Laura Eno is BACK!! *Snoopy Dance* & Giveaway

Laura is an intrepid spirit! 

Not only did she guest blog, but she came back. Probably for more self-huggy jackets and dragon gifs, but hey, I’m not complaining.

Nope, no other reason. Definitely not for the great giveaway of swag and copies of Jewel of Shaylar. Stop trying to look behind me. Nothing there…

Oh, fine! *Harumph* Geez. Don’t judge me, this stuff is gold. Signed paperback copy of the book, three eBooks, a spiral notebook, two notepads, bookmarks…ya’ll are relentless.

First, you have to read her answers to my questions. Then all you need to do is comment. That’s it. Now, there are four great prizes, but if you comment, leave a Twitter handle or email so she can contact you and everyone gets a bookmark. *Looks at comments and wonders if I can get away with it*

The prizes are:

First prize – signed paperback copy of Jewel of Shaylar and a spiral notebook

Two Second prizes – eBook and a notepad

Third prize – eBook

I spent the weekend reading her great work, and it is sooo worth entering for. Better yet, worth the price. Awesome sauce, pure unadulterated awesome sauce.

Now, on with the interview. And don’t forget to comment and let Rafflecopter know!

Why did you pursue self publishing?

Hah! Well, it was 2009. I'd just finished my first novel and quite naively thought you sent it off to a publisher and that was that. I did – with no formal cover letter or synopsis I might add – and started working on my next story. Jeez, they didn't want it…. If I remember correctly, I'd sent it to Penguin. I don't do anything halfway.

As I waited for an answer, I started exploring the new world of eBooks, Facebook, Twitter, writers groups, blogs. The crash course was a real eye opener.

The bad news – mid-list authors weren't making it anymore in the Big Six publishing world. I was crushed to learn that the window area in a bookstore was a commodity to be sold and not earned by virtue of writing a brilliant novel.

The good news – I could do it all myself. By the time I got the rejection, I had a new plan laid out and it felt right.

What is your favorite part? Most hated?

My favorite part is being in control of my own work, to control my own destiny. I decide everything – what stays in a story, cover art, pricing, how long the book stays on the virtual shelf. I am proud to be an indie author and love the freedom.

Most hated? Promotion! I think most authors will agree with that. We are a peculiar blend of hubris and insecurity. We know we have something to tell, are sure people will love our stories, and yet loathe the idea of having to beat the drums to tell the world how great we are. ;)

What was the biggest lesson learned?

You have to want it badly enough to make it work, to face the rejection, to conquer your fears. You must keep going, do whatever it takes, keep writing even if your brain tells you to quit. Don't listen to the naysayers. The world reeks of them.

What advice would you give to newbs like me shakily putting their hat in the self pubbed ring?

To borrow from Nike, Just Do It. You accomplish nothing by dithering. How will you ever reach your goal unless you move forward? Did you write your story to have it collect virtual dust on your hard drive? Get it out there!

Favorite character from any book you've written.

I've always had a soft spot for Jake, the villain in Realms of the Red Rabbit and the protag in Realms of the Red Rabbit, Jake. Those were the first two books I ever wrote, by the way. Should they have seen the light of day? Probably not. The reviews show a polarized audience. Every time I get a horrible review about my writing skills and consider yanking it, I'll have someone contact me saying how much they loved it. *shrug*

Anyway, Jake was my first "bad boy." They are hard to forget and I love him in a Han Solo stalkerish kind of way.

Now share the funniest mishap from self-publishing. Don't be shy. If I can partake of Jezzie's drink, you can share this!

Ugh. I can't wrap my head around the concept of anybody wanting my autograph, so my first impromptu book signing was pure hell! I was petrified I'd make a mistake in the book – in ink! – and write something stupid or spell my name wrong or spell their name wrong or just come across as an ass in some way.

And I did! I made a mistake in the book. The woman was so gracious, saying the scribble made it all the more special. Puke-inducing. I can call it funny now, I suppose. Kinda. I'm still receiving therapy for it.

I am so honored to be here, TJ. Thank you for inviting me into your padded room and providing these cute snuggy jackets with all the ties. I'm so cozy I think I'll keep it on permanently.

***

There you have it folks, the wonderful Laura Eno! I’ve learned a lot from her, and believe me, talking to all the self pubbed authors has helped.

a Rafflecopter giveaway   

You can stalk Laura - she does love her stalkers - at all of the following places:

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

***

Now, before you go, you have to go over to Cliffhanger’s and enter the contest. It’s fun, and I think we are offering some great prizes to boot.

