Category: Books (Page 72 of 82)

Meet Stacey Marie Brown Author of Darkness of Light

March 25, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m over on the Muse blog contributing to the March theme of writing pet peeves with a post about e-books I ran on this blog last year. While I’m off ranting, please welcome Stacey Marie Brown, author of the new adult novel Darkness of Light, as she gets candid about her writing process.

No Pants Required

by Stacey Marie Brown

The writing process—every writer has one, if not several, for the different types of writing they do. There is the Type-A personality out there who would look at my “process” as more of a “hot mess” rather than an actual method. At closer inspection, though, even I have one.

I learned quickly that, if I was truly serious about writing, I had to leave my house. Yes, I said leave the house—I just heard an outcry of pajama-clad authors around the world rejecting this scenario. Leaving the house means having to get dressed. The horror! I know that half the point of being an author is the fact you can stay in your pajamas and fluffy slippers all day. It’s the little things like hearing the doorbell ring and having no pants on that gets the author’s blood moving. My UPS man is convinced I’m a hermit who doesn’t own any real clothes besides my favourite penguin flannel bottoms my mother made me. I know guys—shocker—this girl is still single. But, some days this is my life, especially if I’m focusing on the marketing aspect of my job. Two o’clock comes around and I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet. Ah, yes, the glamorous life of a writer.

If I want to concentrate on writing, I found being home consists of very little writing and more of my money being spent buying books on Amazon. I am vastly creative on finding distractions. I mean, seriously, how many times do I need to pee in 20 minutes? I certainly don’t go that much when I’m out at a café. And, how many times have I sat at my computer to write when I decide I have to clean my desk. Now, I hate to clean and find every excuse not to do it; but, suddenly, when I should be writing, it MUST be taken care of NOW.

The Internet is the biggest seductress. She is an alluring temptress who could put a Siren out of a job. She certainly has led me down the endless labyrinth of diversion. The hours an author spends “researching” a day, especially on topics that probably have them on some FBI watch list, is astronomical. The Internet is another vice that, for me, must be left at home. Every once in a while, when I really need to know something to carry on a scene, I will break my rule. This is one part of my process, however, I actually try to stick to. I have to—the internet is just so sparkly!

Carrying around a notebook is not really a process but more of a must for a writer. Ideas come at the most inconvenient times: showering, right before falling asleep, driving, or standing in line at the post office. My mind loves doing this. It finds it funny to mess with me. It comes up with those brilliant ideas that only flutter there for a moment before vanishing from my memory forever. If I don’t write it down right then . . . well, tough. I will spend the rest of the day driving myself crazy trying to remember that mind-blowing, hilarious comment my character was going to say. Evil, evil brain.

All writers have different ways in which their characters speak to them. Some authors say they have full control over their characters and what they’re going to say. I’d like to say I was the one in control of the voices in my head. I’m not. Mine seem to have a mind of their own and usually tell me how a scene is going to come out. I’ve gone into a scene wanting the outcome to be one way and, by the end of my writing session, they have taken it in a completely different way. Most of the time they make it better. Maybe it is my acting background that allows me let my “actors” improvise. As their director, I allow them to play out a scene organically, and if I have to pull them back, I do. Most of the time I just let them go. The characters have their own way of speaking each with their own little quirks. I see them playing out the scenes in my head like a movie. This, I’m sure to an outsider, makes me look nuts. Years of having these voices argue in your head . . . is there a writer out there hasn’t become a little nuts?

A new author first feels every word they compose across the page is literary gold and cannot be cut or the entire novel will suddenly make no sense. The truth is that barely half of the words in your first or even fourth draft will make it into the actual novel. This was a hard lesson for me, like being thrown into a gladiator pit. You fight valiantly and brutally for every scene and character and then some editor comes along and mercilessly guts your novel. I felt like giving a funeral to those I had to kill off or cut from existence.

When writing for yourself you can keep every tedious detail intact. But, if you want the story to be published and enjoyed by others, you need to understand that your editor and B-readers are only trying to make your story better. They are not saying you suck, well, at least not directly to your face. Once I let go and got over this, cutting and editing was easier for me. Then I became obsessed with changing, editing, and cutting. I could have continued to work on my book for the next two years, altering and re-writing every line.

