past few years, I’ve probably spent more time with them than with my living, breathing friends.
Characters have always been the absolute most important element of any story for me. If I don’t like the characters, I’m not going to like the book. It’s that simple. I read one book last year (I will not mention it because I don’t want to trash another author’s work on my blog) with such horrible, selfish, whiny characters, I could hardly stand it. None of the characters had any redeeming qualities whatsoever. If I succeed at nothing else, I want my characters to be likable. Well, except for the ones that you’re not supposed to like. They’re actually a LOT of fun to write, but I digress.
As the first book in the series, Cemetery Tours served as sort of an introductory book. We met the characters, learned their names, the basics. Between Worlds delved more into developing relationships and adjustments after the events of the first book.
This third book, however, takes place five months after Between Worlds, and the characters have developed a lot since then. They’ve had more time to get to know each other and I’ve had more time to get to know them as well. Now, instead of watching them react to certain situations, I’m exploring what exactly makes them that way.
Of my three main characters, Michael, Kate, and Luke, Michael remains the most stubborn. Kate and Luke are a lot alike in that they’re both happy characters. They’re both easily amused and easily fascinated. Michael is more reserved, which stems from a lifetime of trying to remain unnoticed by ghosts and spirits. Since he met Kate and Luke, he’s become more outgoing, but those twenty-eight years of hiding within himself I think really took a toll, and I think he’s always going to be a little reserved, and that’s okay. That’s why Kate likes him, and that’s why I like him.
Last night, I tried to imagine what Michael what be like, what he might have done, if he didn’t have the ghosts. I realized I feel a little sorry for him, because being surrounded by the spirits and trying at all costs to avoid them and not draw attention to himself really inhibited him from developing a real sense of self. Unlike Kate and Luke, who have real interests that they discovered by themselves, Michael’s entire character evolved from a desire to be something he’s not. He didn’t have time for self discovery because he was too obsessed with self denial, if that makes any sense at all. That’s why I’m glad he has Kate, Brink, and even Luke. I think they really bring out the best in him.
Friendly Reminder that you only have ONE WEEK LEFT to enter my GoodReads Giveaway! Win signed copies of BOTH Cemetery Tours and Between Worlds just in time for Halloween!
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/109579-between-worlds
October 13, 2014
Busy Busy Busy
As an indie author, I’ve found that there are two kinds of busy. There’s the kind that all indie authors are all the time. The kind that is not very active, but it is constant. Indie authors always have something that they can be doing. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we always do what we’re supposed to do (I personally spend way too much time on Pinterest…), but there is always something there.
Then there is the active kind of busy. That’s the knd where we actually have engagements lined up, specific things to be working on, to be honest, it’s kind of like being back in college. Those weeks are a lot of fun, but they don’t occur as often. This is going to be one of those weeks, and I am so, so, so excited about it.
Friday and Saturday, I’m participating in an event I attended last year as a fan, not as an author. It’s called IndieVengeance Day and you can read all about it here: http://indievengeanceday.com
I’m really excited about the two-day event, but before I can get to it, I still have a lot to do.
I was lucky enough to have been asked to read through my friend Jeanne Skartsiaris’ new book, Snow Globe. I’ve been going through and making notes (I’m going to write a small blurb for her! Neat!), but I really need to finish that up.
You can find Jeanne on GoodReads here: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
I’ve also mentioned before that I was asked to give a presentation on ghost stories at the Colony Public Library on October 25. I was so honored and excited to be asked, and I’ve been putting a lot of thought and research into figuring out exactly what I want that presentation to be. Well, around 5 AM on Saturday morning, it finally came to me. I am so excited about this presentation. It’s going to be awesome. Now that I know what I want to do, it’s time to buckle down and get to work on that as well. I’ll tell you more about it after I actually give it. I want it to be a surprise!
So yeah, lots of good, fun things are happening. Cemetery Tours has been selling really well this month. I have a lot of people signing up for my GoodReads giveaway. Speaking of, don’t forget to enter! https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
And of course, on top of all of that, I’m still hard at work on my two current WIPs. Cemetery Tours 3 is a lot of fun. It’s a little more complex and complicated than the first two, but it’s also very colorful and I think it’s going to be good. It better be good, or I’ll have to keep rewriting it until it is! My goal is to release BOTH books in 2015. That will mean a lot more hard work, but it’s so completely worth it.
I hope y’all have a splendid Monday!
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October 9, 2014
My Fantasy Self
As you may or may not know, last week, I finally read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and yesterday, I read Eleanor and Park. Without sounding too creepy, I’ve pretty much decided that Rainbow Rowell is one of my new literary heroes, so naturally, I decided to follow her on Twitter.
Following people you admire on Twitter is always a risk, because you might find out they’re not exactly the people you thought (or at least hoped) they were, but Rainbow Rowell is just as awesome as her writing style. Just the other day, she posted something about how we all like to read fantasy versions of ourselves, and that her fantasy version of herself is Han Solo.
My initial reaction to that was, “My fantasy version of myself is a cross between Katniss Everdeen, Hermione Granger, and Ariel.” But that’s not really the case. I mean, yeah, I wish I was as brave as Katniss and as smart as Hermione and as adventurous as Ariel. But there are still elements of me that I really really like. I like my sense of humor. I like that I enjoy writing and editing and nerdy things. I like that I am a compulsive truth-teller (though other people might not appreciate that one as much).
