R.M. Ridley's Blog, page 28

And Adorable Pictures Had to Follow

So yesterday I shared about getting a new kitten, today I have pictures of Storm and his mother and siblings.

So without further ado…

Storm getting a hug from his sibling- while in front you can see another suckling.

Storm, being held by my wife, while my Mother-in-laws Yorkie watches. (note: these kittens are only 24 hrs old)

Close up of Storm’s face – eyes aren’t even open yet

On a side note – after being told a new kitten would be coming to the house, our two cats quickly dispatched a mouse that had been hanging about. Think they were trying to prove something …

Filed under: MIscellaneous Tagged: cats, hug, kittens, mouse, siblings, storm, Stormaggedon

The Oncoming Storm

I came home yesterday. It was nice to be back with my girls. To cuddle with my cats, and my wife wife. I had a puppy laying on me as I watched my TV, and went to sleep in my bed with my wife.

This morning I followed my usual routine, of morning coffee talking to my wife  (in real, live, face to face talks – not messaging) and then went to my study to do some work. I wrote all morning, pouring out more of he fifth novel, and now am doing my usual social media updates. Life is back to how it should be and it is good.

The one thing that was different than usual  – yesterday, we went over to my in-laws and saw the brand new (hours old) kittens. The kittens were an unexpected occurrence. My mother-in-law got two new cats from a friend, of a friend, of a… One male, one female, both less than a year old. They were outdoor, ‘barn’ cats, who quickly adapted to indoor life, as indoors turned out to be warm and filled with soft things.

It didn’t take much time to realize that the female was pregnant. Now two new cats, has turned into six new cats. And so… we will be taking home one of these little ‘darlings’ to add to our own brood. We have picked the dark tabby, and I have named it ‘Storm’. It sort of looks like the dark clouds that roll in as a storm approaches, it is a good gender neutral name, and secretly, we all know that ‘Storm’ is short form for ‘Stormaggedon’. If you don’t know that reference – go the forth and educate yourself…thoroughly, episode by episode until you are inundated.

It will be a while yet before Storm comes home, but that only means we have time to prepare ourselves for the ‘oncoming storm’ the little one will be, and to try and save the money necessary for the shots, and making sure we don’t continue the cycle of unexpected motherhood.

Yes – I know… we are crazy. But what’s the point of living in the middle of nowhere, being home all the time, if not to do silly things like have too many animals?

Filed under: MIscellaneous Tagged: cats, feline, home, kittens, oncoming storm, puppy, storm, Stormaggedon, wife

Finding my Commitment Lacking

So I’m trying not to fall out of a good habit by continuing to use my afternoons for editing. I have started on the second White Dragon Black novel, ‘Bindings & Spines’ now that ‘Tomorrow Wendell’ is done. The first chapter needed some work, but nothing I wouldn’t expect coming back form my personal editor.

The second chapter, however…. well, you know the saying ‘Kill your darlings’- it wasn’t even very darling. Actually most of the darlings got to stay. The rest – the majority – is gone, replaced with something more engaging and exciting.

Once I’d concurred that issue, I read chapter three. Not only was it also lacking in pazzz, it now didn’t match up with chapter two… which meant some major rewrites.

Then to top it off, my editor had made a good point about a sub-subplot I thought was going somewhere which really didn’t during the actual novel writing, but then I went back to it at the end chapter because I was thinking about making it something that arced over the entire series. Did that confuse you – well that’s why it is going away too … though I confess it went into a separate file to be saved (as though I’m actually going to do something with it later – scoff).

Because of all this frustration, confusion, and slow down, my enthusiasm for doing the ‘edits’ is waning. I was hoping to be getting a chapter edited a day – maybe every two days- really buckle down and set my shoulder to the stone. Instead, a weeks has passed and I’m still labouring through chapter three, while dreading what horror the fourth contains.

I am trying but I must confess the commitment is lacking — maybe being away from home for too long now isn’t helping. Maybe, just maybe, once I settle in to being back home at the end of the week, this major overhaul won’t seem so depressing.

Or maybe I’m just going to have to accept that this project while take more time and more me to complete.

Filed under: Writing Tagged: Bindings & Spines, current work in progress, edits, frustration, Jonathan Alvey, novel, paranormal, paranormal private investigator, plot, scene, subplot, Tomorrow Wendell, Urban Fantasy, White Dragon Black Series, world building, writing

What happened to Tawni Barclay?

 What happened to Tawni Barclay?

Jayme Barclay sees her 15 year old swinging on a rope from a tree at Starlight, the mansion the county commissioner is making over. Brad Patterson loses a piece of himself when he answers the 911 call to get to Starlight on a snowy December night.

A year later, the mystery surrounding Tawni’s “suicide” still haunts both Jayme and Brad. Events spiral until Jayme must return from her isolation and face her demons. After reuniting with Brad, she reveals a secret she hid from him.

