What Happened ?!?!

If you've followed my social media accounts you'd know that I had some serious aspirations and goals for NaNoWriMo. I was going to work on/write two full novels for a total of 100,000 words in 30 days, and possibly dabble in a third work that wouldn't leave me alone.

I started off strong, I had my notes, scene cards, character sketches and great writing sound tracks.

So what happened?

Sometime around day 13 I faltered. The first two weeks it was an honest struggle to get into my stories, even the one that I had written out scene cards for. I liked my characters, that wasn't it. I had plenty of time, so that wasn't it either.

I fell into the trap that many creative types, including writers, often fall into. I started to doubt my work, and my ability to tell stories. That coupled with the exhaustion of just entering my second trimester of pregnancy stopped my creative process dead in its tracks.

I had ideas and a plan, but I completely lacked the inspiration and motivation to get my ideas on the page. So I took a break. I crocheted, I read, I watched a few of my favorite TV shows on Netflix.

Then suddenly around Thanksgiving I had the compulsion to start working again. But I didn't start until November 27th. I let that inkling to write grow, and instead of forcing myself to work on a set project- AKA the two books that I really had planned on writing - my mind went to the third project that wouldn't leave me alone.

I did the math. In order to win by midnight on November 30th, I had to write 25,404. Which broke down to 6,351 words a day. Almost four times the number of words needed to win had I written every day that month. I buckled down, plugged in my head phones and then set myself to work.

It was hard. It felt like I was pulling my own teeth out. Two days it took all day of little sprints to get there. But I got there, every. single. day.

My muse didn't suddenly show up and help, little elves didn't sneak into my office in the night to finish my work. No. I finished. I put my nose to the grindstone and finished the challenge by the skin of my teeth.

That is was it takes to write everyday, even when you don't want to.

One of my favorite sayings from a famous horse training clinician is this:
"Average talent, plus hard work and dedication, will always beat talent by itself."

The second of my favorites is this:
"Don't let anybody's opinion kill your belief in yourself."

While both of these quotes are directly related to horse training and riding, they are completely able to be translated to writing. With direct effect. 

I think we as writers, or creative people in general, need to remember these. Make a sign, make a note card. Hang them where we can see them every single day. Repeat them, and never lose your belief that hard work and dedication to your craft is the best trait someone can have.

Keep writing, my friends!

Why I love NaNoWriMo

Ahh, it's that time of year again.

The cool breeze, pumpkin spice everything, hot chocolate and cider, carving pumpkins, the changing leaves, Mosquitoes die in the cold pits of—oh there I go again getting away from myself.

It's fall! *canned cheering*

Which can only mean one thing for writer-ly types: NaNoWriMo approaches!!

This year will be the fourth time I have competed in the challenge and the second time I plan on writing two novels in 30 days. I have also participated in their summer program Camp NaNoWriMo several times.

There are so many positive aspects to this program, not the least is providing materials and support to schools and libraries across the USA. They have turned the month of November into a celebration of literary abandonment and the joy that is writing.

The concept is simple: write a brand new novel that totals 50, 000 words in the 30 days of November. So if you break that down, the daily goal is 1,667 words every day. Something that's a little more "bite sized", but at the end of the month you either have a completed novel, or at the very least, the start of one.

I will, of course link their website at the end of this post for curious clicking.

Below are just a few of the reasons that I really love, and support this program.


1.) It is a month completely dedicated to literary events that center around writing. It is one month out of the year that can give people the excuse to say "Not right now, I'm writing". Finding the time to work on your writing can be difficult for many people from many different walks of life. From the college/HS student, to the workaholic, to the stay at home parent. Finding even 30 minutes to yourself can be hard to find. But just once a year, telling your loved ones that you're concentrating on hitting a goal as lofty as writing a novel in a month gives credit to your efforts, and gives you a concrete timeframe.


2.) The challenge is fantastic for learning how to set a big goal, and break it down into smaller bite sized pieces. Most people, if not all, know that in order to attain a larger goal you should break it down into smaller steps. NaNo does that for people. It can be a stepping stone to working on other projects, both writing and non-writing related. You just wrote a book in a month, why not start that walking routine? Or saving money? Or eating just one more serving of fruits/veggies instead of the french fries? NaNo can be a spring board for other great habits, both with intangible and tangible rewards.


3.) NaNo brings together people in a way that I have yet to experience elsewhere. The site has the option to make a "region" your home location. Within that region there is a forum where people, anyone in the region, can start a "thread" or conversation. Other members can comment and even set up public meetings called "write ins". Usually Write Ins are held at coffee shops or libraries. They are events where the writers come, get food, drink, socialize, and best of all write! Writing can be such an isolating activity, NaNo combats that with the forums and local write ins. Writers now have a "built" in community of people who understand the ups and downs of writing. I met my entire writing group through NaNo, and they are honestly my best friends, mentors, and editors.


4.) One of the fantastic aspects to NaNo that I love is that it promotes writing to EVERYONE. Not just people who have been writing for years, or even went to school for it. But EVERYONE. That cashier at the local CVS? She has a story to tell. Your pastor? He has a story too. The Barrista at the local coffee place? The same. Creativity is not limited to people who have always been writing, it is for ANYONE who has ever had the thought "I could/should write a book." Writing is one of those activities where it doesn't matter your age when you start, unlike say Football. If you have a story in your mind, write it. NaNo encourages that.


5.) At the end of the month, whether you've written the 50,000 or 5,000 you have the feeling of accomplishment. You've attempted, or met a goal that not many people actually try to do. If you hit the 50k you'll feel like a winner. If not, even if you wrote 2,000 words you've still written 2,000 words that you hadn't before. No matter what happens during the 30 days, everyone who participates, who tries for this large goal, everyone can feel proud of themselves.

If you are a more serious writer, of course you could and should write throughout the rest of the year. But why not participate in something that is so exciting and brings so many different people together using the one thing they all love?

I for one plan on participating every year unless serious life events challenge that. But even then I'll probably still find a way to write extra during November. 



NaNoWriMo site:  http://nanowrimo.org/

Writing Across Genres: The Good

In thinking about this post, I've realized that it could easily be split into two camps. The good, and the challenges of writing multiple genres. This blog, which is hinted at in the title, will focus on the "good" parts of writing across several genres, while next weeks, will focus on what the challenges are.

As someone who writes across several genres and sub genres I think I'm a pretty good "expert" (giggles into my tea...there are very few "experts" in writing due to the nature of the craft). Now, the fun part! The genres and sub-genres I write in, just for example.

High Fantasy - think Tolkien, Terry Brooks etc.
Urban Fantasy - Vampires, Loup Garou, Witches etc.
Historical - colonial America era
MG/YA Christian Fantasy - Similar to Narnia, only modernized
Action & Adventure Fantasy - Like Brian Jacques Redwall series
Contemporary Sweet Romance - Nothing graphic, fade to black
Scene-Based Literary Fiction - working on a re-telling of something that happened in my family's history

Within those there are differences in the stories I write as well. I have two High Fantasy story lines that are vastly different. One could almost be marketed as a YA/NA while the other...think more Game of Thrones. Much more adult. Grittier, darker. This illustrates just how your writing and plot can change within the same genre to fit each story.

In all genres of writing there are certain aspects across the board that must be met.
Your characters need to be developed and three dimensional.
Dialogue must be done well, and be believable.
Setting must be fleshed out and aid the telling of the story. This includes "world-building", even for stories set in "our world".

The benefits of writing across genres are many, not only will you learn the tropes and clichés in each, but you will also gain the understanding of how and when use them.  Some people are intimidated when it comes to certain genres, or it may be by choice that they only read one type of book. however, if you're writing across several that person, now reading one of the types that you write, may like your writing style enough to branch out and try something new!
I have had so many people tell me that they never read fantasy before, but will now that they have read my Ryder Chronicles and loved it. That is honestly one of the best feelings in the world.

The year I wrote two novels during NaNoWriMo was honestly one of my most successful! I was writing both a romance AND the second book in a new fantasy trilogy. If I ever felt stuck, I would switch to the other book. This gave my subconscious enough time to figure out how fix the book I was stuck on!

Your craft gets better the more you write. Period.

There is no substitute for practice. All of us are apprentices in a craft that has no master.

By writing across multiple genres even when you get stuck in one, you can hop over to a different world, story, character, and continue to write. No Writers Block Here!

Why Writing is Important

As a lover of words, and as an independently published author, I have been criticized for my choice of work.

