Author's Blog

The Day Has Arrived!

pleasantsuprise

 

It’s finally happened!

My thriller, The Sussex Deal is ready.

 

After much writing and much more writing and then tons of editing and re-editing, and then doing research on marketing etc., my book has finally made it to the eBook publishing stage.

book_icon4I’m excited, and although I know it takes time to promote the book and generate sales, the road to getting here and now travelling the path to publishing it, I’ve come to realize that it’s the whole process that I’m obsessed with. Every step has brought its fair share of challenges to overcome, but I’ve enjoyed it every step of the way.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my days where I thought, why am I doing this or why did I have to re-write this twelve times before I got it right.  In the end, my drive to succeed and my enormous love of the craft is what makes it all worthwhile.

My first love lies in writing fantasy, so writing a contemporary thriller was a whole new experience for me.  The language was the biggest challenge to overcome. I found myself often slipping back into writing in the style of my fantasy novels. The thriller genre did give me a taste of something new. The one thing it did have in common with my fantasy genre is that I felt passionate about all my characters. I think it’s this passion that forces me to tell their story regardless of the genre.

The Sussex Deal was initially to become my first “chapter story”—a story for my readers where I put out one chapter at a time—but we decided to use it as my first step into eBook publishing.

monitor_1Now, the task begins to market the book. Will it be a success? Time will tell. For me, the euphoria comes in writing the book and bringing it to its completion. I hope to give my readers that same euphoria when reading it. I’m already working on my next book and loving it.small_star

Alandra CL

Self-Editing Checklist . . .

The Latest

1. Self-Editing Checklist: Setting and Description – By Writers Alley – http://goo.gl/nHwz8

2. Top 5 Thing to Avoid Telling Editors and Agents at Conferences – By Writers Alley – http://goo.gl/cf9aP

3. Publish America and CBA: Rowling Redux – By Writer Beware – http://goo.gl/Np3ms

4. A Comprehensive Guide to the Envelope System – By Matt Bell – http://goo.gl/oWTUU

5. Reader Mailbag: Sick Child – By Trent – the Simple Dollar – http://goo.gl/0r6QM

6. These 3 Typography Websites Will Change How You Look at Type – By Joel Friedlander – http://goo.gl/tQU5v

7. Keep the Climax in Mind – by Plot Whisperer – http://goo.gl/7QxOm

8. Is Social Media Like a Party? – By Nathan Bransford – http://goo.gl/YeXXV – Love his pictures!

9. Product Of The Week: Green Lantern, World’s First Design Lamp Made From Liquid Wood – By E-Junkie.info – http://goo.gl/sbv42 – Beautiful lanterns!

10. Daily Writing Tips – By Mark Nichol – Marshal vs. Martial – http://goo.gl/NmSw4

 

Quote of the Day

“An essential element for good writing is a good ear: One must listen to the sound of one’s own prose.” – Barbara Tuchman

Writing Contest

Poetry Writing Contest – Gerald Cable Book Award – Silverfish Review Press – Deadline Oct 15, 2011 – http://goo.gl/Ifgya

 Book Release

Full-Time Income in Part-Time Hours By Freelance food and wine writer, Gretchen Roberts – shares strategies for maximizing your income on less than 40 hours per week.

 

 

Unautomate Your Money . . .

 

The Latest

1. Unautomate Your Money – By Baker of Man Vs. Debt – http://goo.gl/xpaKo

2. What is Pubslush Press? By Victoria Strauss – Writer Beware – http://goo.gl/GgJTn

3. Why Not to buy at a Farmers Market – By Paul Michael – Wise Bread – http://goo.gl/02TTR

4. Readjusting Sleep Edition: The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup – http://goo.gl/4ZhFk

5. Basics of Book Marketing for the Beginning Self-Publisher Part 3 – By Joel Friedlander – http://goo.gl/mrceJ

6. E-Books Are Easily Changeable After Publication, Is That Good Or Bad? – By Nathan Bransford – http://goo.gl/YkFiL  – Interesting question!

7. What’s the sound of your voice and can it be true all the time? – By Di Mace – WordSwords – http://goo.gl/dy4Jw

8. George R.R. Martin is the Newest Author to Join the Kindle Million Club – Amazon.com – http://goo.gl/IG00n

Quote of the Day

“Most writers regard the truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are most economical in its use.”  – Mark Twain

Writing Contest

Aura Estrada Short Story Contest – Deadline Oct. 1, 2011 – http://goo.gl/wEpRp

 

 

 Book Release

 

We Are All Weird – By Author Seth Godin – Now available at: http://goo.gl/0oXzM

“It’s about a new truth, something previously unexamined, appreciated or named. The bell curve is spreading, normal isn’t what it used to be and the age of mass is over. We’ve lived with mass all our lives, and now it’s gone. What are you going to do about it?”

Old Friends . . .

 

The Latest 

  1. Old Friends Edition – The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup – http://goo.gl/wZo4h
  2. Scientists Design a Fake Volcano for Climate Change Experiment – By Brit Liggett – http://goo.gl/eOhjn
  3. Facebook Launches Twitter-Like ‘Subscriptions’, Lets You Share With Unlimited Users – By Jason Kincaid – http://goo.gl/A4Oat
  4. Prometheus Books Launches Seventh Street Books – By Publishers Weekly – http://goo.gl/Z3t7u
  5. Amazon May Launch Netflix-like Service for Books – Writer’s Blog – http://goo.gl/AwaEP
  6. Authors Guild and Others Sue Universities for Copyright Infringement – By Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware – http://goo.gl/PSNmd
  7. On Being Mentored: Lynn Austin – 7 Time Christy Winner – http://goo.gl/jbTsC
  8. Six Compelling Reasons Why Authors Need to Blog – By Joel Frielander – http://goo.gl/oYsTa

 

Quote of the Day

A writer never has a vacation. For a writer life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.” –  Eugene Ionesco

 

 Contests

21st Annual Jeffrey E. Smith Editor’s Prize in Fiction, Essay, and Poetry – By The Missouri Review – Deadline Oct 1, 2011 – http://goo.gl/EZ0b1 

 

 

 

Featured Book(s)

  • New Fantasy Book Release: The Children of the Sky – By Vernor Vinge – Released October 2011