I Am Write.

HAPPY 2012!!!

2012-01-02T23:20:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I hope this year everything you ALL set out to do is accomplished and followed with success!

A different year means new books, new writers, new projects! I cannot wait to see what you all have in store and discover some great reads to add to my infinite list of amazing stories!

2012 is YOUR year! Make it happen!

$25 Amazon Gift Card Chance!!!

2011-12-17T09:53:00.000-08:00

Do you love Fairy Tales?

If yes, this is the magazine and contest for you!

Enchanted Conversation is happy to announce that they are NOT shutting down with the coming new year! YAY! Personally, I love their folk-like artwork, but their articles are just as enjoyable. They have changed their guidelines for fiction submissions so please check them out by clicking HERE.

If you would like to try and win the Amazon gift card valued at $25 from them, you must click HERE and follow instructions carefully. It's an easy chance win and with Christmas creeping up on us, why not? Plus, it's helping a wonderful magazine at the same time! Karma will be smiling at you for tricking her! There's only a few days left so get clicking and posting!

Good luck to everyone who participates!

Speech 101

2011-12-06T18:27:00.000-08:00

I am almost done with my first semester back at college. YAY! After Wednesday I have about a month to myself before going back. I am pretty excited about no homework and to start reading a lot of my friends WIPS. I did have a really great experience with one particular moment during this semester though.

For my Speech class, our teacher offered extra credit to those who would do a dramatic reading. My first thought--Me? Dramatic? No way!

BUT...

I thought it's extra credit, so why not? He gave us the usual choices, Shakesphere and such, but he also let it be free as long as we cleared the idea with him. Smart little me wanted to read something I wrote myself. I really didn't think it would be hard. I wrote this really dramatized passage about feeling doubt and then yesterday presented it, with a twirling stomach.

For the first time, I actually saw everyone, and I mean everyone, looking at me, listening to every word. Not even the people hiding in the back, texting on their phones as usual, ignored me. It was simply awesome! Truly, I think I nailed it and it was even better knowing that is was my own writing piece.

I am one happy writer!

Wow...Months MIA Has Done Me Something Good!

2011-06-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I decided for Lent I would give up writing. It was hard, so hard, to not write anything, but it really gave me time to focus and think about my own writing projects. That means my short stories, my WIPS, the manuscripts slammed with edits, and those ideas you have to hurry up and jot down because you will forget them within two minutes. And I do, and will, forget something great given two minutes without pen or paper.

Giving myself nothing was seriously harder than I imagined. I would have those violia moments, the times everything you write makes perfect sense, but would not type them out. Instead, I examined them. I thought about those characters/stories/plots for hours, heck, even some days on end. And when I wasn't thinking about things to write about, I checked out how to improve my craft.

I was researching how to write a better story with an engaging plot, show someone the world I created from my POV by using just the right words, figuring out how to make the reader cry for joy when the characters realize they're no longer just friends, amongst other points. All of us have our weak points, some can make believable characters, but just can't nail a solid plot line. It happens. It's hard. Writing is easy, writing the best damn book you can is the hard part.

That's where I find myself today.

I believe I have a solid outline to base a story on. It's taken me months to get this far, especially with the finer details. I'm going about this WIP completely differently and slowly, which kind of bothers me, but I hope taking my time will prove to be worthwhile. It's kind of like coming back to a refresher course in school. You know what you're supposed to do and learn, but you've discovered a new way to go about it.

From here on out, I'm going to try to do a monthly post and I'd like them to vary, so bear with me! On the brighter side, I am really excited to see what you all have been doing and am hoping I will find some people landing an agent or a publishing contract!

I Heart Boys.

2011-01-02T17:55:00.000-08:00

Not Boys in general, I already have a husband, I'm talking about YA Male POV Boys. Lately, I been dipping my feet in the unknown and it's crazy. It's scary. You question everything you type. Does a guy really look at this, how does he describe a girl, what pulls him into wanting more, it goes on and on. The one thing I love about being a guy is you can make them funny with abrupt comments and confidence. They're pretty fun to write, mind you, I'm so far from mastering any of it!

Anyways, so since I'm on this male kick I needed research. Candor by Pam Bachorz is simply amazing. I love the MC and the girl he's after. The whole plot is awesome, deals with subliminal messages and mind control. When I read about a blurb after a suggestion, I thought this does sound good, why not? I am so happy I did. I cannot wait to start reading the rest of my "Boy List."

What kind of kicks have you all be on lately?

Simplicity.

2010-12-20T22:51:00.000-08:00

I figured I better do a post before everyone starts slamming down Christmas Wishes and New Year's Resolution lists on their blogs. Let's face it, most bloggers are MIA during this time of year, same with agents. It's nice to just kick back and chill, which is exactly what kind of moment I had today.

At work, I went outside with one of the kid's. Both of us were completely bundled in snow suits, scarves, boots, everything I could find we had on. It was so fun, messing around in the snow and throwing it so it 'rained' over top of us. All the sudden, I had the urge to make a snow angel so I fell backwards, not caring if it would hurt or not.

Then I stayed there, without moving.

Looking up at the restless blue sky, wondering when was the last time I made one of these, I breathed. The clouds were ever so thin and bare. Moving my head to the left, I was blinded. The sun glistening on the snow to make a thousand diamonds was beautiful. It was completely relaxing and so real. Nothing else mattered, not even the fact I'm still dragging out my edits. There were no sounds, a car passing by could not break my focus on this sense of peace and simplicity.

Finally, I pulled out of it. It left a lasting impression and made me wonder why I don't have moments like that anymore? Is it because I'm so wrapped up in every day life that it's hard for me to just stop and hit pause? I don't know. The only thing I know is I want more of them.

One more thing, have a Wonderous Christmas and a Happy (but safe) New Year!

The PERFECT Board Game!

2010-12-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

Board Games are considered old fashion, but they're totally classic and tons of fun. Lately, a lot of these are going down in price because everyone is wanting technology gadgets for presents. Honestly, there are some super sweet things going around like the new Kindle and the hundred of amazing DSi XL games (like Just Sing, oh yeah, I am so getting that with the microphone for Christmas).

The point is, I went over to a friends house the other night and played Scattergories. It was funny, funny, funny. Maybe because we had a few drinks, I don't know. After we played that though, key words stuck with me. Words I wanted to put in my novel, like darkness and lounging, little things like that. It's a great idea to pick out words from your ordinary vocabulary to make your writing have those defining moments and I thought this is an awesome idea to get the ball rolling. Or Brain Age, the word scramble or spelling challenges, those list off some random words.

What are some things you like to do to expand your writing vocabulary?

CHEERS!

2010-11-26T20:06:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I went up North, a place I normally retreat to get away, to my Aunt's for her birthday and was delighted to sample a lot of wine! I never knew wine tasting could be brought into your home, but hey everything has a price, right?

Bottom line, that weekend was perfect. I had no phone, no emails, no writing, just good company, wine, and yummy food! It was so nice to come back and check over a Beta's feedback for my current WIP, which was amazing by the way. You get that fresh appeal and drive to do more, to make it better, and so then I did the next step--I printed out my manuscript to make it easier to edit.

I began reading and marking, marking, marking, and more marking. More. Marking.

My problem, severe problem, is awkward wording. Query-Tracker mentioned a great tip on overusing words rather than just one forceful verb--I need to take that to heart. Also, I just place words out of sequence. How was I acing all my papers and assignments in HS and College?! Usually, people fret about their weakness, and trust me I did, but now it's better. I know my weakness, I know where and what I have to work on--that gives me an advantage. One more thing I can fix so an agent cannot turn me down.

Cheers to that!

What about all of you? Is there any place you go to get away from everything? What about your weakness, it doesn't have to be related with writing. Another one of mine is laundry, how I hate folding it! Wishing you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with those you love most!

A-HA!

2010-11-13T15:57:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty pumped right now cause I finally finished my WIP, a YA Urban Fantasy, tonight and am happy to be going forward with editing and also sending it out to some fabulous Beta Readers. Plus, I am pretty happy with the query I have, considering I really buckled down for that this time around because I love this story, and I want to give it my all.

Oh, and Query Tracker had a great article on revising a week or two ago, so I am excited I can go through that for some help. Love that place!

Also, I seriously want to win this contest! Go check it out--HERE!

Have a wonderous night of writing everyone!

I Have To Get The Dark & Twisty Out--It IS Halloween!

2010-10-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help myself.

Knowing that I had to let him go was killing me, and yet, I could never tell myself to let it be.

No.

Maybe it was the way the sun glistened upon his golden hair, but I knew better, it was from all the tears his eyes showed of despair.

Please.

To let him be and watch him die, I was running out of time and out of new lies.

I had to do it.

I didn't want to use his toys as bait, but it was the only way I could seal our fate.

Listen to me.

It was dreadful to hear him cry, however, if I wanted to see if it could work I first had to try.

It was the only way.

I needed to have memories, something to confide in, and I was ready to do anything to preserve that innocent grin.

I'm not crazy.

The main thing I wanted on that doll was his eyes of blue, sticking them in there was one of the hardest things I've ever had to go through.

I see him.

From here on out the lies would flow every time someone tried to call. A smile would be on my lips as I stared at my precious trophy leaning against my wall.

He belongs to me.

Among the others I could not leave. Who would ever guess a woman had such a skill to deceive?

Happy Halloween!

I Am One With The Universe!

2010-10-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

You ever have those days where you wake up from an amazing sleep and are just ready to do everything you always put aside? I seem to be having more of those days lately and I love it. I wake up after dreaming about some very crazy and wild subjects and will write some of it. Normally, I would even stop there but I been paying attention to my art lately and challenging myself with it--like make a pretty picture using only three colors versus my usual shades. It's been interesting and I like it!

There's still some things I need to work on, like getting back into shape because I'm noticing some changes, and with always blogging. However, I cannot ignore QueryTracker's emails. They are always filled with amazing tips and interviews, keep it all going cause I cannot get enough!

So here's my task for you! I want you to think of at least one thing you always put off, for whatever reasons, and just take an hour and attempt to complete it. If you can't complete it, no worries, you got it started and that is so important because it means you're that much closer to finishing it.

And then you can feel like one with the Universe like me! =D

Seriously?! Seriously?!

2010-08-02T08:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, let's just get one thing straight.

I suck at blogging now. Work consumes me and I have no internet! One of those things has to change because I don't like it anymore. I miss my conversations and news feed with writers because here where I live and the people I adore around me just--do not get it.

And without all this splendid writers news feed I find myself lacking the motivation/encouragement to write. I mean, yes, I've been writing, but compared on how I used to write manuscripts AND short stories on the side, the comparison is unreal. It's like, what's happening to me? This is a dream that was on my to do list, so what am I waiting for? To get older?

Argh. It's frustrating.

Then to top it all off, I have another story idea. It's another YA, but an Urban Fantasy. And I really, really, like what I got stored for these characters, but if I move to devour this one what about my YA Mystery? That Mystery one is all planned out, outlined to a T, and is organized as far as character/plot development (for the most part). I keep pushing the Mystery off, I don't know why. It's really great, but I don't know if I've wrote that part that drives to me to love it. But I only wrote one scene in the Urban Fantasy and know I'm goo-goo-ga-ga for that one and think about it all the time.

What the heck is wrong with me? Do any of you guys get like this?

Wow. I'm Not Distracted...?

2010-06-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

So most of you know my job consumes me, but I simply love it. I love the kids and the people I work with, it makes days go by so much easier than what they used to be and a lot of people can't say that when they work 48 hours a week, or more. Perks on the job is I get a lot of downtime after putting the kids to bed. That time has given me stuff to do with my own writing and also reading, which I am now starting the Max Ride series by James Patterson. It's awesome. Plus, I'm trying to get back into my drawing so I take that in some nights as well.

It's weird though, some of you know my husband and I recently moved into a house. It rocks! I get my own Art Room, something I've always wanted. I think it's important for me to have another outlet to create outside of writing cause sometimes you need that clean break into something different. I guess drawing is just a visual of telling a story though, but hey it's all good, right?

Anyways, the point is we don't have internet yet. I visit the library if I can and check all the fun stuff, but at home I'm able to write on the computer without being tempted to see who's on FB or check this and that on Twitter. Without the internet I am less distracted and I think it's working to my advantage. It's weird to think now I'm okay without having the internet, I must have been seriously addicted before!

I'm off to work in a bit though, so I hope all of you have a fantastic day! Next week on Thursday, for sure, I will be checking in on blogs since it's my only day off. Miss you guys!

Where Am I In The Game?

2010-06-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

The Game.

The drafts, the edits, the revising, the Beta Readers, the Critiques, the edits again with revising, etc. You take one step forward and three steps back, but then you get your double turn so the hope is usually restored. However, I find myself completely out of the game. At least, that was I thought until today.

I am totally sick of not being able to write. I miss it. I find myself thinking about it all the time. I could do this, I can do that, that part should be completely cut out, you catch my drift. I'm even starting to miss my rejection letters! So after having all of these ideas and thoughts for my work, ones that never go any further for a number of reasons, something else brought me to my conclusion of where I am playing wise.

I'm simply in my time out during this game.

A strategy needs time, taking a new approach to my writing habits and ideas is what I needed, and I am going to execute this greatness like it's nobody's business when I say, "Time In."

And guess what? It's Time In.

How about the rest of you? Are you playing the game?

Totally Missing...

2010-05-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

So maybe some of you noticed, maybe you didn't, but I have been missing in the blogosphere world--and not only there. QT, Twitter, FB, etc. let alone emailing. It's bad, I mean 34 days since my last twitter--ouch! But my reasons for being gone are quite legit, and though it's so simple it's hard for me to admit defeat.

I am working 40+ hours a week at my new job, plus going to school on my days off, so it's really not a day off in my eyes. Needless to say, I have not found a routine to keep my writing, blogging, tweeting, on schedule with my new job. It's sad, but true. Literally, I have no time. How do some of you do it--seriously?!Throughout last month I have edited maybe one chapter, wrote 2 pages in my current WIP, and started typing a SF short story since I wrote it on paper first. It sucks.

BUT...

It's all gonna pay off because today I am going to take my final for my CNA (and Ace the sucker) and then Thursday I start clinicals! I am stoked and so ready for this. Just gotta hold out for one more month of this craziness and then I can get back into a flow.

On a side note, I miss my bloggers. I cannot wait to see what's been going on with all of you!

Switching Genres--The Good, The Bad, and The Annoyance.

2010-03-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I would give a lecture, I mean a diddy, on switching genres. I find most writers I talk to have one or two loves of genres, the ones they read. And over half of them write in the same genre. Is that bad? No, in fact, I find it welcoming since I read books all the time and think the author should go one way, have a twist with that there, and they don't simply because that isn't their story. It gets your mind ticking into something bigger, not saying better, but bigger to how you might be planning a whole new manuscript based on something that didn't happen. In NO means am I talking about plagerism, as writers I'm hoping the above sentence makes sense, since ideas seem to spark while reading. So that's the good part.

Here's the bad part. If you always read and write in the same genres you'll never never know if your great in something else. Good writers can write anything they say. Well, I think so too. But writers who feel for their genre are brilliant. We all know the ones, those whose words make us believe every word they tell is true like JK Rowling, CS Lewis, Mary Shelley, amd Jane Austen. How can we be like them if we simply just write *good* ? We can't. We have to explore the other side of a whole new genre because even in the end you will learn new skills to story telling, plus maybe even find a new knack. One that will make you great.

The Annoyance. I know, a strong word for a passion. I won't lie, it's tough. I never wanted to read a women's fiction, but I did and guess what? I liked it. I never thought Romance could rock--but guess what? It can. It's also a pain when you don't know which genre is your genre. You'll have to mind your tones when writing in one WIP to another, you will need different Beta targets, and most likely try some agents to query you never thought you would. When you look at it that way, is it really different from the process you're doing right now?

I know I always rant about exploring genres, but I have read too many things lately where I see great potential and really wonder why they won't try another genre out. As always, happy writing! On a softer note, you're all Great already now let's just make the world see it!

My Mom has a DARK side!!!

2010-03-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, so my mom kept telling me she posted a new poem she wrote on her blog, Poise-Pics-Poems, and I finally got the time to check it out.

And...WOW!

My mom, much like me, has a dark side! Looks like I get the twisted portion of my horror writes from her after all. Her poem is about Death and would go hand in hand as an introduction from an idea I started writing long ago, but have really pushed aside due to my other WIPS just shouting for attention. It is purely awesome, I want her to submit this into a Poem Anthology call for Dark Fantasy/Horror, or something.

Bottom line, if you like dark and Grim Reaper's you MUST check this poem out.

Click HERE to read Death, by my Mother.

Books are AMAZING!

2010-03-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

Okay, so yeah, I am aware that it's now March and my last post was on the 9th of February--super sorry! That's probably the last time I had time to sit down and comment blogs--super sorry again! But the good news is I have two days off, giving me plenty of time to scroll them all over, so watch out for me!

On the happier side, when I'm not working I am reading, like it's nobody's business! We're talking the Uglies, Wake, The Liar's Diary, it goes on. It's insane, and what's more, it's mostly YA. No biggie, love the genre, but I think that's why I am (yet again) switching gears to my YA project into something super cooler than before and I blame a little bit on Scott, the author of the Uglies series. Simply because he is awesome and my husband actually sparked the idea for it, if he knew that he'd probably never talk again--haha!

However, I am not forgetting my fantasy--no way. I was thrilled when I got some great feedback compared to my older version from some Beta's. Love you guys! Editing is crazy, but I am determined to do Chapter 4 today and begin my YA Mystery. Only, of course, when I am finished catching up on the internet socializing. I am seriously scared to check Twitter!

So now I am off to check out what all YOU have been doing! If you're running late on postings feel free to just tell me what's up below! As always, have a wonderful day full of writing and edits...and do try not to rip out so much hair.

I HATE The Most Important Chapter--ONE!

2010-02-09T04:46:00.000-08:00

Ahh...it's intimidating. The first chapter can break or make your novel, heck even the first five pages can do that. I usually try to open up with something interesting, trying to hook in my awesome Beta's to leave them wanting more, but yet it's so hard. How does one pull someone into their story that is just beginning? There's simply too many ideas to answer this question.

So as I'm going through my first novel (which I've avoided to look at forever, in turn, does wonders cause the love for the story is there but your editing eyes are ready to rock) I'm checking out the beginning and realizing this is not where the story should take off, there's way too much detail for the reader to care, and it takes way too long for anything to happen.

Leaving me an obvious answer, since I am doing revisions, change it. Completely change it.

Alas, I did. And it was hard. I spent days wondering how I could begin this story in yet another direction. This is the third time I've rewritten this book's introduction when it finally hit me like a bolt of lightning from Zeus himself, thanks for that by the way.

I mean, and maybe I am completely new to this, if you change your first chapter it will transform to where your book is heading. While I should have realized this before, since I did an alternative beginning to my Paranormal Romance and this being my third intro round, it never really sunk in until yesterday as I read through all my changes in Chapter One.

On a happier note, now that Chapter One is fairly brief and allowing what needs to happen, indeed, happen--I'm pretty excited. No, I lied, I'm stoked about amping this novel because I already like what direction it's moving.

What about all of you? How many times have you written your WIP's Chapter One before you found the perfect way to start your book of awesomeness?

I Decided...

2010-01-22T05:41:00.000-08:00

I decided what my BIG projects are going to be this year! I know everyone does their resolutions early when the new year hits, but I like to think over...well pretty much everything, so sorry for the late goal!

I, Sara Donelle Tribble, am going to write a YA Paranormal that I've been thinking on for months, am going to return to my very first book and rework it to make it the completely awesome Adult Fantasy like it deserves to be, and a secret project which I'm not sure if I should share quite yet, but trust me it's going to rock.

On the side, I shall continue to wait to hear from a publisher on Jacks & Spades, continue querying my current thriller manuscript to agents, compete in actual short story contests, and would like to write at least two genre poems.

Those are my writing goals. If I can do all of this throughout the year it would be awesome. Mind you, I have to juggle blog reads, emails, tweets, soon to be work, school, reading, and maintain a social life. Thank goodness I have no kids yet, I'd never make it!

Feeling Good About...Everything!

2010-01-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

I know, your thinking is it really possible? The answer, well bottom line to that answer, is yes. You see I logged on twitter finally and I spotted all of these fellow writers with goals and simple hellos and it inspired me. How can we all be writers and yet remain so positive rejection after rejection? It's incredible! So the post today is meant to inspire and pull through with happiness, even throughout the bad.

I mean, I'm back living at home right now with no job. It's rough. I miss my own place and my husband's military pay, but that's beside the point. Some great things are happening because I am jobless, I'm going back to school so I can get a job. I wouldn't have bothered even looking into it if I was employed right now. Positive note, remember this cause I am pointing them out.

Days ago, I submitted an old story I edited/re-wrote so I could find it a nice SF home. I would have done this earlier if the holidays/visits/job hunting/etc. didn't consume every moment of my spare time. Plus, I really like the story. But even with all that craziness, I managed to meet a submission deadline, positive part on this is the magazine's reading period is a day away. I won't be waiting forever for a acceptance or rejection.

Another note, I wrote a new short story based on a dream, along with the whole fantasy appeal. The story holds a hidden meaning at the end, which really brought all this stuff into light for me. Positive part, the story is fantastic and showed me to appreciate the hidden things. Who knew my own writing would send me a message?

So those are my positives out of my nothings. I challenge you to look into your own and tell me or even blog it--what positives are hiding behind your bad nothings?

Awesome News!!!

2010-01-01T18:43:00.000-08:00

I am super excited. My husband is out of the Army for good, his family and us all made it back from Texas to Michigan safely while driving a six vehicle convoy on expressways before Christmas Eve, and the holiday visits have been crazy busy! It's weird to think I've only been home in Michigan for a little over a week. I been busier than ever with the holidays and it's almost madness, almost. But that's why I been rare to find on the computer, there's always tons going on with me. Not a bad thing, I suppose.

So besides the job hunting, drinking with family, compiling my list of books to read now that a library is close by, seeing my adorable neice and nephew, some great news came through.

Remember when our apartment was robbed, well someone pawned one of our PS3's last week, which made a hit on the police system from the pawn shop due to my clever keeping of boxes that has serial numbers on it. So this guy led our Detective to another guy, needless to say they found a few more of our stolen items and guess where? In our neighbors apartment house below us! How sad, but a wonderful break through. We are so lucky to have a working Detective because he is so on our side and is getting the job done unlike anything I expected, so for now we hope more stuff turns up when they use their warrants and we'll see what goes on from there.

2010...already kicking full gear and loving it! Mostly because they found my stolen and truly missed Gryffindor (yes, I named my 80 GB iPod after Harry Potter) and I can't wait to hear my music again. Also, I am planning to return to school now that I'm back home and finish my degree in medical. That's exciting for me because I love college and if we intend to stay in Michigan then I need to have it done.

What about all of you? What has 2010 done for you? Or better yet, what WILL it mean for you?

Honest Scrap Award!

2009-12-16T19:22:00.000-08:00

I am delighted that Nicole nominated me for this award, who by the way has a book Love Out of Order coming out in February 2010, I'm so proud of her, and now it is time to pass it along to ten other people as well as telling ten honest things about me.

1. I do not like dressing on my salads, I will eat it plain with salt and pepper. And yes, I will only eat a certain cheese in it.
2. I have always been fasinated by my dreams, even as a child. It's weird because I programmed myself at a young age to remember them when I woke up.
3. I'm addicted to lip stuff like lip blam, chapstick, lipstick, glosses, plumpers, it goes on and on. I can never have enough, not sure why, but it's just how I am.
4. I'm a *sign* person, by that I mean I find crazy meaning/symbols behind ordinary things.
5. I think in a past life I died on December 5th. Crazy, I know.
6. I never thought I would write a Thriller novel, but my current manuscript I'm shopping around is indeed just that and it blows me away.
7. I didn't know what a *great* Paranormal Romance was until I read the short story collection called Must Love Hellhounds. It's amazing, seriously.
8. I never knew how bad my grammer was until recently after my wonderous writing friends explained a few rules to me, like comma use and my famous awkward phrasing.
9. I'm very confident about who I am and what I stand for, in writing or real life.
10. The other day when I grabbed a piece of computer paper and ink pen to draw, because the craving to draw and creating urge was unbearable and I needed something, I teared up and almost cried. The reason being because those people who robbed us stole my sketch book and all my drawing supplies, including a painting, and left me with nothing. It was so sad.

And now for the Nominee's...drum roll please!

1. My Mom, who's new to the blogspot block and in dire need of followers, Poise-Poems-Pics
2. My Best Writing Bud Ever, Becky Sutton, Gibber Jabber & Sometimes Helpful Nonsense
3. My Gaming Soul Mate, Laura aka L.T., Dreams of Quill & Ink
4. My Favorite person to catch up on, Rebecca Knight, Writer in Progress
5. My Favorite blog title, Bethany Wiggens, Shooting Stars
6. My Favorite place to get questions answered, Jim Harrington, Six Questions For...
7. My Favorite blog to find reviews, Eli, The Tainted Poet's YA Book Review
8. My place to read all kinds of goodness, Eric, Working My Muse
9. My Awesome Bud who got an agent, Jamie Harrington, Totally the Bomb
10. My Favorite place to find information, Shelli, Market My Words

Don't ask me why I said a little tid bit on each of them, it just seemed right. I follow a lot of blogs, so this was super hard to choose only Ten! But we all blog awards get passed around like crazy, so keep your eyes open--you're probably next!

I Want To Know...

2009-12-13T21:28:00.000-08:00

This blog post is plain and simple. I want to know what you're all doing as the year is coming to an end.

Wrapping up a manuscript?
Busy with edits/queries?
Playing Farmville way too much lately?
Dreading all the cards and presents you have to send out in the mail?
Getting all your Christmas Shopping finished?
Catching up on some reading?
Working on a special project?
Waiting for some important event to happen?
Debating on what your next move for work will be?

I want to know about it because I adore everyone of you and am curious because some blogs I read are strictly themed, with nothing in between so here's a chance for you to get outside the blog theme and let me know what you're all doing. Though, a lot of you should have saw my comments on the blogs! I read through them in the past two days!

Personally, I have done ZERO Christmas shopping and starting this week will be packing to move back to good, ol' Michigan where my heart belongs with irreplacable friends and family even though I just met some awesome people at work. It's going to be a crazy holiday, but I am very excited about all of it because then 2010 will be here and I have a lot planned for that year! Don't worry a seperate post will be on all of that stuff.

So what have you all been doing? And please don't say sitting back and drinking wine while eating chocolate, I will be so jealous!

That's When You Know...

2009-11-22T15:33:00.001-08:00

After reading through my current WIP, a Thriller SF with a splash of the best romance I've ever created (the tension is just amazing to me) that's when I knew it might just be The One.

The One.

It has a lot of meanings, depending on your personal goals, and it doesn't have to be with writing. The One could be the book that lands you an agent you so badly want, the one to get you into a well known publisher with open submissions policies, or the One could even just be the story that proves what you're doing with all the long hours of typing/agonizing/planning detailed outlines that never quite capture what you want to happen isn't worthless.