Not my "day" job, mind you, my very passion. This has not just come from people that don't know me, but people who have been around me for many years.

I have received the comments and questions including the following:

Writing isn't hard.
Novels aren't important.
Who has the time to read?
And my favorite: That's a degree program?

People don't seem to understand my choice to study what I love and to continue to pursue my dreams of readers falling in love with my worlds and characters.
But they are quick to support and appreciate the studies and careers of Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers, Engineers. Why the stigma around writing and the creative arts? Heck, I've even seen more support for friends who are photography students than for writing!

For me, and many of my friends, writing is not just a hobby, or even a passion, it is a release. It is escapism at it's finest, and it is therapeutic. Being able to express yourself in a creative outlet aids your understanding of yourself, and the world around you.

Often writers are introverts, or at the very least are observers of the world around them. They often understand more of the human condition than they realize. Then through their writing, they help readers to also gain understanding of themselves and the world around them.

Reading a character going through something life altering can help a child with her parent's divorce, or the little boy being bullied on the school yard can find an example of how to be brave. A child or adult facing a disability gets to imagine the sensation of running, or even flying.

Maybe the most important feeling of all may be found between the pages of books:
Hope.

So maybe we authors aren't performing surgeries, or designing a building that will offer hundreds of new job opportunities, or even putting away murders for life.

I contest we are doing something much bigger than those.
We are instigators of imagination, writers of wrongs, and bringers of hope.

Writing isn't useless. It is vital to our species continuation. It is beautiful, necessary, and something to be shared for many generations to come.

Advice

What advice would I give an "aspiring" writer?
Well first off, I dislike the use of aspiring. If you're writing something, anything creative, you're already a writer. So let me rephrase the question.
What advice would I have to writers, especially those just starting on the journey.

First off I would say, welcome! Most other writers you meet are going to welcome you with completely open arms, and want to "talk shop".
There a few pieces of advice that I would like every person that is on the writing journey know:


1. Though writing is (typically) a solitary adventure, you are putting down imaginary characters from an imaginary world down onto paper, you are not alone. There are literally thousands of writers all over the world who are doing the same thing you are. Reach out, connect, cheer each other on, and commiserate when characters misbehave.


2. Practice. Practice. Practice. No one writes a perfect first draft. NO ONE. That is what the revision process is for. Every time you go through it your writing gets better. I promise.


3. If thinking about self publishing, get as many people as you can volunteer to read it before hitting that "submit" button. Yes, typos happen to the best of us (I've found several in traditionally pubbed books as well), but the more eyes you have checking, the less likely you'll have readers pointing them out later.


4. Develop a thick skin. Sadly, as much as you love you story and you characters, writing is still art. And art is subjective in nature. Not everyone who reads your stories will love them, or even like them. Learn to sift through for the gold nuggets of advice, and leave the rest alone.

How to help your favorite Indie

Independent authors are a different breed of people. Usually they have a stick-to-itness that others don't, and they develop a thick skin. They are the DIY'ers of the writing industry, and are not afraid to take a new challenge head on. Whether that challenge is writing the actual book, or wading into the murky waters that is social media to promote their books and build their "brand" (whatever that means *snort*).

But no matter how outgoing, or stubborn an "Indie" is, they still need people to help them in both large and small ways. Below are some of the ways that friends and family are able to help their favorite "Indie" out in the process.

1. Be a listening ear/sounding board. Because we, the authors, spend so much time in our own heads, it is helpful to bounce ideas off of someone who doesn't know the whole story. We can gauge your reactions and impressions, and then adjust accordingly. (Or maybe we just need a break from typing our fingers off!)


2. Provide coffee (or their preferred mode of caffeine/inspiration fuel). We do accept gift cards! ;)


3. Ask us how the writing is going. I know, I know, we may groan and moan, but we will love and appreciate that you are taking an interest in not only our interest, but often times writing stories is our passion. Even the most reclusive introvert will talk your ear off about their writing if you take the time to ask.


4. Once the book is out, buy a copy! Better than that, ask us to sign the inside, and then read it and let us know what you thought. Writers love to hear what people reading their books think. We usually start out writing for ourselves, but it is nice to know how others reading it are responding to the characters and plot that we've created.


5. Once you've read said book, leave a review. Leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, your own facebook/social media. THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST HELPFUL THING TO AN INDIE. Shout out that you loved this book to everyone!
Independent authors do not have a media team behind them like the traditionally published books do. They need every bit of help they can get to promote their work.
Even writing a one line review and leaving a star rating helps. This increases visibility, and also encourages potential readers that the story is worthwhile.


6. Never grumble about the price of the book. An Indie author pays for everything upfront out of pocket, usually funded by a day job they would rather not have, just to make ends meet.



Writing a book is hard, editing a book is hard, promoting a book is hard. Be kind, and help out the Indie authors you know. You are helping them live their dream, and isn't that something worthwhile to support?

So You Want to Write a Book? Pt 4

The very last question/topic for this series is almost the most important one, and the one I hear most frequently.


"How do you get started?"


This is both the simplest and most difficult to answer. It's like answering the existential question of "What does life mean?" There are numerous answers to both, and yet there is only one correct answer for each person.


Every person starts on this journey differently. Some will have similar paths, and some will have very convoluted steps.


But the most simple answer I can give is: just start wherever you are. If you feel like writing on the train, in the car, at the office. Grab some paper, or even your phone. And just start. Sometimes your characters will bug you until you write their stories. Others, you'll need to pursue and convince them their story is worth sharing. But the whole issue boils down to one thing.


You have to tell your inner editor, that naysayer, to shut up and take a back seat.


All the doubts, and negative thoughts telling you that your writing will suck, that no one would want to read your books, that people will hate your writing. Take those thoughts, bundle 'em up nice and tight with duct tape, and ship them off to the artic. Or Sibera, whichever is cheaper for your selected transit company.


You have to get those out of your head. Or even better, use them as fuel. Tell yourself that you're going to write despite or in spite of those negative thoughts. And if it's a person telling you those things? Cut them out. You or anyone else who is thinking of being creative definitely don't need that kind of negativity in your lives.


This is why I love what NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo stands for. It's just literary abandon at its finest. AND you have a group of like minded people surrounding, and supporting, your writing. Whether you make the 50K or you only write 10K. You did something that most people would never dream of doing: getting started.


So start today. Maybe just an outline. Maybe a character sketch. Maybe a piece of dialogue. Maybe an entire chapter.
Whatever it is, just start.


I'll just be over here cheering you on.

Tools of the Trade

There are many tools that writers utilize during the process of creating a book.
They can range from reference books, a library, a person, the software used to plan or write the book, hard materials such as notebooks/pens/notecards, to online resources like Pinterest and baby name websites.


In this blog post I'd like to talk about one that I have recently, really begun using more. That is the App, or website known as Pinterest.
Now, I have been a Pinterest user for several years; it definitely started after I got my first iPhone. At first I used it for the usual things like, jokes, cat memes, planting advice, house ideas, writing advice for both during NaNo and writing in general. (There's seriously tons on my boards, and it would take way too long to list everything!)


Then I found the geek tab, and I added more boards all about Lord of the Rings, Supernatural, House, Castle etc. From that board I started finding interesting fantasy posts and pictures. Any writing advice got pinned to the writing boards, but what was I to do with these inspiring and cool pictures that sparked my imagination? Well, create a board called "Inspiration"!


This "Inspiration" board has become a catch-all for anything that sparks my imagination, or reference materials for books. You will find things that range from types of weapons and armor, to plants and their medicinal (or poision) uses. From reference pictures of characters and clothing to snippets of dialogue or listings of medieval jobs. Anything that catches my attention goes in.


Later, or even if I know right away where that particular piece fits, I either add it to an existing board, or I create a new one. So now not only do I have an "Inspiration" board, but also a board for my first trilogy, "Incalescent", and for the romance trilogy I'm working on that's set in Ireland, "Irish Romance".


Lately I've been using it to save images of characters for a middle grade/young adult Christian Fantasy I've had brewing in the back of my mind. Which is a little odd. Before this I never actively searched for character references. But I have found that this is helping to solidify the characters and their traits more in my mind.


Have you used Pinterest before in your writing process? If you have, I'd love to hear about it!

Comparison

One of my favorite quotes is "Comparison is the thief of joy." And almost nothing is more true than that when it comes to writing and the publishing industry.


