I picked up a book the other day and wanted to throw it against the wall. (No, I'm not mentioning the name). The same example of bad writing that I've mentioned before stared back at me from this NY Times bestseller's novel. Cliches, wordiness, excessive use of modifiers and the first paragraph had at least, wait, let me count... 10 inactive "was". This is the writer's latest release. They have 61 published novels to their credit, so it's not like they're a beginner.
In three years, you can see the difference in my writing. So why do I see this in a well-seasoned writer's work? To me it's like they aren't even making a conscience effort to write "well," let alone good or great. Since when was it more important to get the story out, than to write a great story? Where do writers cross the line to writing because they need to tell a damn good story and writing because they have deadlines?
Does this happen to every sucessful writer? Why? Damn it. You know they didn't start that way. Is the pressure so high, we can't take a moment to think about what we're penning to paper? Okay, I know that they have deadlines, but come on. We rookies are expected to tighten, control the inactive voice and modifiers. Getting into print demands it. Shouldn't staying in print demand it as well? And don't give me some sappy story about deadlines. Phttttthhhp. You want me to continue buying your books, make a conscience effort to write well like every beginner must.
How do writers who do the above maintain their place as NY Times Bestsellers???
Somebody please explain.
Tell me, Barbara. You know. You have the pressure of the deadline.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Topic for this Week: Enigma of the Industry
This week we'll be presenting our views on the Enigma of the Industry. Does the publishing industry set many writers up to fail? Why are sequels so often a disappointment? Why does the work of some seasoned authors seem to decline in both quality and substance as they make a name for themselves? What elements, in our humble opinions, cause this?
This is simply a discussion--how we see things, what our take is--based on our various experiences and opinions. What do you think? Are we hitting the cruxt of the matter? Totally off the mark? We may not even agree among ourselves on some points. Feel free to jump into the discussion with your own comments, perceptions, and arguments. We're all ears.
This is simply a discussion--how we see things, what our take is--based on our various experiences and opinions. What do you think? Are we hitting the cruxt of the matter? Totally off the mark? We may not even agree among ourselves on some points. Feel free to jump into the discussion with your own comments, perceptions, and arguments. We're all ears.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Aspiring Author Alert!
Here's an informative LiveJournal post on What (Samhain) Editors are Looking For.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Blog Chat: Science and Star Travel
We're a bit excited that Barbara's current WIP is a Science Fiction Romance/Erotica. A couple of months ago, we got into a discussion on some of the scientific vrs. fictional influences of the niche subgenre.
For your entertainment, here's an edited version of our discussion...
Flick - 15. Jan at 03:08
I need a hand with some sci fi stuff - In Lucy in the sky - Three has to tell her his job and where he - or his ship - is from. I'd put “I’m not a terrorist. I’m a supplies officer for the SS Beagle, out of Ventura 5, Eexon solar system, Bowman galaxy.”
But several critters felt it was too tame. That Beagle didn't work. I did have my reasons for using Beagle - Darwin being one and it sort of links to the origin of the bigger ship his shuttle takes them to but do you - or Arlene or Dawn - any help is welcome - have a better idea for how I can put this? Do I need to use strange words for example?
I'm a supply officer for the Xenothik, out of Deltan Solar System - is that any better? I've already explained how Three can speak English - the translation chip - not trying to invent the wheel there though there is more to that than meets the eye, but apart from throwing in the odd phrase like - Legolian snakes or Jeepon balls - is there more I should do?
Dawn - 15. Jan at 03:59
Quarter Master, Barbara. He's the the Quarter Master. But you can twist that around a bit and make it your own unique position. Quarters Officer. Provisions Master...
I have a ship called the Mobius, inspired by science. One called the Martian Destiny. Another called Baby. So if you want to call it the Beagle, do. The Mobius comes from the Mobius strip that you twist and attach to itself to make it one continuous piece. Now that I come to think of it, I don't have a name for the blasted ship in IGBH inc. Oh damn. Now that's going to bug me.
If I had my dang atlas of the universe, I'd help you out with some names. But alas, it's still packed, hanging out at my MIL's. I used the Andromeda as it's massive and one of the closest galaxies to Earth. But, Laurie may have a better one.
Ya know, Laurie's going to get after you for outer galaxy to galaxy travels. LOL.
I still keep my stand on science. That all science has is roots in fantasy and that what we say is impossible, only becomes science when we prove that we can, and make it so. Many things deemed fantasy or impossible a hundred years ago, are now science.
Ooooh something to blog about on RR.
Okay, off to work.
Later,
Dawn
Laurie - 15. Jan at 08:15
Whew...okay, reallll quick. LOL
Dawn said: "Quarter Master, Barbara. He's the the Quarter Master. But you can twist that around a bit and make it your own unique position. Quarters Officer. Provisions Master... I think that's one word: Quartermaster, but, with land troops its correct, but in naval terms it means navigator. I love Dawn's suggestion of Provisions officer. An alien culture wouldn't necessarily use these terms, but still might use terms that are similar concepts in English."
As for Beagle, ta heck wif the critters, Barbara, especially if you have a purpose for the ship's name. Who says they don't have a word like "Beagle" that means something else, or he's using a term in English that's close to the true name of the ship. I think what's important is that it's an easy to pronounce name that when the reader sees it is going to know "that's his ship." Some of these SciFi writers who come up with outlandish names just because they look weird are shooting themselves in the foot, IMHO.
As for coming from another galaxy, yeah, you're going to get my spiel. I think it has taken something like 30 years for one of our robot research ships (Voyager, I think) just to reach the edge of our own solar system—our nine or so planets and sun. Imagine the time frame needed at today's speeds with today's conventional propulsion systems to reach just the next solar system, not to mention deeper into our own galaxy or across it. There are so many stars and so many solar systems right here in our own galaxy (I think it's like...I don't know 300 billion stars or more) that if you took just a tiny fraction of all the stars and said they had solar systems with planets, and then just a tiny fraction of those planets and said odds are they would probably have conditions similar to Earth to support life, you are talking about 30 MILLION inhabitable planets in our galaxy alone. Why have your alien originate from another galaxy (which is so impossibly distant from our own galaxy it's mind boggling). The nearest is what...something like a million years away traveling at the speed of light? So in other words, if you could travel at the speed of light, which Einstein's theory says is the fastest you can travel under the laws of physics, it would take a million years just to get there. Would your space voyagers even be human in that huge span of time or would they evolve under these conditions into something else? That's just about the entire span of human existence since human-like bipeds came to be. Now, that isn't to say there might be other forms of travel discovered, such as the use of wormholes (I use something like this in Draxis), but again, it's believed wormholes connect point to point within our galaxy because of the forces of gravity and the nature of space, dark matter, black holes, white holes, etc, but I don't think I've ever heard of it applied to traveling to other galaxies. Even Star Trek had a situation where the Enterprise was thrown out of our galaxy on course for another, and the crew acknowledged the distances were so vast even at "warp drive 10" they'd never reach it. But, all that said, this is Science Fiction, so if it's important for your characters to come from another galaxy then go for it (but again, why not this one with 30 million odd planets to choose from?) then you can create your own transport system. Maybe they slingshot from galaxy center to galaxy center using some as-yet-unknown energy source generated by the dense stars and gases at the center of the spiral, but then they still have to travel the enormous distances across our galaxy to where our tiny little solar system is out near one of the arms. I'm throwing out stuff from the top of my head, but you can go Google "distance to next galaxy" or "number of suns in the Milky Way" or "life on other planets" to get more detailed, precise info.
