Extended Deadline to Submit your Book Spotlight!

The Speculative Fiction Book Spotlight Blog Swap is coming up fast. I'm extending the deadline to get your book spotlights submitted, if you are an author. You now have until Sept. 26th to get them in. Please help spread the word. It's free publicity. You don't have to write categorized "Christian fiction", or even be an advocate of squeaky clean books. Any book (in the speculative genres) that is considered clean, ie. free of swearing, sex, and graphic violence, is eligible for the book spotlight. This isn't about censorship. We're targeting a large demographic of readers that usually don't get considered. Take advantage of this marketing opportunity.

Bloggers: You don't have to be a book reviewer, a writer, or anyone associated with the book industry in order to participate. You just have to have a blog.

Contact me by email:
Bloggers: to get on the participation list
Authors: to get a copy of the spotlight worksheet you'll need to fill out

The End is in Sight

It's been a slow blogging summer, as you may have noticed. There are a couple of reasons, one being health related, but the second reason is much more relevant to you, my readers and friends: I'm getting ready to publish my first book.

It's not much of an announcement these days; thousands of people are publishing every year, whether traditionally or on their own. With a plethora of novels hitting the marketplace each year, the advantage belongs to readers. You can find just about anything you want to read. I have a handful of writer friends who have books that have come out or will come out this year. It's exciting to be among them.

Here are some of their books (in no particular order):

Coming Sept. 9th from Month9Books

Thyra Winther's seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can't reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she's doomed to spend eternity as a wraith.

Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact. Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal.

A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai's childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra's willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts -- to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast. Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup's devotion and the fire of a young man's desire, the thawing of Thyra's frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.

CROWN OF ICE is a YA Fantasy that reinvents Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen" from the perspective of a young woman who discovers that the greatest threat to her survival may be her own humanity.

Released July 2nd from Forever Yours

DARK LEGACY 
Mala LaCroix has spent her whole life trying to escape her destiny. As the last in a long line of "witch women," she rejects the notion of spirits and hoodoo and instead does her best to blend in. But when she finds a dead body floating in the bayou behind her house, Mala taps into powers she never knew she had. She's haunted by visions of the dead girl, demanding justice and vengeance.

DEADLY SECRETS 
Landry Prince has always had a crush on Mala, but when Mala discovers his sister, murdered and marked in some sort of Satanic ritual, he wonders if all the rumors about the LaCroix family are true. Yet after Mala uses her connection to the spirit world to identify his sister's killer, he starts to form his own bond to her . . . a very physical one. As they move closer to each other and closer to the truth, Mala and Landry must risk everything—their families, their love, and even their lives.

Coming Aug. 5th from Forever Yours

A GIFT AND A CURSE 
Mala LaCroix sees dead people—really. After using her psychic gifts to catch a killer, she's locked in a psych ward and must strike a deal with the devil to secure her release. Apprenticed to a dark arts practitioner, Mala vows to free herself and save her loved ones from danger. But she doesn't know who to turn to when her crush on Landry Prince turns into something more serious.

A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH 
Landry has sacrificed everything to protect Mala. A near-death experience changes him forever, and now he, too, possesses supernatural powers he doesn't understand. Mala and Landry must band together to defeat the dark forces—both human and otherworldly—who would use their abilities for evil. Even as they fall for each other, they must prepare to battle for their very souls . . .

Coming Sept. 9th from Forever Yours

Deep in the Louisiana bayou, Mala LaCroix cannot escape the mysterious things she's seen. Haunted by her otherworldly past, she only wants to hide her special abilities and care for the man she's come to love. But the dark swamp she calls home holds more than just Mala's secrets, for a killer is leaving behind ghosts trapped between worlds, hungry for vengeance . . .

Landry knows Mala could never turn her back on those in need. It's part of what attracts him to her. But now that he's wrestling with his own demons-and losing-he fears that just being near the woman he loves endangers her life. And that traps him in a terrible dilemma: leave Mala alone to catch a murderer by herself or stay close-and risk entangling her in the brutal battle for his very soul.

Coming July 22nd from St. Martin's Griffin

Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her sixteenth birthday, when she’ll be tested for Extraction in the hopes of being sent from the planet Kiel’s toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be “Extracted,” she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life.

What she finds initially in the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it’s free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid. But life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too.

Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet leaders don't want her running—they want her subdued.

Released Feb. 2014 by T.J. Loveless

After a bloody tour in Iraq, all Karen Barnes wants is a simple life, surrounded by horses and the mountains of Wyoming. But when a stranger tries boarding a famous horse worth millions at her stable, Karen grows suspicious that the horse has been stolen.When her worse fears are confirmed and her life is threatened, her instinct for survival kicks in. But things are far worse than she could have even imagined when she discovers that the theft is just a coverup for espionage.

With the lives of those she cares for at stake, can she find the courage to fight one more battle, or will the violence and carnage tear her to pieces?

Released Jul. 7th from 7DS Books

(Anthology, including author Darke Conteur.)

slay verb (used with object), slew, slain, slay·ing. 1.to kill by violence. 2. to destroy; extinguish... A Slayer has but one purpose. 7DS Books debuts the newest collection of short stories in SLAYERS. Seven short story missions of your not so typical slayers taking on highly unusual targets. These captivating stories slice through tales of aliens, super slugs, demons, and beyond. Did that say super slugs? Yes. Read something dripping in fresh plots and bizarre characters.