It's almost easy to go along and believe that your books are something special, that they are one of a kind, and that you can't wait to have lots of readers who will feel the same right out of the starting gates. That you'll be receiving fan mail full of praise, fan art, and all positive reviews on Good Reads and Amazon. Your Twitter, Instagram, and blog will flood overnight with subscribers.


Sadly, for the majority of authors, this does not happen overnight. Or even ever. Not all of us can be the next J.K. Rowling, Diana Gabaldon, Nora Roberts, or Stephen King. And even those writers went through periods of doubt, and low readership.


You cannot allow the negative thoughts and feelings to creep in. And if they do get around your barriers? You flush them out as fast and as hard as you can. If you don't doubt will crawl in and make a home. Often this influences every part of an author's life, not just their writing. But most definitely their writing will suffer as a result.


It can be hard to see someone selling well, and their readership climbing via social media. It can be disheartening to take your books and attend an author event only to see tables/booths that are teaming with people, and making sales all day.


I know it's hard, but try to remain positive. Instead of whining and making yourself miserable, ask yourse;f "What can I learn? How can I *insert topic here* better?" (Examples, are Market, Write faster, Set up a booth etc) Then analyze what the people are doing. Are they blogging more? Are they more active on social media? Do they set up more giveaways and promotions? The list is almost endless and can be tailored specifically to your situation.


We're writers! We steal ideas and then change them to fit us. This is just another instance of this. Yes, it is disheartening. Yes, it is difficult. But isn't your writing worth it? Aren't you worth it?


And so what if you only have a small reader base? As long as they're loyal, love your characters, and believe in you, that's all that matters!




Keep your heads up, and your fingers busy typing (or writing long hand), I believe in you.

Realizing I wanted to be a Author

Many writers can tell you the story of when they first wanted to be a real "author". For me I grew up writing stories. I think my mom still has some of the earliest pieces tucked away somewhere safe. Eek, let's not look at those! I excelled in the writing and English classes throughout school, but there was a moment in middle school when I knew something had shifted.


I was in 7th grade, and was reading Terry Brooks Elfstones of Shannara for the first time. My father has a love of fantasy, so when I was looking for more books to read, he jumped at the chance to share his love with me. (I was a voracious reader, and it was at this time I also started reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, the Lord of the Rings trilogy by Tolkien, as well as The Mists of Avalon.)


While reading Elfstones I fell in love with the entire mythology and world that Brooks was able to build. His characters made me laugh, cry, and love them with each chapter. The mysteries of the world and magic as well as the races intrigued me. I distinctly remember sitting in a study hall reading, and realizing that not only did I want to write something like I was reading, but that I COULD. There was nothing stopping me from trying, and if I hated it, I would never share anything I wrote with anyone else.


With all the heart and brain power my little 13 year old body could muster, I started writing longer, more detailed stories. Often for projects I would turn in something that was supposed to be only ten pages, but would be closer to 20. This really came to a head when I was 16 in high school. During a creative writing class (It was a new class for the school, and I was so excited) for a short story, my mind just would not stop going. I thought of back stories, names, new geography, new languages, and even new creatures. Enter in my love of all things fantastical, including dragons! For that "short story" I turned in the first 25 pages (single spaced), of the very first draft of Through the Mountains.


Now, a lot has changed since those first few pages, but what I try to hold on to is that passion. The spark that says that I can do it. The spark that drives me to write. I will never forget that realization in study hall. It changed my life forever.

BONUS!

A little while ago on Twitter I put out that if I hit 405 followers I would post some new writing.
Well, it took a few weeks...but I finally hit it! I know it seems trivial, and maybe it kind of is, but still. I said I would, so here is a segment from one of the short stories that will be released in the early fall!

This is a short story that centers around one of the secondary characters, Yaretzi. The story is "meant" to be read between books 2 and 3, but really can be read any time as it gives background or extra, information on the characters and world.


Blue Seas

Slap, slap, slap.

Yaretzi’s scandals slapped the stone beneath her feet with every step. Her hair had been swept back into an intricate braid that had taken her only half a bell. Most women would have needed half the morning for such an elaborate design. But growing up in a royal household had helped her, even if she didn’t feel that way often. If she chose her footfalls would be silent; but not this day.

Slap, slap, slap.

She had woken early. Risen with the sun in fact; like she had every day before during her trial period. Today would be different. Today she would receive her marks. The swirling marks that all members of her tribe bore—all the adult members anyway. Her task had been fairly simple, diving to the bottom of the lagoon to retrieve a rare sea plant. An affair only witnessed by the elders.

Slap, slap, slap.

Yaretzi’s chambers were far from where the ritual would be held. Though she had left plenty of time before she was required to arrive, her strides carried her swiftly through the hall. The thin, white fabric of her dress fanned out behind her in her wake. None of the servants or people in the halls approached her. She could have that effect on people. All except two it seemed. Footsteps echoed her own, approaching fast.

A hand rested on her shoulder for a moment before she grabbed the attached arm. Twisting mercilessly, she forced the person against the wall.

“Easy!” The voice came out muffled from the white-haired man shoved against the white stone.

Yaretzi growled in her throat and released the man. Backing up a few steps, she placed her hands on her hips. “What do you want, Chimalli?”

“I came to walk with you.” He rubbed at his wrists and arm. “Where did you learn that?”

She quirked an eyebrow. “I have my secrets.” Turning, she resumed her journey.

“Hey!” Yaretzi didn’t stop for him. She didn’t have time for his antics. Unfortunately his long-legged strides overtook her, and soon he was matching her pace.

Under the cover of her lashes she looked him over. He looked like he had gotten dressed in a rush. As part of the elite warriors of their people he didn’t have to be awake at a certain time. She had heard the rumor; he loved drinking and the company of beautiful women. Half his head was shaved to display the black swirling patterns of his own marks earned almost a year past. Chimalli was always trying to talk to her, though she wanted nothing to do with him once they became adolescents.

It was one thing to have close male friends as a child, but as not only an adult, but the future Chieftess? That was not acceptable. Besides, a smile crept across her lips, he didn’t want to be just friends with her anymore. Her hips may have swung out a little more at the thought. If she desired, she could use that; for what she wasn’t sure, but she could think of something. His voice interrupted her musings.

“…excruciating. Your mother may have them give you something for it while the elder finishes.” He paused and gathered more air. “Hopefully he doesn’t choose your face. That would be a shame.”

Yaretzi silently agreed. There had been a girl two years back that had gotten hers across her cheek and brow bone. She had cried when the looking glass was held for her before promptly fainting. Inside her stomach turned, but Yaretzi didn’t show it. Somewhere on the edge of her mind Chimalli was still talking, and she let him continue. It helped to keep the other people milling about away.

They neared the small hallway that would take her the rest of the way. Coming to an abrupt halt, she forced Chimalli to face her.

“I am continuing on alone.” His blue eyes were darker than the other Insulons. She could see herself reflected in them, right down to her purple eyes. “They are waiting for me.” Without another word, she shifted and strode down the hallway. This time he didn’t follow her, and she moved undisturbed on silent feet.

This was not a place that one went loudly through. This was for reverent silence. On both sides stood statues of the leaders of her people, forever captured in stone. The newest would be at the end of the hall, and though she knew what waited for her, her breath caught in her throat when she saw them.

The carver had truly been a master of the craft. Captured in perfect detail, her brother and father stood staring down at her with soft expressions. Traditionally it was only the Chief or Chieftess remembered for all time in this hall, but her brother had died not only alongside his father, but countless others. This was a memorial to everything that had been lost on that fateful day when the Ryders—who had been their friends and allies—attacked.

Yaretzi had been young, but she was old enough to remember the large winged beasts spouting flame, and the screams of her people. She knew that it wasn’t the dragon’s fault, but her skin prickled at the memory of claws, teeth, and fire. The Ryders had been their contact with the outside world, without it they were completely isolated.

She reached up and placed her right hand on her brother’s foot, and her left on her father’s. Their brows and jawline were the same, but her brother lacked the broad shoulders and muscular arms that their father had. Shaking herself, she turned to the doors. Wiping away a tear and straightening her shoulders, she pushed the large doors open.

So You Want to Write a Book? Pt 3

Welcome back to my series "So you want to write a book"!
The first post covered the inspiration part, and the second went over how long it takes to write a novel. This post is all about "Finding the Time" to write that book of yours.

I purposely put "Finding the Time" in quotes on purpose. There is no such thing as finding time. Whether it is for working out, crafting, or writing. You will never find the time to do something new. Even something that you love. Finding is not what you're going to have to do. If you want to accomplish anything you're going to have to "Make" the time.

