Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper--Book Buzzin


GRASPING AT ETERNITY by Karen Amanda Hooper. Take a look at this one.

Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she’s supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life.

X-MEN meets MY NAME IS MEMORY in Karen’s latest young adult release.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

How To Outline Your Novel Part 4


So, this will be the catchall post. To start at the beginning, here are the links--intro, Part 1 (The Hero's Journey), Part 2 (How To Beat Out Your Novel), Part 3 (Snowflake Method). 

There really aren't any more big methods with names. I know people who outline with index cards or post-it notes and stick it up on a wall or whiteboard. That way they can move things around more easily. 

There are software programs out there to help with outlining. Who would have thought? :)

Here are some other great links to give you an idea of other ways to outline.

How To Write A Novel by Glen Strathy
Outlining Your Novel by the Creative Penn
Novel Outlining 101 by Paperback Writer
Plotting With A Purpose by Paperback Writer
Plot Outline in 8 Steps by Glen Strathy

And here's an interesting article from the New York Times for the discovery writer side.


Frantically, when you look at everything, it can be a bit overwhelming. I began this journey with an idea of what I might use to outline my novels. The more I've learned, the more I realize that I really am not an outliner. There's too much of the discovery in me. So, for those of you who can outline your entire novel before you even write it, (I can think of a few authors off the top of my head) more power to you.

For me, I can't process things that far ahead. Here's my comprimise. I'm about 3,000 words into a new WIP. I know where I'm starting, and I have an idea of where I'll end. The middle is up in the air. However, it's been helpful for me to have the Beat Sheet in front of me to keep me on track, or rather to remind me of what needs to be in the story for sure.

Annette Lyon and Elana Johnson said they write their first drafts, and then fill in the outline to make sure they aren't missing anything. They are able to spot holes pretty quickly. I think this is how I'm going to do it. It makes sense to me. I have my roadmap, but I don't have to decide right away how I'm going to get to the end. For me, this is a really exciting new journey. We'll see how it goes and adjust on the way.

Ultimately, you have to find what works for you. Don't be afraid to take something and make it yours, afterall, isn't that what we do on a daily basis? I'd love to hear about what is and what is not working for you. I'll keep you posted on my progress as well. In the meantime . . .

HAPPY WRITING!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

My Favorite Reads Giveaway Hop (2 winners, INT)


Welcome to this stop on the My Favorite Reads blog hop, hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer. There will be two winners on my blog (open INT). One lucky person will win an ecopy of TANGLED TIDES and another lucky person will win an ecopy of GRASPING AT ETERNITY, both by Karen Amanda Hooper.


Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one.
A human girl turned mermaid discovers she is the only soul who can save a world of sea creatures.


Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she’s supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life.

X-MEN meets MY NAME IS MEMORY in Karen’s latest young adult release.

Before we get to how to win, I have to wish Karen a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! What a way to celebrate. :)

Entering is easy:
  • Simply follow my blog via GFC and/or Networked Blogs. Leave a comment telling me you follow, which book you would prefer, and leave a way to get ahold of you if you win.
For additional enteries:
  • Follow Karen's blog, here. Leave a comment telling me you've done so.
  • Follow Karen on twitter and leave me a comment.
  • Follow me on twitter and leave a comment.
Please have your enteries in by midnight on June 6th. Random.org will choose the winner that weekend. It is in your best interest to seperate comments. Thanks for stopping by! Once again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Karen! Be sure to stop by the other participating blogs.




Book Review--Charlie Bone and the Red Knight

Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo. I love this series! To begin with, I thought it was a Harry Potter wannabe, but it is far from that. I love all the characters and their unique powers. The villians are terrific. The mystery is wonderful. This book wound everything up so well and put a nice bow on top. Anyone who loves a getaway, especially into the world of magic, would love this series. I highly recommend it picking it up.

:):):):):)

The highly anticipated conclusion to the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Charlie Bone series!

