All right, now that things have settled a bit, here is the definitive list of places where you can buy A Snake in the Grass.
Print Edition
Amazon
Createspace
Barnes & Noble
E-Book
Kindle
Nook
Kobo
iTunes
Smashwords
So...how's it going? Not too bad. I've already sold enough to recover my costs, so at the very least, I can seriously consider self-pubbing the next two in the series and not take a loss at it. And truthfully, if I made even a $1 profit, I was going to continue on. I need to finish it, for Jesse.
How can you help? Buy the book, obviously, and tons of you are already doing that. Tell your friends if you love the series. See if they might love it too. And leave reviews at Amazon, at Barnes & Noble. Even if the book wasn't your cuppa, leave a review and say that. Reviews help drive a lot of the algorithms that make books pop up in the "Hey, if you liked that, you may like THIS" recommendations, which can get JJD in front of people who may never have heard of it before.
And in the meantime, I will be trying to work on something else. ANYthing else. Ugh. I have an old project, Muse, that I'm revisiting, with an eye to self-pubbing it too in the future. My lovely agent has given me a wishlist of things she'd love to see, so I'm trying to bang out new ideas there. And of course, I have JJD5 looming on the horizon. It needs an outline at the very least.
My problem with all of these choices is that it's too much. How to I focus on one task when...ooh, shiny! Hopefully, something will settle with me soon, and then I can get my butt in gear.
Showing posts with label sequel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sequel. Show all posts
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
As Promised...
Yeah. That's what I said too. Isn't it swoony??? My cover designer is Robin Ludwig Design and she has just been an angel to work with. Highly recommended.
SO, a few other tidbits of knowledge, while I've got you here.
Looks like the July 8th release is a definite go. That means in the week leading up to that, I will probably be working on getting it up on most of the retailers. So yes, it is possible/likely that you will be able to get the book prior to July 8th, and this is OK! It is also possible that some of the platforms may take a few more days, and that's ok too. We're gonna celebrate like rockstars on July 8th, just to enjoy Jesse being back.
There WILL be a print copy of the book available. It will NOT be normal paperback size. Do you have any idea how crazy it makes me that my books aren't going to match? Yeah, I'm that neurotic. More on that later. The print book is actually going to be 5x8, so somewhere between a regular paperback and a trade paperback. Because it will be printed as you order it, and because of the size of the book, the price is going to be noticeably higher than a regular paperback. I'm sorry guys, but there's nothing I can do about that, especially if I want to make a teensy bit of profit for myself.
The ebook versions, however, should be priced much lower. At least, that's the plan.
BOOK REVIEWERS - I should have 2 proof copies (think of them like ARCs, so there may be a few mistakes still) that are still homeless, so if you want one, email me at kari.stewart21@gmail.com. (If you're a reviewer I haven't spoken with before, hi! Nice to meetcha! Please send me a link to your blog/page/billboard/talk show/podcast so that I know you're just not trying to score the book as an early read) I should also have e-copies of the book for review if you'd rather (or if the print ones get given away). Really gotta get on that formatting thing. *sheepish*
Wow. This is really happening.
I gotta admit, I'm kinda a nervous wreck over this. I keep thinking, what if I'm doing it wrong? Surely, it can't be this easy, I had to have made some catastrophic mistake somewhere. What if the book sucks? What if people are disappointed? What if someone bans my favorite ice cream flavor? What if a snozwanger jumps out of the bushes and eats my left shoe???
(No, seriously, does anyone know a good snozwanger repellent?)
Yeah I know, I'm ridiculous. It's what I do.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
The Latest and Greatest
Once again, my lack of posting astounds even me. In my defense, though, I've been working. Like, actual writing working, not Real Job working (though I've been doing that too)
So, what's been going on?
Well, I took the entire month of June to do edits on Peacemaker, and turned those in two whole days early. Go me! And just this week, I got an email back from my wonderful editor saying that those revisions have been accepted, so Peacemaker's almost a finished product, and that's a bit of stress off my mind. Granted, I've never had revisions NOT accepted, but a little part of me is always fearful that she's going to come back and say "this is the suckiest thing in the history of sucky things that suck, do it over".
Right now, I'm working on JJD4. I'm about 11K words into it, which doesn't seem like very much, 'cause it isn't. But I've been writing almost every day, even if it's just a little bit, and I'm really starting to sink back into the world again. It's kinda comfy there, like a big pillow. A big, fluffy, demon-infested pillow.
I'm still struggling with a title for it. I thought I had one, months ago, but the more I think about it, the less I like it, so it's back to the drawing board. Figure, if I'm self-publishing it, I can come up with a title whenever I feel like it, right?
Been learning a lot about self-publishing over these past few months, too. It's starting to not feel as daunting as it once did. Ideally, if I can stick to my own self-imposed timeline, I hope to have JJD4 up and functional by March. All of this contingent on me actually finishing it, of course, and cover art & editing schedules. My intention is to do ebook on pretty much all platforms, and maybe do a print edition through Amazon's Createspace. It won't be the same size as the first three books, because they don't offer a mass-market paperback size, and I fully admit that this makes me a little crazy. They're supposed to match, dammit! Ah well, we take what we can get.
My lovely agent has read The Musicbox Girl, and given me some really great revision notes on it. She's completely right in everything she said, I just have to wrap my brain around how to fix it. Right now, that's not going to happen, because I'm trying to work on JJD4, and quite frankly, the writing is different enough that trying to do both at once might scramble my last two brain cells.
I've also sent Muse to the lovely agent, mostly to see if it's something she'd be interested in trying to sell, or if I should just start pondering self-publishing that too. Honestly, I read through parts of it again, and the whole thing still gives me chills. It's still one of the best things I've ever written (in my admittedly warped mind) and I'd like to see it available someday.
And, in case you missed it, Peacemaker is up for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It's also up on Goodreads, if anyone wants to add it to their to-read list. No cover art yet, of course, but I'm hoping soon. Do you realize that we're actually less than 6 months away from release on that one already?? Time flies when you're having fun.
Remember, Peacemaker will be ebook only at first. If sales are good enough, they may release it in print later. I've had several people lament that they don't have a Kindle or a Nook or whatever, but remember if you have a smart phone or a computer, the Kindle app is a free download, and you can read my book right on your phone!
So, current timelines are looking like this:
Autumn 2013 - copy edits on Peacemaker (actual deadline unknown)
November 1 - finish JJD4
Nov/Dec - editing & cover art for JJD4, and revising MBG
January 21, 2014 - Peacemaker release!
Jan/Feb/Mar 2014 - drafting Arcane West #2?
March-ish 2014 - JJD4 release!
Summer 2014 - drafting JJD5?
After that, everything's a moving target. Heck, half the stuff ON the list is still a moving target. Ah well. This is the good life, right?
So, what's been going on?
Well, I took the entire month of June to do edits on Peacemaker, and turned those in two whole days early. Go me! And just this week, I got an email back from my wonderful editor saying that those revisions have been accepted, so Peacemaker's almost a finished product, and that's a bit of stress off my mind. Granted, I've never had revisions NOT accepted, but a little part of me is always fearful that she's going to come back and say "this is the suckiest thing in the history of sucky things that suck, do it over".
Right now, I'm working on JJD4. I'm about 11K words into it, which doesn't seem like very much, 'cause it isn't. But I've been writing almost every day, even if it's just a little bit, and I'm really starting to sink back into the world again. It's kinda comfy there, like a big pillow. A big, fluffy, demon-infested pillow.
I'm still struggling with a title for it. I thought I had one, months ago, but the more I think about it, the less I like it, so it's back to the drawing board. Figure, if I'm self-publishing it, I can come up with a title whenever I feel like it, right?
