Release Day for Trefury: Mendi's Curse! Info, Soundtracks, and Quizzes

Copyright 2014 Nicolle Raty Murray; original artwork

My debut novel, Trefury: Mendi's Curse, is now available for purchase in hardcover format.

The land of Callorin is dying, cast off from divine aid and adrift in cold seas, with dark powers swooping in for the kill. As they have for thousands of years, Callorin turns to Thssk to fix the problem, but Thssk wants to avoid everyone. He failed last time, and his human handler put a curse on him as he abandoned her on a battlefield. She would be avenged through the next girl Thssk forced to become his handler.

Thssk is sent on a mission to another world to rescue the long-lost heir of Origiba, in the hope of developing outside support for Callorin. While there, Thssk tries to thwart the curse by taking Cortnee, a tech savvy, arts major as his new handler. It is only when Thssk has gained the upper hand over his enemies and everything seems to be working out for a change that he discovers he is not the game changer anymore—Cortnee is.

On a world where starships are born, homes grow, and flowers can flatten entire cities, millions of lives are at stake. More importantly, Thssk’s notorious past comes back to bite him. The girl who has become a catalyst politically and astralgically won’t communicate with him, and she has some crazy ideas about how to get their job done. With her, Thssk may fail for a second time, without her, he may never attain the great future he was promised.

You might like Trefury if you are into:
1) Adventure stories.
2) Stories spanning multiple worlds.
3) Diverse characters in both gender and race.
4) Fascinating, exotic, and mind-boggling settings.
5) Entwining plot lines.

 Trefury also fits into a rare niche, it's clean speculative fiction. No sex, no profanity, no graphic violence. The readership age range is from 15 on up (based on vocabulary and themes in the story).

While I am very excited to finally share this story with everyone, I am mostly feeling a sense of relief and calm. It is very satisfying to complete a project like this. And it's also nice to realize that achieving a dream is neither a summation of who I am, nor is it a place of arrival. This is a milestone in my life and I'm grateful that I have it as a foundation for writing future novels and improving my talent as a storyteller.

I want to thank the many people who helped me brainstorm, revise, edit, and who supported me in this effort. You've made me a better writer and have helped me make this story something to be proud of.

And to finish off my writing soundtrack, at least the big highlights, here are the last two tracks, including the song that epitomizes the whole thing.

First up, "Whiplash" by Selena Gomez. (No pun intended, for those of you who have read the book.)

This song became my "Trefury mode" anthem.

And here is the song that is my book, "What You're Thinking (Pure Energy)" by Information Society. While I listened to the original version a lot, the remixed version is my favorite. If you listen to any of the soundtrack songs, make it this one.

Original Version:

*Remixed Version:

For more soundtracks and previous Trefury posts click here.

And finally ...
Read the book and think you know it? Try out one of the new quizzes about Trefury: Mendi's Curse on Goodreads.


Today's the last day to enter for a free copy here on my blog, but starting tomorrow you can get a second opportunity to snag a free copy on Goodreads. The link in the sidebar will be updated to direct you.

Imagination Lives!

Now that it's warm outside I've started talking my kids for an hour long walk nearly every day. It's not something they particularly relish, although we change routes each time to keep the scenery interesting. The reward for going on a walk is our destination. There are three major parks with playgrounds in my town. We get to the park, the kids get to play (another sneaky way to get them to exercise) and then afterwards, we walk home.

The most rewarding part has been the conversations we have. I get to listen to their ideas and they like to share the stories they are making up, their goals, and the things they'd like to do. And once we're at the park, I get to sit and watch them in action. My kids like to round up every available kid on the playground into a group and then they initiate some kind of game or story scenario to play. No one gets left out. It's fun watching their imagination in action, and even better when I see other kids, who were hesitant at first, get into the spirit of things and have a blast.

