David Jester – 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Becoming a Published Author @DavidJester

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Becoming a Published Author

by David Jester

1. I didn’t know how hard it was going to be. There’s so much work involved that I never accounted for. Endless amounts of editing, rewriting, publishing, marketing and designing, and that’s before I do any actual writing. I want to keep on publishing as many books as I can and ideally want to average 1 per month for the first year. I know I can write enough to fulfill that quota, but it’s not easy to find the time to write.

2. The reviews are hard to take in the beginning. I understand that nothing can be to everyone’s taste, but it’s still hard when those first bad reviews come. The pain eases over time, but as writing is a very solitary job and you’re very temperamental when you start out, they’re hard to accept.

The worst ones are the nonsensical ones. One of my first bad reviews (under my other alias) was from a woman who read another review which mentioned that my book had a lot of swearing in it. She then decided to write a review which ‘warned’ everyone else that the book had ‘foul language’ and told them that was the reason she wouldn’t buy it, let alone read it.

3. It’s lonely and stressful. There is a lot of work and a lot of long hours with only you to shoulder the burden. There’s also a great deal of doubt involved. If you’re not worried that your next book won’t sell, then you’re worried that your current book will stop selling.

4. No one cares.

When I first published my memoir I was worried that people who knew me would want to ask questions about it. There was a lot of stuff in there that I never told anyone, so the thought of them hounding me was the main reason I decided to use an alias in the first place. I shifted 400 copies of that book and expected the topic to be raised not only by my family, but by strangers.

The truth is: no one gives a shit. I have since sold another 30k copies of that book and the questions never came.

When I was a struggling writer, lapping up rejection slips like a melancholic dog, it seemed everyone wanted to talk about it. They all wanted to know how the writing was going, was I any nearer to getting published? Blah blah blah. I hated talking about it. Now that I’m finally published; now that I’m doing well; now that I’m finally happy with them talking about it and asking questions about it, no one mentions it.

5. It’s fun. Despite everything that I’ve just said, despite the long hours, the solitude and the endless doubt and worry, I really love what I do.

Evergreen is the peaceful, idyllic home for a bustling traveler community. It is home to Patrick Ryan, the figurehead of the community; home to Aidan McCleary, Patrick’s mentor and friend; home to scores of youngsters and generations of families. But now Evergreen is also home to a sadistic serial killer, someone who is targeting the youngsters of this once peaceful community.

They know the killer lives among them, know that one of their own is tearing this small community apart. They want to deal with it themselves, to track down the killer and deliver their own justice, but can they find him before he rips their home apart?

Evergreen is a serial killer thriller/whodunnit with a macabre and sinister slant. A book not for the faint hearted.

Novella length. Approximately 23.000 words (100 pages)

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Horror

Rating – PG13

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Tamara Hart Heiner – Choosing the Right Publisher

Choosing the Right Publisher

by Tamara Hart Heiner

There are so many different kinds of publishers out there, and much of it depends on what you want out of your publishing company. I thought of this the other day when reading a friend’s blog and she mentioned how her agent is shopping her book around.

I’ve often heard that getting an agent is even harder than getting published. But if you want to get published by one of the big dogs, you gotta have an agent.

That’s where I decided I didn’t want to get published by a ‘big dog.’ Or at least, I didn’t want to spend three years trying. Of course I wouldn’t mind if one of them decided to publish me. But I decided to go with a small press, one that still took author submissions. This path ended up working out for me.

There are other presses that are only for certain genres. Others are only certain formats. Some companies (like the former Mystic Moon Press) are primarily e-books. Others might only be POD (Print-on-Demand) or you might only be able to buy through Amazon.com and not bookstores (likeMarcher Lord Press).

Here’s what I wanted: a company that I could directly submit to, that would offer me a contract, that would pay for all of the printing/distribution costs and offer me royalties, that would get my book online and into bookstores, and that would represent me well. I found it, in WiDo Publishing.

So, while you are shopping for publishers, here are some questions to consider:

1) Do I require an advance? If so, how much?
2) Where do I want my book to be sold? Bookstores? Online? Independent bookstores, specialty shops? All?
3) What is my genre?
4) Who is my audience?
5) How much to I expect in royalties?
6) How many people do I want my book to be available to?
7) How much marketing am I prepared to do?
8) Do I want to work with an agent?
9) Do I consider this a ‘starter’ book to get me in the door, or do I expect this to be my bestseller?
10) Will I be happy with a small press or do I want a bigger name?

Marketing is going to be a huge part of your decision. If you self-publish your book, you know you’re signing up for a ton of marketing. There is no company behind you, no financial backing, no support group (other than your friends and family). On the other hand, everyone seems to think that if one can just “get an agent,” very little of that stays the same.

The truth of the matter is, even if you go with a traditional publisher, you better be prepared to do some heavy marketing. I am always surprised when I see or hear of authors publicly complaining that their publisher is not doing the marketing they expect when the author himself is not doing anything to market either. If the author is not willing to put forth some effort, what makes them think that the publisher is going to have the confidence to do so? It’s a joint effort.

So really, what’s the difference between self-publishing and traditional publishing when it comes to marketing? There shouldn’t be any. You should promote yourself and your book as aggressively as any self-published author.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – YA

Rating – PG

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Tamara Hart Heiner on Facebook & Twitter

Blog http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com/

5 things I Wish I Knew by SM Boyce

Hi everyone! I’m S. M. Boyce, raging nerd and author of the bestselling Grimoire Saga. I often answer questions from aspiring authors on Twitter and via email, so I wanted to share the 5 things I wish I’d known before becoming a published author. Fellow authors, I would also love for you to share your list in the comments, even if it’s just a point or two.

#5—Don’t read reviews

There’s no way on Earth an author will satisfy every reader out there. It’s just not possible. And sometimes, readers who are not in your target audience will read your book, hate it, and tell the world. You can’t learn from reviews like that, and bad reviews hurt even authors with the thickest of skin.

