The page 69 test? Is that something dirty? :-O

No. It isn't. :-)

I just read Lydia's blog post over at The Sharp Angle about the page 69 test. Basically, if you read page 69 of a book and like it, you should buy it. She shared page 69 of her YA novel, Summer Hoax. So, it inspired me to share page 69 of my historical fiction novel in progress. I opened the file marked "Full text part 1" only to discover that I don't have a page 69. :-O  Due to skipping around during the creation of this rough draft the first section ends on page 65.

I don't have a good tag line yet, but here's the basic premise. It is set in the first century CE in the Roman Empire. At age 15 Calli is sold into slavery by her cousin for refusing to marry him. All sorts of bad stuff happens to her (of course) and some good stuff too (to keep the readers from throwing the book in the trash cursing my name). By this point in the book the ship carrying her to Rome has wrecked on the small island of Malta.
  *side note - I had the ship wreck on Malta because I was an exchange student there and couldn't resist putting it into the novel. :-)

So, after reading my "page 69," would you buy the book?

 “Why is it that you take so much pleasure in irritating me?” Calli glared at the Nubian, who made a belated attempt to cover the wide grin spreading across his mahogany face.


Going straight-faced, Sefu looked into her eyes. “In my tribe it is our way to find joy in the things that surround us.” He grinned at her again and Calli saw something beyond amusement in his dark eyes. “Here, I choose to find joy in you.”

“That is – it’s,” Calli tore her eyes from his, clenching her fingers into fists. “You do not know what you’re talking about.”

Without allowing him to speak again, she stood and walked away. At least being stranded on this barren lump of limestone had one advantage – no shackles. She found Aspasia sitting alone gazing out at the Mediterranean.

“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t,” she said, sitting next to her friend and giving her a nudge.

Aspasia gave her a wane smile. “I was just thinking of my mother.”

Calli lifted a brow. Aspasia had spoken only once of her mother and it had not been a favorable tale. She realized with a twinge, that her own mother might not have been warm and loving, but it had not been she who sold her daughter as a slave.

“I was just wondering what she looks like.” She turned her face back toward the water.

“Oh.” Calli put a tentative hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Do you want to be alone?”

Aspasia shook her head. “No.” She gave a long sigh. “All I remember of her is that she was wearing a blue chiton when they pried my fingers from her waist.” She turned and looked at Calli. “She never said a word as they carried me away. I screamed for her until my throat was raw.”

“I’m sorry.” Calli hugged her tight.

They sat together in silence and watched the sun chariot descend into the sea to begin its journey through the Underworld to rise again at dawn.

Overambitious me.

Ok, so I wrote earlier in the month that I would be finishing the rough draft of my historical fiction novel by the end of November. Well, I took on a second CASA case this past Tuesday. So, that means even less free time to work on writing. Do I regret it? Not a chance. My new case involves an infant and I'm really excited about helping this little one have a better and brighter future. He's adorable - I've already fallen in love with him. :-)

So, I'm going to have to push back my finish date for the novel rough draft. I now plan to have it done by the end of the year. I have already begun filling in some of the gaps I left in the first half of the novel. I should be finished with the "catch up" work soon and moving forward with the plot.

The tough part? I'm still debating on where to end it. *sigh* I will just have to trust my instincts when the time arrives.

I will definitely post when it's complete. Although that will be when the work really starts.

So, it's time for NaNo. . .

It's November and writers all around the world are hunkering down to begin the next "Great Novel." However, I won't be one of them. :-) NaNo is a great concept, but I work retail and this time of year means extra hours - getting home from work after 9:00pm or later, cranky customers and well, an end to the illusion that people can be civil to one another in the name of the holiday season.


Sound cynical? Nope, just realistic.

Anyway, that isn't the point of this post. NaNoWriMo is more than a movement to get writers motivated to finally put that idea that's been bouncing around in their imaginations into actual words, on a computer screen, or into a spiral notebook - whatever works. It also fosters creativity among young writers through the Young Writers Program which brings the fun and challenge of creating a novel into classrooms. In a time when schools in America are suffering from budget cut after budget cut, the free lesson plans that NaNo provides to teachers are a way for kids to nurture their imaginations.

While I won't have the time to begin a new novel this NaNoWriMo, I do have a goal for this month. I will completing the rough draft of my historical fiction novel set in the 1st century C.E. Roman Empire. This rough draft has been long in the making due to the fact that I had to put it aside while I studied for the LSAT. So, now that it's over, I'm going back to my creative endevours.

So, are any of you joining in the fun of NaNo this year? If so, what do you hope to gain from the experience? If not, are you setting an alternative writing goal for yourself?

Happy Writing!

Happy Halloween!

Ok, so Halloween is almost over, but I'm sneaking in a quick wish for you to have a fun and safe time. I had my Halloween fun yesterday. This year my costume was Abby Sciuto from NCIS. :-) So much fun to put that ensemble together, let me tell you!

I've been watching the Ghost Hunters live Halloween event (between naps) and just heard that the winner of the vote for locations to revisit will be Waverly Hills in Louisville, KY. Keep an eye open for Jason and Grant, Brad! ;-) If you see them, you totally have to get their autographs for me. 

Unfortunately, I didn't win the contest where the grand prize was a trip to the Stanley Hotel in Colorado (inspiration and filming site for Stephen King's "The Shining"). Bummer. :-( That would have been awesome. However, I did check out the hotel's website out of curiousity and discovered that they have a ghost hunting package! You even get a K2 meter to use as you stay up all  night trying to scare the crap out of yourself. Sweet.  Now all I need is the money to travel to and stay there. I'm thinking it might be a few years before that happens.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys the holiday, it's my favorite. There's just something that I love about a day dedicated to candy, and the fun of pretending to be someone (or something) else for a little while. It's a great escape from the stress of the everyday.

Check out the contest on Ex Libris Draconis .

I just wanted to post quickly and let you all know that Jaleh is having a contest over at Ex Libris Draconis to celebrate her one year anniversary. All you have to do is craft a poem about dragons. She is offering a hand-crocheted bookmark to the winner (in the color of their choice).

I've entered an extremely terrible poem. So, pop over and laugh at my entry then add your own, just to compound my shame. ;-) But HURRY, the deadline for entries is this Friday, October 8th.

Here's a link to the contest post.

Updated Upcoming Fiction Releases

Well, just a quick note to let you know that I've updated the Upcoming Fiction Releases page with next Tuesday's books.

There are quite a few Sci-Fi/Fantasy releases in paperback for the 28th. Maybe there will be one you've been waiting on. :-)

Have a great week everyone. I hope to catch up on my "site of the week" next week after my CASA report is finished and I have a bit more time to scour the internets for fun and informative resources for my fellow writers.

Upcoming Fiction Releases

It has been ages since I've posted my site of the week. My apologies.

I have excuses. Bad ones, but unfortunately true ones. The LSAT draws near and I am in full panic mode once again. When I'm not studying, I'm working on my CASA case. Which, as it turns out, is one of the rarities and is coming to a close very quickly. That means that I'm scrambling like a mad woman to get my report finished for the court by next Wednesday. I am still managing to squeeze in a bit of writing because if I didn't, I'd lose what tiny shreds of my sanity I have remaining. :-)

So, in lieu of my site of the week, I've (finally) updated the upcoming fiction releases page. You'll find fiction hitting book stores on September 21st and a few more. So, until I have time to track down some more fun and informative sites for you to peruse, I hope that knowing which books are coming out soon will be a sufficient offering. :-)

Site of the Week - The Science Channel

So, as I was taking a break from my LSAT practice test (hey, a girl needs to eat), I stumbled upon a show I'd seen advertised - Sci Fi Science. It's on the Science Channel and is hosted by Dr. Michio Kaku one of the most prominent physicists in the world. (He's also the author of Physics of the Impossible, if you want to delve deeper into your science research.)


I decided to take a few moments and share this resource with all of you Sci Fi writers out there. I know, as a reader, I want a story that takes me into another place/time/world, but I also want to believe it could really happen - no matter how slim the reality may be. Sci Fi Science shows you how some of our favorite imaginings can really come to be. Remember, the submarine began as the creation of Jules Verne's mind!