It's a great show for me. And yes, I sometimes feel bad for the other parents who are sitting around on their cellphones or other gadgets, who miss out on the experience. Not long ago, we didn't have handheld gadgets. We were kids on playgrounds. I know I couldn't do the monkey bars again, and I'm too big for the twirly slide, but I remember how it felt. The calluses I'd build up, the high-stakes terror of not getting to the bottom of the slide where danger lurked, twisting around in a swing and then letting go, dizzily spinning as it unwound. Okay, so I'm very nostalgic right now. We can't go back to being kids.

Remember when you were a kid? What sorts of things did you like to pretend? Did you prefer to stray into the realm of fancy alone or did you like to do it with friends?

Here's a fun video to help recapture the memories:

 Share a memory in the comments or tell me what your favorite playground game was. Mine was Ghosts in the Graveyard.

Tongue-In-Cheek Fun

Everything seems to go into high gear as November transitions to December. The weather's gone crazy and so have some people. My family has been very sick for nearly three weeks and I'm worn out and tired. While anything is possible writing fodder (for those of us struggling to remember the bright side,) I wanted to share a couple of funny online sketches to lighten the mood.

First up, a popular YA stereotype bites the dust:

And next, the tongue-in-cheek sketch that opens up questions about plagiarism and overused tropes:

Lastly, to help you get in the mood for writing a scene where a man and a woman are arguing:

Hopefully these brought a smile to your lips like they did to mine. No matter what the stress of the season, take time to breathe and laugh.

MASH - The Publishing Version Pt. 2

Welcome back! Ready for the second half of the fortune-telling game? If not, go back one post and prepare your fortune sheet.

For those who have a prepared sheet, here's what happens next:

That number you first selected and wrote in the top right hand corner? That is your fortune number. Say I picked number 4. Starting with the first box, I would count four slots and cross out the fourth one. Count down four, cross out the next fourth. Keep going over and over through the document. When all but one slot in the boxes have been crossed out, circle the surviving slot and skip that section as you count through the rest of the boxes. When all of your boxes have one slot circled, stop.

Example:
S  I  M  A  E

Now for the fun part: interpretation!

Box #1, the letters stand for:
Self-Publish
Indie/Small Press
Major Publisher
Anthology
Ezines/Magazines

Box #2 determines who your agent/agency will be. If the blank slot was circled, it means no agent.

Box #3 tells you how many query letters you'll end up sending.

Box #4 tells you how many months you'll spend querying.

Box #5, the letters stand for:
Single offer
Multiple offers
No offers

Box #6 tells you which publisher you'll end up with. If the blank slot was circled, it means no publisher.

Box #7 indicates what your advance will be. Just add a dollar sign.

Box #8 tells you which social media site will have your strongest word-of-mouth campaign regarding your book.

Box #9 indicates which city you'll start with on your first book tour.

Box #10 tells you where you'll sell foreign rights to first.

Box #11 tells you which object from your story will be the focal point of your cover.

Box #12 tells you what the main color of your book cover will be.

Box #13 is your book's average rating from readers.

Box #14 is the infamous ill-fortune rub. If you circled ...
#1 - You end up losing your editor for one who isn't as enthusiastic about your project.
#2 - You lose your agent and have to start the query search all over.
#3 - The movie made from your book tanks.
#4 - No one takes on your manuscript. Back to square one with a new manuscript. All other numbers and predictions are voided.
#5 - One of your fans starts stalking you.
#6 - Your publicity campaign is scrubbed.
#7 - You get a lot of bad reviews.
#8 - Your second book dive-bombs the success of your first one.
#9 - A bad cover.
#10 - You signed a bad contract that gives you few rights or say in the publishing process.

So - what did you come up with? Share your results in the comments section.

MASH - The Publishing Version Pt. 1

Hey queriers! I'll be starting up the Agency Prospects series again in September. Summer is a notorious slow down time for querying because agents are taking vacations and doing rounds at conferences.