On the flip side, I do like to read positive reviews. I also read through well-written critical reviews to see if there’s a consistently reported error in my work. I can learn from that.

#4—“No” is an acceptable answer

It’s easy to get lost in my to-do list, and that often means I over-commit and forget I’m only human. We authors have to take care of ourselves, especially since many of us are balancing full time jobs or family on top of our career. It can seem impossible to balance everything.

So it’s absolutely okay to say “no” if you can’t do something. It’s worse to over-commit and disappoint people. Know your limits and stick to them. And if you do overcommit? Call yourself out, admit fault, correct the problem, and don’t do it again.

#3—Marketing is mostly liquor and guessing

Well, perhaps there’s not that much liquor involved, but your marketing plan will change on a regular basis. Most authors have to do their own marketing, whether they’ve gone with a publishing house or gone indie, and marketing is a tough job. It’s hard to know what to do next or how to stay ahead of the curve.

The secret is to build a solid network of awesome people and for the author to be willing to experiment—and therefore fail. Authors have to try a lot of different techniques and avenues to find what works for them and their target market. It’s definitely not easy.

#2— Establish expectations

I didn’t know until recently that there are two popular camps within authors: those who expect an even exchange and those who just support who they like. Those who expect an even exchange only want to give attention to those who will also support them; alternatively, someone who supports who they love does so without the expectation of being reimbursed.

Sometimes, one author from each camp will exchange with each other and make assumptions about what the other is going to do. And when that happens—namely, when each fails to live up to the assumptions of the other—friendships explode and drama ensues.

My suggestion (and lesson learned) is to always ask what others expect when they ask for a favor—or when you ask for one. If someone reviews your book and asks you to review theirs, ask what they want you to do if you don’t like it. Also ask when they want you to get back to them. Just be clear in your communications.

#1—Have fun

Authors typically write because they love writing. If you lose sight of why you’re doing this, the stress and strain of a very difficult career can suck all the pleasure out of your passion.

So stay focused on why you write, and keep in mind what success means to you—success has a different meaning for everyone. As long as you strive toward that goal and meet it, you are an absolute success.

What about you?

Authors, what do you know now that you wish you’d known before you published or queried an agent? Do you know of anyone with a horror story or who absolutely did it right?

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre - Fantasy

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book

 Connect with SM Boyce on Facebook & Twitter & Pinterest

Kat H. Clayton – Inside the Mind of an Author

Inside the Mind of an Author

by Kat H. Clayton

If you had the opportunity to look into the mind of an author, what would you expect to find?  What if I told you that an author’s mind was like a crystal ball and you could peer into its inner workings? If you were to ask for a glimpse, I think you might be scared of what you would see or at least be perplexed. But then again, that probably wouldn’t just apply to just an author’s mind. There’s good reason for why mind reading is something that only exists on the pages of a paranormal or science fiction novel.

I really couldn’t tell you what you would find inside the mind of any author you choose (note the whole mind reading thing again), but I can give you a glimpse into what you might find in mine.

If you didn’t know who I was, but someone handed you that crystal ball I mentioned a moment ago and said that it would allow you to see what’s going on in my brain, you would probably be terrified by what you would see. It would most likely reveal images of how to kill a person or how to almost kill a person, but bring them back from the brink of death. It also might show you images of a high speed chase or two as well. Without knowing who I was, you would likely conclude I’m a serial killer or at the very least a psychopath, drop the ball and run for your life. You wouldn’t have been so terrified if, before you had peered into that magical ball, that someone explained that I am a mystery writer. Then all the crazy images would make sense. You would sigh in relief knowing I wasn’t a maniac and that thinking of ways to kill off characters comes with the job description.

Inside my mind, I’m always turning over new ideas of how, when and what character isn’t going to make it to the next book. I’m also constantly churning ideas of where to put clues for my characters to find and what revelations to create next to keep my readers guessing the whole time. I’m a “pantser” (I write by the seat of my pants) and I don’t outline, so my writing thought process is from moment to moment, jumping from one thing to another without really thinking about what happens next beforehand.

These thought processes never really stop in my brain, so no matter if you pick up my crystal ball while I’m doing laundry, reading another novel, swimming or driving, I’ll be turning over some sort of scene and trying to logically work it out in my brain. For this author, the thought processes of my story never stop (except maybe when I’m asleep, but sometimes even then I dream about it), but you can rest assured that not all of them involve killing off characters.

The first book in The Kings of Charleston Series.

Casper Whitley is forced to move to Charleston, South Carolina where she’ll be the new kid her senior year of high school. Casper’s upset about the move until she meets the Roman family’s gorgeous son, Cal, but there’s a problem. A mystery surrounds him which can be summed up in one word…Kythera. Never heard of it? Neither has Casper until she finds the word tattooed on cars, paintings and all her new friends.

After Casper’s life is threatened, someone is forced to tell the truth about her parents, the Romans and Kythera’s motives for her being in Charleston. Once the truth is revealed, she must decide whether to protect her family and Kythera’s secrets or walk away from everything she has ever known.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – YA / Mystery / Suspense

Rating – PG13 (No sex scenes, some violence)

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Kat H Clayton on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://kathclayton.com/

Mark LaFlamme – Curing Writer’s Block With Strawberry Shortcake

Curing Writer’s Block With Strawberry Shortcake

by Mark LaFlamme

The evening was a disaster from the start.

It was midnight and I’d just sat down to write the final chapters in my novel “The Pink Room.” I was writing in my usual spot, but the snow globe was nowhere in sight. It wasn’t on the shelf where I’d left it, it wasn’t on the desk next to my keyboard.

Catastrophe!

Panic rising, I searched the house, eventually turning to ridiculous spots like the refrigerator and the toaster oven. Astoundingly, the snow globe wasn’t there.