Next month, we have Jean Oram coming to visit…and like Laura, you don’t want to miss meeting another great one!

Inspiration - Thursday's Child 5/16/13

I know, I'm entering this a bit late. But I worked all last night and this morning...

 But onwards :)

So many things can inspire a person - whether in life or in writing. People are probably my biggest inspiration.

Yes, the news is constantly full of bad things happening. Over and over and over. They don't show the billions of other people who exhibit a quiet strength in circumstances many can never understand.

The single parent working two jobs to feed, clothe and house their child(ren). The homeless getting up from a cardboard bed to face another day. The author typing frantically at keys. The farmer/rancher starting before dawn. The scientist hoping to find a cure. The police officer facing a gun to protect others. The doctor/nurse/EMT hoping to save a life. The bystander rushing to help a complete stranger in a bad situation. The person waking up next to the one they love, unable to face life without him/her.

Life is full of pitfalls, highs, good and bad. From conception to death, every breath and heartbeat propelling a person forward, sometimes in the mundane, and sometimes with stories that will never be known by anyone outside of their world.

I love to people watch. The young person rushing to school, the elderly feeding birds, the executive glancing at his watch, the child in deep belly laughs over something very simple. Watching people rush into the fire, hugging a stranger who just experienced hell, listening to the cheers for an accomplishment.

Over and over, people prove they are strong, caring, and can overcome the worst to help someone else.

To know the future, as scary as it can be, is filled with billions more than willing to keep going.

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Your Inner Editor

You can stop cringing in the corner. No, seriously, come on out. *holds out bacon and chocolate* It's okay. Come on.

The words editor and editing make a lot of writers fold themselves into tiny pretzels, hiding from the necessary evil of revising their manuscripts.

I did tell ya'll I work for Curiosity Quills Press as a copy/content editor, right? And with Robin Alexander, we started our own freelance editing? No? Sorry.

The point is that I get to see a ton of MS, in various stages of development. I've seen MS basically in rough draft to a recent Science Fantasy that barely needed any work at all. I recently participated in an auction, offering the first 50 pages of an MS to be treated like any MS that crosses my desk. I learned quite a few things in the past year, both as how I'm seen, and how to help bring out the inner editor of every writer.

I found out when you tell other writers you are an editor they hide. No, I'm not kidding. I fight the urge to look behind me for zombies, werewolves, the IRS guy ... Because, why are they afraid of me? Oh yeah! For the same reason I cringe and hide anytime I see an email from an agent, popular authors, and anyone who even takes a peek at my own work.

I'm terrified - they are going to say something that I put my heart, soul, and sacrificed a lot of brain matter for, is utter crap. *Side note - NONE have said that. Ever. Thank goodness most aren't cruel and do their very best to keep you breathing.* I get it. It doesn't take much to cause our writer-ly world to fall apart.

So I wanted to write a blog and tell you a few insider tips on how to prep your MS. And when that magical moment comes to hand it over to an agent/editor/CP comes along, you can smile instead of hiding in fear. Or at least fake a good one.

Simple Stuff

1.) Redundancies - This is the biggest issue of every MS that has ever crossed my desk. I'm no better - I find them in mine as well, and can often contribute approximately 2,000 words that will be cut in the end. In a rough draft, it's fine. A rough draft is supposed to be badly written, with lots of mistakes. But when you finally go to revise and edit - be prepped to delete. 

Redundancies are fillers. Unnecessary words, and slow the flow of your MS. For example, the ones I see most are: to him/her, at him/her, with him/her, them both, with both, we both, etc. The reader knows who is going where, who is in the scene, and doesn't need the filler. By removing you will have a much cleaner read for your audience.

2.) Too much scenery. What do I mean? Well, it was a lesson it took me a long time to understand. It's a part of world building. 

My first three MS? Oh dear. It was worthy of dozens of facepalms. Seriously. I was so scared to leave out every little detail. But it isn't necessary. As one of my favorite people, Joyce Alton, once advised, if a character is running, he/she isn't going to notice the beautifully subtle nuances of a carving. But while the character is trying to stay alive, tiny things will not escape their notice - a rocky path, the weapon of choice by the antagonist, the unshakable flying car, etc. They build the world and help push the plot forward. 

3.) Passive. We can't fully avoid passive writing. Those hideous little words that seem to sneak into every sentence. Has, had, have, would, could, should, this, that, then, than, etc. Yeah, those. If you are finding them everywhere, it's time to delete and rephrase. As I said, some passive is okay. A lot takes away from your MS and the message you are trying to convey.