Unfortunately, you can't watch complete episodes of Sci Fi Science online, but you can view short clips and there are links to articles on subjects like - Is creating an invisibility cloak possible? (More so than you might think, actually.)


The Science Channel's main page contains links to dozens more shows, articles, and there are even some games. :-) Personally, I could spend hours there but don't have the time now. However, I encourage you to go in my stead. Go forth and explore my fellow writers. Feed your imaginations and don't forget to feed your stomachs on occasion too. ;-P

Bi-weekly "Site of the Week" -- Which Rules Aren't Made to be Broken.

So, some of you may have noticed that I've begun using a theme for the Site of the Week, since I haven't always had time to post each week. This week's theme, when not to break the rules.

When you're creating fiction, by all means break the rules of gravity, reality and even common sense if you want to. But when you begin submitting that fantastic work of fiction, that is when the rules aren't made to be broken.

Follow them.

Rule number one. In my opinion this is the most important rule -- do your research.  Nothing sends your submission to the e-slush pile/trash can/file 13 faster than submitting it to the wrong market. There are so many sub-genres and blended genres out there these days you can't simply see "science fiction" or "fantasy" under the listing of  acceptable submissions and assume your work is a perfect fit.

E-zines often contain free web content so you can get a glimpse of the type of stories they accept, give it a read. If you are submitting to another type of publication which doesn't have free online content, see if you can track a copy down at your local library, Amazon, or borrow one from your next door neighbor's cousin's best friend. You may even be lucky enough to find something on your local Freecycle network. If those options fail, and you really want to get published in that particular venue - buy a copy. I know that finding the extra cash can be tough in this economy, but you have to decide how serious you are. Do you really need that extra vente, double-caff, extra foam, caramel mochachino? ;-) 

Rule number two. Read the submission guidelines thoroughly. Every agent, publisher, e-zine, etc. has its own rules of submission. These are published for a reason. Read them. Many of them will also include a link to what the proper formatting they expect looks like, so there is no excuse for submitting anything less than what they are asking you for.

An upcoming speculative fiction e-zine aimed at the YA market, Scape, uses this example which is the most widely used standard manuscript format. However, USE CAUTION, some agents, etc. specifically state what they expect a manuscript to look like and it is not this format.

Rule number three - Proofread before you click send. Spell check is handy. Automatic typo correction is my personal savior. But neither of them are a substitute for reading your submission and making 110% certain that you haven't made a mistake they won't catch - like a misused homonym. (This is a huge pet peeve of mine. Here is a link to a site of homonyms you can use to double check. And yes, I have posted this before, it never hurts to repost a resource like this.)

Rule number four - Proofread twice before you hit send.

Inspiration Needed?

For this week I'm revisiting a previous Site fo the Week, but in a different capacity. Some of you may remember my mention of Seventh Sanctum's name generators. This site has many other types of generators and so I've used their story generator with both a fantasy theme and a science fiction theme. The results are posted below. If you're going through a spell of writer's block, maybe some of these prompts will get your brain working again. :-)

And if you want to try the generators for yourself, I've added Seventh Sanctum to my list of Websites for Writers on the left side of the page.

FANTASY

1)The story is about a guild of shiftless scribes. It takes place in a war-scarred realm in a magical dimension. The story climaxes with destruction. A lost treasure plays an important role.


2)The story is about a bloodthirsty smuggler and an elementalist who is constantly annoyed by a jailer. It starts in a universe where space travel occurs by magical means. The story begins with someone going to sleep, climaxes with a promotion, and ends with an angry outburst.

3)The story is about a seer from a good family. It starts on our world after a disaster brought about the return of magic in a magical universe. The will of the gods is a major part of the story.

4)This is a comedy-of-manners with a focus on self-sacrifice. The story is about an aloof prince who must work with a pessimistic king. It takes place in a magical alternate universe. The story begins with a dream. The effect of magical races on business is a major part of the story.

5)This is an epic about giving in to destiny. The story is about a watchful wizard who has a mysterious admirier: a fisherman. It takes place in a storehouse in a desert fiefdom. An ancient prophecy plays an important role.

6)The story is about a treasure-hunter, a wizard, a wizard, and a knight. It takes place in a city-state in a forest realm. The return of ancient powers plays an important part in the story.

7)This is a satire. The story is about an actor and an unstable bandit. It starts on our world after a disaster brought about the return of magic. Recovering magical artifacts and knowledge is a major part of the story.

8)The story is about a farmer, an outgoing gigolo, a martial artist, and a dungeon delver who is mysteriously connected to a pompous shaman. It takes place in a legendary domain on our world in a new magical age. An important bloodline plays a prime part.

9)The story is about a shaman, a plain shaman, a vicious fortune-teller, and a rat-catcher. It takes place in a village in a religious land. An important bloodline plays a prime part.

10)This is a rags-to-riches story. The story is about a graceful scribe. It takes place on our world in a magical age. A powerful magical weapon plays an important role.

SCIENCE FICTION
 
1)This is a comedy-of-errors. The story is about a fearful doctor and a shiftless physicist. It takes place on a war-torn planet. The critical element of the story is the failure at a test. An accident in space plays a major role in the story.


2)The story is about a frustrated nuclear engineer, a video game addict, and a linguistics expert. It takes place in a dimensional warp. The speed of technological advancement is a major part of this story.

3)This is a story about travel and how man can better himself. The story is about a confident gambler who has a mysterious admirier: a sailor. It starts in a galaxy-spanning commonwealth. A spatial anomoly plays a major role in the story.

4)This is a tale about rebellion. The story is about a priestess. It starts in a galaxy-spanning confederation. The story begins with a sport being played.

5)The story is about a whiny plumber. It takes place in a galaxy-spanning technocracy. The differences alien societies may have regarding economics is a major element of this story.

6)The story is about an energetic baseball player, a biologist, and a committed servant. It takes place on an ancient planet. The crux of the story involves the taking of a test.

7)The story is about an acrobat who is in debt to an unpredictable scientist. It starts in an intergalactic syndicate. The difficulty of cross-species communications is a major issue of the story.

8)The story is about a secretary haunted by flashbacks. It takes place in an intergalactic federation. The blurring of the boundaries between man and machine is a major part of this story.

9)The story is about a rabble-rouser who is in debt to a park ranger. It takes place on a toxic planet. The crux of the story involves an accident at home. A rebellion against technology plays a major role in this story.

10)This is a crime drama. The story is about a CFO. It takes place in an intergalactic commonwealth. The story begins with an advice, climaxes with a murder, and ends with the paying of a fine. The effect of alien contact on business is a major part of the story.

Bad Request???? :-O

I'm having withdrawals. Serious withdrawals. I just tried to sign into the Writer's Digest forums and the links aren't working! I keep getting an errror message that says the page can't be found because of a wrong address.

Oh pleeeeezzzz don't let it be another hacking incident. :-(  Damn, stupid hackers screw everything up. Why can't they, along with the scam agents and all other lower forms of life on our planet, find something constructive to do with their time?

I could go on, but I'll spare you the rant. Let's just suffice it to say that I hope the forum links are up and working again very soon. I just posted something new for feedback and I'm like a sugar-high five-year-old wanting to know what people thought of it. :-D

Well, I suppose I'll just have to go and study first. Crap.

Addendum:  I went to my final CASA training meeting today and they gave me my first case! Exciting and scary all at once. I won't be officially sworn in until next Wednesday in the Juvenille Court, but I can get started with some of the non-sensitive information gathering in the meantime.  Just thought I'd share.

The Bi-weekly Site of the Week ;-)

Well, once again, time has slipped past and I have missed a Site of the Week. However, I have an especially informational/entertaining theme for this post. (Well, I thought it was interesting.) ;-)

Cautionary Tales - The search for an agent. :-O

We know the scammers are out there. We know we should do our homework and investigate before accepting any contracts. And we certainly know not to pay for editing services or "reading fees." However, there are more subtle ways the scammers can get to you. Don't be a victim. Learn from the mistakes of others.

Exhibit #1 - Quoth the Cabbage; what happens when a few writers get together with some extraordinarily bad writing and set out to catch the crooks? If you haven't heard of this story yet, read on. It's worth it. :-)

Exhibit #2 - You are paranoid, They are everywhere and They will do anything to get to you.  I think the title gives you a pretty good idea as to what lengths some scammers will go to in order to dupe unsuspecting newbie writers.