Been learning a lot about self-publishing over these past few months, too. It's starting to not feel as daunting as it once did. Ideally, if I can stick to my own self-imposed timeline, I hope to have JJD4 up and functional by March. All of this contingent on me actually finishing it, of course, and cover art & editing schedules. My intention is to do ebook on pretty much all platforms, and maybe do a print edition through Amazon's Createspace. It won't be the same size as the first three books, because they don't offer a mass-market paperback size, and I fully admit that this makes me a little crazy. They're supposed to match, dammit! Ah well, we take what we can get.
My lovely agent has read The Musicbox Girl, and given me some really great revision notes on it. She's completely right in everything she said, I just have to wrap my brain around how to fix it. Right now, that's not going to happen, because I'm trying to work on JJD4, and quite frankly, the writing is different enough that trying to do both at once might scramble my last two brain cells.
I've also sent Muse to the lovely agent, mostly to see if it's something she'd be interested in trying to sell, or if I should just start pondering self-publishing that too. Honestly, I read through parts of it again, and the whole thing still gives me chills. It's still one of the best things I've ever written (in my admittedly warped mind) and I'd like to see it available someday.
And, in case you missed it, Peacemaker is up for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It's also up on Goodreads, if anyone wants to add it to their to-read list. No cover art yet, of course, but I'm hoping soon. Do you realize that we're actually less than 6 months away from release on that one already?? Time flies when you're having fun.
Remember, Peacemaker will be ebook only at first. If sales are good enough, they may release it in print later. I've had several people lament that they don't have a Kindle or a Nook or whatever, but remember if you have a smart phone or a computer, the Kindle app is a free download, and you can read my book right on your phone!
So, current timelines are looking like this:
Autumn 2013 - copy edits on Peacemaker (actual deadline unknown)
November 1 - finish JJD4
Nov/Dec - editing & cover art for JJD4, and revising MBG
January 21, 2014 - Peacemaker release!
Jan/Feb/Mar 2014 - drafting Arcane West #2?
March-ish 2014 - JJD4 release!
Summer 2014 - drafting JJD5?
After that, everything's a moving target. Heck, half the stuff ON the list is still a moving target. Ah well. This is the good life, right?
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
To-Do List
To-Do List
I haven’t written anything substantial in…oh…probably a year. Probably since I turned Wolf in way back in
August of ’11. I’ve done revisions, I’ve
done edits, I’ve dribbled and drabbled here and there, but I haven’t sat down
to actually write anything new. Mostly
because I have been so torn up over whether the series would be continued, and
then knowing that it wouldn’t, and… Bleh.
Mental anguish takes a toll on the creative process.
However. It is now time for me
to get off my ass. So, with that as my
goal, here is the list of things I would like to accomplish, in no particular
order or priority.
Finish A Night of Fire and Ash:
This book is actually about 3 chapters from being complete. It was actually my Nano project clear back in
’09 (dear gods, really that far back?) and if The Editor is considering
publishing it, she’s gonna want an ending.
They like endings. But even if I
just take what I have now and tack the last three chapters on the end, it’s
going to end up way shorter on word count than I’m happy with. So in addition to finishing it, it needs a
complete revision. Recently, I did a
revision on the first three chapters, and I’m really happy with that. I just need to continue from that point, and
then jump into the last three chapters when I get there. Estimated
completion date: Ideally, I’d like
this done by the end of the year, so that I can jump into Book 4 of JJD at that
point.
Write Book 4 of JJD: I currently have about 7K words written on
this. If I start my concerted efforts on
January 1, I would need to write approximately 24K words a month to finish it
by my self-assigned deadline of April 1st and a word count of 80K. That’s 6K words a week, or 857 words a day on
a 7-day writing week. (for a 5-day
writing week, ‘cause I like weekends just like anybody, it works out to 1,200
words a day) Barring any unexpected divergences
(ie: stopping to do revisions on a sold book), this should be an easily
accomplished task. Estimated completion date: April
1st.
Speak at the RT Convention: Toward the beginning of May, the RT convention
will be here in KC, and I’m slotted to speak on a panel. I will also be signing books at the huge book
signing thingy that they do, and I’m really, really looking forward to it. It’ll be my first con! Feel free to locate me and ask my opinion on
local barbecue. Since I imagine that JJD
4 will still be with beta readers at this point, it’ll be a good chance for me
to stop, catch my breath, and make more concrete plans for the rest of the
year.
Choose a brand new project: Like I said, I haven’t written anything in
over a year. Nothing I would consider “new”. So one thing I’d like to do this coming year
is to get started on creating something new.
My main potentials are probably a sequel to NoFA, or a sequel to
Peacemaker, or maybe, just MAYBE, I might actually go back to The Pugilist and the Alchemist. A good friend has been helping me hash out
the details of that one over the last year, and I finally feel like I’m in a
place where I could actually write it. Estimated completion date: No idea.
Mostly, I want to do this to at least get me started on creating again. Whether I complete it this year is up for
grabs, especially since at some point, JJD 5 will have to become a priority
(and taking into consideration that I may have other books under contract by
then)
Get JJD 4 published: Still not sure what I’m going to do here,
precisely. The way things are going, I’m
leaning more toward putting an ebook out first, and then trying to get a
paperback in the works a little later. A
lot of it’s going to depend on money, and whether or not I’m brave enough to
try the whole Kickstarter thing. Estimated completion date: Um…not sure.
But, theoretically, if I can get the type of editing I want on it, and
get a good cover created, let’s shoot for the end of 2013. Don’t hold me to that, folks, I’m just kinda
throwing out wishes here.
When you look at it all laid out like that, 2013 looks like a pretty
damn busy year. You have to keep in mind
that I’ll be doing all this at the same time that I work a 40-hour week, with
an hour of commute time, and then cook/clean/do all the things required to
raise a pre-teen daughter. Oh, and I
gotta fit sleep in somewhere.
I can do it. I’ve done it
before. I just gotta get off my ass.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
And the Beat Goes On
Last night, I turned in my revisions for A WOLF AT THE DOOR, and a lot of people have asked me “Okay, what happens now?” So, this is my attempt at explanation, which is sadly way less informative than I (or anyone else) would like it to be.
First and foremost, WOLF has to be officially accepted. This is an actual contractual term that basically means when your publisher says “Okay, yes, I like what you’ve done here, we’re definitely going to publish it.” The alternative to this would be them coming back and saying “Hey, could you do a few more revisions first.” I don’t expect that to happen. My editor, the amazing Anne Sowards, always knows just the right notes to give so that I get it right the first time.
As for time frame on official acceptance? I have no idea. Depends on how soon someone has time to read through it AGAIN (and trust me, so many people read through a book multiple times in its process, you have no idea), make sure it’s all they had hoped it would be. Whether or not someone has time depends on how many manuscripts are lined up in front of mine, in various stages of their own production. I expect/hope to hear something before the end of the year, at the very least.
In the meantime, other parts of production will continue. For the past two books, I’ve always had cover art somewhere in mid-ish November, so I’m hoping that pattern will continue. There’s always something fun about being able to go to my family’s place for Thanksgiving and saying “Hey, wanna see what I got?” Also, since my birthday is at the end of the month, it always seems like an early birthday present.
So once Wolf is officially accepted, it will go on into copy edits, and then through page proofs, and then drift magically toward the August 7th release date.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, people are still wanting to know “Will there be more JJD books?” And the answer to that is, I don’t know yet. We haven’t had That Talk yet. Do I want to hazard a guess as to what That Talk will entail? Oh hell no. The publishing world has changed drastically over the last few years, not the least of which was the closing of all the Borders stores. While it remains to be seen how that development is truly going to play out, I know how it’s affected me and my sales personally, and it isn’t a happy situation. I’m in the same boat a lot of authors are, for the same reasons, none of which have anything to do with our skills as authors.
Is it on my mind? Oh yeah. All the time. Part of it is just that I don’t want to fail at this. Being an author was/is/always will be my dream, and I don’t want it over before it really gets started. Part of it is that it would break my heart to leave Jesse’s story unfinished. And more than that, even, I don’t want it to remain unfinished for everyone who has followed along with me so far. People invested time and money in me, an author they knew very little about, and for that at least, they deserve to know what happens next.
