A.E. Jones's Blog, page 33

Short is Not So Sweet

I am working toward the release of my next book and have reached the stage where I am writing that dreaded/dratted blurb. The blurb is what you read on the back cover or flap of a book or the paragraph you find on the e-retailer sites.

It’s a couple of paragraphs that are supposed to convey what the book is about, including the characters, plot, tone, etc, etc. That is a very tall order for a very short paragraph. And the saying “short and sweet” does NOT apply to the first or sometimes the fiftieth draft of a blurb. It can be a painful, painful process. Each word is important. If not? Cut it to make room for others.

As you can tell by the tone of this blog, blurb writing is not one of my favorite pastimes. And yet it is one of the most important aspects of marketing books (next to the cover, that is).  How many of us have clicked on the buy link after reading a blurb? Right. And that adds pressure to the writing of the dreaded/dratted blurb.

But I persevere because I want to let potential readers know about my stories in as quick of a soundbite as I can. I just need to draw them into the story and then I’ve got them where I want them (cue mustache twirling and maniacal laughter).

Blurb draft #18 here I come!

Give Me MORE Conflict!

For the past month I have been working on the second book in my new series. Or should I be honest and tell you that I have been struggling with the second book in my series…well, I have. It was not exciting me as I was writing it. And for a writer this is a bad, bad sign, my friends.

So I wracked my brain trying to decide what was lacking with the story and it finally came to me like a smack to the head. Conflict! The story was suffering from a lack of conflict. If there isn’t anything to work through or get over, then why read it (or write it for that matter)?

So back to the drawing board I went, since my hero and heroine were having it too easy. Adding conflict is not as simple as inserting a fight between the characters. Instead, the hero and heroine need angst and the ability to change and grow because of what they face. And as they develop individually, hopefully that changing and growing will bring them closer together as a couple, right?

Even though my stories usually have external conflict, like a mystery to solve, romance is also smack dab in the middle of the conflict. Take two damaged people, throw in conflict, and find a way to bring them together. Not as easy as all that, but you get the idea!

So back to my conflict I go…

New Digs for a New Year

It’s February 1st! Hard to believe the first month of 2016 is over already. 2016 will hold new challenges, and new stories, and a new SERIES for AE Jones. And as I plow ahead I thought it was time to change my website up a bit. Give myself some new ‘digs’ so to speak. Check it out if you have a moment…don’t be shy, the doors are open.

I hope you like the look. If you don’t, please lie to me and tell me you adore it :)

Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing my new website banner and new cover, along with tidbits from the new series. It will be fun to have you along for the ride.

And I am working on my stories, figuring out what my characters want to tell you, the reader. Sometimes they argue with me, but I have to put my foot down and herd the cats so that the book actually has a plot and scenes, versus never-ending dialogue from my VERY opinionated characters!

So enjoy February, my friends and I’ll be talking to you again soon!

Digging Out

Over the weekend I watched Winter Storm Jonas (aka Snowzilla, aka Snowmaggedon) wreak havoc over much of the US. Somehow, my part of the world was spared the white stuff and I am immensely grateful, especially as I hear from my friends and family in other parts of the country attempting to dig out of this mess. I’ve been there before myself – so much snow that you feel like the world is closing in on you. Heavy, cold, and wet, it keeps you from moving forward.

As a writer, sometimes I feel like there’s a snowstorm going on in my head. Story ideas, characters, plot lines, and goal-motivation-conflict on the one side battles with deadlines, editing, proofreads, formatting, and marketing on the other. Imagine one of those weather maps that show the jet-stream and how the two opposing sides come together to form a storm – in this case a snow storm.

So what do I do when this happens?

I dig myself out. I sort and prioritize and sometimes tell my characters to shut the heck up so I can move forward a snow shovel at a time. Sometimes this means I clear a small path which is fine since I can still walk that path. Or if I’m really lucky I can clear a patch around me (think snow blower). Either way, I find a way to move.

And if you’re still trying to dig your way out of the snow, remember that you can always snuggle up with a good book in the meantime! For two more days, Mind Sweeper is 99cents…

 

 

Chasing Away the Doldrums: Read

It’s official, my friends. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, winter has finally come a calling. And if you are like me and are not winter-sports inclined the cold and snow are something we “get through”. And how do I do this, you might ask?

Well I do two things: 1) Write and 2) Read. Are you really surprised by my answer? When the cold wind and snow blows around my house, I settle into my writing cave and spend time with my stories. And when I need a break from writing, I have a cup of tea and wrap myself up with a blanket and cat to read good book.

This winter, I decided to help with eradicating those winter doldrums. For a limited time, I have the ebook version of Mind Sweeper, book one of my series, on sale for 99 cents. So if you haven’t checked out my series yet, here’s your chance for less than it costs for a cup of coffee. I’ve even listed the links below so that you are one click away from curing those doldrums. You supply the blanket, cat (optional) and tea and I’ll supply the story.

See how nice I am? Enjoy!

Buy:    Amazon      Barnes & Noble       Kobo        iBooks

 

Writing with Repurpose

Did you like my play on words in the title? Hee, hee. Writers, of course, write with purpose, but we also repurpose as well. I’ll let you in on a secret. Writers can be stingy when it comes to cutting words, scenes, characters. Why you ask? Because we fall in love with these stories and sometimes it really, really hurts to let them go.