There will always be something (and often times multiple somethings) pulling for your attention. Kids, spouse, work, friends, other hobbies. Everything suddenly needs your attention as soon as you decide you want to learn something new, or to finally sit down and work on a long overdue project.

I get it, I have balanced work, writing, friends, family and working out. It is NOT easy. But then again nothing worth having in life is. If I haven't scared you off yet, below are some of the tips and tricks that I have learned over the years at balancing everything.

1. Utilize breaks at work or school to their fullest. I mean it! If you get breaks and a lunch at work, that's just bonus time! Even if you only get a 30 min lunch, take 15-20 and write, brainstorm, daydream. Just take that time and use it to work on your work. Do you commute on a bus or train? Great! Once again there is extra time, use it to its fullest potential!

2. When you do have time to work on writing, focus. Tune out your surroundings, however you can. Go into a different room, use music with personal earbuds, or sit at a different table in the lunch room. Make sure that when you sit down to work, you're focusing on work.

3. Tell people about your goal, and set a deadline. By telling people you have set this goal, you are creating people that will hold you accountable. Heck, you might even find people who want to do the same thing. You need to find support anywhere you can. Join a writing group, join the NaNoWriMo site. NaNoWriMo is held every year in November. It is when thousands of people around the world band together and agree to spend the month of November writing a novel. It's a great organization that has wonderful communities.

Bringing it Back

Here's a random thought for you:
If you could bring back a TV show from when you were a kid, what would it be?


There are several answers I could give, but the one that popped out to me immediately was the show Zoids. I have no idea why, but lately I have been wanting to watch this show again. I remember it playing on weeknights after school, and begging my mom to let me finish just one more episode before dinner. (This was pre-dvr'ing capabilities, and we only had one VCR and it was the adult TV that had it) She usually gave in because thankfully this show only ran a half hour at a time.


If you don't remember what Zoids was, I don't blame you. I don't think it was a very popular show. The show centered around these giant robots called - you guessed it!-zoids. The zoids are essentially a large machine robot in the shape of an animal. Most being based on designs of lions, tigers or even dinosaurs.


From what I can remember these robots or Mech were not only used as transportation they were used for battles. Mainly between warring factions. It might be more 90's/00's cartoon/anime crap, but from what I can remember I loved it and would often draw, design, and write stories about my own "zoid". This and a few other series really helped to cultivate my creativity, and sometimes I miss these older shows.


What about you? Was there a TV show that you would bring back if you could?

How to Prep for writing a novel

The title is a bit misleading as different avenues and strategies work for different people, so I will outline what I have found that works the best for me.


When it comes to my books, I have a method to the madness.


Usually it starts out simply. Just getting out some character sketches and personalities. This is done using a form that I actually created myself. I tailor it to each project. But the basics are there: Physical appearance, typical dress, who their parents/family are, where they're from, current address, magical abilities, bonded dragons, past injuries/scars, etc. This I fill in as best as I can at the beginning, often times I find out more as I'm writing and will add notes in later.


(IF this is a historical novel, all of the research of time period comes first, and is much more in depth)


Next, once I have all of the major, and quite a few of the minor, characters sorted I move on to the plot. Typically by this point I've worked through the large plot of the story. The main quest or goal. The plotting comes in when I need to figure out how to get to said goal. I start by filling in what the "bad guy's" plans are. This may or may not be revealed in the book to the reader, but it helps me to understand their motives and how they are moving people around. It shapes how my hero's will react.


I have my point A and B, and now I need to get the characters to point B. So I go through and envision what events, conversations, or deaths would compel my characters to point B. This is usually where the scene cards come out. If the larger plot note is my roadmap, the scene cards are my sign posts. They keep the story moving toward the end goal. I can go "off script" and add in scenes or even characters, but the cards keep me directed to the end. I usually end with between 25-40 scene cards per novel. Again, within the structure there is a lot of lateral movement and freedom.


Between getting the characters sorted, the scene cards, and actually writing, I spend a lot of time daydreaming. And I don't just mean staring aimlessly out the window, although that does happen. Nope, not what I do at all. I will take each scene card and focus on what could/should happen. I literally play it through my mind like a movie. By doing this you are keeping your story in the forefront of your brain. It is MUCH easier to dive into the story when you've already sat down and understand what has to happen next.


And then there are those people where none of this works for them, and that is fine too. Some people do a bit of both. Play around, see what works best for you!

So You Want to Write a Book? Pt 2

Springing off of last week Wednesday's post about inspiration, today is about how long it takes to write a book. This is one the Top questions I get asked.
Oy Vey. This one is both straight forward, and difficult to explain.


The best answer I can give is this: The time it takes to write the story is inversely controlled by how much time you have taken in preparing for the writing.


Confused? Me too.


I have found that the more work at setting up the novel: doing research, character sketches, imagining the places and scenes, even doing scene cards for plotting, the faster the actual writing time takes. Mostly I do this much intense prep for my fantasy novels, which I can write in 30 days during NaNoWriMo. As a control, I wrote a romance at the same time. For this book all I had were names, a general location, and an idea. That's it. I even had to make up characters, and places, and plot devices while writing. (This one, after a year, was still unfinished, and took a lot of work to get it into shape)


For me, the more time I spend prepping, the less time I need to spend writing a first draft. NOW this does not include re-writes, edits, and beta reading. Just the time it takes to sit down and write a rough draft.


To do the proper amount of prepping before writing, the time varies for everyone. But once you have done this, it is much easier to "see" and get into your story. Once this is happening consistently, you will find that the words just tumble over your mind and onto the keyboard without you having to force them.


If you have a well thought out idea, it won't stay shoved up inside your mind, it will beg to be released onto the page.

Monday Motivation...On a Wednesday!?!?

It's something that every writer will deal with, lagging motivation.
If you haven't experienced this yet, congratulations! This post will hopefully help whenever that day hits. If you have dealt with this seemingly universal truth, I hope that you can find something new below to help re-spark you.


Lack of motivation can be caused by any number of situations, or even a combination of them. Usually I find my motivation lagging:


After a NaNoWriMo month.
After a negative review or comment on my work.
When I'm not happy with where the story or characters are.
When I'd rather be working on something else.


If at least one of those instances sound familiar then this post is for you!
How does one combat these situations?


In the case of the after NaNo blues, I actually cut myself some slack and give myself time away from writing/editing. It might be a day, a week, or a month. In this case taking some time away from writing is going to benefit you in the long run. You just completed a challenge most people wouldn't dream of trying for! You may/will need to take some time and recharge your creative batteries. Do not feel bad about this! It is completely normal. Just give yourself a set amount of time, and then get back to it.


Ugh, the dreaded negative review/comment. Sadly there is nothing to do in this instance but to remind yourself why you started writing in the first place. Was it for the readers? Or was it because you had this story that you wrote, for you? Because you had an itch and had to scratch it? Always, first and foremost, write for yourself. Write characters, worlds, and plots that you love. Writing and finishing a book is a long labor of love, you need to fall in love with it. And really, what is one person's opinion? Art is subjective, and writing is no different.


Oh boy. You're writing, cruising along, and then BAM you're getting no where. The time between writing sessions lengthens, or that cursor blinks accusingly at you. Something happened, and you're not sure where, but suddenly the characters actions aren't what they should be. Maybe the plot got off track. The best thing to do is to back track to where you were still enjoying the story. Start over. Nothing is written in stone, and sometimes you have to go back before you can go forward.


That side project looking more and more appealing? Instead of completely jumping ship on your current WIP, or the thing you're supposed to be working on, take a break. If you have ideas for a different story, take time and write them down in a safe place. Whether that is snippets of dialogue, possible names, locations, or world building notes. Just get that idea out, and get back to work what you're "supposed" to be working on. It may help you come back with fresh eyes!


I hope that these tips helped! As always, happy writing my friends!

I finally got Tagged!!

Okay, so I'll admit it...I'm a sucker for "tag" videos or blog posts. I think they're super fun and help to create a sense of community in the blogging/vlogging world.


So thank you to the incredibly nice and real Raychel Rose (http://www.thatbrightyoungthing.com) for tagging me!


The Rules:
Answer eleven questions, tag someone, then ask them eleven questions.


Here are the questions that Raychel gave to me!


1. What's your favorite type of cookie?
    That's tough....Usually I'd say Snickerdoodle, but I've been in the mood lately to make Oatmeal cookies. ...might be baking later this weekend... :)

2. What genre of music do you enjoy listening to?

      Honestly? Everything. I have rock, rap, punk, hip-hop, country, classical, Celtic....everything except Jazz. Not a fan of Jazz. Lately I've been really into the older CD's from Building 429, and The Rend Collective.

