Writing

Author Swag, Take It Or Leave It?

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Swag, the little things writers come up with to promote their books. They’re fun, but what happens to them? Do readers put them, like cherished items, in a keepsake box? Do they end up in the junk drawer? We all have ‘that’ drawer, you know the one with things we’ll never use, but can’t throw away. Or do they toss them in the trash?

I love things that are useful, like bookmarks. Sure, they don’t mean much to those who read exclusively on electronic devices, but to those who still read actual books they are indispensable. If I’m reading something for research I’ll end up with multiples in one book. And as a writer, they can act as business cards in a pinch.

In the back of my addled brain, there’s always been a desire to have one of those cute little trinkets to give my readers. Yes, I have the signature scent, Enchanted, created by Prairieland Herbs, but that doesn’t always work. My male readers, unless they have a girlfriend or wife, couldn’t care less and it’s a bit pricy to just give away and bulky to keep on hand.

My dilemma is finding something to fit the hairstylist theme of the series. I could get imprinted combs, but that just seems boring. I want something a little more fun, a little more memorable. With a little digging I think I’ve found the perfect thing. I’m not going to reveal it here, that wouldn’t fit with my cliffhanger modus operandi. All will be revealed at the first event of the season. So if you’re curious, and in the central Iowa region, stop by the Ankeny Authors Fair in April.

How do you feel about author swag? If you’re an author, what have you used? If you’re a recipient, what do you do with it?

Icon 39

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How does one condense three wildly, amazing days and nights into a blog post?

I’ll start off by saying my caffeine and chocolate intake were way below normal levels. It would’ve been impossible to navigate the crowd with my usual IV of caffeine and wheelbarrow of peanut butter M&M’s. Then again, I really didn’t need the extra stimulus, there was so much to do and even more to see. People watching at its finest!

It’s not easy picking who and what to talk about, from fellow sci-fi and fantasy fans to incredible writers and artists. There were so many standout moments, too many to mention.

We kicked the celebration off right with a signing at Barnes & Noble. My table mate was the most excellent Aaron Bunce. The boy has more energy and enthusiasm than the Energizer Bunny. On my other side was the gorgeous Maria Watson, who made her dreams into fictional reality by spinning them into a marvelous science fiction tale.

Across the isle was a reminder of home that put me at ease, the two Rachels, Aukes and Eliason. And straight across Dennis Green, who I would later discover is the best panel buddy ever. Just call us Popcorn and Potato Chips.

That was pretty much the extent of my bookstore chatting, besides readers. Oh, how there were readers. If the writers were energizing, the readers were electric. So much excitement, especially for the guests of honor Elizabeth Bear, Scott Lynch, Lar deSouza and Jim C. Hines. There’s nothing like being in a room full of book lovers.

Dinner at Napoli’s was lovely, a mile long table filled with creatives, conversation and marvelous food. The Breadwinner and I were lucky enough to share space with Lar—in all his peacock haired glory—and his lovely wife, Dennis again—to my delight—and Terri LeBlanc from Second Run Reviews. She’s adorable, vivacious and a fountain of information.

Friday was a bear and I don’t mean Elizabeth, but she was involved. Busy, busy, busy, but so much fun.
DreamCon was a dream, the authors and artists were broken up into groups and the attendees were encouraged to migrate to the tables that most interested them. Every so often they were encouraged to switch tables. Someone made the comment it was speed dating with writers. Two young men at our table had jumped from dating to commitment, opting to continue our conversation over choosing another. They were sweet and intelligent, full of great ideas and possessed many of the good habits a writer needs. When they finally decided to move on, we were joined by another group, similar yet so different. In both groups I was impressed and moved.

A theme quietly emerged if you listened. These young writers were taking from their own experiences, their own lives and crafting tales they could relate too. They weren’t writing super heroes or a perfect world, many were pulling from their own disabilities. Turning the word on its head, it was no longer an impairment, but a strength. Out of all the authors around me, it was the attendees who inspired me the most. Those budding writers full of life and wonder, who openly shared their stories. They were the magic of the day.

