Sneak Peek Snippet 2: The Evolution of Lillie Gable

I finished the third draft of The Evolution of Lillie Gable last week. I will go through one more pass on it and then it goes to the editor in a week's time, but I thought it was time to share another snippet. I shared a snippet from Chapter 3 a few weeks ago. Here's a short snippet from Chapter 5 with a special cameo.

Lillie pulled into the Brandt’s driveway without incident. As she walked to the front door of Rachel’s house, she heard a loud, deep bark. Lillie knocked on the door, and the barking grew more frantic. Lillie waited outside, confused. The Brandts didn’t have a dog. Rachel’s grandmother, Nana, opened the door.

“Hi Lillie,” she said.

“Zelda, quiet,” Rachel shouted. Lillie crossed through the doorway and saw Rachel sitting on the couch, holding a small, fawn pug. The pug was barking, and squirming to get out of Rachel’s arms.

“We are dog sitting this little mutt,” Papa said from his recliner.

“As you can tell, Papa isn’t too fond of Zelda,” Rachel said. “I think she’s pretty cute.” Rachel set Zelda on the floor. Zelda darted at Lillie, but stopped at Lillie’s feet. She reached down to pet Zelda, but the pug ran in the other direction.

“She will warm up to you. She’s just a little feisty when you first meet her,” Nana said. “Richard, let’s go upstairs to give the girls’ the living room.”

October 2014 Book Reviews

October was a packed reading month. Three of the books I read were brand new releases that I was excited to read right away. They didn't disappoint! Check out the video or the reviews below for more details on the books I read. What have you read recently?[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COYSmoAHa5I]

Balanced on the Blade's Edge by Lindsay Buroker - Balanced on the Blade's Edge is so much fun to read. The novel is a steampunk romance with a heavy dose of adventure. I love the witty dialogue and narration throughout the book. It made me laugh out loud several times. The characters develop nicely, despite it being a shorter book. The action scenes keep the pace moving, and I even liked the steamy romance sections. I am excited to keep reading this series by a great indie author! 6 out of 7 stars

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas - The Throne of Glass series evolves in this third installment. The first two books were action packed and fast paced with some character development along the way. In this third book, the structure changes. The story focuses on character development and world building with very little action, especially compared to the first two books. This makes the book seem slow at parts, especially in the first half. I knew the story was building to something greater, so I didn't mind, but I could see how the slow pace could turn off readers. However, the last third of the book was great. I couldn't put it down at that point. The POV chapters from Manon (a witch) also feel misplaced and disconnected, but I am confident it will make sense in the greater story arc of the next book. I think this is morphing from a light young adult fantasy to a high fantasy series. I like it. 6 out of 7 stars

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson - I loved The Sky is Everywhere, Jandy Nelson's debut novel, so I was excited to read this one. It didn't disappoint. The story is stunning. I adored the dual point of views from the varying time periods. I also liked the element of mystery to the novel and figuring out exactly what happened to Noah and Jude. But most of all, I loved the story of Noah and Jude. It was so good. I did feel a little bogged down with the long chapter lengths (especially since it's YA), and some of the quirky language. I also wonder if teens are truly the target audience of the book. It just didn't sit with me as a novel teens will flock to reading. Maybe too literary? Either way, I liked it. You probably will too. 6 out of 7 stars

Unstrung by Kendra C. Highley - Unstrung is the first in a new YA series from Kendra Highley. Unstrung is a sci-fi, dystopian novel where artificial humans were created to be a new workforce. As the technology increases, these artificial humans or "Bolts" have become more and more human. Lexa, the main character, is on a crusade to free these bolts from their slavery. I enjoyed this novel. The pacing of this story was great–it really kept the plot moving. I found myself intrigued at the greater story arc about the bolts and this society. With so many dystopian novels these days, I am curious how Highley plans to differentiate Unstrung. I did want a little more character development and backstory, but I hear there is a prequel on the way to address it. Overall, Unstrung is a fun, enjoyable ya novel, and I'm looking forward to more in the series. 6 out of 7 stars

 

The Girl in Between by Laekan Zea Kemp - The Girl In Between is an intriguing young adult novel. Bryn, the main character, suffers from a condition that causes her to sleep for days or weeks at a time in a coma-like state. She starts having vivid dreams during this state, and meets a boy named Rowan in this dream. The dreams cause her to search for him when she's awake while she meets with doctors searching for a cure. We also learn about her family, friends, and school for Bryn. On the positive side, I loved the unique concept of the story. It caught my interest, and I am intrigued to see where the story goes, especially with the cliffhanger at the end. I did find the pacing a little slow for my liking, but I'm not a reader who likes extra fluff and exposition.  5 out of 7 stars

Rating System Guide

7 stars = Phenomenal book – one of the  best books I’ve read

6 stars = Great book – worth your time to read

5 stars = Solid book, if you like the genre pick it up

4 stars = Okay book, maybe lacking something in the way of language, character development, story

3 stars = I probably should have stopped reading this book.