Released Mar. 1st by Elephant's Bookshelf Press

To be human is to have regrets, to question decisions, even to doubt our own abilities and capacities. Whether it’s because of a path not taken or a decision made for selfish or – perhaps worse – unselfish reasons, we all have had moments and decisions we regret. We might regret not recognizing an opportunity. In the end, the choices we make help shape our future. The final anthology in Elephant’s Bookshelf Press’s “Seasons Series,” Winter’s Regret includes stories from P.S. Carrillo, Liz Coley, Sakura Q. Eries, Morgan George, Michelle Hauck, Kelly Heinen, Amanda Hill, Precy Larkins, Robert Wayne McCoy, Mindy McGinnis, A.T. O’Connor, Jeff O’Handley, Paul Parisi, Matt Sinclair, A.M. Supinger, Charlee Vale, and Cat Woods.

Released Apr. 23rd from Createspace

Lucy London puts the word genius to shame. Having obtained her PhD in microbiology by the age of twenty, she's amassed a wealth of knowledge, but one subject still eludes her-people. The pendulum of passions experienced by those around her both confuses and intrigues her, so when she's offered a grant to study emotion as a pathogen, she jumps on the opportunity. When her attempts to come up with an actual experiment quickly drop from lackluster to nonexistent, she's given a choice: figure out how to conduct a groundbreaking study on passion, or lose both the grant and her position at the university. Put on leave until she can crack the perfect proposal, she finds there's only one way she can study emotions-by experiencing them herself.

Enter Jensen Walker, Lucy's neighbor and the one person on the planet she finds strangely and maddeningly appealing. Jensen's life is the stuff of campus legend, messy, emotional, complicated-in short, the perfect starting point for Lucy's study. When her tenaciousness wears him down and he consents to help her, sparks fly. To her surprise, Lucy finds herself battling with her own emotions, as foreign as they are intense. With the clock ticking on her deadline, Lucy must decide what's more important: analyzing her passions...or giving in to them?

(no picture available yet) Dark Light by Rick Pieters
Coming this Fall from Cliffhanger Press

Carter Collins doesn't much like the taste of fame or his glamorous, gay Hollywood life, and his father's stroke hands him the reason to leave—to return home and help. No more spotlight. Just family, old friends, the family business . . . and interdimensional aliens staging a hostile takeover.

Avebury, Ohio has a new evangelist who's silencing opposition as he builds his tabernacle, and it was no stroke that felled Carter's father. The Reverend's prayer cubes can kill or control. Now Carter finds his mother clutching one, ready to sign over the family's TV station and hand the preacher the pulpit he seeks. This evangelist is a Trojan horse for sinister beings not of this Earth.

Aided by a discarnate guide, Carter pieces together the real reason he's here. The town protects a prime portal, an entry point for Earth's life-force energy. That gateway needs a guardian against invaders who would invert the energy and plunge the planet into a new age of darkness. If Carter accepts his role as guardian, he'll draw in friends, family, even his life-partner. This time, the spotlight could well mean his death, or theirs. But not accepting it could be much worse.

Coming Aug. 3rd on Amazon KDP Select

Set sail with Captain Carvin on four voyages on the magic seas of Ryuu.

He faces pirates early in his career. The King sends a sorceress with him on a voyage to a far land to recover precious artifacts. He must deliver the King's sister to her future husband through treacherous seas. Years later, he is reunited with the sorceress on a scouting mission in a sea controlled by the enemy.

Coming Nov. 15th wherever ebooks are sold

Intergalactic trader, Ven Zaran, contracts for a cargo that takes him to one of the few non-Confederation worlds. It is a danger he thinks he is ready for, but in a flash his ship is seized and half his crew arrested on minor charges. With corruption at every level of government, Ven has to resort to more drastic measures to free his ship and crew. He's fought gangsters, pirates, and false charges before, but taking on a corrupt planet might be more than he bargained for.




(no picture yet) Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand by R.S. Mellette
Coming 2014 from Elephant's Bookshelf Press

Everyone needs a little magic in their lives

Twelve-year-old Billy Bobble and his best friend Suzy Quinofski didn't mean to change the universe. Billy just wanted to find a way to help his hoarding, schizophrenic mother, and maybe impress a coven of older girls in high school. Suzy wanted to help her friend and cling to her last remnant of childhood: a belief in magic. None of this would be noteworthy if Billy weren’t a quantum physics genius, and Suzy his equal in microbiology. Together they make a real, working, magic wand and open a door to the Quantum World, where thoughts create reality, his mother isn't crazy, and all things – good and bad – are possible.


Everyone's publishing journey is unique, including mine. Right now, I'm finishing up my edits based on copy editing feedback from someone else, and then I'll start going through the proofreading and formatting process. My cover artist is already at work, and if everything goes as planned, my first book will be out in September.

When we pick up a book to read, we really don't think about how long it took the author to write and polish their story. We don't think about how long it took them to publish through a traditional publisher, or to do all the edits and formatting in order to indie publish. No, we pick up a book and devour it within a very short time. And while we read, we're oblivious to the author's long hours, tears or anger, triumph over writer's block, or the many parts they've torn out or rewritten. We see only the finished product. We read it. Then we move on to the next book. As readers, we're spoiled and we take a lot for granted.

