Yes, that's right... two years ago today I sat down and started a blog. I never could have predicted the friends and opportunities that would come my way - in fact, I didn't think it would amount to anything. Over the last two years I've written three books, self-published an anthology, participated in countless bloghops, challenges and contests. All of it has been with the support and encouragement of you lovely bunch. Some say blogging is a dying art, but I hope not. I don't know of another medium where relationships can be built on this level, allowing for serious debate, laughter and learning. I wholeheartedly recommend any writer thinking about starting a blog to go for it without hesitation. We can always do with more friends!
So, my anniversary falls on a Friday this year. Good excuse for a party, eh? In celebration of my recently launched editing service, I'd like to offer some editing prizes to three lucky winners, as follows.
1st prize: Novel of up to 100,000 words proofread and copyedited. 2nd prize: Novella or short stories up to 30,000 words proofread. 3rd prize: Short story/ies up to 10,000 words proofread.
I'm doing it this way because I don't want to edit parts of novels and then have people feel obligated to pay for the rest. It would be great if you could indicate in the comments which prize you would prefer, so I can allocate prizes accordingly.
Hope everyone has a great weekend! I apologise in advance if I'm not around too much - we're packing to go away on a big camping holiday next week, but thereafter I will be catching up. The kids are off school and we're taking the whole clan with dog in tow too!
Hello there. As part of my drive to get back into blogging, I thought I'd reinvigorate my posting for this group, which I've missed for several months. I'm still working towards self-publication of my novel and my WIP is undergoing revisions with this aim in mind. Today I'm talking about what it means to have validation as a writer.
I saw an item on This Morning recently (a daytime TV show in the UK, and no, I don't sit around watching TV all day; I'd done my work for the day and had just switched it on while making lunch. This particular segment was actually post-12pm!) They were talking about selfies, a phenomenon of which you are doubtless aware, whereby people take a picture of themselves usually to post on Facebook or Twitter. What I hadn't considered was that people are posting the pics specifically to get a reaction (along the lines of "Wow, you look cool/hot/smokin'/another temperature variant). Apparently they can be quite upset if no one responds. My initial reaction was that their lives must be pretty shallow if they need that type of reassurance, but then I told myself to shut up and stop being so judgemental. As writers, isn't part of our reason for publishing to receive validation, some signal that what we are doing is worthwhile?
Note I said reason for publication. I think many of us would agree that a big part of writing is to get a story out of our heads, exercise those characters knocking around in there and demanding we listen to their trouble. If that was all there was to it, that novel would be filed away in a desk drawer or hard drive and on we would go with our merry lives. But for most of us, at some point and after revising so hard we can't even see the words on the screen any more, we want to see if anyone else will like it too. (Let's face it, money is a very minor factor, if even a consideration at all in this game.)
A lot of people stress over reviews and take bad ones quite personally, although it's important to remember that it is based on the book, not you as a person. At least it should be... there is a notorious dark side to this whole thing, but in the main, reviewers are interested in the story, not the author. But it's human nature to see this as a reflection on ourselves and the tone of a review has the power to make or break our day.
What do you think? Do you need validation as a writer? What are your reasons for wanting to publish? Do you read your reviews, and what sort of reactions do you have to them?
Don't forget to head over to The Indelibles to check out loads more Indie Life blogs!
The day has come - time for the official launch of my editing service! Thanks to everyone who's helping me out with it this week. Here's the lowdown on why I decided to kickstart my business and what sort of things I have to offer.
With
the unstoppable rise of self-publishing, it’s easier than ever to put your
words and stories out there in the world. This is a great thing, and I’m all
for it. However, it’s not just about the story - although of course, that is
the most important part - but the way it’s presented. After spending months or
years on a novel, building an incredible world and honing your characters and
storylines to perfection, the last thing you want is to be let down by a lack
of editing. It’s just as important as an arresting cover image.
Nick Wilford, Freelance Editor is a one-stop
shop for affordable editing, proofreading and formatting services. With
professional training and ten years of experience as a journalist and editor,
the time has come to transfer these skills in order to help out the fellow
authors I have come to love.
But
it doesn’t stop there. I’m ready to edit anything; from a crucial term paper,
to memoirs and other non-fiction books, short stories, articles or job
application letters. Let me put that finishing touch on your masterpiece.
Feel
free to take a look at my website
for further details of my services and prices.
Also, look out for something exciting coming a week on Friday - it's my two year blogiversary, and I'm planning to give away some juicy prizes relating to my business!
Happy Monday! Time to reveal another luscious cover, and another intriguing upcoming book. Today it's Julie Flanders with her new novel "The Ghosts of Aquinnah".
Blurb:
A brilliant flash of light transcends through time.
Another freezes a cloaked figure within a frame of salty mist as waves crash against a rocky shore. Her harrowing expression shadows the beacon to a pinprick.
By the next blaze, she is gone. Only the lighthouse remains.
Hannah’s eyes blink in step with each heartbeat. Images of her deceased parents and Martha’s Vineyard explode like firecrackers inside her mind.
She shakes her head.
For weeks this eerie woman dressed in nineteenth century garb has been haunting my webcam, but tonight she stared into my soul.
Why? ...
Who is she? ...
Casting aside months of research on historic lighthouses, Hannah drives to the coast and boards a ferry.