1 or 2 stars = Serious issues with plot, structure, language, or not a book for me.

Writing in the Silence (or how I am becoming a more productive writer)

It's almost November, so writers of all sorts are scrambling to get ready for NaNoWriMo (aka National Novel Writing Month). If you aren't familiar with NaNoWriMo, the goal is to write a 50,000 word (or more) novel in the month of November. That averages to about 1,667 words a day. It's a fun challenge, and The Photograph was born out of NaNoWriMo. But I am not participating this year. I'm in the middle of revisions for two novels, so it doesn't make sense for me to put those down right now to start something new. But for those who may be trying NaNoWriMo for the first time, I thought I could send some tips your way to help with your productivity.

Three years ago, when I wrote the Photograph during NaNoWriMo, 1,667 words a day sounded terrifying. These days I set a goal of 3,000 words a day (usually in 2-3 hours time) when I'm in first draft stage. I know some of the productivity increase is because I have more words under my belt. The more you do something, the easier it gets. However, I know the biggest boost in productivity comes from writing in silence.

What is writing in silence?

It's exactly how it sounds. I remove all possible distractions and write. Here's the steps I take.

1. I get a drink (usually caffeinated) and sometimes a snack and sit down at my computer in the office.
2. I turn off the wifi on my computer. (If you may be tempted to turn it on, I suggest just flipping off your router)
3. I put my iPhone on silent mode and flip it over so I cannot see the screen. (I'll be honest, nobody calls me, but if they did, and it was an emergency, I could still answer it).
4. I get to work.

It's pretty simple, but it's been super effective for me.  Without distractions, I get in the writing zone quicker. Usually after writing around 1,000 words, I'll get up and take a break for five minutes. Then it's back to it.

Like I said, writing in silence has helped me write faster. If you are trying NaNoWriMo, I suggest you find a distraction free area to write. It will help tremendously.

I do acknowledge that distractions can come up despite your best intentions. This happened to me the other day.

I was on my computer hard at work when Peach jumped into my lap. I don't even know how she managed to land on my lap and not hit the desk. She's crafty. Anyways, momentary distraction. I carefully removed her from my lap (much to her disapproval) and went back to work. Sometimes removing the distraction can be difficult if it's a spouse or a child, but I think you can manage. :)

That's my tip for the NaNoWriMo folks. Enjoy November and good luck! 

What are your productivity hacks? 

Sneak Peek Snippet: The Evolution of Lillie Gable

I am busy revising and editing The Evolution of Lillie Gable, but I'm at the point where I can start sharing snippets. So here's one from Chapter 3!

Lillie grabbed a beer from the cooler and walked inside. The house was quiet, but she looked through the house to make sure she was alone. She returned to the kitchen and opened the fridge. When she saw the small red bottle of hot sauce, she grabbed it. She poured out a third of the beer and then poured a small stream of hot sauce in it. She put the hot sauce back and walked outside.

Lillie took a long way around the patio to approach Angela and Jake from behind. She took one step at a time, careful to not draw attention to herself. When she was within striking distance, she paused. Jake was laughing at Angela’s words. Lillie switched the beer cans so the hot sauce beer was next to Angela. With Angela’s beer in hand, she walked away and circled back to the front of the patio.

“Need another beer?” Lillie asked as she approached Jake and Angela. Jake shook his head, so Lillie turned to Angela. Angela lifted her beer in the air.

“No I’m good,” she said, taking a sip. Angela started coughing and gagging. She stood and hurried into the yard. Lillie saw her bend over, heave, and empty the contents of her stomach into the grass.

The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Holiday

The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Holiday is finished!

What is this pug holiday book?

It's a PDF with six stories. Five are holiday themed Zelda stories from the first three Zelda books. (You can see the list below). If you haven't read any Zelda books, the holiday collection is the perfect introduction. The stories are great bedtime stories for children and the collection is free.

If you already read the Zelda books, don't despair!

The sixth story is a brand new exclusive story. It's the first in a new Zelda spinoff series starring Peach! Well, really it's starring Batpeach, and the spinoff series will continue with more volumes in the future.

