Mishka Jenkins's Blog, page 16
June 17, 2014
Romance Weekly #lovechatwrite
Another hop today, Romance Weekly! :)
1. When writing your novel, do you know how it’s going to end before you write, or do you write from start to finish?
I always know how it’s going to end, in fact, the ending is usually the part I come up with first :D
It’s the beginning I always struggle with, never quite sure how they are going to be until I write them.
2. How do the people you know impact your writing? Are you influenced by friends and family for your characters?
Actually, I don’t think any of my characters have ever been influenced by anyone I know! I’m not sure how I’d go about doing that, without it becoming overly obvious who it was I’d based them on.
3. Describe the hero in your current WIP in three words.
The romantic hero? Hm? Calm, honest and sexy!
Another great set of questions this week, go check out what the lovely Katie O’Connor has to say!
Also, don’t forget to enter the Romance Weekly Giveaway if you haven’t already. Some great things to be won, including a grand prize of a Kindle Fire! :)
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Progress Report:
Word Count: 3361 (36,158 total word count)
Status of Fourth Manuscript: Writing first draft.
Books read: 1/4
June eBook Review: Review written and ready.
June 16, 2014
Character Blog Hop
I’ve been asked by the lovely Renee Meland to participate in a blog hop!
Renee is a great blogger and writer. She has currently has her book, The Extraction List, out for sale. I highly recommend checking it out, it was a brilliant read and something really different in the young adult books.
So, to the questions!
1) What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or a historic person?
The character’s name is Kai and he is a fictional character set in the world I am creating for my next book.
2) When and where is the story set?
The story is set in a fictional fantasy land where magic is not only a way of life, but is a vital source to those who live in the world. Without their constant connection to magic, well, no one would last very long.
3) What should we know about him/her?
Kai is one of three people who are needed to fulfil an old prophecy, and due to his importance he has had a very, very sheltered upbringing. So, when he’s thrown out into the world to complete his task, it’s overwhelming but exciting to him.
4) What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?
Evil is growing, threatening the world as prophesised by the Ancients long ago. Kai, along with his, ‘band of heroes’ as he affectionately calls them, are the only ones who have the power to defeat the evil. Yet, it’s not just the bad guys who are causing problems, but the sometimes explosive relationships between the others in the band of heroes.
5) What is the personal goal of the character?
To complete the task he’s been trained for since birth; fulfilling the wishes of the council and the Ancients has been his life (all fourteen long years of it!). But being put into the care of his fellow travelling companions, he comes to realise that maybe the prophecy shouldn’t be his whole life when there is so much more to experience.
6) Is there a working title for this novel, and can we read more about it?
There is no current working title, unfortunately. I should probably rectify that!
7) When can we expect the book to be published?
End of July, if everything goes smoothly (but how often does that happen? :D).
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So there you go, a rare snippet into my current WIP! Hope you enjoyed it :)
And now I have to link to 5 other people for the blog hop… That’s where I have a confession to make.
I haven’t got anyone! (How embarrassing).
I have been so unbelievably swamped lately, I have barely had time to keep up with everything, so I am really sorry I haven’t got anyone to tag. I know that is the point of a hop, but I completely forgot until I realised today was the date for the hop!
So, if anyone wants to continue this hop (and spare me from embarrassment), please do so. I really encourage it! It was a great set of questions.
If you do answer the hop questions, then please leave a link in the comments, I would love to read what other people have to say :)
Hopefully at some point things will calm down again!
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Progress Report:
Word count: 1879 (32797 total word count).
Status of fourth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Books read: 1/4
June eBook review: 100% read. Writing review.
June 13, 2014
Marketing… urgh…
I don’t like marketing.
It’s a statement I have heard many other authors say as well. It’s that awkward feeling of having to put yourself out there to try and convince people to buy your books, even when there are so many others out there that might interest them more.
Also, I don’t like shoving myself in people’s faces shouting, ‘Buy my books they’re awesome!’ :D And no matter how inventively I try to do my marketing, it always feels like that’s what I’m doing.
But, if I want to make a living out of my writing, then marketing is something I need to do, or how else will people know I’m here and what I’ve written?