So instead, for fun and to keep up the querying ambiance, I give you MASH - the Publishing Version. I don't know if girls today still play this game. Probably not, since it requires two archaic tools: paper and a pencil or pen. MASH (mansion, apartment, shack, house) is a fortune-telling game where you create lists to determine where you'll live, who you'll marry, your career, how many children you'll have, etc. I came up with a new version. Want to play?

1) Get a piece of paper or open up a new word processing document. Pick a number between 2 and 20. Write this number in the upper right hand corner of your paper.

2) Now you'll begin to make the fortune-telling 'boxes'. Your first section should have these letters:
S  I  M  A  E

3) Your next box should be numbered from 1-6. Write 5 agent or agency names down, leaving one slot blank. (The blank slot can be anywhere in the list.)

4) For the third box, list five numbers between 0-300

5) The fourth box should have five numbers between 1-36

6) The fifth box should have the letters:
S  M  N

7) The sixth box should be numbered from 1-6. Write the names of 5 publishers leaving one slot blank. (The blank slot can be anywhere in the list.)

8) The seventh box should have these numbers:
0
5,000
10,000
50,000
100,000

9) In the eighth box, list four social media sites.

10) In the ninth box, list five major cities.

11) In the tenth box, list five countries (other than your own.)

12) In the eleventh box, list 5 objects having to do with your story.

13) In the twelfth box, list 4 colors.

14) The thirteenth box should list the numbers 1-5.

15) The fourteenth box should be numbered from 1-10.

Come back this afternoon for Pt. 2 where we'll finish the game.

 

The Dangers of Blinding Ourselves

I was able to participate in a great object lesson this past weekend, something which I think also applies to the writing and publishing process.

Step 1:
Get two pieces of paper.

Step 2:
On the first paper write down all the positive, good things going on with your writing life.

Step 3:
Write down one recent instance when someone or something made you mad, hurt, frustrated, or depressed.

Now, here's the trick. Put the paper of positivity on your lap. Hold up the negative paper to your nose. Can you see the positive paper anymore?

It's human nature. One bad thing pushes away all of the positives going on in our lives. We nurse it, focus on it, and make it grow. And if not checked it can consume us.

Whether it's a negative review, lack of interest from agents or publishers, a mean critique from a beta reader, apathy from your writing group, or even that little internal voice that whispers horrible things about ourselves and our abilities - these are all like that second piece of paper. We hold it above everything else and become blinded.

So how do we get rid of it? It's not easy most of the time. The first part is recognizing there is a negative slip of paper duct taped to our faces. We need to replace it with the positive list. And in some cases, where it involves someone else, we need to let the offense slide past and forgive. Even if they never apologize or go on to hand out more offenses. If we don't, we're letting that negative person or experience control how happy we are.

How have you handled the metaphorical negative slip of paper and gotten rid of it? Are you still struggling with one? Or share some of the positive things from your first sheet of paper. Some of mine are:

People who love my writing and are clamoring for more.
I have great writing friends who beta read for me.
Looking at my writing five years ago compared to today, I see major growth.

Some Overdue Fun

Brainstorming. Do you love it or hate it? Is it easy or hard? Is it better to make a list of ideas, bounce suggestions back and forth with a crit partner, or do ideas generally hit you while doing some mundane daily activity?

For a little “lol”:
Dictionary.com defines the term:
Brainstorming: a conference technique of solving specific problems, amassing information, stimulating creative thinking, developing new ideas, etc., by unrestrained and spontaneous participation in discussion.

Brainstorm: a. a sudden impulse, idea, etc.
b. a fit of mental confusion or excitement.

Or you could look at it this way:

This reminds me so much of that old party game where one person starts a story, then the next person adds a bit, and so on around the circle. As long as no one purposely sabotages the story line, it's great fun.

I like to make a list of ideas for one problem, sometimes an opposites list, too. I'm usually alone, so that works for me. But when I can get with fellow writers, either in person or in chat, brainstorming off each other is a blast.

Do you have any interesting brainstorming rituals or tactics? Please share!
 

Blog Tag: The Next Big Thing

Hopeful, if presumptuous title, isn't it?