My next event was a makeup demo. It’s been a while since I’ve done one and it showed, I have evidence in the form of a video the Breadwinner made. The only person more nervous was my model, Rachel Aukes. I can’t blame her. Seriously, if I had someone as nutty as me allowed to do anything they wanted to me, I’d be hard pressed not to jump out of the chair and run. Rachel was amazing and it was a joy to paint someone so beautiful. And a huge complement that she didn’t want to wash it off immediately. I also owe Cheryl Corbin a huge thanks for helping me setup and tear down at the end.

Then came my first panel, I was going to be at the front of the room with sci-fi and fantasy royalty, Elizabeth Bear, Tamara Jones and Glen Cook. This should have terrified me beyond belief, but ya know what? It didn’t and that was because they made me feel welcome at the big kid’s table, urging me to join in the conversation. I even answered a couple of audience questions. Yes, they are incredible writers who have been doing this a lot longer than I have, but they are also incredible people. I learned a lot and it was an experience I’ll never forget.

Now my next panel was the complete opposite. The train went off the tracks the minute I walked into the room, taking my presentation right along with it. It was scheduled opposite the dance and a movie viewing. Those of you who know me, know my hearing isn’t the best—years of loud music will do that to you—and I had a hard time concentrating. Yes, it was late, but that was no excuse. Somehow—magic?—I was incredibly lucky. Maybe it was that penny I found in the parking lot. You know, find a penny pick it up, all day long you’ll have good luck. My support team was there to help me pick up the pieces and get the audience involved. Thank you, Tammy and Bill Jones, Rachel Eliason and Cheryl Corbin. Don’t know what I’d do without you!

Saturday I was only scheduled for one thing, the author Meet and Greet. Now I’d done this type of event a few times, they’re usually pretty easy and relaxed. This one turned into a party. Darth Vader even showed up, I’m sure he felt right at home. Most of us have a tendency to dip into the Dark Side every now and then. What can I say? They have cookies! Toward the end, we were treated to a battle of the guests as Jim Hines, Elizabeth Bear and Scott Lynch showed us how to conduct an action scene. Yes, the ‘swords’ were foam, but the danger was real. The danger of throwing out your back attempting the poses of fantasy covers. I gotta say this was one of the highlights of the weekend.

With the rest of my day free, I was able to enjoy some of the other panels and chats. An hour with sci-fi legend, Joe Haldeman was wondrous. He and his wife Gay are so open and helpful, sharing  their advice and wisdom. Gay was also part of a panel with other spouses of writers and artists and how they cope. I only took in part of this, having split the hour with a panel on zombies. I had to see Rachel Aukes in action. But the Breadwinner thoroughly enjoyed it, especially Bill Jones, Tammy’s husband. The man has the best sense of humor.

The panel on killing characters was interesting, to say the least. There was a consensus that writers got more hate mail for killing animals than people. Strange, but when I look at past reads, those where a pet is killed seem to hit me harder than loosing a favorite character. Go figure. About half way through, it evolved into a lively discussion revolving around plot and if it should be a straight line or a winding road. The take away? Everyone has their own way of getting from point A to point B, do what works for you. And if you want to piss off your readers, kill a pet.

I ended the night with Dennis Green. Get your minds out of the gutter, there where several other people present, including the Breadwinner. Now that I think about it, go ahead and put them back in the gutter. Both the sneak peak into Prisoner and the short story—complete with visuals, no not those kind of visuals—were rather steamy. We all have our fingers crossed that he’ll be releasing Fifty Shades of Green soon.

Sunday I was free to attend a few panels before my last commitment. I started the day off right, attending Rachel Eliason’s Software for Writers. That woman is a fountain of information when it comes to tech stuff for creatives. I learned a lot, especially about my beloved Scrivener and will continue to pick her brain when I have the chance.

From there I moved on to Middle Book Blues and felt validated that I wasn’t the only one who struggled with a second book in a series. Now that I look back, book one seemed to be the easiest to write.

Beyond SF 101 was a hoot and a half. So much information packed into such a short amount of time. I could have listened to Scott Lynch and Jim C. Hines chat about writing for hours without becoming the least bit bored. Their main advice was keep putting out stories and be nice to people.