The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Holiday is free, but only available to my email list. Simply click here and sign up. I also email my list 1-2x a month about new releases, promotions, and stories, so you receive a free pug book and updates on when to grab my books for cheap!

I hope you enjoy the pug holiday fun!

The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Holiday

A Pug Scary Story from The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga A Pug Thanksgiving from The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga A Pug Christmas Story from The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale Zelda Meets Peach from The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga The Easter Egg Hunt from The Adventures of Zelda: Pug and Peach Batpeach - Volume 1

The Kindle Countdown Experiment

My young adult novel, The Photograph, is currently Amazon exclusive. I decided to go exclusive to try out some of the promotional tools KDP select gives you. With the Zelda release last month, I decided to wait until October to try the promotions. Last week, I ran a Kindle Countdown Deal from Sunday through Saturday on The Photograph. I set the price to $0.99 all week, a $3 discount from it's regular $3.99 price. Here's what I learned:

• Kindle Countdown Deals will not sell books on its own. On days I didn't run an ad, the sales numbers didn't rise.
• Running a Countdown Deal in conjunction with ads is a good strategy. I set up a few low cost promotions during the week. BookSends and The Fussy Librarian netted me good sales, enough to move my book up the Amazon charts in my sub categories. I topped at #5 in YA Sports Fiction and charted in a few other categories.
• I wish I had submitted to ENT earlier. I was too late to get the week I requested. With ENT and the other two sites, I think The Photograph could have hit the top spot in the category.
• Kindle Countdown Deals net authors a 70% royalty, even at a $0.99 price point. The higher royalty rate made the sale much more worthwhile.
• The Photograph's cover and description will sell books if I get it in front of readers. The Photograph is a contemporary YA with mystery, basketball and a little romance, so it's not in one of the best selling genres. It hasn't sold well yet, but I think it can do okay with some extra push (and the next two books in the Eastbrook series available).

My remaining question:

• I will stay in KDP select for another 90 days. However, I have mixed feelings about whether I should run a free promo or another $0.99 deal in this section. I think free will move more copies, but I'm worried free doesn't equal people who will actually read the book. Any thoughts out there wordpress universe?

Overall, I'm happy with the deal. I'm glad to have my book in the hands of more readers. I look forward to trying more tactics when my second young adult novel is published in 2015.

What has been your experience with Kindle Countdown Deals and Free Promos?

Grab The Photograph for a Buck!

I'm running a $0.99 promotion on my novel, The Photograph, this week (October 5-11) in the Amazon Kindle store. If you haven't picked up a copy yet, it's only a buck, so fire up your Kindle and load it. Find it here in the Amazon store.  Also, happy October. Eat something pumpkinish. :)

The Photograph 

On a quest for truth, one girl will find more than she bargained for...

Sixteen-year-old Rachel Brandt is excited about her six-month anniversary with her boyfriend, Brent, getting her driver's license, and competing for a district championship in her first season on the varsity basketball team.

But when Rachel stumbles across a photograph of her parents, she can't shake the feeling that she is meant to find her mother, whose identity is a secret her grandparents have closely guarded. All Rachel knows is that her mother disappeared around the time her father was killed in action in the Gulf War a few months after she was born.

Her discovery of the photograph sends Rachel on a search for her mother against her grandparents' wishes and propels her life into a tailspin. She never imagines her search will reveal a series of lies that jeopardizes every important relationship in her life and her success on the basketball court.

September 2014 Book Reviews

This month I'm trying something new, so here's my September book reviews by video! If you aren't a video person, my written reviews are below. Happy Reading! [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ-vnfUeFww]

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - I enjoyed this book more than I expected because I don't consider myself a big fan of paranormal young adult books. Here's what I loved: the stunning imagery and the strong female lead. The romance was a little tropey (is that a word?), but I love the world building and the story arc this first book sets up. I can't wait to see where the author takes this series. Since I am several years behind in reading this book, I get to cruise from one to the next! 6 out of 7 stars

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - The Book Thief is a book that has been on my to-read list for a long time, but I put it off for an unknown reason. I saw the movie a month or so ago and finally decided to read the book (even though I don't think the movie does the book justice). I listened to the audio book version of The Book Thief, and I found myself drawn in right away. It was a refreshing change of pace from some of my recent reads. I loved Death as the narrator, and the author using Death to create an omniscient point-of-view. I loved the theme of the power of words and the questions the novel brings up about morality, war, our words, and more. The Book Thief is a worthy read for teens and adults. 6 out of 7 stars