3. Have you ever swam in the ocean? If so, which ocean?

     Yes! I used to live in WA near Seattle, so I've swam in the Pacific. In 2005 we went to my dad's high school reunion in NJ so I also swam in the Atlantic.

4. Do you like stingrays?

    In zoo's and aquarium's, sure. They're fun to feed and pet.

5. Who do you share your birthday with?

     No idea.... to Google!

     Apparently I share April 25th with: Al Pacino, Renee Zellweger, Matthew West, Jason Lee, and Len Goodman. Who knew?

6. Are you allergic to anything?

    Amoxacillin- some antibiotic that made me *literally* climb the walls as a child.

    Latex- Yes I am one of those weird people.

7. What's something you do, that normally people think you wouldn't do?

     I'm a writer, there's probably a lot that people normally wouldn't think I do. Such as acting out battle scenes, and making faces so I can accurately describe it.

     I also crochet, which has the stigma of being a "granny" craft.

8. Do you have any fears you outgrew?

     Not really, I never had any childhood fears. I still don't like leaving an appendage hanging off the bed at night though.

9. Do you have any scars? If so, how'd you get them?

     Oh boy, too many. But here goes:

     I have a scar on my right ring finger from a pet guinea pig we had when I was a kid.

     There's actually two scars on my face, one is on my chin from a horse accident, and the other is right above my lips in the "cupids bow" from a cocker spaniel who also knocked out my front tooth while leaving his mark. Both are only found when looking reallllly closely.

     Above my right hip I have a small, round scar from my first chicken pox that I scratched before my mom noticed.

     There's a scar on one of knees (can't remember at the moment) from when we were camping and I tripped over a railroad tie and the doctor had to scrape out the wood from inside of my knee.

     Not a scar, but equally interesting: From a horse riding accident, I actually shifted the bones in my left hand, just below the wrist. There's an extra ridge when running your fingers over it that isn't on my right.

     .....yeah...Grace is NOT my middle name....and this doesn't include any of the soft tissue and hair line fractures I've had LOL

10. What's your favorite decade?

      Eh, not much for decades. But I really love any ancient history, or American history prior to the Civil War.

11. Who are 5 celebrities you don't like, but everyone else does?

      Not really big into celebrities in general, kinda boring that way.

BONUS QUESETION:

12. What's your favorite pizza topping?

        Sausage! Pepperoni! Canadian Bacon! Sensing a theme here? :) A vegetarian I am not.






I really don't know anyone to tag, other than Raychel that tagged me and Stefanie who was also tagged! The link to their blogs:
Raychel:  http://www.thatbrightyoungthing.com/
Stefanie:  http://authorstefaniemacwilliams.blogspot.ca/


OH wait! I tag Rebekah Bryan (http://rebekahnbryan.com/)
and Anna Malnory (https://almostherblog.com/)


Also anyone else that likes tags! Please let me know in the comments if you decide to do them, I'd love to read your answers!


Here are your questions!


1. How old were you when you had your first crush?
2. Favorite piece of clothing that you couldn't live without. Why?
3. Tea or Coffee? Or neither?
4. What is your favorite 4-legged animal, and why?
5. Do you like chocolate?
6. What is the hardest thing you've ever had to do?
7. What do you do in your free time?
8. Tell me about your favorite book.
9. Are you a morning or night person?
10. Can you juggle?
11. What is your favorite holiday?

So You Want to Write a Book? Part 1

As soon as people find out that I am not only a writer, but a novelist, they ask tons of questions.
Ranging from:


"How do you get your ideas?"
"How long does it take?"
"Where do you find the time?"
"How do you get started?"


It seems that while there are many writers producing books on this planet, we are still the minority. People appear captivated my the "mystery" of writing a book. They often see writers as this untouchable entity that sit around all day, maybe with a few self-destructive vices, that magically produces great books for them to read. In the majority of writer's cases, this is simply not true. We are just like the rest of the population, except we see, hear, taste, touch, and emotionally feel things a tad different. In every interaction or experience is a story.


That woman in the lane behind you on the freeway who's been riding your bumper for the past mile?
She's trying to get to the hospital to see her loved one who was in an accident.


The man fumbling with his cash at the register and taking longer?
He just found out he's dying.


The mother with the child screaming in the middle of Walgreens?
She's a single mother working two jobs, because her husband left for work six months ago and hasn't returned.


See what I mean? There are stories everywhere, all around us. Past, present, and if you have a large enough imagination, even in the future. Writers just pay a bit more attention and ask themselves the ultimate question: What if? 


One of my favorite quotes is this:
A writer is working when they are staring out the window.


Cultivating your ideas takes time. It takes not only conscious brainstorming, but random daydreaming as well. This can happen at home, in the shower, in the car. Most people call this their "muse" when they suddenly get a good idea for their project. Really, it's just your back brain shifting through stuff and finally finding a solution. Once you are practiced in seeing the stories that are everywhere, it becomes easier to "find" topics and subjects to write about.


Practice saying and thinking "What if"" or "Why" to everyday situations, and see what you can come up with. I had a new idea for a romance set in Scotland come up while I was crocheting a scarf and watching Person of Interest on Netflix. Just always have that notebook handy for when the ideas come.

The Dreaded Writers Block

It starts slowly, the keys don't pound as quickly as they did, the pen isn't scrawling like it used to, and maybe that main character is looking a little boring. You sit at the screen, staring. Hoping by some magic that your book will write itself and you can curl up on the couch and watch Netflix all day.


You've hit the much feared Writers Block head on. Either you wish you could write and nothing happens, or you don't even want to try because fear has you paralyzed. But there is no reason to fear "writer's block", in fact it is an opportunity for growth!


Typically writer's block is an internal issue. A mental game if you will. Maybe you've spent too much time with this specific project, and you need some time off. Maybe you wrote yourself in to a corner and don't know where to go from here. Maybe you just have a fear of getting started on this epic journey called being an author. Writers block is something that must be dealt with immediately or it will fester. Whatever the case may be, I have complied a list of the techniques I have used to beat writers block.


1. Get up and go for a walk. Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery. Maybe even go to a new coffee place and bring your laptop.


2. Shut down the electronics, or notebook, and take a step back. This could be for ten minutes, an hour, or a few days. Take some time to clear your head, then think about what could be blocking you.


3. Work on something different. Just get words down on a page. Keep a journal, do a writing prompt, get a writing sprint buddy. As long as words are on the page, you're winning this thing. Get in the habit of writing SOMETHING daily.


4. Read. I know this seems counterintuitive, but most writers become writers because they love to read. Just because you're writing your own stories doesn't mean that you can't enjoy others! You may find your inspiration again!


5. Talk to someone who believes in you and your writing. Nothing is more inspiring than that.


6. Remember that you are only writing a rough draft. "Writing is where we make the words. Editing is where we make the words not suck." Believe me, having something down makes the editing and revising process much easier. No one sat and wrote a perfect rough draft, so you don't either!

May Review- Self-Published Book

This month was another self published book! The book I read was "The Thirteeth Hour" by Joshua Blum. (All of the links to buy and Joshua's pages will be down below) I first came into contact with Joshua when I was paired with him for a book blog tour. He posted about me and my books, and while perusing his site I decided to order a copy of his book!

The description from Amazon: 

When a boy falls asleep while reciting number facts in math class, he is teleported into a magical medieval world reminiscent of a 1980s fantasy movie, where flying dragons searching for gold raze cities to the ground with crimson fire, vengeful wizards weave terrifying spells, and even brave warriors wearing leopard-skinned underwear are given a run for their money.
In the 1st volume of this epic fantasy series, Logan has grown into a young man and must leave his sleepy village to become a soldier in the Imperial Army. It does not take long for the King’s wizards to see Logan’s potential, and he is selected to be specially trained as an Imperial Ranger for a mysterious quest to find the secret to eternal life. When he is surprisingly reunited with his childhood friend, Aurora, they set off on an adventure of a lifetime.
And so begins The Thirteenth Hour, an illustrated fantasy novel about dreams and wishes, wild hearts, and the quest to find the unsung hero that lies in all young men and women. 