Folks have asked me “What can I do to help?” And to them, I say this. Just go buy books, either physically, or on your e-readers. Not just my books, ANY books! ALL books! If you love an author, let it show! If you can’t afford books (and face it, we've all been there, especially lately), go check them out from libraries. Libraries buy books too! Request books you’re looking forward to from your favorite bookstore or library. Requests turn into orders, orders into numbers, and hopefully numbers turn into more books from all of the authors that you love.
Remember, only YOU can prevent forest-...er...wait, wrong message.
You guys know what to do. Go forth and conquer.
First and foremost, WOLF has to be officially accepted. This is an actual contractual term that basically means when your publisher says “Okay, yes, I like what you’ve done here, we’re definitely going to publish it.” The alternative to this would be them coming back and saying “Hey, could you do a few more revisions first.” I don’t expect that to happen. My editor, the amazing Anne Sowards, always knows just the right notes to give so that I get it right the first time.
As for time frame on official acceptance? I have no idea. Depends on how soon someone has time to read through it AGAIN (and trust me, so many people read through a book multiple times in its process, you have no idea), make sure it’s all they had hoped it would be. Whether or not someone has time depends on how many manuscripts are lined up in front of mine, in various stages of their own production. I expect/hope to hear something before the end of the year, at the very least.
In the meantime, other parts of production will continue. For the past two books, I’ve always had cover art somewhere in mid-ish November, so I’m hoping that pattern will continue. There’s always something fun about being able to go to my family’s place for Thanksgiving and saying “Hey, wanna see what I got?” Also, since my birthday is at the end of the month, it always seems like an early birthday present.
So once Wolf is officially accepted, it will go on into copy edits, and then through page proofs, and then drift magically toward the August 7th release date.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, people are still wanting to know “Will there be more JJD books?” And the answer to that is, I don’t know yet. We haven’t had That Talk yet. Do I want to hazard a guess as to what That Talk will entail? Oh hell no. The publishing world has changed drastically over the last few years, not the least of which was the closing of all the Borders stores. While it remains to be seen how that development is truly going to play out, I know how it’s affected me and my sales personally, and it isn’t a happy situation. I’m in the same boat a lot of authors are, for the same reasons, none of which have anything to do with our skills as authors.
Is it on my mind? Oh yeah. All the time. Part of it is just that I don’t want to fail at this. Being an author was/is/always will be my dream, and I don’t want it over before it really gets started. Part of it is that it would break my heart to leave Jesse’s story unfinished. And more than that, even, I don’t want it to remain unfinished for everyone who has followed along with me so far. People invested time and money in me, an author they knew very little about, and for that at least, they deserve to know what happens next.
Folks have asked me “What can I do to help?” And to them, I say this. Just go buy books, either physically, or on your e-readers. Not just my books, ANY books! ALL books! If you love an author, let it show! If you can’t afford books (and face it, we've all been there, especially lately), go check them out from libraries. Libraries buy books too! Request books you’re looking forward to from your favorite bookstore or library. Requests turn into orders, orders into numbers, and hopefully numbers turn into more books from all of the authors that you love.
Remember, only YOU can prevent forest-...er...wait, wrong message.
You guys know what to do. Go forth and conquer.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
And the title is...
...wait for it... You know you wanna wait for it...
You're all going to kill me, aren't you?
Okay, the title of book 3 (for now anyway) is... Drum roll... Are you rolling the drum? Yeah, thought so. DRUM ROLL!
A WOLF AT THE DOOR!
You're all going to kill me, aren't you?
Okay, the title of book 3 (for now anyway) is... Drum roll... Are you rolling the drum? Yeah, thought so. DRUM ROLL!
A WOLF AT THE DOOR!
You will find no actual wolves in this book, however. It's a totally metaphorical wolf. That may or may not have a blond mohawk. Just sayin'.
Thanks to a really awesome Purgy for coming up with the title for me. It worked great!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Release the Kraken!
Or: How a Promo Post Gets Sappy
So, here we are, release week. I had grand plans to do a big post on the actual release day, but between the Real Job(tm) and...well...life, it just didn't happen.
A lot of people have asked me how this release day differed from the first one. Well, more people congratulated me, for one thing. People I've never met, Twitter-folk I only know because they read Devil and loved it. So there was that.
I like to think I was a lot less obsessive about my Amazon rankings this time. Mostly because I've truly proven over the last year that they don't mean a whole lot. Do I like to see those low digits? Sure. I always do a little happy dance in my chair when I can tell that someone bought another one. But it's still just pixels, ghosts in the machine.
A lot of other people had great releases on the same day. Carolyn Crane summed it up pretty nicely over at The League, so I'll just say go check her post out, and just use it like a shopping list. I myself bought HOUNDED and HEXED by Kevin Hearne today (they were out of HAMMERED, the big goobers, so I had to reserve one from the next batch). I also bought MY LIFE AS A WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE, then sat down and devoured it in three hours. (devoured...zombie... get it? Never mind.) Even I, the confessed zombie-phobe, loved it.
For those who just can't get enough of me... (oh come, on that's all of you. There's what, four of you now?)
Over at The Other Side of the Story, I talk about writing description. And at Dark Faerie Tales, Axel gives his view of Kansas City, plus you can win my books! Definitely keep checking back at Dark Faerie Tales and at All Things Urban Fantasy for their Deadly Destinations event all through the month of July. Your favorite UF characters give you tours of their worlds and there are giveaways galore.
I'll be popping up in a few more places around the Interwebz, but I'll link those as they come.
There have also been some great reviews for A SHOT IN THE DARK, but I won't link them all here. (though a part of me wants to go buy each and every one of those reviewers a steak dinner) ((Seriously. I know good steak.))
I just want to thank everyone who went out and bought the books, who read them, who recommended them... I always say that I would have kept writing, even if I'd never been published, but when it comes right down to it, having people read what I write is the true reward. This would be a very lonely endeavor without all of YOU.
Yes, you. You there. No, not you. You. Yes.
Ahem. Anyway.
Still getting trailing feedback in from my betas on Book 3 (which is in DIRE need of a title, so if anyone thinks of one...) but I think I'm pretty settled on what changes I need/want to make. Mostly, my betas are confirming the weaknesses I already saw, bless them, and I think the end project will be a zillion times better. It always is, when my betas get involved.
So, a bit more work, and then I'll have officially completed this contract. People keep asking me, "Will there be more than three JJD novels?" Short answer: Gosh, I hope so. Long answer: Haven't talked to anyone about that yet. Hope so. Really really hope so. Y'all will be the...well, probably fourth or fifth to know, but you know what I mean.
So, here we are, release week. I had grand plans to do a big post on the actual release day, but between the Real Job(tm) and...well...life, it just didn't happen.
A lot of people have asked me how this release day differed from the first one. Well, more people congratulated me, for one thing. People I've never met, Twitter-folk I only know because they read Devil and loved it. So there was that.
I like to think I was a lot less obsessive about my Amazon rankings this time. Mostly because I've truly proven over the last year that they don't mean a whole lot. Do I like to see those low digits? Sure. I always do a little happy dance in my chair when I can tell that someone bought another one. But it's still just pixels, ghosts in the machine.
A lot of other people had great releases on the same day. Carolyn Crane summed it up pretty nicely over at The League, so I'll just say go check her post out, and just use it like a shopping list. I myself bought HOUNDED and HEXED by Kevin Hearne today (they were out of HAMMERED, the big goobers, so I had to reserve one from the next batch). I also bought MY LIFE AS A WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE, then sat down and devoured it in three hours. (devoured...zombie... get it? Never mind.) Even I, the confessed zombie-phobe, loved it.
For those who just can't get enough of me... (oh come, on that's all of you. There's what, four of you now?)