4.) Telling. Why are you cringing again? Stop that! Come back here. It happens to everyone. Even the best writers are guilty of it. 

To tell someone they can't have telling in their MS is just wrong. Sometimes it is necessary, and adds a bit to the story. But constant telling is a bad thing. Part of writing a story is engaging your audience - letting them use their imagination to the fullest, turning on their inner HD screens, and feel a part of the story. 

What is telling, exactly? It is when a writer spells out Every. Little. Thing to the reader. Every emotion, thought, how an action is completed, etc. Here is an example:  "She folded in on herself at the news of Barry's death."  vs "Christine felt grief crash over her, knees growing weak, wrapping her arms around her waist, shoulders curving in like a folding chair, at the news of Barry's death." 

There are several issues with that second sentence, but you get the idea. If I've done a good job showing Christine's feelings for Barry throughout the MS, the first sentence is enough to trigger emotions and imagination of the reader. And that is what you are going for in your writing. Let your reader be a big part of the story, let them feel, see and have their own "Ah-ha!" moments. 

And, finally ...

5.) Pronouns. Yup, I'm just as guilty. It/his/her/I and every variation. Let's take a look at the second sentence from #4. "Christine felt grief crash over her, knees growing weak, wrapping her arms around her waist, shoulders curving in like a folding chair, at the news of Barry's death." In one sentence, I used three pronouns. Frankly, it's annoying. It also slows the reader, and unnecessary. Your audience is smart. We don't have to constantly remind them of who is currently the topic of conversation. Clean it up, reword and you'll end up with a much cleaner, faster reading experience.

Sharpen your editing claws. 

I am leaving it here. I think, for now, I'm going to keep most of my editing tips at Cliffhanger's blog. But we all need a starting point, and this is a good one for those of you prepping to dive into revisions. Otherwise, peek over there once a week for contests, editing blogs, and general mayhem. 

And I want you to remember the following:

Guest Blog: Laura Eno

Time does fly when you are having fun. Or creating as much mischief as possible. Either way, it's a two-for-one special and all good. *shrug*

My monthly showcase of great self published authors is resuming! *this is where you applaud, people* This month, I want to introduce you to a hilarious, fun, talented writer, Laura Eno. She writes in Spec Fic, everything from YA to Romance to Epic Fantasy. And wow, does she keep your attention.

To top it off, she's just a great person. And she has wonderful taste in cars, Muses and dragons. Yup, she had me at "dragons."

Now, without further fangirling, I give you, Madame Laura Eno.

*****

LE: Your padded room is lovely, TJ! Thanks for inviting me over to play. I brought my own self huggy jacket so no need to fetch one for me. I see you have the blanket tent set up for later, too.

TJ: But, Laura - I had a special self huggy jacket made up just for you! All Bejeweled out an' everythin'....

LE: Some people might label me with an overactive imagination for the above statement or at least roll their eyes. *glances around with suspicion* But the way I look at it, they see the world in black and white, missing all the lovely shades in between.

My MC in Jewel of Shaylar has a tendency to judge things according to surface information. He's forever falling into traps and juggling problems because of it. That tendency is one of the issues we, as a people clinging to the back of this good planet Earth, have with each other. In Jewel of Shaylar, David has to chuck preconceived notions he has in order to grasp a better understanding of the new world he finds himself in. Using old standards to go by does nothing but land him in trouble. I'm hoping he'll grow out of this unfortunate habit as he has many other issues still to conquer!

Still, I sympathize. How would you like to be cast into a realm where magic is normal but you don't have any? Yes, I was mean to him. Sue me. He's tough enough—if he remains focused. Hmm. I foresee another problem. Bwahahaha!

TJ: *snicker* The meaner, the better, if you ask me. Which, of course, you didn't. But I'm still interjecting here....

LE: Jewel of Shaylar is the first of five epic fantasy books in the Kingdoms of Chandra series. I hope you'll come along with me for the journey and help keep David's spirits up…or yell at the pages if he's being dumb.

Thank you so much for having me over today, TJ, and letting me share a bit about Jewel of Shaylar, a story which grabbed me by the throat and won't let go. I'm so excited to let it out into the world and share it with all of you!

TJ: You can stop by anytime! Meaning, you have to come back in two weeks, or Jezzie is in trouble - she is the one who signed the contract. Right after she gave me that funky drink...

LE: If you would do me a favor and please consider leaving a review somewhere after you've read it, I'd be grateful. Reviews are the lifeblood of any author.

TJ: Well, yeah!!

LE: ow, I brought a big box of crayons with me. Can we go color on the walls?