Charlie and his friends take on a powerful and dangerous magic in Book Eight of this extraordinary series. Wicked forces come to a head at Bloor's Academy, and Charlie and his friends must use all their skills and magic to fight the evil and save Charlie's parents. In his greatest adventure yet, Charlie must discover the fate of his family, the evil intentions of the Bloors, what has become of Septimus Bloor's will, and, most important, the destiny of the Red King's heirs. But are the Children of the Red King strong enough to defeat the darkness and find the answers?

Monday, May 28, 2012

On Little Wings by Regina Sirois--ABNA voting, Book Review & Interview

ON LITTLE WINGS by Regina Sirois.

I know this isn't my normal day for book reviews, but this one couldn't wait. ON LITTLE WINGS has been nominated for Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and voting ends tomorrow night. Be sure to stop by here and vote. Believe me, this book deserves all your votes.

This book had me sucked in from the first page. The descriptions were incredible. The characters were easy to fall in love with and symphathize with. Just as I expected to get bored with the story, Regina threw in a new character or twist that left me wanting more. I couldn't put it down. I would highly recommend this one to any person who loves a great story. There were a few cuss words, but a very clean, fun, fascinating, entertaining, lovable, intriguing story that I will read again and again for years to come.

:) :) :) :) :)

Jennifer must do the impossible – bring her mother home. When a family is torn apart by death, two sisters take violently divergent paths and the story of their family appears to end terribly and abruptly. Two decades later Jennifer never dreams that the photo she finds stuck between the pages of a neglected book will tear open a gaping wound to her mother’s secret past. Abandoning her comfortable life with her parents and best friend in the wheat fields of Nebraska, Jennifer’s quest for a hidden aunt leads her to the untamed coast of Maine where she struggles to understand why her mother lied to her for sixteen years.

Across the grey, rocky cove she meets Nathan Moore, the young, reluctant genius surrounded by women who need him to be brother, father, friend, provider, protector and now, first love. The stories, varied, hilarious, and heartbreaking, unfold to paint a striking mural of the shattered past. As Jennifer seeks to piece together her mother’s story, she inadvertently writes one for herself.




What made you decide to become a writer?

I decided to write a story to find out if I could. I knew I could get
the words right for short periods of time (hence my background in
poetry) but I had no idea if I could maintain a prolonged dialogue
with readers. I saw it as a great and worthy challenge.
Who inspires you?

I'm inspired by my husband's love, my daughters' vibrancy and my
sister's support. Every kind word inspires me to plow forward and try
harder and do better. Kindness inspires me.

What would you like your readers to get out of your writing?

I would love for the words to be delicious to them. I would love them
to remember a phrase and use it in their own lives. I want them to
feel like I put every ounce of my soul into my sentences because I
care about the people reading them. I want them to feel better about
themselves when they finish one of my stories.

Where did this idea come from?

Out of the big, blue sky. I honestly have no idea. I start stories
with the tiniest detail. I might see a person with a purple elephant
keychain and begin wondering why that purple elephant would be
important to them. I imagine who gave it them. What the weather was
like. What it meant to them. How long they've had it. Tiny details
trigger a character and a character triggers a story and enough
stories woven together trigger a plot. This story began when I
imagined a ceiling fan switching over a kitchen table in a house
beside the side. I saw a girl. The rest followed after years of
collecting details.

Who was your favorite character to develop?

Little! Or the Jacks. Or Cleo. This is hard. I've spent so many funny
and heartbreaking moments with each person. But I am going to stick my
original, gut instinct and say Little. She is precious to me.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

I always advise writers not to write to a crowd. Don't write to a
trend. Don't write to the world. It's too confusing that way and you
lose focus. Think of one person who is smart, who you trust, who loves
you, and write to him or her. When you get stuck sit down and think of
their gentle, encouraging face and keep tapping the keys. Keep going.
If you work until one person honestly loves it, others will also.

What can we expect next from you?