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart - I always scan the reviews of a book after I finish reading, but before I write the review. This time I was surprised to see that the top reviews on Goodreads and Amazon were either 5 stars or 2 stars. Apparently this book polarizes reviewers, but I'm going straight down the middle for my review. On the positive side, I enjoyed the short choppy sentences and using language in a fresh new way, along with the fairy tale chapters. I didn't see the big twist coming, although I was a little disappointed with it. What can I say? I like happy endings. I think the book makes readers reflect on issues of materialism, socio-economic status, greed, and of course, love. On the negative side, I never really grew to love the main character Cadence. Plus, I'm not a fan of characters with amnesia-it just seems a little played out. The emotion of the story didn't hit me either, but it could be great for you. If you like twisty, contemporary stories, I'd read it. 4 out of 7 stars

The Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley - The Splendour Falls is a mix of mystery, romance, and history in a beautiful setting. Emily, the main character, is on holiday in Chinon, France. She is supposed to meet up with her cousin, but he never shows. She ends up befriending others staying at her hotel. Together they discover a long lost treasure hunt and learn the history of those who lived in Chinon many years before. The story was good, albeit a bit predictable at times, so I found myself reading to finish the book, not reading because I was excited about the book. This is the first I have read by Kearsley, but I realized this was one of her early novels, written in 1996. Reviews state her most recent works have more depth and mystery to them, so I will probably try another by Kearsley to satisfy my historical fiction craving. 4 out of 7 stars

Rating System Guide

7 stars = Phenomenal book – one of the  best books I’ve read

6 stars = Great book – worth your time to read

5 stars = Solid book, if you like the genre pick it up

4 stars = Okay book, maybe lacking something in the way of language, character development, story

3 stars = I probably should have stopped reading this book.

1 or 2 stars = Serious issues with plot, structure, language, or not a book for me.

Author Spotlight with Eva Lesko Natiello

Today I am excited to welcome Eva Natiello to the blog for an Author Spotlight. Eva is the author of The Memory Box, a dark, psychological thriller (think Gone Girl). Eva writes in a genre that I normally don't read, but I picked up her book because we share a copy editor. I couldn't put the book down, and I'm excited she is on the blog today.

Let's start with a brief introduction. Tell us a little about yourself your novel The Memory Box.

Let's see, I grew up in New York and went to school at SUNY Albany where I studied psychology. After I graduated from school I moved to the Bahamas for my first job as a singer. Eventually I moved back to New York and worked in the cosmetics industry as a communications and p.r. executive. It was never in my master plan to write a book. But some things just happen in life. When I had my second child and decided to stay at home with them, that's when I started writing.

The Memory Box is a story about a at-home mom of two (that sounds familiar!) who Googles her maiden name and discovers a past she doesn't remember. (By the way, that's where the similarities end...)

The Memory Box is a dark, twisty psychological thriller. Where does your desire to write this type of fiction originate?

Well, I'm fascinated by misconceptions. When things are not as they appear or seem. We make all sorts of judgments about people based on how they look, what they wear, how they talk, where they live, etc. And these assumptions in many cases can be wrong. I also am fascinated with the idea that bad people are not all bad and vice versa. I like to explore moral dilemmas. And I love to write suspense and thrillers because they are essentially literary puzzles. I guess I am a natural problem solver, so I do like to figure things out.

As I write this question, The Memory Box has 156 reviews with an average of 4.5 stars in a few short months since its June release. I also know The Memory Box was downloaded over 27,000 times during a free run on Kindle. Did you have a specific marketing strategy when you launched your book? Also, how did you encourage readers to review your book?

Before I released The Memory Box, when I was in the beta reader stage, much of the feedback was similar. My readers were saying that it was a very fast read. Many reviewers say this as well, and that it's hard to put down. I knew that it was the kind of book that would be great for book clubs. So one of my main marketing strategies was to try to get it read by as many book clubs as possible. I deliberately wrote a list of Discussion Questions and placed them in the back of the book, both the ebook and paperback. I also offered to attend book club meetings where my book was being discussed. Not only is that so much fun to do, you get to talk to people who want to help you succeed and one of the things you can ask them for are reviews. I have noticed that writing reviews is not everyone's cup of tea, even if they loved the book. It freaks them out to have to write something for a writer! They get uptight about this. The main thing I've tried to do, is to be grateful and thank my readers as much as I can. I tell them I appreciate them reading the book and spending time to write reviews or simply telling other people about it.