I woke my wife, desperate like a junkie looking for his stash.

“Code red! The snow globe is missing! I repeat …”

These are the household emergencies wives solve without waking all the way up. There was no problem here. A niece had been playing with the snow globe, a little pink number featuring Strawberry Shortcake smiling atop a piece of fruit. I was directed to the living room where I found it on the floor.

Crisis averted. Back to work.

A good therapist would have a field day with my writing ritual. I surround myself with trinkets, simple items that have come to represent various works of fiction over the years.

There’s the heavy metal cog I turned to while writing “Worumbo.” There’s the fabric flower with the demented smiling face that served as avatar for “Vegetation.” There’s a baseball, a bottle, a box shaped like a book, and a stuffed chickadee that makes realistic bird noises when you squeeze its belly.

Trinkets and treasures – stuff that would fetch a combined five dollars at a flea market and yet to me they’re priceless. Without those items, I’d freeze at the keyboard, my hands hovering over the letters, the page blank white, until someone comes to cart me away.

It’s superstition, no different than a baseball player pulling on the same crusty pair of socks before game time. I sit down to write, touch the item that represents the book du jour, and I get rolling.

And yet, it’s more than that. When I touch that slightly rusted cog – or the stuffed bird or the tiny plastic shovel that represents my fourth novel – it’s like pressing the “on” button. Once that simple act is behind me, I know it’s time to write. Permission has been granted, a few thousand words are demanded before I can leave my desk again.

As a cure for writer’s block, it’s unbeatable. “Well, I don’t feel like writing today, but I already touched the (your item here) so I better get to it. It would be bad juju not to.”

When other writers ask me how to fight back against dry spells, I advise them to get a trinket. It doesn’t have to be much – a little something out of the 99 cent bin will do. Keep it nearby, touch it when the words won’t come and bam! It’s go time.

By the time you have a few books under your belt, you’ll have an impressive collection of souvenirs to mark your time. Your writing room will look like the “win these prizes!” booth at the carnival. It’s a beautiful thing.

Get rid of the crusty socks, though. Those things are starting to reek.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – YA / Thriller

Rating – PG

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Connect with Mark LaFlamme on Facebook

Website http://marklaflamme.com/

Ethan McKenzie – Ten Tips of How To Become A Better Writer

Ten Tips of How To Become A Better Writer

by Ethan McKenzie

Anyone who has ever tried to write stories knows that development is important. It is a great thing that you want to improve your writing skills and you are willing to learn new things and are open to new ideas. Here you can find ten useful tips which help you become a better writer.

First of all, you need to read a lot. Read as many books as you can. It is not only enjoyable and relaxing; by reading books, you learn how to create a good structure for your stories, how to compose sentences, how to describe your characters to make them real. If you read plenty of books, chances are that you are good at grammar, you have an extended vocabulary, and your spelling is flawless.

Read books of any genre. Read classics, contemporary fiction, literary fiction, science fiction, gothic literature, pulp fiction. You can learn something from every genre and every single book.

Practice makes perfect. Write a lot. Write a diary, write short stories, it does not matter if it is not meant for an audience. Get up ten minutes earlier and write about your thoughts; write about anything that comes to your mind. It helps you express your thoughts. It makes your text flow.

Honesty and authenticity are important. Actually, this is probably the most important part of your success in writing. If you want to write great stories – and who would not want that –, then write about subjects that you adore and admire. You need to be truly interested in your story, its subjects, and its characters. This is the X factor that makes the difference between a fairly good story and a great fiction. Your writings reflect your persona. If your writings are in harmony with your innermost persona, then it will show. Your readers will just love your fictions.

Give your works a nice, well-composed structure. A good story needs to have a riveting introduction, adventures and challenges for the characters, and, in the end, a spectacular climax full of tension, and a short aftermath. Put your characters through difficult situations. Give them as much difficulties as you can think of, and see how they react, how they solve these problems.

Instead of naming certain traits of a character, you should just describe their acts and habits that will highlight these traits. Instead of saying “she was hard working and studious”, write “she got up early, she did a thorough research on every school project, she studied until midnight every day, and spent hours by reading books and taking notes preparing for her tests”.

Be careful with dialogues. They should be simpler and shorter than sentences in the narrative. This makes the situation look natural and real. Do not let your characters use stilted, long sentences. Make sure that the language they use fits them. A gangster will not use the same language as a priest does.

Do not use too many adverbials.

Do not add scenes that are unnecessary. If you have already shown in one scene that your character is strong, we do not need three more scenes to emphasize this.

Keep your writings and your sentences short and neat. Do not use too many words if you could say the same thing with much less words. Think of Hemingway. Of course, you may use more sophisticated language – Lovecraft did so, and he wrote wonderful stories –, but do not be repetitive.

Write about believable, real characters. Readers do not need clichés and Mary Sues. An actual character has flaws. Your characters do not need to be great looking, warm, down-to-earth, happy, and innocent. They are allowed to be sulky, envious, angry, arrogant, or awkward. They may have fears or imperfections. Just do not forget, instead of telling about their traits, you should describe them. Tell about their habits, their unique characteristics. Remember – your characters are not just “smart and kind, love classical music”, they are “near-sighted, short, and plump, they often eat chocolate, they always listen to Mozart, they can memorize any details quickly, and they love Sudoku and mathematics”.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Medical Suspense Thriller

Rating – PG

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Ted Olinger – Making a Dime off the New Paradigm: Cooperative Publishing

Making a Dime off the New Paradigm: Cooperative Publishing

by Ted Olinger, Author of The Woodpecker Menace: Stories from an Accidentally Unseparated Island

Out in the Pacific Northwest, where I live, you can’t get a decent tomato, toothbrush, or tent without joining a co-op. My son even attended a co-op preschool that required me to work in the classroom for years. I didn’t understand how one could be “compelled to volunteer” but my role became more joy than chore. And that was the point. Becoming a part of the process made me value it and want to improve it, so that eventually my modest, fumbling contribution as Daily Snack Master or Big Book Story Reader was something that was good for the children and me both.