And, just in case you haven't heard of them, please add Preditors & Editors to your favorites list. They have done a lot of work to help keep us all safe from the scammers out there.

Let me offer my sincerest wishes that you be successful in your writing endeavors. But please, be careful out there. :-)

Sites of the Weeks - Rick Riordan and AutoCrit.com

Oops, I've gotten caught up in my CASA/LSAT studies and have once again fallen behind in my weekly helpful site postings.

Forgive me? ;-)

I've decided to dedicate this post to helpful tips on writing dialogue. I've read books where I could hear the characters speaking in my mind (Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Saga is top of that list. Hot guys with Scottish accents - need I say more?). And I've also read books where the dialogue is so stilted and/or outdated for the storyline it made me cringe (ok, maybe I didn't actually finish them). Writing realistic, engaging dialogue takes practice and intuition as well as an "ear" for it. In short, it's a skill that doesn't come easily for most. Yet fear not - help has arrived. :-)

First, some tips on writing dialogue from one of the most popular middle grade authors in the world - Rick Riordan of Percy Jackson and the Olympians fame. As any good author should, he keeps his advice short and to the point. Riordan has an entire section of advice for aspiring writers, including some information on how to navigate the wiles of the road to publication. His advice is sound, and at times stark, but well worth perusing.

The next site, AutoCrit.com, is not only a good resource for dialogue tips but on writing tips in general - the left sidebar has a variety of topics to choose from. However, for the purposes of this week's topic, check out two articles by Sandy Tritt - Avoid Creative Dialogue Tag Syndrome and its sequel,  Breathing Life into Dialogue.

So, for those of you striving to find the delicate balance between realistic dialogue and mind-numbing tyrades that make your readers' eye glaze over - read on. ;-)

Copy Catting ;-)

So, I saw Lydia's post concerning her various writing projects. I also write in a variety of genres, as well as for both the adult and YA age groups - I couldn't pass up the chance to see what my results would be.

P.S. I have remedial computer skills so I have no idea how she got the cool quill graphic to stay.

First up - my first completed manuscript a YA fantasy "Light of Avondell" which earned me this honor -

I write like - Raymond Chandler
 
Next, my short story, "Inflictor of Silence" a dark urban fantasy for the adult set.
 
I write like - William Gibson
 
Ok, how about the fantasy novella I've been shopping around with no bites yet,  "Somewhere?"
 
I write like - William Shakespeare  (The Bard? Really? Wow, not sure if that's good or bad.) ;-)
 
Out of curiosity I decided to check one of my old horror shorts "Tranquil, B.C."
 
I write like - Stephen King
 
Just one more, for good measure. ;-P My historical fiction about a young woman named Calliope Theodopolous - set in first century A.D. Roman Empire, as of yet untitled.
 
I write like - Johathan Swift
 
Huh. I am even more convinced that I have writer's ADD, but I may have to add multiple personality disorder to that. :-o LOL!

BTW, Lydia - notice there isn't a single "Stephenie Meyer" in the bunch. ;-P I kid, you know I kid.

Site(s) of the Week(s) - Elizabeth Crook, Vonda N. McIntyre, and Robert J. Sawyer

Ooops. Last week got away from me too. :-o I just started my CASA training and the first few chapters were a bit more intense than I expected. But, I've got until the 20th to finish up the material. Then I'll be sworn in as an official CASA volunteer in juvenille court - which is super exciting for me! :-) And after that, I get appointed to my first case.

Anyway, I've decided to do three sites this week to make up for (more) lost time. The first is elizabethcrookbooks.com. I stumbled across an article of hers The Seven Rules For Writing Historical Fiction, which is included on her site under the articles tab. Her insights were eye-opening for me, since I am still struggling with my historical fiction novel. Her voice is engaging and she's published three novels to date. One of her suggestions (which embarrassingly I hadn't thought of) was to contact authors of the books you use for historical research and see if they will let you pick their brains.

Up next is, Vonda N. McIntyre's site. Her article on the Pitfalls of Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy is both informative and filled with humor. There are also some short stories available on the site to read free of charge. I found her style a bit heavy on description for my taste, but her storylines were entertaining.

And lastly, Robert J. Sawyer's blog. His article Are the days of the full-time novelist numbered? paints a grim picture of the future of full-time authors, but one well worth considering when pursuing the "dream."  Sawyer also has a very informative website www.sfwriter.com/ (which I may have highlighted already, I can't remember - oopsy.)

Site(s) of the Week - Fantasy Factor and SFSignal.com

It's been a hectic day, but here I am (as promised) with my sites of the week. The first one is Fantasy Factor. (Which I belive to be a sub-site of FictionFactor, since that appears in the web address.) While the site as a whole has some fun stuff, I'm going to concentrate on an article aimed at creating flora and fauna for your fantasy world. There are some great links at the bottom of the article for research as well.

Personally, I LOVE to create new creatures and humanoid species to populate my fantasy stories/novels. :-) (One of my current novellas-in-progress is thus far populated with several different species of animal and the main character is of a humanoid race called the Nachtrodeur.) However, the article brings up some valid points about remembering to include more than just the fear-inducing, flesh-devouring predators that are hunting your MC at every opportunity.

As an example from the above mentioned novella, the spotted herten plays an important role in the survival of the MC. Not only in this novella, but in the next one of the trilogy as well. It's a deer-like creature, hooved and light of foot. (It's name is actually the German word for deer.) ;-) There are two main species of mount/pack animals, the jorens (think of a muskox and a buffalo hybrid that smells worse than a skunk) and the laveche (about horse size, with four horns and blue eyes, they emit a shrill whistle when alarmed). The only non-sentient predator this world has so far is the akidar, a large cat that lives in the mountains, has teeth similar to a sabertooth tiger and poisoned claws. (Fun Fact - SBT's have been theorized to have been scavengers because their long teeth may  have prevented them from biting down hard enough to kill prey. Thanks Discovery Channel.)

But, I digress, the article is a fun read (just ignore that the author uses "you're" instead of "your" in at least one instance).

Fantasy Factor also includes a link to a list of mythological creatures at the bottom of the articles page - also highly recommended if you are looking for inspiration. I read the first listing for the Adaro (which I'd never heard of in my mythological studies) and was hooked. ;-P

Alrighty then, moving on to site number two -  SFSignal.com, or more specifically their article asking well-known Sci-Fi authors about the best writing advice they've ever received. Fun read, and informative too.
For example; Patricia Briggs received her most valuable writing advice from a movie starring Billy Crystal and Danny DeVito. Huh, who'd a thunk it? ;-)

Ok, I'm losing focus. My stummy is rumbling because it's 8:00 and I haven't eaten dinner yet. Hope you enjoy the articles and exploring the sites of the week. :-)

Back from the Abyss

Wow, I just saw the last post date - May 20th? Really? I guess I did get wrapped up in studying for my LSAT and neglect my poor blog. :-o

Well, that big, bad test is over and now I just have to wait for the scores to come through. Should be in my inbox by the 28th. Until then I'm just trying to stay busy and not dwell on it. So what better way to do that than throw mysefl into other projects?

Let's begin with writing. Tomorrow is the deadline for replies on a contest I entered in May. No email = not accepted. So, if I hear nothing, I'll be resubmitting that story to a print anthology. Also on the menu for this week is to polish up my space zombie romance (yup, you read that right) and send it off to a print anthology put out by the same publishing house.

Then I'll be working on two fantasy novellas I have in the making. One is a prequel to Somewhere, which a few of you have read in part on the WD forums. I've decided to make a novella trilogy (or possibly quartet) from that storyline; beginning with Pazia's story and ending with a story from Na'im's pov (he is only 3 when Somewhere takes place).

The othe story is about Ellivi'an. She is of a winged race called the Inefim. Her parents were murdered when she was young and she's grown up with a fierce hatred of not only the Pek'rahe responsible, but of their entire race. But she may just discover something that will change her mind.

I've also just begun the process of becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer. I brought my self-study binder home today and go back in a couple weeks to meet with the director and go over the first three chapters.