Over at The Other Side of the Story, I talk about writing description. And at Dark Faerie Tales, Axel gives his view of Kansas City, plus you can win my books! Definitely keep checking back at Dark Faerie Tales and at All Things Urban Fantasy for their Deadly Destinations event all through the month of July. Your favorite UF characters give you tours of their worlds and there are giveaways galore.
I'll be popping up in a few more places around the Interwebz, but I'll link those as they come.
There have also been some great reviews for A SHOT IN THE DARK, but I won't link them all here. (though a part of me wants to go buy each and every one of those reviewers a steak dinner) ((Seriously. I know good steak.))
I just want to thank everyone who went out and bought the books, who read them, who recommended them... I always say that I would have kept writing, even if I'd never been published, but when it comes right down to it, having people read what I write is the true reward. This would be a very lonely endeavor without all of YOU.
Yes, you. You there. No, not you. You. Yes.
Ahem. Anyway.
Still getting trailing feedback in from my betas on Book 3 (which is in DIRE need of a title, so if anyone thinks of one...) but I think I'm pretty settled on what changes I need/want to make. Mostly, my betas are confirming the weaknesses I already saw, bless them, and I think the end project will be a zillion times better. It always is, when my betas get involved.
So, a bit more work, and then I'll have officially completed this contract. People keep asking me, "Will there be more than three JJD novels?" Short answer: Gosh, I hope so. Long answer: Haven't talked to anyone about that yet. Hope so. Really really hope so. Y'all will be the...well, probably fourth or fifth to know, but you know what I mean.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Such a Tease
The bad news: I still can't show you my cover,'cause they're still doing artistic things to it. I don't see how they can make it any more awesome, but hey, if they can find another iota of space to pack some more awesome in there, I'm happy to let them.
The good news: I can show you the back cover copy! So here you are, folks, what A SHOT IN THE DARK is all about.
It never fails to amaze me how they make my books sound so much cooler than I remember them being. I can't wait for you guys to read this one.
The good news: I can show you the back cover copy! So here you are, folks, what A SHOT IN THE DARK is all about.
THE ENEMY OF HIS ENEMY
Jesse James Dawson is a Champion, putting his life on the line for those foolish enough to bargain with demons and fighting to save their souls. But even a Champion needs some downtime, so Jesse takes his annual camping trip to Colorado for some male bonding over friendly games of paintball.
Unfortunately, the fun and war games are interrupted by a pack of creatures summoned up from the very depths of hell by an entity Jesse prayed he’d never see again. With the lives of his friends and a teenager’s soul on the line, Jesse’s only hope may lie with an even more dangerous enemy—his personal demon, Axel…
Jesse James Dawson is a Champion, putting his life on the line for those foolish enough to bargain with demons and fighting to save their souls. But even a Champion needs some downtime, so Jesse takes his annual camping trip to Colorado for some male bonding over friendly games of paintball.
Unfortunately, the fun and war games are interrupted by a pack of creatures summoned up from the very depths of hell by an entity Jesse prayed he’d never see again. With the lives of his friends and a teenager’s soul on the line, Jesse’s only hope may lie with an even more dangerous enemy—his personal demon, Axel…
It never fails to amaze me how they make my books sound so much cooler than I remember them being. I can't wait for you guys to read this one.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Kari's Queries, part 10
This is our 10th Kari’s Queries! Woohoo! Snoopy Dance! Kermit Arms!
Ahem.
This also turns out to be one of my lengthier ones, proving that once you get me talking, I just won’t shut up. But really, I had important stuff to say!
News first! Today, I got my edit letter for A SHOT IN THE DARK, so my Nanowrimo days are at an end for this year. I have until January 1st to get these revisions done and back to The Editor. I’ve only done a cursory glance over the list so far, but it looks mostly cosmetic, which is good. The one big kicker (which I knew already) is that this book is coming up shorter than anyone would like. One of my big tasks over the next month and a half is to figure out if there is a subplot I can add, or expand on. The Editor has given me some ideas to think on, and I’m excited to let those stew in my cranium for a few days before settling in to work.
I am still waiting on permission to show ya’ll my cover art and back cover copy. I’m SO excited about this, guys, I can’t wait for you to see it!
And now, on to my questions.
~*!*~
How did you find and pick out your agent and publisher?
Hm. Trying to decide how much lecturing ya’ll can really put up with.
Ok, first off, I found my agent by writing a query letter. This is a letter of (typically) no more than three paragraphs, describing your book, and a little about yourself. The format will vary depending on whether or not you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, and there are a ton of resources around the web to help you learn how. My personal favorite is (as you all know) Absolute Write. Tons of info there on just about every subject imaginable, and if you’re not comfortable enough to participate, you can still lurk and learn a LOT.
Once I had my query letter, I used Agent Query and Query Tracker to make a list of agents who were accepting manuscripts in my genre. Using that list, I researched further online, making sure nobody was a scam, trying to get a better feel for who was really looking for the kind of thing I had written (agent blogs are a wonderful resource), who might be a good match for me personality-wise, etc. At the time, I was also really broke, so those who took email queries went to the top of the line, as opposed to those who only took snail-mail queries.
Over 6 months, I sent out 28 queries. One of the very last ones I sent out was to my agent, the wonderful and amazing Chris Lotts. He got back to me almost immediately, requesting the full manuscript, and a couple weeks later, he called to talk to me. We clicked on so many things, not only on his vision and enthusiasm for Devil, but for what I wanted to do with my career as an author.
(Note: An agent should never just want to represent only one book of yours. You should think of it like a long-term partnership, or dare I say it, marriage, which can span your entire writing career)
I did not choose my publisher. As part of what an agent does, Chris submitted my manuscript to editors at various houses that he knows are interested in urban fantasy like what I’d written. I don’t know who all he submitted to, because knowing would probably have made me more neurotic than I generally am. Really, I didn’t know what was happening until he called me to say “Hey, I have good news.”
HOWEVER… This is not to say that you cannot choose a publisher. While many publishers only look at submissions that come from agents, there are some who take submissions directly from authors without having an agent involved. In the sci-fi/fantasy world, Tor publishing is one of those. I know there are others, both in my genre and in others, but I’m not well-versed. A bit of internet research will do you wonders here. I know that most of the ones who do are generally slammed with submissions, and I’ve heard of people not hearing a word back for two years or more.
CAVEAT: Please please PLEASE do your research. There are a ton of “publishers” out there who are really just after your money. If they ask you to pay for “editing fees” or for your cover art design, or anything really, run the other way. A REAL publisher pays YOU, not the other way around. When in doubt, google the publisher you’ve chosen plus the word “scam” and see what pops up. Also check out Preditors & Editors, and on the Absolute Write forums, check out their Bewares, Recommendations and Background Checks section. This warning goes for agents too. Do your research, and don't pay ANYbody money.
What is the hardest part about writing a book?
The hardest part… Hmm… I think each book has its own unique brand of hell involved. (Can I say that to high school students?)
For any new book, there’s always the challenge of how to make the plot fresh and unique. There’s the intense interrogation of new characters to find out how they tick and why they do what they do. There’s the construction of a brand new world, sometimes, from the ground up. Everything from the geography, to the economy, to the theology.
(Tell you a secret, though, world-building is actually one of my favorite things to do. Shh. Don’t tell.)
For the JJD series, I’m finding that my challenge is in keeping Jesse’s sense of humor as his world gets darker and more dangerous. One of the things that has made the JJD series likeable is Jesse’s snarky wit, and sometimes I catch him sliding into a gloom and doom mindset, and then I have to step back and think, okay, how can I make this funnier?
I think humor is actually one of the hardest things you’ll ever try to write, because as anyone who’s ever told a joke knows, no two people will laugh at the same thing. What’s absolutely freakin’ hilarious to me may draw totally blank looks from others. (Ok, 90% of the time, DOES draw totally blank looks from others)
So yeah, I think writing humor is my hardest part.
What is your favorite or most influential movie to watch?
I guess that depends on what you’re wanting to be influenced to do.