But I was still surprised when I was introduced to a book-publishing company that operates on the same Pacific Northwesty type co-op model that supplies me with quality tomatoes.

I wrote nonfiction for magazines and newspapers for years but had recently started publishing short stories. Fiction takes a lot of work, at least for me, and I was proud to have my stories published in a magazine somewhere and then heartbroken to see them disappear. It occurred to me that it might be wise to collect them, expand them and publish them in a book.

However, I was the only one who thought so. The small, local publishers I approached were politely disinterested despite my track record. I gave up. I never considered self-publishing a serious alternative because of the terrible reputation engendered by the many low quality books assaulting the Internet and the shelves of our bookstores and libraries.

The co-op publisher is another animal. One is “compelled to volunteer” in the company of other professional writers, editors and designers who work together to produce their books. Each person brings his or her expertise to bear on the book at hand, and in turn receives the same professional treatment of his or her own work from others. There is a strong incentive to make each book the best it can be. A poor quality book reflects badly on the whole co-op and the co-op only makes money on copies sold, not from its authors. Because it keeps production costs low, co-ops can offer booksellers a workable wholesale discount, unlike many of the major self-publishing companies.

The toughest challenge that all books face still remains: getting sold. But co-op publishers can build good reputations locally and through membership in regional independent booksellers associations because of their quality work. Since publishing my own collection of stories through a co-op, I’ve found it’s easier to sell a book I have in my hand then one I have in my head.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Fiction / Short Stories

Rating – PG13

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Connect with Ted Olinger on Facebook

Website http://www.woodpeckermenace.com/

Jack Remick – Some Techniques and Tips

Some Techniques and Tips - Writing Tips for the Committed Novelist

by Jack Remick

I want to share with you a few words about how I write. Every Tuesday and Friday, I sit down with a bunch of writers at Louisa’s Bakery Café in Seattle. We write for forty-five minutes under the clock. For years I wrote alone until Robert Ray introduced me to Natalie Goldberg and timed writing. Working with other writers—especially writers who know more than you do—gets you outside your head. You get feedback faster, you get to the rewrite quicker. The way I see it, the art is in the rewrite so the sooner you get a working draft the better you’ll write. With timed writing you don’t die in Act Two.

Timed writing—what Natalie Goldberg calls “Writing Practice”—is either the devil’s design to stifle your creativity or the gateway to a paradise of writing. For me, timed writing is liberation. Timed writing is easy: you get a kitchen timer, set it for five, ten, fifteen minutes and write as deep and rich as your hand will let you. I like the physical connection of the fountain pen on paper, so I write longhand. Some writers at Louisa’s write on laptops. That’s okay. The idea is to finish what you start—that’s the major discipline. Finish what you start.

I use “start lines” to get going. If I’m working on a novel, I might use—“Today I rewrite the scene called…

If I’m with my group at Louisa’s and I’m not locked into a novel or a story, the start line “today I’m writing about…” gives me plenty of room to explode. I use timed writing to write treatments, scene summaries, memoir moments, short stories, screenplay scenes. The big thing with timed writing is that you can use it to go nuts on the page, or you can use it in a very structured way to create tight, hard, clear, clean sentences, scenes, stories. I don’t think in terms of paragraphs, but I do think in terms of “action” and “image.” When I’m writing in a more structured way, I use a directed set of start lines. For instance, to write a three-act treatment for a novel here’s a set of start lines you can use:

• Act One opens when….
• Act One ends when….
• Act Two opens in a scene called….
• At the middle of my story, my protagonist….
• Act Two ends when….
• Act Three opens when….
• My story climaxes in a scene called….
• My story ends with this final image….

I keep a blog with Robert J Ray, author of the Matt Murdock detective novels. We’ve posted everything we know about writing there—http://bobandjackswritingblog.com. Take a look. It’s there for the asking.

The Widow (La Viuda) is ninety-two years old. She lives in a house filled with photos and coins, jewels and a sable coat. Aware that her memory is failing but burning with desire to record the story of her life on paper, she hires Gabriela, a nineteen-year-old Mixteca from Mexico. Gabriela is one of the few survivors of a massacre and treacherous journey to El Norte. Gabriela and the Widow is a story of chaos, revenge, and change: death and love, love and sex, and sex and death. Gabriela seeks revenge for the destruction of her village. The Widow craves balance for the betrayals in her life. In the end, the Widow gives Gabriela the secret of immortality.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Women’s Fiction

Rating – PG

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Website http://jackremick.com/

DA Serra – Screenwriting Versus Book Writing

Sreenwriting Versus Book Writing

by D.A. Serra

Since I have worked in both fields, I am frequently asked in what way screenwriting and novel writing differ.  When I teach writing workshops I always explain that reading a script happens with the eyes, and reading a book happens with the ears.  What I mean by this is, when someone is reading a screenplay they must visualize as they read in order to understand the work, whereas when reading a book, most of us hear the words in our heads.  Aren’t you hearing mine right now? There are so many differences in the way one writes for these two dissimilar mediums: each has pros and cons, each has value.

For screenwriters, attention to dialogue is considerably more critical to success than it is for narrative writing.  While accepting that the visual depiction of location and setting carry some of the story’s information, and can certainly be an element in creating tone, the majority of the story, in film and television, is communicated out loud in dialogue.  There are no relaxed sequences inside a character’s head where we learn expositional facts or get emotional information.   This puts significant stress on the authenticity of the vocabulary and the legitimacy of the characterization, while depending on the deftness of the writer to transfer expositional information without it sounding like little paragraphs that are out of time and place.  Alternatively, a novelist can wander around patiently inside a character’s head while he or she considers choices, or feelings, or reviews a memory.   So, while the novelist can ramble on in lovely prose about a seminal childhood experience, the screenwriter has little time, and many constraints, and must hit-n-run with emotion and information that feels authentic.