I'll be posting a site of the week tomorrow at some point. I'll be posting two sites for each of the next few weeks to make up for lost time.




Think that's enough to keep me busy? ;-)

So, what has been keeping you busy/pondering/frustrated/etc. while I've been away?

Happiness 101

Well, I have to give a big thanks to both Jai and Jaleh. They passed on the Happiness 101 award to me.


So, I have to list 10 things that make me happy and pass this on to 5 other bloggers. Here goes. :-)


1. Creative writing
2. Dark chocolate – preferably Dove
3. Teasing my cat by hugging her – she HATES it. ;-P
4. My niece and nephew
5. Commiserating with my fellow writers
6. Sunny days
7. Warm wind
8. The beach
9. Taking nature photos
10. Naps


I’d like to pass this award along to these others who make me smile, both on their blogs and through other mediums, online and off. ;-)


1. Lydia and Joe at The Sharp Angle

2. Liz at Wandering-Quill

3. Brad at Bradley’s Brain

4. Ashlee C. at Not Just Existing

5. And, well, I have several wonderful followers who don’t currently blog – I also send this award out to each of you because your support means so much to me. Thank you.

Site of the Week - Stella Cameron

Ok, so Stella Cameron is a romance writer (and I don't write "romance") however, I am a strong believer in seeking out worthwhile advice, both in genres I write, and those I don't. Stella Cameron has published over 60 novels and novellas. I don't care what you write, that is a huge accomplishment.

I actually stumbled upon her site through a list of resources for writers. Her article on developing your villians is very informative. I also recommend checking out her article on keeping the reader guessing. She uses this as a reference to a thriller/mystery plotline, but it's equally effective in any genre.

Never stop learning. Never stop creating. Never stop. Never.

IN DARKNESS

Here is the introduction to my new short story (or novelette, or novella - haven't set a word limit). If all goes well, I'll be telling you where you can read this in its entirety after it's published! :-)

Elli brushed the hair from her eyes and crouched deeper into the hollow of her father’s wing, seeking relief from the icy wind.


“Da, how much longer do we have to stay here?” she whimpered.

Her father hugged her tighter to his side. “Just a little longer, Doame’u. Just a little longer.”

Elli sighed. He had been saying that for three days. She shivered and tried not to think about her mother and what was keeping her. Instead she practiced training her ears to hear the sounds of the forest.

Beneath the raging of the wind, squirrels chattered in their den. Elli cocked her head, twisting her long, thin ears to better catch the sound. They were about fifteen lengths to her right and just lower than the branch where she and her father huddled, snug inside a tree hollow. She wrapped her arms around her torso, wishing she were still small enough to join them. But it had been a ten cycles since she was a nestling.

Her wings were still too small to hold her weight, but they were growing almost as quickly as the rest of her. Before long, she would be able to soar over the treetops with her parents. The thought brought a stab of doubt. Her mother had never been gone this long. What if something had happened to her?

She started to ask Da if they should go and look for her when his body went rigid. Elli clutched his arm, terror raking its claws through her heart.

“What is it, Da?”

“Hush,” he replied, as his eyes swept the trees around them.

Elli held her breath and listened. The squirrels were silent. All she heard was the wind. Then came the distinct rustle and thump of footsteps. The feathers on her wings stood erect as a chill pulsed through her body. The footsteps were too heavy to be her mother’s.

Voices murmured together. They did not speak Hada.

Da wrapped his arms around her waist. “Do not make a sound,” he whispered, and spread his dappled wings. They blended with the foliage as he leapt from the branch, drifting on the wind – away from the strangers.

He landed upon the ground, glanced back, and ushered her behind the broad trunk of an oak. Da knelt at her side, his strong, warm wing over her shoulders.

“Listen to me carefully, Ellivi’an.” His voice was soft, and edged with an emotion she’d never heard before.

“Da, I’m afraid.” She pressed against his side, arms encircling his neck. “Where is Mama?”

“I don’t know.” He turned Elli so they were face-to-face. “I must go and search for her. I need you to promise that you will wait here for my return.”

“But I want to come.”

“No! You must stay away from them.” His fingers dug into her arms, making her wince. Da had never grabbed her hard enough for it to hurt, and she felt tears stinging her eyes.

“From who, Da?” She sniffled, and wiped at the stupid, hot tears.

“Shh, Elli,” he murmured, cuddling her to his chest. “I didn’t mean to frighten you, Doame’u.” Wiping away the rest of her tears, he kissed her once on each cheek. “There are new creatures in the forest. They are dangerous and you must promise me that you will stay where I hide you until I return. It is very important. Will you promise me, Ellivi’an?”

Elli nodded. “I promise, Da.”

“Good.”

Her father took her hand and together they hurried away from the oak, deeper into the Undara Forest. Elli was breathing hard when they stopped beside a fern-encrusted stump. Da’s hands swept over the lumps of long-dead roots.

“There it is.” He turned and grinned at her as a section of the stump slid away, revealing a night-dark hollow. “Inside you go.”

“Can’t I come with you?”

“No, Elli.” Da took her hand. “Here, take this.”

She looked at the Anam stone in her palm. It had always fascinated her, but Da would never let her touch it. Her great-grandfather had created it when the magic of the Inefim had been stronger. None had been forged for over four hundred cycles.

“Da, I can’t.”

“Yes, you can, Ellivi’an.” His steady hands closed over her shaking ones. “But first I must tell you how to use it.”

Unable to speak, she nodded again, trying not to look as terrified as she felt.

“Hold it like this.” Da turned the stone so that the rune faced toward the sky. “But don’t squeeze it in your palm, just let it rest there. Now say; Edelsteen, leu’er ra kee.”

“Edelsteen, leu’er ra kee.” Elli almost shouted with delight as the Anam stone came to life in her hands, radiating a pale rose light.

“Well done, Elli.” Da leaned down and kissed her brow. “Inside now.” He gave her a gentle nudge and she started into the hollow. “There is plenty to eat. Your Mama kept it stocked well, just in case.”

“In case of what?” Elli asked, turning back to look at him.

But her father was already leaping into the sky. She thought she saw the gleam of a blade in his clenched fist as he banked left and started back the way they had come. Shuddering the dark worries away, Elli stepped into the stump and pushed the hidden door closed.

Shelves filled with earthenware water jugs, jars of vegetables, dried berries and sacks of grain lined the walls. Each one was labeled with the contents and the date upon which it had been stored. Elli ran her fingers over a jar label written in her mother’s looping hand and tried not to worry.

She noticed a linen sack wedged against the wall under one of the shelves. She wrestled it from the tight space and unfastened the tie. Elli’s eyes widened. It was the quilt Mama had sat up stitching each night for a long as she could remember. Standing, she pulled it from the bag, wrapping it around her as she did. The lily-sweet scent of her mother filled her lungs as she buried herself in the quilt’s softness. Snuggled in the precious quilt, Elli lay down and fell into the numbness of sleep as soon as her eyes closed.

Wind howled, buffeting her hair and wings. Elli hurried through the forest, sliding in and out of the sunlight slicing between the trees. Footsteps followed behind her, keeping pace, but she was not alarmed. She crouched at the edge of a still pond, waiting for the unseen creature to catch up. Just as a tousled head of brunette hair appeared over her shoulder, the water rippled and distorted the reflection. Elli turned to look the stranger in the face.

She awoke – just as she had every time the vision had invaded her sleep. Elli lay staring into the black. She hadn’t dreamt of the dark-haired stranger for seasons. Though she’d never seen its face, a part of her knew the creature meant no harm. Yet awakening from the dream always left her feeling hollow and edgy.

After what seemed like a very long time, she felt her body begin to relax. Elli curled into Mama’s quilt, pulling it over her head, and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

Site of the Week - NPR (Novel Ideas)

Once again, the week has flown by. My day planner is a mass of scribbles and moved deadlines for my study goals. Nothing that I wanted to do got done. However, I did begin a new short story tentatively titled "In Darkness." While it's still in the rough draft stage, I'll post the first section here after I wow and excite you with this week's site - NPR.

