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Still Looking

I’m still looking for a new agent, but I’ve moved on to the publisher field as well. I’ve just submitted to Carinapress.com. In a couple weeks, I’ll multiple submit to a few (7) other publishers. Then, about a month after that, to another 7. Meanwhile, I’m working out ideas for the second book, “To Be Phoenix”, while I finish up a few other projects.

I recently found a forgotten manuscript that…

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Easy Come, Easy Go

Well, actually, it’s more like “Difficult to Gain, Easy to Lose”. I’m referring to agents. They can be as difficult to acquire as a three-seated bicycle. Often, unless you know someone who has one, you may be out of luck. Even then, you can lose out.

Nonetheless, it’s important to get an agent that fits, not only your needs, but your personality, too. It’s no good to sign with an agency, only to…

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Some Scenes

Some scenes burn like gasoline on fire coming out. It feels like you can’t type or write fast enough, or even think straight. We, as writers, all love scenes like that. It’s when we truly feel alive. WE ARE WRITERS!

Other scenes come out like pulling fingernails out with your teeth. We write, erase, write again, erase again. In between, we pace, stare out the window, play games on the computer,…

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It Begins

I’m at a short (very) lull between editing two projects. So, I started getting together thoughts for my next The Griffin Wars book, I Am Phoenix. I’ve tried different beginnings, different plot lines and I think I finally found it. I actually have the first couple pages roughed out.

Wanna read part of it? Okay, since you seem excited about it too, here it is:

Life poured into me and I opened…

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Still Waiting

I’m still waiting on my agent to find a home for The Last Griffin. And I’m still working on other projects, finishing them up so I’m free to begin mapping the second in this series: a story about a Phoenix who is born again and again. I know I’ve said it before, but It’s important to keep working while waiting for our darling to find a home. Right now I’m working on editing an older novel…

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#Writing

Templates Worth Reading

If you want better, stronger posts, then take a look at this! How to Create Stronger, More Professional Content by Using Templates | Firepole Marketing Blog.

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Cover Reveal

The Story: When seventeen-year-old Pala de la Croix and her escort team are deployed to a newly discovered planet, their routine exploration quickly changes to a survival mission. After being targeted by their own weaponry and an unknown virus, the rangers and scientists attempt to make their way back to base camp safely.

While Pala tries to unravel the motivation behind the attack, she also has…

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Fodder for Character Building

Recently, I took my cat to the vet; he didn’t feel good, was dizzy and vomiting. I was pretty sure it wasn’t life threatening (farm girl here) and all he needed was medicine. The vet had a busy surgery day stacked up and asked me to leave my pet and she’d examine him between operations.

It’s tiny things like this that help build character. In that paragraph above, you get an image of the…

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The Importance of Lists

I keep lists. Most writers do.

My lists are taped to my monitor, my desk, and in case I’ve been avoiding one, to my keyboard. I have a list of possible blog posts, a list with changes I need to insert in the story I’m working on, a list for changes for any prior story that hasn’t reached its final edit before publication (or the ideas can go in a sequel), a list of ideas for each major novel I…

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Next: Begin a New Novel

While I’m waiting for my agent to find a home for ‘The Last Griffin’, I haven’t been sitting around. I’m working on another story and, as you’ve seen, I’m getting ready for the marketing push when the novel does eventually sell.

I’ve looked all around the internet for a list of things the author does for the publication/marketing process. I’ve found some good ones, but none seem to be complete.…

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So, This Griffin Walks Into a Bar...

From the rough draft of ‘The Last Griffin’…

Through my peripheral vision, I’d been watching panther creep slowly along the wall, pausing when I looked his way. He wasn’t more than seven feet from me, crouched low, tail whipping and legs bunched beneath him. When I let Brent go, I’d hoped it was the end of it. I didn’t want blood, not anymore.

At Hall’s triumphant grin, a black streak launched…

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Interviews and Ilk like that

I’m really, really bad at interviews and public speaking. I get the shakes, my voice quivers, I flush, I get teary-eyed. Stupid, I know, but that’s the way it is. I’ve tried all kinds of things: meditation, alcohol, photos of a loved one by my side, imagining the audience naked, Toastmasters, everything short of hypnosis.

Public speaking, however, is important to the budding writer.

Knowing…

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#Marketing

Night Driving

Well, now that the agent edits are done on another work, I’m back at work on the second Sentient. I was calling it The Ancients, but the further I got into it, the less it fit. Now it’s tentatively titled, Sentient: Insurrection. We’ll see if it grows into this title. I’m finally getting a sense of where this book is going. Time to revise my outline to fit it.

I often feel that writing a…

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#outlines #Writing

Marketing

I’m not a new author. I’ve had two books published by a traditional publisher. I was a great hit, locally. Sold lots of books around the area. Didn’t sell many books anywhere else though.

My publisher, though he tried hard, just wasn’t able to market my books as well as they needed. He was a small business, didn’t have much of a budget. That’s common these days. Small publishers abound…

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Journaling

“Why should I fill my brain with facts I can find in two minutes in any standard reference book?” – Einstein

Our memories fade. Sorry to tell you that. We get busy. We age (again, sorry). We don’t stop to pay attention. Subtle nuances of our daily lives, of events we’re sure we’ll remember forever, can escape us.

A journal can help us slow down, pay attention to details that get lost in our…

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Reviewer List

It takes a year to get a book ready to publish, if you’re doing it right. Reviews, marketing, interviews, readings, signings, etc…. It takes time to build buzz. Right now, I’m working on a review list: people to be approached to give a review. Here are some of the categories, I’m sure there are more that will pop up.

web blogs (I have more than 20 on my list, in varying stature)

newspapers

magazi…

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#Prepublication

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