That's where I am right now.

I have The One sitting open on my computer and ready to tackle edits, that will only take days, waiting for me to make it ready for one of the above. So maybe this could The One to get me in the door, and maybe if it doesn't pan out it could be The One for an idie publisher to get my name going.

But it's already The One that showed me that all this crazy chasing the dream with my silly writing and high wishful thinking is not worthless and that's enough to get me through all the rejections I will endure.

What about all of you? What does The One mean to you?

INTERVIEW-My Girl Got An Agent! Meet Jamie Harrington.

2009-11-12T15:05:00.000-08:00

I am very excited about this interview! I know, I say that every time, but I mean it! Today I am stoked to introduce you to a newly discovered talent, Jamie Harrington. She's one of us. Wrote some books, got through the horrid edits, mastered a query, and snagged herself an agent named Victoria Horn. But the thing that makes Jamie stand out is not only her awesome YA voice or insanely obsession with World of Warcraft, it's her winning attitude.

1.You got your agent, Victoria Horn, seriously how are you feeling right now?

Freaked. I never actually imagined it would happen to me, ya know? I wrote my book, hung out with friends on the internet pretty much every waking moment talking about how we were someday going to HAVE agents… but there was always that nagging thought in the back of my mind that it would never happen. It did though, and I still can’t believe it—but that doesn’t make it any less awesome.

2. Ah, I so cannot wait for our days to come! You're writing Young Adult, something you crossed over to. What made you explore the other side?

The first novel I ever wrote (back in January of this year) was a story about a fresh out of college girl. Everyone that read it said she talked and acted like she was fifteen. When I really examined the book, I realized they were right, but she sounded like a pretty great fifteen year old. Then I looked at the last five books I’d read… all Young Adult. It was one of those total epiphany moments where the lights all flash on—and I started Sketch. After about two pages I knew the YA was the genre for me.

3. Well you took some excellent advice because YA works so good for you. Why do you think your main character, Sketch, is relatable to Teens today?

I love Sketch McGee. She’s so fun, and at the same time she’s a total badass. She has an annoying older brother that’s all sorts of perfect, but she’s just a normal girl—scared to talk to boys, has a best friend that she can confide (almost) anything to, and a super cute car that I wish I drove. I think that’s what makes Sketch great, she’s just one of us.

4.We like characters we can find ourselves in, and I'm sorry but I am a sucker for kick-ass female characters. What do you think the hardest part of writing your novel was?

For me, I had this GREAT idea for a story. It sort of popped in my head and I KNEW I had to write it, but I was scared I wasn’t good enough to tell it. It was like the idea was so awesome that I worried I wouldn’t live up to it. I did a lot of research and a LOT of reading to try and be good enough at the actual craft of writing a YA novel in order to help my book reach its fullest potential.

5. Again, time and time, every writer says reading is the key to write well. You had an awesome query fixed up, some stats were mentioned in Elana's Johnson From The Query To The Call. When you were getting all those partials and fulls requested, did you ever think this was the book that would get you in the business?

I knew from the second I started writing Sketch that it was the book that was going to get me an agent. That sounds a little more egotistical than I want it to, but I just knew it. It’s just such a fun story, and I love the idea of teenage super villains. =D

6. Not at all, I think we can all look at our storylines and just know which one is it. Just out of curiosity, since a lot of writers imagine this, what do you and your agent envision the cover to look like?

I don’t want to think about my cover too much, because I keep hearing that you get pretty much no say in that. I would hate to have my heart set on one thing, and then be heartbroken over a perfectly fine cover just because it isn’t exactly what I’d imagined.

7. Always thinking ahead, such a smart girl. Did you ever feel like giving up with writing? If yes, what made you keep going?

I think everyone feels like that from time to time. It’s a very life consuming thing, and it takes a lot of energy and focus away from other things that are very important. But, I had great friends that texted, twittered, facebooked, emailed, chatted in person, etc. with me and they all kept me from giving up on the idea of seeing my book in print.

8. Those are the kinds of people I love and adore. So what's the best thing for fellow writers to remember?

It’s a numbers thing. The more queries you send out, the more partial requests you are likely to receive. But—don’t be in a hurry… take your time and do it right. Write a fabulous query and edit the holy hell out of your book. Also, network your ass off. I am not kidding. Be the happiest, bubbliest, cutest person ever on the internet. It’s your job to sell yourself, and no one wants to work with a snarky whiner. So twitter, blog, guest post—do it ALL. Make real time for that stuff, and consider it work, because it is.

9. Great advice, agents are saying to make your presence known on the web for more exposure. You're a social networking fiend! How do you manage all the blogs/twitters/emails?

It’s a part of the job. I needed to meet people, make friends and connections in the biz, and I needed crit partners and writer buddies. All that social networking stuff is great for that. I spend a good hour going through my google reader subscriptions every day and comment on anything that I find interesting. I talk to people all day long off and on with twitter and facebook. But—it takes up time. People need to remember that stuff isn’t just fifteen minutes a day. You need to integrate that stuff into your writing time, and a quick browse through twitter might just be the jump start you need to get your creative juices flowing. I know writers are in general very introverted, but you need to practice anyway for your book signings… so get to tweeting!

10.Book signings, oh the dream! Are there any other current projects we should know about that we can see in your future signings?

I am working on a YA Romantic Comedy, IRL, it’s about an internet addicted socially awkward 16 year old girl that gets sent to the mountains to be a camp counselor for the summer. She falls for a granola loving yoga posting hottie but the gamer geek boyfriend from home isn’t so cool with that. It’s a really fun novel to write, because I am somewhat of an internet addicted gamer geek myself.

11.YA Romantic Comedy, all some of my favorite things. Random Time! If you could live in one, only one, video game it would be...

Mario Freakin’ Galaxy. That game has some of the best world graphics I have ever seen. It’s beautiful to look at, challenging to play, and just all around fantastic.

A big thanks and *hugs* to Jamie. It's so much cooler when you know someone and they get a chance to live the dream we're all chasing. I couldn't be prouder because I know she struggled with which tense to go, and yes this girl can pull first present tense in my personal opinion, which we all know how hard that is to do! This girl's got some mad skills so watch for her name--she will be well known.

I hope we all get here, seriously, and with all the outstanding help we can find online, workshops, contests, blogs, and even agents some fear, it's no doubt eventually it will happen. Here's the winning query that got Jamie a whole lotta requests and her personal links.

Her Fun Blog!
Her Tweets!

The Query for Sketch
Dear Secret Agent (Wo)Man,

I read in an online article that you were looking for teen fiction with a unique voice. I hope my manuscript lives up to your expectations.

Compared to super speed and mind reading, sixteen-year-old Sketch McGee’s ability to draw the future makes her a pretty lame villain in a family of super-bads. It’s all she can do to make it through a day of high school, much less mastermind evil plans. But, everything changes when the new guy, Chase Fairway, steals her heart—which is quickly broken when she discovers he’s the obnoxious new do-gooder in town flying around mucking up her family’s life of crime.

Drawing the future turns out to be a little bit cooler when she learns she can also shape it however she wants. Goodbye do-gooder, hello perfect bad-boy boyfriend Chase. Life is great, until she figures out he’s a whole different kind of bad guy.
Not bank-robbing, diamond-stealing evil like her family, but murderous psychopath evil. Suddenly her drawings of a man standing over her dad’s lifeless body make perfect, horrifying sense. Chase plans to kill her dad.

Governed by her emotions and struggling to control her powers, she has to find a way to erase her mistakes and create a new future without Chase as her boyfriend, or watch her father’s death—in real life.

SKETCH, a YA Superhero complete at 60,000 words, is available upon request. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you so much Jamie for sharing and good luck! Cannot wait to start promoting for Sketch when it's time.

I'm Going Political on Your A$$!

2009-11-10T08:16:00.000-08:00

Wondering why the strange title? Let me tell you, A$$ is spelled with dollar symbols one reason and one reason only.

Politics = Money - (Equality for All)

I am a native Michigan country girl as heart, and you better believe I always will be. I grew up there, my friends who I can never forget, my close bond with families who I simply adore, and the scenery of endless greens and cornfields I walked in on those perfect days to clear my soul.

Michigan has hit damn near rock bottom, and the state government is not doing its part. For those of you who have kids in school, I want you to imagine finding out the budget will be taking $292 dollars per student. That means less things for your child to learn and develop. It's an outrage. Education is something every child needs to go on with life. I learned to love reading, writing, fun field trips to art museums, all in school. Take this money away and the fun side projects will be gone, leaving your child one assumption about school.

It. will. suck.

If that's not enough, now the government wants to force a health plan! One that doesn't include the Senators or Members of Congress to participate in! I'm sorry, but what? You expect us to go in willingly when the leaders taking us there won't follow? No way. That's absurd! I don't even think I could have that craziness in a book, no matter how I swung it.

So I'm asking you, all of you, click on these links/addresses below to stop the education cuts that will put more teachers, secretaries, paraprofessions, custodians, etc. out of a job, where they won't be able to find another one, and that will crush our future generations optimism through school. Also, speak up and demand with John Fleming his Amendment that will automatically enroll ALL of Congress Members and Senators, not just the people, in this supposed brilliant health plan.

One letter/vote could make the difference. I'm not one to go all cycotic on politics, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Plus, we're all writers, give it to them, not to the point where you'll get people knocking on your door, but to make them speechless. I'm doing my letters right now.

Freedom of Speech baby, that's one thing us writers know to appreciate!

MAKE THE CONGRESS AND SENATORS TAKE THE HEALTH PLAN!

STOP THE BUDGET CUTS! SAVE THE KIDS!
Send a letter/email to any or all of these people to make the message clear, even if you write one of these two messages below.

1. Restore the budget cuts to K-12 education now. (There are some tax loopholes that can be closed to restore the latest $127 cut.)

2. Start working on a new, more equitable and stable system for funding K-12 education in Michigan.

Addresses:

Governor Jennifer Granholm
(517) 373-3400
Website
Click on Contact the Governor

Majority Leader
Senator Mike Bishop
(517) 373-2417
senmbishop@senate.michigan.gov

House Speaker
Andy Dillon
(517) 373-0857
adillon@house.mi.gov

House Speaker
Andy Dillon
(517) 373-0857
adillon@house.mi.gov

State Senator 31st District
Jim Barcia
(517) 373-1777
senjbarcia@senate.michigan.gov

State Representative 84th House District
Terry Brown
(517) 373-0476
terrybrown@house.mi.gov

Lisa and Laura Good Vibes Contest!

2009-11-07T17:16:00.000-08:00

That's right! Our favorite writing gorgeous partner sisters, Lisa and Laura, are hosting a super, awesome contest. Guess what the prize is? A KINDLE! No joke! I know, we're all hypervenilating right now. All you have to do is check out their blog HERE for all the juicy details.

And be sure to read about their exciting news about their book coming to shelves in 2011, The Haunting of Pemberly Brown. Sourcebooks made the right choice for choosing their manuscript. I cannot wait, these two ladies are full of good humor with a slice of shameless drinking. My kind of girls! =D

A big congrats to you ladies! Now when you gonna let me feature you both with an interview? That's right, I'm total suckering you into saying yes!

You Know What I Love...

2009-11-06T11:28:00.001-08:00

I seriously love my writing friends and bloggers.

Why?

Because bloggers are so open and real when they talk about their journey, whether it be art or story telling, it's all full of real emotions. The joy, the happy, the rush, the despair, the hair pulling, you get the idea. We've all been there, come on you know it.

Writing Friends? The best! If you don't have one, get one. Write me and I will be your first. They're opinions and ideas to their story are amazing. It inspires me for my own work. While I'm sure we all have some friends that come and go, a lot of mine have stuck with me through it all during my first *cringes* book. I love them. Thank you! You know who you are!

Seriously.

This morning I talked forever with Becky, who is so talented and dedicated plus my very first writer friend, over her book and the kinks. Do you have any idea how much easier that is to do with someone whose been there reading all your drafts and cheering you on when you're down in the dumps? Yeah, super easy and fun. Plus, motivation at its best. To see someone else work so hard and put so much thought into an idea, is just amazing, and makes you want to do the same.

So, here's to you! My fellow bloggers and friends, you guys rock! Have a drink tonight and say it's from me! We all deserve it!

Seriously.

And if you're NaNo Participants, shouldn't you all be getting back to writing?

Seriously. =D

Halloween Story For You! ENJOY!

2009-10-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

Warning: This contains curses and gore.

IT WANTS TO SAY SORRY

I didn’t want to move from our house and neither did my little sister, Emily. I was going on eighteen and she was going on six. I always thought moving younger would be easier because kids make friends quicker, at least it always seemed that way. I, on the other hand, was not very good at that.

There was no choice in the matter due to the fact this was my senior year and I had to graduate to attend college in the fall I already enrolled in. My parent’s divorce wasn’t a surprise to me. I just wished that it would have came later than sooner. Preferably, after I graduated and was already moved out.

My parents had issues, especially with my dad’s lack of commitment. I couldn’t blame my mom for leaving him. She had a right to be happy, even if it meant it was away from him.

I finished unpacking my last box labeled CRAP and kicked it towards my door. My mother walked into my room and leaned against the wall. I didn’t stop lingering through my pile of junk. “Jenna, don’t be pissed off at me.”

“I’m not pissed, Mom. I get it. It’s just this house. It’s so old and creepy.” I looked around at the old fashioned flowered wall paper, some of it was peeling off and others spot were bare with dust.

“It’s the best I could get on my own. Until the divorce is finalized we’re just on my income. I didn’t want to take Emily to an apartment. You know how she loves to play outside.” She lowered her eyes to the floor. “I just want to do okay on my own.” Then her tears started to run down her cheeks.

I hated to see her this way so I went to her side and gave her a hug. “It’s really not a bad place, Mom. I just need to get used to it for now. We’ll fix it up and make a nice profit off it when everything is settled between you and dad. You’re doing great,” I said. Her eyes were glued to the floor so I pulled her chin up to look at me. “Really.”

Emily rushed into the room and could hardly stop herself from sliding in her socks on the wooden floors. She needed to be more careful or she would get some major slivers. And the whole town would know about it from her loud crying. “This place is huge! I love it mommy! It’s like a castle.”

Mom wiped her tears away fast and smiled. “That makes you a princess. Come on, I’ll make us some lunch.” She picked Emily up in her arms and went down the spiral staircase making some airplane noises.

After putting some of my figurines on my dresser I stared at them. I always collected musical porcelain dolls. They were so beautiful with their fancy gowns and masks, against the sunlight they would radiate life. I always got one every year from my parents. I wondered if that was going to stop now that they weren’t together anymore.

I followed the other two and joined them at the table. Mom cooked up some burgers and fries and Emily already had hers smothered with ketchup. I never understood why kids had a obsession with ketchup, but whatever. I helped myself, adding a thick slice of tomato and onion, and listened to what Emily had to say.

“In my room was this teddy bear and his name is Barry. It used to be Jack’s, but he gave it to me if I let him play with me later.” She held up the stuffed animal proudly.

“Who’s Jack? Some neighbor boy?” I asked in between bites. My mom shrugged her shoulders as she dipped her fries.

“No. Jack is the ghost that lives here. He says people get angry at him and move away. I told him my mommy never gets mad.”

I laughed at that. “Wait till you’re sixteen. You’ll see how angry mom gets.” I smiled at her and she shook her head with a smile. We were probably thinking about the same memory. I sneaked out of the house for a friend's party and ended grounded for a month, with no phone or internet. That was awful and because my dad was around, she stuck to the punishment. That was a rough thirty days.

“Mommy you won’t be mean to Jack, will you?” Her wide brown eyes waited for an answer.

“Of course not sweetie. Jack is welcome here.” She said playing along with her childish nonsense.

Emily turned beside her, facing empty space. “See I told you.”
Then we all continued on eating our lunch.

***

Mom popped her head inside my room, “Alright girlie, lights out. You start school tomorrow.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I waved her to leave. I didn't even want to think about school, I was nervous enough. Hopefully, I'd be able to find a date for prom on time.

“Love you honey,” she said and flicked the light switch off.

I crawled under my covers and shut my eyes. The wind was howling outside my window with the creaking of branches from the pine trees that surrounded the house. I rolled over to my side and closed my eyes again imagining I was on a beautiful beach with the waves moving with me. I was almost asleep when a soft, musical tone scared the hell out of me. I sprang up and watched my doll on my dresser. It was spinning in its dance form and the music played. Then it stopped. Silence besides the wind started up again.

I sighed with relief and heard some footsteps from the hall. I carefully crept out of bed to discover the source. It was Emily, carrying that disgusting, old bear.

“Emily, go back to bed before Mom gets mad,” I told her sternly.

“Jenna, Jack is scaring me. He won’t let me sleep and he touched your dolls.”

“Emma, Jack isn’t real. Now come on off to bed.” I tried to push her towards her room, but she wrapped her arms around me. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Jack said he’s gonna break your doll if you won’t let him play with me.” Her eyes were glowing with fright through the moonlit hallway. “Don't let him play with me, I don't like it. It scares me.”

“Tell him if he breaks one of my dolls or plays with you, he’s gonna be in big trouble.” I said in a comforting tone.

Suddenly, a loud noise came from inside my room. I rushed in to see what it was. On the floor was my favorite doll, a teal ballerina, shattered to little pieces. I went towards it and checked the stability of my dresser. It was level, so I knew it didn’t fall off on its own. I glanced at my window which was sealed shut so no wind could have knocked it down.

I looked at Emily. “Did Jack do that?”

She nodded her head yes.

“Can you see him?” I asked.

She nodded yes again.

“What does he want?”

“He wants to say sorry,” her little voice said.

I took a deep breath. This was crazy. Ghosts didn't harm people, just startled them.

“Let’s get you to bed,” I replied and took her hand. Inside her room, I tucked Emily back in bed and went back to my bedroom. I scooped up the broken glass with my hands and tossed it into my trash. It was a shame to throw it away, but there was no hope for repairing it. I got back in bed and fell asleep.

Someone shook my shoulder hard. I opened my eyes and it was Emily again. If I had any chance to appear decent for my first day, I was going to need some sleep tonight. “Go back to bed, Emma.”

Her eyes were wide. “Jack hurt mommy.”

“Mom is fine. I mean it, Emma. Go back to bed now.”

She slowly walked out of my room and I tried to go back to sleep. Another clashing noise made me sit up at once. Another one of my dolls was on the ground. I moved my blankets off of me when something caught my eye. It was another one of my dolls on the dresser, but this one was moving. On its own. It was being pushed by something invisible and then it went falling to the ground. The doll broke in larger pieces than the last.

“What the hell,” I whispered.

I was scared to get out of my bed, but knew I wanted to, had to, get out of this room. I counted to three and jumped up running to the door. I slammed it shut behind me. A familiar ruckus of more dolls breaking on the wooden floors sounded off like bombs. I placed my ear to the door to listen. One hit the door like it was thrown on purpose. I dodged my face back and it stopped.

When I turned around, Emily was already waiting outside my room. “There’s a ghost,” she said.

“I know, I know. We gotta get mom, come on.” I tried to take her hand, but she jerked it away.

“It wants to say sorry,” she repeated from earlier.

“No time for that now,”I answered.

I grasped her hand firmly and went down the hall into my mom’s room. Everything was dark so I moved the light switch, but remembered her room wasn’t hooked up with a ceiling light yet. All she had was lamps. I pulled the switch on a reading lamp sitting on her wooden dresser and went over to my mom's bed.

I screamed in horror.

Her body and nightgown was soaked with blood with her insides flowing out and onto the sheets. The chunks of her intestines were thrashed all around her. Her mouth was gagged with something I couldn’t quite make out. I examined closely and reached inside her open mouth with my trembling hands and touched it. It was smooth, cold, and hard. I brought the object closer to my eyes after I found the courage to grab it. It was glass, white colored glass. I turned it around and knew instantly what it was.

It was the head of one of my dolls. The teal ballerina.

I dropped it in shock and brought my attention back to Emma, who stood in the doorway. Her face was calm with no color, the bear in her left hand dragging by her side and other hand behind her back.

“We need to go, Emma.” I rushed to her side.

“No,” she said.

“Emma, not now.” I glanced back at my mother’s mangled body. I couldn’t let Emma see her like that. It would haunt the rest of her dreams for life. Plus, I didn’t want to leave her gruesome body exposed like that.

“There’s a ghost—”

“NOT NOW,” I shouted at her and threw my mother’s blanket over her dead body with tears. It was hard to hold myself together. Once we were safe, out of the house, and reported this to the police, I could lose control then.

“Let me finish, damn it.”

I froze with that unfamiliar raspy voice behind me.

That was not a sweet innocent child’s voice or vocabulary.

I stared at my little sister who was standing her ground with a wicked glint in her eyes I didn’t recognize. Not only was she holding the teddy bear, but also a large carving knife from the kitchen. I couldn’t move a muscle because of my fear.

“Okay, I’ll let you finish.” My voice shook with every word.

Emily smiled brightly. “There’s a ghost inside me. It wants to say sorry.”

Sara Tribble

INTERVIEW MONDAY--Marie Brennan, Fantasy Goddess!

2009-10-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

I haven’t been this excited ever doing an interview! Why? Because Marie Brennan, goddess fantasy writer, is one of my favorite authors of all time! Her world crafting kills and takes on witches (my favorite things of all time) are spun in a different direction with great action and strong kick ass females. I was stoked when she agreed for the interview so I’m going to shut up now so you can check her out. Pure Awesomeness right here!

1. You’re a straight fantasy writer. Tell me your definition of the Fantasy genre?

It's a genre flexible enough that you can get away with including a great deal of material from other genres and still be a "straight" fantasy writer. :-)

Mystery, romance, and thriller are genres defined by plot elements. Science fiction and fantasy, on the other hand, tend to be based on setting: worlds that diverge from reality in either a scientific or magical direction. It seems to me that the latter tends to trump the former when people decide where to shelve a book, so if you have a spy thriller with magic, it's fantasy before it's a thriller.

As for an actual definition, I mostly don't bother. It generally includes one or both of magic and a secondary-world setting (so it encompasses both urban fantasy and the less-common "Ruritanian fantasy," where there's an invented setting but no magic). The edges of that territory are fuzzy, though, and people disagree where they are.

2. Very true, a lot of people view fantasy elements differently so the definition could range from person to reader. Do you like sticking to one fantasy element (such as goblins, faeries, witches) or doing a mix? What’s your favorite to write with?

I don't generally think of it that consciously -- "what am I going to put into this story?" If the doppelganger books HERE had developed as the kind of narrative that benefited from having monsters in the wilderness, I would have written them in, without debating whether I should just stick to witches.

Having said that, I did briefly consider widening the Onyx Court
beyond just faeries. They would have been about "the Unseen," which would include other folkloric fare like vampires and werewolves. But my setting was sixteenth-century London, and at the time there wasn't a lot of English folklore about those things; it would have felt like modern genre conventions intruding on the historical period, and it just didn't fit.

I pretty obviously have a fondness for faeries, though. They're a nice, broad category that can be spun in a lot of ways, which leaves a lot of space for storytelling.

3. I’m a huge fan of Amy Brown’s Faeries Artwork, she has such range with them that makes them all individual personalities. On your bio it says you’ve been writing since you were nine or ten years old and blame Diana Wynne Jones. Was there one particular book of hers that drove you into writing?

Fire and Hemlock. The protagonist has a long-running friendship with a man in that book, which centers primarily on a story the two of them are collaboratively writing, and it flipped some kind of switch in my brain. I put the book down and thought, "I want to tell a story." I'd made stories up before then, I know -- lots of kids do -- but this was the first time I remember thinking of it so clearly, as a distinct urge I wanted to follow through on. And that was right around the time I switched from being primarily a mystery reader to a fantasy fan, so it really was the start of the path I'm still on now.

4. I love how every writer has a start from a book. You also have a background in Folklore and Mythology, how has this affected your writing?

It's provided me with a lot of material; "Calling into Silence,"
which won the Asimov Award for undergraduate sf/f, was directly inspired by my class readings on African spirit possession, and one of the central metaphysical conceits of the doppelganger books is a much-transformed version of a detail from Zuñi cosmology. And then of course there's the Onyx Court series, which is practically my folk&myth degree on parade.

It also means I like to think about "magic" in a broad sense. Instead of it being something the characters do, casting spells and so on, it's something that is. Magic as inherent to the world and the characters' view of the world, so that it's more a matter of omens and taboos and so on than wizards throwing fireballs.

5. That’s a very different way to think about magic and sort of reminds me of "The Force" from Star Wars. Okay, so Warrior and Witch were simply amazing! I have to ask, because it’s usually not done well and yours is one of the few exceptions in my personal opinion, why did you switch back and forth for the two main characters point of view? Wouldn’t it have been easier to only tell one story and then the others?

For those books it was kind of built into the premise: when your protagonist/s is/are two halves of the same person, focusing on first one and then the other doesn't really work. Or rather, it would make whoever went first seem like the "central" person and the other one a secondary character, and I was very determined to give them equal weight.

Which also sort of explains why my Onyx Court novels also have dual protagonists. One is a mortal, and one is a faerie, because (again) I want to give those two worlds equal weight.

6. Equal weight is hard to do, I have enough problems sticking to one protagonist let alone two, and of course my fantasy has quite a lot so my work is cut out for me. You have a ton, literally a ton, of short stories published as well as some non-fiction work. What are some of your favorites and can we still read them online?

Some of my stories are still available in magazines' free online archives; I've also posted some of my older work onto my own site. All of that's collated HERE.

Of the ones on that list, I have a strong fondness for "Driftwood" and "Kingspeaker," which were both published in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.

Also, "Silence, Before the Horn"may have the highest pride-to-wordcount ratio of anything I've ever written -- it's just a flash piece, very short, but I feel like I got that one right, down to the commas.

Of my fiction in print, I really love both of my stories in the Clockwork Phoenix anthologies, "A Mask of Flesh" and "Once a Goddess." My favorite, though, is probably "Nine Sketches, in Charcoal and Blood," which came out in On Spec.

7. Okay so I noticed a lot of books are being renamed and released again—why is that?

Because publishers think they can make some more money off them. :-) In the case of my own first two novels, Orbit wanted to re-issue them right after putting out Midnight Never Come, and they took the opportunity to make a few changes, mostly to make it more apparent that those two go together. Hence the change of titles to Warrior and Witch, and the new cover for Warrior.

8. Your covers are awesome, plain and simple. In fact that’s why I looked into your book. You have a future book coming out with Tor but only a title is released. Could you possibly tell us something about A Star Shall Fall?

The website has only a title mostly because I'm too busy writing the book to update it . . . but I've been chattering about it plenty over on my LiveJournal. A Star Shall Fall is the third book in my Onyx Court series of London-based historical faerie fantasies. The first two were set in the Elizabethan and Civil War periods, respectively; this one's in the mid-eighteenth century, and has to do with how the faerie court of London copes with the rise of scientific rationalism, which doesn't think much of them and their magic. The title alludes to the first predicted return of Halley's comet: it brings with it a threat that could destroy the court entirely.