This question is out of pure curiosity since we both work with Candace Johnson of Change it Up Editing. How do you find Candace and decide to work with her?

Once I decided to self-publish, I knew I had to invest in certain aspects of the book so that it looked and read as professionally as possible. The first person I needed was a copy editor. I searched a great deal for the right copy editor and found Candace on Facebook, of all places! There were certain things I was looking for in a copy editor, obviously a lot of applicable experience on interesting projects, experience in a traditional publishing house, someone who was active on social media, availability in my time frame and the right chemistry. What I mean by that is, all the editors I was considering did a sample edit for me, and I really focused on how they edited and what they edited. This is a great way to see beforehand, if you think the relationship will work.

Usually writers like to read in the same genre that they write. What are some of your favorite books and genres to read?

Okay, this is going to sound very strange. I do not like to read in the genre I write. I get nightmares very easily and have trouble sleeping normally, so I can not read thrillers or watch those types of movies. I can only write them. I can't explain it. I think I know my characters so well, that I am never scared of them. As screwed up as they are, they do have redeeming qualities! One of my favorite books, and the one I credit to turning my writing around, is White Oleander. I think it's beautifully written, while tackling some dark subject matter. I also like to read historical fiction and humor (and I love to write humor, too!). Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a recent book I read where the quirky characters made me laugh out loud. A few other recent favorites are: Midnight Circus, Ocean at the End of the Lane, The Paris Wife, Then Kitchen House.

Finally, what is next for you?

I have started another dark twisty psychological read and hope to get back to spending some quality time writing it. But as you know, book marketing never sleeps!

Thanks again to Eva for taking the time to answer a few questions. You can learn more about her at her website or head over to Amazon to buy a copy of The Memory Box. 

Creating a Fantasy World - Learning on the Fly

In case you missed my last blog post, I mentioned one of my future projects is a fantasy series called the Ozais series. I have a first draft written for the first book, and I am really excited about the book. The series originated from a recurring dream I had as a kid. In the dream, my house and neighborhood was under water so we had to canoe from house to house. (Somehow the houses weren't flooded). Anyways, I used this water idea to develop a unique setting for the series. As I wrote the first book, I found myself having to stop to straighten out details and settings unique to the fantasy setting. If I had more foresight, I would have outlined and planned beforehand. (But where's the fun in that?)

For anyone who may be writing a fantasy novel or want to write a fantasy novel, here are a few tools I used to create a fantasy world on the fly.

Maps & Diagrams

My setting is one of the most interesting and complex aspects of the Ozais setting. Although I'm not artistic (see below), I cracked open my notebook and started drawing. They are not works of art, but they help me greatly. If I can picture where a place is and how to get from place A to place B, writing the story becomes easier. I plan on redoing many of these maps and diagrams before I revise the first draft.

Setting Descriptions

Along with the maps and diagrams, I also wrote out detailed descriptions of the various places in my world. Besides writing a physical description of the terrain and weather, I listed the people who lived there and why.

Character List

I usually create a character list for my projects. However, it's usually a one page document with the important names listed and a few defining characteristics. For my contemporary YA, I can keep the characters appearance and personality straight in my head, so I don't need to reference it often.

For the Ozais, I created a document for each major character in the story. Since we meet some characters early in the first book, but we won't see them again until book 2, I needed more details. Plus, there are more characters and it's much more complex. The character sheets make sure my brain doesn't implode with too much information.

Magic System

The magic system in fantasy novels can make or break it. It needs to be clear and make sense in the context of the world you created. This is tricky. I found thinking and planning in terms of cause and effect is beneficial. If my character can do this, what effect does her power have on others? What effect does it have on the world? Why can she do this special thing?

I don't have a specific plan to help you create a magic system, but in my opinion, ask lots of questions and answer them.

Timeline

Finally, I created a timeline for my world. In the timeline, I listed everything that happened day by day during the novel. I also wrote notes on what happened before and after the first book took place. I will continue to add to the timeline. Eventually, it might hang on my wall above my office for reference. Timelines are awesome.

By the way, my timeline is different than an outline. My outline was written before the book was written. For me, the outline tells the general steps the characters take to advance the plot. It allows for flexibility and some improvisation. I put together the timeline as I write the book so I can refer back to it. For a timeline example, this character punched that guy on this day, then he took a nap. Two characters get into an argument would be the outline example.

Those are the tools I used to create a fantasy world. For any fantasy authors out there, what do you do?