A little while back I was looking through the books on my bookshelf, checking out how other people have designed and formatted their novels, and I got thinking about all the books I've read over the last five years. How many of them do I want to go back and reread? Which characters still stick out in my mind? Which situations or worlds would I want to revisit? It seems like people grab a book, read it, and then hurry on to the next new thing without ever looking back. Ignore your To-Read pile for a moment and ask: which books that you've read recently would you like to go back and revisit?

Maybe it's just me. As a reader, I only buy books I've already read and want to reread (the library is my friend). This is mostly due to money, but I think not having a large budget for books is a blessing in disguise, because I don't have the temptation to spend frivolously on books I may end up not liking or which were cool for a one-time read. You gain favorite, trusted authors. You find yourself quoting those books, or going back to them to fulfill a special emotional niche.

As a writer, I haven't focused on speedily churning out novel after novel after novel (even though I have plenty of completed first drafts waiting to be polished), and I don't intend to. My goal is to write rereadable books and I hope that my first one will be a novel people will want to revisit again and again, that you'll discover something new each time you read the book. So what does that say about my debut novel? No, it's not an easy-breezy, consume-in-one-afternoon read. It's the type of book I like to read, and a type which most of my beta readers and critique partners have said they like to read.

Taking this step to publish is huge. My dad died this past April from cancer. He was brilliant, but very few people knew it. He was a modest man, a man of great ideas and solutions. He just had one problem: he was good at starting things and coming up with the ideas, but he wasn't good at finishing those projects or promoting his ideas. During his last days he expressed his regret over and fought to stay alive in order to finish some of those things. The moment he relaxed, realized he'd run out of time, and let go of those tethers, he passed away. It taught me that I was in danger of doing the same thing. Oh, I didn't have a stack of unfinished first drafts leering at me, but I was terrified of actually publishing, of actually finishing a book as far as anyone can finish it. So, I set a publishing date and notified the right people, got to work again, and heart-in-throat I'm now nearing the end.

Thank you again for being a blog follower and for sticking with me even though I didn't have a product for you to read yet. That's about to change, and I hope that if you choose to read this book or any others that come after it, that you feel comfortable approaching me to talk about it, or about the writing process. I do have some more in-depth Behind-The-Scenes posts coming up, as well as a few other things that go with a book launch. In the meantime, check out the books by my friends and stay tuned for further updates.

My questions for you this week are: Have you ever conquered a fear, or are you working on conquering a fear right now? What was/is it and do you feel stronger now?

Or - What are your favorite books to reread? If you're a writer, how does knowing the long writing process intimately affect how you approach reading?

Accentuate the Positive: What If ... ?

When you've been writing for a long time and hung around the vast writing world, it's easy to see a lot of negative things bantered about. Consequently, it's easier to start thinking negatively about others and even worse, about yourself as a writer. So much emphasis is placed on nailing a query letter, your opening pages, your synopsis, your social presence, etc. that it becomes a quagmire of shadowy rules, rejection, deception, and negativity.

Think about your realm of influence for a moment. Are you often a beta reader or an established critique partner? Do you edit or help with PR? I'd even be so bold as to add, are you a literary agent or publisher?

How happy are you? How happy are the people around you? Is daily snark regarding other people the norm? Do you pick up someone's manuscript prepared to be a skeptic?

What if this next week you could only mention the positive things about someone's work?

What if instead of tearing someone down, you show them that they aren't hopeless or crazy but that they do have some things going for them. It may be a lot, it may be a little, but think how much of a boost you could give if that other person knew what they did right for a change.

What if you set a goal not to speak disparagingly of anyone else? What if you decided not to listen to or share gossip?

Focusing on the negative is a piece of cake. While we do need to know what we have to work on to become better writers it doesn't always have to come in a negative or derogatory package. It takes strength of character to be a positive person, someone who is genuinely concerned about helping someone else.

It's as simple as dealing with a child. If you always focus on what that child is doing wrong or where the child is lacking, you destroy their motivation and self-esteem. If you focus on what the child is doing right and point out their strengths, it motivates them to do even better.

Sure publishing is a business but people aren't. Sure you run into delusionals who have an ego the size of Brazil, but most people aren't that way. There is a hopeful person on the other end of that manuscript, someone who is trying to do better and whose basic desire is to share something they created.

Don't assume that they are getting positive vibes from other sources. You may be their only outside influence that day, week, or month regarding their work.

I find it very disturbing that as a society we're obsessed with perfection without having a concrete definition or outline for that perfection. If stripped down to our very core, we are all imperfect people, and you know what, it's okay. As long as we're trying to be a better person each day, isn't it time we chill out and admit that we're never going to reach perfection? Why would we expect everyone else to?

There is enough room for everyone to express themselves. There are so many subjectively diversified tastes out there, don't assume that your subjective tastes are what must be the rule. You may be tired of a premise, but that doesn't mean others are. You may think writing X + U is a bad idea, but that doesn't mean someone else won't think it's a brilliant pairing. Your style won't be the same as someone else's, and that's okay. Their voice will differ from yours as well. It's okay.