9. You got me wanting more and that sounds interesting with the time periods. Would you mind telling us how you landed your agent?

I'm one of those who did it sort of in reverse. I'd been querying agents for a while, but also submitting to those publishers who would consider unagented manuscripts.

I got a call from Orbit (when it was still Warner Aspect) telling me the editor really liked Doppelganger, but wasn't allowed to buy anything unagented, so would I please go get an agent? So I essentially had an offer on the table, and that helps a lot in attracting an agent's rapid attention.

10. That is a great way to go about an agent, your books are brilliant so no wonder the editor liked it. You chose the pen name Marie Brennan for your books, but you stick to your original name Bryn Neuenschwander for non-fiction. Does it ever feel like split personalities?

Less now that I've left academia, and have stopped doing large amounts of scholarly work. My casual, sf/f-related nonfiction has always been put out under the pen name, and I intend to keep it that way.

11. What’s it like the first time you see one of your books in your hands?

Pretty awesome! Also weirdly alienating. It's that thing you wrote, only not, because it has a cover and pretty typesetting and all kinds of things that make it look very different from the story on your hard drive.
Even weirder is seeing a translation of your work. I can parse just enough German to recognize that I wrote those books, and yet it's utterly foreign...

12. I didn’t even think about the translations! That would be strange indeed. Did you ever think you would come so far with writing?

Absolutely. I decided I wanted to be a writer when I was about nine or ten, and while I went off and on for a while with how seriously I pursued that goal, I never once laid it aside. At no point did I doubt that continued effort would eventually get me to where I wanted to be -- though sometimes I did wonder how long that would take.

13. I think it’s amazing how dedicated and confident that answer is. A lot of people put it on the back burner at times, sadly I’m guilty of this, but for the past year now I’ve been determined more than ever so hopefully that makes up for something. Random Time! If you could be any mythical creature or being, it would be…

No idea, actually. I quite like being me, and all those mythical creatures have pretty serious drawbacks -- at least if you look at the folklore, rather than the defanged modern versions. I'd love to be able to fly, though.

How interesting—my power would be flying as well! Love that!

A big thanks to Marie, she was busy writing a final draft for her new book and still took the time to get back to me. I’m really beginning to wonder if I just suck at juggling time with writing because so many more people are busier than me and are way more productive.

Marie’s style is wonderful, capturing readers in a whole new world with characters to love and cheer on, especially Eclipse from Warrior and Witch. He’s one of my new favorite characters to add to my list. If you’re into fantasy take the time to pick up one of her books, you will not be disappointed.

Want to know more about Marie and her work?
Check out the links below:
Her Website
Her Live Journal Blog

Contest I WANT to win!!

2009-10-20T16:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, contests, how I love these things!

Abby Annis' is having a SPOOK-Taculer Contest giving away books such as The Hallow and The Shifter, along with office supplies! No worries, I'll post a side link so all of you can have access for details!

That picture is, of course, the one and only--ME!
I love doing gore for Halloween and I have to say, my knees look sooo good! The neck slicing was also looking juicy!

What can I say, I'll never be too old for Halloween!

I'm Finally Back After We Were Robbed!

2009-10-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

Yeah, so here's the deal my followers (all 104 of you, how I adore you!).

After visiting Michigan for my sister's wedding (which was perfect and fairy tale like, yes the horse and carriage were even there) we returned home to Texas.

To our horror, the first thing we saw when we opened our door with the new key due to a lock change from maintance was our missing 52" Sony Flatscreen TV from the wall stand. Then we checked everything else, noting both PS3's and games, all my personal art work (sketches/paintings/colored pencils/paints/etc), movies galore, the other two TV's, surround sound, our cute pink alarm clock, three pairs of some killer shoes (not the Cinderella shoes, thank goodness), my sweet 80GB iPod named Gryffindor, my old laptop (has a virus and crack on the screen I hope the virus infects all of their stuff!) and so on is gone.

Just. Like. That.

So, the police came, filed a report, forensics came in with their black powder and went nuts, said they found some good stuff, and a detective would get a hold of us which we're playing phone tag and unknown possible news.

So, here's where I am now. My husband and I were ready to leave that place even before this all happened, so we packed up and left. I'll be in Dallas for awhile till we figure out our next move. We turned off our internet while we visited for the wedding and didn't turn it back since there would be no point. Now that I'm back online give me some time to find my routine, get back with the flow of FMM, and check a lot of recent blog posts, I' even daring to check the twitter deals, to get back into it.

So I'll be checking blogs, love to see writing progress as well as helpful things learned. By the way, working out that contest soon, so keep checking for that. Also, I'm hoping this week to post that interview with Marie Brennan, fabulous writer!

Now, let's all stay positive shall we?

I Wrote a Story for a GUEST BLOG!

2009-09-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

Yup, I was super happy and excited when Kat, Billy Coffey's excellent friend who helped so much when I interviewed him, asked if I'd be interested with a guest blog.

Did she really need to ask? I'm a social network addict, if I can spread my name and blog I'm all over it! Plus Kat is one cool cat, def. check out her blog for some great reflections on how lucky we really are. She's also a very talented artist.

Check out this link to her blog featuring my short story, Cinderella Shoes.

Caution: I usually don't write such sweet stories, if you know me you might be surprised with this one, but due to the audience Kat attracts, plus my obsession with exploring genres, I felt pretty happy with this one. Hope you enjoy!

P.S. I'm on the road right now so I'm hitting WiFi spots when I can. Please be patient, sadly it's preventing me to post my latest interview with Marie Brennan! When I get a strong signal I plan to sit down and see what's up with that!

Followers?! For ME?!

2009-09-21T11:28:00.001-07:00

WOOHOO!

That's right I was super excited when I saw I reached my 100 mark! It's truly awesome to know I got people checking in when they can for interviews and writing posts. How I adore all my online writing friends, seriously we should all choose a place and time to meet and just tell each other about our work. As for my special thing to celebrate, I need another week to try what I want planned. Be patient with me, it will be good.

Anyways, so I been busy. My sister, Kim, had her wedding and it was beauitful and awesome. Yeah, I cried, but I do everytime especially at my sisters. I love all three of them to death. I've also got to catch up with my best friends here in Michigan so that's been fabulous. I forgot how much I love my girls and they're all doing so well. I'm proud of every one.

As for my writing, oh dear where do I start?

I am happy to say I edited my second manuscript and sent it in to a publisher. If things do not work out with going there, well I plan to save it on my jump drive for when I do get published to see it sell because I love JACKS & SPADES.

Now that I feel complete for the first time, I am moving on with not one but two new ideas. Both are dark, both will have horror and twists, and it's going to be fun. I find myself leaning more towards the dark side with short stories and I love every minute of writing them so when the ideas struck for a Adult Dark Paranormal and YA Dark Paranormal, I knew I had to do them--both.

The ideas are so different and fresh, plus did I mention I already have the queries done? Yeah Elana's book From the Query to the Call seriously has changed my writing life. So I am very excited about these new projects. I think I may lay low when writing these because I need to be in their shoes, but I promise I'll still be around. I cannot wait for my crit group to check these out because I want to shock them with things they never saw coming--can I do it? We'll find out!

Also, I have another interview coming up very soon of the great Marie Brennan, my idol! I'm super excited about it so be sure to check in, this is a awesome fantasy writer.

From Query to the Call by Elana Johnson--The Review

2009-09-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

When I saw Elana Johnson needed help with a book composed by her, let alone a book about writing queries, I jumped to lend a hand. From personal experience, her help and awesome ninja skills shaped my current query for JACKS & SPADES fantastically and got me requests for multiple partials, two are still being read and four rejected. Where was she when I queried my first fantasy novel A CRESCENT MOON?

Let’s get to the juicy stuff From the Query to the Call by Elana Johnson. If any aspiring writer is trying to query agents or already has a step in with a possible offer you need to get this book.

You’re probably thinking I can find help from people online or forums which is true—to an extent. You need to have the time and patience to see if the people who are making edits are still sticking to your storyline and your main focus you want the agents to see, plus sometimes if you post queries you don’t get any edits at all. It’s not they don’t like you or your query, but sometimes there isn’t simply enough time when we’re all trying to juggle to the same goal—get published.

With this book, it covers everything to the last aggravating detail including the hook, the set-up, conflict, the consequence and everything else and that’s just in the query section. We all know how hard it is to create the perfect hook, the one that leaves the readers wanting more, and Elana has some great exercises to help you do this from work sheets you can print out to narrowing down your book in one sentence. That’s right.

Just. One. Sentence.

But I don’t need help with queries I got offers, you said even us need this book?

You do. This is from querying to the heart stopping phone call we all wish we’d get. Once the querying information is finished and even sharing how and where to find literary agents to send your pure awesomeness, it goes into another part about the calls. It has some quick questions and answers with some agented authors, but most importantly to me it has a list of questions to ask Mr. /Mrs. Agent of Hope. Let’s face it, if any of us got a phone call how many have a list of valid questions to ask? Hopefully I’m not the only one without my hand up.

Bottom line, I needed this book when I finished my first novel draft and cannot wait because I’ll have this on hand for my first when I re-query, third, fourth, and fifth books. This is something you can refer back to time and time again because queries are always going to be hard and the basic formula is here plain and simple, plus there are some great query samples which I love to see and learn from with what works and what doesn’t. I also enjoyed the brief enjoying/enduring the wait for responses.

But the thing that makes this book and Elana herself a success is her ability to keep it real. The laughing, the crying, the sneaky thoughts of failure, and the whole wanting to rip our hair out because we cannot simply get the scene quite right on paper as it is in our head, it’s all part of the crazy rollercoaster when we all had the same thought, “I’m going to write a book.”

Get this book, read it, love it, adore it, call it your precious in raspy voice like Golem in Lord of the Rings, I don’t care, this is the only great hand guide to queries I’ve come across and it’s even better cause it’s coming from one of our own trying to live the dream. Like I always say, Elana you’re a rock star!

Check out these links to show your support of Elana and her book!

Facebook Fan Page

Buy YOUR copy

Go on! Tell your writing buddies, have your personal crit group all pitch in for one book to have ready, give it to a family member who's taking up writing as a gift. This is one of our own--let's pass on the love while getting something that can help everyone of us out!

INTERVIEW MONDAY--Rob Shelsky!

2009-08-31T07:55:00.000-07:00

Calling all SF Buffs and Romance Writers--heck even Time Travelers and Paranormal Writers! Get over here and take a look on an expert! Yeah, I think Rob is an expert on stuff. Why? Because he's that good and helpful, plus he reviews novels in his spare time from writing. You're probably thinking why's that so special--trust me once you see all he does, you'll be wondering how he has ANY spare time! This is Rob Shelsky, aka Rose Renee Shelly for Romance, and he is a very busy author with a great crafting style.

1.You have so much going on as an author so let’s dive right in. You’re a Science Fiction, Horror, AND Fantasy writer—where did the love of these genres come in?

I'd have to say ever since I was a kid. Even at the age of five, space fascinated me! I remember my first little book, the opening lines. It said, "The Earth is an enormous ball in space…" From then on, I was hooked! Even in Australia, other kids in school would ask me "What is space made of?" And I loved to learn and read about it. At the time, in Melbourne, most kids' books were fantasies of one sort or another, and so were the kids' radio programs (Australia had a lot of those at the time, but few television stations – before satellite.), like The Enchanted Forest, and such. I loved that one! Every time these kids climbed to the top of a tall tree, they landed on a different cloud with a different land! And oddly, having to visualize it for myself, because it was radio instead of television, helped stimulate my own imagination.

2.If you had to choose just one of your favorite genres, what would it be and why?

That's a hard question, because I truly do love so many different genres – you name it – I love it! But I think science fiction is my favorite. I mean, it's so versatile! You can have sci-fi mysteries, horror, romance, dark, comic, and so many other forms of it. Plus, I have this tremendous need to know! I have to know the answers to things. I don't care that they generate more questions; I want the answers to those, too! I love reading up on quantum mechanics, string theory, M-Branes, parallel universes, deep space, and cosmology. I love it all!

One editor at Aberrant Dreams really liked my story, Without Omens, because it attempted to answer Fermi's Paradox of why the "Great Silence" in the universe. Fermi asks, if there should be so many intelligent species in such a vast universe, why don't we "hear" from them via radio or some other means? Without Omens gives one possible answer. And I did the podcast for that, which was my first one, so that was cool!

3.While we recently talked, you mentioned about how you almost got scammed with some literary agents. Would you mind telling us the story?

Yes, being a novice at the time, I was hunting for literary agents to represent me. I'm sure what I did was the usual thing; sent out mass mailings to a whole bunch of them, followed up, blah, blah, blah. One of the first to respond said they would represent me. They were an agency supposedly located in New York, right on Fifth Avenue, and I was ecstatic! A New York agency representing me, and right off! Damn! So I had to be good – right? Wrong!

I found out by checking with SFWA and a couple other places, that the address was just a drop. They forwarded the mail to another city (I think it was even in another state!). I became suspicious when they said they had to have an editor "edit" my work. It could be of my choice, but they had a number of them they preferred, and "recommended." This was at a price, of course. I backed off immediately. A word of advice to all authors out there – you pour sweat, blood, tears, and a lot of time and effort into your work! If someone expects you to pay to be published in any way – don't go with them! They are supposed to be paying you! And never give it away free, unless it is for some type of charitable cause! Writing is a profession. You should be paid for what you do! Anyone who says "Oh, I just write because I love to, and don't care about getting paid," is doing their fellow authors a tremendous disservice! You don't hear doctors, lawyers, or engineers saying that! That's my feelings on the matter.

4.So no more agents, you went right to publishers and you have a lot going on. You have a time travel romance out now called Lost Echoes, a novella Bug Eyed Monsters, then you recently got a great letter for a three-book deal for novels Veracity in Truth, Faith and Fallibility, and Song of the Moonflower. (Did I miss any novels?) Could you tell us a little about these books?

Actually, I need to correct that statement just a little. Lost Echoes is also coming out as part of this three-book package, but as a reprint, along with the other two new ones, which, unbelievably, are Regency Romances! They are suspense ones, however. You see; I told you I love all genres! Song of the Moonflower is one about to be contracted for (we're dickering over the royalty amount right now) and is another series, pure sci-fi, in its own right. It will be a trilogy. And besides Bug-Eyed Monsters, which was at the request of the editor, I have a novella coming out this November with Aberrant Dreams. I think that's a good one! The editor told me (another requested novella, by the way), that I "came out swinging" with that one. And, it is appearing in the new anthology, The Awakening, right alongside such truly great authors, as Alastair Reynolds, Mary Rosenblum, and others. Can you imagine? Alastair Reynolds is the number one sci-fi author in the United Kingdom right now! I truly feel honored.

Song of the Moonflower is my prize, personally. I had the idea when traveling through southern France one time. They have massive fields of sunflowers there, all in bloom. Sitting there with nothing to do, I idly speculated what a "moonflower" would be like (not knowing then that they really existed). Between that, and the most beautiful, Australian Greek woman I ever met, Xaki, she of the liquid brown eyes, the story developed.

The hero, Xakee de Phaeton, inherits the moonflower on her Day of Womanhood celebration. This is an ancient, genetically engineered-from-scratch plant and designed as a gift to humanity's first emperor, some forty thousand years earlier. With the moonflower, there is both a legend and a curse, for the owner is said to be destined to become Emperor of The Sphere of Humanity (the "Empire"). However, should the moonflower ever actually bloom, myths say there is a psychic song it sings, and this is a dreadful omen, presages a great downfall.

Now, Lost Echoes is a time travel novel, where the hero, Peter Vincent, sees a portrait of a beautiful young woman in an antique store in Boston. Becoming obsessed with her image, he travels to Hampton Court Palace in England, where legend says she died under mysterious circumstances. There, he is thrust back in time and must somehow save Aurea from her fate. It all takes place in the Elizabethan period of England, when a plot by Mary Queen of Scots was occurring to steal the throne from Queen Elizabeth. Lost Echoes was fun to write, because it meant researching the period. And mysteries are tough! Historical mysteries are even tougher!

As for the Regency novels, Veracity In Truth, and Faith and Fallibility, they are filled with dark lords, smugglers, ship wreckers, highwaymen – you know -- the usual things that a pampered young woman of the Regency Period of England always found so entertaining. However, I make my women heroes strong! Although they love their men, they can make it on their own. They are sort of the Mary Tyler Moores of the Regency. Only instead of throwing their hats in the air, as Mary did at the beginning of each television show, my heroes flirtatiously drop their handkerchiefs.

5.You have some amazing credentials, stories appearing in AlienSkin, Continuum SF, Jim Baen’s Universe, Fables, Planetary Stories and Pulp Spirit. You also have some novella stories appearing in Aberrant Dreams and Planetary Stories. Those are just some! Is it hard sticking to certain genres or do the ideas keep flowing for you?

Wow! You have tough questions! Yes, it is hard to stick to certain genres, because I love to try new things, to test my limits and I'm always getting new ideas. I'm dying to do a cross-genre ghost novel, for one thing. I tested it out with my newest short story, Green Waters. I also would love to do a complete fantasy novel – not the typical sword and sorcery type, but a more thought-provoking one. Right now, I'm even working on a so-called "literary" novel, which I've only just completed, A Measure of Grace. I had read the book, and seen two different versions of the movie, The Shell Seekers. It made me want to write something similar.

In the meantime, I'm drifting toward very dark science fiction and horror for short stories, and more standard sci-fi when it comes to novels. I have to admit that Song of the Moonflower is a bit borderline, being supposedly pure sci-fi, but definitely bordering on the very edge of being a fantasy, too. But yes, I do have trouble (as you can see) sticking to any one genre. There's just so much out there to write, so much I want to try!

6.You also review books on Novelspot. How do you like that?

I enjoy very much doing book reviews for Novelspot. Strangely, my editor at Alienskin Magazine just informed me that a publisher has requested one of me – not for Novelspot, but rather as the columnist for AlienSkin Magazine. So I guess I'll be doing that, as well. Reviewing books isn't all it's cracked up to be, though. On the one hand, I want to be honest, and I must be, but I'm not a torpedo-style critic. I feel that anyone who can manage to complete a novel must have something going for him or her. So, I try to keep that in mind when writing the review. I point out the flaws, but I do try to point out the positives, as well. But as David Niven said, when he plays a Broadway critic in the movie, Please Don't Eat The Daisies, "When tripe is served, I will yell TRIPE!"

What I find appalling at times is the low level of writing skills some new authors have, and some editors, as well, apparently, when they let this stuff slip by and go ahead and publish the book! I mean, they almost seem borderline functionally illiterate at times!

Oh, I'm not talking about strict grammar guidelines, rigid rules of old that must be adhered to, but basic stuff, like making a sentence readable enough for the reader to understand what the author is saying! I'm telling you; some are just so bad! E-books are partly responsible for this. Until just a decade ago, it was common for editors actually to EDIT! Now, many push all this off onto the author. They must do it all. And the truth is, after an author has read and re-read their own books for the 20th time, they probably aren't reading what's there, but what they think is there. A fresh eye, which an astute editor supplies, does marvels for making a good book great! So many of the books I review are riddled with typos, and "spellos," the wrong versions of words, like "their" instead of "there," etc. For the reader, that must be annoying! It is for me! And it detracts from what otherwise may be a very good story.

7.I think every writer through the process has one story/novel they are truly proud of and love dearly. What is your favorite piece of work?

Again, with the tough questions! As I said, Song of the Moonflower is probably my favorite sci-fi novel to date. However, Veracity In Truth won the top-level position for a publisher's in-house, Regency Romance contest, for published authors only. Mine won in the top position, with full e-book and print contracts, and the first listed as such. That was great! To win over novices is one thing, but to win out against good, peer authors, all published, that was SWEET! Yeah, I'm humble. But seriously, it was a wonderful feeling to win.

Now, I think my next novel, A Measure of Grace, may be my best "literary" effort to date. Oh, and do novellas count? My novella, Avenger of the People, coming out with Aberrant Dreams' anthology, The Awakening, is probably my best dark sci-fi one. Now for space opera, I'd have to say Bug-Eyed Monsters with Planetary Stories. One reviewer compared me favorably (as did the editor himself) to Edward Hamilton, one of the all-time, great, space-opera writers. Flattering in the extreme, but probably not true! (See, I can be humble…sort of…)

But my point is, what is my best work also implies the question: for which genre and when? That's the trouble when an author genre hops – they never know where they are going to land, or if it will be on their feet! But authors should always be growing, learning their trade, getting better at it. So, what may be your best "all time" book of one year, should in all likelihood be eclipsed by a new one next year! If not, you aren't growing as an author "in my book." (Pun intended.)

8.You also dabble in romance under a pen name. Why did you choose to do the pen name and is there any meaning behind it?

Yes, with my Regency Romances and other romances (none, by the way, which are erotica – I simply can't do that from a woman's point of view, so won't write them), I do use a penname. This was at the suggestion of my editor, who wisely told me "women like romances written by women." It's true. They do. But then, so do men, it seems. I don't mean romances, but the types of books we like, as men. J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame knew this, and so did her publisher, apparently. It's said they deliberately used only her initials instead of spelling out her first name(s) to gently disguise the fact that she was a woman, because her books on Harry Potter were originally geared for young adults and adolescent boys. If she can do it, so can I, I guess, although I'm obviously not J.K. Rowling, but then who else is? I wish I were. I love Edinburgh where she lives, but it's so expensive! And it's hard to say which I admire more, Ms. Rowling, or her money! That's a joke…sort of…

Besides, from what another of my editors tells me, you'd be surprised how many "A-List" male authors also write under a female penname and vice versa. I loved Andre Norton as a child, voraciously read all the sci-fi books that Norton produced. It wasn't until years later I found out she was a woman. The famous "George" Sands was also a woman, so again it works both ways. Also, many authors just use different pennames because readers get tired of reading books by the same author, so writers use different pennames for different genres to "fool" them. I know one six-figure author who writes under one name for one set of mysteries, and under another name for a different series of mysteries. Hey, it works! Also, practically speaking, sometimes a reader, an editor, or publisher can be prejudiced against certain genres. If my science fiction background were too known in the romance field, probably that would interfere with my selling romances. The reverse is probably true, too. So sometimes, it's just best to keep your genres separated by using different pennames.

What's my penname, you ask? Lord, how I hate to answer that one, because I can just hear the laughter out there!!! Well, it's – aw heck, I ain't gonna say! Okay, yes I will. It's "Rose Renee Shelly." Get it – R.R.S – as in Rob R. Shelsky? I thought the "Renee" added a nice foreign touch, so my Euro readers would feel more at home, too. If it makes a reader feel more comfortable that way, I have no problem. However, the book signings could get a little hairy, and in more ways than one, because I look nothing like "Rose Renee!" Well, we both have the same well-defined cheek bones…

9.I got in touch with you through Kay (Senior Editor of AlienSkin) for an interview, but then after posting a tweet about my partial rejection (don’t worry a post will come of that) you’ve been completely awesome with me and I appreciate it so much. To me you’re the prime example of a writer paying it forward to a novice writer. Is helping fellow writers something you always wanted to do or did it just come naturally? Have there been any personal writer friends who have helped you through your writing career?

Great question! Sara, you are good at these! (That's the book reviewer in me coming out…) Some writers are very jealous of their positions and see all new, younger writers as upstarts, and threats, competition, if you will. They won't help them at all, either because they are too arrogant to do this, or just too scared of this new competition. I think they feel there are only so many places at the "top," and so they don't want to make room. But the writing market isn't a pie with just so many pieces! And in any case, even if it were, you can always make a new one. It happens all the time, new genres, cross-genres, changes in the old ones. One can "create" a market for one's books, and nobody has to "steal" somebody else's piece of the pie. I'm not into such scarcity thinking, but rather view the publishing world as a place that can grow and expand, if writers, editors, and publishers do the right things.

And yes, I had help along the way from other authors more experienced than me. Some of it was simply by reading so many wonderful books they wrote that it made me want to write, too. But I have met some marvelous writers along the way. I met Rod Serling, of Twilight Zone fame, and even had coffee with him once. (Yes, I'm still thrilled about that, oh-these-many years later!) I was very young at the time (of course), and hung on his every word!

But the best author I ever met, one who really helped me, was the incredibly famous Ray Bradbury. I once asked him, "How can I be a good writer?" His answer: "Read! Read everything you can get your hands on." He told me that writers steal from other writers all the time, not as plagiarists, but in ideas. You get an idea from reading someone else's work, and this sparks one of your own, which you then develop. My short story for Jim Baen's Universe, Dreamtime, was that way. I'd read another story on immortality, and I had read Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke. My story grew out of a new idea of combining the two concepts (not the plots), and then generating a plot based on that new idea. Dreamtime was the result! Thank you, Ray Bradbury!

So, yes, pass it on! Help others along the way! At the end of it all, who knows? You may be prouder for having done that throughout your life, than with your own personal success as an author. What's that saying about "we pass this way but once, let us do what we can to help along the way?" I firmly believe that. Pass it on!

10.Random Time! You’re a huge SF buff, which I think is great, so this one is so for you. You see an overpowering white light coming from the sky above a corn field near your house, it’s unlike anything you’ve ever saw, the first thing you do is…

Run like hell! Head for cover! Hide! Cower somewhere in the dark of the night and hope it doesn't find you, seek you out! Don't just stand there like some stupid cow chewing it's cud out in the middle of the field staring up at the sky while that thing descends on top of you – get the heck out of there!

Shame on you Sara; didn't you read my current series of articles on UFOs (just completed with the current issue of AlienSkin Magazine), and my interviews with possible abductees? Fascinating things? Yes, UFOs are fascinating! Amazing? Yes again! But have you really heard anything good in the way of an outcome from anyone's interaction with a "bright light?" Radiation burns, being run off the road, being abducted, anally probed, flesh "scooped" from you, implants, missing memory, even deaths and permanent disabilities – those things aren't exactly "wonderful memories for my wonderful book of memoirs on UFOs."

UFOs fascinate me, and yes, I'd probably stand there like a fool, as so many people seem to do. I've always wanted to sort of "kick the tires of one," just to see if they are real or not, if you know what I mean. But my advice, seriously? RUN! If that bright light "ain't" a helicopter or a jet, "get outta there!" As my article said, whatever UFOS are, and whoever might control them, they seem to have no regard for basic human rights. They seem to do what they want with people, when they want, and without any considerations for their feelings. With such immoral or amoral creatures, the best thing to do is to avoid them. Because, truthfully, it's my feeling they are more the stuff of nightmares than they are of dreams. Of course, my father thinks I'm one of them… no, he really does! He says I'm not like anyone else in the family. I told him he'd better have a long talk with Mom about that…

To find out more on Rob and his work check out the links below:

My home page:
http://home.earthlink.net/~robngeorge/index.html

Podcast of Without Omens:
http://www.hd-image.com/podcast/?feed=rss2

Planetary Stories, Bug-Eyed Monster:
http://www.planetarystories.com/BEM1.htm

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247#/rshelsky?ref=name

AlienSkin Magazine:
http://www.alienskinmag.com/articles1.htm

Aberrant Dreams Magazine's hardcover anthology, The Awakening with Rob's novella, Avenger Of The People:
http://www.hd-image.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=180

Follow Rob on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/RobShelsky

A big, huge thanks to Rob for taking the time for me. He is truly such a motivater and honest person and of course a talented writer. I think we can all really look out in the horizon and say, perhaps there is more out there, and maybe just maybe, we should be scared! Haha I'm kidding, but yeah I did go back and read the full UFO Interviews on AlienSkin and was warped. It's insane so all you UFO people--check that read out for sure! It's so worth it! Also let's not forget his novels/shorts coming up, those will be just as great!