*puff, puff* LOL
So there you have it. Remember, though, I'm lean much more toward the realist side of Sci Fi than the fantasy side, and so far I haven't even incorporated aliens into my SFR, only human subspecies that colonized and evolved specific traits on other inhabitable planets (subspecies in P2PC and the genetically-fixed Malibu beach boy race of Draxis) within our own galaxy. Dawn's characters do come from another galaxy. It is Science Fiction, so you can take whatever liberties you like from generally accepted physics, but don't forget I'm on a campaign to put the science back in science fiction. LOL I like to keep things as plausible as possible, though my drive systems in both P2PC and Draxis are really a stretch of the imagination.
Whew...see what happens when you get me started? LOL
Oh..one thing though. For centuries man considered Earth at the center of the universe, until that got tossed on its ear. (Very insignificant planet circling an insignificant star in some insignificant galaxy. It's humbling, isn't it?) so would he refer to his own system as Ventura 5? Wouldn't it be Ventura 1 or just Ventura. ORRRR, has his race been colonizing? If so, then Ventura 5 works, but he might refer to his home world or even system, at some point.
OK, make me stop.
Please.
*pulls hands from keys and forces herself to hit "enter"* hehe
Laurie
Flick - 15. Jan at 08:35
hehe - Thanks Laurie. Well I hadn't even thought about the galaxy implications. It doesn't need to be a different galaxy. I can take that out. I won't be going into the detail that you have about the sci fi stuff - for a start - I'm less interested than you - I just need to create a world that works - well it will all be on a space ship I think BUT I don't want to put my foot in it or do something stupid to make it seem silly rather than fun. So galaxy can go. Its not important.
The issue of the supply officer - quartermaster etc - its hard when you only use English language in these - yet you need to describe alien culture - to find the right balance of how to use English. Swearing and basic sex words are a case in point. Even with a translation chip - using f—- and c—- feels completely wrong to me but what else can I use? Once Lucy has used them - Three can pick them up but its still tricky.
Thanks for all that input Laurie - boy I lit a fuse there!
Laurie - 15. Jan at 09:54
OK, I just HAD to go look a couple things up. LOL In naval terms (which Star Trek and most of the other Sci Fi series have adopted as the logical military branch to adapt to space) a quartermaster is called a purser. They have quartermasters but in the Navy it applies to a navigator. (I still use Nav in P2PC because it makes more sense than Quartermaster which the non-military readers may not understand).
And since I hate spewing info without verifying it first (which I just HAD to go do LOL!)...
The nearest galaxy is Andromeda at 2 million to 2.2 million light years away. Whew!
The Milky Way galaxy is about 100,000 light years across, with 200 to 400 billion stars. The nearest possible planet now "discovered" (jury is still out if it meets habitable criteria, but possibly) is 20 light years away (sounds close in comparison, but see below on light speed verses conventional speeds). The nearest star is Proxima Centauri, and it would take Voyager (there are actually twin Voyagers launched in 1977, Voyager I and II heading out on different paths), now leaving our solar system after about 30 years, another 73,000 years to reach it with its propulsion system (because its traveling no where near the speed of light, and those speeds may not even be possible). If Voyager could travel at the speed of light, it would still take over four years to reach the nearest star at those speeds (over 186,000 MILES per SECOND which would take a little over 1 second to reach the Moon from Earth—okay, a second and a quarter to travel the 238,900 miles). And of course, the stars don't stay in one place, either, so Proxima Centauri will move a bit in 4 years and move a lot in 73,000! The logistics are boggling.
I think the estimates on 30 million inhabitable planets came from Carl Sagan, but can't locate the info right now. Many, many scientists agree that the chances of life elsewhere in our galaxy, statistically, are anywhere from very probable to 99.99% certain. Finding them, however, would be like finding a needle in a haystack that covers the landmass of the Western Hemisphere. The sheer enormity of space is something we have a lot of trouble grasping.
MUST. STOP. NOW. ROFL!
I may have to copy and paste some of this to Spacefreighters. LOL
Flick - 15. Jan at 11:55
Stop - I'm drowning!!!!!! LOL Thanks Laurie
Laurie - 15. Jan at 14:56
LOL...had to post today's quote.
Imagination is the one weapon in the war against reality.
- Jules de Gaultier
Yeah, that's my motto.
Laurie
Dawn - 15. Jan at 16:39
I could have told you Andromeda is the closest at 2.2, since I researched the heck out of that spiral galaxy for BioM. LOL
Laurie, you're still thinking in terms of Earth technology for propulsion systems. Ya know, like I said, how do you know we don't have advanced civs on other worlds that have propulsion systems that make ours look like they're prehistoric???
LOL Oh, I do so love to goad you into these little discussions. When you open up, you really open up.
There's a fine border between Sci Fi and Fantasy. It all boils down to if time can be manipulated. If time can be manipulated, anything is possible. And can matter be manipulated? The human body "beamed" from one location to the other? Don't restrict yourself to a physical plane when thinking of space travel. IMHO Our bodies may be solid, but that doesn't mean someone else from another worlds is. Their molecules may move faster.
I still say you'd have gotten burned at the stake two hundred years ago for using a cell phone or flying on a plane. Science's roots is in fantasy. All science was fantasy, until it became proven theory. Therefore, outer galactic travel may not be as impossible as scientists believe.
Takes a deep breath.
But I have to say, I love your purist tech, Laurie. It's the bomb.
Dawn
Laurie - 15. Jan at 16:58
LOL Dawn. Yeah, not like I didn't push the envelop on physics with both P2PC and Draxis. I'm fascinated with the science behind astrophysics, but only to a point. Start talking about complex mathematical theories and formulas and my eyes cross and my brain wanders off to play alone. LOL
But my points isn't so much that other life forms positively couldn't come from other galaxies, but that there's SOOOO much room for civilizations in individual galaxy neighborhoods why would they need to cross ginornous voids to find other life? I think we originally got into this discussion over Darius being from another galaxy?
And as for fantasy and technology crossovers, a lot of the technology we have today came from people who grew up on Star Trek as kids and got excited about the "fantasy" technology on the original series, so became engineers and scientists and pursued making it real technology. So I still say, if you can imagine it, there's probably a way, somehow, that it can be made to become reality. I've never much liked the word impossible.
OMG, I'm so scienced out today.
OK, better run and try to get at least one crit done.
Laurie
Flick - 16. Jan at 02:14
You two ought to post this discussion on the blog!!!
Laurie - 16. Jan at 05:11
LOL Barbara. I never thought of that. Good idea.
Editors Note: And here it is. :)
For your entertainment, here's an edited version of our discussion...
Flick - 15. Jan at 03:08
I need a hand with some sci fi stuff - In Lucy in the sky - Three has to tell her his job and where he - or his ship - is from. I'd put “I’m not a terrorist. I’m a supplies officer for the SS Beagle, out of Ventura 5, Eexon solar system, Bowman galaxy.”