NPR? You mean National Public Radio? Yup. It's no secret that NPR promotes the works of artists and authors of all types. However, I found a page on their site that goes beyond asking the author about their current endeavor. This page features several very well-known writers (think Jodi Picoult and Scott Turow) and asks them how they write, come up with ideas, edit and overcome the nemisis of every writer - professional or otherwise - writer's block. *shudder*

While the interviews were done in 2006, the insights and advice these seasoned writers provide are timeless.  After reading Walter Dean Myers' interview I was inspired to try something new. He creates timelines for his characters and the world around them before beginning his books. (He spends up to 6 months "pre-writing.") 

I am working on an historical fiction novel and time frame is very important. I think creating a timeline for the era, as well as my characters and how they fit into the Roman world, will help me immensely! Currently, I'm keeping it all in my head - which can get a bit complicated, especially since I am planning to make this a family saga of sorts with successive books telling the stories of this main character's children and perhaps her husband's childhood as well.

So, after browsing the interviews, what inspired you?

Just for sh*ts and giggles. ;-)

While I was at work yesterday, my co-worker told me I HAD to read through this book we'd recently gotten in. The title? LOL Cats Bible. That's right, the LOL cats of I can haz cheezburger fame, now have their own version of the Bible. :-D 

Let me tell you, it was hilarious! Now, for any of you who love the Bible as it is, I implore you NOT to read this book. However, if you want to see the creation of the universe from a cat's point of view, definitely worth the investment of time and/or cash-ola.

OMG!! Just did a search for the cover photo to share and found THIS - a totally free version. Apparently it was online before it was in print. (Goes to show how much I know about LOL cats.) Anyway, if you need a laugh today just click the link.

Here's a preview, in case you're undecided.

Genesis 1: Boreded Ceiling Cat makinkgz Urf n stuffs


1 Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem.

2 Da Urfs no had shapez An haded dark face, An Ceiling Cat rode invisible bike over teh waterz.

3 At start, no has lyte. An Ceiling Cat sayz, i can haz lite? An lite wuz.

4 An Ceiling Cat sawed teh lite, to seez stuffs, An splitted teh lite from dark but taht wuz ok cuz kittehs can see in teh dark An not tripz over nethin.

5 An Ceiling Cat sayed light Day An dark no Day. It were FURST!!!

The Waiting Game

I really should be studying since I have an unusually busy work week ahead of me, but I just had to pop in and vent about waiting on responses to works that are out in "cyberspace" somewhere.

While I completely understand that publications, both large and small, are busy - some wait times seem excessive. I have submitted my novelette to an ezine which pays semi-pro. Their wait time? 90 DAYS! That's right, three months. What?  Most  likely they are understaffed and overworked, but c'mon, you're killing us writers out here slowly - one empty inbox at a time.

I've still got another 39 days to wait. :-( 

I have another short story out there right now as well. This one was entered in a short story contest. Mercifully, or not, they give an exact date by which the WINNERS will be contacted. No email = you lost. So I have 6 weeks of waiting on that one. *sigh*

Waiting stinks. I suppose it's a good thing I have plenty of other things to keep my mind occupied in the mean time. (I guess that means I should get to my studying.)

Site of the Week - How to Write a Science Fiction Novel

First of all, I must apologize for missing last week's featured site. As some of you know, I've decided to apply to law school. I'm now in the process of studying for the Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT) and taking a business class as well. So, needless to say, I've been very busy.

I may miss a Site of the Week here and there for the next few months. I take the LSAT on June 7th. After that I will be doing self-study to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer. I would like to use my law degree to work with children either in a human rights capacity or to represent unaccompanied minors seeking refugee or asylum status in the U.S. So, I thought working with abused and neglected children would be a good place to start getting some hands-on experience.

Aaaaanyway, after that long-winded explanation, here's this week's site. :-) I needed a laugh after spending the afternoon puzzling over the logical analysis section of  my LSAT study guide (only about 70 pages left in that chapter, ugh). So, I couldn't help clicking on a link that popped up on my search that said How to Write a Science Fiction Novel. The page is hosted by eHow.com "how to do just about everything."

Ok, first off, I don't believe there is a formula for writing any type of novel. You can read popular (and not-so-popular) authors to learn from them. You may even read some advice books. But a comprehensive "how to" on writing a book that is broken down into 9 steps that comprise about 400 words and has a difficulty rating at the top of the page that says 'Moderately Difficult.' Sorry, I'm not buying into it.

My favorite quote is step 3 under the "writing" heading. "Remember to be playful and allow your characters to take on a life of their own in the situations and difficulties you expose them to. Trying to force an authorial agenda on a book results in an overlong political tract rather than a satisfying novel."

They also have links to writing Sci-Fi for kids, and general novel writing. If you need to laugh, I highly suggest checking them out.

Well, I believe my work here is done. ;-)

Have a great week everyone.

Site of the Week - Seventh Sanctum

Ok, so I've chosen a site this week that is just pure fun! :-)  We've all been there, staring at a screen thinking "This character needs a really awesome name, but what?" Well, look no further than Seventh Sanctum.  Their name generator page is a kick in the butt! Just as an example, I tried the extreme fantasy names generator and it came up with - Rose Runefinder.  The evil-sounding names generator gave me Uglatha. Yeah, sounds like some sort of slug-like creature to me.

Anyway, give some of their name generators a whirl. You might not use any of them, but it will definitely make you smile and it might even spark an idea.

Update on my writing life.

Well, I've been busy, busy with my writing. Trying to come to grips with a highly emotional scene for my historical fiction novel - which I'm finally making progress on - woo hoo!  And I also recently wrote a short story for an online magazine. Got the rejection letter today. Bummer. But I'm not too bothered by it. It was more an experiement in trying new subject matter and creating something specifically for a publication than anything.

I'm also working on another short story for a contest which ends on the 15th. It's a challenge, but a fun one.

 Over the past year I have become too comfortable working away at my laptop - safe and secure from the actuality of the writing world. I've decided it's time to stop ignoring the writing opportunities that come up while I'm working on my novel and get back out there.

So, what about all of you? Have you found yourself falling into a rut? Or perhaps just keeping your writing to yourself out of habit or trepidation? If so, what are your plans to break out of your comfort zone?

Nothing in life worth having comes easily. Taking risks is what it's all about! Go for it!

SIte of the Week - MITOpenCourseware

It is time once again for the site of the week. With tomorrow being Easter Sunday, I figured I'd better get it done tonight.

I've gone off the beaten path for this week's site. I feel that in order to create well-rounded works that are believable and fantastical, you have to be well-rounded yourself. No, I don't mean go out and buy a couple gallons of ice cream and start chowing. I mean expand your mental horizons. One excellent way to do this is to take classes online where you learn at your own pace.

But, I don't have the cash flow for that sort of thing!

Fear not! MITOpenCourseware is a website filled with FREE classes that you can download to your hard drive.

There is something that will interest just about anyone; from Anthropology to Physics. Most of the courses include a list of textbooks to buy so that you can follow along with the lesson plan. You can choose to buy the books, or just learn what is available in the online content, depending on how deeply you want to delve into the subject.  I have found some of their history courses to be invaluable to my historical fiction novel in progress.

So, expand your knowledge. You might find something that will spark an idea.   :-)

P.S. There are many other colleges and universities that provide free online classes. Check your own alma mater, or do a google search to find more free learning opportunities.

Site of the Week - Writing-World.com

I have been very busy this week working on a story for possible publication. (As some of you who have been wheedled into helping me edit it can attest to.) ;-)  So, imagine  my surprise when I glance at my computer's digital clock and saw that it was nearly midnight on SUNDAY! Ack! I can't miss another Site of the Week!

Without delay I set about scouring the internet for a suitable site to feature. I was rewarded with the first click of my mouse. Writing-World's SF-Fantasy page is a gem in the dirt pile of "helpful" writing sites. The first article I read "Dialogue in Speculative Fiction: When Space Bugz Speakie Funnie and Other Problems" by Paula Fleming made me laugh out loud. (Good thing I'd already finished my cocoa.) Not only was it funny, it was full of truly helpful advice and ideas. :-)

Then I noticed Paula Fleming had also written an article about historical fiction - I was hooked. The SF-Fantasy page inlcudes articles from several different authors including tips for; Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror as well as marketing tips and interviews with published speculative fiction authors. There are a ton of links at the top of the page that cover other genres and aspects of the writing world. Hence the site's name, right? ;-) 

I very highly recommend this site. You can never learn too much, or laugh enough. :-) I have added a permanent link to Writer's World to my Websites for Writers list.

