Series' overview

[Nik]

In line with my humble promotional attempts and inspired by Marie's neat presentation of her series, I thought I needed an overview of mine to present as a whole. After that I promise I won't bombard you with anything for a long time -:) :

"Oligarch series
Mikhail (Misha) is just a little boy, when his father is prosecuted and sent away to Siberia. From a luxurious living Misha's reduced to survival and poverty, but he vows it's not for long.
Mikhail climbs the ladder, caring less about the means, his eyes on the target - to become rich. Very rich. The richest. Achievable? Unlikely, allowing for the opposition he confronts when reaching each next level of affluence. But money already becomes his life..
Is the Big Bang of the USSR a hurdle? No, it's an advantage for shady businessmen like him, who never follows the rules and who soon gets into the position to impose his own.
His wealth grows, but the higher he goes, the more resistance he encounters and the farther the extent his enemies are willing to go against him.
Blood? It comes in pretty soon.
Corruption? Plenty. And lots of debauchery to overcome the stress of every day struggle.
Here is his story: snappy, gritty, uncomfortable, compelling."

Does it pique any interest? Improvement suggestions?

[Philip]

Is that the blurb for the whole series or just the first book? Not clear to me.

For my own series (3 part thriller and so far two part sci-fi) I just had a one sentence intro then the individual book blurbs.

[Nik]

For the whole series, so in this case I won't provide individual blurbs for each installment

[Annie]

@Mr Nik: Please keep in mind I am but a humble writer of romance, so I'm probably the worst person to pipe up here. But I personally dig something a bit more punchy. Like this?


Born into a life of luxury, Mikhail knows nothing but wealth.

Then everything changes. H his father is prosecuted and everything changes. Wealth becomes poverty. Luxury becomes survival. But Mikhail vows it's not for long.

He climbs the ladder by any means necessary. To become rich. Very rich. The richest...


Etc. hahaha!!

Hugs,
Ann

EDIT: Had to rewrite my own crappy wording LOL

[Nik]

Sounds much punchier, indeed. Thanks a lot for an excellent input from a humble writer of romance!

[Tara Woods Turner]

Perhaps give the reader a dilemma so they are invested in the stakes?

When Mikhail's father is sentenced to a lengthy prison term in brutal Siberia it puts an end to his life of ease and privilege. But undeterred by family tragedy Mikhail vows to fight his way back to the top by any means necessary. But power, wealth and status aren't the only things Mikhail has accumulated - he has made just as many deadly enemies as he has millions along the way.

Will Mikhail risk everything to distance himself from his father's fate or will he become the very thing he hates in order to avoid it?

[Nik]

Awesome take, Tara, thanks! I might just use it as it is, reinforced by a few of Ann's punches.
I knew I just needed to throw a theme and you'd know how turn it into a masterpiece -:)

[Tara Woods Turner]

Nik
You are too kind. I just write parenting guides. But I admire you and Annie's sharp instinct for fiction so much. Alex will blow you away, too.

[Nik]

I'm sure you can easily branch out into fiction.
Can't wait to be further blown away -:)

[Marie Silk]

All of these sound awesome :)

[Nik]

I'll just need to do the DJ's remix then-:)

[Quantum]

Nik wrote: "Awesome take, Tara, thanks! I might just use it as it is, reinforced by a few of Ann's punches.
I knew I just needed to throw a theme and you'd know how turn it into a masterpiece -:)"

that is a cogent analysis. Ann's strikes for the solar plexus and Tara's builds character.

perhaps M.L. will chime in.

(an aside: i'm not going to do blurb feedback anymore b/c to do a good job it requires that you know at least the synopsis of the work.)

Tara wrote: "Nik
You are too kind. I just write parenting guides. But I admire you and Annie's sharp instinct for fiction so much. Alex will blow you away, too."

yes, Tara. i'm waiting for your fiction debut.

i still have so much to learn. after writing short stories for only a few months, i realize that my first attempt at a novel needs a whole lot of TLC.

[Tara Woods Turner]

All fiction needs crafting and editing, sure, but the ability to pull plot and character out of thin air, to imagine that things will happen in just such a way and for just such a reason, to breathe literary life into the cold marble of the imagination - that fascinates me and people who can do that have my unending admiration. I'm anxious to do that! Right now I'm hard at work on my non-fiction but I am also scribbling down little bits and pieces of projects and reading books on the process of writing fiction. It's all so very thrilling, isn't it?!

[Nik]

I think you are ripe for a fictional feat, Tara, and good luck with a non-fiction project!

[Quantum]

Tara wrote: "I am also scribbling down little bits and pieces of projects and reading books on the process of writing fiction"

ganbatte!

for a while i used to get ideas from lyrics. The Smothered Earth was actually inspired by a song, 2Wicky by Hooverphonic, but none of the elements in the song ever made it into the story itself.

i've recently gotten inspiration from friends and science and technology. also from my personal life--as i think most writers do.

(oops, i hijacked Nik's thread. i will stop now.)

[Nik]

Alex G wrote: "(oops, i hijacked Nik's thread. i will stop now.)
..."

I've gotten tons of good advice here, so feel free to take over -:)

[Tara Woods Turner]

Thanks, guys lol. Not that I've ever hijacked a thread or two. Or ten. *looks around for Annie Partner in Crime Arcane*

Alex
Me too! I could write a library around James Taylor's discography!

[Quantum]

Tara wrote: "Thanks, guys lol. Not that I've ever hijacked a thread or two. Or ten. *looks around for Annie Partner in Crime Arcane*

Alex
Me too! I could write a library around James Taylor's discography!"

(^_^)

[J.J.]

Alex G wrote: "Tara wrote: "I am also scribbling down little bits and pieces of projects and reading books on the process of writing fiction"

ganbatte!

for a while i used to get ideas from lyrics. The Smothered..."

Had Missing in Action 2 on the TV for some noise a few weeks ago and instantly wanted to rip off the POW trope for a future story.

[Tara Woods Turner]

J.J.
Ah, the muses!

[Annie]

Tara wrote: "Thanks, guys lol. Not that I've ever hijacked a thread or two. Or ten. *looks around for Annie Partner in Crime Arcane*"

ᕙ(͡°‿ ͡°)ᕗ

You beckoned...?

[Tara Woods Turner]

*grabs ski mask*