There comes a time, though, you have to let go and put it out into the world. And that is like standing naked on burning coals in front of millions of people. Scary, exhilarating, can hurt like hell, and you’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Darkness of Light blurb:

Freak. Witch. Crazy. Schizo.

Ember Brycin has been called them all. She’s always known she’s different. No one has ever called her normal, even under the best circumstances. Bizarre and inexplicable things continually happen to her, and having two different colored eyes, strange hair, and an unusual tattoo only contributes to the gossip about her.

When the latest school explosion lands her in a facility for trouble teens, she meets Eli Dragen, who’s hot as hell and darkly mysterious. Their connection is full of passion, danger, and secrets. Secrets that will not only change her life, but what and who she is—leading her down a path she never imagined possible.

Between Light and Dark, Ember finds a world where truth and knowledge are power and no one can be trusted. But her survival depends on finding out the truth about herself. In her pursuit, she is forced between love and destiny and good and evil, even when the differences between them aren’t always clear. At worst, she will incite a war that could destroy both worlds. At best, she will not only lose her heart but her life and everyone she loves. Once the truth is out, however, there will be no going back. And she’ll definitely wish she could.

Darkness of Light is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and iBooks.

About the Author:

I work by day as an Interior/Set Designer and by night as a writer of paranormal fantasy, adventure, and literary fiction. I grew up in Northern California, but have traveled and lived around the world before coming back and settling in San Francisco. Even at an early age I was creating stories and making up intricate fantasies. I acted in Los Angeles for many years before moving abroad, living in England, Australia, Caribbean, and New Zealand. I came back to San Francisco and went to school for Interior Design. During that time I never stopped writing, moving back to San Francisco brought it to the forefront, and this time it would not be ignored. It’s my passion and my love. When I am not writing, I’m usually out hiking, spending time with friends, traveling, listening to music, or designing.

For more about Stacey and her book visit her website, Facebook author page, and Facebook book page.

Make Me Laugh and Giveaway Winner

March 19, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

First things first, I have a winner for the giveaway in honor of announcing that Elixir Bound is out in paperback. And the winner is…*drum roll*…Megan! She got to choose either a signed copy of Elixir Bound + Swag or a 3 chapter critique. Thanks to everyone who entered.

I’ll probably be running another giveaway when Elixir Bound releases in paperback later this year. And don’t forget that it’s already available as an ebook from the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other ebook retailers.

In other news, last night I attended a humor-writing video chat with Robin Mellom, author of the humorous YA Ditched and the MG The Classroom series. She shared her secrets of writing funny.

We talked potty humor, slapstick, reading and watching funny shows and films for inspiration, age appropriate humor, and the importance of adding heartfelt moments into humor writing. One interesting thing Robin mentioned was how she likes to immerse herself in all things funny while working on a humorous story.

That got me thinking about the funny moments in my life. And just this morning, The Boy provided me with a little humor. I was eating a grapefruit and he indicated he wanted to try some, so I gave him a piece. He played with it for a minute and then shoved it in his mouth. His face puckered up in the classic lemon-face pose, but then he asked for more! Despite continuing to make the face, he gobbled up piece after piece.

This reminded me of when my nephew (who is now six, but at the time was maybe two) ate a lemon at a diner. He sucked on it and his face puckered up. All the adults at the table laughed hysterically. So you know what he did? He started sucking on the lemon again!

Humor is everywhere! What made you laugh recently?

Writing as a Team by Troy H. Gardner and Erin Callahan, Authors of Wakefield

March 15, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

There’s still time to enter the giveaway for a three chapter critique from me or a signed copy of Elixir Bound. Right now please welcome Troy H. Gardner and Erin Callahan, authors of Wakefield, book one in the Mad World series, as they discuss working as a writing team.

How can two people write a novel together?

We get that a lot. Though it’s not a method suited for all authors, team writing can have significant benefits. Collaborative writing provides you with a built-in editor, sounding board, and cheerleader who has a deep understanding of your plot and characters. Many authors bounce ideas off friends or loved ones, but there’s only so much someone can offer if he or she doesn’t know the entire landscape of the book or series. When you feel frustrated and drained of ideas, your writing partner can provide a fresh perspective and a creative boost. For those looking to give it a shot, we’ve culled a few practical pointers from our experiences.