And then it was time for my last panel of the weekend and probably the best. Rachel Eliason, Dennis Green and I got to discuss Urban Fantasy, or as Dennis and I like to say, Contemporary Fantasy. Dennis was an awesome moderator, keeping the conversation flowing and on track, but not suppressing Rachel and I. It was at this panel I blurted out one of my favorite descriptors from a reader. My books are like potato chips, absolutely no nutritional value, but addictive and fun to read. Dennis leaned over and said, “Mine have been compared to popcorn.” Hence forth, we shall be known as Popcorn and Potato Chips.

The end was bitter sweet as I had to say good-bye to all these wonderful, creative souls. Some, I’d just met. Others, I hadn’t seen in a while. The long weekend suddenly seemed too short. I wanted to continue chatting, especially now that our commitments were over and we were relaxed, but it was time to go home.

Monday morning, the strangest thing happened, many of those lovely people I’d met found me online. The conversations continue and expand, the magic of community.

I hope your take away from my long and goofy tale is community and connections. There’s nothing like being surrounded by like minded people who communicate and work together.

A special thank you to Jori, Dennis L, John, Dana and the rest of the Con workers and committee who make Icon possible. I had a wonderful time and hope to be invited back.

I Do Not Write YA

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Dear YA readers,

In answer to all your emails filled with confusion, distaste and even a touch of hate, the Fey Creations series is NOT geared toward younger readers. I have never claimed it to be Young Adult, or even New Adult, nor have I marketed to those groups.

The series is ADULT contemporary fantasy. That is why the characters are old. The situations are mature and some of the characters have—as one reader put it—loose morals. The books also contain violence and strong language. None of which is meant for younger readers. When asked, I have told parents I don’t feel comfortable recommending it to teens, but ultimately, the choice is theirs. I’m not out to get book sales by any means possible.

There are only two reasons I can think of that lead to the belief that I write YA. Years ago, I wrote a short story that was YA. That was my one and only foray into the category and I presently have no intentions of returning. The other reason would be similar titles in the YA category. As an ex-library associate, I strongly suggest you remember not only titles, but the name of the writer. It makes finding the books you are looking for much easier.

I hope this clears up some of the confusion surrounding the age bracket the books are geared toward. As always I look forward to your comments and questions about the series.

MIA

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Sure, I could take the easy way out and use life’s little trials and tribulations as excuses, but I live in a no excuses zone. It’s all about time management, but sometimes life sends you down a tunnel filled with obstacles. I’ve managed two redecorating projects, helped out the local library, did my best to hold back Mother Nature’s deluge, dealt with two automotive setbacks and family stuff. I won’t bore you with the basic everyday tasks of being an adult. Yes, adulthood sucks, but I think we’re turning the corner back toward normalcy.

Even when life throws you lemons, you occasionally get a sip of lemonade. I may have spent my birthday—and many other days—manning a Shop-Vac, but the Breadwinner managed to surprise me with a phenomenal gift. Those of you who have read Disenchanted know Keely is a fan of Rick Springfield, so am I, obviously. He was my first concert—thanks to a gracious childhood friend and her mother—and remains my favorite solo artist of the ‘80s. Even though Rick isn’t a percussion guy, the drumhead is pretty cool. And the book, what can I say? Books are always a safe bet and a signed copy is outstanding. So, yeah, as you can see from the pictures it was a good birthday.

Drumhead signed by Rick Springfield.

Drumhead signed by Rick Springfield.

 

Signed copy of Magnificent Vibration.

Signed copy of Magnificent Vibration.

 

Even though I’ve been MIA from social media, I haven’t forgotten what all of you count on me to do. Write. With everything somewhat in control, I can get back on track. The track to getting Re-enchanted ready to hand over to my editor, before she gets bogged down with other things.

I’m still alive and thankful life is only tossing lemons my way. All of you helped make it lemonade with the birthday wishes and messages expressing concern over my whereabouts. Thank you!

World Blog Tour

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I want to thank Rachel Eliason for asking me to participate in the World Blog Tour. If you haven’t read Rachel’s post, you can find it here.

 

What am I working on?

At present, I’m finishing up book 3 in the Fey Creations series, Re-enchanted. It’s almost ready to be sent to my awesome beta readers. Adjacent to that, I’m working on tie-in background stories for the series. Up first is how liosâlfar Alric Brand became a vampire.