But several critters felt it was too tame. That Beagle didn't work. I did have my reasons for using Beagle - Darwin being one and it sort of links to the origin of the bigger ship his shuttle takes them to but do you - or Arlene or Dawn - any help is welcome - have a better idea for how I can put this? Do I need to use strange words for example?
I'm a supply officer for the Xenothik, out of Deltan Solar System - is that any better? I've already explained how Three can speak English - the translation chip - not trying to invent the wheel there though there is more to that than meets the eye, but apart from throwing in the odd phrase like - Legolian snakes or Jeepon balls - is there more I should do?
Dawn - 15. Jan at 03:59
Quarter Master, Barbara. He's the the Quarter Master. But you can twist that around a bit and make it your own unique position. Quarters Officer. Provisions Master...
I have a ship called the Mobius, inspired by science. One called the Martian Destiny. Another called Baby. So if you want to call it the Beagle, do. The Mobius comes from the Mobius strip that you twist and attach to itself to make it one continuous piece. Now that I come to think of it, I don't have a name for the blasted ship in IGBH inc. Oh damn. Now that's going to bug me.
If I had my dang atlas of the universe, I'd help you out with some names. But alas, it's still packed, hanging out at my MIL's. I used the Andromeda as it's massive and one of the closest galaxies to Earth. But, Laurie may have a better one.
Ya know, Laurie's going to get after you for outer galaxy to galaxy travels. LOL.
I still keep my stand on science. That all science has is roots in fantasy and that what we say is impossible, only becomes science when we prove that we can, and make it so. Many things deemed fantasy or impossible a hundred years ago, are now science.
Ooooh something to blog about on RR.
Okay, off to work.
Later,
Dawn
Laurie - 15. Jan at 08:15
Whew...okay, reallll quick. LOL
Dawn said: "Quarter Master, Barbara. He's the the Quarter Master. But you can twist that around a bit and make it your own unique position. Quarters Officer. Provisions Master... I think that's one word: Quartermaster, but, with land troops its correct, but in naval terms it means navigator. I love Dawn's suggestion of Provisions officer. An alien culture wouldn't necessarily use these terms, but still might use terms that are similar concepts in English."
As for Beagle, ta heck wif the critters, Barbara, especially if you have a purpose for the ship's name. Who says they don't have a word like "Beagle" that means something else, or he's using a term in English that's close to the true name of the ship. I think what's important is that it's an easy to pronounce name that when the reader sees it is going to know "that's his ship." Some of these SciFi writers who come up with outlandish names just because they look weird are shooting themselves in the foot, IMHO.
As for coming from another galaxy, yeah, you're going to get my spiel. I think it has taken something like 30 years for one of our robot research ships (Voyager, I think) just to reach the edge of our own solar system—our nine or so planets and sun. Imagine the time frame needed at today's speeds with today's conventional propulsion systems to reach just the next solar system, not to mention deeper into our own galaxy or across it. There are so many stars and so many solar systems right here in our own galaxy (I think it's like...I don't know 300 billion stars or more) that if you took just a tiny fraction of all the stars and said they had solar systems with planets, and then just a tiny fraction of those planets and said odds are they would probably have conditions similar to Earth to support life, you are talking about 30 MILLION inhabitable planets in our galaxy alone. Why have your alien originate from another galaxy (which is so impossibly distant from our own galaxy it's mind boggling). The nearest is what...something like a million years away traveling at the speed of light? So in other words, if you could travel at the speed of light, which Einstein's theory says is the fastest you can travel under the laws of physics, it would take a million years just to get there. Would your space voyagers even be human in that huge span of time or would they evolve under these conditions into something else? That's just about the entire span of human existence since human-like bipeds came to be. Now, that isn't to say there might be other forms of travel discovered, such as the use of wormholes (I use something like this in Draxis), but again, it's believed wormholes connect point to point within our galaxy because of the forces of gravity and the nature of space, dark matter, black holes, white holes, etc, but I don't think I've ever heard of it applied to traveling to other galaxies. Even Star Trek had a situation where the Enterprise was thrown out of our galaxy on course for another, and the crew acknowledged the distances were so vast even at "warp drive 10" they'd never reach it. But, all that said, this is Science Fiction, so if it's important for your characters to come from another galaxy then go for it (but again, why not this one with 30 million odd planets to choose from?) then you can create your own transport system. Maybe they slingshot from galaxy center to galaxy center using some as-yet-unknown energy source generated by the dense stars and gases at the center of the spiral, but then they still have to travel the enormous distances across our galaxy to where our tiny little solar system is out near one of the arms. I'm throwing out stuff from the top of my head, but you can go Google "distance to next galaxy" or "number of suns in the Milky Way" or "life on other planets" to get more detailed, precise info.
*puff, puff* LOL
So there you have it. Remember, though, I'm lean much more toward the realist side of Sci Fi than the fantasy side, and so far I haven't even incorporated aliens into my SFR, only human subspecies that colonized and evolved specific traits on other inhabitable planets (subspecies in P2PC and the genetically-fixed Malibu beach boy race of Draxis) within our own galaxy. Dawn's characters do come from another galaxy. It is Science Fiction, so you can take whatever liberties you like from generally accepted physics, but don't forget I'm on a campaign to put the science back in science fiction. LOL I like to keep things as plausible as possible, though my drive systems in both P2PC and Draxis are really a stretch of the imagination.
Whew...see what happens when you get me started? LOL
Oh..one thing though. For centuries man considered Earth at the center of the universe, until that got tossed on its ear. (Very insignificant planet circling an insignificant star in some insignificant galaxy. It's humbling, isn't it?) so would he refer to his own system as Ventura 5? Wouldn't it be Ventura 1 or just Ventura. ORRRR, has his race been colonizing? If so, then Ventura 5 works, but he might refer to his home world or even system, at some point.
OK, make me stop.
Please.
*pulls hands from keys and forces herself to hit "enter"* hehe
Laurie
Flick - 15. Jan at 08:35
hehe - Thanks Laurie. Well I hadn't even thought about the galaxy implications. It doesn't need to be a different galaxy. I can take that out. I won't be going into the detail that you have about the sci fi stuff - for a start - I'm less interested than you - I just need to create a world that works - well it will all be on a space ship I think BUT I don't want to put my foot in it or do something stupid to make it seem silly rather than fun. So galaxy can go. Its not important.
The issue of the supply officer - quartermaster etc - its hard when you only use English language in these - yet you need to describe alien culture - to find the right balance of how to use English. Swearing and basic sex words are a case in point. Even with a translation chip - using f—- and c—- feels completely wrong to me but what else can I use? Once Lucy has used them - Three can pick them up but its still tricky.
Thanks for all that input Laurie - boy I lit a fuse there!
Laurie - 15. Jan at 09:54
OK, I just HAD to go look a couple things up. LOL In naval terms (which Star Trek and most of the other Sci Fi series have adopted as the logical military branch to adapt to space) a quartermaster is called a purser. They have quartermasters but in the Navy it applies to a navigator. (I still use Nav in P2PC because it makes more sense than Quartermaster which the non-military readers may not understand).