Rob is an awesome person through and through and he is definitley going to be added to people who has helped me along the way from in my own writing journey. A special thanks from me to you Rob for checking out my work and giving the most sincere feedback with huge kinks, all the helpful links and information for the science side of things, and encouragement. I am finally to the point of my novel, Jacks & Spades, where I am actually happy with it.
I never thought it was possible. =D

ANOTHER Blog Award! I'm loving this!!

2009-08-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

I was super excited when awesome Rebecca Knight informed me she is passing on a special blog award to I Am Write (my blog's name).

Thank you so, so, so much for the award. This is three now and all so close together! I am super happy with everyone's comments with my interviews of awesome writers and editors. I've met some more amazing people as well, not just through the interviews but blogs as well.

I think I will pass this one to--Lisa and Laura. Why? These girls are fabulous and funny! Plus, I believe they will love the cleverness of the "I Give Good Blog" award title. You two ladies deserve it!

Not too mention, my audience is almost up to 100 followers! I will have to do something like a contest when I hit this number. Go ahead link your friends to the blog.

You know you want to! =D

Maybe some book giveaways, critiques of partials, or maybe, well I won't say until I know details but let's hope option 3 is the thing I choose. Trust me, I'll make something good.

Anyways--tomorrow is Interview Monday so all you SF or Romance buffs be SURE to check in because Mr. Rob Shelsky is freakin amazing!!! I'm not even sugar coating that! This guy knows his stuff! Until tomorrow my friends--have a great night! Hopefully the interview will perk up the dreaded Monday...err Monday I think I cringed just typing that!

INTERVIEW MONDAY--Matt Hilton!!!

2009-08-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

I am super excited about today’s interview with Matt Hilton. Agented Author with awesome deals in the UK and US, including with Harper Collins and four translations! That’s huge! If you didn’t get a chill of excitement from that, brace yourself—he’s also a Thriller writer with an awesome character Joe Hunter. Yeah, go ahead take in the rush of suspense and read on, it’s so worth it. If you don’t…well Joe Hunter could be visiting you! I am KIDDING!

1.I’ve never started an interview this way so let’s test it out. How are you doing?

I’ve just got back from a month long publicity trail that took me to New York for Thrillerfest, then to Cambridge in the UK for Bodies in the Bookshop at Heffers bookshop, and then to Harrogate in the UK for The Olde Peculier Crime Writing Festival. To say my head is buzzing would be an understatement. It’s been a tiring but an absolutely great time where once again I rubbed shoulders with some of my literary heroes and inspirations. I’ve just got back to dozens of emails and am finally getting through them, then it’s back to writing book 5 in my thriller series featuring vigilante tough guy, Joe Hunter. I can’t wait to get my teeth into it again. The adrenaline’s already bubbling.

2.I love when you take a break from work and dive right in with all this great stuff. You’re a thriller writer, a genre I’m not very familiar with until lately. Tell me what makes a thriller?

Thrillers cross genres and there is no specific form that lays full claim to the title. A Thriller – also called ‘Suspense’ in the USA – can be set anywhere at any time in history, even in the future or outer space. There are historical thrillers, adventure thrillers, supernatural thrillers, sci-fi thrillers, horror thrillers and the type that I generally write which are often referred to as crime thrillers. Even some crime thrillers are a misnomer, because into that pot we can throw in mystery thrillers or action thrillers. I tend to lean more towards the latter. A mystery thriller has a problem to be solved, while an action thriller has a problem to be overcome.

Basically, a thriller must grab the reader and keep them hooked, hold them breathless at the edge of their seat as they race to the conclusion. Clichéd, but true.

3.I truly think I could try to write a thriller, but it would not be good! You run Thrillers, Killers, ‘N’ Chillers (TKnC) and offer short stories of mysteries, thrillers, crime and horror. Why did you start a website based on these particular genres?

The short answer is that these genres are the type I most like to read. They are also very closely related and sometimes the distinction between the genres can be very blurred. For instance, is ‘Silence of the Lambs’ a mystery, crime, or horror book? I guess it’s a thriller.

The longer answer is that I have been writing for many years before I achieved my first publishing deal (more than twenty years in fact) and throughout that time I was submitting work to various agents and publishers with very little feedback from them – except for the obligatory rejection letter. I was slow to catch on to the whole internet and blogging thing, but thought it might be a good idea to start a site where unpublished works could be showcased. I must take a step back here: when I got my publishing deal - 5 books from Hodder and Stoughton in the UK, 3 books from William Morrow (Harper Collins) in the USA, and translations in four foreign countries – I got a lot of press. As a result many aspiring authors got in touch with me to express their best wishes and to ask for advice. Very few of them had ever showcased any of their writing, so I thought a site where they could post their work was a great idea. People could read their work and then offer feedback and support. I didn’t have this while I was an aspiring author – but I would have loved a resource just like it.

Believe it or not, but I thought that TKnC was a way in which I could help these other authors receive some recognition from their peers.

Col Bury was one of these aspiring authors. We met via a mutual friend (a major coincidence that you wouldn’t believe) and struck up a friendship through our common love of the thriller genre in general. When my deadlines became too much for me to handle TKnC alone I asked Col to come on board with me. TKnC has now taken on a life of its own. It gets four times the hits as my own blog!

4.We all know Col since we featured him last week, loved the humour with him. I think it’s great you took it upon yourself to make the site because even recognition and encouragement from writing peers can help a person move forward.

Recently, you had a reader inform your TKnC partner Col Bury about a crime class. The teacher suggested the students to check out your TKnC. I quoted from the site, “for english, at school, we're doing crime fiction. And my teacher strongly suggested your website as a point of call, to help familiarize ourselves with the world of crime, to see the different styles, views, perspectives of crime."

That’s quite amazing especially considering this is coming from a reader in Australia. How good did you feel knowing your offering inside views on these genres and your site being read from all over the globe?

It was an astonishing and humbling experience. That one comment validated everything that I tried to achieve with the site. It also goes to show the talent of the writers who have submitted work for inclusion. I think everyone who has ever featured on TKnC or even commented or given feedback can be as proud as I feel.

5.Another thing I noticed on that entry was you mentioned you’ve been where a lot of us are now. Submitting work while handling rejection, trying to land an agent, and ultimately hoping to see your work published. And now here you are with book deals with some leading publishers, such as Harper and Collins and four translations coming out, an agent, and your first book is currently out on shelves, what’s going through your head when you reflect over the journey?

I feel immensely grateful for the fact that my agent, Luigi Bonomi, saw the potential in my first book, Dead Men’s Dust, and had the faith in me to take it to the publishers. Without Luigi championing my side I don’t think I’d have got anywhere near to the deals that I have. I’ve been writing since I was a child, I’ve submitted book after book to other agents and publishers over the years but never got my foot in the door. Like an awful lot of authors out there I’ve been on the cusp of giving up on more occasions than I can remember. My best advice to any aspiring authors is to never give up.

I’m honest proof that grit and determination can finally get you there. I had no qualifications, had no friends in publishing, wasn’t a celebrity, in fact I had no shoe-in to the publishing world at all. Add to that that I live in a remote corner of the Lake District in the UK (about as far as you can get from the publishing houses) and you can see that I was probably the last person that would have achieved a record breaking deal for a first time author. It’s all very humbling when I look back on things, even though I worked very hard to get where I have. It’s been fifteen months since I signed the contracts and I still can’t believe it that it’s happening to me!

6.Your well on your way to becoming a celebrity in our world! Okay so tell us about your novel, Dead Men’s Dust and who is Joe Hunter? How did you create Joe, meaning is this completely fictional or is there parts of you in him?

It’s another long story I’m afraid, but here goes:

I’ve written for years, sent off the books, got the rejections. Then I’ve written more books, and so on. I finally had a wake up call where I realised that the reason that my books weren’t being picked up was because they weren’t commercially viable. By that I mean that they were stand alone books with a beginning, middle and end. No potential, in other words, for a follow up.

I then looked at the other books on the booksellers’ shelves and saw that most were part of a series with an ongoing lead protagonist.

Because of this I then set out to write about a character who had the specific skill set and back ground to be involved in an on-going series. I have worked in private security and have also been a police officer, but the last thing I wanted to do was write police procedurals. For one, I didn’t want to write about what I did at work, and secondly there are many writers who do it so much better than me. I’m a big fan of the American tradition of P.I’s but again, I saw that the shelves were already top heavy with these kinds of heroes. I decided to write about a character who acted outside the law – a vigilante for want of a better term – but who was driven by a sense of morals and justice.

Joe Hunter is an ex-counterterrorism soldier – part of a black ops team who carried out assassinations on terrorists and extremists - who is very handy in a fight. He is skilled in unarmed combat and is very skilful with a handgun. I thought that these factors gave him the necessary tools and background to get into various sticky situations throughout the world – in other words I believed that he could carry a series.

I suppose you could say that Joe Hunter is the part of me that wished I could just take the gloves off when I was being attacked or verbally assaulted by the criminals I was dealing with. Seriously, though, Joe Hunter and I share a history of dealing with violent people. We are both highly trained martial artists. Those two factors are probably the things that I carry over into my writing the most.

Dead Men’s Dust is an introductory story to the series where Hunter goes off from the UK to the USA in search of his wayward half-brother, John. Little does he know that when he arrives he is going to be thrown into a mix where John is being hunted by hit men from the mob, or that John has fallen into the cat and mouse game of a bone harvesting serial killer who has adopted the name of the Biblical Tubal Cain, the inventor of knives. I guess if I’d to define the style of thriller I’d call it a ‘chase thriller’ with crime as a backdrop.

7.It really sounds like you dug deeper after getting no hits for this book and all for the better. What inspired you to write Dead Men’s Dust? I understand this is part of a series, how many more are written or how many are you planning on?

My inspiration came from many sources. As a child I loved the pulp stories of Robert E. Howard (Conan the Cimmerian) and H.P. Lovecraft (horror master), and I also grew up reading men’s action books like Mack Bolan: The Executioner. I wanted to write books that captured the action of Howard, the creepiness of Lovecraft, but with a strong, charismatic and morally driven hero along Mack Bolan’s lines. I also wanted a hero a bit like the master-less samurai, or Wild West Marshall who just walked into town and dealt with the bad guys in an uncompromising manner. The result was Dead Men’s Dust.

Book 2 is called Judgement and Wrath and will be published by Hodder and Stoughton in the UK in October, with Book 3, Slash and Burn, next May, and Book 4, Cut and Run, coming next October. I’m currently on writing book 5, which at this moment is untitled. The books will be released annually in the USA, so I’m afraid you might have to wait a little longer. At present I have the five book deal, but obviously I’d love a further contract when this one finishes. I’d also love to put out a few stand alone thrillers (I’ve a few relinquishing on my hard drive that just may see some light in the future). I’ve also written a young adult horror/thriller which is currently with my agent.

8.Oh a YA Horror/Thriller! That’s my kind of my book. I have actually been dying to read some Lovecraft and cannot find it in my library! So frustrating…anyways to have a character and multiple plots to carry out a series is a great accomplishment. Are you going to be sad when the final book is written?

If it ever comes to it where no one wants another Joe Hunter thriller I will be tremendously sad. He’s become a huge part of my life and takes up many of my waking thoughts, so it would be like saying goodbye to a good friend. However, I’d also like to write about other characters in the future, so maybe a short hiatus from Joe wouldn’t be too bad – as long as there was a promise that he’d be back.

9.It would be kind of hard say goodbye to somewhere who has come went so far and (forgive the language) who sounds badass! Out of curiosity is Dead Men’s Dust the first novel you wrote?

The first novel I wrote was a teenage ‘coming of age’ book called AGGRO, but since then I’ve written many others. I have written fantasy, horror and crime books, but in the last few years I’ve concentrated on thrillers. After I wrote DMD, I wrote a supernatural thriller called The Thin Grey Man which has sat on my computer since, because I got the deal to write further Joe Hunter thrillers. And as I said, I’ve now completed the next three Hunter books and am on number five. I wrote the YA horror book in between episodes to give me a break between each of the Hunter books. I’ve also taken time out to write short stories and have posted these under the pen name of Vallon Jackson at TKnC, they tend to be horror or humorous crime stories. It gets me away from Joe Hunter for a while, clears my head, and gives me a fresh approach when I go back to the novels.

10.We’d love to know about your agent. How did you find him/her, what kind of credentials were listed in your query, how many rejections before you found him/her, and most importantly are you happy with the way things are going?

Like I mentioned earlier, I had this wake up call. When I’d come up with a book that I thought fit what publishers were looking for I then set out to find an agent to represent me. I researched who was who and found that Luigi Bonomi had been nominated as ‘agent of the year’ and had just had a massive success with Simon Kernick who was a huge bestselling author in the UK. When I looked at Luigi’s website, I saw that he accepted unsolicited manuscripts and had a desire to establish new authors. I sent him the obligatory synopsis and first three chapters, but also wrote a concise letter of introduction outlining my plans for an on-going series, my back ground as a police officer, and my previous publication successes (which to be frank only amounted to a couple of non-fiction articles in magazines). When Luigi asked to see the entire book I was shocked. He then asked me to do a re-write with his suggestions in mind, which I did. I also undertook another re-write to tighten and strengthen the book. I did all of this prior to actually being signed with him, and have since found out that I was being tested to see if I had what it took to deliver and to work with him. Moral of the story; if an agent shows interest and asks you to change something…do it. They know what they are talking about. And they may just be testing you.

I think I mentioned earlier that I’ve had numerous rejections prior to being signed by Luigi. I could probably wallpaper a bathroom with them. But, you only have to be accepted once to forget all about the past.

11.We all know it just takes the one agent to make your heart stop and dreams come true and I am so happy you found yours. I think that’s great advice about the re-writers from agents, I have a good friend who went through this and it made her work even better. Random Question Time! If you could choose any one of your books to be composed into a movie, it would be...

Dead Men’s Dust would make a great summer blockbuster! Or maybe The Thin Grey Man – I think that one would look beautiful, creepy and thrilling on screen.

If you'd like to know more about Matt, here's some personal links:

You can find out more about Matt Hilton and Joe Hunter at www.matthiltonbooks.com
Matt blogs at http://matthiltonbooks.blogspot.com
And you can read some excellent new short genre fiction at http://thrillskillsnchills.blogspot.com
Maybe you'd like to submit one!

Currently, I am still on the hunt trying to get Matt’s Dead Man’s Dust, and some darn HP Lovecraft. I miss city libraries.

A big thank you to Matt! He has been busy with writing, life, and TKnC and doing it wonderfully. I think this is a true Cinderella story, since Matt only had a few things published and took years to land a dream agent and deal. Four translations! Can anyone say NY Times Bestseller in the making? I think I can.

Being determined and believing in your work is the ultimate payoff. I think as long as we writers have that mentality we can get there, it may be months or even years, but if we truly believe in ourselves then nothing is being wasted. Thanks so much again Matt, a true inspiration.

My FIRST Blog Awards! Sweet!

2009-08-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

I was super thrilled to see my amazing buddy Becky and rockstar Elana chose me to carry on some blog awards. I could take one or two, so of course I took them both!

Here's the rules.
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might not know.
5. Nominate 7 Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

So let's go down the list!

A big thanks to Becky again--she is awesome and truly one of the best writing buddies I have! Her motivation, trust, honesty, and passion are always inspiring. I am so lucky she found me! I'd be lost without her! Thank you so much Becky!

And Elana--love her blogs and help for fellow writers! Not only is she always keeping it real but fun, and that is so important for people like us who wish to pull out our hair! Oh and I shall mention again she totally helped me craft an awesome query letter! Thank you lots Elana!

Seven Things You May NOT Know:
1. I love writing dark horror short stories and hope a future WIP novel will be one.
2. Writing a novel and seeing it published was on my "Bucket List."
3. Music is key to make or break my day.
4. The deep ocean of monstrous sea creatures scare me.
5. I have a sick obsession with old fashioned jewelry.
6. My jump drive is named Sara (after yours truly).
7. If there is a PS3/XBOX/Super Nintendo/Wii around,(you/me) are totally playing it.

And now for the Nominations!
L.T. Elliot
Billey Coffey
Janette Johnson
Sam
Matt Hilton
Sarah
Roni

There you have it! Feel free to take one or both awards and follow the rules!

SUPER SORRY!!!

2009-08-18T12:20:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Okay so I been busy at home visiting inlaws in Holly, and now I am going up North near Clare till Friday! No internet there--I know I am bumming! Due to this I am moving interviews back--Matt Hilton will be making his appearance either Friday or Monday. I feel awful, but I had to post this up so everyone would be in the know because we're leaving in like three minutes!!

Until I get back--keep writing away!

INTERVIEW MONDAY--Col Bury!

2009-08-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

Today we have Col Bury--Co-Editor of Thrillers, Killers 'n' Chillers, and active Crime writer on the road with all of us--seeking representation for our pride and joy novels. Col gives us a great look into this genre and I love his random question answer at the end, I laugh every time! He's also got some nice publications, which you can check out below. Enjoy!

1.First off why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?

I live in Manchester, UK, with my wonderful wife and two beautiful children, so I’m an extremely fortunate person family-wise. They understand how important both reading and writing are to me, and for that I’m thankful as free time is limited when you’re a dad and work full-time.

Being Co-Editor of ezine, Thrillers, Killers N Chillers, does take up some of my ‘writing time,’ but to be honest it’s a pleasure to be part of reading, analyzing, and editing work from some truly outstanding writers and, as a consequence, others tell me my own writing has developed considerably this year, which obviously spurs me on.

In my spare time (what’s left of it!) I read, read, read - with a critical eye - mainly crime novels at every opportunity, and I’m a keen 8-ball pool player (County level) with a garage full of trophies! I also love football with a passion, both playing and watching Manchester City.

I’ve been writing very spasmodically for twenty years and have had a few modest successes with articles published in magazines, plus I was once on the editorial team for a book about unemployment. I have loads of stuff stashed on discs, in drawers and in my head! It’s not only crime, although this is now my forte. I used to read a lot of horror - James Herbert, Dean Koontz, Stephen King - because I love the suspense/tension and that feeling of not wanting to turn the next page, but you just have to!

Over the years I’ve written broadly. There’s a children’s series that’s done the rounds without success, an old novel (it was naff, but good practice), a half-written humorous non-fiction ‘How-to’ book, numerous poems (even won a poetry comp’ once - there was only me who entered!), and many ‘scrawlings’, including stand up comedy routines, speeches and reviews. I’ve been called ‘a versatile writer’ before, but I think to have that label confirmed you need to be published widely.

My focus now is firmly on crime writing with an unflinching desire to become a crime novelist.

Just realized you asked for ‘a little bit about yourself.’ Ooops. Forgive me, but writers do ramble!

2.Crime writing huh? Mind telling us about your current novel project?

I’d say it’s a fast-paced, mainstream crime novel with plenty of action and conflict, written in a gritty, no nonsense voice with the sprinkles of dark humour throughout. It feels a tad uncomfortable blowing my own trumpet, especially as it’s not on the shelves…yet! But the story is Manchester-based and is a balance of police procedure - whereby my Detective Inspector hunts a highly skilled, prolific serial killer - and ‘action’ from the viewpoint of the killer. It does tackle the motivational issues of the ‘bad guy’ and also has a strong moral theme running throughout as it deals with ‘problems’ within society of which the killer is somewhat peeved (to say the least!). I’d like to think my characters are as sympathetic and 3-dimensional as possible, and do drive the story along.

There’s obviously much more to the plot than that, but you’ve probably got the gist. My aim is to write a book to entertain the reader, who is at the forefront of my mind with each sentence I write.

I am hoping to gain the representation of an Agent later in the year…so if anyone’s interested…!!!

3.I hear that! Representation is every writers dream (okay maybe not every writers dream) but a lot of us are hoping we get there. You’re a passionate crime writer—do you have any previous experience with the law? What attracts you personally to this genre?

I’m fascinated as to the motivations of the perpetrator. As a young lad growing up in a suburban area of Manchester, crime was all around me, and I recall wondering back then - and still now - why certain people chose to do certain things and, as I’m naturally inquisitive, I began to research. I’ve read lots of books on serial killers and true crime, which I believe is crucial to develop one’s understanding

I do have direct dealings with violent offenders in my job, but I’ll not elaborate on that for now. It’s not quite, ‘If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you,’ but now’s not the time. Maybe if my novel gets published…

4.Hmm…violent offenders through work? Interesting, I wonder if you’ll use any of their actions in your books. I think we can all agree on reading what we write because that’s what we like. It also lets you see how other authors execute that genre. So we know the basis of Crime Fiction, but I sometimes see ‘New’ Crime Fiction—is there a difference?

My blog is called Col Bury’s New Crime Fiction simply because I’m a newish writer of crime fiction. I guess that’s the main reason - a new take on things, a new voice in the genre. I assume that’s what this means elsewhere, too: please correct me if I’m wrong.

5.If any readers know otherwise, please leave it in the comment section. Not only are you a writer of short stories and working on a novel, but you’re the Co-Editor of Thrillers, Killers, ‘N’ Chillers (TKnC) with Matt Hilton, how did that all come about?

Knowing I was into writing, a mutual friend told me about Matt’s 5-book deal and I was intrigued (naturally inquisitive as I told you – or a nosey so n so: take your pick!) and my friend phoned Matt and put us in touch early in 2008. Matt’s been massively supportive of me for which I’m extremely grateful. We became good friends via near-daily emails, and the odd call, before we finally met up in Lancaster (half-way between Manchester and Carlisle) for a bite to eat and a non-stop chat about writing and life.

Matt has tried for years to get published, appreciating how difficult it is, and as he genuinely enjoys helping new writers, he started Thrillers, Killers N Chillers in January this year to do just that. I’d sent him a few stories on there to get the ball rolling as did a few other up and coming writers: Matt’s brother, Jim Hilton, and another writer called Amit Dhand. Then one of my Writers’ News Talkback friends, Bill Haddow-Allen joined us, but for the first three months that was it.

Unexpectedly, in March Matt kindly asked me to assist and I literally bit his hand off! Me…an Editor? A month or two later I recall Matt and I were debating via email the merits of accepting a certain submission and he made me laugh with a third email on the subject, saying, ‘Col, we’re becoming Editors …aaarrgh!!!’ I’m (we’re) so proud of how it’s taken off, though most of the credit should go to Matt for his foresight in creating the site: it’s his brainchild.

6.That’s wonderful to see the progress your both making, in fact next week I have an interview lined up with Matt. Thrillers, Killers, ‘N’ Chillers focuses on crime, thrillers, and mystery stories. Do you enjoy all of these genres? What are some plots you see all the time that new writers can try to stay away from the slush pile when they submit work?

Don’t forget horror, Sci-Fi, flash and micro fiction - anything that thrills, kills, or chills really. And, yes, I do love all of these genres.

But do you know what? The variety of submissions we receive from the many writing talents out there are so diverse that the different voices make the typical scenario - protagonist = problem with antagonist = kill antagonist - told in different ways, but sometimes with a twist from the obvious or an alternative take, still refreshingly entertaining to read.

Things to avoid when submitting: writing something that doesn’t fit the guidelines (which are actually very broad for an ezine) or poor grammar/plot. If it’s well-written and we’re not sure, we’ll have a brief ‘chat’ via email then usually agree. If not - which is extremely rare - we’ll let the readers decide.

7.It sounds like TK’n’C is very flexible, which is awesome for new writers to help get their work out there. I’ll be honest, I’ve never written a crime story because I’m more intimidated by this genre. I watch crime shows all the time, but it’s said over and over again these shows are complete fiction and the current technology does not allow cases to be solved that easily. In your writing do you have such fictional items to solve a murder or do you try to stay within the current technology for this time frame?

Crime writing doesn’t have to be like the old police procedurals where the reader is inside the head of a chain-smoking detective, seeing his every move, hearing his every thought. If this is the way you did want to write then it would need extensive research to make it authentic. There are other ways to write a crime novel (e.g. predominantly from the perpetrator’s viewpoint) where you’re somewhat freed from the shackles of the official viewpoint of a cop and your imagination can really kick in as oppose to worrying too much about police procedure. Nonetheless, it must be said, research is still required as most readers of crime will see right through you!

Obviously real crimes can take ages to solve (a novel can accommodate this better than a one-hour TV show), especially whether it involves forensics, fibres, DNA, etc, trawling through hours of CCTV or waiting for responses from witness appeals, but these TV shows, that you refer to, have to be hard-hitting and fast-paced otherwise they become boring. It’s like the Bill in the UK. It’s pretty entertaining, but cops actually write a lot. Imagine in one episode having them all doing their files for court! Riveting - not! And it makes me laugh when a call comes on the radio for a bloke in a red top carrying a package and, hey presto, there he is walking past! But I suppose the producers/writers have to do this otherwise their stories would drag.

8.I would need to do a ton of research if I planned to show the whole ‘murder case and procedure’ point of view, so maybe I’ll stick to the shows. So some shows inspire people, who/what has inspired you?

I think the first author to inspire me was horror writer, James Herbert whose books are easy to read, full of suspense and atmosphere, and sprinkled with humour. I’ve read three of Simon Kernick’s books recently – Relentless, Deadline, and The Murder Exchange – and have thoroughly enjoyed them, especially the fast pace and dry humour therein. The first actual crime novel I read that got me hooked was William Bayer's--Switch.

Ian Rankin’s work is, to me, much more serious and clearly well-researched and I admire him for this. I also like Mark Billingham and Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris is a must read for any aspiring crime writer. I really enjoyed Matt Hilton’s, Dead Men’s Dust, too, and can’t wait to read the rest in the Joe Hunter series.

However, just last month I began my first Lee Child novel, Persuader, and the end of the first chapter gave me that ‘wow’ feeling. I’m really loving this book and I can see why many people admire him so much. I’m hooked on Jack Reacher now so job done by Mr Child.

There are numerous crime writers on my ‘to read’ list and, to be honest, I will definitely get round to reading them all.

9.I have countless books on my reading list. Right now I am finally getting around to Suzanne Collins ‘The Hunger Games’ from all the reviews I’ve read on blogs. Let’s get to the Writing Platform, agents love seeing this on a query, but do you think writing short stories benefits the writer when composing a novel?

I wasn’t aware of Suzanne so there’s another for my list – thanks!
I agree that it’s almost expected for a writer to have some kind of ‘writing platform’ so an agent can see that they do have some marketing potential.

My writing was very ‘flabby’ when I first submitted to TKnC, but from the feedback received I know I’ve definitely tightened my work, which I feel has also hopefully improved my novel writing. The downside, perhaps, is at one stage I was in ‘short story mode’ (writing my own, plus reading and editing lots of others) and couldn’t get back into the novel. However, I finally overcame this by just writing scenes (a bit like short stories really) from the novel as the ideas popped into my head, which got me back into the flow.