My friend (read between the lines to mean verbal sparring partner during chats, someone who makes me laugh, and fellow writer on AQC) Peter Burton asked me if I would like to participate in the latest popular blog meme. I thought "Sure, sounds like fun!" Easier said than done, once I realized that I'd have to actually talk about not only myself but my writing. *Gulp*

As a reader, pleasure or beta, I'm pretty confident. As a writer, I hold no "delusions of gradeur." There are tons of good writers out there. Click on Peter's name and follow his links back to some of the other participants. Great stuff, some of which I wish were in print already so I could read them.

Part of the game is asking other writers to jump on board. It seems my pool of friends and acquaintances have either been tagged or aren't interested. However, if anyone reading this wants to do it too, go ahead. If you want me to link to your post, be sure to tell me. The Next Best Thing posts go up every Wednesday.

Alright, so here are the questions EDIT - my answers have been removed for privacy purposes:
1- What is the working title of your book?

2- Where did the idea for the book come from?


3- What genre does your book fall under?

4- Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

5- What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

6- Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

7- How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

8- What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

9- Who or what inspired you to write this book?

10- What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

And now, back to focusing on other things and other people.
Tell me which of those questions makes you inwardly quake or have to puzzle over it for awhile. Have you ever resurrected an old manuscript for a makeover and how did it go?

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:

Crazy Lines Game

I thought I’d do something a little different today. I’m going to share the seventeenth sentence of pg. 105 from my WIP (numbers picked at random). Would you share yours in the comments? It’ll read like a patchwork quilt if we get enough people involved. If you’re not up to pg. 105 yet just pick the last page you’re on.

I’d like to see how many lines we can get.

Here’s mine:
Oh the irony.

Treasure Hunt Winners

Thanks again to everyone who played blog tag, participated in the treasure hunt, or who even checked out any of the participating blogs!

The winner of a partial critique goes to Riley Redgate. Congrats!

The winner of a first chapter critique is Michell4laughs. Congrats to you too!

I'll be in contact with both of you this week as to where to send your chapters.

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)

Blogiversary Tag & Treasure Hunt—My Answers

I’m very excited for the upcoming treasure hunt, details to be spelled out here on the 22nd, so be sure to check back if you want to play. To be fair to everyone else who has been wonderful about participating, here are my answers to the same questions:

1) Who are your favorite speculative fiction writers?
Recent favorites: Allison Baird, Brandon Mull, Suzanne Collins, Cornelia Funke, and David Weber.

2) Write a two or three sentence writing prompt to inspire your readers today. (Encourage them to post their responses in your comments section.)
You stand in the middle of a long hallway. There is a door at either end. You don’t remember which door you came in at but you know you can’t exit the way you entered or else someone you love will be killed. There are no windows but a skylight spans the length of the hallway, the trouble is it’s two stories above where you stand.

3) List three favorite industry blogs/websites that you've found helpful.
Take a gander up at the tab labeled Spotlighted Blogs.

4) Give us the low-down on your main character (or one of your main characters) in the story you're working on right now, regardless if it's finished or not. Describe his/her personality, situation, and what his/her biggest problem/obstacle is.
MC (still working on the name) is hard working, eager to please, yet shy and unassertive socially. She’s been a charity drudge for old friends of her family since she was a child and either pitied or looked down upon by people in her community. That is until someone maliciously sets fire to her benefactors’ outbuildings and she gets the blame. She’s driven into exile, amid a host of freakish outcasts with magical abilities and a dim view of the outside world. Now she is forced to make a new life for herself, make friends and allies, face a formidable threat that has been stalking her since she was a child, and above all, she finds out her body is changing in frightening ways, unlike anything her world has seen before.  (And I bet no one can guess how!)

5) What are your favorite speculative fiction movies from the last five years?
Thor, The Sorceror’s Apprentice, Tangled, Star Trek (the reboot), The Adventures of Merlin (TV show, not a movie), Megamind (the movie I expected to hate and turned out to love.)