And since I hate spewing info without verifying it first (which I just HAD to go do LOL!)...
The nearest galaxy is Andromeda at 2 million to 2.2 million light years away. Whew!
The Milky Way galaxy is about 100,000 light years across, with 200 to 400 billion stars. The nearest possible planet now "discovered" (jury is still out if it meets habitable criteria, but possibly) is 20 light years away (sounds close in comparison, but see below on light speed verses conventional speeds). The nearest star is Proxima Centauri, and it would take Voyager (there are actually twin Voyagers launched in 1977, Voyager I and II heading out on different paths), now leaving our solar system after about 30 years, another 73,000 years to reach it with its propulsion system (because its traveling no where near the speed of light, and those speeds may not even be possible). If Voyager could travel at the speed of light, it would still take over four years to reach the nearest star at those speeds (over 186,000 MILES per SECOND which would take a little over 1 second to reach the Moon from Earth—okay, a second and a quarter to travel the 238,900 miles). And of course, the stars don't stay in one place, either, so Proxima Centauri will move a bit in 4 years and move a lot in 73,000! The logistics are boggling.
I think the estimates on 30 million inhabitable planets came from Carl Sagan, but can't locate the info right now. Many, many scientists agree that the chances of life elsewhere in our galaxy, statistically, are anywhere from very probable to 99.99% certain. Finding them, however, would be like finding a needle in a haystack that covers the landmass of the Western Hemisphere. The sheer enormity of space is something we have a lot of trouble grasping.
MUST. STOP. NOW. ROFL!
I may have to copy and paste some of this to Spacefreighters. LOL
Flick - 15. Jan at 11:55
Stop - I'm drowning!!!!!! LOL Thanks Laurie
Laurie - 15. Jan at 14:56
LOL...had to post today's quote.
Imagination is the one weapon in the war against reality.
- Jules de Gaultier
Yeah, that's my motto.
Laurie
Dawn - 15. Jan at 16:39
I could have told you Andromeda is the closest at 2.2, since I researched the heck out of that spiral galaxy for BioM. LOL
Laurie, you're still thinking in terms of Earth technology for propulsion systems. Ya know, like I said, how do you know we don't have advanced civs on other worlds that have propulsion systems that make ours look like they're prehistoric???
LOL Oh, I do so love to goad you into these little discussions. When you open up, you really open up.
There's a fine border between Sci Fi and Fantasy. It all boils down to if time can be manipulated. If time can be manipulated, anything is possible. And can matter be manipulated? The human body "beamed" from one location to the other? Don't restrict yourself to a physical plane when thinking of space travel. IMHO Our bodies may be solid, but that doesn't mean someone else from another worlds is. Their molecules may move faster.
I still say you'd have gotten burned at the stake two hundred years ago for using a cell phone or flying on a plane. Science's roots is in fantasy. All science was fantasy, until it became proven theory. Therefore, outer galactic travel may not be as impossible as scientists believe.
Takes a deep breath.
But I have to say, I love your purist tech, Laurie. It's the bomb.
Dawn
Laurie - 15. Jan at 16:58
LOL Dawn. Yeah, not like I didn't push the envelop on physics with both P2PC and Draxis. I'm fascinated with the science behind astrophysics, but only to a point. Start talking about complex mathematical theories and formulas and my eyes cross and my brain wanders off to play alone. LOL
But my points isn't so much that other life forms positively couldn't come from other galaxies, but that there's SOOOO much room for civilizations in individual galaxy neighborhoods why would they need to cross ginornous voids to find other life? I think we originally got into this discussion over Darius being from another galaxy?
And as for fantasy and technology crossovers, a lot of the technology we have today came from people who grew up on Star Trek as kids and got excited about the "fantasy" technology on the original series, so became engineers and scientists and pursued making it real technology. So I still say, if you can imagine it, there's probably a way, somehow, that it can be made to become reality. I've never much liked the word impossible.
OMG, I'm so scienced out today.
OK, better run and try to get at least one crit done.
Laurie
Flick - 16. Jan at 02:14
You two ought to post this discussion on the blog!!!
Laurie - 16. Jan at 05:11
LOL Barbara. I never thought of that. Good idea.
Editors Note: And here it is. :)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
PERFECT TIMING Released in Print
We're very excited to announce that Barbara Elsborg's PERFECT TIMING is now in print!
Click here to view, read the excerpt and/or order.
Congratulations to Barbara on entering a new medium. :)
Click here to view, read the excerpt and/or order.
Congratulations to Barbara on entering a new medium. :)
Support this Group.
If you're a writer please take a moment, go to this site and join this loop.
Writers make very little for the blood, sweat and tears we pour into our manuscripts. So you can imagine what it's like to see something we've spent months working on, popping up on an illegal site and being downloaded for free. E-book publishing is on the rise, but so are unscrupulous pirates. This group of authors has banded together to go after these book pirates and their sites to shut them down. If you know of a site, share the link and keep writers, writing.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AuthorsAgainstE-BookTheft
Writers make very little for the blood, sweat and tears we pour into our manuscripts. So you can imagine what it's like to see something we've spent months working on, popping up on an illegal site and being downloaded for free. E-book publishing is on the rise, but so are unscrupulous pirates. This group of authors has banded together to go after these book pirates and their sites to shut them down. If you know of a site, share the link and keep writers, writing.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AuthorsAgainstE-BookTheft
Sunday, March 8, 2009
To the Stars Soundtrack
If all is working well, by the time you read this--and if your speakers are on--you'll know our site now has sound courtesy of Playlists.com. Yes, we have a soundtrack!
It begins with a short clip from a famous movie, and a bit of dialogue that was one of the inspirations for our blog title. Do you recognize it?
To introduce this new feature, we chose romantic music from some of the classic soundtracks like Titanic, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and even Crosby, Stills & Nash singing the very haunting Guinnevere. Great heroines in fiction is the theme, so you may recognize tunes written to define the characters of Princess Leia, Arwyn Evenstar, Rose and of course, Queen Guinnevere of Camelot.
We'll be changing our tunes on occasion to match a new theme. We hope you enjoy this new feature. Drop us a comment to let us know your thoughts.
It begins with a short clip from a famous movie, and a bit of dialogue that was one of the inspirations for our blog title. Do you recognize it?
To introduce this new feature, we chose romantic music from some of the classic soundtracks like Titanic, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and even Crosby, Stills & Nash singing the very haunting Guinnevere. Great heroines in fiction is the theme, so you may recognize tunes written to define the characters of Princess Leia, Arwyn Evenstar, Rose and of course, Queen Guinnevere of Camelot.
We'll be changing our tunes on occasion to match a new theme. We hope you enjoy this new feature. Drop us a comment to let us know your thoughts.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Barbara Elsborg: Cover Art
With the debut of LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE on Loose Id, LLC on February 24th, all three of Barbara's sibling vampire erotica novels are now available. She's gotten some great covers (the cause of major hold-your-breath anxiety for every writer and the thing we have the least control over) so I thought it would be fun to post them all together in celebration of the completed series.
I love how the covers seem to carry a theme.
Congratulations to Barbara for receiving such fabulous covers--and, of course, for authoring stories that are receiving rave reviews.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Kudos and News: Barbara Strikes Again!