What is the strange connection she has to this mysterious woman suspended in time?
Hannah finds out.
But, it’s not at all what she expects ...
Hannah unravels a century old murder.
Author Bio:
Julie Flanders is a novelist and freelance writer in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has a life-long love affair with the ocean and has spent more summer vacations than she can count on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. When not writing, Julie can be found reading, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and watching too much television. She is an animal lover and shares her home with her dog and cat.
Hey all! Hope everyone had a great summer. It might be a bit late for saying that, now we are in the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, but I've missed chatting to you over the last few months. I've loved hosting various blog tour posts and cover reveals, but it's now time for an update on where I've been at.
Things haven't been all plain sailing round here, meaning my writing has been pushed back somewhat. My wife was off work for a protracted period of time with anxiety, due to various issues which are too lengthy to go into here. We've been spending a lot of time together which has been good for us and the kids, including three mini holidays in two weeks! She's now starting to get back on a part-time basis, taking one day at a time, and I've been getting back into writing and blogging - though feeling rather rusty.
I completed the first draft of my novella, still untitled, last week. It came to about 29,000 words, although most of the four months' drafting seemed to be spent on the last couple of thousand. So I'm glad that's out of my system, and I'm pushing ahead with edits on Black & White, which I hope to have ready for release around January or February.
I also have another small piece of news to share. For a long time I've been considering leveraging my editing and proofreading experience in order to benefit the writing community, and a short while ago I mentioned my plan to start a freelance editing business. That day has come and I'd love if you could pop over and check out what I've got to offer here. I'll literally edit anything that has words in it, but I'm particularly keen on helping out fellow indies in a world where it's paramount to offer a professional product, but editing services seem prohibitively expensive.
Although it's short notice, I would MASSIVELY appreciate it if you could help out with the official launch which I'm planning for next Tuesday, 1st October. You don't have to do a lot - if you sign up, I'll send out all the information for a post in the next few days. If you can't do next Tuesday, any brief mention during the week would be great - Tweets, FB, etc etc. Thank you!!
I'll leave you with one of the pictures from our adventures over the summer - me and Eve at Mount Rushmore. No, we're not giants, and yes, that is the Lego Mount Rushmore!
It's here! The talented Christine Rains is set to release a complete collection of her superb 13th Floor tales, featuring the supernatural residents of a mysterious floor in an apartment building. I've read three of the stories, and can't wait to catch up on the rest in one place. Congrats, Christine!
Title: The 13th Floor Complete
Collection
Author: Christine Rains
Genre: paranormal romance
Release date: October 13th, 2013
Blurb:
Six supernatural tenants
Living in a haunted apartment building
On a floor that doesn't exist.
Six novellas telling their tales.
A retired demon acquires a price on his
head.
A werewolf is hunted by her pack.
A modern day dragonslayer misses his
target.
A harpy challenges Zeus for the soul of the
man she loves.
A vampire is obsessed with a young woman he
can't find.
A banshee falls in love with someone who's
death she has seen in a vision.
And a sweet ghost must battle a primal
monster to save them all.
All the stories take place at the same time
intertwining their lives together on the 13th Floor.
Author Bio:
Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom.
She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great
Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with
her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered
Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor
series is her first self-published series. She has eight novellas and
twenty-one short stories published.
Today I'm honoured to host the wonderful Julia King - aka Writing Jewels - as part of her tour for her newly published debut novel. I'm excited because I've never featured a playlist on my blog before. I'm also excited to read her book because it sounds excellent! Take it away, Jules:
There's a part of me you'll never know
The only thing I'll never show
Hopelessly I'll love you endlessly
Go by Hanson
I heard your moving van
But I didn't take a stand
You can't leave with them
You can't live without them
I never thought I'd want to let you go
Tonight I Wanna Cry by Keith Urban
I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show
And I thought that bein' strong meant never losin' your self-control
But I'm just drunk enough to let go of my pain
To hell with my pride, let it fall like rain
From my eyes, tonight I wanna cry
The Reason by Hoobastank
I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
Set the Fire to the Third Bar by Snow Patrol
I'm miles from where you are
I lay down on the cold ground
I pray that something picks me up
And sets me down in your warm arms
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again by Andrew Lloyd Weber
Too many years fighting back tears
Why can't the past just die?
Wishing you were somehow here again
Knowing we must say, "Goodbye"
Try to forgive, teach me to live
Give me the strength to try
No more memories, no more silent tears
No more gazing across the wasted years
Help me say, "Goodbye" Everlasting Love by U2
Like the sun it shines
Endlessly it shines
You always will be mine
It's eternal love
Whenever loves are gone
Ours will be strong
We'd have our very own
Everlasting Love And here's the gorgeous cover and blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Pierre Rousseaux witnesses a young girl take a near fatal plunge off Pont Neuf Bridge into the freezing water of the River Seine in Paris, France. After diving into the racing river himself, he is able to rescue her from a watery death, but only after her head is bashed into the river
wall. Upon reviving her from unconsciousness, Pierre realizes she doesn’t remember her past at all.
The girl struggles to recall anything from before she may have tried to commit suicide, not only once but possibly twice. The few glimpses into her life are discovered through dreams that can only suggest her past was horrific and jaded by intense anger.
Her memories may force her to lose everything she has grown to adore, especially the boy she loves more than anything in the world: Pierre.