TJ: Where did you hide the crayons?? And you can have the east wall. It keeps moving on me...

*****

Jewel of Shaylar is releasing on May 13th! I'm so excited (You know you just sang that with me - don't deny!) and can't wait to review. First, you can't resist the cover. I have pure cover envy. And at the end of the week, I'm reading this bad boy. I got an ARC - neener neener neener!!

Whoops - fangirling again, huh? Now, you have to return on May 20th - for an epic giveaway. Laura has some magically fantastic stuff to give away, things that if you don't hide them from me, I'm going to take and run. 

*****

Bio:

 

Laura Eno lives in Florida with three skulking cats and two absurdly happy dogs. After spending years immersed in college but never figuring out what she wanted to be when she grew up, she now writes novels late at night with the help of muses from the underworld. And, no, she still hasn't grown up, but that's okay.

She is the author of fifteen novels and novellas, ranging from fantasy to romance to horror, and has stories included in nineteen published anthologies.

 

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Thursday's Child Inspiration Blog Hop May 2, 2013

Dang it, Rhiann offered chocolate and bacon. Blame her. I totally snagged for it. Not to mention a little Billy Squier full volume in the background.

Humor. As writers, most of us have a great sense of humor. Our perspective of life, and the humans in it, seems to bring out the ability to laugh.

Whether dangling virtual bacon, laughing at a badly written scene, making fun of ourselves, or making The Three Stooges proud, as writers we are fantastic at seeing humor. Perhaps it's because most of us live in the dark side of imagination, throwing some harsh situations at our characters, overall, I've never met a writer that didn't know how to laugh.

And that inspires me. To not only write the proverbial Stephen King's "What If" but to infuse some humor, to help others see the lighter side. Bad things happen to good people. But that isn't all in this world of ours.

A baby's laughter will have me at least giggling in no time flat. Watching a cat get itself into precarious situations, watching the Muses, Filly's snark, Hubby's British sense of humor. A friend's joke, my own klutziness. The Big Bang Theory.

And we need more of it. Laughter is proven to lower blood pressure, burn calories and brighten your outlook on life. Great memories come from laughter, and when the bad times hit, it is those situations that can help a person make it through. To remember, life isn't all about the bad stuff, the horrifying, realizing what one human can do to another.

It's about the laughs, too.

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Cover Reveal! *Worthy of a Squee*

When friends tell you they have their covers, let you help vote on them, and get closer to their release date, you squee. You know, that funny little Squirrel Rabbit Kitten noise that any eight year old girl makes, but which you imitate rather badly. And don't care, because, frankly, it's awesome to see others reach a hard won goal.

And let me tell ya, I squee'd. Especially when I saw Michelle Hauck's cover. I introduced Michelle back in January, with her guest blog, Lessons Learned the Hard Way. 

She is letting me be one of the blogs to reveal her final cover. Yes, another squee. I know, I know, another of TJ's fangirl moments. You'll live.  Now without further ado - check it out!!

****

How is this for pure awesome-sauce? It depicts the story perfectly, giving off the feel of the book and genre.

Blurb:

Princess Kindar of Anost dreams of playing the hero and succeeding to her mother’s throne. But dreams are for fools. Reality involves two healthy sisters and a wasting disease of suffocating cough that’s killing her by inches. When her elder sister is murdered, the blame falls on Kindar, putting her head on the chopping block.

No one who survives eighteen years of choke lung lacks determination. A novice wizard, Maladonis Bin, approaches with a vision—a cure in a barren land of volcanic fumes. As choices go, a charming bootlicker that trips over his own feet isn’t the best option, but beggars can’t be choosers. Kindar escapes with Mal and several longtime attendants only to have her eyes opened that her country faces dark times. 

Her mother’s decision to close the prosperous mines spurs poverty and joblessness, inciting rebellion and opening Anost to foreign invasion. As Mal urges her toward a cure that will prove his visions, suddenly, an ally turns traitor, delivering Kindar to a rebel army, who have their own plans for a sickly princess.

With the killer poised to strike again, the rebels bearing down, and the country falling apart, she must weigh her personal hunt for a cure against saving her people.

Now meet the wonderful, and very talented, Michelle Hauck:

Bio:

Michelle Hauck lives in the bustling metropolis of northern Indiana with her hubby and two teenagers. Two papillons help balance out the teenage drama. Besides working with special needs children by day, she writes all sorts of fantasy, giving her imagination free range. A book worm, she passes up the darker vices in favor of chocolate and looks for any excuse to reward herself. Bio finished? Time for a sweet snack.

