Monday, February 26, 2018

Before and After: Grief and the Act of Writing



I’ve written a lot of characters with dead parents. I think many of us do. We have to get them out of the way, after all, so we can expose their kids to mortal peril. I thought I could imagine my characters’ pain fairly well. I’m an empathetic person. I consume a lot of media that explores grief. As it turns out, I didn’t really have a clue.


My father died of a sudden heart attack in October, 2017, at the end of a family vacation. I had just seen him that morning, then had headed to the airport to come back to California. When I landed, I found out in the baggage claim that he had died while I was in the air, barely an hour after I had taken off. He’d collapsed at the hotel, just before my parents were supposed to leave for the airport themselves.

A few months later, when the shock finally wore off enough for me to start working again, I realized that I should probably rework a few scenes in Hexborn in which Shiloh, my main character, talks about the death of her father. Such grief was no longer theoretical to me.

Take a look at this scene from Hexborn and compare the “before loss” version to the “after loss” version. To me, the second one feels more true. Of course, I’d much rather not be in a position to know that.

***

Before:

Shiloh knelt next to Esta in front of the shrine to the Mother in the Temple. She was utterly alone, no ladies-in-waiting to accompany her in her sorrow. Her nose and cheeks glowed bright red from crying, but her eyes were now dry.

“I thought I might find you here,” Shiloh said softly. “I am so sorry for your grief.”

Esta looked at her in surprise. “No one else is,” she declared, her bitterness escaping like steam from a kettle.

“I know. Her death makes things easier for everyone else, and no one will show any regret over her passing for fear of being thought a traitor. But I know what it is to lose a parent, and I am sorry you have to carry this alone, my lady.”

“They poisoned her. I feel it in my bones. The queen’s people, or Hatch’s minions. Only the Gods know who. No one will ever admit it, nor will anyone ever face justice for the act, at least not in this life. I will never be able to speak of it to anyone who matters, not so long as that woman is queen. But I will not forget. I will never forget,” Esta swore.

“When my father was murdered, I lashed out at those who had taken him from me. But it didn’t make me feel any better. It made me feel worse. The only thing that helped at all was time. And prayer.” Shiloh glanced around. “I need to get back before I am missed. I’ll pray for you, my lady.” She rose to leave.

“My priests tell me you are in here twice a day,” Esta told her, halting her departure. “That you are a faithful woman.”

“Yes, my lady, I try to be,” Shiloh confirmed. “I was raised that way.”

Esta nodded. “So was I. But it is no longer in fashion.” She turned her attention back to her prayer beads, and Shiloh took that as a dismissal.



After:

Shiloh knelt next to Esta in front of the shrine to the Mother in the Temple. The king’s daughter was utterly alone, no ladies-in-waiting to accompany her in her sorrow. Her nose and cheeks glowed bright red from crying, but her eyes were now dry.

“I thought I might find you here,” Shiloh said softly. “I am so sorry for your grief.”

Esta looked at her in surprise. “No one else is,” she declared, her bitterness escaping like steam from a kettle.

“I know. Her death makes things easier for everyone else, and no one will show any regret over her passing for fear of being thought a traitor. But I know what it is to lose a parent, and I am sorry you have to carry this alone, my lady.”

“They poisoned her. I feel it in my bones. The queen’s people, or Hatch’s minions. Only the Gods know who. No one will ever admit it, nor will anyone ever face justice for the act, at least not in this life. I will never be able to speak of it to anyone who matters, not so long as that woman is queen. But I will not forget. I will never forget,” Esta swore.

“When my father was murdered, I lashed out at those who had taken him from me. But it didn’t make me feel any better. It made me feel worse,” Shiloh sighed. “I’m not going to lie and tell you that the pain of missing them goes away. You just get used to it, and it dulls to an ache. It’s as though the Gods didn’t make us to suffer entirely without respite. It does help to talk about them.”

Esta snorted. “With whom? I trust no one, not even my confessor.”

“Even if only to the Gods, then,” Shiloh suggested gently. “Everyone says that time helps. And it does, in a way. But I resent it passing. It’s like a river that carries me further and further away from my Da. And to me, it’s like it just happened, but the water just keeps on flowing,” Shiloh concluded, then glanced over her shoulder toward the door. “I need to get back before I am missed. I’ll pray for you, my lady.” She rose to leave.

“My priests tell me you are in here twice a day,” Esta told her, halting her departure. “They say that you are a faithful woman, Unclean or not.”

“Yes, my lady, I try to be,” Shiloh confirmed. “I was raised that way.”