10.I have to say being the Publishing Editor of FMM (Flash Me Magazine) has helped improve my own writing a lot. It allows you see some common mistakes to help you identify your own. You’ve had some short stories published, mind telling us a short blurb and how you develop your ideas? Can we read them online and if so where?

There’s a list on of my online stuff on my blog. To date I’ve got a dozen shorts on TKnC, one on Six Sentences, three over at A Twist Of Noir and I’m branching out a bit now and submitting to other ezines. A new piece of micro is due on Blink-Ink as we speak. Most are crime oriented, invariably written with a splash of humour and a twist. Some are particularly violent and a few have a supernatural theme, mainly mixed with crime (probably stemming from reading horror as a spotty teenager).

As you may have gathered, humour is important to me in writing: I feel it adds a further dimension and can offer a break from the tension, if your ‘comic timing’ is right and if used sparingly, while also adding to the characterization. Over-use of humour can become ‘author intrusion.’

I’ve only been submitting since January this year and was amazed when one of my stories, Forum of Fury, was selected for review at Eastern Standard Crime. I think this is arguably my favourite. It received a helluva lot of positive feedback that left me with an afterglow!

Encouraged by the positive feedback from the ezines I’ve started sending stuff out to magazines, other markets and competitions. I think I’ll always write short stories as I’ve definitely got the bug, but the novel takes precedence – it has to, otherwise I’d never finish it.

11.That’s great about all your accomplishments and I love the afterglow comment. I know I am radiant when I get an acceptance letter. Out of curiosity, do you really believe there is such a thing as “The Perfect Crime?” Why or why not?

Yes, I do. Programs like Dexter are good, and if forensically aware then you’ve got a chance. How many unsolved murders are there? Throughout history you could say that each unsolved case is arguably the ‘perfect crime.’ On a lesser level, a crime could be stealing a block of cheese from the corner shop. If you’re masked up and rush in and out at the right moment, then there’s a fair chance you could be scoffing away your cheese on toast watching Dexter without chastisement! Sadly thousands of crimes go undetected every day throughout the world, so the answer has to be a resounding ‘Yes,’ whether it may be by luck or meticulous planning on the criminal’s part.

12.Very interesting, I have to say I’ve never heard an answer like that before. Lastly, my random questions! I love these ones. You get a mysterious letter in the mail from someone claiming to have evidence that falsely accuses you of a crime, what would you do?

Kill them…only joking…I’d just torture them…again, just kidding. It wouldn’t be possible…I’d suss ‘em in the end and fight for justice. After all, I am a crime writer!

Haha! I love that above answer! If you would like to know more about Col Bury here are some personal links:

Col blogs and interviews crime writers here:
http://www.colburysnewcrimefiction.blogspot.com/

To read or submit a story to Thrillers, Killers N Chillers go here.(Don’t be shy - Matt and Col are very approachable chaps!)
http://www.thrillskillsnchills.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much Col for taking the time showing us readers a life in crime! Your answers have been great for giving us a glimpse into a genre I don’t hear a lot of writers writing, that may be a good thing when you’re targeting agents. I do wish you the best of luck with your writing journey and the success continues to grow for TK’n’C. It is an awesome read that I enjoy checking out and recommend it to anyone interested in these genres.

INTERVIEW WEDNESDAY--Billey Coffey!

2009-08-04T23:02:00.000-07:00

Today’s interview is awesome! Why? Because it’s one of our own—the thing all of us writers are striving to be and work hard to reach. Billy Coffey landed his literary agent and not just ANY agent—we’re talking about Rachelle Gardner from Word Serve Literary.

1. Let’s start off with your query, what were you pitching to agents? (What do you write?) Secondly, did you have a writing platform, if so what did that include?

I was grudgingly pitching a spiritual memoir. “Grudgingly” because I didn’t consider myself a memoirist in the least. In my head, that word conjured images of old men in tweed sport jackets who lounged in leather chairs and spoke. In. Short. Sentences. That wasn’t me. But I had everything a little backwards. Instead of picking a genre and writing a book, I wrote the book and then needed a genre. Spiritual memoir was closest.

My writing platform wasn’t as strong as some, but strong enough not to dissuade Rachelle. My blog had been steadily building readers, and I also write columns for a local newspaper, a regional magazine, and for Churchmouse Publications, an online syndicate service.

2. Your credentials look pretty good to me, as for the genre I think many writers can agree with that. Writing a book then finding a genre, some people find it close to something they wouldn’t ‘normally’ plan to write. With every interview I do I love to tie in the genres and their own definitions so how would you define your genre?

The spiritual memoir is based on the theory that we are not only outwardly linked by history we’re linked by it inwardly as well. What happens to one in the depths of his or her soul in some aspects happens to us all. So even though the story is unique to the storyteller, it also contains elements common to every reader. It’s the narrative of one person’s walk of faith that can cover a lifetime, a year, or, in my case, a single day.

3. A single day? That must have been one heck of a day to compose a high word count novel. What inspired you to write this book? Is there more come?

One horrible, wonderful day. I woke up to a snowstorm outside and news that I may be laid off from my job because of the economy. I went to bed with the stars shining and the knowledge that I had a very good life. I didn’t just want to write Snow Day. I had to.
My next book is in its final couple of drafts, and I have a pile of notes on my desk for a third.

4. Whenever we had a snowstorm I went to bed with worries, knowing my little car would have to trudge through to work. Just out of curiosity, how has your first draft of your novel changed to its final stage for querying (before editors get to it)?

Actually, not much. I’ve moved a few chapters around and added an epilogue, but that’s about it. My first manuscript went through twelve drafts and ended up completely different than what I had started with, but Snow Day wrote itself. The hardest thing was to simply get out of my own way and let it happen. I’m expecting that to be the exception rather than the rule, though. More often than not, I really don’t know what I’m trying to say until the third draft or so.

5. That’s interesting, because usually with my WIP’s I know what I’m trying to say, but it takes me twelve drafts so others understand it. Did you use any helpful sites such as Query Tracker, Writer’s Digest, or Agent Query to research agents or were sticking to the books like Literary Marketplace of updated agents?

I used them all, plus a few more! Query Tracker and Agent Query are great, but you have to be careful because not all of their listings are up to date. You can’t find a better source for writing and publishing tips than Writer’s Digest. I’ll add to that list the Preditors and Editors website, which was invaluable. Sadly, there are a lot of agents and publishers out there who are much less than what they appear. It’s easy to get sweet-talked into signing with someone who wants to feed off your dreams rather than believe in them.

I still have copies of Writer’s Guides from 2000 to 2008 on my bookshelves, all dog-eared and underlined. The same goes for the Sally Stuart’s Christian Writer’s Market Guides.
It’s never been easier to find avenues to reach agents and editors, and in that regard I don’t think there’s such a thing as too much information. The trick is knowing how to process it all and use it to your advantage.

6. I have to agree with you on that, it’s a big decision to sign with someone and I’ve read stories on writers who signed with someone they thought was perfect and now they’re seeking representation elsewhere. It’s always nice to see how it ranges for people, so may I ask how many rejections/partials/fulls you’ve received before getting the call?

I think I stopped keeping count after the first twenty-five rejections or so. I’ve heard of writers who used their rejection letters as fodder for their determination. Stephen King taped his to a dartboard, and I read once of a very famous author who used his as toilet paper. I’ve heard that from a business standpoint it’s always good to keep them on file. I tried that, but it really started to bug me when that file began to get thicker and thicker. In the end, I resorted to just marking the agent’s name off a list I kept in my notebook.

All in all, I had over forty rejections. Half of those came from my query, half of that from partials, and half of that from fulls. Yes, it was awful. More awful than I can say. And yes, I wanted to give up. But I’m a stubborn person, and that stubbornness paid off in the end.

7. A dartboard—that could be fun! Speaking of fun, it’s very funny because I actually found you on twitter (see social networking pays off) and I also follow Rachelle and when I saw her post about “making the call” I couldn’t believe she was picking someone up. Did you see that post? Were you prepared for the phone call or were caught off guard?

I did see that post, but only after the fact. Rachelle had contacted me a few days prior to set up a phone call, and contacted me again the day of to say not to worry because this was The Call. I didn’t dare get my hopes up after those forty plus rejections, but it did get me pretty excited.

She offered representation right away, which allowed me to inhale and continue the conversation. We talked about my book, how she wanted to market it, and what her plans were. Rachelle’s such a nice lady, and that put me right at ease.

But there was so much information going back and forth and my head was swimming so much that I forgot to ask her one thing: could I tell everyone the good news, or should I wait until after I had signed the contract?

I was planting some flowers for my wife a little while later when my cell phone started going crazy. In the span of about five minutes, I had over sixty new followers on Twitter. I went back later and saw Rachelle’s tweet. She’d answered my question for me.

And social networking? YES. I refused to believe I had to partake in blogs and Twitter and Facebook in order to get an agent, but I finally gave in out of desperation. That’s when things began to turn around for me. If you’re a writer, especially a beginning one, such things are mandatory.

8. Okay there you have it, for all of you I always see debating on keeping up with blogs and tweets—keep them going! I am assuming you and Rachelle connected with a similar vision of your book, if that connection wasn’t there would you have passed representation with her?

We’re exactly on the same page as far as the vision for Snow Day, and that’s made things so much easier. I like to think that I would have passed representation if that wasn’t the case. That would be the right thing to do. But the great thing about her is that she is up front about her desire for my input. I feel like I’m not working for her, not even that she’s working for me, but that we’re working together. I think that’s not only very important for a writer, but for a good agent as well. We talked enough before The Call that if that common vision wasn’t there, she would have likely recommended another agent rather than offered representation.

9. Working together with someone is always better than having it one sided and it’s wonderful that you found an agent who is behind you and your work. Okay, so you have an agent. What’s happening to your book right now?

Rachelle took my proposal to ICRS (International Christian Retail Show) and has sent it to the editors there who showed interest. She’s also working on the final edits for my manuscript, which she’ll send and I’ll go through to have ready if and when a publisher requests a full. The patience you have to exercise in getting an agent is repeated after you’ve signed with one. Some editors will get back with Rachelle in a matter of weeks. Others will take months. It’s a lot of hurry up and wait.

10. The speed of replies and feedback is one of the hardest parts sometimes. Instead of calling this the “Publishing Industry” they should refer it as the “Wait in Agony Industry”. What advice would you give to new writers searching for their own agents? Please don’t say the business is subjective, I do believe we’re all aware of that by now. =D

It’s easy to just write a generic query letter and carpet bomb the entire literary world with it, but you’re really better off whittling down the list of agents you have and concentrating on those who are most likely to show interest. Tailor your query according to them. Have you met them at a conference? Is your book comparable to that of a client? Do you enjoy their blog? Why is that agent the best fit for you?

Agents get hundreds of queries a month. Make yours stand out. Be personable and professional. Don’t go for gimmicks. Make your query your absolute best writing. And whatever you do, follow their guidelines to the letter. This is not the time to break rules.

And maybe most of all, make sure your book is as polished as it can be before you start querying. Have it torn apart by critique groups. Tear it apart yourself. If you can afford it, find a good freelance editor. Make sure it’s as good as it can possibly be, and an agent will have no choice but to take a closer look. The agents you’re querying are not members of a national cabal whose sole purpose is to keep you from getting published. It’s easy to start thinking they’re the enemy. They’re not. But if your book isn’t ready, they’ll make it feel that way.

11. A lot of my readers participate in Critique Groups and ask for Beta Readers that may be asked for just feedback or edits also so it’s nice to know that’s recognized as the right direction. What reflection(s) do you hope your novel will leave people when we see it polished and published in the store?

That the worst times of our lives can also be the best, that for every drop of darkness in our days there is a gallon of light, and that when we lose what means much, we often find what means more.

12. That’s a great answer, really great in fact I’m a little speechless on how to tie in the next question. You have a close friend, Kat, who is helping you out with more business like subjects so you can focus on your writing, how can I get my friends to do that when the time comes? I’m kidding, but it does convey the fact this is someone you truly trust and obviously respects with what you’re trying to do, have you two been life-long friends?

I’ve actually only known Kat since April. She happened upon my blog one day and left a smart aleck comment to my post. I always try to repay the kindness of someone commenting on a post by doing the same, so I followed her back to her blog (my comment? Not smart alek-y).

She emailed a week or so later wanting to know if I’d be interested in guest posting for her once a week. She’s a gifted painter and had gotten too busy to post something every day. I said sure.
After a few posts, she emailed again wanting to know if she could take a look at my manuscript. She read it, loved it, and then offered to help me in any way she could. I couldn’t begin to say how important she’s been. I absolutely trust and respect her, and her opinion is invaluable. She’s the first person who sees anything I write.

Writing is such a lonely task, and it’s necessary to have people to keep your writing honest and up to your abilities. And this is another reason to have a blog. If you post something on a regular basis that’s good quality then people will find you. Those people will be more than willing to help you get to your dreams.

13. That story makes me so happy! I have a writing buddy who is ‘My Kat’ who I also met online. It’s crazy how many important people you can meet online and think I’ve never met this person in my life and yet it feels like I’ve known them for ages. I adore all of my writing friends. Lastly, I always ask a random question. If you could tell everyone in the world something, and I mean everyone, what would tell them?

Pay attention.

That’s not just the first rule for a writer, it’s the first rule for everyone. We miss so much good in life because we refuse to slow down and see it. There’s magic out there. Wonder and beauty and good. The world is full of tragedy, but there’s nothing as tragic as walking through our days carrying more burdens than hopes.

If you would like to know more about Billey here are some personal links:

His blog: http://www.billycoffey.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/billycoffey

That wraps up this interview perfectly. I agree with all my heart, there’s magic out there, and I fell in love instantly with that line. I’d like to thank Billey and Kat for working with me for this interview, especially since Billey has been busy with his writing and Kat can match emailing speeds with me (that’s way impressive). I will be keeping in touch so we will all know when your book “Snow Day” is released and then of course we can rush in to get a copy. Sell big Rachelle!

Harry Potter SHOULD HAVE Died Book! HP Fans READ!

2009-07-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

This book is PRICELESS! Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan and JK is amazing, plain and simple, but this book is awesome. It covers all kinds of topics, hearing yes and no sides and then a verdict based upon them. What kind of topics you ask?

Would you rather shave Hagrid's back or give Voldermort a foot massage?

Does Harry Potter die in Deathly Hallows?

Which is the best book?

What is the cheesiest movie moment?

Are the movie studios splitting Deathly Hallows into two parts strictly for financial reasons?

Are the female characters too stereotyped?

Who would win in a fight: Gandalf or Dumbledore?

Are the Hufflepuffs dismissed as lame?

What's the worst book?

It goes on and on my friends, all while keeping the reader enertained and logical references (they even do page numbers!) from the books to add to their chosen points leading to their verdicts. Some things pointed out I didn't even realize! I must add, this book has not been approved by JK, her publishers, or Warner Bros which it clearly says on the cover. Still I think this is a MUST for HP Fans everywhere!

SPOILER: Just in case you're wondering, no they really don't think Harry should have died.

Have a great weekend all of you Muggles!

INTERVIEW TUESDAY--Laurel Wilczek

2009-07-28T10:46:00.000-07:00

I know it's Tuesday, but yesterday I was going over my new intro because of another partial request from an agent. Today we have the Editor Unleashed Flash 40 Contest Grand Prize Winner Laurel Wilczek aka Ravenne. Here's what she had to say about her writing and the contest!

1. You sign your work with Ravenne rather than Laurel, what's the meaning behind that?

There's a mystical quality to the Raven that fascinates me. I love the symbolism behind this traveler who can move between the physical world and the spiritual world. He's the ultimate trickster, embodying the sacredness and sinfulness present within human nature. What better symbol for a writer of magical realism?

2. Very true about the raven and I find it rather neat for you to compare yourself to them. The Editor Unleashed Flash 40 Contest was a huge success, with 280 stories entered. Your story, Fairy Tales, was the grand prize winner. How did you feel when you found out? Do I dare ask you how you will spend the 500.00 prize money?

My story, Fairy Tales was a dark horse in the popular vote. It lingered in 7th position for the majority of the vote then suddenly leaped to 1st place in the last two days of the vote. It was very gratifying to see the response to my story. Had the success of Fairy Tales ended there, I would have been happy. Needless to say, I was thrilled when Fairy Tales won the grand prize. Maria Schneider had made it clear that the popular vote would not be the only factor in selecting the grand prize winner. I didn't take anything for granted. In fact, the day that Maria was to announce the winners, I left my computer off and went to a movie with my family. I didn't peek until after 6 p.m. that evening.

I'm a believer in reinvesting prize money. I registered for an online writing class, Fiction's Magic Ingredient, with Jordan Rosenfeld. I'm going to buy a writing chair with back support and a bigger monitor. Years ago, I started the practice of collecting an item to represent each story I finish. I have pebble I collected when my first story, Precious Stones, was published and a cool skeleton I bought when my story, Skeletal Night, earned a Hall of Fame recognition from one of my writing sites. I'm looking forward to choosing an item to represent Fairy Tales. I want something special because it did something spectacular for my writing platform.

3. It’s nice to see you plan to use the prize money to expand your writing and every writer needs a nice comfy chair! Story entries were allowed to advertise for votes outside of the forum, did you do this with social networking? By what means if so?

I only told three people outside of EU that I had a story in this contest. Not even my mother knew until it was over. I wanted Fairy Tales to win on its own merit. The story's success in the popular vote is all the sweeter because I know it was judged by objective readers who weren’t influenced by any outside connections. I have no problem with any writers who chose to solicit votes by blog or other means. The rules allowed for it. It was a matter of personal choice.

4. That makes the win all the better! Is Flash something you do often? Do you write any longer work such as short stories or novels?

I started out in Flash before I actually understood what the term meant. My story, The Pond, began as a Flash and then evolved into a 4,000 word story. The length of my stories varies from between 500 to 7,000 words. I'm presently working on a draft of a 110,000 word novel. I'm going to do an August revision to bring the word count down to about 90,000 words.

5. Taking a break for revisions is such a help, I know we all read about it over and over again. Out of curiosity, what is something you like to usually convey for you stories if it fits? (such as twist endings, strong characters, wicked creatures, based in reality?)

I love to convey the duality of human nature—the battle between good and evil which takes place in every day events, but which reflects upon the whole of human existence. Twist endings are fun, but I won't sacrifice the story just to fit that technique. I do enjoy a "punch to the gut" ending that leaves the reader feeling a little dazed or thoughtful. Strong characters promise a powerful inner battle. For me, the best characters have inner strength that emerges in the face of a catastrophic event. My mystical creatures are usually big, bad, and ugly. Strangely enough, the humans in my stories may be prettier, but they're much more deadly. Reality is whatever I choose. That's the fun of magical realism. The writer gets to manipulate the rules. Nobody has to die forever and nobody has to live a life filled with suffering.

6. I love to find writers who stick to a theme they adore, it makes the writing so much better and looks are always deceiving. How do you feel about writers experimenting with genres, something writers should all try or stick to your love?

I say write all the genres. That includes literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. There's a wealth of experience available within each genre. All a writer has to do is open her mind to the possibilities.

7. Easier said than done of course, but I keep telling my fellow writers to dive in to see what happens. What story do you take the most pride in creating? Can we read it somewhere on line?

I think right now the story of the day would be The Pond. You can read it HERE under T-Zero Literary Magazine. The creation process for this story was grueling. During the revision, this story went from 1,000 words to 8,000 words and then back to about 4,000 words. It represents hours of teeth-clenching scrutiny. Sheer tenacity got me through it.

8. Excellent to see the final product after so many changes take place. It’s strange how far it comes from the first draft. Random Question, my favorite! If it were my last day on earth, I would…

Pack up my family, including the four-footed members, and head for my mom's lake house. We'd grill hot dogs and burgers and go swimming with the dogs. After the rest of the family arrived, we'd watch the sun set over the trees, eat ice cream sandwiches, and light sparklers. I've had some wonderful childhood moments. I'd like to celebrate them on the last day with the people who've always been a part of my life.

And if that's too sad of an ending, I'd like to think I planned ahead and those boys at Harley Davidson Motorcycles have delivered my custom motorcycle—turquoise blue with the raven's emblem on the fuel tank. As a writer, I've always loved cinematic endings. I can't think of a better one than riding a bad boy motorcycle into the last sunset on earth.

You can find Ravenne’s blog at www.ravenlaw.wordpress.com

Thanks so much Laurel for allowing me to interview you. I do hope you’ll keep us posted with future writing publications as well as updating us on your revisions. You’re clearly a talented writer and I do hope you land an agent in the future.

The Flash 40 Contest Anthology by Editor Unleashed/Smashwords is available to download free in various forms, even for Kindle! Check out this post for more and how to get your copy! Editor Unleashed is a fantastic blog to check in with covering various topics from how to be a good twitter to interviews with agents. Check it out HERE

My SECOND Partial Rejection!

2009-07-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

*Sighs*

Yes, I got my second partial rejection I think about a week ago. I wanted to post this earlier however I been super busy making/setting up blog interviews with a lot of awesome people! I got two (Matt Hilton & Billy Coffey) who are both agented! That's a plus for all of us!

Anyways, so I got the email and I was scared to open it, but naturally I did. It was kind, explaining it was well written and enjoyed, but it wasn't a fit for their current needs. Then it offered me to look over the Literary Marketplace to find an agents better suited for me. It did say I was clearly a talented writer--that was nice but it sounded like a form to me since it listed nothing specific from the book.

I'm down to one more partial out, hoping agent will want to read some more, but I'm gonna be honest--I doubt they will. Over the vague rejections I've gotten it strongly has me re-writing my beginning, showing the more SF elements. I admit, I think what I'm working on is what I need. It gives backstory without a large info dump and leads into my MC and her story, while showing why the boy meets girl as well. Not to mention it will up my word count from 71K, which is always cool with me. I nearly cut 2-4K out altogether before.

Even though I got vague partial rejections, I'm still happy on all the progress I've made. From novel one I got some publications of my shorts and a spot with FMM Magazine as Publishing Editor, and am actively writing for more markets and in different genres. Plus I have learned some of my writing weaknesses. I can say with confidence I have grown SO much since novel one and that is something to take pride in.

How about all of you? Are you on novel one or novel three? Have you noticed how much progress and improvement you've made? Are you proud or ready to rip your hair out?

Have a great weekend by the way! =D

INTERVIEW MONDAY--Steven Marshall of SNM Horror Magazine!

2009-07-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

Last week I called out all new writers to help build your platform and as promised an interview of a brilliantly twisted man Steven Marshall of SNM Horror Magazine.

You're thinking--that guy? He's a Horror writer? Yes he is.

Not just a Horror writer--a damn good one too! As you can tell from the photo he likes to have fun which made this interview quite enjoyable. Okay, okay--I'll shut up now and here's what Steve had to say.

1. You’re the Senior Editor of SNM Horror Magazine, how did that come about?

Like a Phoenix rising from ashes. I started with another press that is now defunct and no longer publishing fiction. It ended in a bitter rivalry that forced us to part our separate ways due to professional and creative differences, which gave birth to SNM. That, and having my own vision. There was also another editor, David Saliba, on staff there. He also left to join forces with me -- then we added an author interviewer and book promotions editor. To this day, all my original staff are still with me and I am very glad that they are a part of SNM. Crystal Adkins, who designed our books and logos, is still with us and Cassandora Lilith is our latest staff addition now doing the interviews. The truth is SNM is my initials, not just a twisted, depraved type of horror, it’s also Steven Nicholas Marshall, hence SNM Horror Mag.

2. That’s great about having your original staff still with you today, plus you literally have a magazine named after you. Have you always wrote for the Horror Genre? Do I dare ask why?

Aside from my first incomplete novel I wrote when I was 18, yes. The Bleeding Rose was about a musician who falls in love with a girl who gets amnesia following a coma and wakes up as someone else. She tries to have a therapist hypnotize her who seduces her and turns her against the musician. A lovely woman-destroys-man mentally, full of betrayal and deceit novel; a psychological thriller with many twists. But the plot had gotten so complicated I never did finish that one. I gravitated more to horror ever since. Why, she asks…

As soon as we delve into the topic of horror and see it manifesting in our everyday culture, certain truths are painfully realized. Horror is ever present and can be found anywhere you look, even in beauty. It’s a fragile balance indeed, but wherever you find one, you can always find the other. For example, a rose may lavish you with its sweet sight and smell, but then prick your finger with its thorns, resulting in blood and pain. Greedy hands may seek its mystique and selfishly pluck it from the earth. With its last breath it struggles so we can momentarily admire its beauty, before we discard it to the ground. Where there is beauty lies a greed that grows. In fact, horror is most realized in the purity of beauty and fear of its loss.

How about in the police blotters and the coroner reports from gruesome murder sites? Or perhaps looming in the killing fields in the middle of a raging war? Maybe right at home watching the news as they tally the death toll of another natural disaster or major hurricane. Let’s not forget about the latest suicide bombings. No evil-scary monsters, vampires, demons or ghouls need apply; these characters are already portrayed right here in reality. Horror is wallowing in the prison cells and on death row.

The human mind is a strange mechanism indeed; the human heart and soul even more complex. Sometimes the most trivial events that haunt us, whether by daydream or nightmare, will continue with us through the years as if they had their own life. They become a life’s moment realized then redefined in time through retrospect. They ultimately become a part of you and you a part of it until it becomes one big seamless memory, softly fading and becoming more vague over time.

Yet of all our memories we recollect trauma and loss more vividly than the most pleasurable of experiences. In the end, the degree of horror is measured by our own compassion. It can shame us into recognizing our own capacity for human cruelty. Horror can define us in what we despise and how we shape our opinions of the world around us. It can remind us of how close we come to our most forbidden thoughts…and how we are a mere relapse away from indulging them.

In short, it’s a fundamental part of the human story, one that generations will embrace in pursuit of a more meaningful truth, no matter how dark. Whether it’s found in writing, screenplay or reality, horror is what dwells inside our imagination and resides in our internal self. It is that uncertain lingering within that's screaming and resounding, haunting and everlasting. The swift bludgeoning of someone out of rage (or fulfillment) is exclusive only to gore. Once a person is dead they can suffer no more physical pain. But the act of horror is the inward impact within the warm cozy confines of our mind when our once sunny world becomes tainted with corruption. True horror lives in the mind and is ongoing and forever, darkening your daydreams and illuminating your nightmares in ways that crawl under your skin and course through your veins…

3. So much truth within beautiful words. I agree beauty and horror go hand in hand and it’s just another balance of nature. Why do you think Horror is a niche to only some writers/readers? Should more people test the waters of this genre?

Well, there are enough sub-genres in horror to satisfy anyone with a penchant for the dark side of life. Readers have so much to choose from now like dark fiction, horror erotica, supernatural, action horror, suspense horror, in addition to the more classic vampire, werewolf, zombie and demon remakes. You even see more sci-fi horror elements present now. And let’s not forget the super human villains like Freddy, Jason & Michael! The truth is as far as movies, horror is at its pinnacle with being part of the mainstream now with just sequels and there is no end in sight! Even horror humor has carved in niche in today’s mainstream.