Grr. The time stamp beat me.  12:01am. Monday the 29th. :-(

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it.

I just wanted to let you all know that I have added my Upcoming Fiction Releases page. The link is at the top of the page.

The list includes both new titles (1st time release in hardcover or paperback) and new in paperback from hardcover.

The list covers new releases in a variety of genres through March 30th.

I will update the list about every two weeks.

Site of the Week - Et in arcaedia, ego.

Well, I'm barely squeaking by, but I have delivered (as promised) a second site this week to make up for missing last week. :-)

I've chosen to highlight the agent blog written by Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass Literary Agency, Et in arcaedia, ego.  Why? Because I found her voice engaging. The stats she provides on how many queries she recieves and how many partials she requests can be a bit disheartening, but I'm a realist deep down. Knowing that I not only have to be good, but slap-your-butt-flat-out-amazing, to get a nod makes me strive harder. (If being reminded that you have an ocean of competition isn't your thing, you'll probably want to avoid this site.)

However, Ms. Jackson gives a fresh voice to her (mis)adventures while slogging her way through the "query wars" as she calls them. She is straightforward about what authors can expect from her when submitting and provides reminders to those who choose not to follow the submission guidelines without being snarky or rude.

I recommend you pop in on her blog if you haven't run across it already. She accepts queries on all types of fiction. :-)

Hey, Thanks Jai!

Look at me, I rhymed!

Aaanyway! Jai Joshi over at the Tulsi Tree nominated me for an award. The name is really long and I can't remember it. But I'm supposed to put it up here. Only problem there is, I can't figure out how to do it!

I know, you're all laughing at me. I just don't get all the html stuff. So, I'll have it up as soon as I can. Providing someone will take pity on me and tell me how to add awards to my blog.

I also have to thank Brad over at Bradley's Brain. He nominated me for an Honest Scrap award a few weeks back. I didn't know the rules about how to accept and pass on awards then.

As soon as I get it all figured out, I'll follow the rules. I'm a follower, not a leader.

P.S. I already have both of them linked in my author blogs list. :-) They rock!

UPDATE!

As you may notice, I've just discovered how to create separate pages for my blog. :-)  The last time I was trying to do so, well, let's just say it didn't work out.

So, long story short, I have removed the lists of novels in order by series from the main page and added page links at the top of my blog. (Right above this post, as a matter of fact.) I believe it will make checking out which book comes next in your series, or finding a new author, a bit less complicated. There will be a page for each genre (sci-fi, fantasy, etc) and each page will be listed alphabetically by the author's last name.

I will be updating the lists when I have time and adding an UPCOMING RELEASES page very soon. Book store connections make it much easier to find out what's coming out in the publishing world. :-)

P.S. As the lists grow, I may break them up into smaller chunks. For example: Fantasy A-H and Fantasy I - Z, or something like that to keep the page lengths a bit more manageable.

Site of the Week - Fiction Writers' Mentor

Ooops! Last week got away from me and I didn't post my Site of the Week. So, to make up for it, I will be posting two sites this week. I've decided to do something a bit different here and post a site I do NOT recommend. There are a lot of helpful websites for writers - but there is an equal (ok, probably larger) number that fall short.

After finding Fiction Writers' Mentor which promises advice on fiction writing I went to check it out. The author who runs the site is published (three novels) and I do believe that the information contained on the site is meant to be helpful. However, on two of the three pages I scanned I found spelling and grammar errors. (If you are planning to give advice on creative writing - be sure to double-check your text before publishing.)

But the clincher for me was that the author used the first line of their novel as an example for establishing a sense of place. It was thirty-seven words long, included four -ly pronouns and two hyphenated words. Wow! That's a bit much for me in a first line.

I chose not to provide a link to this site. If you really want to give it a browse, Google it. ;-)

Site of the Week - Pub Rants

Well, it's been a busy week so I'm getting this week's site out a bit later than usual. I am going to keep this short because my allergies are driving me nuts today and I've had a headache since I woke up. Ugh.

I decided to highlight Pub Rants because "Agent Kristin" has some recent posts that deal with ebooks and how they will effect royalties and contracts. My favorite bit was that she had a question about how to calculate the royalties for her client and the publisher told her that the author could put the manuscript on hold until they made an in-house decision on how they would handle ebook royaly payments.

WTF??? So after all of the waiting and wondering, now we're supposed to be expected to wait for the publisher to figure out how they're going to calculate royalties? Ridiculous.

Anyway, any of you who haven't been to Pub Rants, enjoy. The link will be in  my Websites for Writers for future reference. :-)

Happy Birthday Michelangelo!

Though the day is nearly over, I could not let it pass without acknowledgment. Today is the birthday of true Renaissance man, and fellow lefty, Michelangelo Buonarroti. He has been my favorite artist since high school. One of the most exciting days of my life was the day I stood inside the Sistine Chapel. He was not only a painter and a scupltor, but also an architect and a poet. It is this last mentioned of his talents which did not gain him notice during his lifetime. This is because his poetry was not written for public consumption.

 Here is one of his unfinished sonnets. This one was written to his former love, Gherardo Perini.

Over here it was that my love stole from me,

In his mercy, my heart and, farther on, my life.

Here with his beautiful eyes he promised me help,

And with the same eyes here he stole it back.

Over here he bound me and here released me;

For myself I wept here, and with infinite sorrow

From this rock I saw him leave,

He who stole myself from me and never turned back.
 
It has such a note of pain and abandonment that it is difficult to read and easy to see why he must have left it unfinished.

New Addition Coming Soon!

As some of you already know, I work in a book store (for now) and I am always being asked the order of books within a series. Sometimes, that answer is easy because the publisher wisely decided to include the number on the book's cover. At other times, the answer involves some detective work on my part. I've decided to compile lists, organized by genre, which I will post here and provide links to on the left-hand menu bar for future reference and expansion.

Be on the lookout for the fantasy series list which I hope to have ready to go by the middle of next week. If you have any series you would like to see featured, please post a comment so that I can add them to my list.

Site of the Week - Fiction Factor

As an aspiring writer you have a goal – PUBLICATION! And not just any old kind of publication; successful publication.

You research agents and publishers for the right fit for your novel. You perfect your query letter and novel synopsis. You polish your manuscript until it glitters like a flawless diamond. You tirelessly send it out and ignore the pile of rejection letters because you just know your book is fantastic.

And then it happens – your manuscript is sold!!

Now what? Just sit back and wait for the money to start rolling in, right? Wrong.

Writing is a business and you – not the publisher or agent – are the business owner. In the publishing world you are a lowly “NO NAME” author.

But wait, I have a name! It’s a great name, just ask my mom!

Unless it happens to be Jim Butcher or Anne Bishop it might as well be Hey You because your book will have zero publicity dollars. And if your book doesn’t sell enough, don’t count on the publisher asking for a sequel.

So, what are you going to do to make certain your business, your BOOK is a success?

Ummm, me?

Yeah, Y.O.U.

Marketing – it’s not just for buying groceries anymore. That’s right. You, the creative, go-with-the-flow writer has to get serious about promoting your book. It’s your baby and if you want it to make its way in the world you have to step up and help it along.

But how?

Well, I’m glad you asked. After taking a seminar on starting a business my eyes were opened to the just how crucial self-promotion is to your success. So, I started surfing the web for advice on how to apply this knowledge to my writing. And I found Fiction Factor. It’s an ezine dedicated to doling out advice to aspiring authors.

Their drop-down menu at the top of the home page has a wide variety of topics to choose from, but for the purposes of my topic select “Promotion, Publicity and Marketing.” (You have to scroll down to see it – that’s how much information is on this sight.) You will be given a list of articles written by experts in the business. The articles I perused were very helpful and got the wheels turning, so to speak.

Planning ahead is worth the effort. Those of us with blogs and memberships to writing forums are already working on self-promotion, but we have a lot more to learn. Why not let those who have been there before give us a few pointers?

UPDATE: Somewhere is now submitted.