The description really caught my attention. When I ordered this from Joshua, he even sent a magnet as well as a book mark. Both include the art depicting scenes from the book that he drew himself! I was really impressed with the artwork throughout the story. Throughout the entire book I was so impressed by the time and dedication that was clearly put into this book. A lot of effort was put into this to make it one cohesive unit, and to have such unique features such as artwork, and poems was a treat for me. Just on that alone, this book deserves a 5 out of 5 stars.

The story line was very interesting. The reluctant hero is forced to join in a quest to find the secret to eternal life. (Though sometimes I felt that he just went with "the flow" and didn't really care what happened) I liked that he wasn't perfect. In fact he was far from it. He wasn't particularly skilled at anything. One could almost describe him at under average for much of the army training. But what he lacks in skills, he makes up for in determination. This kid has heart!

It actually took me almost halfway through to "get into" the book. It was definitely a slow start for me. A few things that did not help with the readability were the longer flashbacks that Logan has throughout the book. Also to denote different POV's and character voices, the words of the text shift color. This I found distracting, and instead of continuing to read to see who was speaking I was constantly flipping to the beginning of the book for the legend. Also, sometimes the language of the book jarred me out of the story. The swearing almost always seemed not only out of place, but unnecessary.

This book is set in what seems to be a medieval world complete with castles, kings, and horses as the main mode of transportation. But when Logan gets to training, he is essentially trained in Eastern Martial arts. Partway into the story Logan even obtains a hover board. They also talk about and use bottled water, know about martinis and mixed drinks, use note cards for a speech, used the phrase "the bee's knees", had winter jackets, don't know what coffee is but understands what a rocket is, had caricature paintings, used bubble gum, and had a box of salted crackers.

The writing was well done, with minimal errors, and all of the paintings were formatted and well placed. If you're looking for a story to whisk you away, look no further!

I give this story a solid 3 out of 5 stars.

http://www.amazon.com/Thirteenth-Hour-Illustrated-Fairytale-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B00RFHG6WW/ref=sr_1_sc_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1459731113&sr=8-3-spell&keywords=the+thirthteenth++hour 

http://www.amazon.com/Joshua-Blum/e/B00RFTLU5S/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1459734685&sr=8-1 

https://13thhr.wordpress.com/

Some things I have learned...

This past Monday was my birthday! Yay. So in honor of that special occasion here are some things that I have learned in the time I have been on this earth.


1. Not all animals like being petted.


2. People don't change.


3. People can change, but the process is long and is not overnight.


4. Chocolate cake makes a great breakfast.


5. Always proofread before posting anything online. Maybe do so twice.


6. Mistakes happen. Accept it, move on, and do better next time.


7. Failure is not the end, it only means that you are trying.


8. Love hits when you least expect it.


9. Trust your gut, it knows more than you think.


10. Go ahead, play with your makeup a little. Try out those falsies! And rock 'em!


11. Find what you want in life, and then go after it.


12. Follow your passions.


13. Yoga pants and a sweatshirt are completely acceptable attire to run errands in.


14. Wait for love. Don't chase after it.


15. Anything worth doing won't be done easily.


16. Actions speak louder than words.


17. You can always add time/heat/seasonings to something cooking, you can't un-cook food.


18.Make lists- they keep you more organized and keep stress down.


19. Make time for you, and do something you enjoy doing. You can't pour from an empty glass.


20. Remember, your life is what you make it. For good or for ill.

Writers Conference!

As you're reading this I am currently attending the Madison Writer's conference!! *cue cheers*
I am so excited to be a part of this event again for the second time. Even more people from my writing group have decided to join in on the fun.


This year there are tons more talks on topics that pertain to me and my writing, such as: self-publishing, writing fantasy, marketing your book series, romance novels, plot and character development, and so much more!


My romance novel set in Ireland was not in shape fast enough to pitch. So I've decided to start the querying process later this summer and through next year if it doesn't get picked up right away. If it's not picked up by next year's conference, I might just pitch it here!


Next week's posts will be all about this weekend. Things I have learned, what I liked, and my overall experience.


So if you're here, give me a shout out on Twitter! @onadragonswing2 is my handle! :)

Writing to Music: Yay or Nay?

Ah the question that comes along whenever two people realize they are both writers. To write with music playing, or write without it.


Some prefer absolute silence, and some require it. While others like the sounds of music coming through headphones, or even just the noise of the everyday going on around them.
I fall on the prefer music side of the fence. Now, in some instances I do not write to music, as I do most of the time when writing blogs. BUT when it comes to my novel or short story writing, I much prefer the sounds of music.


Some people listen only to score music, or songs with out words. Some I know prefer listening to lyrics, and music style varies on the piece they are working on. If your story is set in the city, some upbeat hip hop style music playing the background may help set the scene. The same goes for writing a western. As long as the music helps to immerse you in the world you are creating, use whatever works.


For my Fantasy novels I typically enjoy lyric-less music such as scores from movies. A few of my favorites are:
Doom
Pacific Rim
Assassins Creed-Black Flag
Pirates of Carribean


Some of my other novels have been written to music that contains lyrics. When I was writing my romance set in Ireland, I worked to the soundtrack for Outlander. I also wrote to a playlist titled "Modern Celtic" that contains todays songs written and sung in Gaelic. It sets the tone and gets the words flowing. When writing on fiction, I have a more difficult time getting "into" the story without music.


What about you? What do you prefer?




And don't forget! My first novel Through the Mountains is currently on sale for Kindle for only .99! And book two Across the Sea and Hills is on sale for eBook as well, 1.99 this month only!!! Keep watch though...One of them will be free the weekend of the 22nd!


Click the link below to grab a copy today!!
http://www.amazon.com/Malinda-Andrews/e/B013YY7Z42/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1460552792&sr=8-2

Misconceptions about Horses in Books

So, you want to put a horse in the story you are writing? Congratulations! You've chosen one of the most loyal, useful, intelligent, and interesting animals to add to your story. They truly are impressive. From the large eventing bred horse, to the little backyard pony. All of them are magnificent and each has a story to tell. I have been lucky to have spent over a decade not only riding, but training, giving lessons, and caring for these wonderful animals. I even owned two of them and handled most, if not all, of their training.


When I read books with horses in them, often they are portrayed akin to a motorcycle. You pull it out, saddle it, ride around for untold hours, and when you're done it goes back. What writers often miss are the myriad of nuances that makes up horses, their care, and their uses.

The first thing I would like to address is that horses need a lot of care. They require trimming their feet, health checks, grooming, and the most time consuming of all: training. Even a good minded horse needs long rides and wet saddle blankets. They want to be around people as well. They need that connection as the rider or handler has replaced their natural herd order. Horses like to know where they stand in the herd, and need to be a part of one. Even if it's a herd of the horse and its handler.
Most often I read stories of people simply pulling the horse out for use, and not putting in an effort to care for them. In certain situations this makes sense, such as a horse that may be traded in every tavern for a fresh one. But they still, at the end of a riding day, require attention and care.


The second is that there are many different kinds of horses, and their characteristics often change based on where their breed originates from. An example? The Friesian horse from the Netherlands. These animals are large, with an impressively arched neck. They are usually jet black with a flowing mane and tail. Very athletic, built uphill, their movements are sweeping and large. These horses were bred for war, and could easily carry a knight in full armor. Opposite the Friesian horse is the Shetland pony. Shetland's hail from the very north of Scotland, standing from 28inches to 46 inches at the withers. They are small. Their feet end in tiny hooves, they have copious amounts of hair all over their body for warmth, and with short sturdy legs are built for packing or pulling heavy loads. You would not put a knight a Shetland. It just doesn't fit. Before placing a horse in your story, think about how they will be used, and then pick a breed or type that best suits those needs.


The third, and one that drives me crazy, is color. There are in fact "brown" horses. They tend to be rare, and some colors just don't show up in some breeds at all. Here are just a few of the colors a horse can be: black, bay, white, chestnut, grey, palomino, buckskin, dun, gruella, albino, blue or red roan, and brown. Within some of those "colors" there are further variations that set them apart. A horse's fur color is just like a person's hair. Color is a multi-gene controlled aspect, and as such there are large variations and distinctions. Which means that a horse breed, such as the Friesian listed above may not even be capable of being a certain color. I was reading a book that a horse was of Spanish origin and was described as a buckskin, but later was mentioned that she had a dorsal strip. This horse would actually be considered a dun because of this. Buckskins cannot have a dorsal strip.