As far as favorite movies… I have a few I fall back on when I just need something comfy on the TV. Crybaby is probably my very very most favoritest movie in the whole world. It’s the movie I want when I just need to let my brain relax, or when I’m banishing the zombies I just finished reading about. I have discovered, however, that I cannot watch it and write about Jesse at the same time. Jesse apparently does not like Crybaby. Big goober.
I also tend to stick Empire Records in for the same reasons, though Jesse doesn’t seem to avoid that one as much. If you notice, most movies that get my repeat business have a major soundtrack to them. Music seems to be the thing that draws me the most.
Influential… Hm. Well, I think that movies, like books, are something that you can always learn from, as a writer. There is a pattern to telling a story, be it on film or in print, and watching a wide variety of movies can help you learn to see that pattern. It can help you see what happens when you deviate from that pattern, why sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
One movie I saw recently that really struck me from a story-telling perspective (don’t laugh) was The Expendables. Now, this movie probably isn’t going to win any major awards, but it was highly entertaining, and several things really excited me about it. This movie had the potential to be a giant walking cliché. I mean, we had just about every major action star from my childhood (yes, I know most of you weren’t born yet when these guys ruled the silver screen, but even you know who most of them are) and guns and explosions and…! Wow! Boom! Bang! Kapow!
BUT, the writers acknowledged those clichés, paid homage to them even, and yet managed to avoid falling into them. I thought it was a great example of how to take a plot that’s been done a million times (like most plots, really), and still make it unique and entertaining.
~*!*~
Ok, I’ve babbled enough for one post.
Next week, Kari’s Queries will be on hiatus while we all go stuff ourselves with turkey and/or the vegetarian dish of your choice.
Everybody be safe, and I’ll see if I can’t come up with more fun and frivolity for you in the meantime.
Ahem.
This also turns out to be one of my lengthier ones, proving that once you get me talking, I just won’t shut up. But really, I had important stuff to say!
News first! Today, I got my edit letter for A SHOT IN THE DARK, so my Nanowrimo days are at an end for this year. I have until January 1st to get these revisions done and back to The Editor. I’ve only done a cursory glance over the list so far, but it looks mostly cosmetic, which is good. The one big kicker (which I knew already) is that this book is coming up shorter than anyone would like. One of my big tasks over the next month and a half is to figure out if there is a subplot I can add, or expand on. The Editor has given me some ideas to think on, and I’m excited to let those stew in my cranium for a few days before settling in to work.
I am still waiting on permission to show ya’ll my cover art and back cover copy. I’m SO excited about this, guys, I can’t wait for you to see it!
And now, on to my questions.
~*!*~
How did you find and pick out your agent and publisher?
Hm. Trying to decide how much lecturing ya’ll can really put up with.
Ok, first off, I found my agent by writing a query letter. This is a letter of (typically) no more than three paragraphs, describing your book, and a little about yourself. The format will vary depending on whether or not you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, and there are a ton of resources around the web to help you learn how. My personal favorite is (as you all know) Absolute Write. Tons of info there on just about every subject imaginable, and if you’re not comfortable enough to participate, you can still lurk and learn a LOT.
Once I had my query letter, I used Agent Query and Query Tracker to make a list of agents who were accepting manuscripts in my genre. Using that list, I researched further online, making sure nobody was a scam, trying to get a better feel for who was really looking for the kind of thing I had written (agent blogs are a wonderful resource), who might be a good match for me personality-wise, etc. At the time, I was also really broke, so those who took email queries went to the top of the line, as opposed to those who only took snail-mail queries.
Over 6 months, I sent out 28 queries. One of the very last ones I sent out was to my agent, the wonderful and amazing Chris Lotts. He got back to me almost immediately, requesting the full manuscript, and a couple weeks later, he called to talk to me. We clicked on so many things, not only on his vision and enthusiasm for Devil, but for what I wanted to do with my career as an author.
(Note: An agent should never just want to represent only one book of yours. You should think of it like a long-term partnership, or dare I say it, marriage, which can span your entire writing career)
I did not choose my publisher. As part of what an agent does, Chris submitted my manuscript to editors at various houses that he knows are interested in urban fantasy like what I’d written. I don’t know who all he submitted to, because knowing would probably have made me more neurotic than I generally am. Really, I didn’t know what was happening until he called me to say “Hey, I have good news.”
HOWEVER… This is not to say that you cannot choose a publisher. While many publishers only look at submissions that come from agents, there are some who take submissions directly from authors without having an agent involved. In the sci-fi/fantasy world, Tor publishing is one of those. I know there are others, both in my genre and in others, but I’m not well-versed. A bit of internet research will do you wonders here. I know that most of the ones who do are generally slammed with submissions, and I’ve heard of people not hearing a word back for two years or more.
CAVEAT: Please please PLEASE do your research. There are a ton of “publishers” out there who are really just after your money. If they ask you to pay for “editing fees” or for your cover art design, or anything really, run the other way. A REAL publisher pays YOU, not the other way around. When in doubt, google the publisher you’ve chosen plus the word “scam” and see what pops up. Also check out Preditors & Editors, and on the Absolute Write forums, check out their Bewares, Recommendations and Background Checks section. This warning goes for agents too. Do your research, and don't pay ANYbody money.
What is the hardest part about writing a book?
The hardest part… Hmm… I think each book has its own unique brand of hell involved. (Can I say that to high school students?)
For any new book, there’s always the challenge of how to make the plot fresh and unique. There’s the intense interrogation of new characters to find out how they tick and why they do what they do. There’s the construction of a brand new world, sometimes, from the ground up. Everything from the geography, to the economy, to the theology.
(Tell you a secret, though, world-building is actually one of my favorite things to do. Shh. Don’t tell.)
For the JJD series, I’m finding that my challenge is in keeping Jesse’s sense of humor as his world gets darker and more dangerous. One of the things that has made the JJD series likeable is Jesse’s snarky wit, and sometimes I catch him sliding into a gloom and doom mindset, and then I have to step back and think, okay, how can I make this funnier?
I think humor is actually one of the hardest things you’ll ever try to write, because as anyone who’s ever told a joke knows, no two people will laugh at the same thing. What’s absolutely freakin’ hilarious to me may draw totally blank looks from others. (Ok, 90% of the time, DOES draw totally blank looks from others)
So yeah, I think writing humor is my hardest part.
What is your favorite or most influential movie to watch?
I guess that depends on what you’re wanting to be influenced to do.
As far as favorite movies… I have a few I fall back on when I just need something comfy on the TV. Crybaby is probably my very very most favoritest movie in the whole world. It’s the movie I want when I just need to let my brain relax, or when I’m banishing the zombies I just finished reading about. I have discovered, however, that I cannot watch it and write about Jesse at the same time. Jesse apparently does not like Crybaby. Big goober.
I also tend to stick Empire Records in for the same reasons, though Jesse doesn’t seem to avoid that one as much. If you notice, most movies that get my repeat business have a major soundtrack to them. Music seems to be the thing that draws me the most.
Influential… Hm. Well, I think that movies, like books, are something that you can always learn from, as a writer. There is a pattern to telling a story, be it on film or in print, and watching a wide variety of movies can help you learn to see that pattern. It can help you see what happens when you deviate from that pattern, why sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
One movie I saw recently that really struck me from a story-telling perspective (don’t laugh) was The Expendables. Now, this movie probably isn’t going to win any major awards, but it was highly entertaining, and several things really excited me about it. This movie had the potential to be a giant walking cliché. I mean, we had just about every major action star from my childhood (yes, I know most of you weren’t born yet when these guys ruled the silver screen, but even you know who most of them are) and guns and explosions and…! Wow! Boom! Bang! Kapow!
BUT, the writers acknowledged those clichés, paid homage to them even, and yet managed to avoid falling into them. I thought it was a great example of how to take a plot that’s been done a million times (like most plots, really), and still make it unique and entertaining.
~*!*~
Ok, I’ve babbled enough for one post.
Next week, Kari’s Queries will be on hiatus while we all go stuff ourselves with turkey and/or the vegetarian dish of your choice.