Woohooo! Barbara received a "5+ Keeper" rating from BookWenches blog for FALLING FOR YOU, the second in her vampire erotica series from Loose Id, LLC. Click here to read this glowing review.
You can find a link to FALLING FOR YOU on our Published Works list at the right. >>>
And...even more exciting news! Book three in this series LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE debuts tomorrow, February 24, on Loose Id. There are three books in this series, together with Barbara's debut novel THE CONSOLATION PRIZE. Each is a stand alone and can be read independently from others in the series, but are all "sibling" stories.
More congratulations, Barbara, to add to those you've already received. You are so on a roll!
NOTE: Loose Id, LLC is a site for erotica romance and is open to adults only.
You can find a link to FALLING FOR YOU on our Published Works list at the right. >>>
And...even more exciting news! Book three in this series LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE debuts tomorrow, February 24, on Loose Id. There are three books in this series, together with Barbara's debut novel THE CONSOLATION PRIZE. Each is a stand alone and can be read independently from others in the series, but are all "sibling" stories.
More congratulations, Barbara, to add to those you've already received. You are so on a roll!
NOTE: Loose Id, LLC is a site for erotica romance and is open to adults only.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Holiday Chat 2008
Although we've been a bit quiet on our blog of late, we four chat almost every day...several times a day...even though we're in far-flung and exotic locations. heh! We thought it might be fun to post some of these behind the scenes chats so you can get a taste of what's on the mind of writers--and our stream-of-consciousness thought process. :)
I'll call this one:
Holiday Chat 2008.
________________________
Laurie - 19. Dec 2008 at 12:04
David's not coming home this weekend (*sniff, sniff*) so I want to try to get the tree up to surprise him when he gets home Christmas Eve (we haven't done a tree for yearsssss) cuz he's feeling a little down.
I need to post this over my desk! LOL
Quote of the day
Finish. The difference between being a writer and being a person of talent is the discipline it takes to apply the seat of your pants to the seat of your chair and finish. Don't talk about doing it. Do it. Finish.
- E.L. Konigsburg
______________________
Arlene - 19. Dec 2008 at 13:01
I host the one and only food gathering I ever do for everyone in my family. I cook breakfast starting whenever groups come over, eggs, even I cant screw them up.
I closed up a few hours ago and ran a delivery that's only 2 blocks away and it took me 20 minutes. Had to shovel ten inches off the car. I blocked traffic running it into the church as I feared the driveway, I fell on my nose in the feared driveway, but didnt loose the flowers but I'm still wet from the knees down. There's another six inches on the car yet again.
Hope this friday finds you guys dry and warm!
______________________
Flick - 19. Dec 2008 at 14:05
NO TREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have two and a load of little ones. My daughter once counted 23!!! yes, i'm a freak.
Arlene - that's not good either. You be careful in that fluffy stuff. Its not as soft as it looks is it!!! We're forecast not to have a white Christmas here. Though the new year looks interesting. Son lost his mobile phone yesterday - I think that's five or it might be six.
I lost internet today for five hours. I was beside myself!! I don't know how Dawn is managing.
______________________
Arlene - 19. Dec 2008 at 15:01
Yes, its very!!!!!!!!!! clear you are a freak, my friend. 23 trees and counting and I think one is lame. My son wouldnt put the 6-7 foot thing together. So, I left the middle pole out and stuck branches wherever. Short, fat and I decorated in shades of green only, hot lime ribbon. He'll hate it. Yippeee. My dad will love it. My mom will roll her eyes. I put a stuffed gecko for a topper. My sister will steal the topper.
______________________
Laurie - 19. Dec 2008 at 15:04
Ewwww...internet withdrawal. Yeah, that's the worst.
We've had several tree-less years with David in El Paso. Just. No. Time. To drag out, set up, decorate, tear down and stow away. But I'll make time this year just to bring a smile to his face when he sees it.
Barbara, maybe you need one of those little elastic cords to attach Greg to his phone. LOL You know how we used to have those for mittens when we were small? No? Well...I did.
We had a storm Monday night and then we were supposed to get the Evil, Wicked, Mean and Nasty Mother of all Storms Wednesday night and.....pffffft! Nada. Di'n't happen. (GOOD!) Looks like we're in for a long, wet winter though. Of course, "long" for us is about six weeks. *repeats mantra to self* I can do this. I can survive. I managed to live through 30 winters in Michigan. I've been through worse.
Ok, where's spring?
______________________
Laurie - 19. Dec 2008 at 15:06
Ouch, Arlene. Slipping and falling on icy steps is one of the reasons I live in New Mexico now. (Was I in for a surprise my first winter. Hey! Whatdya mean it snows in the desert! I didn't get the memo! )
______________________
Flick - 20. Dec 2008 at 01:41
Hey, the phone—face of son when father suggested the exact same thing—some sort of cord to attach it to his person—not a happy bunny. I think we do Christmas in a bigger way over here. I'll try and take a picture of the tree to show you and the conservatory - lots of decorations all over there. A gecko on the top though—I love that. We have a pathetic angel on one and a star on the other. Though I didn't do the trees this year— California girl and son did.
________________________
Laurie - 20. Dec 2008 at 08:34
The Geico Gecko? *does voice over* "Look here, mate. I'm a car insurance icon. You can't just stick me on top of a tree." LOL
I think it's a cute idea. One year our tree topper was a cowboy hat.
Happy Saturday all.
Laurie
_____________________
Flick - 20. Dec 2008 at 10:06
And from me. We're out for an Indian meal tonight—curry. Cali girl wants to try the real thing!!!
_____________________
Dawn - 22. Dec 2008 at 05:00
Hello all.
Frozen through here. Got 12 inches one day and 18 the next.
Uh, snow that is. Sheesh get your minds out of the gutter. I know what you were thinking.
Anywho, below zero here, and I'm freezing my badongadong off.
Arlene, are you okay? You got to watch that ice. I've gone down on it before and had to accessorize with crutches for 6 months. Take care. Love the Gecko topper. I don't have a tree this year. *Sigh* But I do have a blown glass pickle ornament I stick on the tree. Supossidly a Scandanavian tradition. I'm not Scandavinain, so I don't know why I have it, but I do. Yup a bright green blown glass pickle. The rest are hand made by me, and antiques handed down from great-grandmother—if my children and husband havent destroyed all of them in the move.
Barbara, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who loses her mind without internet.
Have a Happy Holiday if I don't get to chat with you before Thursday. May Santa grant your every wish.
Dawn
______________________
Laurie - 22. Dec 2008 at 08:05
Dawn said: "Frozen through here. Got 12 inches one day and 18 the next.
Uh, snow that is."
ROFL. Yup, you know us well. We're under the influence of erotica. LOL
Arlene, hope you're doing okay and the quiet is just due to being busy.
Barbara, hope you had a great Indian meal and the Cali girl liked curry.
I'm enjoying a breakfast of tamales at work this morning. Mmmmmm. Over the weekend, I got the tree up (yea!) and decorated (yea!) and David's gifts all wrapped (or at least the ones that have arrived so far), so hopefully he'll be surprised when he gets home.