The fourth, and last one that I am explaining today is usually the LARGEST misconception. A horse can not gallop all day. Even over grassy plains they can't let, alone galloping through a forest or mountains. In fact, if the ground is rocky and rough, the horse should go no faster than a walk or a trot to ensure the safety of horse and rider. If you ever watch a horse on uneven surfaces they pick their way carefully. It's not easy to get back up when you're over a thousand pounds, and it's worse if you have a hundred some pound rider and supplies on your back. Horses, just like people need rest. A person can't run all day, so why would a writer make a horse? They also need to stop to graze frequently. Horses do not eat three square meals a day. They are grazers, and need time to eat smaller amounts throughout the day and night. When going on a long trip to give the horse some rest and time to graze, have the characters stop for lunch. Or even walk alongside the horses on their way.


Horses are not machines, they are living breathing beings that operate in and obey our natural laws. Now, if the story takes place in some magical realm and there is a solid reason why a horse has attributes that one on our planet wouldn't, THEN EXPLAIN why. Otherwise do some research, talk to someone who knows and understands them. The extra time will be well worth it.

April Review- Self-Published Book

Once again, this is a book that I learned about at the Madison Writer's Conference this past year (2015). The author just needed a table to sit at, and he happened to choose the one that Rebekah Bryan and I were at. Of course conversation was struck up, and cards were exchanged.


When I first heard about The Heir of Olympus and the Forest Realm by Zachary Howe, I was a bit skeptical to be honest. I have read the Percy Jackson series (The Lightning Thief) and really enjoyed it. I did not want to read a knockoff, and went in to this book full of doubt.


Within the first few chapters I knew that this book was different. Zach really knows his mythology. As someone who loves mythology, and took several courses on it in college, I can attest that he knows his stuff. Using that rich history, and of course the personality of the gods themselves, Zach has created a wonderful world of adventure and intrigue that is unique.


Yes the big players are there: Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Artemis, Chiron, Hercules, Hades, (etc) all of the characters one thinks of when the Greek Pantheon is mentioned. However, he has molded them into a new rendition without losing the characteristics we know and love. The action came and went in waves, and boy was that ending a doozy!


There were a few things that didn't thrill me. Zach clearly has a large vocabulary, and he likes to use it. Often it felt that the words were not that of a 16 year old boy, and it pulled me away from the story. At times the conversations between the characters came off as "cutesy" or contrived, but I also haven't been a teenage boy so I can't say for sure if this isn't just how they think and talk. I also spotted a few typos, and sometimes the sentence structure was rough. But that comes with the territory of self publishing. Most of them were easily glossed over and did not interfere with the flow of the story. The action built slowly, I really didn't get super hooked until the a little over halfway through, but near the end I couldn't stop!


I was pleasantly surprised at one of the creatures Gordie (Gordon Leonhart) has to face, I hadn't really seen one in Greek mythology much. He did not take after the Percy Jackson books in the main character's relation to the gods, but rather something unique. Gordie has all the hallmarks of an early hero, (including being impatient-which is an awesome trouble making characteristic) and I can't wait to read more of his adventures.


Now, I am waiting for something spectacular to come from his little girlfriend...like she's related to the gods as well. But I think I'll just keep hoping!


Overall I would give this book a strong 4/5 stars.


The links to Zach's webpage, and Good Reads page is below. I can't wait for the next installment, and hope maybe I can be a beta reader! ;)


http://heirofolympus.com/


https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12175485.Zachary_Howe


He is also very active on Twitter, and replies regularly to tweets! Please add him and keep up with all the hilarity that ensues!
https://twitter.com/ZackEHowe

April Fools Day!

Happy April Fools Day!


UGH It's such a tragedy that one of my favorite months, and my birthday month, starts off with this.


Ever since high school I have disliked this day tremendously. I don't have a problem with this day since the meaning started out so different. What I dislike is that people use it as an excuse to be cruel. In school there were many a times I saw kids crying and hurt over "harmless pranks". April Fools Day was not meant to be like that.


Across many cultures one day a year was often set aside to break the decorum of normal society. It was a day of fun, and frivolity. Historically these events were not pranks that would cause someone serious mental harm. In England the jokes stopped at mid day. In fact if someone did not, they were then dubbed the "april fool". In Ireland and Scotland the traditional prank is giving someone a signed and sealed letter and telling them to deliver it. When it is delivered the person receiving the letter finds instructions to not laugh or smile, but to tell the messenger that they can only help them if they then run to a different person first. In this way the person being "pranked" just runs messages around meaning nothing.


Today, or at least in the school days I had, I remember such pranks as:


If a guy found out a girl liked him, he'd ask her out. Once she said yes, he'd yell April Fools.


Hiding someone's personal property or books.


Calling each other nasty names, or saying they hated someone.


Putting putty or some other substance on the chairs of unsuspecting girls.


Girls spreading rumors about other girls.


Cracking into someone's locker and either removing items, or messing it up.


Egging someone's car. (Saran wrapping it, or other destructive ideas)


Without fail the kids in the cafeteria would try to start a food fight.


Putting a bucket of water, or confetti balanced on the top of a door.


If any of this looks familiar, it's because it's the crap that goes on everyday of the school year. Except on April Fools the kids get away with more. I always dreaded the day, and was relieved if it was on a weekend. If it happened to fall on a week day I had three options. Option one: Keep my head down, and be aware of everything and everyone around me. Option two: Pretend to be sick so I could stay home. Option three: Bargain with my mother to let me stay home. (usually option three worked since I was an honor roll student and never fell behind on work and studying).


So if you happen to be an unfortunate person like me who dislikes this holiday, good luck to you!

10 Things People Say...

A list of things that people say to you once they find out you're a novelist. As a novelist, some of these questions get a little old, and insulting, Here on this blog, I will provide the snarky responses I usually am scared to say face to face!


1. You're STILL writing your book? Geeze, how long does it take to write one book?


It's going to take as long as it takes. How about asking George R.R. Martin about it?!?!


2. Must be nice not to have a real job.


As if creating people, places, plots, and prose out of nothing was not hard work! Why don't you try it?!


3. Writing doesn't sound too difficult.


See above snarky comment.


4. I always thought I'd write a book, maybe later when I have some time.


If you want something bad enough, you can't just sit around and "wait to have some time". Guess what, that time doesn't just show up magically. You have to carve it out, and use whatever amount you get to its fullest.


5. A degree in Creative Writing is a thing?


Yes. The amount of money paid, and the piece of paper on my wall prove it. Not to mention the hours of blood, sweat, and tears.


6. So when are you getting published?


When it's polished and done. Even then if I pursue traditional publishing it may never see the light of day and sit in a slush pile.


7. Can you put me in one of your books?


No. But if you keep bugging me you may have a slight appearance in the murder mystery I'll start.


8. Can I have a copy when it's done?


Yes. There's this neat social system where we trade pieces of paper for goods and services.


9. Aren't you just a professional liar?  You do just tell stories all day.


Ah, no. No I am not. I create complete worlds, magic and government systems, people, and plots. Much different from lying.


10. Tell me everything about your book!


See comment on #8.




Now, these are the things that strangers have said in ignorance once they learn I'm a novelist. If someone was genuinely interested, or not talking down, I love to have conversations with people about writing and books. My writing group often has lively discussions about trends, publishing, and plots. Even my husband and I volley ideas around. But that is in a sincere and interested way. Any other tone will be met with a tight smile, and a quick but polite answer.

A Few of My Favorite Things...

As it's a month away from my birthday I thought I would list a few of my favorite foods!


1. Taco's- Why? Because they are awesome, delicious, and I can cram 'em, full of lettuce and tomato for a more filling dinner/lunch.


2. Burgers/brats- Why? Who doesn't love grilling out on a weekend night? Smelling the grill going, fresh fruit, and a drink of your choice. Nothing says summer and fun like burgers and brats, even in the middle of winter!


3. Fruit.- Why? I love fruit. All the different varieties are amazing, there really is something for everyone, in every season. Fresh peaches or strawberries over French vanilla ice cream is one of my favorite desserts. And of course who doesn't love watermelon in the summer!


4. Pistachios- Why? I don't have the foggiest clue as to why I've been having a food craving. I must be lacking in some vitamin or something to make me want them so much!.


5. Chocolate- Why? Do I really have to explain this one?!?!?!


6. Pancakes- Why? There is no wrong way to enjoy pancakes. Fruit, syrup, whipped cream, chocolate chips, butterscotch, cherry...the list goes on and on with what you can do with pancakes. I eat them for dinner sometimes as an easy way out instead of making a bigger meal.

Author Event!

I was lucky enough to be a part of the West Allis Library's first Wisconsin Author Festival on Saturday!