So, to try and make marketing my books a little more interesting, I took a look around places to see how fans celebrated their favourite reads.
On Tumblr, it tended to be image sets, quotes done in a fancy way and photos (lots and lots of photos).
On Pinterest, quotes done in fancy fonts seemed to be the most popular form.
On Twitter, there wasn’t actually much I could find. It was mostly authors advertising their own stuff, nobody seemed to be talking much about stuff they’d read and enjoyed themselves :D
On Facebook, quotes and photos were again what seemed to be the most popular.
So, taking this on board, I figured maybe I should try to emulate what people do for their favourite books, for my own books? A different kind of way of marketing that audiences might be more receptive to, instead of just posting a link?
Whatever way I decide to do it, I definitely need to do it more. I need to get over that awkwardness and really start trying to let people know I’m here :D Not only to gain readers and income, but because I want people to enjoy what I’ve written!
How do you market your books? Have you got any ideas on how to market a little more inventively? How do you share with others about books you’ve loved reading?
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Progress Report:
Word Count: 5575 (30,918 total word count)
Status of fourth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Books read: 1/4
June eBook review: 100% read. Writing review.
June 12, 2014
The visit
A really stunning piece, with description that is vivid enough it makes me want to be there! :)
Originally posted on Jade's Jungle:
I have missed a few of the prompts for the Writing 101 Challenge but I am trying to catch up again. Here is my attempt at prompt number eight which asked us to write a descriptive piece about a recent visit to a cafe, tea room or similar outdoor place. The twist – not to use any adverbs. I have tried my best…
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It hit me the second I stepped out of the car, the rich earthy smell. We call it here the ‘country’ smell. I breathed it in, allowing the sweet freshness to reach deep into my lungs as the heat of the sun warmed my skin. I looked around. I could hear the happy call of children playing, their laughter floating to me on the gentle breeze and so I began to walk towards the sound, towards where my friend was waiting.
Image courtesy of dan via freedigitalphotos.net
The…
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June 11, 2014
Getting my mojo back!
Do you ever get into a frenzy whilst writing because the scene you are doing is so good you just can’t stop?
And then when you come to the end of the scene you sit back and just get this major rush and a buzz that makes you want to scream, ‘THAT WAS AMAZING!’ and make you feel like this:
Anybody? :D
Yesterday I was sat writing a scene that was, well, just a scene, it had to be done but it wasn’t one of those ‘candy bar’ scenes (the ones you really look forward to writing). But then, it just seemed to be flowing and turning into something so awesome my fingers were flying over the keyboard so fast you could have seen smoke!
Maybe it would be more accurate to say the characters were flowing. I did a lot of research and character development before going into this book, so I had a good idea of how these characters were gonna be. But the more I’m writing the deeper they get, the more real they are becoming, and they are just turning even the most normal scene into something incredible!
As you can tell, I’m really pumped about getting into write again. It’s amazing to realise how much I missed it over those two months I only did editing and formatting, etc.
Everyday after writing, I am in such a tizzy because I just love doing it so much, but yesterday was a particularly awesome writing day! And it’s times like this I need to remember why I am striving so hard for this dream.
Do you ever get that buzz after writing something you’ve really enjoyed? Have you ever found a normal scene turning into something unexpectedly amazing?
Also, Stolen Bloodline got another 5* review!! Just adding to my excitement so much I could burst! :D
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Progress Report:
Word count: 2840 (22,899 total word count).
Status of fourth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Books read: 1/4
June EBook Review: 100 % read. Writing review.
June 10, 2014
Romance Weekly #lovechatwrite
Another set of fun questions for this week. If you’ve joined me from the lovely LaNora Mangano then welcome!
1. What’s your ideal: alpha or beta and why?
Hm, I do tend to write alpha males. Obviously it’s something appeals :D
My ideal alpha male would have to be coolly confident (not shouting about his awesomeness all the time), smart but not cocky, and have a little bit of broodiness- I can’t help myself! :D
In fact, Bane from Stolen Bloodlines is probably my ideal alpha male. The kind of guy who’s brooding, mysterious but confident in himself that he won’t back down and shy away from a woman who knows her own mind.