They work with Tawni’s friends to uncover the activities at Starlight and rescue another teen before she kills herself.

 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Starlight-K-C-Sprayberry-ebook/dp/B00K2IMHOM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399038532&sr=1-1&keywords=k.c.+sprayberry+starlight

Geotracked Link: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00K2IMHOM

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/starlight-kc-sprayberry/1119252016?ean=2940045828772

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/428900

Muse It Up Publishing: https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/starlight-detail

 

 

 

The first thing Brad Patterson noticed as he skidded into the Starlight Resort was a teenage girl hanging from the elm tree near the entrance. A shudder ran through him. This scene bore an eerie resemblance to a local legend of three girls who had killed themselves forty years ago. No official records existed to prove those three deaths happened. All he’d been able to uncover were three missing person cases involving three teenage girls who had never been found.

“Where are you, Jayme?”

 

YouTube Book Trailer:

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KC Sprayberry started writing young, first as a diarist, and later through an interest in English and creative writing. Her first experience with publication came when she placed third in The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge contest while in the Air Force, but her dedication to writing came after she had her youngest child, now in his senior year of high school.

Her family lives in Northwest Georgia where she spends her days creating stories about life in the south, and far beyond. More than a dozen of her short stories have appeared in several magazines. Five anthologies feature other short stories. She has three books that are Amazon best sellers: Softly Say Goodbye, Who Am I?, and Mama’s Advice. Her other novels available are: Take Chances, The Ghost Catcher, Family Curse … Times Two, Secret From The Flames, Where U @, The Wrong One, Pony Dreams, Evil Eyes, and Grace.

Author Links:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/KC-Sprayberry/331150236901202

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kcsowriter

Blog: http://outofcontrolcharacters.blogspot.com/

Website: http://www.kcsprayberry.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5011219.K_C_Sprayberry

JacketFlap: http://www.jacketflap.com/profile.asp?member=kathispray

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005DI1YOU

Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KcSprayberry/posts

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kcsprayberry/boards/

Authorgraph: http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/kcsowriter

AUTHORSdB: http://www.authorsdb.com/authors-directory/5230-k-c-sprayberry

Manic Readers: http://www.manicreaders.com/KCSprayberry/

Filed under: Book Release Tagged: author, Book Release, Kc Sprayberry, novel, plot, publish, Romance, Starlight, Suspence, Tawni Barclay, writer

Empty Nest Syndrome

So my line editor, sent the last two chapters of my debut novel ,’Tomorrow Wendell,’ up to the final read. In many ways that’s the end of my hands on participation. There could be some flaws that were not caught, some plot holes unseen, which would bring it back to me, but we are all hoping not.

So this is were my hands have to let go of my baby, I have to leave it in other capable hands to see it on the rest of its journey into being an actual book.

My baby has has left the next. Yes, I have other children here who still very much need my help it is true. Bindings & Spines, the 2nd novel, is just getting into the rebellious teen years,  ‘Corrupted Souls’, is almost out of diapers, and I am bound to feel the contractions for the fifth novel any day now

So I have plenty of my children around me who need my attention, whom I love…

…But this is my eldest–My first born–and off it goes, bags packed, with it’s college courses in hand.

 

Filed under: Publishing, Writing Tagged: Bindings & Spines, Corrupted Souls, current work in progress, editor, edits, Jonathan Alvey, novel, paranormal, paranormal private investigator, publish, Tomorrow Wendell, Urban Fantasy, White Dragon Black Series, writing, Xchyler Publishing

Look Out World

In a few hours, I’m going to meet one of my beta-readers. She was the first one to read my debut novel, ‘Tomorrow Wendell’ other than my editor. She was my first fan and has constantly helped me develop the Jonathan Alvey stories, both long and short.

And this, after many years, will be the first time we actually meet face to face.

I’m really excited about this. We have no real plans and are just going to wing it (not that there is tons to do in Windsor). Both her and her husband are coming and will be here until Fri afternoon.

I think in that time we can create enough havoc to last for a few more years of only on-line interaction.

So I won’t get much work done for the next 48 hrs – but boo hoo. This is my Beta-reader and very first, and bestest, fan!

 

Filed under: MIscellaneous, Writing Tagged: anthology, beta reader, crazy, fan, Jonathan Alvey, novel, paranormal private investigator, readers, Tomorrow Wendell, writing

If the Name ‘The Never Ending Story’ Wasn’t Already Taken . . .

I put in a good session of writing this morning. At first, I was stuttering – tiny spurts of words unleashed by my fingers only to stall out again like car with a timing belt on it’s last legs. But then I  hit my stride, my Muse began to whisper, and the words flowed.