6) If you were suddenly thrown into another world where magic existed, what is something from the real world you'd want to take with you? (Limitations apply on energy sources and such.)
A good pair of sunglasses, a mirror, and a generous hygiene kit.

7) List the first type of these things you think of:
a) color: blueb) number: 14c) made-up name: Drostangead) an adjective: harry

Saturday Link Special #14, Plus!

Happy Irish/St. Patrick’s/Lucky Day!! Wishing you all the best of luck with your writing, submissions, and sales. Here’s another roundup of links which will hopefully be lucky for you too.

GLA has new agent alerts:
Paula Munier now at Talcott Notch Literary is seeking “mystery/thriller, SF/fantasy, romance, YA, memoir, humor, pop culture, health & wellness, cooking, self-help, pop psych, New Age, inspirational, technology, science, and writing.”

Paul Lucas now at Janklow & Nesbit Associates is seeking “a wide variety of commercial and literary fiction, as well as specific nonfiction. In fiction, he enjoys both character and plot driven novels but it’s important to him for the storytelling to be clear and accessible. In genre fiction, he is looking for thrillers, spy, science fiction and fantasy genre writing, as well as literary novels. He appreciates a literary bent, subverting genre and darker, conflicted characters. Finally, he loves historical fiction and war novels. For nonfiction, he is interested in representing popular science books, new ways of exploring the major sports and narrative histories. (He does not represent romance, westerns, women’s fiction, memoir, self-help, children’s or picture books.)”

Kat Salazar now at Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents is seeking “young adult, middle grade, and children’s picture books. For adult audiences, she is interested in literary fiction and urban fantasy.”

Agent Mary Kole has some great examples and points when it's time to Omit Needless Words.

If you haven't discovered Agent Kristin Nelson's Friday Vlog Series, here are the links to play catch-up:
Episode #1: How To Become a Literary Agent
Episode #2: The Difference Between Young Adult and Middle Grade
Episode #3: Why Page Length for YA or MG Is The Wrong Question
Episode #4: Talking Middle Grade
Episode #5: Are there Off-Limit Topics for YA & MG Novels?
Episode #6: Pitch Versus Synopsis

The Intern hits the social media nail on the head with her post: a follow's not a book sale (though it's very nice): thoughts on social media. Well put and a good reason to chill out a bit.

And...since I was tagged by Riley Redgate over at In The Jungle, here are my answers to the Lucky 7 Memery:

Here is a fast writer's Meme. Rules:

1. Go to page 77 of your current ms.

2. Go to line 7.

3. Copy down the next 7 lines/sentences, and post them as they're written. No cheating.

4. Tag 7 other victims, er, authors. 

Um, yes, this is still rough, but here you go:

An irritating white dot flashed up from a secondary projection to his right. He absently pulled toward it while marking another map on the first.

            He tapped the white light and the vocal translation spilled into the room. “I’ve found Terra Helsett. Location: Ordest, Helan Valley…” The rest of the message blurred into a garbled mess.

            Cej's face drained of color. Impossible.

And I'm tagging:

1. Michelle4Laughs

2. Angie Sandro

3. Terri Bruce

4. E.F. Jace

5. E.M. LaBonte

6. Stephanie Diaz

7. Peter Burton

What If?

Every once in awhile I like to start a game of What If? with my writer friends.  So to pose a question: What if everyone in the world was always born blind (what would the world be like?) and then one day someone is born who can see? Would the sighted person be treated as disabled by everyone else or would they change their world? Care to weigh in on my question, please do!

And if a spontaneous game of What If? fits your mood today, post your own brain-teaser question in the comments. Maybe we can collectively inspire each other.

Blogiversary Month: Treasure Hunt Tag

This month marks the one-year anniversary of Yesternight's Voyage. Thanks for reading and sharing your comments and experiences.

To kick-off the festivities (there will be more than one special feature this month) I'd like to begin with a game of Speculative Blog Tag.

