Kathy Cyr's Blog: Kathy Cyr- Author, page 106

Updated Cover & Book Blurb/Description

Updated the print and ebook cover for book 1, Max Hamby and the Blood Diamond, as well as, the book blurb/description. I loved the original, but I think the new one gives readers a better idea of what the story is about.

Traveling Tuesday

Good morning,it's Traveling Tuesday!

Today we're going to Lower Brockhampton and Launsdorf, Austria.

In case you need to do a bit of research on the area, a little info & reviews on Lower Brockhampton.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brockhampton_Estate
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g7160309-d502911-Reviews-Brockhampton_Estate-Bringsty_Herefordshire_England.html


It's mid-afternoon. Where is your character?
Looks like your character is getting ready to bake? What is it? Why?

The owner of this cozy photo is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/berkelaar/16752084401 Launsdorf. Austria

A few research links, just in case you need them:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g3347597-Launsdorf_Carinthia_Austrian_Alps-Vacations.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hochosterwitz_Castle
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g3347597-d1081392-Reviews-Hochosterwitz_Castle_Burg_Hochosterwitz-Launsdorf_Carinthia_Austrian_Alps.html
http://www.burg-hochosterwitz.com/en/


Your character has to get into Hocosterwitz Castle after dark. Why?
Perhaps there's something in the castle that he or she needs? Or your character might have to get inside, but must make his or her way down into that hilltop?
The owner of this beautiful photo is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gabriellabottka/6952974309/




#writer #author #book #selfpub #writingprompt

Monday Mentionables

Good Morning!

I hope your weekend was a good one. It's Monday Mentionables time: links worth mentioning.
There's 3 links that are super helpful and worth keeping an eye on.

Lindsey Buroker's blog.
I find her blog informative and straight forward.
http://www.lindsayburoker.com/category/tips-and-tricks/

James Scott Bell's blog - Kill Zone
This is a blog I refer to every so often. Very good stuff her and worth bookmarking.
http://killzoneblog.com/

Guido Henkel's tutorial on formatting your ebook.
For those you having trouble cleaning up your manuscript, this tut just might be the thing to help you through.
I had tried for months to get my manuscript under control and when I came across Guido, it was a relief.
http://guidohenkel.com/2010/12/take-pride-in-your-ebook-formatting/

That's it for today, my friends. If you have links worth mentioning, let me know and I'll add them to the Monday Mentionables list.

Was Sunday Singles

Good morning, my friends.

Today was going to be the first of our Sunday Singles - single title middle grade books.
For now, I'll be holding off as my to do list and book 2 needs attention.
I'll be revealing the brand new cover for book 1 soon.

I hope your weekend has been a great and today is filled with fun, productivity and laughter.
Don't forget, tomorrow is Monday Mentionables, links for writers and readers.

K. :)

#writers #readers #author #books #selfpub #middlegrade #fantasy #MG #bookseries

Saturday Series

Today is the first day of our Saturday Series.
This where I list off a a fantastic book series.

I'll list the author and book links for now, since I've never done a review before. In time, hopefully, the Saturday Series will get more in depth for you.

Here's the first book series I fell in love with, kept me on the edge of my seat and has me crossing my fingers that there will be more.

The Five Kingdoms Series by Toby Neighbors.
Wizard Rising is the first book in the series and it was also the very first self-pubbed book I bought.
I wasn't sure what to expect, but far away lands, wizards and magic ALWAYS pull me in.

There are seven books in the series, the main character is Zollin and seriously? Each book kept getting better and better. I, honestly, didn't want it to end. Will there be more? I hope so. This is one of the sets I cherish.

Toby Neighbors website: http://www.tobyneighbors.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TobyNeighborsAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TobyNeighbors

Start with book 1 and drop in on the adventures of Zollin.

In the Realm of the Five Kingdoms, magic is strictly controlled by a small group of powerful wizards who call themselves the Torr. Throughout the realm, magic lies dormant, sleeping, almost forgotten until Zollin discovers that he is a wizard. While he revels in his new powers and the realization that his life has purpose, malevolent wizards from the Torr, led by the scheming Branock, tirelessly seek him out. When at last they discover Zollin, a confrontation will ensue that will change the five kingdoms forever. Zollin is forced to flee his home and, with a small group of friends, find a way to survive until he can learn to use his powers to protect the people he cares about. Wizard Rising is a coming of age story that dives headfirst into a realm where magic is about to reawaken. So buckle up and hang on; the action comes fast and you won’t be able to put it down.

Friday Fun

Feeling a little punchy after a long week? I've got 10 weird ways to reduce stress.
Need a laugh? I've picked out some memes just for you. Perhaps a good joke or wash away the week's frustration and grime with a special soap for writers? Check it out.