Esta nodded. “So was I. But it is no longer in fashion.” She turned her attention back to her prayer beads, and Shiloh took that as a dismissal.

***

They say that art is therapeutic, and I think that is true. What pain have you poured into your own art? What art has touched you in your damaged places?

You can read more about Shiloh and her trials and tribulations by downloading a sample here. Happy reading!








Tuesday, February 13, 2018

New Release: Chasing Ordinary by Pandora Spocks



Just in time for February 14th, romance queen Pandora Spocks is releasing her latest novel, Chasing Ordinary.  I had the pleasure of beta reading this sweet treat, and I could not have enjoyed it more.  In this season of my life, a little escapism was just what the doctor ordered.  As usual, Spocks brings the heat, but a more vanilla flavor this time around.  If you haven't tried her yet because you're not into the BDSM romance genre, this is a good one to try.  At $0.99 today, you don't want to pass this up.  After all, it isn't Valentine's Day without some sugar.

Here is the blurb:

Red-haired Petey Cavanaugh is a sculptor who welds steel and glass creations. A young widow, she lives on her in-laws’ sheep ranch in Montana where she helps out during the day, working on her art at night.

Looking to raise money to expand the ranch’s business, she gratefully accepts her art school roommate’s offer of a gallery show in Manhattan. It’s been years since she was in the city, and she’s happy to visit her old friend.

Nik is in New York on business. He’s been traveling for nearly a month, enduring endless meetings, attending obligatory dinners, and battling jet-lag. On his way to yet another business dinner, his world collides with Petey's one rainy Manhattan night.

Their mutual attraction is immediate, but Nik’s skeptical. Could it possibly be that this gorgeous, enchanting artist has no idea that he’s Europe’s most eligible prince?

Spending time with Petey is Nik’s first-ever taste of ordinary. What will happen when she finds out the truth?

Click here to meet Prince Charming.  Happy reading!

Monday, February 12, 2018

Hexborn: the Trailer



I enjoy the process of making book trailers.  They're kind of glorified slideshows, at least for those of us without a gazillion dollars to set aside for marketing.  But they give me the chance to use images and words to provide a little taste of the plot, character, and themes of my work.  It's fun trying to distill things down to run in about a minute.

I usually do mine in first person, even though my books are all written in third person.  I like giving the main character a chance to speak for herself, and it ensures that the trailer isn't just a repeat of the book blurb. 

Take a look at the trailer, and let me know what you think.  And, of course, don't forget to drop by Kindle Scout to nominate Hexborn for publication.  Remember, if you nominate a book that gets chosen. you will automatically receive a free copy of the e-book ahead of the release.

Friday, February 9, 2018

A new adventure: Kindle Scout

I'm excited to tell you that my novel Hexborn is up for nominations on Kindle Scout!  What is Kindle Scout?  Basically, it is a process that Amazon's in-house publishing imprint uses to choose what books to publish.  (Don't confuse this with Kindle Direct Publishing, which is what we use to self-publish e-books.)  Their decision-making process is a little mysterious, but their editors assess writing quality and marketability along with the amount of support an author is able to drum up in nominations.  You can click here for more details about the program straight from Kindle Scout.



How do you nominate?   It's easy.  You can click my link and see my blurb, a sample of the book, and some additional information about me and my writing process.  Then you click "Nominate."  The site will prompt you to enter your normal Amazon login and password.

You can only nominate three books at a time.  When one campaign you've chosen to support ends, it frees up one of your slots. 

Once my 30-day campaign is complete and Amazon makes its decision, you'll get an email informing you whether Hexborn was chosen or not.  If it is chosen, Amazon will provide me with some editorial and marketing support much like other publishers, and everyone who nominates it will receive a free copy two weeks before the official publication date.  How cool is that?  If it isn't chosen, I'll launch it myself and let you know how you can get a copy.

Why am I taking a shot at Kindle Scout?  It is very hard for an indie author to gain traction in the current market.  I think Hexborn is a terrific book, and I don't want it to fall into a black hole when it is released.  I feel that Scout is an exciting opportunity for me to break through and gain some visibility.  I hope you'll support me in this new adventure by nominating Hexborn and sharing my campaign with your friends who enjoy reading.  Thank you so much, and happy scouting!

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Kindle Scout for Beginners

Kindle Scout is a fun way to get to know some unknown authors and to influence the direction of publishing.  You get to taste some new books, find some you like, and nominate them for publication.  If a book you nominate gets chosen, you receive a free copy of the e-book in advance of publication.  Pretty cool, right?  Here are some tips if you've never nominated a book before.