It was a lot bigger than they expected with roughly 30 authors attending to sell their books. This time, as it was my third author festival/book selling event, I was much better prepared.
I took candy, stickers, personalized bags, and even a few dragon figurines! 

I of course had to bring Toothless, as he's my favorite, and I added the little Drogon funko pop that usually sits on my desk. They both attracted attention, especially Toothless and the candy dish. I had many conversations with kids over him and the How To Train Your Dragon movies. It was actually fun to hear them talk about why they liked the movies, and what they thought about the characters!

The stickers were also a big hit, and not only with the kids like I thought they would be! Even the adults thought they were cool. And of course, people liked the design of my business cards. I mean who could blame them? There's books on them!

I had some great people stop by, and had some great conversations. I only sold one book, but so many people took stickers and business cards, and I was able to tell them that the books are free with Kindle Unlimited that I'm hoping I see an uptick in downloads.

While there I struck up conversation with the author next to me, Kelly Risser. She was awesome and made the time go by much faster! She's a YA/NA author with an urban fantasy series out that utilizes Celtic folklore. I can't wait to start reading! Please go check her and her books out!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kar2b
Website: http://www.kellyrisser.com/

March (BONUS) Review- Self-Published Book

SURPRISE!! There's a bonus book review up this month! :)
There were just so many good self published books on my TBR shelf I couldn't help myself! Flames of Auriel is a new romance-fantasy book that was just released January 26 of this year. It was Erin Bedford's debut novel. The links to purchase, Good Reads, and Erin's social media will be below after the review. There's even a chance to win a FREE SIGNED copy!


The book blurb:
When living in a world where the prince isn’t always charming, the princess has a mean right hook, and angels are worshiped like gods, love isn’t always easy to find.

Zoe has never been the lady-like princess she's read about in fairy-tales, even with her very own handsome prince to sweep her off her feet. She doesn't know what she dislikes more, his arrogant smirk or the way his grey eyes darken when they fight. Angels help him if he thinks he could tame her.

Asher won't admit it, but he admires the fighting style of his warrior princess. She reminds him of an avenging angel the way her fiery hair whips around her as she takes out her challengers. Dark One help him, but she is as tough an opponent on the battlefield as she is off.

With unknown and unwanted feelings starting to emerge between the two royals, a single goodbye turns into a frantic search for a missing princess. Asher has to find the one woman he never thought he’d miss and keep his kingdom safe from an old enemy. If he fails, the angels may not forgive him this time.  


Sounds exciting, right? I was so pumped to read this book I even had the shipping expedited from Amazon! (So this review is completely honest and not influenced from receiving a free copy as I paid for it myself.)


*WARNING*WARNING* WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*


There is literally no way for me to talk about this book without talking about topics and plot points that are spoiler-y in nature. So if the above looks interesting, please go read the book first. I MEAN IT!


I'll just wait right here...
...
...
...
...


OK? Ready to start?


Sweet!


The story opens with the arranged marriage between Princess Zoella, and Prince Asher. Many years ago there was a war (the Celestial War) that forced Zoella's father -King Brom- to assist Asher's. Sadly Asher lost his father, and their kingdom lost a great king. After this war, the Angels became upset and took away their blessings of special powers to their people. In order to strengthen the alliances and borders against another invasion, the widowed Queen Marie, and King Brom arrange to have their children married when they come of age.


Talk about setting up the story with punch and tension! Sadly, I am a huge fan of the movie The Swan Princess and it felt like the beginning was an "adult" version. The plot even had the princess missing for a chunk of the book as in the movie. I had the songs from that movie playing in my head...ugh. Oh well. Having an arranged marriage where the people involved hate the idea is a great way to increase tension, especially when the safety of large amounts of people are at risk.


So lets dive in to characterization. While I enjoyed the story, and couldn't wait to see what happened next, I am not in love with any of the main characters. Zoella is the brash, headstrong, tomboy princess, and Asher is the strong-willed, snotty, conniving prince. They argue a lot. No, that's not going to work...ALOT. Even after they admit they have feelings for each other, they constantly poke and prod and make the other upset. This bothered me quite a bit. I get it, they bump heads. That doesn't mean that they are allowed to argue over everything and purposely upset the other.


Some of their interactions bordered on abusive. Including a scene where Asher nearly forces himself upon her. It was a very hard scene to read as it was almost a rape scene. I understand what Bedford was going for. She wanted high tension, and to show that these two characters were essentially the same, but I felt at times it was over the top. One such example that sticks out:


Asher wants Zoe to confirm her feelings for him. So he arranges for one of his little whores to get caught providing a service for him in the training supply room where he knows Zoe is bound to find them. This I felt was a classless move, and if it hadn't happened I might have grown to like him. But as it stands I really don't feel bad for him when things go south in the book.


The only character that I really loved was Rebekah. She is the gypsy that helps Zoe hide in plain sight as a knife throwing act under the name "Josephine" or "Joe". She is spunky, has attitude in buckets, and in my opinion is a complete scene stealer! I can't wait to read more about her.


The world building is done very well. Angels that are "assigned" a kingdom to protect is an amazing concept! I wanted to know more. Especially about the Fire Starters and how they functioned before Auriel took away their power! I imagine them being something like a Fire Bender from Avatar the Last Air Bender. How many other regions and kingdoms have special abilities?!?! I must know!


The political intrigue was strong, but not overwhelming like in The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. I actually liked it. When a story gets too in depth with political movements I get bored and skim. I not once skimmed this book. I rapidly absorbed everything, and eagerly await to see how the entire story plays out!


The voice of this novel was strong throughout. Though at times it was hard to follow the story when Bedford shifted out of characters heads at will. While Asher and Zoe are the main characters, in the span of two pages the reader shifts between four characters POV without any kind of warning. It was a bit disruptive and made me read a few pages twice as I got confused as to whose mind I was in and who was speaking.


Overall I really enjoyed this book! I think it is a great debut novel, and I can't wait to preorder the others!!


I am giving this story a 3.5 out of 5 stars, as well as a PG-13 rating due to the fighting and sexual content.


Erin is doing a giveaway now through the 23rd for a FREE signed copy! Please follow the link below and enter to win!!
http://erinbedford.com/giveaway
You can reach out to Erin Bedford, and order this book through the links below!
Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27227149-flames-of-auriel
Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Flames-Auriel-Caeles-Adventure-1/dp/1517089220/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Website- http://www.erinbedford.com/
Twitter- https://twitter.com/erin_bedford

4 Challenges Writers Face- Negative Feedback

Oh, man. If a quiet audience can make you nervous, a negative review or remark can send ice through a writers veins. Your stomach twists, and you only hope that other people either do not find the same mistake, or they don't agree with a bad review.


My first ever two star review on Goodreads was actually from a co-worker. Before I saw what he had rated it, I asked him what he thought about the book. The words came out slowly, and he didn't meet my eyes. It felt like the floor had dropped out from under me. Before his review I had three 5 star reviews on Amazon. Other people had loved it, so why hadn't he?


First off, it wasn't that he didn't like it. He just thought that it was geared more towards a YA audience than an adult one. Okay, I could see where he was coming from, the characters are only 18,19, and 20. Another gripe was that he felt there wasn't enough emphasis on the world building like in other traditional fantasies. Hmm, well I had actually made it a goal to have this book be enjoyable and non-intimidating to those unfamiliar with traditional fantasy. And of course, he had found typos.


So why did this affect me so much? How can one negative review hurt my entire outlook on writing?


Because I took it as a reflection of my worth as a human. I took it personally. Honestly, it is difficult not to take criticism on your work personally. It takes untold hours to plot, craft characters, world build, write, revise, edit, and design a cover. Writers by default end up putting a lot of themselves into their work. On the one hand this is a great aspect to the craft, and on the other, well it kind of sucks. You feel like every person now has a say in your personal writing life. Often, I have seen people give up their passion for writing over one negative review.


I have found the best way to get over a negative response, is a multi step process.

Go ahead and cry. I said it! Cry. Get the frustration and sadness out. If you don't it will fester and show up in other aspects of your life, or even worse- your current project!


Commiserate with a friend or loved one. Preferably someone who has known what went into producing the book.


Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and keep on writing.


As hard as it is, with the passage of time and producing more writing, you grow a thicker skin. You also come to realize both in your head and your heart, that you will not make everyone who reads your book happy. And that is NOT your job. Your job is to write the story that only you can write. Art is a subjective medium, and writing is no exception.


I promise, it does get easier with time.