Everybody be safe, and I’ll see if I can’t come up with more fun and frivolity for you in the meantime.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Heads Up Folk!
Pleased to announce that Book 2 of the Jesse James Dawson series, A SHOT IN THE DARK, is now available for pre-order on Amazon!
The official release date is July 5, 2011.
I'm so excited!
The official release date is July 5, 2011.
I'm so excited!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Happy Halloween!
Just 'cause I've been talking about it... Here is my Halloween costume this year. A Mad Hatter, of my own design. (pieced together, not made)
And in writerly stuffs...
Over at The League, Kevin Hearne has the cover up for his upcoming debut! Go check it out and tell him how freakin' awesome it is!
NaNoWriMo started today, and I managed to get more than the daily goal, but less than my personal goal. I'll take it.
That's all I know, folk! I'll be typing my fingers to the bone until the end of November, whereupon I shall take the last day of the month off for my own birthday. So there. Nyah.
And in writerly stuffs...
Over at The League, Kevin Hearne has the cover up for his upcoming debut! Go check it out and tell him how freakin' awesome it is!
NaNoWriMo started today, and I managed to get more than the daily goal, but less than my personal goal. I'll take it.
That's all I know, folk! I'll be typing my fingers to the bone until the end of November, whereupon I shall take the last day of the month off for my own birthday. So there. Nyah.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Kari's Queries, part 7
A couple short questions today, courtesy of my high school friends.
~*!*~
What was your first impression of Mrs. Chie?
First off, you'll notice that I changed your teacher's name up there to her "codename." That's to make it all seem cooler. Second off, I wondered how long it'd take for you guys to start asking me about her.
Let's see... You realize that it's been many years since I first met Mrs. Chie, and that I've slept since then, right? I mean, I'm almost 34, the brain cells don't work like they used to.
If I recall correctly, Mrs. Chie was actually my hubby's friend first, so I kinda met her through him. I don't really remember exact first impressions, but I do remember the moment I found out she was a high school English teacher. I was working on Avarice at the time (the book that went away to a farm to live with a nice family that loves it) and I asked her, "Hey, do you think you could look at a little bit of this for me?"
Well, looking at a "little bit" of this turned into looking at every scrap of writing I did during the day, as I did it. Mrs. Chie is one of my "alpha-betas", meaning she gets to read every word that comes out of my head at just about the moment that I get it typed down. Before ANYone else. Her advice is always thoughtful and spot-on, and I'd be lost without her.
Do you ever get recognized in public?
Are you kidding? My own family pretends they don't know me in public. (Okay, that's not true.)
No, I don't get recognized in public. I imagine that very few authors do. I mean sure, there's the big ones. Most people would probably recognize Stephen King or J. K. Rowling if they passed them on the street. Stephanie Meyer, maybe. I'd recognize Jim Butcher, but that's 'cause I'm a rabid fan (and because he lives in my city, so running into him isn't unlikely).
But for the most part, I think authors have a rather peculiar kind of fame. I mean, their fans can be just as rabid as any movie or rock star's, but their appearances aren't as...public?
I don't ever envision being chased down the street by a pack of screaming fans. Book enthusiasts (at least in the adult literature world, I make no promises about the YA world) tend to be a little calmer than that.
~*!*~
AND... Do you know what's coming up on Monday, folks?
That's right, it's NaNoWriMo time!
After much waffling and a few Real Job(tm) scares, it has been determined that yes, I WILL be doing Nano. And I WILL be using Nano to get started on Book 3 of the Jesse James Dawson series (still untitled, of course). I was going to work on a new project, but as time got closer, it just wasn't speaking to me like Book 3 has been.
Thanks to my hubby (and to Mrs. Chie), I've been able to brainstorm and fill the hole in my outline, so really, I'm pretty good to go! In fact, I could start today if I wanted (but that would be against the Nano rules)
If anyone is participating in Nano and wants to buddy me, leave a comment with your username, and I will gladly add you. The more the merrier!
~*!*~
What was your first impression of Mrs. Chie?
First off, you'll notice that I changed your teacher's name up there to her "codename." That's to make it all seem cooler. Second off, I wondered how long it'd take for you guys to start asking me about her.
Let's see... You realize that it's been many years since I first met Mrs. Chie, and that I've slept since then, right? I mean, I'm almost 34, the brain cells don't work like they used to.
If I recall correctly, Mrs. Chie was actually my hubby's friend first, so I kinda met her through him. I don't really remember exact first impressions, but I do remember the moment I found out she was a high school English teacher. I was working on Avarice at the time (the book that went away to a farm to live with a nice family that loves it) and I asked her, "Hey, do you think you could look at a little bit of this for me?"
Well, looking at a "little bit" of this turned into looking at every scrap of writing I did during the day, as I did it. Mrs. Chie is one of my "alpha-betas", meaning she gets to read every word that comes out of my head at just about the moment that I get it typed down. Before ANYone else. Her advice is always thoughtful and spot-on, and I'd be lost without her.
Do you ever get recognized in public?
Are you kidding? My own family pretends they don't know me in public. (Okay, that's not true.)
No, I don't get recognized in public. I imagine that very few authors do. I mean sure, there's the big ones. Most people would probably recognize Stephen King or J. K. Rowling if they passed them on the street. Stephanie Meyer, maybe. I'd recognize Jim Butcher, but that's 'cause I'm a rabid fan (and because he lives in my city, so running into him isn't unlikely).
But for the most part, I think authors have a rather peculiar kind of fame. I mean, their fans can be just as rabid as any movie or rock star's, but their appearances aren't as...public?
I don't ever envision being chased down the street by a pack of screaming fans. Book enthusiasts (at least in the adult literature world, I make no promises about the YA world) tend to be a little calmer than that.
~*!*~
AND... Do you know what's coming up on Monday, folks?
That's right, it's NaNoWriMo time!
After much waffling and a few Real Job(tm) scares, it has been determined that yes, I WILL be doing Nano. And I WILL be using Nano to get started on Book 3 of the Jesse James Dawson series (still untitled, of course). I was going to work on a new project, but as time got closer, it just wasn't speaking to me like Book 3 has been.
Thanks to my hubby (and to Mrs. Chie), I've been able to brainstorm and fill the hole in my outline, so really, I'm pretty good to go! In fact, I could start today if I wanted (but that would be against the Nano rules)
If anyone is participating in Nano and wants to buddy me, leave a comment with your username, and I will gladly add you. The more the merrier!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Kari's Queries, part 5
You will notice that this week's queries are a day early. That's because the kids in question have a day off tomorrow. Enjoy it kids! Wish I could be off too.
(Yes, I know I'm already WAY off. Har har har)
~*!*~
Did you ever want to throw away a piece when you were almost done with it?
Actually did throw away a piece... Or at least trunked it. (Trunked: meaning to stuff in a trunk, never again to see the light of day) I was 78,000 words into Avarice when I finally hit the realization that it was fatally flawed.
Don't get me wrong, it's still a good story! And I think someday when I'm a better writer, I'll go back to it and make it everything I know it could be.
It was a hard decision, and sometimes I still go back and open up a few of my favorite passages just to read them again. In little snippets, it's really good! But as a whole it doesn't hang together like it should.
(Ask Miss Chie about that. She's read it)
With the assurance that Jessie James Dawson will save your soul, what would you sell your soul for?
Even knowing I'd get it back for sure, I think the only thing I'd sell my soul for would be my daughter. That's just kinda a mom thing to do. There's nothing in the world that I want that I can't get myself.
Wow, that was kinda a short answer, wasn't it?
What was your "Plan B" if you did not get published?
Plan? There ain't no plan...
Seriously, I didn't really have a plan B.
I suppose that, had I never been published, I'd still be trying. I honestly expected it to be a much longer process with a lot more rejection than I had.
I guess, if I hadn't succeeded, at some point in the future I would have had to step back and re-evaluate my life, and decide if I wanted to keep going. I think every writer hits that point.