Well, I did it. I uploaded the "final" version of Somewhere and submitted it just a few minutes ago. It's been a long time since I submitted anything. (An embarrassingly long time, actually.) So I've got the butterflies all over again. The down side here is that this market has a long turnaround time. But, I am going to keep working on other projects to keep myself busy.

I'll post when I hear anything - good or bad. (Keep your fingers crossed for good.) ;-)

Site of the Week - The Knight Agency

As you are all aware, I am unpublished in the fiction realm. So as I go about increasing my knowledge and seeking out advice, guidelines and others who understand the feeling that you are standing on the edge of an abyss more than ready to swallow you whole, I believe in highlighting websites from unknown or lesser known people, agencies, etc.

While we have all heard of the BIG names in the agent world; Nathan Bransford, Janet Reid, Miss Snark(now retired) what about those agents who haven’t got the followings these bloggers do? Are their websites somehow less informative? Less realistic? Less inspiring? Or, like us, are they just waiting for the world to pay attention to their genius?

Let us see, shall we?

I did a Bing search for agent blogs and found a list. How convenient. :-) At random, I chose to check out The Knight Agency’s blog. And here’s what I found:

They like to publish romance novels(which is probably why I’ve never heard of them). While they do have a sci-fi/fantasy section, just from the “cover blurbs” posted, most of them are romance based. (Good news for any of you working on a Paranormal/Sci-fi Romance, not so good for the rest of us.) However, they do represent some well-known names in the paranormal genre, like Gena Showalter and Nalini Singh, so they know their stuff.

But when it comes to advice, I found a wonderful article Loving a Love Scene by Chris Marie Greene. I do not write romance, I find emotional scenes very difficult to write. This article has some great tips for the romantically challenged like me. My favorite was to keep in mind that a sex scene is a point where your characters should transform. It should be a catalyst for them. Unconsciously, I knew this, but to see it written out with examples and suggestions – it clicked. :-D

So, while Knight Agency does not specialize in the type of fiction I am writing, that doesn’t meant I can’t learn from what these professionals have to say. I encourage you to stretch out beyond the confines of your own chosen genre when seeking hints, tips and knowledge. You never know when you’ll find a little gem to make your writing sparkle.

The tediousness of market research.

I've just spent my entire afternoon searching for a market that will fit my novelette, Somewhere. Well, it's a novelette according to some markets and a novella according to others; which makes finding the right market all the more frustrating! ;-)

Anyway, after all of this tedious research, I only found five possible markets which are currently accepting submissions - and of those five, only two offer any form of payment.

Talk about discouraging. I'm wondering if I should either lengthen this or cut a bunch out (though I have no idea what I could cut without sacrificing the heart of the piece). 

However, I am going to make my final edits (yes, that means making my comma errors obsolete) over the next two days and begin submissions on Friday afternoon or Saturday when I get home from work.

I'll post any updates - good, bad or ugly. :-)

Site of the Week - Alan Cooper's Homonyms

I have a  writing pet peeve - the misuse of homonyms. You know, those words that sound the same but mean very different things. Homonym misusage is quite common and it never hurts to have a place to go and double check your word choices. Alan Cooper's Homonyms  includes definitions to help you find the correct word.

It's an excellent resource for new and not-so-new writers alike. So the next time your debating on a word, make your final decision baste on this list.  ;-)  (Can you spot the homonym misusage?) LOL.

Site of the Week - Ancient Weapons and Armory

So, I've decided to take a slight detour from the classic websites for writers and highlight Ancient Weapons and Armory, a great research site. For those of you who know me, battle scenes are my favorite to write and when I stumbled onto this site my heartbeats quickened. ;-) 

This site is a bit of an unusual combination - an ancient weaponry encylopedia with links to weapon replica suppliers. (No, I haven't placed any orders - yet.) The weapons are listed on the left side of the page. Clicking on the links reveals quick general descriptions of each item, including such useful information as how much a typical suit of chain mail weighs or the basic design of a bayonet. These are the sorts of details that can add depth and dimension to your writing. And you can find them all in one handy little database.

Now for you sci-fi folks, you can just make up your own weapons. But if you are so inclined you can click here for a site which has lists (and pictures) of modern military weaponry of all sorts.

So, pick your poison, grab a notebook to jot down notes and browse until your hearts are content.

Happy researching. :-)

Soul Shards

Ooops. I just realized that I forgot to post a link to Agent Query in my "Websites for Writers" section. It's there now. :-)

Oh, and BTW, I woke up at about 1:00am and this poem popped into my head. It's unedited, but thought I'd share anyway.


        Soul Shards


I’ve sifted through the shards
of who I once was found anger, despair,
a tiny sliver of happiness.
But innocence is nowhere.
I left it with you, wedged between
the daylight and the darkness.
Layered with dust – forgotten.
In its place, a hole, jagged and tender.
Slowly filling with indifference
To keep me from the same mistakes
I made by giving my soul
into the care of an invalid.

Site of the Week - AgentQuery.com

All right, I admit it; I was playing at the beach yesterday when I should have been doing research for my Site of the Week piece. So, I've decided to review a site most of you will probably already know about, but that I believe deserves (re)mentioning. It has been featured on the 101 Best Websites for Writers put out by Writer's Digest for the past five years. But, I'm still going to tell you why I like it. :-)

Agent Query is a comprehensive database of over 900 literary agents. You can quick search by keyword and/or genre (non-fiction and fiction) or there is also an option for a more detailed search. You are going to find agents who represent big names in the fiction world. While it can be daunting to think about sending your manuscript out to the same agent who represents your favorite author, isn't it fun to think about telling everyone you know that you share an agent with Diana Gabaldon? (You know, just as an example.) ;-)

So, why do I like it? Because it makes searching for the perfect agent not only easier, but more enjoyable. I love knowing in a quick snippet what genres the agent represents, who they represent and what books they have in the works. You want to make sure that the agents you submit your work to are currently selling books to publishers. So, while the site is helpful, please exercise common sense and caution when making your choices.

And they also have these handy little boxes along the top of their homepage that provide links to all sorts of useful information. For example click on "Beware of Scammers" under the Writers heading and you will find a Q & A about how to tell if an agent is trying to take advantage of you. Agent Query has researched the legitimacy of the agents they list, but I still encourage you to browse their agency websites and/or blogs to get a feel for how they operate.

I like to think of Agent Query a one-stop-shopping experience.  It's sort of like Wal-Mart but without the bad business practices and freaky people wearing fox tails on their belt loops. Oh, come on; don't pretend you haven't visited that people of Wal-Mart website. ;-)  Anyway, as an aspiring writer who has used Agent Query to submit her work to agents in the past, I give this site a 5 out of 5 keyboards.

A new look & an invitation to discuss.

Well, I've decided to try a new template. Love the images in the background they feel "fantasyish," but it's a definite learning process for me to navigate. For instance, it took me five minutes to figure out how to post this because there wasn't a big button that said "create new post."  ;-)  (I can hear Joe laughing at me.) Obviously, I am not very good with computers. I actually had to spend 15 mintues on the phone with my little brother to figure out how to change the template in the first place. LOL!  I talked him into becoming the newest follower of my blog while I was at it. Thanks for the help and boosting my follower count, Kev. :-D

Now, on to a real writing discussion. I have been nibbling away at Calli and got another few pages written today while I was at work. (Too bad the bargain store is closing at the end of the month. No more "free time" at work. Bummer.) I still have to type up what I wrote. It's a piece that takes place in Rome from Martina and then Echo's POV. I've recently added two new characters, Jordanes (another Germanian) and Vercingetorix (Rix for short. He's a street urchin from Gaul). They both make appearances in this section.

While I like them both, Sefu is still my favorite secondary character in this novel thus far. My discussion invitation is this; who is your favorite secondary character in your current project(s)? Why does that character stand out to you?

Why do I do these things?

Can I have a show of hands, please? How many of you have ideas in your brain that are stewing because there are only 24 hours in a day and you are limited to the puny, paltry, insignificant number of 2 hands? Do these ideas in queue chastize you at night as you lay down to sleep? Why haven't you written me down yet? How much longer do I have to wait? WTF - are those feety pajamas? You're an adult for God's sake! 