Anyhow, in case the storm hits and I'm "off the air" you all have a Merry Christmas!
Laurie
_______________________
Flick - 22. Dec 2008 at 08:40
I am SOOOOOO jealous of that snow. Yes, I know its not fun but our Christmas is going to be grey grey and more grey. Thank god for champagne. I better go and buy some.I just can't face the crowded supermarket. Dawn—you are a saint. Laurie—you did the tree!!!! Yeah—good for you. Poor Arlene is still suffocating under flowers and flu I think. I'm sitting here in the study withe dog chewing a pigs ear and the thing smells disgusting. Why does he have to sit with me????
________________________
Laurie - 22. Dec 2008 at 09:23
Aw, he wuvs you! You're his bestest friend, Barbara. LOL I miss my little dachsie so much, but with three dogs (and John and MeLisa's too), four horses, three barn cats, and two house cats (that live in El Paso most of the time) I just can't justify another animal right now. I'd have to get a friggin' kennel license. LOL
My "puppy" is about 3/4 grown now, and very smart but soooo rambunctous. She goes out with me and David to feed the horses and just barrels all over, beats up on the border collie, lets the border collie beat up on her, tries to beat up on Chaco (who ignores her) and then runs in circles around us as fast as she can go. What a nut! We finally registered her as Rising Star Shadow Mist.
Laurie
_____________________
Flick - 23. Dec 2008 at 01:45
Ahhh—so sweet with the name. Winston is still chewing the damn pigs ear. He found it in the garage.
______________________
Laurie - 23. Dec 2008 at 05:51
LOL Barbara.
Oh, BTW, Merry Christmas to you. Book Utopia just named Daisy Leaf one of it's Favorite Heroines of 2008! I posted an announcement and link on the blog. I'll go post something in my forum and the public forums, too. Congrats!
Here's the link: http://bookutopia.blogspot.com/2008/12/favorite-heroines-for-2008.html
Two hour delay this morning. (Yes! Time to play on the internet. LOL) We got more snow last night. Unless things change drastically (doubtful) we'll definitely have a white Christmas.
::: runs off to make more announcements :::
Laurie
_______________________
Flick - 23. Dec 2008 at 06:10
Ooh laurie-–I was so excited when I read your post, the dog attacked me. Well not attacked but loved me a lot!!!! I was really thrilled to see this!
_______________________
Laurie - 23. Dec 2008 at 06:23
It's so fabulous that your first novel is getting such kudos!!! But am I surprised....NO! LOL
_______________________
Arlene - 23. Dec 2008 at 07:00
Barbara, I really can't wait to see where 2009 takes you. Very happy and not surprised to hear about Daisy.
Wishing you all a very merry xmas. Its been very crazy. Between snow so high I need skis to get out my front door, the back door is buried, and of course slapping out centerpieces galore, time is going by to fast to hop on line for long. Xmas day is gonna be sweet when it finally gets here.
Best wishes....a
_____________________
Flick - 23. Dec 2008 at 07:17
Thank you!! Ooh snowed under literally and figuratively!! Throw one of those centre pieces my way, please!!
______________________
Laurie - 23. Dec 2008 at 16:08
Maybe Barbara's success will rub off on us and we can all have a successful 2009. It would be a great goal to shoot for.
Don't worry, Arlene. Christmas Day is almost here.
______________________
Dawn - 24. Dec 2008 at 05:02
Merry Christmas to all!
Look what's out! Whoo Hooo!
http://www.ravenousromance.com/component/option,com_author/Itemid,70/id,18/task,view/
______________________
Dawn - 24. Dec 2008 at 05:04
Awesome on the recognition on your first novel, Barbara. I'm so excited for you. Wait till they read Strangers. You'll have em all worshipping at your feet.
Dawn
______________________
Laurie - 24. Dec 2008 at 05:25
Oh, I sooo agree. STRANGERS will take them by Storm. hehe Love that pun.
I"ll have to go check out your link later, Dawn. I'm running late this morning.
Arlene, hang in there. Christmas is almost here!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY IPs! HOPE YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC HOLIDAY.
Laurie
______________________
Flick - 24. Dec 2008 at 09:23
Merry Christmas from me too!!!!
________________________
Arlene - 24. Dec 2008 at 09:24
Dittoo..................
I'll call this one:
Holiday Chat 2008.
________________________
Laurie - 19. Dec 2008 at 12:04
David's not coming home this weekend (*sniff, sniff*) so I want to try to get the tree up to surprise him when he gets home Christmas Eve (we haven't done a tree for yearsssss) cuz he's feeling a little down.
I need to post this over my desk! LOL
Quote of the day
Finish. The difference between being a writer and being a person of talent is the discipline it takes to apply the seat of your pants to the seat of your chair and finish. Don't talk about doing it. Do it. Finish.
- E.L. Konigsburg
______________________
Arlene - 19. Dec 2008 at 13:01
I host the one and only food gathering I ever do for everyone in my family. I cook breakfast starting whenever groups come over, eggs, even I cant screw them up.
I closed up a few hours ago and ran a delivery that's only 2 blocks away and it took me 20 minutes. Had to shovel ten inches off the car. I blocked traffic running it into the church as I feared the driveway, I fell on my nose in the feared driveway, but didnt loose the flowers but I'm still wet from the knees down. There's another six inches on the car yet again.
Hope this friday finds you guys dry and warm!
______________________
Flick - 19. Dec 2008 at 14:05
NO TREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have two and a load of little ones. My daughter once counted 23!!! yes, i'm a freak.
Arlene - that's not good either. You be careful in that fluffy stuff. Its not as soft as it looks is it!!! We're forecast not to have a white Christmas here. Though the new year looks interesting. Son lost his mobile phone yesterday - I think that's five or it might be six.
I lost internet today for five hours. I was beside myself!! I don't know how Dawn is managing.
______________________
Arlene - 19. Dec 2008 at 15:01
Yes, its very!!!!!!!!!! clear you are a freak, my friend. 23 trees and counting and I think one is lame. My son wouldnt put the 6-7 foot thing together. So, I left the middle pole out and stuck branches wherever. Short, fat and I decorated in shades of green only, hot lime ribbon. He'll hate it. Yippeee. My dad will love it. My mom will roll her eyes. I put a stuffed gecko for a topper. My sister will steal the topper.
______________________
Laurie - 19. Dec 2008 at 15:04
Ewwww...internet withdrawal. Yeah, that's the worst.
We've had several tree-less years with David in El Paso. Just. No. Time. To drag out, set up, decorate, tear down and stow away. But I'll make time this year just to bring a smile to his face when he sees it.
Barbara, maybe you need one of those little elastic cords to attach Greg to his phone. LOL You know how we used to have those for mittens when we were small? No? Well...I did.
We had a storm Monday night and then we were supposed to get the Evil, Wicked, Mean and Nasty Mother of all Storms Wednesday night and.....pffffft! Nada. Di'n't happen. (GOOD!) Looks like we're in for a long, wet winter though. Of course, "long" for us is about six weeks. *repeats mantra to self* I can do this. I can survive. I managed to live through 30 winters in Michigan. I've been through worse.
Ok, where's spring?