There is more freedom in narrative writing.  Screenwriter’s miss out on the satisfaction of exquisite sentences with lyrical language; there is no call for, or appreciation of, a metaphor that makes the reader gasp, or that puts a fist in one’s throat.  If that’s going to happen it had better happen in the dialogue or visually to be successful.  Screenwriters envy the novelist’s freedom: the non-existent restrictions as to form, structure, time, place, and length.  Screenwriters create inside a box with extremely rigid sides.  It is challenging, but rewarding.

Novelists envy the screenwriter’s fulfillment and satisfaction as their creations actually walk and talk; it is a thrill to see your character embodied.   Also, I have spoken to novelists at conferences who mention that they envy the screenwriter’s reach: a great television show or successful film may grab an entire nation at the same moment in time. It can drive the national conversation.  It is a powerful phenomenon and considerably rare in the book world.  I’ve also been told that some novelists are jealous of the collaborative camaraderie with other creative people (directors, actors, set design) which can be a true joy (or a complete nightmare), and some do wish for the economic benefits of screenwriting, which can be much more favorable to dental appointments and new shoes.

It was interesting to write Primal first as a screenplay and then a novel.  I saw these craft differences in play on the page daily.  I have to say I enjoy both types of writing – although currently I’m much more focused on my novels — at least until I need another pair of shoes.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Thriller

Rating – R

More details about the author & the book

Alicia Renee Kline – Goodnight, Sweetheart

Goodnight, Sweetheart

by Alicia Renee Kline 

One of my absolute favorite scenes to write for Intoxicated was where Matthew comforts Lauren after Eric stands her up.  At this point the Snyder family secret has been spilled, and they now realize how much they have in common – even though they appear to be on opposite sides of the issue.  This is the first time they’ve seen each other since Matthew walked out on her, too ashamed of his past to face her.  Lauren openly wonders the next morning what happened after she fell asleep.  Here it is, from Matthew’s point of view…

She was asleep.  At least he was pretty sure of it.  Her sobs had diminished to mere sniffles, then given way to the slow, deep breathing associated with slumber.  He called her name once, twice, just to check and wasn’t graced with a response.

He should leave.

But something kept him there, stroking her cropped brunette hair even as she slept.  She looked so beautiful, so peaceful, so fragile.  She needed someone tonight and he was her only option.

Her boyfriend was a bastard.  An idiot at the very least.  If he wasn’t miles away, Matthew would have had the notion to chew him out on her behalf.  Never mind he wasn’t any better.  He was probably worse.  But he sure as hell wouldn’t have stood her up and made her cry.

If she was his, he’d give her the world.

It was better not to think like that, to push the absurd thought down to the dark recesses of his mind and never visit it again.  But it was difficult not to with her sprawled across his chest, her ear pressed against the heart he would gladly give her if she would ever ask.  She had it anyway, even if she didn’t know it.

He shifted his weight, partially to get more comfortable and partially to hide his arousal.  She moaned and clung to him.

“Don’t leave,” she whispered.

He held her tighter, shushing her.  She quieted again, her muscles relaxing against him.  As the room darkened, he fought off sleep as long as possible just so that he could enjoy this moment, the period of time that occurred before she hated him again like she should.

The next thing he knew, his sister was shaking him awake, standing above him with her hand on his shoulder.

“Good night?” Blake asked in a hushed tone.  From her tousled hair and wrinkled clothing, he should ask her the same.

“Her boyfriend’s a jerk.  He stood her up tonight.”

She nodded, stifling a yawn.  “I’m going to bed.  If you want to stay, be my guest.”

Oh, he wanted to stay.  But he knew it wouldn’t be the wise decision.  Now that Blake was home, she was better suited to deal with the aftermath.  He couldn’t trust himself to see things rationally.  Reluctantly, he maneuvered himself into a sitting position.  Lauren was so out of it, she didn’t move this time.  He lifted her in his arms, grabbed her cell phone and made his way to the stairs, again tripping over her shoes.  As an afterthought, he scooped up the heels and took them with them.

Once she was tucked in bed fully clothed due to massive self-restraint on his part, he set her cell on the nightstand.  He knew she would look for it when she woke up, probably with a killer headache from crying so much.  He went into her bathroom and rummaged around until he found where she kept the aspirin and carried it back into her room along with a glass of water from the tap.

That task complete, he set about placing her shoes in her closet.  In the darkness, he could make out a lump of something on the floor, which closer investigation proved to be a dress.  He picked it up, smoothing out the fabric as he draped it over his arm.  No matter how mad she had been when she had taken it off, she’d regret it later if it wrinkled beyond recognition.  One didn’t live with a sister like Blake for twenty-five years without knowing that much.

He gave her one last look before retreating back downstairs.  She had rolled over onto her side, cuddling deep into the comforter.  Damn, he wished he was that bedspread.

He was almost out the front door before he remembered the roses in the kitchen.  She had gone on and on about hating them before this whole thing had happened.  He couldn’t imagine what she would think of them now.  Without hesitation, he grabbed them and tossed them in the trash.

He was nothing if not thoughtful.

And right now, his only thoughts were of her.

When everything she ever wanted turns out not to be enough…

Lauren Jefferies is on the verge of having it all. Hard work and determination have culminated in a promotion that promises to put her on track with her upwardly mobile boyfriend Eric. High school sweethearts and together for ten years, they are young enough to have their whole lives ahead of them, but old enough to have established themselves as forces to be reckoned with.

The news should be cause for celebration.

But taking the job means moving two hours away.