We all face stressful situations from time to time, and it is important to accept the fact that stress can never be completely eliminated. However, there are several simple, and rather interesting, ways to prevent stress before it gets out of hand.

http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/1025541/10-weird-ways-to-reduce-stress

http://goodmenproject.com/health/the-good-life-7-strange-things-that-can-help-us-relieve-stress/


I discovered these funny memes a while ago and knew they were perfect for you. #Writer memes.
#Readers, I didn't forget about you. Now, let's get your week off to a good start with some jokes about #writing


A writer comes home to a burned down house. His sobbing and slightly-singed wife is standing outside.
"What happened, honey?" the man asks.
"Oh, John, it was terrible," she weeps. "I was cooking, the phone rang. It was your agent. Because I was on the phone, I didn't notice the stove was on fire. It went up in second. Everything is gone. I nearly didn't make it out of the house. Poor Fluffy is.."
"Wait, wait. Back up a minute,"The man says. "My agent called?"


How many writers does it take to change a light bulb?
Answer:  Ten.
1st draft.  Hero changes light bulb.
2nd draft.  Villain changes light bulb.
3rd draft.  Hero stops villain from changing light bulb.  Villain falls to death.
4th draft.  Lose the light bulb.
5th draft.  Light bulb back in.  Fluorescent instead of tungsten.
6th draft.  Villain breaks bulb, uses it to kill hero's mentor.
7th draft.  Fluorescent not working.  Back to tungsten.
8th draft.  Hero forces villain to eat light bulb.
9th draft.  Hero laments loss of light bulb.  Doesn't change it.
10th draft.  Hero changes light bulb.


And finally, wash away the week's worth of frustration with this interesting soap:

Soap for Writer's Block from the Whiskey River Soap Company

http://whiskeyriversoap.com/collections/soap/products/soap-for-writers-block

Lube the mind.

Or the body. Wait, what? Lather the body. Not lube. Freudian slip. So the wordsmith’s well has run dry? Try this specially-crafted Writer’s Block soap. If this soap doesn’t help you churn out regurgitated ideas and probably a vampire, I’ll eat my hat. It’s a fedora, by the way. Cool vampires wear fedoras now. Put that in your crack pipe and smoke it. Or in your book. Either way, you’re gonna need this soap ASAP. Your ideas are terrible.

Thursday Three

Good morning! It's Thursday Three!

3 Writing prompts for #writers. Sorry #readers, catch tomorrow's blog post, Friday Fun.
Alright #writers and #authors here are 3 prompts to get those writing juices flowing.

1. Your character meets someone on an online dating site. Your character writes an e-mail to the person, describing him/herself. Write the e-mail. This e-mail contains two lies. What are they? Why did the character tell them? Also: your character has a very mistaken idea of the impression he/she makes on other people. What impression does your character think he/she makes? What impression does he/she really make? Figure all this stuff out. If you want,fill out a character profile. The character arranges an in-person meeting with the person he/she has met online. What happens at the meeting? Write the story.
thanks to cwn for the prompt

2. The wind howled through the window. The girl sat huddling her knees waiting for the storm to be over.
thanks to cwh for the prompt

3. The detective kicked his shoe against the desk. He was tired of being one step behind the killer. Enough was enough.
thanks to cwh for the prompt

Wednesday Wisdom

Good morning, my friends.

Today is Wednesday Wisdom. We can all use a bit of wisdom from those that have come before us, the more knowledgeable and experienced. Sometimes we just need a pick me up to get us going in the right direction. I know I do. So today, I share with you some of my favorite quotes and sayings.

#Writers

“Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it’s the answer to everything. … It’s the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it’s a cactus.”
—Enid Bagnold

“When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.”
—George Orwel

“Making people believe the unbelievable is no trick; it’s work. … Belief and reader absorption come in the details: An overturned tricycle in the gutter of an abandoned neighborhood can stand for everything.”
—Stephen King


#Readers

Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.
-Vera Nazarian

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book.
 –Author Unknown

I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense.
 –Harold Kushner

Traveling Tuesday

Good Morning my friends! It's Traveling Tuesday!

#Writers, what would your characters do in such beautiful places?
#Readers, if you had a chance to explore, what would you do first?


Today we're off to the Isle of Skye and a village called Elgol
What would your character be doing in such a place? What is he or she looking for?
Or did your character grow up there? Is it really Elgol or some place far more mysterious?


This lovely photo belongs to Back East Photography - https://www.flickr.com/photos/backeastphoto/15146812148/ Next we're off to Hamburg, Germany.

What takes your character to Hamburg? A long, lost love? Perhaps family? Or maybe your character received an letter by an unknown?
This lovely photo belongs to - http://allthingseurope.tumblr.com/post/115571082637



Drop on by tomorrow for Wednesday Wisdom, quotes and sayings for #writers and #readers.

Monday Mentionables

Good morning!

It's time for Monday Mentionables. Links to websites & blogs worth mentioning for #writers & #readers.

The three links I've chosen for writers are three straight forward, intelligent and informative authors. You can subscribe to their blog to keep up to date, follow on Twitter or Facebook.

#Writers

Joe Konrath's blog - http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/
Chuck Wendig's blog - http://terribleminds.com/ramble/blog/
James Scott Bell's Kill Zone Blog - http://killzoneblog.com/

The three links I've chosen for readers are ones I think you'll enjoy. Great for book recommendations and easy on the eyes.

#Readers

BookRiot - http://bookriot.com/
BookLikes - http://booklikes.com/
LibraryThing - https://www.librarything.com


Have a great day! Look for tomorrow's blog post - Travelling Tuesday! :)