1. Avoid teaming up with your creative twin. Though it’s tempting to pick a writing partner with a similar style and interests identical to your own, it pays to branch out. We have some overlapping tastes, but the diversity of our interests expands the creative pool that we pull from. Erin reads a lot of YA fiction and Troy is heavily influenced by comic books and horror movies. We also complement and balance each other’s writing strengths. Troy excels at realistic dialogue and big picture stuff, like crafting interesting and relatable characters that serve as the emotional core of each book. Erin tends to focus more on world building, fleshing out the setting, and developing themes. Troy gets a rush from writing a first draft, while Erin enjoys revising and tightening the story.

The best writing partner is someone you can work with without wanting to kill, but who also brings a variety of influences and ideas to the table and thrives in the areas that don’t come naturally to you.

2. Develop a process that works for your team. Though there are countless systems for team writing, we’ll explain our process. We utilize alternating narrators and each write from a different perspective. Before beginning each book, we create a chapter by chapter outline that contains only basic notes on what we need to accomplish in terms of plot advancement and character development. That gives us a lot of breathing room when it comes to filling in the details of each chapter. Once we have a first draft, we pass it back and forth and revise it until we have something we’re both happy with (the Track Changes feature in Word is incredibly useful for team revising).

This is, of course, just one way of doing it. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, authors of the wildly popular Beautiful Creatures series, don’t use alternating narrators. They use a single narrator and co-write almost everything. That sounds incredibly daunting to us, but apparently it can be done.

3. Balance work with talk. Having lengthy conversations with someone who understands you, your writing, and the ins and outs of your project is one of the primary benefits of team writing. Time spent actually writing is crucial, but don’t forget to take advantage of the opportunity to engage in exploratory discussions with your writing partner. Some of our best ideas have emerged from long talks about our characters, goals, themes, and influences. Sometimes our conversations are serious and sometimes they feel like goofing off, but they almost always lead to idea generation.

Discussions can also help ensure your team is on the same page. During one conversation, we realized that we had completely divergent ideas when it came to a particular character. The conversation put us back on the same wavelength so we could tackle some of the inconsistencies that had popped up in our manuscript.

4. Be honest. You can’t have a successful writing team unless you both learn to give and take criticism. When we began writing together, we often shied away from harsh critiques because we didn’t want to hurt each other’s feelings. But the more often you give and take criticism, the easier it gets and the better your writing gets. Our first manuscript began to improve dramatically once we got over our fear of being entirely honest with each other.

At the same time that you provide an honest critique, you can also be a cheerleader. Point out scenes, descriptions, or snippets of dialogue that you think work particularly well or had you rolling around on the floor with laughter. Sometimes we are our own harshest critics and consider canning great ideas until someone points out they’re not trash. For example, Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy co-wrote Waiting For Guffman. Guest felt his performance wasn’t funny and nearly cut himself out of the film until Levy informed him that his character, Corky St. Clair, was a hilarious highlight. The comedy might not have become a classic without the two working in tandem.

As a final note, keep in mind that unless you plan on editing, proofing, designing the book layout, creating the cover art, and self-publishing the story you wrote, then you’re going to work with someone, or an entire team, at some point. Team writing provides excellent practice for the collaborative aspects of publishing.

If you have questions or want more info on our team writing process, please feel free to email us at madworldseries@gmail.com. Best of luck, collaborative writers. Go team!

Wakefield blurb

Orphans Astrid Chalke and Max Fisher meet when they’re sent to live at Wakefield, a residential and educational facility for teens with psychiatric and behavioral problems. Astrid’s roommate cuts herself with anything sharp she can get her hands on and Max’s roommate threatens him upon introduction.

Just as Astrid and Max develop a strong bond and begin to adjust to the constant chaos surrounding them, a charming and mysterious resident of Wakefield named Teddy claims he has unexplainable abilities. Sometimes he can move things without touching them. Sometimes he can see people’s voices flowing out of their mouths. Teddy also thinks that some of the Wakefield staff are on to him.

At first, Astrid and Max think Teddy is paranoid, but Max’s strange recurring dreams and a series of unsettling events force them to reconsider Teddy’s claims. Are they a product of his supposedly disturbed mind or is the truth stranger than insanity?

Wakefield is available at the Amazon and other ebook retailers. For more about the Mad World series visit the series website or Facebook page.