Excuse me whilst I go swoon now…
2. Do you have a male buddy or mate you use for confirmation or inspiration when crafting your heroes?
My best friend is male, and he is also one of my readers/editors :D So, I hope he’d pull anything out that would sound too feminine when I write blokes.
Though in all fairness, I prefer my men to at least think of their feelings if I write from their POV, which I know men don’t generally, but that’s just how I like to write them.
3. What does any hero have to do to win your heart?
Oh, I absolutely love melodramatic romantic moments! I can’t help myself, they make me go all giddy every time I read or write them (kisses in the rain, turning up at the airport at the last minute… paying a lot money to have your sister made reputable again- Darcy, I‘m looking at you!). It’s something about having a guy show his vulnerability in a way that there is no doubt how he feels :D
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What a great set of question for this week!
Check out what Leslie Hachtel has to say about her preference in heroes!
If you are enjoying the Romance Weekly questions, why not check out the new facebook page and twitter?
We’re also holding a giveaway in July!- https://www.facebook.com/events/773431862675366/
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Progress Report:
Word count: 3372 (20,059 total word count)
Status of fourth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Books read: 1/4
June EBook review: Book read. Writing review.
June 9, 2014
They say silk, some say dust…
Over the weekend, I realised something about the way I write.
I like description in books, sentences where the setting is detailed with beautiful words and compared to beautiful things. Such as, ‘The grey clouds in the sky above appeared like folded silk’. It’s pretty and I like it, a great way to get across what needs to be said in an elegant way.
And although I can write description like that (as detailed above), sometimes I forget :D
I realised it’s because I write from deep within my character’s view point. I would instead say how my character perceived a scene, and if he didn’t know what folded silk looked like, I wouldn’t write it. The reader might know what silk was, but what if my character had never seen it?
Therefore I end up writing descriptions of settings in a way that my character would recognise it. So, say that my character had lived all his life on the streets, that grey sky would now be likened to, ‘Plumes of dust that bellowed up from the gutters’.
Am I making sense? :D
I don’t think there is a wrong or right way to write description, it’s just an observation I made about my writing, and it got me thinking if I should write so deep within the perspective of a character. I am writing for the reader, after all, and most readers know what folded silk would look like, so does it really matter that my character wouldn’t? Or would it help a reader understand a character further if they described their surroundings in such a way?
But I do think this method might work well for different character perspectives. If you are using multiple character POVs, then the different way the characters survey a scene and describe would help the reader connect and understand each character individually- one might notice the green of the trees in a forest, another might only see the dark shadows that lingered within.
Or, maybe I am just over-thinking this as I usually do!
Description is something I think on a lot; I know I have to include it, but the way I write it into my book needs to suit the story and character. For example, in Heart of the Arena, I didn’t describe much after the initial setting, because it was supposed to feel monotonous. But when Sabina is put into a room that she hasn’t seen before and I added a vivid description, it stands out more to the reader, as it would Sabina herself.
Do you use description as a writing tool? How do you go about writing it? Do you have any tips for writing description?
Also, I did an interview over at Furious Unravelings (it was such great fun :D), check it out if you have the time- http://furiousunravelings.wordpress.com/2014/06/07/miladys-book-club-welcomes-mishka-jenkins/
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Progress Report:
Word Count: 17,687 (+2670- since Friday)
Status of Fourth Manuscript: Writing first draft.
Books read: 1/4
June eBook review: Book chosen. Reading.
June 6, 2014
I hope my face doesn’t stay that way!
My dog, Harli, giving an example of the expression, ‘Look how cute I am!’.
Taken by my mum, Twisted Pixel on Flickr.
The other day I turned to my mum and sister whilst writing and asked, ‘What is this face?’, and then contorted my features into some weird kind of wrinkled expression.
They gave me one those looks that said, oh dear, she’s finally cracked, and answered along the lines of, ‘I don’t think that’s a real expression’.
I realised then, that I really love what I do :D
The saying (that has been drummed into anyone wanting to pursue writing in any form) goes, ‘Show don’t tell’. And so, in order to achieve this, I try and act out whatever it is my character is doing, or try to feel what they are saying or the emotion they are experiencing, to get a better sense of exactly what that would look and feel like to the senses.