______________________
Laurie - 19. Dec 2008 at 15:06
Ouch, Arlene. Slipping and falling on icy steps is one of the reasons I live in New Mexico now. (Was I in for a surprise my first winter. Hey! Whatdya mean it snows in the desert! I didn't get the memo! )
______________________
Flick - 20. Dec 2008 at 01:41
Hey, the phone—face of son when father suggested the exact same thing—some sort of cord to attach it to his person—not a happy bunny. I think we do Christmas in a bigger way over here. I'll try and take a picture of the tree to show you and the conservatory - lots of decorations all over there. A gecko on the top though—I love that. We have a pathetic angel on one and a star on the other. Though I didn't do the trees this year— California girl and son did.
________________________
Laurie - 20. Dec 2008 at 08:34
The Geico Gecko? *does voice over* "Look here, mate. I'm a car insurance icon. You can't just stick me on top of a tree." LOL
I think it's a cute idea. One year our tree topper was a cowboy hat.
Happy Saturday all.
Laurie
_____________________
Flick - 20. Dec 2008 at 10:06
And from me. We're out for an Indian meal tonight—curry. Cali girl wants to try the real thing!!!
_____________________
Dawn - 22. Dec 2008 at 05:00
Hello all.
Frozen through here. Got 12 inches one day and 18 the next.
Uh, snow that is. Sheesh get your minds out of the gutter. I know what you were thinking.
Anywho, below zero here, and I'm freezing my badongadong off.
Arlene, are you okay? You got to watch that ice. I've gone down on it before and had to accessorize with crutches for 6 months. Take care. Love the Gecko topper. I don't have a tree this year. *Sigh* But I do have a blown glass pickle ornament I stick on the tree. Supossidly a Scandanavian tradition. I'm not Scandavinain, so I don't know why I have it, but I do. Yup a bright green blown glass pickle. The rest are hand made by me, and antiques handed down from great-grandmother—if my children and husband havent destroyed all of them in the move.
Barbara, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who loses her mind without internet.
Have a Happy Holiday if I don't get to chat with you before Thursday. May Santa grant your every wish.
Dawn
______________________
Laurie - 22. Dec 2008 at 08:05
Dawn said: "Frozen through here. Got 12 inches one day and 18 the next.
Uh, snow that is."
ROFL. Yup, you know us well. We're under the influence of erotica. LOL
Arlene, hope you're doing okay and the quiet is just due to being busy.
Barbara, hope you had a great Indian meal and the Cali girl liked curry.
I'm enjoying a breakfast of tamales at work this morning. Mmmmmm. Over the weekend, I got the tree up (yea!) and decorated (yea!) and David's gifts all wrapped (or at least the ones that have arrived so far), so hopefully he'll be surprised when he gets home.
Anyhow, in case the storm hits and I'm "off the air" you all have a Merry Christmas!
Laurie
_______________________
Flick - 22. Dec 2008 at 08:40
I am SOOOOOO jealous of that snow. Yes, I know its not fun but our Christmas is going to be grey grey and more grey. Thank god for champagne. I better go and buy some.I just can't face the crowded supermarket. Dawn—you are a saint. Laurie—you did the tree!!!! Yeah—good for you. Poor Arlene is still suffocating under flowers and flu I think. I'm sitting here in the study withe dog chewing a pigs ear and the thing smells disgusting. Why does he have to sit with me????
________________________
Laurie - 22. Dec 2008 at 09:23
Aw, he wuvs you! You're his bestest friend, Barbara. LOL I miss my little dachsie so much, but with three dogs (and John and MeLisa's too), four horses, three barn cats, and two house cats (that live in El Paso most of the time) I just can't justify another animal right now. I'd have to get a friggin' kennel license. LOL
My "puppy" is about 3/4 grown now, and very smart but soooo rambunctous. She goes out with me and David to feed the horses and just barrels all over, beats up on the border collie, lets the border collie beat up on her, tries to beat up on Chaco (who ignores her) and then runs in circles around us as fast as she can go. What a nut! We finally registered her as Rising Star Shadow Mist.
Laurie
_____________________
Flick - 23. Dec 2008 at 01:45
Ahhh—so sweet with the name. Winston is still chewing the damn pigs ear. He found it in the garage.
______________________
Laurie - 23. Dec 2008 at 05:51
LOL Barbara.
Oh, BTW, Merry Christmas to you. Book Utopia just named Daisy Leaf one of it's Favorite Heroines of 2008! I posted an announcement and link on the blog. I'll go post something in my forum and the public forums, too. Congrats!
Here's the link: http://bookutopia.blogspot.com/2008/12/favorite-heroines-for-2008.html
Two hour delay this morning. (Yes! Time to play on the internet. LOL) We got more snow last night. Unless things change drastically (doubtful) we'll definitely have a white Christmas.
::: runs off to make more announcements :::
Laurie
_______________________
Flick - 23. Dec 2008 at 06:10
Ooh laurie-–I was so excited when I read your post, the dog attacked me. Well not attacked but loved me a lot!!!! I was really thrilled to see this!
_______________________
Laurie - 23. Dec 2008 at 06:23
It's so fabulous that your first novel is getting such kudos!!! But am I surprised....NO! LOL
_______________________
Arlene - 23. Dec 2008 at 07:00
Barbara, I really can't wait to see where 2009 takes you. Very happy and not surprised to hear about Daisy.
Wishing you all a very merry xmas. Its been very crazy. Between snow so high I need skis to get out my front door, the back door is buried, and of course slapping out centerpieces galore, time is going by to fast to hop on line for long. Xmas day is gonna be sweet when it finally gets here.
Best wishes....a
_____________________
Flick - 23. Dec 2008 at 07:17
Thank you!! Ooh snowed under literally and figuratively!! Throw one of those centre pieces my way, please!!
______________________
Laurie - 23. Dec 2008 at 16:08
Maybe Barbara's success will rub off on us and we can all have a successful 2009. It would be a great goal to shoot for.
Don't worry, Arlene. Christmas Day is almost here.
______________________
Dawn - 24. Dec 2008 at 05:02
Merry Christmas to all!
Look what's out! Whoo Hooo!
http://www.ravenousromance.com/component/option,com_author/Itemid,70/id,18/task,view/
______________________
Dawn - 24. Dec 2008 at 05:04
Awesome on the recognition on your first novel, Barbara. I'm so excited for you. Wait till they read Strangers. You'll have em all worshipping at your feet.
Dawn
______________________
Laurie - 24. Dec 2008 at 05:25
Oh, I sooo agree. STRANGERS will take them by Storm. hehe Love that pun.
I"ll have to go check out your link later, Dawn. I'm running late this morning.
Arlene, hang in there. Christmas is almost here!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY IPs! HOPE YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC HOLIDAY.
Laurie
______________________
Flick - 24. Dec 2008 at 09:23
Merry Christmas from me too!!!!
________________________
Arlene - 24. Dec 2008 at 09:24
Dittoo..................
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Stealing my books
I just had a google alert tell me that there's a site out there where people are looking to download my books for free. One person asked if anyone had books 1 and 3 in the Trueblood series, The Consolation Prize and Lightning in a Bottle. The latter isn't even out yet. A whole load of people said thanks for the links.