Instead of planning their reign as an up and coming power couple, they find their already tenuous relationship further damaged by their conflicting opinions. Eric doesn’t want her to leave. Lauren refuses to back down. In the end, she packs her things and heads up north to her new life, the abstract promise of figuring this all out later hanging between them.

Lauren settles into her new routine quite easily, thanks largely in part to her fast friendship with her roommate Blake. Blake’s companionship comes in a package deal with that of her older brother Matthew. One night over dinner, an innocent conversation leads to the discovery that the three of them have more in common than they’d ever imagined.

Ashamed of his role in the thread that ties them together, Matthew begins to withdraw. As Lauren devises a game plan to ease his torment, Eric inadvertently pushes them together with his selfish actions.

Lauren’s relationship with Eric continues to flounder. The distance is an issue, but Eric’s indifference does nothing to help. Every bright spot in their courtship is countered by darkness and bitterness. More often than not, Matthew is there to pick up the pieces that Eric leaves behind.

Prior to meeting Matthew, Lauren thought she knew what she wanted. Now that she’s just about to obtain everything on her list, she’s left to question if she ever really knew what that was.

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Romance / Chick Lit

Rating – PG13

Connect with Alicia Renee Kline on Twitter

Website http://aliciareneekline.com/

Alexandra Sokoloff – Why Winning Awards Helps Author Recognition

Why Winning Awards Helps Author Recognition

by Alexandra Sokoloff

In my still relatively short career as an author, I’ve been lucky enough to be nominated multiple times for several major awards in several different genres: the Bram Stoker Award (horror), the Anthony Award (mystery), and the Thriller Award (which I’ve won), as well as making other less well known lists, and I’m often asked by interviews and aspiring authors if winning awards has helped my career.

I think anything that gets you recognition helps your career. Recognition is a cumulative thing rather than any one thing. An award is one more reason for a reader to consider giving your book a try – it’s been pre-screened by people who supposedly know. An award-winning book has an edge over a book than a non-award-winning book. How can it not?

Especially when you’re first starting out in the business, award nominations and wins make other authors and publishing houses pay attention to you as well. Those early award nominations for my first novel, The Harrowing (http://www.amazon.com/The-Harrowing-Ghost-Story-ebook/dp/B006K5RVXI) opened doors for me in social situations that led to valuable business contacts. I don’t know this for sure, but the nods may have gotten me my foreign publication deals, or at least helped. The awards help my film agents when they shop my books for film deals.

And the circumstances of some of my award nominations have been a little unusual, which brings a little extra buzz of publicity. The Harrowing was nominated for both a Bram Stoker Award (horror) and an Anthony Award (mystery) – which is an unusual combination – but perfectly describes the book, which is a ghost story with a strong sense of mystery, including about whether or not the haunting is really happening.  And the controversy over a horror novel being nominated for a mystery award was a bonus, too. So what if some genre purists were miffed! As they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity…

I was also the first woman to be nominated for and win a Thriller Award. Being the only woman in a lineup of men is a little extra bonus, too – it makes me more memorable in a list, and gives me a “cool” factor in an edgy genre.

And now my thriller Huntress Moon (http://www.amazon.com/Huntress-Moon-The-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B008G14754) the first in my new crime series, has been nominated for a Thriller Award in the brand new Best E Book Original Category. Another first, and something I can use as an extra interest factor in interviews, because many awards are still not acknowledging original e books at all, so I’m one of the very first to be recognized this way.

It’s hard to quantify how much any award nomination or win does for the sales of the book, or author recognition, but I do believe every little bit helps.

And let’s face it – a steady line of award nominations really help ease the sting of those snarky Amazon reviews. Which may be the most practical benefit of all.

- Alexandra Sokoloff is the bestselling and award-winning author of nine crime and supernatural thrillers, including the Huntress Moon thriller series, currently nominated for a Thriller Award.  http://alexandrasokoloff.com

—- Book II in the Thriller Award-nominated Huntress/FBI series —-

Twenty-five years have passed since a savage killer terrorized California, massacring three ordinary families before disappearing without a trace.

The haunted child who was the only surviving victim of his rampage is now wanted by the FBI for brutal crimes of her own, and Special Agent Matthew Roarke is on an interstate manhunt for her, despite his conflicted sympathies for her history and motives.

But when his search for her unearths evidence of new family slayings, the dangerous woman Roarke seeks – and wants – may be his only hope of preventing another bloodbath.

*****

It is highly recommended that you read Book I of the series, Huntress Moon, first.

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Genre – Mystery / Thriller

Rating – PG13

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Website http://alexandrasokoloff.com/

Dakota Madison – Pet Peeve of the Publishing Industry: Reviews

Pet Peeve of the Publishing Industry: Reviews

by Dakota Madison

When I first started publishing my novels, I realized there would be readers who didn’t like my work. I certainly don’t like everything I read, so it’s only natural, my work would have detractors. What I wasn’t prepared for were readers who were mean and cruel (sometimes bordering on sadistic) in their criticism of me (as an author) and my work. I’d always been taught the Golden Rule: If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. Apparently that works everywhere but in book reviews!

I’m not talking about rational and honest criticism. Some of the reviews I appreciated the most were ones that helped to improve my work because they were constructive and fair. I’m talking about people being mean-spirited and nasty just because they can.

Imagine if you walked up to a co-worker in your employment setting and said, “I can’t believe you wore that outfit. It’s the most disgusting thing I’ve even seen anyone wear in my life and I gag whenever I look at you. Maybe if you didn’t buy all of your clothes at big box stores, people wouldn’t want to puke every time they looked at you.” Your co-workers would think you were mean, cruel and inappropriate. It’s possible that you’d even be reported to Human Resources and maybe reprimanded (or even fired). Why? Because it’s not okay to treat people that way. Yet, no one bats an eye about treating authors that way. I’ve had readers post absolutely horrible things about me and my books—things that were so mean and cruel, if they were said in another context, they probably could have been labeled harassment. But cruelty is considered acceptable when it’s a book review. Anything goes and authors are supposed to take it and not be offended or take it personally.