Honestly, I may have eventually given up submitting to agents/publishers, but I never could have given up writing. I get all twitchy when I'm not putting new words on paper, and I'm not a very pleasant person to be around.
Though, I could totally see myself putting my work up on the internet for free, maybe, if I hadn't been published. Y'know, like a serial novel on my blog or something.
Maybe.
I guess I'm just glad I never had to make that decision.
~*!*~
And in my own news, when I got home last night, I had the back cover copy for A SHOT IN THE DARK waiting for my approval. It looks great! It never fails to amaze me how other people can make my books sound so much cooler than I remember them being.
When I have permission to share that with you, of course I will.
(Yes, I know I'm already WAY off. Har har har)
~*!*~
Did you ever want to throw away a piece when you were almost done with it?
Actually did throw away a piece... Or at least trunked it. (Trunked: meaning to stuff in a trunk, never again to see the light of day) I was 78,000 words into Avarice when I finally hit the realization that it was fatally flawed.
Don't get me wrong, it's still a good story! And I think someday when I'm a better writer, I'll go back to it and make it everything I know it could be.
It was a hard decision, and sometimes I still go back and open up a few of my favorite passages just to read them again. In little snippets, it's really good! But as a whole it doesn't hang together like it should.
(Ask Miss Chie about that. She's read it)
With the assurance that Jessie James Dawson will save your soul, what would you sell your soul for?
Even knowing I'd get it back for sure, I think the only thing I'd sell my soul for would be my daughter. That's just kinda a mom thing to do. There's nothing in the world that I want that I can't get myself.
Wow, that was kinda a short answer, wasn't it?
What was your "Plan B" if you did not get published?
Plan? There ain't no plan...
Seriously, I didn't really have a plan B.
I suppose that, had I never been published, I'd still be trying. I honestly expected it to be a much longer process with a lot more rejection than I had.
I guess, if I hadn't succeeded, at some point in the future I would have had to step back and re-evaluate my life, and decide if I wanted to keep going. I think every writer hits that point.
Honestly, I may have eventually given up submitting to agents/publishers, but I never could have given up writing. I get all twitchy when I'm not putting new words on paper, and I'm not a very pleasant person to be around.
Though, I could totally see myself putting my work up on the internet for free, maybe, if I hadn't been published. Y'know, like a serial novel on my blog or something.
Maybe.
I guess I'm just glad I never had to make that decision.
~*!*~
And in my own news, when I got home last night, I had the back cover copy for A SHOT IN THE DARK waiting for my approval. It looks great! It never fails to amaze me how other people can make my books sound so much cooler than I remember them being.
When I have permission to share that with you, of course I will.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Adventures at Comic-Con
Ok, yes, I know I didn't actually get to go to Comic-Con.
Or....did I?
Check out the blog of one of my wonderful writing friends, who took it upon himself to escort "me" around the con all day on Saturday. It looks like I had a great time! (and the Elvis Trooper may have to be my new avatar)
Notes From the Lair
In other news, Book 2 is nearing completion. I had a slight hiccup when my word count came in at 71K words (which is 9K shorter than it needs to be. That's roughly 36 pages short). I hemmed,I hawed, I sent frantic emails to The Editor. And then my lovely betas Chie and Theo came through for me, and I got an inkling. A hint. An inspiration!
Translation: I know how to fix this monster. And even better, I have part of the new stuff already written, because it was something I cut out of the OLD version when I started over back in January. Bonus!
Hoping to get this finished within the next two weeks, 'cause it's getting to be that time, folks! The Editor emailed me today to say she needs back cover copy-type writings, and if I have any ideas about the cover, I should speak up now or forever hold my peace. Truthfully, I'm so happy with the cover for the first one, I can't imagine what there could be for me to say. Now, book 3? Yeah, that one I need to talk to someone,'cause some stuff changes there. What stuff? I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.
It should also be noted that I still do NOT have a title. At least, not one I'm happy with. And it's this second title that's so important, 'cause it'll set the pattern (if there is one) for the rest of the titles in the series! Think think think...
Maybe I should get some honey. Works for Pooh. (Note: Mead is made of honey. I'm just sayin'.)
So! I'll shout out to the world at large. Any title ideas, folks? I think I'm avoiding a "devil" theme in the titles, 'cause they're being used by another great author. But any other thoughts?
Also spoke to The Agent last week (see, this is what happens when I don't blog for a while. I have SO much to update you on!) about Muse. We talked for an hour and a half! I'll just say that my work on Muse is not done by a long shot, but I think The Agent hit the nail on a head on quite a few points, and that when I DO get time to rework it, it's going to be even more amazing than it already is. I'm so hopeful on this one, guys.
Off to have a weekend! There will be....weekendish stuff! (I have no idea. It's been so long...)
Or....did I?
Check out the blog of one of my wonderful writing friends, who took it upon himself to escort "me" around the con all day on Saturday. It looks like I had a great time! (and the Elvis Trooper may have to be my new avatar)
Notes From the Lair
In other news, Book 2 is nearing completion. I had a slight hiccup when my word count came in at 71K words (which is 9K shorter than it needs to be. That's roughly 36 pages short). I hemmed,I hawed, I sent frantic emails to The Editor. And then my lovely betas Chie and Theo came through for me, and I got an inkling. A hint. An inspiration!
Translation: I know how to fix this monster. And even better, I have part of the new stuff already written, because it was something I cut out of the OLD version when I started over back in January. Bonus!
Hoping to get this finished within the next two weeks, 'cause it's getting to be that time, folks! The Editor emailed me today to say she needs back cover copy-type writings, and if I have any ideas about the cover, I should speak up now or forever hold my peace. Truthfully, I'm so happy with the cover for the first one, I can't imagine what there could be for me to say. Now, book 3? Yeah, that one I need to talk to someone,'cause some stuff changes there. What stuff? I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.
It should also be noted that I still do NOT have a title. At least, not one I'm happy with. And it's this second title that's so important, 'cause it'll set the pattern (if there is one) for the rest of the titles in the series! Think think think...
Maybe I should get some honey. Works for Pooh. (Note: Mead is made of honey. I'm just sayin'.)
So! I'll shout out to the world at large. Any title ideas, folks? I think I'm avoiding a "devil" theme in the titles, 'cause they're being used by another great author. But any other thoughts?
Also spoke to The Agent last week (see, this is what happens when I don't blog for a while. I have SO much to update you on!) about Muse. We talked for an hour and a half! I'll just say that my work on Muse is not done by a long shot, but I think The Agent hit the nail on a head on quite a few points, and that when I DO get time to rework it, it's going to be even more amazing than it already is. I'm so hopeful on this one, guys.
Off to have a weekend! There will be....weekendish stuff! (I have no idea. It's been so long...)
Monday, April 26, 2010
Feeling Accomplished
I got Muse sent off to The Agent today. I'm feeling both relieved, and puke-level anxious all at once.
My goal for the rest of this week is to whip Book 2 into shape, so I can get it out to my betas. Several of them are prowling outside my window at night, rattling at the bars to get to the book. (Or, that could just be this freakin' HUGE raccoon I've seen in the neighborhood)
And now, for a blast from the past... I think I've mentioned before that I once spent an entire summer as a mermaid. Here, I give you photographic proof (and many thanks to Ryan who preserved these pictures all these years). Yes, that is a wig, and yes, this was about a year before I had kiddo, so...keep that in mind.
Not everyone can say they got to be a mermaid. ;)
And the eerie thing is, a year later when kiddo was born, she had the exact same color hair as that wig.
My goal for the rest of this week is to whip Book 2 into shape, so I can get it out to my betas. Several of them are prowling outside my window at night, rattling at the bars to get to the book. (Or, that could just be this freakin' HUGE raccoon I've seen in the neighborhood)
And now, for a blast from the past... I think I've mentioned before that I once spent an entire summer as a mermaid. Here, I give you photographic proof (and many thanks to Ryan who preserved these pictures all these years). Yes, that is a wig, and yes, this was about a year before I had kiddo, so...keep that in mind.