About the Authors:

Erin lives with her husband in the bustling metropolis of Hooksett, New Hampshire, and works for the federal government. She enjoys reading and writing young adult fiction, playing recreational volleyball, and mining the depths of popular culture for new and interesting ideas. A year after graduating from law school she found herself unemployed and took a job as a case manager at a residential facility similar to the one featured in Wakefield. Though she worked there for only a year and a half, the strange and amazing kids she met will forever serve as a well of inspiration.

Troy grew up in Sunapee, NH, and graduated with a B.A. in English/Communications with a dual concentration in film and writing from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. He spent ten years working in the banking industry dreaming up numerous stories to write. When not writing, Troy keeps mental notes on the various stories he wants to tell.

Elixir Bound in Paperback!

March 13, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

After all the teasers, the day has finally arrived for my Elixir Bound announcement. And the big new is…*Drum roll*…Elixir Bound will be coming out in paperback later this year (not a definite date set, but it’s looking like June or July)!

You all know I’m a big fan of ebooks (I read on my Nook and my phone all the time), but I’m jumping for joy at the prospect of Elixir Bound in print. I hope it means my story will reach new readers. And I mean, what author doesn’t want to hold their book and fan through the pages?

In honor of this joyous occasion, I’m doing my first ever Rafflecopter giveaway. What can you win? Either a 3 chapter critique by yours truly (because I know lots of writers read my blog) or a signed copy of the paperback version of Elixir Bound (and probably some other surprise swag, which I’ll promptly send off to you once it’s released).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meet Philip Coleman Author of The Master’s Book

March 11, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m guest posting over at Meradeth Houston’s blog with tips and techniques for keeping continuity between books in a series; a topic close to my heart as I’m currently writing the second Elixir book, Elixir Saved.In my stead Muse author Philip Coleman, author of The Master’s Book, which comes out this Friday (check out my Goodreads review), is holding down the blog fort. (And I haven’t forgotten about making my big announcement about Elixir Bound. Stay tuned later this week for it, along with a giveaway!)

What made you want to become a writer?

I suppose it started in the beginning with reading. Even as a child I used to narrate to myself how I felt in certain situations, or imagine stories based on my favourite fictional characters. Then the cares of adulthood put it to the back of my mind for a long time until…well, you’ll see further on.

What inspired you to write The Master’s Book?

I had had a couple of attempts at writing fantasy with only partial success and decided I wanted to try writing a contemporary young adult novel with a real setting for a change. Brussels was the obvious choice for me, despite its reputation for boring EU bureaucracy. I lived there for three years when my children were around the ages of Sean and Maeve in my story. This isn’t to say that Sean and Maeve are modeled on my children; simply that being in Brussels with my son and daughter gave me a glimpse of the city through their eyes. It was a very rich and formative time in their lives, when they were exposed to a lot of new experiences. Among these was the experience of interacting with (stunningly beautiful) children of racially mixed marriages in their school. This was the inspiration for Stephanie, the other main character in the book. And, finally, Brussels and its hinterland are such a rich mix of the modern, the medieval and just about every era in between. This factor became the other big piece in the jigsaw of ideas.

What one book do you wish you had written?

Definitely Philip Pulman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. Not that it’s my favourite book (I have lots of favourites). It’s just that it’s such a rich story, with so many moments of action, horror and high emotion, all held together by one of the most wonderful characters ever created in children’s literature. In fact, the last chapter, which takes place in the Oxford Botanic Garden, inspired my first attempt at writing a novel: a fantasy set in an imaginary botanic garden. Maybe I will return to that idea some day, now that I know much more about the craft of writing!

At what moment did you truly begin to feel like an author?

I suppose it was when my second attempt at a novel got to a second reading with Usborne (and then with Chicken House). It didn’t get any further (and probably shouldn’t have) but it encouraged me to keep going.

What is your favorite part of the writing process? What is your least favorite part?

Some scenes just spring from the page with very little effort and this is always exciting. You know what the characters are going to say and you can imagine all the little gestures that bring the scene to life. Such a scene in my story was the one in the Museum of Musical Instruments. This is when writing is most rewarding. As for the least favourite part of the process, that’s probably when you’re trying to bridge from one pivotal scene to the next without losing the pace of the story; that’s really hard work. And then, of course, there’s proofreading, at which I am so bad.