 

How does my writing differ from other books in the same genre?

The contemporary/urban fantasy genre is populated with twenty-something, kick-butt main characters, frequently portrayed as detectives or protectors. Don’t get me wrong, I love those books and will continue to read them, but I wanted something different. Why couldn’t the main character be older? Why did they have to have a degree in self-defense? Why not an average job? Why not a fairly normal, happy childhood?

If I was looking for something outside the norm, surely, others were too. What did I have to lose? Nothing.

From all those whys emerged a middle-aged, hairstylist with the power to manipulate dead tissue and a whole heap of secrets surrounding her heritage. Oh, yeah, it’s set in small town Iowa.

 

Why do I write what I do?

I love adding a magical twist to everyday life.

 

How does my writing process work?

My writing process is a convoluted mess and I’ve covered it before, but here’s the condensed version.

I’m a scene writer, or so I’ve been told. I write random scenes, then stitch them together into a story. I don’t use a traditional outline; I’ve tried that technique and failed miserably. All I need a beginning, an end and sometimes a few random plot points along the way.

My brain doesn’t always work in a chronological format. I see interactions between characters, or snippets of things that will happen. Anything can spark a scene, a line of dialog, a character action or reaction, a prop, even a song. Once I’ve finished all these scenes—don’t ask me how I know it’s done, I just do—I begin stitching them together, filling in the spaces to connect each until I reach the end.

Once I’m satisfied with the flow, I give it a read, making notes for changes as I go. After implementing the changes I do it all over again. By that second pass I’m usually ready to hand it off to beta readers. If they have valid suggestions I implement them. I then reread and make any changes before passing it to my editor. Starting the whole read, rewrite, repeat cycle. Sooner or later, I have to stop or I’ll fiddle with it forever.

So there you have it, my back-assward writing process.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by my little strand of the web!

 

Your blog hopping journey continues with two fabulous ladies of the speculative fiction realm.

Cheryl Corbin writes adventures set in other worlds, aka science fiction and fantasy stories. She lives in Iowa and writes with her writing partner, Yuki, a Bichon Frise, though Yuki spends more time sleeping than contributing to the story in progress. You can find Cheryl at www.cherylcorbin.com.

Tamara Siler Jones started her academic career as a science geek, earned a degree in art, and, when she’s not making quilts or herding cats, writes grisly thrillers. Despite the violent nature of her work, Tam’s easygoing and friendly. Not sick or twisted at all. Honest. You can find Tamara at http://tambowrites.blogspot.com.

 

Connections

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Event season is in full swing and I’ve got to admit, I’m loving it. There is nothing better—except writing—than getting the chance to hang with you. Sure, I can connect with you on the interwebs, but nothing beats meeting you in person. Your energy is infectious, whether it’s about books, the science fiction and fantasy community, or life in general.

Along with the familiar faces, who support me at almost every event, I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with new, interesting people. An up and coming book blogger, whose enthusiasm for reading is off the charts. Those who don’t care for urban fantasy, but shared their love of all things science fiction and epic fantasy, expanding my to be read pile. A couple of gentlemen fascinated by the bodice shears depicted on the covers of Disenchanted and Unenchanted. Yes, these shears do exist; they’re in my writing space as inspiration. Others quizzed me about my knowledge of the beauty business and why I use it as the background for my stories. Fun, stimulating conversations!

Events also allow me to connect with other writers, some I’ve never met and others I’ve become close to over the years. Many of you probably think writers chat all the time. Not true. Most of us are busy in our own little worlds and don’t have time for a simple chat. But when we get together the weeks, months and even years fade away as if we spoke just yesterday. Another misconception is competition. I’m sure there are those who look at the business as being cut throat and the possibilities of other writers stealing their readers. Personally, I’m of the mind that there’s no reason for backbiting because readers decide what they want to read, not the writers. I’m lucky enough to be included in a community of writers—and a promoter—who share their knowledge and I try to return the favor.

Connections, that’s what events are all about and I wholeheartedly enjoy connecting with each and every one of you.

 

Thoughts On Marketing

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A question was posed, by one of my Facebook friends, concerning writers and marketing.