The rules are as follows:
1) Answer the questions on your own blog.
2) Tag three other speculative fiction blog writers to participate.
3) Each participant needs to link their blogpost with their answers back to Yesternight's Voyage.
4) Leave a comment in the original post (on Yesternight's Voyage) as to why you love, write, or read speculative fiction and a link to your blog.
5) Stay tuned to Yesternight's Voyage this month for a mad treasure hunt (later on) that will connect all the participating blogs.
6) Make sure you post these rules on your blog when participating.
7) Please note that the blogging part of the treasure hunt will only run between March 6th - 19th. So have your answers posted by then. If you are posting your answers on the 18th or 19th, don't worry about tagging anyone new.

Feel up to a little tricky fun?

Here we go!

Questions:
1) Who are your favorite speculative fiction writers?

2) Write a two or three sentence writing prompt to inspire your readers today. (Encourage them to post their responses in your comments section.)

3) List three favorite industry blogs/websites that you've found helpful.

4) Give us the low-down on your main character (or one of your main characters) in the story you're working on right now, regardless if it's finished or not. Describe his/her personality, situation, and what his/her biggest problem/obstacle is.

5) What are your favorite speculative fiction movies from the last five years?

6) If you were suddenly thrown into another world where magic existed, what is something from the real world you'd want to take with you? (Limitations apply on energy sources and such.)

7) List the first type of these things you think of:
a) color:
b) number:
c) made-up name:
d) an adjective:


So to get things going, I'm going to tag the following three bloggers:
1) Dean C. Rich
2) Dawn G. Sparrow
3) E.F. Jace

You'll get my answers to the questions when I launch the treasure hunt. Good luck and have fun with it!

Everyone else, keep checking back whether you blog or not. Everyone can participate in the treasure hunt part.

Blog Hopping Meme

E.M. LaBonte from The Realms of a Fantastical Mind tagged me in one of the latest blog games so here are the questions and answers. Enjoy!

1. What is your dream vacation?
To spend two or three months touring Europe. I’d like some train travel to be in there and a variety of accommodations. There are too many places I’d love to research or visit for fun. I’m more of the active traveler rather than a shopper or beach lounger. I like experiences and learning things.
2. Are you spontaneous or do you like to plan ahead?
I tend to be a planner but that doesn’t mean I’m never spontaneous.
3. Tell us one thing you want to do but don’t dare to do.
Only one thing? Um, okay. Become a literary agent. There are reasons why I won’t, but I think it would be a fun job.
4. Your biggest phobia?
Not being able to protect my family.
5. If you were stranded on a desert island – what 3 things would you want with you (not including laptop, or family).
A good book on chemistry, tools, and sewing kit.
6. Name three blessings in your life.
My family, education, and friends with a sense of humor.
7. What was your nickname in High School?
None.
8. If you could meet the President of the United States, what would you say to him?
Probably, “Hi, how are you?” like I would anyone else.
9. If you could be any literary character for a day, who would you be?
My own characters—too many to choose.
Other people’s characters—Vesper Holly. She gets to do all the exciting things that I don’t.
10. What is your favorite quote?
“Boredom isn’t a condition, it’s a choice.” Anonymous

Tag seven other bloggers:
Peter Burton
Tracy Jorgensen
Ian Isaro
Michelle4Laughs
Angie Sandro
Stephanie Diaz
DB Graves

Here are the questions so you can cut and paste:
Blog Hopping Meme

1. What is your dream vacation?
2. Are you spontaneous or do you like to plan ahead?
3. Tell us one thing you want to do but don’t dare to do.
4. Your biggest phobia?
5. If you were stranded on a desert island – what 3 things would you want with you (not including laptop, or family).
6. Name three blessings in your life.
7. What was your nickname in High School?
8. If you could meet the President of the United States, what would you say to him?
9. If you could be any literary character for a day, who would you be?
10. What is your favorite quote?

Tag seven other bloggers

Saturday Link Special #11, Plus!