But I'm really being serious here. I have several book ideas floating in limbo. And I just added another to the  list. Darn me and my obsession with history. I was just reading a book (Badass: A relentless onslaught of the toughest warlords, vikings, samurai, pirates, gunfighters and military commanders to ever live - by Ben Thompson - hilarious & informative BTW) and rediscovered Anne Bonny. I'd seen some History Channel shows on pirates where she was mentioned, but she'd fallen out of my memory. But now I am inspired. I have to write a book about her!

So, what is waiting in your head to be given life on the computer screen, notebook page, paper bag . . . ?

Site of the Week - TalkToYoUniverse

I'd like to begin by saying that I met Juliette Wade, the author of this blog, as the result of my interview on The Sharp Angle. It's so encouraging to meet new writers and discover what they have to share.


Juliette has degrees in Anthropology (so jealous), Linguistics and Japanese. When she sent me a message asking to link up our blogs, I did a quick perusal of her recent posts and decided to make her this week's Site of the Week.


So, without further ado, here is my review of TalkToYoUniverse.


I love languages, so this blog really appealed to me. (Those of you who have been reading "Calli" know I'm learning German for that book, as well as expanding my Latin knowledge.) Juliette focuses mainly on the creation of "alien languages" which I believe will spark the interest of many Sci-Fi and Fantasy writers.


I found her recent post about culture in your writing to be particularly relevant. One thing we writers strive toward is a realistic set of characters that our readers will care about. Considering culture as a reference point for your characters' actions is an important step to achieving this goal.


The blog also includes links to research sites as well as writing tips. One in particular, to Found in Translation, includes an interesting discussion on created languages - specifically Na'vi from the movie "Avatar." Click here to read the discussion.

If you are writing fiction that includes aliens and/or non-human spoken language you should check out this blog. Juliette has some great insights and I give this blog 4 out of 5 keyboards. You can now find a link to her blog under my Author Blogs heading.

Site of the Week - BookEnds, LLC -- A Literary Agency

Just a little reminder, this review is only my opinion. :-) I hope you find it helpful.

I have promised you all a review of an agent blog this week. So, as not to disappoint you,  I offer Bookends, LLC – A Literary Agency 



Bookends, LLC accepts submissions from just about every genre you can think of including; fantasy, romance (historical, paranormal, and contemporary), westerns, and mysteries as well as non-fiction. However, they do show a strong preference for romance. (If you have a paranormal romance, this looks like a good place to submit.)

But I did not choose to highlight this blog mainly as a suggestion for submissions. The content and advice Jessica Faust, the agency’s co-founder and lead agent, offers is solid and straightforward. Faust blogs on a wide variety of topics; from basic submission technique to making the perfect cranberry daiquiri for the holidays, all you under 21-ers ignore that last bit. ;-)

She also responds to questions from aspiring authors. Her advice on how to tell if your agent is "bad" (a.k.a not helping you achieve your goal of publication) is frank and informative.

I would recommend checking out this blog. Bookends, LLC gets 4 out of 5 keyboards. :-)


K. Looney(writer)

My Interview on The Sharp Angle

Well, I'm a bit late in posting that my interview is now available to read on The Sharp Angle. Busy day. Here's a link if you haven't read it and feel so inclined. http://lydiasharp.blogspot.com/   And though I'm sure they're getting sick of hearing it, THANK YOU AGAIN LYDIA AND JOE!!!  I had such a great time answering your interview questions.

I just returned from viewing the comments left by other authors and I was so very touched by their kindness and well wishes. All of that support also gave me a boost of motivation. To keep plugging away at Calli, no matter how daunting some of the reasearch may be. To better manage my time.

To have it all. ;-)

P.S.  I will be out of town tomorrow - finally having Christmas with my best friend and her family. But I will be posting my "Site of the Week" on Wednesday. I'm going to be reviewing an agent site, just not sure which one yet.

Calliope update.

Have you ever had a piece come to a screeching halt because you just couldn't track down that one tiny piece of information you were searching for? That little extra something that would make a good plotline great?

Well, Calli didn't exactly come to a screeching halt, but the book was limping along with a large piece missing. I had to skip over the entire voyage from Greece to Rome because I had no idea how long it would take to get there, etc.

But yesterday my mom saved me. Yup, you heard me right. My mom. She got an email, from AARP of all places, containing a link to free online courses taught by MIT. MIT? The MIT? Yup again. So I followed the link. ** Ok, here it is, I know you're wondering - http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/courses/courses/index.htm 

Aaanyway, there are some really interesting sounding courses on there. One in particular that I thought would be helpful with Calli - The Ancient City. I wasn't expecting it to solve my particular problem of sea travel during ancient times, but it has a website listed in the syllabus that did just that. (http://www.ostia-antica.org/)  (On an aside, every time I see Ostia, I laugh to myself. I was an exchange student in Malta. Ostia means sh*t in Maltese.) :-O

So, now I can go back and fill in the HUGE gap that was just sitting there mocking me. Of course that will mean changing some of what I've already written because there will be some things that have to be adjusted about Calli's attempted escape from Zeno, etc. But I finally have the knowledge to write it.

And today I got a pretty good start. I was working down in our bargain store (cool books, cheap prices - but dead as far as customers go once Christmas passes by) so I grabbed one of our mark down journals and started scribbling. I haven't typed it up yet, but I got a pretty good chunk of it written!

**SIGH** That's a sigh of relief all. Pure, sweet relief. I can now finish the rough draft of Calli by April as I've recently set that goal for myself. The final draft however, well . . .

P.S. Thanks Mom!!

Site of the Week - Duotrope's Digest

For my first website I have chosen to review Duotrope’s Digest.


Duotrope specializes in poetry and fiction. However, they do not offer information on novel markets but cover shorter pieces, from flash fiction to novellas. The site includes a word count guideline in case you aren’t certain which category best describes your piece.

This site is free and does not require a membership to view. But if you’d like to sign up, it only takes a few seconds and is free. As a member you can add your own experiences when submitting to markets. By putting in statistics, such as response time, you help other aspiring writers choose the right market.

The site is updated daily and currently includes information on 2,725 markets for short fiction and poetry. You can browse by title, or search for a certain genre/theme that will suit your work. My favorite feature of this site is the Deadline Calendar. They have an extensive list of contests and compilations that do not charge an entrance or reading fee. The submission deadlines are listed in chronological order and each market title is linked to a page where you can get more detailed information, including a visit to the market’s website.


Duotrope’s Digest is easy to navigate and packed with helpful information. I didn’t have any major issues while exploring the Quick Menu bar across the top of the main page. I would definitely recommend it to other aspiring writers with poetry and/or less-than-novel-length pieces looking for homes in the publishing world.

On a side note; the site is run completely on donations. So if you can afford it, make a contribution or buy one of their fun products for writers to help keep it running.

If you’d like to check it out for yourself, I have added a link to Duotrope’s Digest in my Webites for Writers section.

Welcome to 2010.

Well, now that the new year has begun, I must make good on my promise to update and "revamp" this blog. While I have decided to keep posting writing samples on occasion, I will also be adding some new content.

There are a lot of web sites and blogs out there that offer advice to new and/or aspiring writers. But with so many people out there giving opinions and advice you often run into conflicting information. What I propose to do here is to choose one site a week to peruse and then offer my conclusions/findings about each site. I'll be giving each a rating as to how helpful (or not) I found the content. Take these ratings with a grain of salt. I don't pretend to be an expert. What I am offering is another aspiring writer's viewpoint in hopes that I might help one of you find a venue to becoming the next big thing in the writing world.

Because my work schedule changes weekly, I do not have a set day of the week upon which I will be posting. However, I will have a new post up by Sunday each week before 12:00am, Pacific Time.

In addition to these site reviews, I will also be posting the occasional writing prompt or discussion topic.

I will begin 2010 with a discussion topic.     

In recent years, self-publishing has become a more respected form of getting your book into the hands of readers. (Look at Christopher Paolini, for example. He began as a self-published auther at the age of 15.) Have you, or would you, consider self-publishing your novel as a way to get noticed by a large publishing house? Or would you consider self-publishing as a lucrative business without a "real publisher" coming in with an offer?

I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

K. Looney(writer)