4. If anyone here has not seen Freddy, Jason, or Michael you need to stop reading this and go watch them! You have quite a lot going on: Two published books, Rituals of Terror and The Banished. Can you give us a glimpse of what these books are about?

Rituals of Terror was my debut novel from 1995. The book publisher went under and it took me 10 years before I got it revamped, edited and updated and back out on the market. ROT features 8 short stories intertwined by a main character where people who don’t know each other meet and create a chain of events. 280 pages, 120,000 words.

The Banished is a complete theme novel about these creatures that live out in the woods and eat people. They are deformed mutants who were banished from society and now must procure for themselves in the woods where humans and wildlife make for exquisite delicacies. A dying race, they must escape the harsh barren winter and journey to new hunting grounds. And they have taken a couple as hostages, just for insurance, who must get them there safely or die trying…

5. I have to admit, it’s been awhile since I’ve read a good mutant story. Plus you're working on a third novel, The Dark Art of Wonder, is that solely composed of your short stories or a combination story of them all?

No, The Dark Art of Wonder picks up where ROT left off with the same main character. 15 new short stories, 305 pages, 102,000 words DAOW is a newly completed short story novel with an intertwining theme. This one has a more cerebral, psychological horror approach, more in the tradition of Poe and Lovecraft as far as writing style. This one is more an inward horror that creeps and lingers within the dark catacombs of your imagination; an evolution of writing from ROT.

6. Poe was pure genius, I love his work. Could you give me a rough estimate on how many short stories you've written? What's your favorite creation and can we read it somewhere online?

25 approximately. Only 3 didn’t make it into one of the 2 short story novels because it didn’t fit the theme or it sucked. There are 3 shorts HERE and there are 3 on the SNM Mag site located under SNM Short Stories. I think I still have 1 posted on Myspace. I have three currently in print in other published horror anthologies.

7. I love your honesty on how you can just simply say, “Well this story of mine sucks.” It makes me reminisce over a few of my own crappy stories. You explain how you like 'tight writing', why is that so important from an Editor's point of view? What can aspiring writers do to help their own writing?

Conciseness makes for less distractions, everything from punctuation to grammar. You never want a reader to drift with run-on sentences and elements that don’t drive the point. As soon as you lose readers once, they are gone and your book will go unfinished. There are so many choices, so many new authors, you have to command people’s attention because in many instances a first impression is all you will ever have. Writing is easy. Editing yourself is where the work begins…

8. Don’t get me started on editing, what a crazy ride that can be, plus run on sentences are totally my MO. On the SNM Staff page you mention your wife and three baby black panthers...are we talking cats or real panthers? How does your wife feel about being married to a horror writer?

They’re fed well enough to be panthers, but we can settle for domestic terror cats, my metaphor for them. Midnyte is 22 pounds, shadow 20, but Dawn the SNM Mascot is a petite 10 lb cat who is always minding the fortress and up on my desk by the computer when I’m working.

As for my wife, she was a librarian so we immediately hit it off. She has read more books than anyone I know combined. She originally hailed from the UK and 6 years later she hasn’t disowned me just yet. We are having our 5th anniversary on August 15th and she has yet to wind up in one of my stories as a victim! She actually prefers fantasy but reads all the issues. She was even my copy editor for all 3 novels. I got a “I can’t believe I’m married to you, dahling” on a recent story!

9. Those cats might as well be panthers and congrats for the future five year anniversary. Don’t you also have another anthology being published in January? Bonded by Blood II: A Romance in Red.

Yes. This one will feature only the Stories of the Month for the last 16 months from SNM Horror Magazine. The first one is still available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and features the best of the Mag in the first 6 months. (SNM Mag was born of darkness in May 2008.) So, in essence, the sequel promises to exceed the well reviewed original. We have exhumed only the darkest for the next coming SNM Anthology.

10. That’s wonderful how you will already have two anthologies from your magazine in just a little over a year. Lastly, I make a complete random question and since you're dark I shall use this one on you. You’ve waken up in the middle of the night and find a ghost sitting beside you calmly, your first reaction is to...

I’d say, “What’s the anti-matter? You look like you just saw a person.”

If you would like to know more about Steven and his work check out his personal links below:

His Personal: http://www.stevenmarshallhorror.com/
Myspace: www.myspace.com/stevenmarshallhorror
SNM Horror Mgazine Official Site: http://www.snmhorrormag.com/

Thank you so much Steven for allowing me to interview you and to help spread the love of the Horror genre. I highly recommend writers to submit their work to SNM Horror Magazine because every month’s issue has a storyline theme and every other month they offer contests including prizes, such as cash as well as spots in their anthologies. Wouldn’t that look good on a query letter? Now is there anyone brave enough to write a scary story…

Wanna Build YOUR Platform--I'm Gonna Help!

2009-07-17T06:21:00.000-07:00

We all read about agents wanting a solid platform--meaning have some stuff published to wow us. How the idea of a platform came to me was not through a blog/agents website, in fact it was a dream. Here's how it happened.

I was talking with my husbands Aunt, who is a screenwriter and is actually working on a budget as we speak to see her work in film, and I was explaining to her and some lady I have no clue was about how I wasn't getting any requests for my first novel. So the Aunt says, "You know why that is, don't you?"

"No...why?" I asked her.

"You need credentials."

When I woke up I recalled over my dream (something I have a gift of doing just about any night) and thought about it. She was right, I needed to have some short stories published to make myself look more appealing. Then the long road of writing shorts, which turned to Flash, then back to short and even micro stories began. It wasn't easy, and yes I got many rejections before some of my work found homes, but well worth it now that I have multiple micro featured from Flashshot, flash in Static Movement, short in Young Writers of America, and next month a short in SNM Horror magazine. Plus I'm still submitting when I can.

So how does this help you?

I am going to be interviewing online magazine Editors or fellow Writers and a variety of them. Will all of them agree for an interview? I have no clue, but I'm gonna try. In fact I already have one interview partially done by one of the nicest Senior Editors around (read on to find out who it is). I plan to explore a vast amount of genres. Why you ask?

Because in my experience, it's quite fun to experiment with genre shorts (referring to shorter novel lengths). I always thought I would hate writing SF, then I finally did it, a horror SF encounter and I now find myself writing SF whenever I can. Same with horror, I always wondered how gore and chilling tales could be fun, but when I wrote it in a twisted way it felt natural and my next book is planned to be dark. Perhaps because I love horror movies and Poe's work or maybe because I am truly a deprived pyscho...anyways fact remains I firmly believe everyone should test out different genres to find multiple things that work for you. Some of you may find you only have a knack for fantasy, while others may find they lean more towards suspense.

So next week, check in for an interview of Steven Marshall Senior Editor of SNM Horror Magazine. This man is a blast and writes wonderfully well, has two published novels working on the third, do I really need to emphasize how the magazine stories are then? Yes, the stories are twisted and chilling just how I like it. Not to mention one of my own will be published with them next month. Truly proud to be part of that because SNM was the high heavens I never thought I could stand among.

Now for the last part--I challenge you writers with no credentials a HUGE endeavor.

With every person I interview I want YOU to write a micro/flash/short story. Perhaps in the preferred genre of the person I interviewed, honestly I don't care, but I want to get you all writing so you can submit to magazines to have a nice platform when you query. Anyone up for it?

Got a Rejection from Partial!

2009-07-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

Yup, so I think it was two days ago I got a rejection for my first requested partial.

I won't lie, it stung and left me a little bummed, but I think what bothered me most was the 'form' rejection. Especially since this agent is known to give personal feedback. Of course that got me thinking over my first three chapters and how I could fix those up. Well I got some ideas HOWEVER I do not plan to act on them unless the other two agents reject with a similiar form or based on their feedback what's weak in my writing.

I read my horoscope on Sunday and it said to take a step back from the current project I've invested so much time in to clear my head. It was what I needed for sure. That's right I didn't even twitter, read blogs, or check for agents. Not one thing for two days! I can't believe I didn't die!

So how am I feeling now? Pretty good actually. I am just happy I had the chance to submit a partial and still have two more floating around, plus so many more agents represent Women's Fiction. We all know it just takes one agent, it's just damn hard to find that one! Needless to say I submitted some more queries to my waiting for replies while I also wait for the partials outcome.

I won't lie though...I'm strongly thinking about adding a whole new spin to my opening chapters, but I really want to wait until I hear back from the other two. Funny because when a Beta asked me about bringing in the Paranormal earlier, it didn't spark any of this off like the agent's rejection did...funny how that works.

How about all of you? Ever have someone (friend, Beta, agent) read your work and based on their vague/detailed feedback it gets your head rolling with something new to add? Do you act on it at once or wait it out for a majority?

I hope you all had a great weekend--I am back to checking up on blogs. Oh and by the way--Harry Potter comes out tomorrow! I am flipping out! JK Rowling you are AMAZING!

Another Request/Book Contest/Weekend!

2009-07-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness I think I might burst into sparkles of glitter and stars because I'm so happy.

I have three partial requests! Two I already sent, the third I got last night and plan to send it later tonight. This is just craziness! Thank you all for the kind words and rooting for me last post--it truly means a LOT to have your support!

Secondly, Rebecca Knight is having a contest! She's giving away Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston. Enter a comment to try to win--not to mention she's got some awesome posts that can always make me laugh. Check out the pictures she's posted--they're great fun!

Finally, the weekend is here! And guess what? Our truck is finished and we're picking it up tomorrow and we plan to leave Dallas this coming week back home to El Paso...how I miss my bed and endless clothes and shoes. Yes, I am quite obsessed with shoes. Anyways I plan to go swimming today and some of my husband's family should be arriving later tonight from Michigan so it should be good. Plus I will hopefully be sending my third partial out to Agent.

Oh and I am so going to try harder for that guest blog interview, I been so busy with the partials I put it on the back burner...so not fair to you all so I will try to get on that. I am very excited she's willing to do this with me. That's right it's a girl! That's all you get to know! A must see for Flashers (I mean flash fiction writers, not flashers of their stuff!)

Have a wonderful weekend all of you!

Partial Updates/Blogs Help!

2009-07-09T10:21:00.001-07:00

Okay seriously--why is everyone posting GREAT stuff lately? I literally just tore away from my following list because on twitter I said I was posting a blog, but really I just read like ten or more! That's awesome and I am so digging it! Loving the attitudes/thoughts/questions!

So back to the point of my blog today!

I have two partials out! Two! YAY!

When my first request came I was flipping--no freaking--out! I spent days trying to make my first three sparkle and shine and you know what--I'm happy with what I sent after I conjured enough bravery to look it over only two days ago! I was terrified to look and find typos or weird sentences.

Then in my special email I use only for agents I thought hey some more rejections one was and the other wasn't. I was super thrilled and emailed it out last night after final edits! Again I am happy with what I submitted. You know why? Because the dreadful edits pay off! Now I know why those things are so important.

Waiting is crazy, but last night and it's funny cause a friend posted a blog entry as well, I was calm. Beyond calm. Trust me I shouldn't be calm, back home in El Paso our bathroom flooded and our truck is still not fixed from the accident AND instead of staying with the In-Laws for only 2 weeks it's going on 4! But I was and still am calm.

I can't believe I am sitting in Dallas waiting/hoping for good news from potential agents. Rejection is likely, I can't deny that, but still I have come so far compared to my first novel. From my previous experience I would have never thought it possible for me to have two partials out at the same time. It's unreal and I am stoked. It's funny because most people don't understand what the 'big deal' is to have partials requested unless you're a writer. They'll be happy and cheer you along, but if your a writer I think we all know how hard it can be.

So a big thanks to all you! With your posts you've made me reflect on my own work and even changed things due to your posts. Plus there were days I wanted to just exit out from edits, but didn't because the motivation on here is killer!

What about all of you? Do you take blogs to heart with your own writing? Any specific posts that helped out a major flaw?

I know one blog narrowed down my genre when I started to think about querying. The Literary Lab had posts explaining each genre and helped me with mine! Plus an agent (Christine from BookCents) was kind enough to help clarify my sub-genre when she kindly declined my query.

Write what YOU or the MARKET Wants?

2009-07-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

I find myself reading many, many agents answering this question--Do you write what you want or write a marketable story to get made?

They all go over the factors-the economony, downsizing, debt, agents taking very few new unpublished clients, and others. Which made me wonder about myself? What did I do?

First off I have two working manuscripts-ACM and Jacks & Spades. They're my babies who I adore and would kill for, I consider these my children since I have none yet. I watch them be born, help them grow, and put them in line when they stray off. Yup I'm a mother of two stories, although I go through more than nine months of crazy emotions when dealing with them. =D

ACM is my first novel and the whole reason why I decided to write another novel. I started it when I was 16 as a summer hobby based off one of my drawings for Advanced Art class back in High School. While I adore it, it's undergone so many changes within the past year.

-It's now a Adult novel, not YA as intended.
-From first past, to first present, now I believe it will be and stay third person past.
-My world building skills are just...not good enough I'll say so I been doing crazy research on how to step it up.
-I feel there's a lot of telling vs. showing

Needless to say, fantasy is a broad market and a good handful of agents are seeking it, but they can be hard to sell. I only got one sample chapter request when I queried, the rest rejections. At first I thought that sucks but after learning so much from fellow writers and sites I think I needed all the rejects. My ms was nowhere near ready to submit. Then I got into a crit group and the help was awesome and really opened my eyes to the things above I needed to fix and even to this day I am still editing it. It's my first baby and I want it perfect, I owe it that much.

Then I started thinking about another story with my edits. Something I could do in modern day because building a whole new world is exhausting and hard. That's where Jacks & Spades came. Now when I started writing I had NO idea what genre it would fit--not a damn clue, but my friends kept telling me--write the story and figure out details later. I'm glad I listened. Turns out I got a Paranormal Women's Fiction! Something a lot of agents represent because a lot of publishing houses offer this genre to be branded by them, at least Women's Fiction.

The second novel I got lucky because I wasn't sure how many agents would represent this genre and I couldn't look while writing because I didn't know what it would shape out to be. I am happy though because I found a LOT! Plus this time before querying I went over massive edits with a whole new look because from previous experience I know my weaknesses and plus that nifty "Find" button on Word is my savior! I hate repeat words lol!

So overall I got lucky, I wrote one that could be sold if you play the cards right and now shopping out one that could sell much easier.

But guess what?

I still wrote the stories I wanted to tell and to me that's what matters because times/trends can change like that.

What about all of you? Did you write your story because of the current trends/market/maybe even an Agent's specific look during an interview or did you start out with something yourself wanted and got lucky for the genre that's hot or are you just that awesome? =D

Just a quick note--I'm hoping this week to have a special blog guest! I got the okay so now we're trying to set something up for the Q & A's! I'm hoping to have possibly two more for the upcoming future.

Fireworks!!

2009-07-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

Yup that's right! This whole post was pictures! It's Sunday and the family is cooking out and I am dying to spend some time with the cool rain feeling outside! Texas heat kills me sometimes! Anyways you all have a great relaxing Sunday! I say we all deserve it from the parties being held yesterday! =D

Dang...it's been a crazy week!!

2009-07-01T15:20:00.001-07:00

My goodness this weekend has been...well insanse seems to wrap it up nicely.

Recently my husband and I got into a car accident (don't worry we're all okay) but I wish I could say the same for the truck. An older woman turned on a left while we had a green light--tried to miss her, but we crashed regardless. Now the truck is in the shop with about 5K in damage, got a rental till then, but we're in Dallas even longer now due to this situation. Thank goodness we all had insurance! Not that I mind being with the Inlaws--they're fabulous and I adore them!

Leading to the next part--I'm sick. Nothing too harsh yet, but the kids have been passing it around like candy here, it was only a matter of time for me.

On a high note however I got my first official partial/synopsis request for my second novel! It's awesome considering my fantasy novel only got asked for a sample chapter out of I'll estimate 50 queries. I'm def. going in this time with a new game face because this agent would be awesome, he knows what he's doing and specializes in my genre, plus it's a small agency. Not that I'm dissing the big agents but I want someone I can talk one on one with, get to know, and hopefully call a friend rather than a business partner. Plus less clients means more focus on the ones they have. Can you tell I like attention for my writing? LOL!

So forgive me, I been doing edits and working up my partial for Mr. Agent, leaving me behind on blogs--too many good blogs at that! Me loves my bloggers!

Then another question came--what if I don't land an agent with my second novel? I'm actually not worried! My first book was rejected so many times it broke me in! LOL! Is it bad I said this? I mean yes I want an agent, it'd be a dream come true, but is it the end of the world?

No.

I simply will continue to write with my passion and move forward, that may mean independent publishers and do marketing all on my own, if that's the case I'll do it because I want to see my story in print and share it with everyone I can. Writing and pitching is all a learning process and overtime as I get older, more experience and credentials will come. I mean my goodness I'm only twenty, I have my whole life ahead of me to write books! I've read people younger than me already querying--that's awesome and kudos for them doing it so early.

I'm also happy to say a couple of my writer friends have partials/fulls out and I couldn't be prouder, plus Becky (she's my girl!) has her dream agent hooked! I couldn't be happier, but she earned it with all her dedication and edits! It's funny we all met with WIPS and now we're sending them out.

I truly hope we all get there (this includes you) because let's face it--we all obsessively blog, encourage others along the way, Beta Read for strangers, give personal feedback, and keep in touch. We're all amazing people and not to mention we work our asses off to make our stories the best they can be and if you know edits are agonizing!

Some of us may not be famous, or have great connections, or even get an agent, but we CAN write a hell of a story and that's something to be damn proud of! I know I am.

Down and Dirty! That's right I'm talking Sex!

2009-06-25T11:01:00.001-07:00

You might be wondering why you're reading this? Oh yeah Sex was in the title! It's okay don't be shy...no one's looking!

Sex sells, you hear it all the time. From beer commercials with hot sexy women licking their luscious lips or even the half naked model advertising...shoes? LOL! Love it when they do that!

Anyways back to the point. "Should you have sex in a book to sell a character's love?"

It's an interesting question, and I'm not quite sure why I wondered this. I've read a lot of books that didn't involve MC's getting it on but I HAVE read quite a few I wish they did--those were even adult books.

I know some YA stray away, but with times changing it might be more regular to read some sex in them. The world is evolving as well as the people--I'm not saying it's wrong but simply stating a fact. I'm not here to start any arguments.

So in my book (Jacks & Spades) I gave those two three sex scenes! The first time they're drunk, second is out in the pouring rain on top of the hood of a Corvette (oh yes--I know it's hot!) and of course when they get hitched it's practically necessary to have sex the same night.

I could have left these out, leaving it to the reader's imagination, but from experience I just recently had (Marie Brennan's Warrior/Witch Books) I wanted Eclipse and Miryo to have sex! The tension building between them and the slight touch of his hand on her face...argh it drove me mad because Eclipse was a wonderful guy to fall in love with!

Don't get me wrong...I'm not some kind of pervert, I'm happily married to my one and only, but I like to see characters connect on that level. Plus I like it tastefully done--not romance or erotica books--but in a story I could read while on a plane. Meaning no sexy covers of men or woman.

So how do you all feel about? Sex to sell your character's love or leave readers (like me) hanging? Is there a balance?

My Progress/Thank You's/SNM Story! Query too!

2009-06-22T22:21:00.001-07:00

Wow...this weekend has been...amazingly helpful!

First off, with Jacks and Spades finished and I am revising with my personal edits, some things are good others...not so good but hey that's what edits are for! So I'm going in with a positive attitude and not beating myself up for all the "was" words I used...was...argh!

Secondly, while working on edits I sent my Query to Query Trackers Forum. I got soo many helpful comments from the members even one from the Ms. Amazing Elana Johnson! Oh how I adore and love her! She was totally awesome with the query help, and by using everyone's comments I crafted a new one that Elana cut the crap out leaving me getting to the main point! I gotta admit--I've never approached a query like that, so later this week I might "experiment" with my adult fantasy. Without further a do: "THANK YOU ELANA! YOUR A QUERY GODDESS AND A QT ROCK STAR! THANKS TO ALL THE MEMBERS ON THE QT FORUM--YOU'RE ALL AMAZING AS WELL!"

I got feedback from two Betas (Chris and Sarah) You two have been great and super quick, plus I'm totally digging your writing just as much. That's the beauty of Beta's--sharing stories that are so different and unique, it's just awesome! So thankful for their willing spirits!

Oh yes, and my very first "truly" dark story, GOD'S GIFT, will be published in August with SNM Magazine! I am super proud because the edits I did, were all by myself, although I did send the story out for feedback. My sister said people might assume I'm a devil worshipper, mind you I'm not...or maybe I am? LOL! Anyways Steve, main editor, has been amazing and asked to work out a few kinks for consideration of August's theme "Hotter Than Hell" and pending the outcome would result in acceptance or rejection. I got to work, and the next day it was accepted for publication! Super happy about this because the stories I read are amazing and to see mine stand amongst them...damn it feels good!

One more shout out...Becky, Jamie, Janette, Nova! Your my girls! Seriously, there are days I have and just know I can drop a line or if I need something read over/edits you're all willing to plunge into it. It means a lot to have such reliable and kind people on my side as we all travel through this crazy struggle of trying to live the dream. The support from you girls just keeps me inspired and for that a huge thank you! To think we met online and not in person, and yet some people I met formally feel like stangers compared to you all! Thanks so much to all of you! Especially you Becky--you got us girls together with the circle plus I've known you the longest LOL!

Oh and FMM (Flash Me Magazine) has been given awesome donations after Jennifer Dawson hosted a flash boot camp online! I'm very proud of her and the magazine! By the way--all you flash writers, we're still reviewing stories to be published plus our full fantasy issue is in October! I'd love to see some familiar names! Oh and I finished the book review for them--Variations of a Theme by Simon Forster-a must if you like a variety of genres from horror to every day life, plus it's short stories so you can read a bit here and there.

Whoa...okay I think I'm done, 50K words later! LOL! Anyways I been reading blogs, as usual, and am loving them! Keep up the posts so I can keep reading!

Updates on my WIP!

2009-06-18T10:37:00.000-07:00

Dang it's been forever and I should have announced this days ago!

*Ahem." Clears throat.

"My WIP (Jacks and Spades) is DONE!"

Cheers and applause? LOL!

Mind you although the story is done, edits are needed as well as shaping the query and fixing up the synopsis along with Beta readers! I already got one and sent them my first 50 pages this morning! Awesome Awesome! Makes me super happy! I been thrilled to have my story told and with such a great ending I love.

Anyways last night I thought, let's work on my query with my self edits. It will keep me busy. By the way I'm in Dallas now but brought along my labtop! Yay! So I posted the query in QT Forum-which is my fav. forum-and already got helpful reviews! My drafted query needs some serious help-lol! The focus needs to be shifted as well the content. Argh...will I ever understand this part?! Yes I've ready multiple blogs from agents about crafting the beast...I'm heading over there again shortly to see what the heck I'm missing!

Oh well...fact remains I'm done and closer to pursuing agents to see this in print. I'm gonna get busy checking my awesome feedback from the forums for the query and hopefully have a shiny, new draft for them to shred!

I will be checking blogs later! I want updates on WIP's everyone!

Vote for My Story!!!

2009-06-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! It's voting time for the Flash Fiction 40 Contest on Editor Unleashed!

Top 40 stories are being chosen by popular votes for an anthology plus the grand prize get's $500!! Woo Hoo! I'd be happy with just being in the top 40!

So here's what to do! (From the Contest Information)

1. We’re using the star ranking system (examples: 1 = terrible, 5 = excellent) to rank stories.
2. To rank a story after you’ve read it, click on “Rate Thread” in the upper-right hand corner. Choose a ranking for that story (1-5 star)
3. You may read and vote on as many stories as you want. But please only vote on the stories you’ve read.
4. Only one vote per forum member per story.

You have to be a member to vote! Set up is easy with an email account--plus the blog is very informative for writers, so really why not check out all the advice plus the forums offer some extra one on one help. Click on the link below to take you to the forum.

CLICK HERE!

Now that you have an account click on the FLASH FICTION 40 Title tab and viola! There are stories galore!

By the way, my story CLUMSINESS is on page 6, by yours truly saratribble. Check it out and I'd love a five star vote! If you do I will love you forever! How sad is it that I promise my love for votes? Haha!

Be sure to check out the others! There's some great reads in there! Feel free to spread the word! All the stories need voters!

Synopsis and How to Write One

2009-06-06T11:49:00.001-07:00

Okay my dear fellow and struggling writers I am going to attempt the impossible:

How to Write A Synopsis

I know I've researched this subject over and over again however no one is very clear on how to do it and what to include. I've written a few versions from my two WIP's and I have to say my last synopsis I am truly proud of. Plus some agents require a Synopsis-brief or detailed-when you query which limits your book's potential if you don't have one. I want us all to succeed because my goodness we wrap our lives around the worlds we create or laugh at something we plan to put inside our writing. Bear with me, I am by no means an expert, but I will feel way better going in the weekend if I helped even one person see the light at the end of this horrid dark tunnel.

First off what is a Synopsis?
I'm not gonna give you a long definition here. It's a summary of the book. Plain and Simple. It includes the major characters ONLY and the main plot(s) with an accurate detail or blurb. I like the idea of making the Synopsis a giant book blurb, only telling what it important to move the story. Oh and yes, the ending is included. Now even though you'll explain the ending or what will happen in the ending, it won't give away the feel and emotion behind it so don't fret thinking they know my whole book so why bother to read it? You have to capture their curiosity and interest with flow.

First Things First:
It should be written in Third Person, Present Tense. Think of it as a narrative piece and try to capture the same style of feeling as your MS is written in. If a brief (considered one page) single spaced with a line break between each paragraph. If a detailed (anywhere from 2-10 pages) consider double space with indentations for every paragraph along with a header of your last name, title, and page number in the upper left hand corner.

-You start off with a hook. Some prefer a rhetorical question that pertains to their work, others like to introduce the MC with a special power or flaw that proves to be their strong point. I suggest modifying the same hook you used for your query. BY modifying I mean to exaggerate if you can.

Example: Curious George is always curious and it gets him into trouble.
Change to: Curious George is a fun loving monkey with one minor flaw, he's curious and it always leads to trouble.

-Setting. Most people can tell what time frame things are happening in, but if your the master of a new world, you should tie that in.

Examples: In the future Pluto becomes our new Earth where MC...
When MC finds a new world called Narnia in an enchanted wardrobe...
Harry Potter discovers a new magical world hiding within our own when he goes...

-Order. This is so important, tell your story like it unfolds in your book. Chronological order is key as you tell the important points of the story that LEAD to the main plot. I need people to know why the man in the big yellow hat has a monkey.

Examples: George was taken in by a man in a big yellow hat.

Change to: George was adopted by a man in the big yellow hat and by doing so saves him from living in a zoo. The man is very nice and treats George like a member of the family. The man is sometimes too trusting leaving George all on his own when he runs errands and learns a dire lesson.