A lot of the time, I look down right bizarre! But at least I can see and sense exactly what it is I am trying to write, and in general my writing goes up a few notches because I can see all the detail of that expression, gesture or action that I might not have though of and can note it down.
For example, if I had a character who was angry and shouting. I would shout out the line of dialogue, taking on the role of the character and see how I say the line, and what I do during it. This gives me a more realistic sense of what is happening to transfer to the page. It also gives each character an individual feel, as when I ‘act’ them out I can get into their headspace.
Sometimes, I will say a line of dialogue and come up with an awesome response that I wouldn’t have come up with if I hadn’t said it out loud. Though anybody passing would speed up to get by me having a conversation with myself, but I think that comes with the territory of being a writer!
For me, this method really works! :D
I love creating characters that are unique and leave an impression on the reader. And it’s really interesting to find out how other writers tap into characters and how they create the emotion and dialogue that goes onto the page.
Do you act out emotions or say dialogue when writing? How do you get into the headspace of a character? Any techniques you use that might work for others?
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Progress Report:
Word Count: 15,017 (+12,478 since Tuesday)
Status of Fourth Manuscript: Writing first draft.
Books read: 1/4
June eBook review: Book chosen. Reading.
June 5, 2014
A question for the authors out there.
A really good point, and something I tried out and now have to fix :D
Originally posted on When pen hits paper.:
Here’s a question for all you authors out there – Have you ever tried to find your book on Amazon without using its title or your name? Ie have you just searched for it using the category you placed it in and the Tags you used.
It’s a very interesting exercise to undertake, because if you cannot find your book easily, how can the readers?
I’ve just done it and had great difficulty finding even one of my books and I have Twelve on Amazon! So have tweaked my Tags and slightly adjusted my categories, now it’s a waiting game to see if my sales increase or not.
Alan
June 4, 2014
May E-Book Review: Infertility, Infidelity and Insanity by Arran Bhansal
Sorry it’s late, but here it is! :D
Infertility, Infidelity and Insanity by Arran Bhansal
Goodreads Synopsis:
“Good and bad things happen to everyone. It may not seem fair, but it’s what happens.”
Arran is 34 years of age, living in Henley-on-Thames, married, second generation Indian, father of one, washed out, and depressed. He agonizes over the choices he has made and the impact they’ve had on his life. Hating what he has become, he arranges to meet Judith; a counsellor he hopes will help him make sense of the confusion in his mind.
In his sessions with her, he describes how he met and married Becky against the wishes of his family, the disastrous marriage that followed and the IVF cycles they had to endure. He reveals how he met Lauren, and began a passionate affair.
Desire and obsession soon take over, and Arran enters a world occupied by one thought – to be with Lauren at all costs. His insanity takes its toll and threatens to destroy his life and those closest to him. Can he outrun disaster? Or was it always going to catch up with him in the end?
Review:
**I was given this book in exchange for an honest review**
Arran is a great blogger and his book was already on my to-read list when I was asked to review it, so I felt very lucky to be given the chance!
Right from the start I was drawn into this book. It was as though I was sitting there with him and he was telling me this story personally. That was a real strength of this book, it felt raw, real and personal. You were drawn in and the style of the writing meant you felt as though you were listening to someone tell you their story, rather than reading it.
The descriptions were vivid, you got an instant sense of characters and settings and that helped draw you into the story further the more you read.
It was really captivating writing.
There were a few grammatical issues, but those were easily overlooked as you were drawn into the story so much you weren’t jarred out of it by those errors.
It was definitely a journey, and by the end you were left feeling drained, but in a good way! All the emotions the book took you on meant that it was a really great read that will certainly make you feel a rollercoaster of emotions.
Another thing I liked was the dialogue. It felt very realistic, like normal people chatting and not characters.
The time jumps back and forth were easy to navigate and easy to follow, which is good as there were a few of them. It was nice to be able to visualise in my mind those different times and the characters going through all the events.
And, blimey, what an ending it had! :D
If you pick up this book, which I would recommend, be sure to be ready to be taken on a ride of emotions!
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