Now, I'm not saying you have to love, accept, or buy every story, query, or synopsis that you get. I'm not saying to you have to write a detailed letter of explanation for every rejection you give. But can we ditch the snark in social media for a week? Can we ditch it in our conversations? Can't we write a blogpost saying why we love writers or what they consistently do right? Instead of the "reasons why I'm rejecting this" feeds can we focus on "reasons I love this" feeds instead? If you're critiquing someone else's work, is it so difficult to highlight all the many more places they are getting it right instead of the fewer places they are getting it wrong?

Perhaps I'm the crazy one. I'm guilty of succumbing to the writing world negativity at times too. It's something I intend to change. If any of this has agreed with you, will you join me in a positivity week starting today?

Guest Post: To Do's and To Don'ts about Networking

Please welcome Dean C. Rich back to the blog today. He's come to share some thoughts on social networking and how following some simple guidelines can make the experience more enjoyable not only for yourself but others.

Writing is oxymoronic. It is an art and yet a business. An author writes alone, but has to work with others. The writer's subjects are what inspire him/her, yet the material must interest others.

Today I want to focus on the part of solitude while playing well with others.

The internet and social media allows writers to sit alone and literally have the world at their fingertips. Thus the world has shrunk. Gone are the days of anonymity. While writing is still somewhat a solitary venture, the writer still needs to connect with others if his or her words are to be read.

Connecting with others is networking. The word networking has taken on so much negative connotation. It almost seems selfish to connect with others to promote yourself. At least, that is what many take networking to mean. That may be true too. If so, that is one of the things not to do.

To Don'ts:

1- Don't Have an Alter Ego:
Folks think that being on line they are invisible. The "handle" or pseudonym gives a false impression of invisibility, or anonymity. Thus with the idea of no one knows who I am, gives them license to write whatever they want, because their identities are hidden. Understand this: no one is anonymous online.

2 - Don't be a Know-It-All:
I stumbled into Agent Query Connect. In the time I've been there I've seen folks show up thinking they had all the answers. These people spurned advice from members who offered some very sage advice, and these members knew what they were talking about. After awhile, no one would offer the newbie any advice.

3 - Don't Take on More than You Can Handle:
I enjoy the interactions I've had with my online friends. I want to help them, and I want to participate. However, to use an overused cliché, I bit off more than I could chew. I committed to doing things and then didn't deliver. I may have damaged some relationships because of that. I had good intentions, but being overwhelmed and not delivering didn't help the people I was trying to help. It also tarnished my reputation. I hope to make things right, but with relationships there are no guarantees.

4- Don't Lie:
This may seem obvious, but when sharing work with each other the idea to not hurt feelings may be very tempting. That is not helpful. Do not tell someone that their work is great when it is not.

5- Don't be Brutally Honest:
On the flip side, do not blatantly tell someone that their work sucks.

To Do's:
Be Willing to Share:
1- One of the first things I learned as I began networking online is this: If you want help, you must be willing to help. Everyone is busy. Beta reading - you read their work, they read yours. Critique partner? You help with theirs, they help with yours. So be willing to help others and you can get the help you want.

2 - Leave comments on people's blogs:
To network, your name has to be out there. To get your name out there, you have to be out there. Read blogs that interest you and if you like something, say so. To network you can not be shy.

3 - Find multiple outlets:
Blogging is great. Blogging circles are great. Add Twitter, find things on Google +, LinkedIn, and other online communities. I personally have found Agent Query Connect to be a fantastic place to get answers on writing, and the people I've met there are super fantastic.

4 - Learn the etiquette of each site you join:
Twitter has etiquette expectations, depending on the circles the account is in. Writers have a #WW which means Writer's Wednesday where you list the @ of the writers you follow. #FF is Follow Friday where you list those you follow who you like. When someone follows you, you should follow back.

Facebook is another way. Build an author page. I've chosen to use Facebook for my personal things and Twitter for my writing interests. Google + allows me to build circles.

A forum has its own set of rules. Read the FAQ and read posts and responses to learn what is and isn't acceptable.

4- Have fun:
If you are not enjoying things, you may want to rethink what you are doing. Having fun and enjoying the interaction makes it real. Just because there is a name and a picture on a computer screen, there is a real person on the other end.

5- Give back:
As you learn and grow, be willing to share what you've learned with those who follow.

6- Always be polite:
I think that says it all. There are feelings, hopes, and fears. We all have them. The golden rule works very well with all of this. Treat others the way you would like to be treated.

Networking on the internet is about like networking in the real world. You are dealing with real people. What is neat about the internet is you can make friends all over the world. I've had a guest post on a blog whose author is in Africa. I've exchanged ideas with someone from England. I've been in chat rooms with folks from the east and west coasts and Canada. It has been a lot of fun getting to know these people and I am excited when someone I've made friends with gets a book published, or gets an agent, or completes a first draft. It's all good.

Thanks, Joyce, for having me over.

Thank you, Dean. Great thoughts. If anyone would like to add to Dean's list please do so in the comments.