I hope you'll take a moment to give my campaign for Hexborn some support.  Thanks so much, and happy Scouting!


Judging a book by its cover: Hexborn

It's finally time to show off my new book: Hexborn, a "sword and sorcery" fantasy novel set in the imaginary country of Bryn.  Just as with the November Snow series, the main character is a strong young woman in a dangerous world.  And just as November was the heart of my vampire series, Shiloh is the heart of this new story.

I knew that Hexborn was going to be special before I even finished writing it.  I knew I needed to put some thought and money into the cover in order to give it the best chance of succeeding.  So, I turned to the indie guru Eeva Lancaster at The Book Khaleesi to do the cover design.  She is amazing-- the perfect combination of creativity, professionalism, and, occasionally, brutal honesty. I am thrilled with what she and her team put together.  I think it will give me a good shot in my Kindle Scout campaign.  (Don't forget to vote and spread the word!)

I knew that I wanted my protagonist, fifteen-year-old Shiloh, to dominate the cover.  This is her story, after all.  I wanted to include the detail that she covers her head for religious reasons.  I thought that the hood would also help convey the epic fantasy genre a bit.

One detail that was particularly crucial to me was her hair and eye color.  In the book, you learn that hair and eyes of unnatural colors are signs that a child was exposed to too much dark magic in the womb.  Such children are called “hexborn” and suffer a kind of chronic illness.  The condition is highly stigmatized in their society, and nearly impossible to hide.  Living as an outcast obviously has a major impact on Shiloh’s development as a person, so I wanted her hexborn status depicted on the cover, along with her strength and determination.  My designer did a fabulous job retouching the photo to match Shiloh’s description from the story.

The perfect choice of frame and the title font help complete the magical/fantasy feeling:




What do you think of the cover?  What are some of your fave fantasy covers?  Please don't forget to pop over to Kindle Scout to give Hexborn a nomination!  Many thanks, and happy reading.

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Gracie Bradford, RRBC Spotlight Author

I'm happy to welcome to the blog today up-and-coming author and Rave Reviews Book Club Spotlight Author Gracie Bradford.



This is the second book in her Lady Bird Series of children's books.



Gracie writes about children who are overcoming challenges and obstacles in their young lives. She believes that Pet Therapy plays a critical role in the healing process. I am delighted to share her story about some of the pitfalls she faced as she begins her writing journey.

If you attended college, you had specific courses that were mandatory. One of the mandatory courses in healthcare is Medical Terminology. You learn acronyms and abbreviations related to the human anatomy. When an employee first enters the federal workforce, as Gracie did, it is like entering a foreign country. Gracie tells me when she decided to write; no one told her that she needs to learn Writer’s Terminology as she had to learn in the healthcare profession. After realizing that she did not know what most people were talking about in the publishing world, she decided to go to Publishing University 101. Then she searched the internet for a book club and found Rave Review Book Club, her life line. She registered for many writing webinars and conferences.

Here is her running list of abbreviations that she calls ALPHABET SOUP OF PUBLISHING and has found useful as she grows in her writing journey.





ALPHABET SOUP OF PUBLISHING
ARC – Advanced Reader Copies
ASN – Advanced Ship Notices
BISAC – Book Industry Standards and Communications
CIP – Cataloging-in-Publication
CMYK – Four inks (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)
CRA – Camera-Ready Art
CSR – Customer Service Representatives
DOI – Digital Object Identifier
DRM – Digital Rights Management
EAN – European Article Number
EPS – Encapsulated Post Script
Epub – The universal open-source file format for digital books
FOB – Freight on Board
GIF – Graphics Interchange Format
ISBN – International Standard Book Number
ISSN – International Standard Serial Number
JPEG – Joint Photographic Experts Group
LTL – Less than Truckload
OOP – Out of Print
OS – Out of Stock
PC – Page Count
PCN – Pre-assigned Control Number
PDF – Portable Document File
PMS – Pantone Matching System (codes)
POD – Print on Demand
PPI – Pages Per Inch
QR Code – Quick Response
SEO – Search Engine Optimization
TIFF – Tagged Image File Format
UPC – Universal Product Code
WYSIWYG – WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET



Now, isn't that handy?

Expect to see the 3rd book of the Lady Bird series late 2018, this one addressing Autism.

You can pick up a copy of any of Gracie’s current books here.



Like and follow this author through the social media platforms below:

Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!