I've seen lots of authors tearing their hair out over this illegal file sharing - after all, it is stealing. We get little enough for the hours we've spent writing the stories so for people to download them for free is very annoying. Of course, I'm happy that people want to read them but it isn't as if they're expensive to buy.
The site I was told about is apparently impossible to stop, yet it's linked to Yahoo which I find amazing. I didn't want to register on the site - dire warnings of trojans and viruses etc - so I have no way to contact them and ask them not to do this.
I don't suppose any of those people who take my stories without paying, will read this, but if you do, please reconsider. You wouldn't help yourself to something in a store without paying - so why steal my stories?
I've seen lots of authors tearing their hair out over this illegal file sharing - after all, it is stealing. We get little enough for the hours we've spent writing the stories so for people to download them for free is very annoying. Of course, I'm happy that people want to read them but it isn't as if they're expensive to buy.
The site I was told about is apparently impossible to stop, yet it's linked to Yahoo which I find amazing. I didn't want to register on the site - dire warnings of trojans and viruses etc - so I have no way to contact them and ask them not to do this.
I don't suppose any of those people who take my stories without paying, will read this, but if you do, please reconsider. You wouldn't help yourself to something in a store without paying - so why steal my stories?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Business cards
Have you got them? How did you choose your design? Who do you give them to?
I've just ordered free ones - I'm cheap I know. Of course they're not exactly free by the time you pay the postage and tax but still cheap. When they arrive I'll probably see why!! I tried to pick ones that said something about me - sexy, gorgeous, brilliant - hey, I'm a writer, I can be what I want until I have to meet someone at a book signing!! The first one I picked had a gorgeous guy in a car - didn't work -I couldn't get all my details on. The second has diamonds on it - I went with that. The only diamonds I'll ever have. Now I soon will have 250 card smothered in them. But I've chosen another today with a mouth about to bite a strawberry. Yum. Now I just have to pluck up enough courage to hand one to somebody.
I've just ordered free ones - I'm cheap I know. Of course they're not exactly free by the time you pay the postage and tax but still cheap. When they arrive I'll probably see why!! I tried to pick ones that said something about me - sexy, gorgeous, brilliant - hey, I'm a writer, I can be what I want until I have to meet someone at a book signing!! The first one I picked had a gorgeous guy in a car - didn't work -I couldn't get all my details on. The second has diamonds on it - I went with that. The only diamonds I'll ever have. Now I soon will have 250 card smothered in them. But I've chosen another today with a mouth about to bite a strawberry. Yum. Now I just have to pluck up enough courage to hand one to somebody.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Opinions
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion- right? Of course they are.We all like to hear what people think about all sorts of things. That's conversation. We read opinions on blogs and websites. Well I do, especially now I have a few of my babies out there. Hundreds of pages of slogged over words available for 'strangers' to read, enjoy or dislike as the case may be.
I can take criticism. Hell, I had a mother who was an expert in dishing it out. I've saved every review I've found of my four (so far) books out there. Good and bad - doesn't matter. Spelling mistakes and getting the names wrong - doesn't matter. I've saved the lot. I want to print them out and put them in a little book of my own just to remind me that reviews are ONE person's opinion and they don't always get me.
What I don't understand are the rating systems some of the sites use. One that I know never seems to give anything less than 4 out of 5 - another gives so many 3s - labeled as mediocre, I wonder if they read the same book as me. Particularly when I saw one book given a 4 which was so bad, I couldn't finish it. I read a lot! At least seven books a week. On holiday - that might go up to 30. I know good from bad. I digress.
The reviews often say nothing negative and yet the score is still low. I've decided the rating idea is a bad one. What are readers expected to do? See a 3 and think - oh that's mediocre I won't bother? Or see an A+ and expect the most thrilling thing they ever read? Words are what matter - not numbers or letters. I wish some of these reviewers would take more time to say what they really think. Not hide behind a symbol. If you hate it - tell me why! Then I can see if its something I need to fix.
I can take criticism. Hell, I had a mother who was an expert in dishing it out. I've saved every review I've found of my four (so far) books out there. Good and bad - doesn't matter. Spelling mistakes and getting the names wrong - doesn't matter. I've saved the lot. I want to print them out and put them in a little book of my own just to remind me that reviews are ONE person's opinion and they don't always get me.
What I don't understand are the rating systems some of the sites use. One that I know never seems to give anything less than 4 out of 5 - another gives so many 3s - labeled as mediocre, I wonder if they read the same book as me. Particularly when I saw one book given a 4 which was so bad, I couldn't finish it. I read a lot! At least seven books a week. On holiday - that might go up to 30. I know good from bad. I digress.
The reviews often say nothing negative and yet the score is still low. I've decided the rating idea is a bad one. What are readers expected to do? See a 3 and think - oh that's mediocre I won't bother? Or see an A+ and expect the most thrilling thing they ever read? Words are what matter - not numbers or letters. I wish some of these reviewers would take more time to say what they really think. Not hide behind a symbol. If you hate it - tell me why! Then I can see if its something I need to fix.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Barbara's Next Novel Released
Barbara's SOMETHING ABOUT POLLY is out! Click the title to check out her latest from Ellora's Cave.
SOMETHING ABOUT POLLY is the stand alone follow-up to PERFECT TIMING released last year.
Congratulations, Barbara.
SOMETHING ABOUT POLLY is the stand alone follow-up to PERFECT TIMING released last year.
Congratulations, Barbara.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Making up words
You'd think if you're a writer- making up things would be easy. Oh that doesn't apply to the spoken word. I can't lie to save my life. Off on a side track here - well I'm a writer!!! - I once took my kids to the cinema for a 12 plus movie. Can't remember what it was - the oldest was okay but the younger was 10. Bad mother. Yes, I know but he pleaded. So I practised his new birthdate in case I was asked. Got him to practice how old he was. Got to the kiosk to pay and the woman said - is he 12? No, says I. Son kicks me hard. Realized my mistake and I said he's 13. It was a miracle we got in.
Back to the topic - I need to make up some cuss words for an alien and its much harder than I thought. I've spent too long on Google looking for ideas though the suggestion to make up words starting with f, c, t and sh is a good one. But how do you stop yourself falling into the trap of sounding stupid. The words won't sound like swear words to people that read it but if the character is an alien - how can you have him say - well you know the words.
So far I have - Legolian Hell, zimboots, zimpra s..t and it all sounds a bit childish. Back to Google.
Back to the topic - I need to make up some cuss words for an alien and its much harder than I thought. I've spent too long on Google looking for ideas though the suggestion to make up words starting with f, c, t and sh is a good one. But how do you stop yourself falling into the trap of sounding stupid. The words won't sound like swear words to people that read it but if the character is an alien - how can you have him say - well you know the words.
So far I have - Legolian Hell, zimboots, zimpra s..t and it all sounds a bit childish. Back to Google.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Back after Internet blackout.
If you've seen the before, here's the afters.
So now you know why I've been a busy girl and haven't had much time to chat.
Now, a big thank you to my peers for all the help you've given me and for keeping me sane during this uber stressful time. I didn't know how much I'd miss you until I couldn't connect. You all are lifelines and I can't begin to say how thankful I am to have such great peers and how great it is to be back.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
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