Case in point. When I first started writing Sentinel Lost, book 5 in my Mind Sweeper Series, I had an idea for a love interest for Misha. So I wrote what I think is this adorable little scene introducing the heroine. Then I tucked it away so that I could resurrect it for a later book. But half way through Sentinel Lost, another idea came to me like a V-8 smack to the head and I realized who Misha’s heroine would be – and it wasn’t the heroine from the adorable little scene I had already written.

Did I despair? No! Because I know that character will be used for a different story and a different hero! As a matter of fact, I already have her paired up with someone else in a future book. It’s so cool being a writer. I just LOVE it when you can repurpose a scene or character for another story.

And my repurposing doesn’t stop there…

This past December, I cleaned my entire house, purging out closets and drawers. On the floor of one of my closets I had stacks upon stacks of books (are you surprised?). And I always would cringe when I opened the door and peeked inside. So what did I do? I repurposed an empty dresser! Take a look. As I read the books, I place them in the bottom drawer of my dresser which is the donation drawer. Then I can pull them out and use them for giveaways and chapter raffle baskets, etc.  I just love it when a plan comes together!!!!

Taking a Leap

This year for Christmas I received many nice gifts, but the one that resonated with me and I have shared in the picture attached, is this figure hanging onto an umbrella and seemingly floating through the air. My friend gave it to me because she said she was so proud of me for ‘taking a leap’ in my life. And that is what my writing and publishing of my books is all about, taking that step off the cliff and waiting for my stomach to catch up with me as I drop toward the earth, until the wind picks me up and I float around on its currents.

Another mantra for me to live by. If you have been following me for awhile you know that I already live by a mantra where my writing is concerned – BE FEARLESS. Kind of works with that whole taking a leap thing, doesn’t it?

Interestingly enough, when I first launched this website on April 10, 2011, I posted my first blog with the picture of a person jumping up in the air. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was already taking a leap! If you would like to take a trip down nostalgia lane with me, click HERE.

And I plan to continue taking that leap as I head full tilt into the new year. There are so many opportunities out there that I wish I had more hours in the day to explore them all! But for now, I’ll move forward with my characters and stories and hope that you take the leap with me.

Come on…I’ll hold your hand. It’s not that scary. Honest.

Clean Sweep

Every year between Christmas and New Year’s I get the urge to CLEAN. I capitalize the word because it’s not my normal house cleaning. Nope. It’s more of a purging of the old to get ready for the new. I usually go through my pantry and my clothes closet to get rid of items that have expired (and that word can be used for both my food and my clothing :) ).

This year I’ve rolled my sleeves WAY UP past my elbows and have been going through all my closets, drawers, cabinets, etc. Some of the items I found were still in a box from when I moved into my home several years ago! Yep, time for those items to go. There is something cathartic about getting rid of items that we no longer need or use. In some instances, these items can be used by someone else and in other instances, they are destined for the dump. But when I get done with the process, I feel lighter and ready to tackle the new year.

The same can be said for writing. You have to mentally move past some of your old stories to make room for new. Now, before you get too upset, I will be writing more stories about the characters in the Mind Sweeper universe, however I’m taking a little break from that to head into a new world of fun, paranormal characters. So this week, I’m cleaning out my brain too. It’s a lot more cluttered than my house, but I think it will be worth it in the end.

2016 here we come!

It’s All About the Presentation

Now that the holidays are here, I have been spending a LOT of time wrapping gifts. Whether I use pretty bags, sparkly bows, or shiny wrapping paper, the gifts I give look very cool on the outside! And in some ways that is an important trait for writers to keep in mind as well when it comes to their work. Of course the most important part of what a writer does is the story itself (what’s inside of the wrapping).

However…

If you can’t entice a reader to come pick up that package and shake it a bit, then they won’t open (buy) it. So your book’s cover is vital. It is the pretty paper that attracts a first glance. And the shiny bow? Well that’s your blurb – the paragraph that teases your reader to give your book a chance. A couple of sentences that hints to plot, sets mood, and gives a glimpse of character. And yes, it is very hard sometimes to get that darn blurb right.

As I head toward 2016, I have to think about the covers and the blurbs for my new group of characters and the stories they want told. There will be new adventures wrapped in pretty paper and bows. I’m looking forward to my new series and I hope you’ll be willing to pick up the ‘present’ and give it a shake!

The Christmas Tree Standoff Continues

A couple weeks ago, I blogged about my Christmas trees and my cats deciding that it was their own personal kitty toy. Well my friends, the battle still wages on. I have attached the picture of my tree after my kitties got done with it. Yes as you can see, the bottom half is EMPTY. They pulled off the ornaments and I found them strategically placed throughout the house!

However I refuse to cave. My holiday party was last week and I redecorated the tree prior to the party. See the pretty picture below along with my mantle decorated for my party. And while I was redecorating it, I bent the tip of each branch up and around the stings holding the ornaments so that the cats could not pull them off easily. Ha! I will continue to fight. And we have now reached somewhat of a compromise. The very bottom row of the tree is bare now, but at least I have ‘made ground back’ over the past week.

And while others may have given up, I still forge ahead. I am used to having to rework my stories, so ornament hanging is not that much of an ordeal for me. I’m a writer which equates to STUBBORN in this world or maybe TENACIOUS is a better word. A writer has to be that way. We write and edit and edit and edit and still face rejection. But through it all we have a burning desire to tell our stories and allow our characters’ voices to be heard. In my worlds, the characters are quite LOUD in their opinions. Not sure where they get that from… And readers find me and tell me they like my stories and I am happy :)

So I continue, writing words that turn into sentences, paragraphs, scenes, chapters, and novels. And I also keep rehanging the ornaments on the tree. A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do. That’s the definition of TENACIOUS, right?