I hope your new year is off with a bang, in a good way. Whether you make resolutions and goals or not, most people have a pretty good idea of what they intend to aim for in the near future.

1. What are your writing goals for this week, month, or year? You can share in the comments or just sit back and really think about the question. What would you like to accomplish?

To be fair, I’ll share mine. I have another round of revision to do on a manuscript but I also intend to get to work on the second draft of an old NaNoWriMo project and if time allows, tear apart and rewrite the half-written draft of an old story using new ideas and inspiration I’ve had for it. That should keep me good and busy on the writing front. I’ll probably have some beta reading to do as well, but I’m going to cut back a lot on beta reading this year due to new personal obligations and responsibilities.

2. Have you done anything zany, fun, or crazy yet this year? Do you have plans to push yourself in any way, to improve a skill or gird up the courage to do or say something you’ve always wanted to?

Truthfully, I hope to finally dive into the query trenches. I’ve only queried once to publish a magazine article and got lucky on the first shot. I consider that more due to the subject matter and the angle I took on it than my query writing prowess. Query letters are not my forte. So I consider this next step to be both crazy and brave on my part.

3. Because curious minds want to know. What movies are you looking forward to seeing in 2012?

I’m eager for The Hunger Games, The Hobbit, The Dark Knight Rises, and will possibly try to go see Snow White and the Huntsman too.

And now for a little fun. We can’t start off a new year without some of that.

Lastly, the linkage! I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted some. I can’t promise to keep on doing it regularly, but I’ll try to do it as often as I’m able.

GLA New Agent alerts!
Claire Dunnington of the Vicky Bijur Literary Agency. She's looking for: "YA fiction, and in particular looking for strong realistic YA fiction and literary middle-grade fiction. (For reference, some authors she enjoyed when she was growing up were Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Louis Sachar, Jerry Spinelli, Noel Streatfeild, Zilpha Keatley Snyder, and Virginia Euwer Wolff). She is happy to consider dystopian and futuristic YA, but is much less interested in vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and the like."

Hannah Bowman of Liza Dawson Associates. She's looking for: "Hannah specializes in commercial fiction, especially science fiction and fantasy, women’s fiction, cozy mysteries, romance and young adult..."

Rachael Dugas of Talcott Notch Literary. She is looking for: "...young adult, middle grade, and adult fiction in the contemporary, paranormal, women’s, and romance genres..."

Jami Gold has a fun Pitch Your Shorts session beginning Jan. 10th. To get ready she has blogposts on Pitch Prep: How to Write a Pitch and Pitch Prep: What Makes a Great First Page?

Need a pick-me-up for the new year? Try reading the Intern's blogpost: dinner with literary agents. Sometimes it's nice to see things on the other side of the looking glass.

Writer Unboxed had a couple of good posts this week: First up is Jael McHenry's Finding the Lines, then for some perspective and a few good writing prompts try out Donald Maass's Warm vs. Cool.

Patricia C. Wrede has an excellent blogpost on Weaving (plot) Threads. Those of you with complex plots, multiple POVs, or several subplots be sure to read this one.

I've run out of time to post more but keep up the good work, those of you who blog!

Casual Baggage and Adventure

To start with: 8 items you never pack...but should

I love a good adventure story, especially the kind where someone has to use their ingenuity and whatever they have on hand to survive or outwit their antagonist. In my current manuscript one of my characters is taken from her world and whatever she happens to have with her become important tools to help her adapt and survive in a new world. She carries with her basic stuff like homework, snacks, a couple of gadgets (of the communicative and musical type), and a small emergency kit (needle and thread.) As the story progresses, she finds she can use most of these things to be proactive and in some cases do some epic things.

If you were to be abducted today while out and about, what would you have on you that might be useful? What's your favorite survival story and what basic, everyday item used in it made you smile or think "Cool!"? Do you have a story of your own where a character must do the same thing or something similar? When you travel what is the one thing you have to have no matter what?