Aha! See how that last example leads back to the opening hook? George is all on his own giving him the chance to let his curiosity take over and get him into trouble. Let's keep going.

-Strife or Resolution. What does your MC have to do or overcome, maybe even figure out? Do some clues lead them there? What things are needed to accomplish this mission or crime? Is their life at stake if they fail?

Example: When the man leaves George at home all alone in the house, he thought nothing bad could happen. George can't resist to touch the medicine cabinet with the magical surface that beams his reflection. His interest leads him to open the cupboard and finds his owner's Vicodin pills. Unknown to what the bottle contains George tries everything to open it and succeeds when he twists it off with his teeth and empties the contents into his mouth, chewing a high dosage with fatal risks.

-Ending. This has to sum up everything you tried to explain and fit together with a possible outcome to make it realistic. Does the MC succeed or fail? Did they die trying to slay the dragon or overcome the alien invasion? Did they learn anything vauable?

Example: The man was sitting in his car when he remembered he wasn't wearing his favorite yellow hat. He returned to the house and when George did not greet him, he knew something was wrong. George was passed out on the bathroom floor with his empty pain pills. The man has to act fast to save George and make him well again. After giving George CPR and calling a local exotic vetenarian, George becomes stable and conscious and realizes George needs to be watched more carefully.

Let's piece it together.

Curious George with Vicodin (Title of your work)

Brief Synopsis (Let them know if brief or detailed)

CURIOUS GEORGE (The caps is when you first introduce main characters, do it only once a new name is brought in) is a fun loving monkey with one minor flaw, he's curious and it always leads to trouble. George was adopted by a MAN (the other MC introduced) in the big yellow hat and by doing so saves him from living in a zoo. The man is very nice and treats George like a member of the family. The man is sometimes too trusting leaving George all on his own when he runs errands and learns a dire lesson.

When the man leaves George at home all alone in the house, he thought nothing bad could happen. George can't resist to touch the medicine cabinet with the magical surface that beams his reflection. His interest leads him to open the cupboard and finds his owner's Vicodin pills. Unknown to what the bottle contains George tries everything to open it and succeeds when he twists it with his teeth and empties the contents into his mouth, chewing a high dosage with fatal risks.

The man was sitting in his car when he remembered he wasn't wearing his favorite yellow hat. He returned to the house and when George did not greet him, he knows something is wrong. George was passed out on the bathroom floor with his empty bottle of pain pills. The man has to act fast to save George and make him well again. After giving George CPR and calling a local exotic vetenarian for help, George becomes stable and conscious and the man realizes George needs to be watched more closely.

THE END!

There you have it--a nice little synopsis. Introduces the characters and how they are, shows the plot of the story, and the resolution. If you have to do a detailed synopsis, you can go further in depth with plots and possible sub-plots if they contribute to the main plot. Only include characters who are vital with the main part of the story.

See? It's not so bad is it?

I'm Back!

2009-06-04T15:57:00.000-07:00

Hooray! I am back with the hot sun at home! With my dear sweet computer! Which brings me to my next point--why didn't I take our labtop? Oh well it doesn't matter now! I just got back from grocery shopping and now have some food and ice cold water to sustain me while I get ready to write!

So getting back to my writing mode--I switched it up. I am still doing minor edits for my fantasy on the side, but I turned more focus to my Women's Fiction SF. Yeah I know what you're thinking, female SF? Correct. It's nothing too hard core just some nice time traveling elements with a love story nothing like that Lake House movie though--mine has action and explainable SF. I am having a blast writing it and find myself laughing over some lines--that's a good sign I hope.

However--at first I thought this was a Chick Lit. After reading a blog on how Chick Lit is not as hot as it used to be, an agent suggested such works be called Women's Fiction. But then today I read over a Women's Fiction definition and it says that most of there work is with a MC at 30 or above. My girl is only 20, which Chick Lit is recommended from 20+ Audience. So I have no idea how I am going to figure out that one! Stick with women's fiction and mention in the query my audience target? Or label it Chick Lit and hope it's still looked at? Any thoughts on this? No hurry considering it's not even wrote out yet and I still need to revise it before any queries!

Currently my MS is around 55K, which isn't bad at all considering the idea came from a mere paragraph I wrote! I have a nice chapter outline and have five more chapters left to do. My chapters are ranging from 2-3K BUT my last chapter was close to 4K and still going so I had to stop that one! I'm trying to limit the word count because on the side I am noting "fat" in my dandy journal to fill in later for the chapters. I'm worried when I kick into gear with the SF the chapters will be more description, more movement, and lots more to explain. We'll see how this goes an hopefully my silly limits will be a good thing cause I don't want a super long MS. Plus that's the beauty of a computer--you can move the mouse to add more!

So how's everyone? I got to read up on some blogs today! Very cool and loving what I am reading! If I didn't get to yours yet don't worry I'll get there! Have a wonderful day all of you!

MIA

2009-06-02T00:41:00.001-07:00

Oh my goodness! I have been so freakin busy the past week it's been crazy! I apologize, but I have my reasons. Mainly due to some family business (death in the family) that led me back home and so now here I am. I haven't been able to read any blogs or write one so for now I am just doing a quick recap while I have the time!

Las Cruces was wonderful. The husband and I got room service and I loved the WWE Smackdown and ECW Live. It's so much better and I totally have a new respects for them! Not to mention a few new favorites to keep my eye on.

My writing is going okay. Lack of Microsoft Word has put a nice dent in that, but that doesn't mean my mind has stopped wandering off from my possible plots. Oh--have I even informed you all I changed my focus to my women's fiction sci-fi manuscript? I don't think I did...I think I'll save that for a day I can blog freely and longly.

I was happy to catch up with my writer friend's edits before the trip and FMM has been great with me being gone. I emailed Jenn, main editor, who was super cool and nice with everything which made me happy because I truly love being part of something so great and seeing all kinds of writers stories published.

I finished Marie Brennan's Warrior and Witch, two book series, and she is now one of my all time favorites. The action and MC is just right on target for what I personally love and seriously, it's up there with CS Lewis and JK Rowling. I definitley reccommend if you like witches and bounty hunters in a fantasy land. It's brilliant and well written byond words for me.

There you go it's my quickie recap for all of you to know I am alive and doing good, just not in my normal routine or setting so I'll be touch and go for a few weeks. By then I think I might go crazy from missing blogs and writing! That's life though. Hope all of you are doing awesome and kicking some serious ass with your stories! Feel free to touch base with me in my comments or through emails.

My Perfect Ending!

2009-05-17T00:37:00.000-07:00

Yeah I know it's 1:37 am which is one of my favorite times, weird! I am just super psyched right now. I just got done typing a few chapters on my side WIP, getting close to 30K, and then decided to work on my detailed synopsis. It's nice to do to keep your story in order and I have to say I am pretty much over my fears of synopsis's.

So as I typed the closing line I see my ending I always had plan, but suddenly a new paragraph comes to mind. I type it down hardly breathing knowing I am on to something good--no great! I finish it and place it in my format and read it over, adding the commas and checking the tenses.

My heart pounds hard in my chest as a smile splits my face in half! Yes this is it! This is my perfect ending capturing everything I want the hidden message to say and even keeps my happy flow of smiles for the reader. I am just now catching my breathe! I want to share it to with everyone but know it will only be taken in correctly after reading the whole book, or at least my detailed synopsis. This feeling is awesome--it's way better than satisfaction!

Have any of you been in this situation? Your heart pounding and when you read it over you just know it's perfect? Tell me because I want to hear about it! This is the glory we should all appreciate! I know it's only happened a couple times before, but it's been awhile so this one felt extra powerful!

Awsome News from Cicada Magazine!

2009-05-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

I opened the email from Cicada...

Dear Sara,

I'm happy to inform you that we have selected your Creative Endeavor "Falling into Love" to run in the July/August CICADA. You will receive six complimentary copies of the issue to share with family and friends. May I have your mailing address at this time so I can add you to our list of contributors? Thanks so much, Sara, for sharing your fiery artwork with us. We're delighted that you answered CICADA's Call for Creative Endeavors!

Best,
DebbyDeborah Vetter
Executive Editor, CICADA

My Reaction--YES! WOOHOO! and you bet your ass I emailed them right back, thanking them more than once, since this is my first art piece published and my first time even entering one, and its going in an awesome running strong magazine, and gave them my address, and now I cannot wait to see these issues with one of my work in them! Me, a piece of my art collection of abstract, published! I have to breathe, I can't wait to tell my sisters because we're all artists from my mommy! So here I'd like to share with you a sneak peak of it! The flash on my camera gave the paint a glare and I cropped it, so the outer flames look uneven, I suck trying to take good photos of my art, but I sent them like 3 different ones for the best take thank goodness!

My one sister Kim wanted it badly, but I told her no because I took a hell of a time with a small paint brush for this work! It might not look big here, but its one of the bigger canvas's I've worked on. You know I would have never done this if I wasn't writing, because originally I was looking for some market to submit a short side story and stumbled on this and happened to fall in the age range and the theme.

Crazy how life works together isn't it? Art and Writing, now that's my kind of forte--oh forte is a nice word...I should put that in my side wip! haha!

Damn I Feel Good!

2009-05-12T04:23:00.000-07:00

Haha! I really do though! Today was my day for writing in my own work, no side projects even though I did two edits for my awesome critique group! But it doesn't matter because today after not writing for days it seems, I tore into Chapter 1 after I made another separate list on what I need to focus for my revisions and after researching a lot of online sites about grammar and editing fantasy work.

So today I killed about 8K from Chapter 1 through some point ending in Chapter 2. I am so happy! I worked on my tenses going back to past, fixed some dialogue, paid an ungodly amount of attention to my scenery, added some good back story fat AND read it all aloud through which helps so much! I know people say to do it but until you do, you don't realize how much it helps.
It was awesome, I didn't feel the crazy cringe I dreaded last time because I took the break and dove in, knowing what needs to stand out thanks to my beta readers who often point to the same things. You're all wonderful!

Then I wrote about 2K in my side wip, which has some sci-fi elements in it with some mystery and of course, a love story! It's a mix of stuff going on, but it all ties together, I swear!

Today was so great! Not to mention I got to chat on AIM, read a few more short stories for the book I'm reviewing and did my Yoga workout! By the way if you all have seen those P90X info commercials that's the program I am doing, I'm on week 4, I think day 31 and it's a 90 day program. I really like the workouts though, cardio is one of my favorites!

Then we got our WWE Smackdown & ECW tickets today! Yes! Row 3 baby! At the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, NM! May 24th is the day and my husband and I plan to get a hotel that night after watching Chris Jericho and Edge! Love those two! For those of you who don't follow wresting, it's a personal taste, and yes I know its fake, and my husband always watched it and it's funnier than some soap operas so I enjoy the wrestling. Okay this was a super blab and totally got off topic of writing!

How are all you doing? I am loving all the revision advice I am seeing! Not to mention the helpful links everyone shares! I freakin' love blogspot! Oh and by the way good luck to everyone who entered the Query Tracker One Line Pitch Contest! I know a good pal of mine entered! Can't wait to see the declared winner!

Rambles & Thank You's!

2009-05-10T18:51:00.000-07:00

First shout out to all the mothers out there! You're all AMAZING!

Next, special thanks to all of my readers who helped out with my past/present dilemma! I have decided I am going back to first person past tense, like my original was. 80K in present, should be a slice of cake to switch it back since it's my natural form.

I have also decided I am dedicated days for my writings. Certain days a week I will work on my two WIP's and another day will be for my critique group edits. I plan to continue to check blogs as often as I can, most likely daily cause I'm sickly addicted to all of you, in the best of ways!

So before June (that's the deadline) sometime I need to read a short story collection for Flash Me Magazine, Variations of a Theme by Simon Forster, because I'm writing my first book review that will go in the issue! Awesome! I read the first story today and was taken back, creepy and I love creepy! I cannot wait to see the rest of his stories!

Oh yes! And a good girl of mine, she's a fellow member of the FMM staff AND in our small critique group won the cliffhanger contest! So proud of her-yup that's you Jannette! Check out the link to read her stuff and also the blog, it's full of fun reads:
http://giveagirlapen.com/contests/contest-cliffhanger

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Keep postings up!

Need Some Help!

2009-05-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

Imagine that?! Me going slowly insane just longing for the beauty of a polished ms...yes that's the dream, so far out of my gasp! lol! You want to know why? Because now I am considering going back to my original first person past tense form! I'm 80K in present now...yeah! Love how it takes me forever to contemplate all kinds of stuff! Ah Revisions, hell I think I'll take the chance to kill the traitor in my book myself! haha!

My writer friend who was also a beta reader suggests that my other draft flowed better, and on my side sci-fi piece I am doing first person past and it reads so much better, perhaps because I naturally write that way. Here I am again, contemplating on my book, go back to original or continue forward? It's hard because either way I look at it I see it as my work, I know the story through and through so I really think the audience will decide, that's where you all come in!

I want to enter a passage from my WIP and I'd like your opinion. Past or Present, 1 or 2? That's all I wanna know.

#1
I woke up the next morning with a slight headache and knew it was from the wine. I rolled over and saw that Alex and Iris were already out of bed and soon I heard clatter come from the kitchen. I didn't want to get out of bed yet, but I knew I couldn't go back to sleep either. I looked at my nightstand next to my bed and saw there was a hot cup of tea. Alex was so good to me and as I drank it I could tell it was wintergreen leaves as it slid gently down my throat. My headache would be gone by the time I finished this cup.

#2
My head aches when I wake up, no doubt it's from the wine the night before. I roll over and see that Alex and Iris are already out of bed and then I hear the clutter coming from the kitchen. I don't want to get out of bed yet, but I know I can't go back to sleep either. I look at my nightstand next to my bed and see there is a hot cup of tea. Alex is so good to me and as I drink it I can tell it's wintergreen leaves as it slides gently down my throat. My headache will be gone by the time I finish this cup.

Oh and on a side note, my side WIP is coming together nicely, writing is way easier than revising and I have to admit I am really enjoying this romance with sci-fi elements, it's just fun, makes me smile every time I read over it. That's a nice relief considering my other ms makes me want to pull my hair out sometimes! haha!

Anyways please let me know which passage reads better to you. This is a pretty off paragraph, but I wanted something small with no dialogue since most of you don't know my characters. Thanks big time!

Revisions

2009-05-04T21:10:00.000-07:00

I know I posted my last blog Friday, but it seems so long ago! Truly, blogging can easily take over my life! Today has been busy, I been writing and retyping for my revisions. I knocked down over 11K and am still going to do some tonight. Yeah, it's amazing my hands haven't fallen off!

So I've caught up on some recent posts today-they're all great I love seeing them! They really got me thinking about my novel, in a semi good and bad way. I know this is my first novel, but I've had multiple works published so I'm proud of that and like to consider my stuff can be taken seriously it just takes time and effort, and many revisions and even after you send it out, you find like a hundred things you can fix, it sucks!

As I'm rewriting my tenses and trying to incorporate a more adult tone, I realize I have so much more to go before I can even think about querying. It makes me sad because I want to get back in that crazy hunt for an agent, but it's pointless with all the flaws I'd have. So I made myself a nice outline, yes an outline for my revisions. Here it is:

-Go through book one and two and make it more adult like, language, violence, sex yes they're going in! This has been loads of fun by the way and I am currently in this stage.

-Next I need to look at the elements of my story. Setting, Plots, Characters, Dialogue, Showing vs. Telling, Tense consistency. This is going to be the hardest and longest part I think. I know my setting needs work, lots of it! Showing vs. Telling is the easiest trap for a writer to fall into so this is going to be crazy!

-Cutting the fat, the bad fat! Some background is needed and I've had a lot of comments that my story moves fast so I'm going to work on that to, slow it down when I can. But I hate reading parts in the book that slows it down, I'm a fast reader and I want to know what's happening and why right then and there. Just a style of mine, some like it, while some won't. I'll try to manage a balance.

-The final read through. This includes after my critique circle has gone through, along with personal friends edits/comments. It will give me time to look over it as a whole picture rather than a bunch of bits and pieces.

-After all of this I can start working on that dang query and my new synopsis, one detailed and brief. Those both sound so easy right now compared to this! haha!

So there's a lot I want to do before I can really be ready to submit my work, but in the meantime I continue my short stories on the side and send them out to build my list of publications. I'm looking at this and I see months ahead of me, but I'm going to try like hell to do all I can every day to make what I do efficient. The tedious edits are the ones that are going to kill me, I know it!

How about all of you revising? Running into any problems? Have any advice that might help me out? What's your way of doing your revisions? Tell me, enlighten me, help show me the way! =)

Awesome!!!

2009-05-01T20:37:00.000-07:00

Today has been awesome!

First I went to see Wolverine-Origins! The effects are stunning, the acting superb, storyline fantastic! It's such a badass movie, seriously you all have to see this film!

Then we had dinner and ice cream, stopped at kmart for a few things and came home which I then rember I only have to do 3 more pages and book one is revised, minus some edits! That means I can start with Book Two and meshing it in! Hooray! I've worked so hard! The odd thing is my first book being a YA was around 55,000 words and I cut stuff out and rewrote some others and now I'm close to 60,000! It seems impossible by what I cut! Oh well fantasy have higher word counts so when I get to book two I'll see what the final one is!

AND best of all my short story is on Static Movement for May's Issue!!
It's on the left side column called A Nightmare-by Sara Tribble
Check it out if you have time, here's the link:
http://www.staticmovement.com/may09.htm

It's funny cause when I read it over I see way to many repition of words and some off things, hate that! Oh well he still took it and that's what counts!

I hope you all have a great start to the weekend like I have!

Votes Are In!

2009-04-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

Yupper this weeks poll is over!

The Question-How Long Have You Been Writing?

Astoundingly under 12 months came in 1st with 55%

The rest of time times varying from months to years all tie with 11%

I have to say WOW! We got a lot of new serious, dedicated writers out here! It makes me feel....happy and excited! Those are all potential publishing success that we're all trying to get to! With help from one another I think we can all get here because I truly believe everyone has a story to tell! Corny yeah, but I really think that!

I'll post a new poll and have the run time longer, just because lately I am busy, busy, busy!

Sex and Writing!

2009-04-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

Haha! Now don't get ahead of yourselves all of you! I'm not going to post a entry of my latest sex episode lol! Geez.. I feel kinda dirty mentioning sex on a blog lol!

I did however write my first intimate sex scene for my mc's in my working novel. Let me tell you, especially all you romance writers, I give you mad props! Writing a scene like that is crazy challenging, it's all about feelings and reactions and for this novel I needed it to be sweet but passionate in the moment, losing control of your insecurities and letting instincts and body take over! But did I do it? I sent my excerpt to close writing friends for their opinions, and I think I'm just going to send it to everyone in my awesome writing group. I hope the feedback is good, it will most likely need some tweaking like the rest of my novel but if the moment is there, that's my main concern.

Oh and I got my feedback from Ms. Elana Johnson after I won one of her contests! Awesome by the way, love her blogs, check her out on my list, she's great! Overall her feedback was great, she made some great edits, and def. pointed out my weak points of tense. I'm writing first person, present tense, yeah it can get confusing if it's not all together! She also made some valuable feedback about my setting. She wasn't getting a picture, which sucks but she's right and the editor Stacy Grimoire said the same thing, she got an idea of what kind of town my mc is from but the needs specifics to increase the picture. So I went back and tweaked it, hoping I'm painting the pictures for hopefully future readers. I plan to try to send it out for a review from my awesome girls!

Also got some crazy writing goals! Yeah that's right! A chapter revision a day! My chapters run 3k-8k lol but hey I split up the 8k! But I'm getting towards the end of book one, then I mesh in book two! Crazy but loving it, there's so much going on and sometimes I catch myself reading back and think, wow this is coming together so much better than my first draft. Amazing what dreadful revisions do for your work! So I been MIA due to writing, critiquing, I haven't read stories for FMM in a day or two! Not cool I need to get back to my routine while adding in my new goals.

Oh one more thing! I made a list of titles (great idea from writer girl Becky!) since my revisions call for a new one. I have a few I really like and am testing them out on my pages while writing, so that's exciting! I won't need to call this project or my novel much longer, it will have a name! Woohoo! Haha! So everyone I'm going to check the blog roll and do my rounds, then return to do my chapter for the day!

How about all you? Got any juicy sex scenes or news? I need updates on your WIP! Motivation is key for all of us!

25 Things You Didn't Know About My Novel

2009-04-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

I just got done reading As The Plot Thickens, Jenna's blog. She had this awesome post about 30 things of her novel. She mentioned she got the idea from The Screaming Guppy's blog. They're so random and fun I had to do this for my own!

25 Things About My Novel

1. I call it my novel now because I am rewriting it for an adult audience and possibly combining book one and two, hence the first original title I had won't work as well.

2. The reason I am rewriting it as an adult novel is because I sent it to an editor Stacy Grimoire and she suggested it would be much better as one.

3. The whole idea of this novel came to me at the age of 16 because of this picture I drew and was inspired by Amy Brown.

4. Once I heard JK Rowling wrote scenes of HP on napkins I thought she was amazing to have so much time and passion to write the smallest things throughout her busy days.

5. My husband is the one who got me writing again. Since moving to Texas and me not working he asked why I didn't finish the book? He was right and I started to write again.

6. Originally I wrote this book with pen and paper. Finally I did the horrible part of typing it all on the computer. Then I had to type while I wrote more chapters. Let me tell you I wish I started typing from day one!

7. My father was the first one to read my rough draft.

8. Morina, Leana's friend, is based on my best friend for life Sarah.

9. Aires is based on my other best friend for life, Megan. Aires is a boy though.

10. Valin and Aires have a forbidden love.

11. Alex is entirely made up. I made him everything Leana wanted in a man. Don't get me wrong I love my husband to death, but I had to make someone perfect and special for Leana.

12. Leana started off as a girly girl. Hah--after one chapter of writing I knew it wasn't who she was.

13. Lady Frejia is based from a short story I wrote about a witch years ago. I probably still have that piece of paper somewhere!

14. I try to make unusual names for my characters in the clan. I always made names for my characters when I played RPG (role playing games) on PS, PS2 and even PS3. Some of the names I bring into the book.

15. I didn't think of the secondary plot until 8-9 months ago.

16. I never realized how much time writing your own story really takes.

17. I use my dreams for some scenery and objects. There's a spider pin that Alex gets for Leana. Also the chandelier in the hall with all the candles are from a dream. AND the creature who hunts Leana, is from my dream. Also the woods Leana is found in is based from country back home in Michigan down a dirt road around my house that I use to take to my husbands old house. In the fall it's breathtaking and I would just pull my car over and watch the leaves fall from the trees.

18. I remember writing out the final battle scene and my heart just fluttered as I wrote every word in my journal.

19. I use to have a song I wrote in the book for when they enchant the fish while fishing, but cut it out. I may add it back in.

20. Since this was originally a YA novel there was no language and no sex scene, even though a child is born. That's going to be changing though!

21. My setting is in a land called Beress. A place I can see so vividly in my mind.

22. I cannot help but daydream about my book like a movie in my mind.

23. The song by Elisa, called Rock Your Soul, inspired the scene after the final battle.

24. I love sunsets. I often include a description in many chapters, reflecting Leana''s mood.

25. Originally I considered having a friend die, but decided to only make it a close call. I'm a sucker for happy endings especially after all they been through they deserve it.

I challenge you all to keep this going! I think it's awesome and it's so fun to see how they vary!

A Different Perspective Today

2009-04-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

I was with my husband on 1-10, the one and only main highway in El Paso. Suddenly everyone is breaking and everyone is stopped. The question comes "What's going on?"

I see people getting out of their cars and walking around, some talking to others sitting in the cars. I just watch them. It must be an accident. Not much longer the sirens are heard and the police zoom down the median. What's so strange about today? Let me tell you.

Last night I finished Forests of Hands and Teeth. It was very good, I must admit I was expecting a little more scary BUT still it's a great read. Some parts were very sad. I cannot imagine. While sitting it made me think of something after reading it, mainly taking a different perspective.

Here I thought in the truck with the sun beating down, how rude these people are! Your probably thinking they're curious, I'm sure their intentions are well, heck you all might have been one of those people before. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, keep reading. However, what if the person(s) in the accident are struggling to hold on to their last breath or looking over at the love of their life or children, and worse what if they're already gone. To think these people are gawking at the intense scene, pointing and whispering to another, it just made me uneasy. What if that's all the victim's sees. I even told my husband I want to yell at them through the window, to say "Get back to your cars and let the authorities do their job!" But alas I do nothing and continue to stare at those people waiting, wondering what is going through the minds of the ones in the accident.

It's strange because I know before I have always hoped the best for the people involved from the accident and I did take a moment for a thought for them wishing them well and never really minded gawkers, but after reading a certain viewpoint from The Forests of Hands and Teeth I looked at it so differently.

Anyways I'm not trying to depress anyone but it really stuck out to me and I think we can all agree accidents happen everyday. Have any of you read any books that made you look at a everyday situation differently?

All I Can Say Is WOW!

2009-04-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

Okay so I been slacking, it's been two days since I blogged and the last poll is over. Here are the results!

How Many Queries Have You Sent?
Under 5 = 20%
5-10 = 20%
10-20 = 30%
20+ = 20%
You Don't Even Wanna Know = 10%

I have to admit I was quite surprised by this one. I was expecting more high numbers but then again other factor need to be known, like how long has your novel been finished. So that brought me to the newest poll--How Long Have You Been Writing? Can't wait to see the numbers on that! Thanks to everyone who participated!

Okay on some awesome side notes I am super excited! My short story A NIGHTMARE is being published in Static Movement in May! Then A MONSTER is being published in Flashot! I am very excited about both but I have to admit I cannot wait to see A NIGHTMARE because I really enjoy that one! In May I will post a blog link so hopefully you can find a chance to read it! It's a sci-fi/horror piece but even if you don't like sci-fi this one is pretty light so try it, please.

My first chapter of my rewrite is finished! Wow talk about agonizing! I have the worse tense variation and lack of movement, it sucks! I wish I could break out of this habit. I'm going to try and if not I have an awesome critique group, who is HONEST and IS NOT going to steal any part of my work, to catch my mistakes! I'm so lucky to have them, I can already see the positive changes making my book come alive before me. They also have amazing work, no wonder the competition is fierce!

Oh and also I am reading the Forests of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. Yes I bought it Friday at Barnes and Noble after reading SO many praises on it! I am over 100 pages into it and so far I do like it. Nothing too scary yet but I think I see some foreshadowing to change it. I would usually have it finished by now but I have had so much other stuff going on!

I realized last night I have not worked on my side book, a sci-fi novel, in weeks! It's crazy and I don't like it! I really love writing that one cause it's in present time and the man I am creating is amazing and perfect, well that's what the girl thinks for now! haha! I am going to try to get my chapter 3 finished and ready for review and then hopefully after that I can work on the other one, at least a chapter would make me happy!

What about all of you? How many side projects do you have just begging for you to get back into them?

I Did It!

2009-04-16T16:40:00.000-07:00

Excellent news!

I am now officially caught up with the blog reading of my followers! I went to my dashboard and clicked on their most recent blogs and tried to comment as many as I could! I think there was only a few I read and did not comment which is awesome!