Authors are people, too. We have feelings and they can be hurt. Please remember that before you post your next book review.

 

This NEW ADULT ROMANCE contains language and content indented for adult readers (18+).

The Bad-Girl and the Boy-Next-Door…
After getting completely wasted at a wedding reception, bridesmaid Anna Hart wakes up in a strange bed and can’t remember what she did or who she did it with. The stranger in bed with Anna is Brett Conner, a nerdy guy who she vaguely remembers from college, but only because everyone called him Clown Hair. Only Brett isn’t quite as nerdy as Anna remembers. His clown hair is long gone and Brett is almost cute–and kind of sexy.
Over the course of four weddings, in four cities, in one crazy summer, Brett and Anna start a mismatched relationship. But is there a future for the bad-girl and the boy-next-door?

THIS IS AN UPDATED AND EDITED VERSION OF THE NOVEL.

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Genre – Contemporary Romance

Rating – R

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Website http://12novels12months.tumblr.com/

Keira Michelle Telford – Inside My Cluttered Head

Inside My Cluttered Head

by Keira Michelle Telford

My head is filled with voices, all clamoring for attention. When one (or more) really take hold, that’s when a book starts to develop. For me, it doesn’t begin with an idea, or a plot, or a setting – it begins with a character.

Some characters are fleeting. I get a brief impression of some thoughts and feelings and that’s all, then they fade away. Others, like Ella ‘Silver’ Cross, show up one day and get stronger every time I think about them. The same way that Freddy Krueger feeds on fear, and gets more powerful the more you fear him, my characters gain strength every time they cross my mind.

Occasionally, a character becomes so real to me that I develop genuine affection for them. Most recently, I fell in love with a whore. (Actually, technically, she’s not a whore – she’s the madam of a whorehouse). See, the inside of my head is chock full of people. Some have already been brought to life on paper and just won’t leave me alone (they’re very boisterous), while others are standing in line, waiting for their turn. If I was born in a different age, I’d probably have been institutionalized. (Or medicated … or both).

Everything stems from the characters. Through their conversations with each other, I learn more and more about the worlds they inhabit, until a book finally starts to take shape around them. I don’t pick a setting deliberately – the characters tell me where they belong – and I tend not to plot anything out. The process of writing feels very organic to me, and I think it helps if you can just go with the flow and be flexible.

If you begin a book with very rigid ideas of how you want the plot to develop, you might end up with something that feels forced and unnatural. In my experience, the characters will always steer you in the right direction, which is why it’s important to get to know them inside and out before you start writing. After all, the more you know about your characters, the easier it is to spot moments in your writing where motivation, dialogue, or plot have gone askew.

Try writing biographies for your main characters – that can be a good way to get to know them better, as it forces you to answer questions about details of their lives you might not have thought about before. Where were they born? What’s their favorite food? Favorite color? Song? The more you ask, the more you’ll learn.

Ultimately, I probably know Silver better than I know myself at this point. I know everything about her life, from the day she was born, till the present – and that’s exactly as it should be. She’s become so close to my heart, sometimes I’m not even sure if it’s me who breathes life into her, or the other way around.

 

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Genre – Science Fiction

Rating – 18A

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James R Johnson – How to Make Your Characters Believable

How to Make Your Characters Believable

by James R Johnson

When I was a baby, the movie Jaws was in theaters.  My parents couldn’t find a babysitter so along I went.  The film is suspenseful and gripping.  But it seems that the audience of that particular showing got more than they bargained for.  As a baby, I stood on my mother’s lap, clapped and cheered ever time the shark ate someone.  I was a twisted child.  I identified with the shark.

This is a classic film with many classic scenes and lines.  One such line involves Roy Scheider’s character Chief Brody saying, “You’re going to need a bigger boat.”  This was right after we see the shark for the first time.  And more importantly, Chief Brody sees the shark.  What makes this line so classic?

Characters that are believable leave an indelible mark on an audience.  They are accepted and embraced by moviegoer and readers alike.  The litmus test of a believable character is reaction.  What does a character do in response to stimuli?  A character who stares down a twenty-five foot Great White shark and shrugs it off without fear is not believable.

But there is more to this than authentic reactions.  There are qualities in people, many qualities, many traits.  A well rounded character is a collage of traits that makes them unique.  Look at the villain who cares about beauty of life or the hero who has some struggle personally.  We, like the characters we search for, have a myriad of traits.  Some are good and some are bad.  And that is the key to a believable character.  Someone who displays many qualities, is grounded in those qualities, will react with a believable response.

To get the process rolling, let’s take a look at a few questions designed to get the character makeup kick-started.  First question: What does the character want?  This could be something as simple as peace and quiet or as complex as obtaining a specific item.  The idea here is to find what drives that character, not find out what they want for lunch.  This goal, this passion is the basest desire they have.  This encompasses their lives.  This will help you see what the character is moving toward.

Next question: Why will this goal satisfy the character?  Does the character want peace and quiet?  Why?  Is it because they have lived a life of war, military service?  Dig deeper, what is it about peace and quiet?  Is it because they feel like they have given enough, it is time to retire?  A realistic reason to obtain the life goal will help you see why a character is driven.

How does the character go about reaching the goal?  In the case of peace and quiet, does the character withdraw from everyone around him?  Does the character fight through obstacles?  The process by which a character moves toward their goal is as unique as the person themselves.  Each step leads the character closer or further away from that goal.  This will help you see how the character understands the world around them.

Finally, how does the character measure success?  Is this character satisfied that they are moving toward peace and quiet or are they only truly happy when they have attained it?  The perception of what constitutes success defines the character’s commitment.  This will help you see the determination of the character.