Her YA epic fantasy, Kindar's Cure, is to be published by Divertir Publishing in May 2013. Her short story, Frost and Fog, was picked up by The Elephant's Bookshelf Press for their summer 2013 anthology. 

Twitter: @MIchelle4Laughs

Blog: It's in the Details

Facebook: Michelle Hauck, Author

Kindar's Cure on Goodreads

*Happy sigh*  

My Very Inspiring Blog Award 4/27/13

You can blame the wonderful and funny Rhiann. Apparently offers of bacon and lap dances inspired her to include me in a nice blog award. My guess is that unless you were watching on Twitter, you have no clue what I'm talking about. And I'm not going to explain. 

Seven things about me and then nominate other bloggers to do the same. It should prove very interesting, to say the least. I'll try to keep it as lighthearted as possible. What? I said try. I can't guarantee this brain of mine will stay on track like it should...but never does. I have my own thirty acre ranch in Crazy Writer, Earth.

Not exactly true. Considering I reside in a beautifully padded room and wear self-huggy jackets.

1.) At the age of three, I read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z. My Nanny used to say I'd spout off the weirdest facts when I visited her, out of context, then make up a story to go with the facts. Sound familiar, ya'll? I say it's a win-win situation....

2.) I have a B.S. (this kills me - how apropos) in Biology with emphasis in Genetics. If I had the money, I'd only need a semester to grab the M.S. I co-authored two scientific papers regarding dyslexia and it's link to a mutation on several genes, and helped to engineer the first rough initial genetic test for it. Doesn't mean a damn thing though. Seriously. A person can have the mutation, from both parents, and never exhibit symptoms. Yet someone who only has the lowest recessive will display extreme symptoms. From what friends have told me, the money dried up and no further testing has been done.

3.) I'm a klutz. I've mentioned this before. I faceplant regularly getting out of bed and have even fallen into dolphin pools at Sea World. It also means I've racked up some serious injuries playing sports. For example, in fourth grade I played softball and managed to break my ankle. No, I don't know how. I was standing still. Or in high school, I had to take two PE summer classes. The coach loved golf. Made me practice two hours a day. He should have known better. In one swing I broke my ankle, my wrist and wrenched my knee. We were standing in place, just hitting the golf balls. If the ground gets rough, Hubby stands nearby, smiling, knowing it is coming. I'm a regular Keystone Kop.

4.) I have a huge family. As in eighteen living brothers and sisters. A total of thirty living aunts and uncles. Two hundred plus cousins. Forty something nieces and nephews. None of these numbers include spouses, by the way. No, it isn't because of a religious belief system. It is because they forgot condoms are readily available and birth control has been legal since the 1960's. Plus multiple marriages, so I have a lot of half brothers and sisters, and several are adopted. Not sure which ones. :)

5.) To heck with Klondike bars. The question is, what wouldn't I do for a wonderful imported European chocolate bar?

6.) We speak Southern British in this house. For example, "Man, ya'll, it's brass monkeys out there!" is a common phrase. Which, by the way, has gotten Filly pulled into the Principal's office many times because the teachers don't know what it means. I get a laugh out of it. Okay, so does Filly and Hubby. And it has caused some awkward explanations with others. 

7.) I have lived in the Arctic circle, with tales of polar bears, walrus, caribou and months without sun. Filly loves to hear those stories. 

Shew!! Didn't think I'd get seven! Go me! Go me! Uh-huh, go me! *cabbage patch executed hilariously wrong*

Award Rules:

1. Display the logo in your blog to show you’ve been nominated. (Done! Next)
2. Link back to your nominator. (Done! Next)
3. Share 7 things about yourself. (Done! Next)
4. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award. (May not reach 15 *looking for fresh meat*)
5. Notify your nominees. (Okay, okay, already. I'll get there!)

If I nominate you and you don’t want to play, no worries. If you do decide to play, please let me know so I can learn 7 interesting things about you!

In no particular order, here are my nominees:

Julie Luek - just because she's full of awesomesauce. And gets my humor.

M.L. Swift - anyone that appreciates cars as much as I do deserves it.

Mia - For her patience and ability to answer awkward questions.

Tammy - because I'm dying to see her answers.

Laura Eno - she has a whip. Probably a few chains and a misbehaving muse. 

Joey Francisco - my writer-ly sister from the South. Spunk like that should never be wasted.

Susie - whose humor is always worth the read.

I'm going to leave it there. If, however, you wish to participate, don't be shy! Self nomination is a great thing. Just make sure you notify me so I can edit you into the list :)