More on Dean:
Twitter
The Write Time (his blog)
Agent Query Connect

Recaps on Writing

I hope you're all well and enjoying your writing journeys. I had some unexpected, and some overwhelming yet fantastic things hit me this week, so I'm posting a list of recaps on previous writing blogposts. And my question for you this week is: What is your favorite type of character to read about? Do you have a preference for male or female? What type of personality makes you smile and perk up as you read? Or does a character's looks strike a chord with you? A particular occupation or goal? A quirk? Think about it and then share in the comments.

Your Story, Your Spin
A post on voice.

Manuscript Disease Top 10 Symptoms
Some guidelines to help you see if you're done revising or if you have more to do.

Receiving Manuscript Feedback

Adjectives, Adverbs, and Sneaky Profanity
Are you guilty of this faux pas?

The Posting/Critiquing Marathon Part 1: What I've Learned So Far
Those painful beginning chapters.

Obese and Anorexic Novels
Why story should be a key factor in regards to word count.

Opposition is a Good Thing

The Posting/Critiquing Marathon Part 2: In Conclusion, What I've Learned
Those underworked middle chapters.

Over-Editing and Self-Esteem
For compulsive perfectionists.

Cutting Down Character Count or How to Amputate 101

Don't Spend So Much Time Polishing Your Beginning ...

World-building: Think Big, Be Creative, Have Fun!

We Are Onions Not Turnips
A few words on characters.

Enticing Your Readers

What Is Talent?

Fulfilling Your Promises to the Reader
The problem with book series.





 

Giving Back: Week #1 Thank You Followers!!

Today I'd like to extend a heartfelt "Thank You" to those of you who regularly follow my blog. I wish I had the means to do one of those super popular book giveaways, hook you up directly with a team of literary agents or editors in a contest, or offer gift cards. I'm mostly a researcher, not a social butterfly with a wide networking reach. The research posts are the ones I get the most hits with, so that must be what everyone likes. Whew! I don't have to be Miss Popularity.

So...I'd like to spotlight my regulars today. And I know there are some of you who check in often who haven't officially "followed" the blog. Thank you, as well! It's nice to know that I'm not writing into a vacuum and I hope that I've been of some help. Please know I'm aware of you and I love your input.

Here are those of you I can account for:
Darke Conteur, AngieS, Precy Larkins, R.C. Lewis, cjrehse, Calista Taylor, Riley Redgate, Casey McCormick, Diana, Ashley Nixon, A.M. Supinger, Marewolf, Stephanie Poscente, Kayleen Hamblin, Stephanie Diaz, Dean C. Rich, Carissa Andrews, Dave, Moonshade, Donald McFatridge, Kacey Vanderkarr, Amy Jarecki, Small Town Shelly Brown, Richard Pieters, E.M. LaBonte, Kate Spencer, paula, Lisa Terry, clarklori, Kelsey, Kela McClelland, Jenny Phresh, Michelle 4 Laughs, khaula mazhar, E.B. Black, Rissa, Debra McKellan, Bethany Crandell, Suzanne Payne, The Golden Eagle, Stephen Tremp, Leslie, sc_author, Margaret, Alice Martin, Manup Admin, SL Jenan, Lanette, Rowanwolf, E.F. Jace, David Ferretti III, Peter Burton, catwoods, Margo Kelly, Jemi Fraser, Tracy, Jemma Davidson, TK Richardson, and T.J. Loveless.

Some of you have encouraged my foray in the social networking world and helped drive traffic my way. Thank you! Some of you have been kind enough to let me read your work and some have taken the figurative red pen to mine. Thank you! Some of you have wonderful blogs of your own. Thank you! I enjoy reading them. Some of you comment on my posts. Thank you, thank you!! Some of you are great examples to me and I admire your vision, your fortitude, and your talent. Thank you.

In my part of the world, I'd spend the day in the kitchen baking you goodies. If there are any blog topics you'd like to see more of, or would like me tackle, please let me know. I like to think of this blog more as a way to help other people than an online diary for my sake.

Inspiration

I have a guest post up over at Oh, The Things I've Learned (home of the super-nice, talented Angie Sandro) where I share a bit about what has inspired me. Angie has an entire series of guest posts where people share what inspire them. Come on over and share in the comments what inspires you.

Blog Break!

Summer, heat, (birthday), winding down another writing project—all reasons for a week long break from blogging. I’ll be back August 21^st. In the meantime, there are my archives to explore, the Spotlighted Blogs links to check out, and comments on any old post are welcome. Or, if you feel so inclined, tell me how you’re doing, what color suits your mood right this minute, or what topics you’d like to see more of on this blog. I’ll still be active on AQC, Twitter, and e-mail.

Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts with me.

And just because I'm in one of those moods:

Linkage Catch-Up

Normally I try to do something like this on an occasional Saturday, but let's face it, it's the growing season and all my spare time is spent outside in battle trying to reclaim my yard from the weeds the landlord let go rampant everywhere. So let's play a little catch-up on some of the really good blog links that have recently come out. And hey, if you've run across a really good one I didn't spot, mention it in the comments.

Let's start with some new agent alerts from GLA:
Jennifer Azantian, now at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency: "Jennifer is only interested in: young adult science fiction and fantasy (including all of their subgenres)."

Okay then, here's a fresh new agent for all of you writing speculative fiction from the YA POV.