My book is currently a finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award
(amazon.com/abna) so I do not know exactly what to expect. If my book
is the winner it will be published through Penguin with some new
conversations and scenes so I am excited about that. If it is not
published through Penguin I will continue to look for an editor while
I finish my second book, which is an unrelated YA novel that deals
with a sharp-witted boy and his relationship with his Air-Force pilot
father. It has been a joy to write and I've even taken some flying
lessons!

Where can we purchase your book?

You can buy my ebook or paperback at Amazon.com http://goo.gl/HiJVb



THANKS REGINA!

Be sure to stop by and vote for ON LITTLE WINGS for Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Outlining Part 3--The Snowflake Method

Welcome to Part 3 of my outlining saga. If you'd like to look back at how it all began, here's the intro, along with Part 1 (Hero's Journey) and Part 2 (How to Beat Out Your Novel).

Now, for today I'm going to be talking about the Snowflake Method. From what I gather, there's 10 steps.

1) Write a one sentence summary of your work
2) Expand that sentence into one paragraph about your work
3) Using step 1 & 2 as a guideline, write a on page summary for each of your characters
4) Take each of your sentence from step 2 and expand them into a full paragraph, making sure all but the last sentence ends in disaster. The last sentence tells you how the book will end
5) Write a one page description of each of your main characters and a half a page for the minor characters in your work, character synopsises
6) Now take your one page plot synopsis (step 4) and expand it into a 4 page synopsis
7) Take your character synopsises and create a full blown character chart
8) With your four page synopsis, write a list of scenes you'll need to turn the story into a novel
9) Begin writing a narrative description of the story
10) Write the first draft

This is really bare bones and may not make a lot of sense. There is a great website that details each step a lot more, here, but this is the basic idea of the snowflake method. You start with a big piece of paper, like you do a snowflake, and you cut, trim, pull, splice, and create a beautiful snowflake in the process.


I can see how some of these steps can help me flush out my stories faster, but all this research is still leading me to one conclusion. You have to do what works for you. I think I'm still going to pick and choose what I think will help me out the most.

Here are some other posts about the Snowflake Method. Some are personal experiences with the method, and others are informational. In the meantime, Happy Outlining!

http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php
http://www.ehow.com/how_6737829_write-novel-snowflake.html
http://caethesfaron.com/fiction-friday-how-im-writing-my-latest-novel-using-an-outline
http://jordanmccollum.com/2009/10/pros-cons-snowflake-method/

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop--Int


Welcome to this stop on the Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop (INT), hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer. On my blog, you have a chance to win an eCopy of A Royal Elf of Alabon by Anna del C Dye. Take a look at my review here.

The deep relationship between Amaria, the princess of Abalon and Marken, the chancellor’s son, comes to a halting stop after their kingdom is almost annihilated. However, death isn’t the only thing this battle brings. Elfs come to their rescue and, as a souvenir, take the princess home with them. 

Blinded by fury, the overprotecting queen orders the extermination of the mighty elfs. Her captains know they can never win, so they are pleased when Amaria intervenes so desperately that she loses her mother. The unprepared princess is left to care for a kingdom that will demand her true love.

A Royal Elf of Abalon is the stand-alone continuation of Anna’s Elf series. Once again she has crafted an exciting new tale full of jealousy, betrayals, and death. A Royal Elf of Abalon is a masterpiece created in the genre of Tolkien that you’ll love to the end.


It's easy to enter.



  • Simply follow my blog via GFC and/or Networked Blogs. Leave a comment telling me how you follow with an email address for me to contact you if you win.



For an additional entry



  • Follow Anna on twitter & leave a comment telling me you've done so.
  • Friend Anna on Facebook & leave a comment.
  • Follow me on twitter & leave a comment.



It is in your best interest to leave seperate comments as Random.org will choose the winners. Please have your enteries in by midnight on the 31st of May.


Be sure to stop by all the other participating blogs. Happy Summer Reading!