Not everyone can say they got to be a mermaid. ;)
And the eerie thing is, a year later when kiddo was born, she had the exact same color hair as that wig.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
DONE!
As of Friday, I have finished Son of DD, Book 2, whatever you wanna call it. And you know what? It may not suck! The first draft came in just over 64K words, which is actually a bit over my usual 75% first draft goal. I count this as a win!
Starting tomorrow, I'm going to do one more pass through, fixing the things I've thought of since my first go. All of those are neatly noted on my lovely color-coded outline. (yes, I'm that anal) So hopefully, that'll be a week's work, if that.
And then, I shall spring this on my beta-slaves! Bwa ha ha ha ha! ('cause they're threatening torches and pitch forks if they don't get to read it soon)
Starting tomorrow, I'm going to do one more pass through, fixing the things I've thought of since my first go. All of those are neatly noted on my lovely color-coded outline. (yes, I'm that anal) So hopefully, that'll be a week's work, if that.
And then, I shall spring this on my beta-slaves! Bwa ha ha ha ha! ('cause they're threatening torches and pitch forks if they don't get to read it soon)
Monday, April 5, 2010
Get Back On The Horse
For those who have not heard yet, my mother lost her year-long battle with cancer last week. We were fortunate to have her for ten months after her diagnosis, which is a good stretch longer than a lot of folk with the same cancer. All of you who have been with me for the past few weeks, both for comfort and to kick my ass when I needed it, thank you.
My mother was a strong woman. Like, scare the bejeezus out of professional wrestlers kinda strong, and she was only 5'2". I like to think that I get that from her, and I hope I can pass the same thing on to my daughter. And I know the one thing she (my mother) would want, is for me to get my ass back in gear and continue with the stuff that needs doing.
To that end, I have a really cool announcement. Last Friday, I found a package on my front porch, and inside that package were my ARCs! (cue squeeing) (ok, enough squeeing)
I am preparing to give away one, count 'em, ONE ARC this coming week. On Wednesday, I will put up a contest announcement with all the details. So stay tuned folk!
And in other news, I finished the climax scene for book 2 today, and it ROCKED. I always know a scene is good when I'm out of breath at the end, just like my character should be. I have one more chapter to finish, all denouement, and then this first draft will be done. I'll do another quick pass through it, to fix the things I've noticed in the meantime, and then I'll have it out to my beta slaves. (you know who you are, clear your calendars)
My mother was a strong woman. Like, scare the bejeezus out of professional wrestlers kinda strong, and she was only 5'2". I like to think that I get that from her, and I hope I can pass the same thing on to my daughter. And I know the one thing she (my mother) would want, is for me to get my ass back in gear and continue with the stuff that needs doing.
To that end, I have a really cool announcement. Last Friday, I found a package on my front porch, and inside that package were my ARCs! (cue squeeing) (ok, enough squeeing)
I am preparing to give away one, count 'em, ONE ARC this coming week. On Wednesday, I will put up a contest announcement with all the details. So stay tuned folk!
And in other news, I finished the climax scene for book 2 today, and it ROCKED. I always know a scene is good when I'm out of breath at the end, just like my character should be. I have one more chapter to finish, all denouement, and then this first draft will be done. I'll do another quick pass through it, to fix the things I've noticed in the meantime, and then I'll have it out to my beta slaves. (you know who you are, clear your calendars)
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Pneumonia is bad, m'kay?
You would think this would be a fairly obvious to most people, but as someone who had never HAD pneumonia before, I didn't truly grasp the HORRIBLENESS that is pneumonia.
And it's horrible. And a little scary.
I wasn't even sick. I mean, I had no cold, no cough, I just woke up one morning last week and got hit by a freight train. And then I got pneumonia. (see what I did there? I kill me.) My chest hurt so bad, I was googling heart attack symptoms. What do you mean, I should have gone to the hospital? That might have made sense or something! Geez...
On the upside, the antibiotics are working, and I no longer feel like I might keel over any second.
The downside being that I am further behind on Book 2 than I wanted to be. Which seems to be my normal state of being with this book, so maybe if I adjust my internal schedule to match what's actually happening, I'd be a happier person.
But I did get some writing done today, and it was even funny. Not like the joke above funny, but really funny. I swear.
As soon as I get this chapter done, I get to start cannibalizing some previously written stuff, so my word count will skyrocket, albeit in a cheaty sort of way.
Wish me luck!
And it's horrible. And a little scary.
I wasn't even sick. I mean, I had no cold, no cough, I just woke up one morning last week and got hit by a freight train. And then I got pneumonia. (see what I did there? I kill me.) My chest hurt so bad, I was googling heart attack symptoms. What do you mean, I should have gone to the hospital? That might have made sense or something! Geez...
On the upside, the antibiotics are working, and I no longer feel like I might keel over any second.
The downside being that I am further behind on Book 2 than I wanted to be. Which seems to be my normal state of being with this book, so maybe if I adjust my internal schedule to match what's actually happening, I'd be a happier person.
But I did get some writing done today, and it was even funny. Not like the joke above funny, but really funny. I swear.
As soon as I get this chapter done, I get to start cannibalizing some previously written stuff, so my word count will skyrocket, albeit in a cheaty sort of way.
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Back to the Drawing Board
Or the writing board? What IS the writing equivalent of that?
So, all my doubts and reservations about book 2 were actually very valid, since The Editor brought up the exact same issues upon seeing a synopsis. So, I went back to the drawing board! (or whatever)
And over the course of a weekend, I hashed out a mostly-new plot for Book 2. Of course, this means I'll be scrapping most of what I had done (well, I can salvage some of it, pared down) but when I really step back and look, I'm much happier with the New Two (as I'm now calling it).
It flows better, it sits in the back of my head better... I knew, when I was struggling so much with version 1, that it was my subconsciousness's way of saying "THIS SUCKS, STUPID!" My subconscious has now been appeased, and is actually gloating rather smugly at me.
Granted, this puts me on a much shorter time frame to produce the New Two. I can do it, don't get me wrong, but it means I'll have less time for screwing around, and less time to work on "me" stuff (ie: things I'm not getting paid for). And that's ok too. Discipline is a good thing, when applied correctly.
(not to be confused with "Apply Directly to the Forehead!")
In other news, Gretchen McNeil (blog in the links to the left) is starting up a new blog series about writing (imagine that!). Definitely go over and check out what she's got to say.
Also, if there's anything anyone wants to see me babble about, feel free to make requests. I do not, however, sing the Bee Gees, clog dance, or juggle small mammals. Much to their relief.
So, all my doubts and reservations about book 2 were actually very valid, since The Editor brought up the exact same issues upon seeing a synopsis. So, I went back to the drawing board! (or whatever)
And over the course of a weekend, I hashed out a mostly-new plot for Book 2. Of course, this means I'll be scrapping most of what I had done (well, I can salvage some of it, pared down) but when I really step back and look, I'm much happier with the New Two (as I'm now calling it).
It flows better, it sits in the back of my head better... I knew, when I was struggling so much with version 1, that it was my subconsciousness's way of saying "THIS SUCKS, STUPID!" My subconscious has now been appeased, and is actually gloating rather smugly at me.
Granted, this puts me on a much shorter time frame to produce the New Two. I can do it, don't get me wrong, but it means I'll have less time for screwing around, and less time to work on "me" stuff (ie: things I'm not getting paid for). And that's ok too. Discipline is a good thing, when applied correctly.
(not to be confused with "Apply Directly to the Forehead!")
In other news, Gretchen McNeil (blog in the links to the left) is starting up a new blog series about writing (imagine that!). Definitely go over and check out what she's got to say.
Also, if there's anything anyone wants to see me babble about, feel free to make requests. I do not, however, sing the Bee Gees, clog dance, or juggle small mammals. Much to their relief.
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