Sarah Joy Freese, now at Wordserve Literary: "Christian romance, Christian historical romance, Christian suspense, and paranormal romance...I am looking for full-length fiction, 65,000-100,000 words in either the general or Christian market."

So if you are writing paranormal romance with a Christian bent, you might want to check her out.

Sara Sciuto, now at Full Circle Literary: "Sara is actively building her list with a focus on middle grade and young adult, in particular, dystopian, science fiction, fantasy, and unique paranormal. She also enjoys contemporary stories with a strong, authentic voice (but no chick-lit, please). She has a particular soft spot for anything in the Deep South (sweet contemporary to dark paranormal), gritty contemporary, utilitarian dystopias or dystopian thrillers, anything with international locales or period settings (think flappers or “Mad Men”), and anything with artistic themes. Sara is also looking for standout picture books, especially those with a quirky or humorous narrative. She’s also considering select nonfiction in the areas of craft, design, how-to, lifestyle, and pop culture. Currently, she is NOT considering any adult fiction (all genres)."

Again, here's one for the YA/MG writing crowd.

Andrew Wetzel, now at Martin Literary Management: "Speaking of my tastes, the areas I’d most like to carve out for myself with Martin Literary Management would be ‘Literary with a capital L’ fiction (think Eugenides, Houellebecq, Murakami, Cormac McCarthy, Martin Amis) as well as the dark corner of the literary list that is slightly less pretentious and slightly more commercial (think Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Dennis Johnson). That’s a very ‘male’ list and it is definitely where my personal tastes lie. I love a great story but style is just as important to me sometimes. I’m also very interested in reading Young Adult novels, specifically those with a macabre sensibility or a fascinating dystopian or fantasy setting."

Promising for many speculative fiction writers whether writing to adults or YA.

And now onto some good blogpost links:
Write to Express, Not To Impress by Bernadette Pajer
Confusion is Not the Same as Mystery by Mary Kole
The Real Beginning by Mary Kole
Fridays With Agent Kristin: Episode 7 - What is a Plot Catalyst?
The Criteron for Evaluating an Agent by Kristin Nelson
7 Bad Habits of Successful Writers by Rachelle Gardner
Quality Books Take Time by Rachelle Gardner
Contracts by Anne Elliot (The contract between writer and reader)
Something Old, Something New by Sophie Masson
Going Deeper: A Process Rather Than a Technique by Robin LaFevers
How NOT to write a series, OR, Don't put all your eggs in one basket by Jennifer Laughran
ProTips for Published Authors Pt.1: Website Tips by Jennifer Laughran
ProTips for Published Authors Pt. 2: The Bookstore Event by Jennifer Laughran
April Offers--FAQs by Vickie Motter
May Conferences: Prep Work by Vickie Motter
May Conferences: Etiquette by Vickie Motter
Checking References by Sarah LaPolla
Start Your Story: a post from TBA Intern Y on The Bent Agency blog
It's in the details, writers! by Alan Rinzler
Writers Wednesday: An Authors Greatest Tools by E.M. LaBonte
The Five Stages of Query Revisions by Riley Redgate
What Are You Looking for in an Agent? by Jami Gold
Cliffhangers: Not Just for the End of a Book by Jami Gold
Thinking about first person by Patricia C.Wrede
What Kind of Skeleton by Patricia C. Wrede (Plot structure)

I think if I do more your eyes will glaze over. What's listed should fill any spare blog reading time.

Blogiversary Treasure Hunt! Part 2

I hope you've had fun with Part 1. You can still rack up points by doing any or all of the activities. Part 2 is time sensitive and you'll really need to examine those 7 participating blog posts to hunt out the answers.

*Note: If you were a blogpost participant, you may not answer any question in regards to your own blogpost but you may answer the questions regarding the blogposts of others.

Copyright Joyce Alton & Nicolle Raty

Are. You. Ready?

Post your answers in the comment section of this blogpost.
Make sure any points you earn tonight go into your overall tally posted in the comments of Part 1.

Question #1, for 25 points:
There were three movies listed at least three times within those 7 blog tag posts. Name one.

Once they've all been named, the question closes. Please don't list more than one. Points go to the first people who name one.

Question #2 , for 35 points:
Go to the blogpost of the person who has a MC named Charlotte. Tell me five things about her. (One per person. The first five different attributes can claim the points).

Question #3, for 35 points:
Go to the blogpost that says their favorite movies are: The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Avatar, District 9, and Ella Enchanted.
a) What is the spotlighted MCs main conflict?
b) What is the MC's name?
c) Where is the MC at?
(One answer per person. First ones to name an answer get the points.)

Question #4, for 35 points:
Find the blogpost who's favorite authors begin with the letters: R, A, K, A, O, S, G, and J.
Create an acronym out of those letters and tell us what it means! (Post in the comments of this blogpost.) No limit to the number of people who can win points.
In the MC spotlight tell me what the protagonist is seeking and what it is called. (First person to do so gets the points).

Question #5, for 35 points:
Find the blogpost with Drostangea in it.
In the MC spotlight tell me:
a) What event forces the protagonist into a new existence? (First person to answer can claim the points.)
b) Name one of the three attributes that describe the people the protagonist ends up living with. (One attribute per person. First mention of any attribute gets the points.)