My fantasy version of myself is a mixture of all those things, plus a few more traits that I envy about other people. For example, my fantasy self has a lot more self-confidence than I do. I’m extremely confident in my books and work, but in myself? Not so much. In grad school, my self-esteen was nil and it was really hard to concentrate on my goals and what I wanted out of life. It’s gotten better, but it’s something I still struggle with. Maybe I always will. My fantasy self, however, dresses the way she wants, is cool and confident, and never worries about what other people think.
My fantasy self isn’t a dweller. She doesn’t worry about the worst-case scenarios the way I do. Granted, that might come with the whole writer thing. Life always plays out in my head like a movie or a book. Probably not the best coping mechanism for when life really gets rough because I always, always imagine the worst. To be honest, I actually imagine every scenario and then dwell on the worst. It’s awful.
Finally, my fantasy self knows what she wants out of life and she goes for it. I hope I’m at least a little like that, but I still have fears and self-doubts that get in my way. Maybe we all do. Right now, I’m even debating whether or not this entry is worth posting, because I really don’t like to talk so much about myself. I’ll probably post it anyway, because I’m hoping it will help put y’all in touch with your fantasy selves. I don’t know if it’s ever a good idea to wish that you were someone else. You should always be happy with who you are. But as my dear friend Hannah pointed out to me, it’s always good to try to improve yourself. No one wants to stay stagnant for the rest of their lives. I know I don’t. I want to be the best I can be, and I know, as a human, I don’t always put forth the effort into becoming that. Maybe that will be one of my new years resolutions (that gives me a little time to still be a slacker).
Oh, I almost forgot. My fantasy self has totally paid off all her student loans and owns a beach house in the Gulf Shores. She eats a whole lot healthier than I do, and she really hopes to have not one, but two new books out next year. I guess time will tell.
October 8, 2014
Ghost Stories and Research
This isn’t going to be a very long post. In fact, I’m not sure it even counts as a post at all. I just wanted to share a picture of my library’s Halloween ghost story display. As you know, I am quite partial to the ghost story and I love seeing them celebrated!
I actually went to the library seeking books on ghosts in history and in fiction for a presentation I’m working on. Conveniently, I found several right there next to the display! I’m really looking forward to reading them. I’ve got to be honest, I kind of love doing research. It’s so interesting, everything that the world has left to teach and discover. Learning is just fun.
I also totally found Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell in the YA section, so I will probably be signing off here very soon in order to read it. I love YA and I don’t care what anyone thinks.
Have a great Wednesday, everyone! Go read a ghost story. Be scared. Halloween is upon us!
Jacqueline E. Smith {Showcase}
Everyone go follow Jonas Lee, author of the amazing A Time to Reap, and check out his book!
A Time to Reap (The Legend of Carter Gabel Book 1)
Thank you for the showcase, Jonas! I’m honored!
Originally posted on Jonas Lee's Imaginarium:
I haven’t done this for awhile, so I figured changing up the usual day wouldn’t matter. In the Indie author realm, there are thousands of us. We float around hoping to gather enough people clutching for our stories or our experiences. Jackie is one of those people that if you’re lucky, you happen upon because some day, she’s going to be nationally famous.
On top of a positive spirit, Jackie is one of those creative geniuses that take a story and not have to confine it to one genre. Her stories add mystery, intrigue, paranormal, humor and a smidge of romance. Acting through her own publishing company of Wind Trail Publishing, she is working on a third installment to a very popular Cemetery Tours Series.
If anyone has had the pleasure or reading or chatting with her, you know Jackie is an awesome lady and I hope for her continued…
View original 59 more words
October 7, 2014
Live and Learn
Yesterday, I woke up fully prepared to make it a hugely productive day, and the first few hours were. I was feeling pretty good about everything. But then life, as it sometimes tends to do, threw me a curve ball and as usual, I had no idea how to respond to it.
I’m not going to go into detail here, because in the end, it really wasn’t a big deal, but at the time, I thought my entire world was ending. That’s the kind of melodramatic nonsense you get to put up with when you are or you know a creative mind. My first response to this traumatic event, of course, was to cry and call my dad. He’s my go-to guy for crises, mostly because he is very calm and rational and lets me know exactly how I need to respond (which is often the exact opposite of how I planned to respond).
Again, this wasn’t that big a deal. It had nothing to do with my books or business. But still, it had me very worried and unfortunately, I let it get me down the entire day.
Today, I’m feeling better, but I’m still a little worried (what can I say, I’m a dweller). Mostly, however, I’m disappointed that I let almost an entire day get away from me due to circumstances beyond my control. However, it’s not the first time it’s happened and I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last, because that’s just the kind of person I am. It’s not something I particularly like about myself, but it’s there and I have to learn to live with it and hopefully work through it.
In other news, there are rumors circulating the world wide web about the possible return of Harry Potter?! Oh, be still my heart and please, please, PLEASE let them be true! JK, you tease us so! If that’s not a sign from the universe that everything is going to be okay, I don’t know what is!
Also… Don’t forget to enter my GoodReads Giveaway! I promise my books are a lot more fun to read than this blog post! https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
Have a magical Tuesday, everyone!