How do you market yourself on a limited or next to non-existent budget? Are there things to avoid? Things that are a must-do?

If you’re like me, you cringed when you read the word marketing. A myriad of stereotypical, shady characters appeared in your mind’s eye. Snake oil salesmen, pesky popup adds and my personal favorite, pushy writers tweeting nothing but ‘buy my book.’

As a writer, there’s a fine line I walk when marketing my work. There are writers who believe if you write it, they will come. I don’t live under the illusion that readers will magically show up wanting to read what I’ve written. How can they when they don’t know it exists? Books are products and products are sold. How do you sell products? You have to market them.

Social media, websites, blogs, newsletters, book signings, attending conventions and conferences, these are all tools to raise awareness of your presence. Do I have and use these tools? Yes.  Am I saying you need utilize all of these? No, you need to find what works for you.

Social media is hard for me, I don’t think my life is interesting, but I enjoy interacting with others. I find THEM interesting. The little things they post about their lives allow me to connect with them on a personal level. Meeting them in person at signings and conventions tightens that bond. I’ve met some really great people I would have never met had I not put myself out there. I like that, what I don’t like are those who do nothing but blast ‘buy my book.’ It’s an instant guarantee that I won’t buy their book. Something that has stuck with me is a response to all the ‘buy my book’ tweets; Make me like you and I might be interested in your book. You need to make that connection between writer and reader. Life is about connections and so is business.

To me, the most important part of this business is my reader. Those who like my writing and even those who didn’t, play a part. They may not have liked it, but they might know someone who would. If they did enjoy it, they’ll tell others.

In my opinion, the answers you seek are avoid spamming your readers with ‘buy my book’ and work on building lasting connections.

Word of mouth is the Hokey Pokey of the book world. Other people talking about your books, that’s what it’s all about.

 

What Not To Do At An Event

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I want to thank everyone who took the time to stop by the Ankeny Authors Fair. Getting to chat with you made my day.

Things not to do at an event.

1)      Don’t trust Siri to find the venue the day of the event. Make sure you figure it out before you leave the house.

2)      Don’t forget your name when you greet the organizer. Hopefully, she didn’t notice the deer-in-the-headlights moment brought on by caffeine deficiency.

3)      Don’t stare at your tablemate in awe, no matter how fantastic you think they are. You are just going to make them question their judgement in agreeing to share a table with you.

4)      Don’t drop your jaw in utter disbelief when someone asks you to sign their e-reader. Play it cool and professional, no matter how much you want to jump up and do the Snoopy dance.

5)      Don’t slip into fangirl mode when a writer, you admire takes the time to stop by and chat with you.

6)      Don’t down sell yourself when a writer, you admire wants to purchase your books. Act as though you do this every day and move on.

7)      Don’t say yes to having lunch with the writer you admire and then forget to check your phone. (By the way, you really should have your phone number memorized, so when said admired writer asks for it you don’t have to ask a friend to call your phone to make sure you have it right. Yes, I know the number is in phone info. Chalk it up to another brain fart. Trust me it won’t be the last.)

8)      Don’t ramble when the writer at the adjacent table engages you in conversation. Trust me, you won’t remember a third of what you said and most of it is probably embarrassing. That the writer side of your brain caught fire and you want to continue to study this person is not an excuse. It’s creepy. Don’t do it, or get better at faking a conversation.

9)      Don’t run out of gas before the event is over. Make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before and pace your caffeine intake to the length of the event. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a great tablemate who will poke you if you’re looking a little more dazed than normal.

10)   Don’t forget to thank your host. Believe it or not, I did not forget to do this!

 

Opinions Are Like…

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There seems to be a flood of posts on self-publishing vs. traditional publishing vs. hybrid, e-publishing vs. print, and us vs. them.

First off, I do not intentionally search out these posts—I’m too busy working—friends have steered me toward them, thinking they would interest me.  They are all interesting, to a point.

I refuse to get riled by them, because they are all opinion pieces. Must I remind you of the old saying, opinions are like a-holes, everyone has one, and they all stink? Don’t bother telling me in the comments, on Facebook, twitter, or by email that mine do too. I’m well aware there are others who find the scent less than pleasing.