For an additional 10 points, there is a challenge at the end of this MC spotlight. Make your guesses here in the comments.

Question #6, for 35 points:
Go to the blogpost of the person who likes the T.V. show of Avatar, The Last Airbender, but who hates the movie version.
In their MC spotlight and tell me:
a) What event changes the path the protagonist is on? (First person to answer can claim the points.)
b) Name three characteristics of the protagonist. (One attribute per person. First three different attributes mentioned can claim the points.

Question #7, for 35 points:
Find the blogpost of the person who'd take a brush and contact lenses with them to a fantasy world.
In their MC spotlight tell me what is wrong with the protagonist's world. (The first person with a complete, correct answer, claims the points.)

Question #8, for 35 points:
Go the blogpost with the word Ceritha in it.
In the MC spotlight, tell me:
a) What special capability does the protagonist have? (First person to answer gets the points.)
b) Name two big problems the protagonist must deal with. (One answer per person. First two answers may claim the points.)

Question #9, for 25 points: (If you were a blogpost participant, you can't answer this one.)
All of these blogposts, except mine, list some industry links that they recommend. There is one link that is on every single one of those blogposts--what is it? (First one with the answer may claim the points.)

#10--Challenge, for 200 points:
(The first person to solve the puzzle and find the answer gets the points!)
a) In the fourth I am first.
b) In the last I am the second of the sixth answer.
c) In the third I am in the fourth answer. Number three of the third part and the key to the entire challenge answer.
d) The next two bits are found in the second. Take the first and last from the beginning and the fourth from the ending.
e) Search the first. Within the second answer there are _____ mistakes. I rhyme with that answer. Don't guess or your answer may be false.
f) The first part of me is found: 6-1, 6-5, 6-3, 5-11, 5-6, 1-7, 5-3, 5-2
Put us together and see what you've found.


Participating Blogposts:
In the Jungle
It's In the Details
Questions & Archetypes
A Storyteller's Musings
Verbose Veracity
The Write Time
Yesternight's Voyage

Blogiversary Treasure Hunt! Part 1



Copyright Joyce Alton & Nicolle Raty

Okay, it’s Saturday. Have some time on your hands? Feel like playing a multi-blog interactive game to rack up points? If so, keep reading.
What’s at stake? The best and most valuable thing I can offer for a prize is a critique from me. If you’d like some constructive, no nonsense, honest feedback on the beginning of your novel, I’m willing to temporarily open my hiatus to provide some. So whoever racks up the most points by the end of the day will be declared the winner of a partial critique (1st three chapters or roughly 50 pgs.) and I’ll critique the first chapter of the second place winner (no more than 20 pgs.) Official winners will be announced next Tuesday, since I will go back and check everyone's track record to make sure everything's fair and square.

First, some ground rules:
1) Anyone may participate. You don’t have to have a blog, be part of any particular writing community, or even know me. I do ask that you be civil and only post things that can be read by general audiences.

2) No anonymous posting. If you don’t have an online presence, you can post your comments as anonymous but need to mention your name in the comments so we know who you are.

3) Pay close attention to the instructions that go with the points. If you don’t, you might not be earning the points you think you are. Some answers need to be posted in specific blogposts, others in the comments sections of this one. Stay sharp, treasure hunters!

4) You’ll post your overall point tally in the comments section of this blogpost. Please include a list of what you did and where, plus any required links for proof.

5) You don't have to do all of the activities listed below. Pick what you will and try to earn as many points as you can.

6) If you were a blogpost participant, you can't do any of these activities on your own blog.

There are two stages of the game. Here’s stage 1:

100 pts.: IF you were a participant in my Treasure Hunt Blogiversary Tag game. You get these automatically. Congrats! And a huge thank you.
30 pts.: Goes to the first person to respond to any of the participants’ writing prompts. (See participating blog links below.) Make sure you post your writing prompt answer in the comments of the blog which posed the teaser.
25 pts.: Pick a blogpost by any of the 7 participating blogs and either share a link to it on Facebook, Twitter, or your own blog. Be sure to mention if you did when you record your overall tally here. You can pick as many of their blogposts as you’d like to share but you can’t repeat the same blogpost or count it twice if you share it in more than one place.
15 pts.: For responding to a writing prompt on any of the 7 participating blogs (if you weren't first.) So you can rack up points if you do it for all of them. Make sure you post your writing prompt answer in the comments of the blog which posed the teaser.
15 pts.: Write a character description based on the 4 random things listed in any of the participating blogs in the comments section of that blog. Add an extra 5 points if that blog administrator comments back on your description!
5 pts.: Tell me in the comments section of this blog, when you tally your points, which of the 7 bloggers you’d tag along with if transported to a fantasy world, based on what they said they’d take with them.
5 pts.: Each of the 7 participants recommended at least 3 industry blogs. Check out those recommended blogs and share a link back in the comments section, of the person who recommended it, of one or more of the posts you read and liked from those blogs. You get 5 points for each link you share. (Only blogposts written this month apply.) Get an additional 10 points if you share why you loved that blogpost in at least two sentences.

For just today, rack up all the points you can! Don’t forget to share a record of your points collected in the comments of this post or they won’t count.