Take all these answers and formulate a character that has a past, who wants a life goal, whether they know how to get it or not, and reacts to life like you do.  This is the beginning of creating a believable character.  Finesse and polish your character by talking to them.  I know it sounds cliché, but it works.  A believable character will know how they will respond if you ask them.  Just like Chief Brody, they will reveal a real person.

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Genre – Urban Fantasy

Rating – PG13

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Sharisse Coulter – Why Choosing Your Setting is Important

Why Choosing Your Setting is Important

by Sharisse Coulter

Setting, not surprisingly, is a vital component in any story. It plays the role of a silent character, adding to the credibility of the narrative, providing texture and context. In some stories it features prominently, like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. In others, it is merely an afterthought. Or so it may seem.

Every choice an author makes to set a story in some time and place affects the underlying tone and feel of the story. Is it urban? Suburban? Remote? Small town? Foreign? What about climate? Is it an unforgiving landscape or a cozy retreat? Is it a familiar modern setting, or maybe dystopian, or even otherworldly? All these questions must be asked and answered in order to ground the narrative. For example, imagine what The Hunger Games would have been like set in modern day New York. Or Pride and Prejudice set in Cold War Moscow? It would significantly change the way the reader expected the story to play out.

Setting informs the reader how they should expect characters to speak, to interact with one another, whether to be on the edge of their seat or give them permission to relax and reflect. If, say, your characters are on a river raft heading toward a waterfall, it can add tension and suspense. Or you could have an emotional scene where a protagonist has just been fired over the phone while in a bounce house full of kids, providing levity. These may not be great examples, but they make the point.

In the best stories, the setting will work in constant cooperation with the characters and plot to ground the reader in time and place, while subtly directing their emotions. The best settings pull the reader in from all senses, almost without notice, that’s how engrossed they become in the story and its characters. It makes the story feel real, even in fantasy, and takes the reader on a sensory experience, making them “feel” the cold wind whipping their face, “hear” the leaves crackling beneath the feet, “smell” the freshly baked bread from the patisserie downstairs, “taste” the salty tears on their cheeks, and “see” the castle’s turret peeking through the clouds.

So the next time you sit down to write a story, think about the setting like a set designer for a film. Explore your setting through each of your senses, even if you don’t include all the details for your reader. Know how subtle changes in color, temperature, landscape and lighting will impact your story, and ask yourself: “Does it add to the story or take away from the mood?” If you, the writer, connect with your setting and make it “real” to you, then congratulations, you’re ready to take your reader and show them around.

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Genre – Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Rating – PG13

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Website http://leecoulter.com/tour/

Simon Jenner – 10 Tips for Becoming A Better Writer

10 Tips for becoming a better writer

by Simon Jenner

1)     Be observant all of the time, especially when out and about – great inspiration is just around a corner.

2)     Don’t try to write great literature unless you really are that good – there are great writers past and present who can write about anything and bring it to life with a vibrancy most of us can only dream of.  If you aren’t one of them write good plots with interesting characters.  They are just as much fun to read and you won’t die trying.

3)     Read as much as possible but never try to copy the style of your chosen material.  Always write from the heart and develop your own style.  Unless it flows from the heart it will never be as good as it can be.

4)     Write as often as you can – gaps in your writing timeline make you rusty.

5)     Contact other writers and stay in touch – enjoy communicating with your peers as it is a great learning opportunity.

6)     Don’t be put off by harsh criticism – many critics feel the need to offend and many don’t have a clue what the public want.

7)     Edit, edit, edit – nothing is as good as it can be on first draft.  Even your editor will expect you to have drastically trimmed your work before receiving it.  Even if you are great, you can’t afford to be lazy.

8)     There’s no such thing as writer’s block.  There are such things as procrastination, laziness, boredom, being in the wrong business and being in need of a short break.

9)     The public is diverse and you don’t have to appeal to everyone – don’t write about a subject because you feel it is what people want to read.  Write about subjects and people that inspire you and your inspiration will shine through in your writing.

10)Practise, practise, practise – with every page you write, you learn.  The more you learn, the better writer you will become.  My father always says ‘If it was easy, then everyone would do it.’

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Genre – Action / Adventure

Rating – PG15

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Website http://simonjenner.com/

Lara Nance – How to Avoid the Rejection Blues

How to Avoid the Rejection Blues

by Lara Nance

Rejections should be viewed as tools. I can usually find a lesson in most rejections that I can use to avoid further rejections in the future. Look at it as constructive criticism and try to find some element that helps you with your craft.

I’ve even used rejections to meet agents and editors at conferences if there was something memorable about the rejection. Once I sent an agent flowers because she actually gave me some feedback with the rejection. At the RWA convention a year later she still remembered me because of that and encouraged me to keep pitching her.

There will always be that one psycho that is mean nasty and probably never even read your book. They will go to hell, so don’t worry about them.

Give yourself one day to pity yourself over a rejection, then stop thinking about it and move on.

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Genre – Paranormal Romance

Rating – R

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Website http://www.laranance.com/

James Robinson Jr – 10 Things I did not Know…

10 things you didn’t know about Becoming a Published Author:

by James Robinson Jr.

1. That no one would buy my book because there were 8 million other books online.
2. That no one would buy my book because it isn’t a romance.
3. That no one would buy my book because there wasn’t a picture of a zombie on the cover.
4. That Amazon has robots that spy on everything that you do.
5. That I would have to beg people to write reviews of my books.
6. That I would have to “tweet” every day.
7. That I would have to join on-line chat groups.
8. That I would have to run paid promotions to sell books and that I would be happy when I ended up selling 40 units.
9. That I would have to compete with thousands of authors who offer free books.
10. That I would have to compete with John Locke.

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Genre – NonFiction Memoir

Rating – PG

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