I called it quits, after 1600 words, and shook my head. Another chapter wrapped up in ‘Corrupted Souls’ and still not finished the novel. I actually started the next chapter, just those first few lines to anchor the next thought to, when I reopen the file. That chapter is – finally – going to be the conflict. The blood, guts, and glory start now. I think the whole show will take two chapters, maybe three. then one wrap up and I’m done – hehehe ~twitch~.

I thought for sure I’d have this one done now, and started on the fifth novel. It certainly isn’t from lack of dedication. I’ve put in the time, I just haven’t reached the end yet. Well, as Mick says, ‘You can’t always get what you want -but if you try sometimes…’

Filed under: Writing Tagged: Corrupted Souls, current work in progress, Jonathan Alvey, muse, novel, paranormal private investigator, plot, Urban Fantasy, White Dragon Black Series, writing

Happy Happy Joy Joy

I got my new tattoo yesterday. The session ran longer than we thought it would , and the end result was different than originally planned. The end result was, however, amazing.

I’m sore from all the hours of work my skin had to put up with, and swollen but I have a wicked tat to show for it.

The words ‘ behind, between, and beyond the body’ have two meanings for me. First, it is a line that I use, in each novel, to describe where the energy comes from which fuels my protagonists magic. Second, it is how I feel about the act of writing for me – where the words themselves come from.

This is why it makes such a great tattoo to commemorate getting my debut novel accepted and published.

Filed under: MIscellaneous, Writing Tagged: Brain, Jonathan Alvey, magic, muse, publish, tattoo, Tomorrow Wendell, White Dragon Black Series, words, writing

INK!

Today, I go to get my second tattoo – I’m a bit a excited.

I got my first one to commemorate finally submitting a novel. A mark on my flesh to mark a moment in time when something changed for me – for the better.

That submission wasn’t excepted – I was given some great advice but the publishing house decided to pass on the offer. I was sorry they did, for I liked the people there, and the work they put out (still do) but had no hard feeling, appreciated the advice, and used it to make my manuscript better. Then I submitted elsewhere – to Xchyler publishing in fact. I submitted my novel and then, two days later, a short story for their upcoming anthology–well you know the rest of that story. . . Short story was accepted, loved working with them, and that lead to the novel getting picked up by them.

A great team of people to work with, and I have enjoyed every minute of our journey together so far.

This tattoo, today, is to commemorate getting a novel accepted/published. We are still a couple months from the actual release but I don’t foresee an obstacles that won’t be overcome. I am confident that ‘Tomorrow Wendell’ will be released by The X.

So today, I mark that moment on my flesh . . . not that I’m every very bloody likely to forget it!

 

Filed under: Book Release, MIscellaneous, Publishing, Writing Tagged: anthology, commemorate, Jonathan Alvey, novel, publish, publishing house, Rafflecopter, short story, submitt, tattoo, Tomorrow Wendell, White Dragon Black Series, Xchyler Publishing

Okay – That Sucks

So I’m editing the second novel of the White Dragon Black series, ‘Bindings & Spines’. I finished this novel a couple years ago now, and in some ways it shows. My writing has improved over the course of this time, and I’m glad it has. Not that there is anything horribly wrong about the writing in this novel, but it is nice to know that I am still capable of moving my skill forward.

The first chapter needed some tweaking and that was fine, it was no more than I had come to expect from my editor at Xchyler Publishing during the edits of ‘Tomorrow Wendell’. When I got to the second chapter however, it …lacked. There was little purpose or reason to it. It certainly didn’t continue to draw the reader in.

I did the easy edits to it and skipped ahead to chapter three to see what was going on there and how it related back to two. I found it too wasn’t quite enough either.

Accepting the flaw in my work, I returned to chapter two and reread it, hoping for some idea what to do. Nothing came. I went back and skimmed through three again. One comment from my editor regarding a a small scene caught my eye and made me think. I came up with a little aside to interject, to explain the scene, which then triggered my mind to realize how I could use the idea it to spice up chapter two.

A little on-line research to establish the creature bringing the conflict and I thought I was good to go.

I went back once more to chapter two and found the place where the new material could go, marked it and then opened an new page. I put Queen’s ‘It’s a Kind of Magic’ into my ears and let my fingers go… 1800 words later, that new scene is almost wrapped up. It will involve further edits as I go forward, but I think it is worth it. It tells more about my character, his world, and gives the reader a chance to get their blood stirring a bit.

I wasn’t glad to have to do this sort of major work – especially this soon into the story – but I rewrote an entire chapter for the first one so why not this one too?

Filed under: Writing Tagged: Bindings & Spines, current work in progress, editor, edits, Jonathan Alvey, muse, novel, paranormal private investigator, plot, scene, Tomorrow Wendell, White Dragon Black Series, world building, writing, Xchyler Publishing