Be sure to return to Yesternight’s Voyage later today (around 6pm Mountain Daylight Time) for part 2 of the treasure hunt. Bigger points to be gained then!

Participating Blog Links:
In the Jungle (Riley Redgate)
It's In the Details (Michelle4Laughs)
Questions and Archetypes (J. W. Troemner)
A Storyteller's Musings (Peter Burton)
Verbose Veracity (E.F. Jace)
The Write Time (Dean C. Rich)
Yesternight’s Voyage (my answers)

Pre-Writing: A Cure for Writers Block and Having Limited Time to Write

Blog swapping continues. To read my post on this topic you'll need to jump over to The Write Time, blogging home of Dean C. Rich. Dean's blog is chock full of great time saving tips and advice, valuable stuff for anyone and not just writers.

What do you do to pump yourself up for writing a scene you have been dreading?

To find out my answer to this question, this time you need to hurry over to Verbose Veracity, blog home of writer E.F. Jace. Blog swapping continues! Stay tuned for another great guest post here on my blog tomorrow. Be sure to check out E.F. Jace's worldbuilding series on her blog and join in the conversation.

How do POV changes alter our perception? Specifically, when each POV tells the same story a different way. Does this work?

If you want to hear my take on the answer you need to jump on over to Terri Bruce's website to find out. I'm doing some blog swapping with fellow Speculative Fiction Group members and so far it's been a lot of fun.

Blog Sifting

I remember when I first dived into the blogosphere and started devouring blogposts. It was like discovering a new favorite dessert and I couldn’t get enough of it. So many new shiny blogs to read! So much great advice to be uncovered in blog archives! So many links to other blogs and then articles and then writer websites! Tasty and overwhelming for a first-timer.

Blog Tip #1: There’s a whole world of blogs and online articles out there. It’s foolish to limit yourself to a handful. Many a golden post or article is buried in archives and doing some digging always reaps a bountiful harvest.

I certainly learned a lot at a fast rate. Then I hit stage two, where I realized that I would never reach the end of the blogosphere. Unless I dropped everything else in my life and devoted all my time to reading what was online, I might get to the point where I’d seen it all and stay afloat with all the new blogs and posts that come up daily. It just isn’t possible.

Blog Tip #2: Becoming a discerning blog reader. After awhile you’ll get a feel for which blogs give you what you want and need and which ones don’t. Assess those personal needs and wants when making up your list of favorites. You don’t have to follow every blog out there. Yet don’t close yourself completely off once your list is made. New stars rise all the time in the blogosphere. It’s still good to go out and do a random sampling of new material every once in awhile.

Stage three then set in. Not all blogs agree, especially writing and publishing blogs. Even the professionals don’t see things the same way. That was a big eye opener. In fact, most blogs are really op-eds or subjective lists. Anything from book reviews, to submission guidelines, to writing techniques and advice. I learned to take everything with a huge grain of salt.

Blog Tip #3: Look for patterns or advice that agree more than disagree if trying to teach yourself the ropes. If blogger A and blogger B give out opposing advice, search around for confirmation to the question from many others, not just one or two more. And remember that some issues have two or three camps with no definitive wrong answer. The blogosphere is faulty, flawed, and sometimes dead wrong.

In the next stage I saw a disturbing trend, popularity. Wow, I thought, here we are back in high school. All the old social rules and cliques apply. Some frivolous blogs have droves of followers, other more substantial and useful blogs are buried in obscurity, and there are several levels in between. There are niche blogs (which tend to do well if they corner the niche before the masses) and blogs of professionals (which get a following because they are professionals.) Depending on your reading preference, and which crowd you like to pal around with, there’s something for everyone.

Blog Tip #4: You don’t have to follow popular blogs if they don’t float your boat. There’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t have to have a popular blog to be a successful blogger either. Be yourself. There are all kinds of tastes and needs out there.

Then came the brave day when I submitted my first few comments to a couple of blogs. I laugh now at my shyness. Sure, the blogger didn’t always comment back, and sometimes I really liked a post but didn’t have anything to add to it, and sometimes other commentators beat me to the punch. I soon found out that bloggers like to get comments and to carry on the conversation. Whether it’s a congratulations on an achievement, or a question, or some helpful return advice, or even an anecdote, it’s appreciated.

Blog Tip #5: You won’t be graded on whether you ever commented or not on a blog. So if you’re happiest being a lurker, it’s okay. But, bloggers do like to know they aren’t writing to a vacuum. Don’t be afraid that lightning will strike you if you dare say anything. Remember to be courteous and mind your manners. No one likes to find a troublemaker stirring up trouble in anyone’s comments section.

Nowadays, I tend to spend less time reading blogs. I’m not glutting myself on new and exciting information about how the industry works. I am keeping tabs on the pulse and watching for great posts and discussions going on. I confess I’m not a avid commentator either, that’s just me. I do comment once in awhile or I’ll share the link to a really good post on Twitter or my writing website on occasion. I think the blogosphere is a great tool and it’s exciting to be part of it now, but I do heartily recommend sifting through the blogosphere over a period of time to make it manageable and to make it work for you, not the other way around.

Have you had similar or other stages of enlightenment regarding the blogosphere you feel like sharing? Have any great advice on how you siphon blogs? How much time to you devote to the blogosphere (both reading and writing for?)