What is the single best piece of advice you have for aspiring authors?

Can I have two? They would be: (1) don’t be shy about you’re writing – put it out there for praise and criticism; and (2) don’t give up on any account.

What is next for you in your writing career?

I started a sci-fi novel before I got the contract from MuseItUp for The Master’s Book and I would like to come back to that at some stage. However, right now I am working on a sequel to The Master’s Book. Not that I’ve been asked to or anything; it’s just that I had an idea for a sequel that would centre around Belgium’s connection with the Rwandan genocide.

What is something funny/weird/exceptional about yourself that you don’t normally share with others in an interview?

Oh gosh! Isn’t writing fiction crazy enough? Well, I was asked something similar at a workshop I attended a few weeks ago and the best I could come up with was that I was involved in the location hunt for Saving Private Ryan (which is true – that very violent opening scene was, in fact, filmed in Ireland and not in Normandy).

And here’s the fun part…below are three list of words from the magnetic refrigerator poetry set…if you so choose, please write up a little piece of poetry or prose from these words. You can also do this from the perspective of one of your characters!

That’s a great idea for a workshop exercise! Tricky! In the end, I chose to write this as an episode in my story.

I reached out for my phone. The screensaver read 3.16 a.m. I rubbed my eyes and tried to get back to sleep but I couldn’t.

Sean, what’s nagging you?

Then I remembered. Yesterday I’d asked Stephanie to a movie and she’d said “Yes”…

And then what? How should I behave? Will she let me kiss her?

My mouth felt dry, with a bitter taste. I needed a drink. I pushed off the duvet, put my feet into my slippers and headed down to the kitchen, where I flicked on the light and went to open the fridge.

Those word magnets were there, the ones Dad was always messing with. Sometimes I liked playing games with them myself. When no-one was around I’d make up cheeky sentences with them and then play dumb afterwards when Mam asked who’d done it.

The magnet with the word “girl” had been placed a little separate from the rest. Was that Dad’s idea of a joke? Or Maeve’s? Whoever hed done it, they made me think of Stephanie again.

I placed it even further apart from the others. I ran my finger down the vertical lines of the other word magnets. Stopping at the word “beautiful”, I put that beside “girl”. Then I saw the word “hot”. Maybe that was a better description, even though I blushed at the thought. Still, I put it to one side as well.

I picked out more magnets: “black” (of course), “strong”, “funny”, “precious”, “sweet”…

My finger paused at “gentle”. No way! What about “angel”? Certainly no way!

Somebody had put “love” and “sex” side by side – maybe Dad again? I hesitated over them, blushing even more. I couldn’t screw myself up to put them beside the others.

I pushed all the magnets I’d separated out into a tight cluster and stared at them for few seconds. Then, just as I went to open the fridge I saw the magnet with the word “cliché”, buried in a long row of others. I blushed yet again.

What are you doing Sean? What do you think Dad’ll say if he sees what you’ve done? Get a grip.

Hastily, I jumbled all the word magnets into one big messy cluster, then opened the fridge, seized a water bottle and went upstairs.

The Master’s Book blurb:

In 1482 Mary, the last Duchess of Burgundy, lies on her deathbed in a castle in Flanders. She is only 24. In her final moments she makes a wish that, 500 years later, will threaten the lives of a boy and a girl living in Brussels.

The Master’s Book is the story of Sean, an Irish teenager, just arrived in Brussels to a house that is also a crime scene. Together with Stephanie, his classmate, he finds an illuminated manuscript, only for it to be stolen almost at once.

Where did this manuscript come from? Who was it originally made for? Is there a connection with the beautiful tomb Sean has seen in Bruges? Above all, why does someone want this book so badly that they are prepared to kill for it?

Part thriller and part paper-chase, this book is aimed at boys and girls of twelve and over. The Master’s Book is available for pre-order at the MuseItUp bookstore.

About the Author:

Philip Coleman has worked as a biologist for most of his life—in Ireland, Belgium and now in Switzerland. Having been an avid reader all his life, he took up writing only in 2006. This is his first published novel. He drew his inspiration for the story from the period he spent working for the EU in Brussels. He has a grown-up son and daughter (who were roughly the same ages as Sean and Maeve during the time in Brussels but otherwise aren’t a bit like them at all!). He now lives in France.