I’m not saying my opinions don’t stink, to someone, somewhere. What I am saying is that everyone has the right to choose whatever scent they please. You also have the right to step away from headache inducing perfume purveyors. There is no law that says you have to respond.

Online it’s easy, close the window, shut down the computer, whatever it takes. If you’re having a discussion face to face, it’s a little harder. I would hope those in the discussion would be adult enough to conduct it in a reasonable, respectful manner, but that’s not always the case. There’s a statement I use to avoid being sucked into arguments with people who don’t understand the concept of a discussion. (It’s also appropriate when you had a meaningful discussion with someone who understands the concept. Don’t you love multi-taskers?) I’m glad we can agree to disagree. It works. For the most part. There will always be those who will chase you down and spray whatever they’re pushing all over you.

Do not think you have the right to spritz others just because you can. I don’t care if you think you’re pushing Chanel, I don’t want it sprayed all over me.  I already have my own N°5 on.  Just as we all have the right to our opinions; no one has the right to push their opinion on others.

That said, I’m on the path I’ve chosen. I know the risks involved. I know it takes a small army to back me up, and the resourcefulness to do it right. I’m not fooled by all the online chatter, or hucksters promising I’ll make millions. I do what I do, because I enjoy it, even the bumps in the road. There have been many, and every problem has been of my making in some way, shape or form. There is no blaming someone else, when I should have triple checked. All of it is up to me. It’s my path and for now I’ll continue the journey.

It may not be the right path for you, and that’s fine. You need to do what’s best for you.

 

The Twisting Road From My Twisted Brain To The Meadows

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The discussion of individual writing process came up at the Saturday Writers meeting, always an interesting subject, until it’s my turn. My process is so scattered and unorganized it’s hard for me to explain the workings of my twisted path from idea to finished product. The best way for me to describe it is to say I write in scenes. I don’t write outlines, tried it with the last book and was so thrown off I had to scrap most of what I had and start over. That’s not to say I don’t use any sort of guideposts, I need a beginning and an end. That’s it; the rest is left up to fate. My brain doesn’t always work in a chronological format. I see interactions between characters, or snippets of things that will happen. Most people would scribble these little blips down and move on, not me. I become fixated and have to get the whole scene out before I can move on. Hell, sometimes I don’t even use the scene in my current project, but I never throw it away. This is where Scrivener comes into play. Everything can be filed in the binder allowing me the freedom to move things from project to project. Scrivener is also a godsend when it comes to stitching all those scenes together. I won’t go into the awesomeness of the corkboard this isn’t a review. It’s the stitching of all the scenes together that sparked this post.

A member asked me how I did this and I couldn’t answer him. I’m sure I frustrated him because he was dealing with a similar process. It’s not as if I was trying to be mysterious, or didn’t want to explain, I just couldn’t. My inability to explain got me to thinking. How do I explain what I do? Especially to those who have discovered they have the similar tendencies.

I remember thinking there was something wrong with me. Why couldn’t I write like everyone else? You know, the whole outline, chronological order… yada, yada, yada. No amount of telling me ‘there is no right or wrong way’ would reassure me. And I don’t want anyone else to feel that way, because it sucks. One day I was perusing author websites and found this post, by the wonderful Jaye Wells, where she explained her writing process. I wasn’t a freak—well, not totally—someone else had a similar process.

Now on to how I do what I do.

Once I have my beginning and end, I take all those random scenes and begin placing them in an order that gets me from point A to B. Filling in the spaces between isn’t always easy, sometimes it’s frustrating. There are even times when I realize I have them in the wrong order, but there’s no law that says I can’t move them. When I’m satisfied with the flow I move on to the rewrite stage. I used to print everything and take notes as I read. Now I convert it to an eBook format and continue on the iPad. This way I can take it with me anywhere. I become a bit obsessive during a project, especially when I’m making progress. I’ll go through the first draft anywhere from two to six times. I’ll save what I look for, for another post. Once I’m satisfied, I pass it on to my beta readers for input. When they give me their feedback I consider it and if they have valid suggestions I’ll implement them. And the reading and rewriting/editing starts all over again. Eventually, I have to stop, or I’ll tinker with it forever.

So there you have it, the twisting road from my twisted brain to The Meadows.

 
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