In our little critique circle we have going-Nova, Jamie, Becky-they did an awesome job checking out my first chapter! I am very happy with the feedback, it's honest and I admire that. I really think my chapter is going to come out strong and flow well when I have brought in their advice.

I must admit converting my novel to an Adult market is a little tricky. I mean don't get me wrong I love where it's going. However it's like I am starting from saved scratch and to me I am finding it a little hard to decide what to cut and save. Some stuff is obvious and others not so much. I am only starting Chapter three. It's not bad considering I only been writing for about a week for in this new direction BUT the second book making me worry.

Because this is an Adult novel my word count can be longer and I feel that a lot of the books I read for adults end entirely well, not really leaving you hanging. So the fact I am only on chapter three when I still don't have book one revisions finished and not any of book two makes me feel overwhelmed! I just need to remember to take a step back. Writing is a process, a vicious one at that. I just need to take one chapter at a time, save what I can if it seems right, and cut the fills ins. It seems so easy when I put it like that!

Also I noticed a lot of people-prepare for language-kicking some serious ass on the WIP! Kudos to ALL of you! Seriously I am so proud of you and envy the motivation! You all truly inspire me! Where can I get one of those bar graphs to keep track of my word count? I am dying to have one! Also Lady Glamis has an awesome slide show on her blog! Be sure to check it out it made me feel so great! Okay enough for now just wanted to announce I am caught up and hope I never EVER fall behind again!

Short & Sweet

2009-04-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

I am BACK online!

Yes!

My brain was killing me! I have such a crap load of stuff to read it's insane! Mind you its only been FIVE days I have been offline! The Internet world moves so much faster than the real world!

I am also having a debate with our lovely landlord saying we owe them money which was not part of our agreement when we re-signed the lease! Yeah I am ready to give it to her! It wouldn't be all bad but the fact is I already pay $750 a month for at this townhouse--well my husband lol! The fact they want another $150 for a month to month lease term is insane not to mention we re-did the lease for 6 months due to the ceiling needed fixing AND not to mention other stuff!

This place is nice and on a good side of town but NOT that nice! We should just get a flipping house! Argh...yeah it's been boiling inside of me!

Anyways I need to get critiquing some work of my friends and check in with FMM! Craziness...I should have some down town later or worse tomorrow--I need to check out all these blog posts!

MIA Due To Wind!

2009-04-12T10:33:00.000-07:00

Yes everyone I will be on and off because of the wind here!

It's insane this is the first time I have been online in two days! Do you know how that really tortures you!? I have been wanting to check my email, read blogs, etc. and cannot? It is horrible! Horrible, horrible, horrible! Wait did I mention it's horrible? Yeah I did okay!

So the Internet it working at the moment, but I don't know how long it will last because I still hear the dreaded howling of it outside my window! So no worries, keep blogging and I am going to catch up I swear! This is not my choice more as mother natures but why she wishes to torment me now that my parents are gone, I have no clue!

On a happier note in my inbox was a reply to some submissions I sent to Flashshot and they gave me some punctuation re-writes for my three stories under 100 words and asked for me to resubmit them. He said he enjoyed reading them! Do they say this to everyone? I don't really care cause it made me feel good! I did this right away since the response can take longer and I only had the chance to send them back in that moment. So hopefully the next time I get online there will be a happy email saying they would like to publish those stories!

Everyone have a wonderful Easter! If something funny happens on Easter I want to hear about it too! Make sure to comment so I can read them!

Back To Work!

2009-04-10T14:57:00.000-07:00

Okay! As much as I love my parents they are finally on the jet plane and probably drinking in Dallas Airport by now. I am sad that they left but that's life and plus I plan to visit soon hopefully, if not for sure in September!

Now it is time for me to get back to work and I feel like I have tons to do!

I have not even started revisions yet from the editors feedback, even though I have been constantly thinking over and over how I plan to steer this to an adult audience. Also I need to check in with Jenn from FMM to see if she has anything new for me. I am also planning to participate in Elana Johnsons Rally Storm Forum, I just made my account today under saratribble--look me up if your doing it too! Then I am getting with a small group for personal critiques--super excited by this and think it's going to help tons!

Wow that is quite a lot but hey I got all the time I need right? Us writers always seem like we have a million things to do don't we? Anyways how are you all doing? In fact what are you all doing? Is there anything you have had to put on hold? Are you going to get to it or wait for something pass?

Okay my friends I am going to get typing my first chapter, again lol! Wish me luck with the revisions I will def. keep you posted! My goal is to get chapter one polished and complete! Possible? We'll find out! Best to all of you!

Tomorrow My Parents Leave

2009-04-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, my parents flight is taking off at 2:05 in the afternoon tomorrow. I am a little sad to see them go but I am more happy they came out to see me not to mention since they have been here my husband and I have not have to pay for anything! I think today we are going to a winery, which would be fun. I never been to one before but my parents like that kind of stuff, like brewing companies. We're from the country so when it comes to alcohol as enertainment we cannot resist--lol!

I have a super awesome photo from the zoo of a tiger! I love tigers, well any kind of cats really. They are sleek and cute, but yet manage to be threatening. If I could be an animal it would be a cat or an owl. I love owls too, not sure why but they're lovely. Anyways here is that photo.

Alright my followers even though I adore all of you I must go now and get dressed and make the day my own! I will be back on schedule within the next day or two! Have a wonderful day all of you!

I Have Been Busy Busy Busy!

2009-04-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

Ahh yes my dear friends take it in! This is where I live near the Franklin Mountains! Right now your looking out at 5,632 ft on Rangers Peak! It's beautiful isn't it? I love being high in the air, from the first plane ride I took when I was 16 I knew I was going to sky dive--I have not yet but I will!

So I apologize for not posting a blog in a few days! My parents are here visiting me in Texas for their first time! They are having fun and yesterday we took them to Kiki's which is excellent, awesome mexican place! Lots of awards and not outrageous prices! If any of you come to El Paso you owe it to yourselves to go there and when you are here you better get a hold of me so I can meet you there!

Yesterday we took a drive in New Mexico wanting to go to Las Cruces, however we ended up in Alamogordo, NM. It worked out good though because we went to a space museum and I got lots of good pictures, then we passed through white sands. It's a spot in New Mexico where the sand is white, it's awesome. Then we finally made our way back to Las Cruces then back into El Paso, and had dinner at the Texas Roadhouse. It was good!

Now today I think we're going to the zoo! I love them places! I am not sure what else though, but we will probably think of something on the way! They are leaving Friday so once they are gone I have a so many blogs to reads and comment and write! Not to mention I have not even started any revisions to my novel! I know I know, I will do not worry but once they leave! Hope you are all having a great week!

The Long Awaited Feedback!

2009-04-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

AHH! I saw it sitting in my inbox, the sender's name Stacy Whitmore. The subject read,"Query/3 Chapters.

Without having a chance to get nervous or even taking a single breath I clicked it on, hurry up load!

There before me was a lot of feedback...oh this can't be good.

Here is the gist of what she said.

1. On my great debate on if this should be a YA or Adult audience the vote is in--It is going to become an Adult novel. Kudos to those who seen this coming! I am happy with it, I get to go back add some language and more violence when possible even thinking about the sex scene! If anyone knows of a good writer who does sexual scenes gracefully, nothing like erotica, let me know so I can take a read. I have an idea of how to go about it but a few examples would help.

2. My characters voice must be stronger. I agree. Before if she said this to me I would have been confused but after joining the staff of Flash Me Magazine (online webzine for genre flash fiction--check out my link to the right for all of you writers trying for writing credentials) I understand. I was able to read over stories submitted and you can really tell the difference of someone telling vs. showing, which I tell in a lot of work. Bottom line is showing is the better writing and I am need a lot of changes for that.

3. Grammar. Yeah. I have always had a knack for writing run on sentences. Heck some of you probably notice I do it when I blog so naturally I do it while I write. Grammar is on going but I am going to try my best to watch what I type and how I do it. Rather than just type away and go back later to see how it sounds. This is going to be super hard for me. I was always an A or A+ English student throughout all my years of school and college courses. I been out of school for over a year now and I think my good writing skills need to have a whipping back into gear!

On a high note she said my story has intriguing story elements and strong parts to it. After changes they will become even more visible. I also was happy she complimented one of my closing sentences that I always loved. She said it was a great hook and she felt it was weighed down by the chapters and I should see if it's possible to bring it in sooner! Oh yes that made me happy! Here I just thought it was a great sentence with truth but a hook! Really those things I try to make for my query?! Unbelievable!

Also more kudos for the Writers Digest and Query Tracker Forums! I go to both for query help/editing and she barely touched anything. She really only put her opinions on it, which needs some tweaking anyhow since the audience will be shifting to adult. Other than that not too much! Thanks everybody!

That's most of her feedback condensed. I found her review helpful and worth the $50.00 flat rate I sent her to do this. A critical view from a pro editor really opened my eyes and I was not offended by anything she said! She is professional and tactful, as writers we know how nice it is to meet someone who possesses these skills. I would recommend this to anyone, especially a new writer who is having trouble getting their book out there. All the things she told me I can apply to my whole novel and even the one I am working on the side.

Here is a link where you can find her and ask about having a critique, mind you she specializes in genre fiction for children, middle grade and young adults. http://www.stacylwhitman.com/

Is It The Sun OR Raspberry Tea?

2009-04-02T16:47:00.000-07:00

Your probably thinking--the sun or tea? What is she talking about! lol
Let me tell you!

So last night I dreamed of one of my "newer" characters, Jacks. He is charming, witty, amazingly good looking, and so polite and honest, within his own terms. It makes me happy when I get to connect with my characters because I see who they really are outside of the setting I personally created for them.

Another thing I am happy about is I drew my first sci-fi piece! Yes aliens and UFO's! Nothing too fancy but more experimental black and white contrast with color only for the flames and laser beams that are destroying planets! Hah! I know it's wild! A lot of people on my friends list are seeing it and liking it, I think because it sticks out so much differently than my usual artwork. I never had the chance to be able to work and talk with an artist who focuses on sci-fi work, it would have been nice and hey I still could over time! I am sure there are some awesome artists that focus on sci-fi and if any of you know any clue me in please--I would love to see! Hey in fact I will put the picture up so you all can see it because your all so great!

Still no word from the editor! I am going crazy and getting nervous! She told me Monday or Tuesday and she does have a job during the day as an editor obviously so I am trying my best to wait it out. She did tell me she was running behind and we all know how that goes, it happens so I will sit here and distract myself once again and obnoxiously keep checking my inbox!

I am also in the process of going through some of my short stories and trying to find them a home! Easier said then done, even with webzines! So I sent one in last night after awesome feedback from a magazine, which they did say they liked the story but they needed more active voice since I had a mix and also because I was just "telling" the story. After I read their suggestions of how to fix it up--they were right. It sounds much better since I took their words of advice.

Not to mention I am getting ready right now to look over my query--to find YA voice and I got some excellent feedback from Writers Digest Forum, especially from Jeanne-who is awesome and she has several books! I have not checked out Query Tracker's Forum yet but I will later tonight. So yes I cannot help but be happy! The sun is shining-like always I am in Texas-but it's different today. I then of course had to get a Arizona Raspberry Tea, yes I love tea, and nothing sets the day better unless you have one! Best of all they're only $0.99! Can't beat that!

Alas my friends I must go, the query changes are needed to be perfected and the waiting continues from the editor! Not to mention I need to write more in my current project, it's becoming obsessive I know! Hope you all are having a great day! I also cannot wait for Grey's Anatomy! Yippee!

Reflection

2009-03-30T22:19:00.000-07:00

I am happy to brag about a great friend I have-Becky!

I have to say while some people are really nice, tactful and helping Becky (the best writer friend I could have ever been lucky enough to find!) is beyond all of them! She offers feedback straight up, no point to sugar coat things and no matter how she says it there is always encouragement afterwards. She saw my frustrated blog and right away she emails me wondering what was up, I have family reading this and no one responded! She has read my first book, and working on book two, and I have read hers, which is great! I must say it is easy for an outsider to view things differently but I truly take Becky's to heart because she has the inside look of things.

So yes I am still torn between my novel and its fate but I am leaving that choice to an editor. After all in the end an editor will be the one reading it anyways and I feel much better about this ALL because of Becky. No hard feelings towards anyone because I am happy this YA madness was an issue due to the fact a lot more things will be opened and smoothed away when it is resolved. This may come off as me being mad at the honesty and well if you think that you really do not know me, I know criticism is to come and honesty is essential--I know this and I welcome the rejection and anguish! No point of fighting that!

Although before I was mostly mad at myself for thinking I created this huge problem well it's not. I did right by me and that's just how I feel, so on the query you bet I am going to make it sound more YA like--even though my MC starts out young and has a child with her partner before the age of 20.

Would it matter to anyone if I said the setting for my novel was in a far away made up land and also it was common for girls to be married young since there was lack of opportunity so to have a family was expected? I think it would make a difference, YA readers are not stupid and times are changing so to really have them see an inside look on motherhood after marriage and to see how you should embrace who you are, even as a witch, why not?

My Brain Is Hurting!

2009-03-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

Okay! Last night was informative, yes I will stick with that word.

I posted my query on several forums and the responses were good, helpful and lastly concerning.

A lot of people were telling me (and thank you for the honesty and in no way is this an angry rant against any of you) that my query was lacking YA voice and themes and they found it odd that someone under the age of 18-19 was having a baby even after she is married and older.

Before I began writing I Am A Renidken, I had the YA audience in mind, always have, this is why I avoided explicit violence, language and sexual scenes. Now I am beginning to wonder if I should go back add those parts in and convert to an adult fantasy. Yes Leana my wonderful MC can still start out fairly young maybe up her to 18 turning 19 and she can still grow older and can be 20 when she has her kid?

I cannot help but be mad at myself. I feel as if I failed and I hate it which is why I am willing to convert the novel to adult. After all I was reading adult books as a teen so no doubt there will be teens who will read it if it does get published. Is that the reason why agents are passing, it does not seem like a YA theme?

I am happy this issue was brought to my attention but I wish it would have been addressed sooner instead of all at once. So bottom line is tonight I have some serious thinking to do and when I get the feedback from the editor tomorrow hopefully she can clarify if it can work for a YA or if I should convert it. After numerous blogs defining YA guidelines I thought it was working fine but readers are saying else.

I need to sit back and write in my new novel, it will be a useful distraction. Not to mention I still need to finish going through submissions for FMM and I already went through tons! Hopefully tomorrow I will have a post declaring on what will happen to my book based on the editors feedback.

Book In A Nutshell!

2009-03-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

Yup that's right and its buzzing everywhere!

If you do not know of it yet here is the gist!

The Knight Agency is having a contest, Book in a Nutshell, for unpublished manuscripts! You have a limit of three sentences and a limit of 150 words for the submission to tell your book! Deadline is April 20Th so get started! The top 20 will be asked for requests and may lead to possible representation! Check out their website for more!

So I have been working on my three sentences and I am super happy with how it is going! I started with 70 words and now I am up to 90 and it is already so much better! Forums are great for feedback! I also posted my revised query on the forums but also these three sentences would go great in a query! Killing two birds with one stone! Love it when that happens!

It is time though for me to start writing in my new novel, unsure of the title still and frankly a few other things but I will get through it. Hope everyone had an awesome weekend! I know I did!

Oops! One more thing! The editor I sent my work in for a critique is getting back to me Monday or Tuesday! I emailed her on Saturday and she got back to me right away. I hope this isn't too brutal but I am excited to see what she says. Again I will post a blog after I review her critique and let you all know about the experience.

Whew!

2009-03-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

My goodness the last couple days I have been busy! This is odd for me because normally I am just relaxing and surfing the net and writing.

So I am happy to say I put together a Flash Me Magazine Myspace! I think it turned out nice, informative but yet relaxed that is good! I also made sure to add the link on here so if your a myspacer check us out and feel free to add us! Now just trying to build the friend list and get people to check us out. I hope this goes well the staff I work with are all great. As of now I do not have comments needing to be approved before posting...we will see if I can leave it that way!

Also I finished a friends book, which is awesome! I truly loved it and she is a remarkable writer and I been meaning to do a trial book review for her because I am interested in doing one for the magazine but I would like to make sure I have a nice grasp before I take it on. I don't want to come over as overbearing! I am trying to create a professional letter for donations/advertising for FMM. I must say after looking it over last night I am pretty happy with (most) of it. I am really happy about my new volunteer work and it shows obviously. This is like a breath of fresh air from not working, it's like yes someone finally needs my excitement and enthusiasm for something productive outside of my personal writing work!

Another book idea I been lingering on for some time now and this one I am not sure how I want it to be. I have a plot that can be bent many ways so to choose which way I want it to go is hard. I think this will be one of the few NON fantasy books I write. It's strange I know but I think I could make this story work but then again I might change it, who knows? Hopefully I can bounce ideas off my awesome friend Becky--see what she thinks about it. She's honest and I love that. She is also reading the sequel to my books, ah! I am a little nervous this time around. Just because it really kicks into gear with fantasy and it moves quickly and then towards the end I slow it down once more and although I think the ending is awesome, others could hate it!

Thank goodness it is the weekend I am going to kick back and relax and spend some time with my great husband, who by the way just bought me a sapphire necklace and earring set! It's my birthstone and I love it, not to mention blue is my personal power color! Hope all you readers have a great weekend, you should kick back too we deserve a break!

The Votes Are In!

2009-03-25T16:27:00.001-07:00

My most recent poll is officially OVER! Here are the results:

What is the hardest thing about writing?

Editing-45%

Plot-27%

Theme-18%

Description-9%

Characters-0% (Not one vote!)

I am not surprised editing came in first because let's face it we all go back and read, fix, read, correct, read, fix this and that...it is never ending! There is always something that can be "tweaked" in your writing.

I was happy to see characters did not get one vote! That is awesome because it tells me that writers have a clear visual and idea for who they want in their story! That is great!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the voting! I will be posting another poll shortly, hopefully tonight. I think I will run the poll for 2-3 weeks vs. the month.

Publishing Assistant!

2009-03-23T18:13:00.000-07:00

I am happy to say that I have volunteered my time to help work with other talented people at Flash Me Magazine-an online website that shares flash fiction pieces. I am super excited to be working with an accomplished editor Jenn and I really hope I can bring some good things for the site and am hoping to learn some new things and meet some awesome people on the way!

This is going to be wonderful to have something to do in the meantime since I am not working anyways and will offer a break from my novels when I need it. Today was good and the week is going to get even better because I am anxiously awaiting an editorial review, which I will post later once I get her feedback so that way I can blog the whole experience. Okay well I am going to skim over book one--it is a never ending cycle as we all know!

This Is True!

2009-03-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

I could not help but laugh today reading over a blog from a magazine website. It was explaining how some people are rude when they get feedback on why their story was passed. As I posted in their comment area: I would rather know why they passed on my story then do the whole question I wonder why...which makes me go crazy! Yeah rejection is not fun for anyone but it happens and to writers more than anyone else I think!

So again I made a funny quote which I just had to share:

"Critism is like the air writers breathe, it is going to happen so suck it up and brace yourself--it's going to get rough!" -Sara Tribble

Giving Up Is NOT An Option!

2009-03-19T18:32:00.000-07:00

I just got finished doing blog rounds(wow by the way lots of good reads today!) and one blog in particular really got me going-in a good way! It was about confidence and overconfidence. When is it not enough and when is it too much? I must say as a person I consider myself confident and I do my best to not try to sound "over confident." I truly have things I am proud of in my life, my marriage, my family and friends, my hobbies (this includes my writing and art) and I will be the first to tell it all to you, but hey I also got problems like everyone else in the world and I will be glad to share those too!

When it comes to writing, where do I stand personally? I think I am professional and if I am not I sure try hard to be, whether it is a query letter or a phone call to check a status of a submission(and yes I dreadfully wait until the deadline is met and when it is OK to call and check!). Everyone is so subjective in the business you need to have a thick skin, giving up is the easy way out! Do not do it, you owe it yourself not to!

I love the stories I write and I cannot help it, I really truly believe I can tell a good story that is marketable and I am sure many people will disagree with that, obviously because I am still unpublished and without an agent (see one of my problems right there and this one drives me insane!) but I hope in the future that changes (hence I am not giving up until it does = confidence).

So if you do disagree with my work I am sorry that I could not take you away into my imagination, really I am sorry because as a writer I want to include people in my imagination and I want them to feel the bonds grow between characters and I want them to laugh when one makes a smart remark in sarcasm, mostly I want them to believe there really is more out there and the best way to find it is sometimes through a book.

I hope one day my books can do this for others like the books I have read have done for me because they took me away from the drama in my life, if even for an hour and gave me something wild to think about, a vampire forbidden love story or how cool it would be if Hogwarts really was real! Or there really was Narnia waiting in a magical wardrobe. I leave you all with a personal quote I made just minutes ago.

"Do not allow defeat, do not quit, we have come way too far to doubt ourselves now."
-Sara Tribble (me)

Rambling = City Nights Excerpt

2009-03-17T17:46:00.000-07:00

City Nights-By Sara Tribble

In the darkness I could feel the fear rise into my mind, where was I? There are city lights everywhere but why did I feel like I was surrounded by darkness. I was scared that much was true, people continued to walk on the sidewalks minding their own business not even tossing a look of concern to me. Surely I looked out of place here.

Then I saw him. He was tall and handsome with piercing eyes that could look into my very soul. He was dressed in black from head to toe and wore a black beanie, like a thief in the night. I could not take my eyes away from him, he was like the forbidden fruit that I could not have. He started to come to me and then he began to talk to me.

"What are you doing here in this city of wonder?" He smiled and I could feel my heart race.

"I have no idea." I told him honestly.

"Want to come with me?" He asked.

"I do not know you?" I replied.

"Do I scare you?"

I thought for a minute, "No, not at all."

He brought his hand down to me "Then let's go."

I extended my hand and he grasped it firmly and he pulled me up from the bench and went with the strange man who would turn out to be my love, my friend, and partner in crime.

Book Two Is Officially Finished!

2009-03-16T00:34:00.000-07:00

That is right my friends!

I just got typing my last dialogue lines to end my sequel! I am very happy with this book also! It flows very well and this one is packed so much more with action and more humor among my characters, don't get me wrong though book one is just as good! I left a surprise at the end and a slight explanation of what to be expected in book three and as I keep reading it over I cannot help but smile, I love how words melt into one another.

So now that is done the revising and editing begins again! Yes I know some may consider this project not completely finished but to me it pretty much is. Revising is so easy to do once the main book concept is complete! I am so happy right now! I cannot wait to look this over once more tomorrow and then I start juggling my days for books one and two, tie up any loose ends and make it complete. Ahh...life is good to me!

Still no word on agents but I have my fingers crossed so let's hope I get some news soon. I should however be hearing the status of my manuscript submission in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award sometime this week, mind you the limit was 10,000 entries from many talented writers! I will hold no hard feelings if mine is not selected for quarterfinals--after all there are countless brilliant writers out there looking for their chance. At least I will have some revising to keep my mind busy in the meantime. Hope all of you are doing great in your writing process!

Looking Back

2009-03-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

As I am typing away for my second book it is nearing towards the end, and I cannot help but feel a little sad. My second book is coming to an end, it is hard to say, this is where most of my characters stories stop and they live happily ever after and trust me I want them to be happy after all they have been through they deserve nothing else.

So what is next for me?

Book Three, which will explain why everything is the way it is in my imaginary land Beress. In the meantime the sci-fi and hunt for an agent is on, along with constant editing of book one and soon book two. I shall press on for achieving not the impossible, but improbable; even when I go back to college and work.

"Writing is a beast I simply cannot kill, no matter how many times I try, it will not die."
--Sara Tribble (me)

Sci-Fi Roll

2009-03-10T00:44:00.001-07:00

I wrote my sci-fi story that I was dying to write! I like it, a lot!

In fact I must say I never really pictured me much as a sci-fi writer, but these flash/micro fiction works I am doing are really enjoyable! I am actually impressing myself with the humor in them, I mean come on who does not like a small chuckle while reading?

I am happy to say I finished the works, at 998 words! Perfect under 1,000! Easier said then done of course! I was torn to try to decide which place to send it to, but I chose the one that responds within 30 days, so I hope a fast result and hopefully before the 31st of March so if they do not want in, I can send it to the other place and hopefully they will like it.

I feel better now that I got a story done, it was fun! No wonder why writers say to try to write everyday.

A Different Approach

2009-03-09T22:14:00.001-07:00

After thinking over my curret problem-do I mesh book two with book three-an idea struck me! What if I tie in all of my future writing to the SAME setting!?

It makes sense, I will have my original titles and then a subtitle, I have a few names I am deciding over for this. But this will work easily with the future books I plan to write plus I can focus on just the main title and not have to worry about work dragging and mixing too many ideas in one and plus I can keep them fairly similiar to works around 50,000+ words. I must say I am really happy I thought of this and at a good timing as well.

Ahh...the satisfaction of a new idea, nothing can quite compare! I am sorry to end this so briefly but I have been itching to write another sci-fi flash fiction story so I am going to get to it! Why are you still reading? Shouldn't you be writing?

For All You Writers Out There

2009-03-08T00:16:00.000-08:00

I would like you to scroll to the bottom of my page now and read a quote from the Great C.S. Lewis

This holds the truth and strives me to not give up on myself or my book.

I hope it does the same for you!

A Step Forward

2009-03-07T23:32:00.000-08:00

I thought I would take a second and reflect on my previous days. That's right I got my glasses on along with some comfortable pajama's and I am treating myself to some Pepsi and I am kicking back and having some fun online!

So the past few days I have been busy busy online trying to send queries to Agents/Agencies to try to get my YA Fantasy novel I AM A RENIDKEN looked at with hopes of seeing it published. I must say I am exhausted! So now it is time to play the wretched waiting game...I hate this game!

In the meantime though I am happy to announce that the sequel is coming along pretty well. I had some good ideas and dialogue for the characters and I been busy with that also, which then leads me to the dilemma. I originally wanted a triology set, however as the sequel is towards an end my word count is not very high. I hate it when books drag on with useless information and so I am stuck, do I put in my third book ideas in with the second? A big part of me is saying no, the other part is saying it might be good, this way I do not have to fill in every detail of the plot and worry if I will have enough for another full manuscript. I am still thinking this all over and weighing pros and cons.

Another high note is I am happy to say that I submitted in multiple works to some magazines and online websites! While I have an original piece sent to a sci-fi magazine, I also days ago wrote some work to specifically send in to another fantasy magazine. Have any of you heard of Micro-Fiction? If not it is extremely short (150 words was the cut off for this submission) writing and while I was finding it hard to do, I actually really love what I wrote. It has humor in it which is always a plus! I really think I have a shot of them wanting to publish it but response time is about 2 months, again this waiting game, oh well I hope it is worth the wait!

These have been my busy days recently and I am happy with all the work I have completed and submitted, I wish I never waited this long to pursue my dream of having a published novel/stories but that is just how it goes sometimes! Now if you excuse me I have a Pepsi to drink and enjoy!