Author: Cyle Young - The Binge Writer

Cyle is a multiple award-winng author across various genres and writing styles. He is a prolific binge writer, routinely writing 30,000 words in a weekend.

Categories
LifeStyle Untold Stories

Amazed, But Faithful

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”38″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][prkwp_spacer size=”12″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
Free Your Mind LifeStyle

Benefits Of Early Rising

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][bquote type=”tagline” prk_in=”I have given no small attention to that not unvexed subject, the skin of the whale. I have had controversies about it with experienced whalemen afloat, and learned naturalists ashore. My original opinion remains unchanged.”][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
LifeStyle Untold Stories

The Newest Spot

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”38″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][prkwp_spacer size=”12″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
Uncategorized

“Sound” Writing: 5 Senses

Great authors write using the five senses. They are masters of drawing their readers deeper into the world, scene, or setting of a story by embracing the intricacies and subtleties of the five senses.

The senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and feel are available to almost all writers. Utilizing proper description of each of the five sense in your manuscript will greatly improve your story, and will drastically improve your chances of getting your manuscript published.

In the modern world sound is everywhere. You can’t get away from it. Popular studies have shown that spending just thirty-minutes in a room void of sound can drive a person crazy and cause them to hallucinate. It is near impossible to find an area with an absence of sound. You cannot avoid even the faintest whirr of air-conditioning fans blowing, the tick of a clock, or even your own heart, and neither can the characters in your manuscript.

Sound is everywhere, even in your made up reality contained within the pages of your story. The reality of this is a great benefit to your writing. Your readers know and experience those same sounds in their daily lives. It gives you common ground from which you can connect your scene or setting with the mind of your target audience.

As an exercise take sixty-seconds and write what you hear in the scene shown in this picture.

What did you hear?

Did you hear the metallic clash of the blacksmith’s hammer pounding against the red-hot metal? Most people do.

What about the laborious grunts emanating from the blacksmith as he exerts all of his effort into reshaping the metal? Not as many people hear that sound when they look at this picture. You have to look deeper. Put yourself into the scene to see it.

Can you hear the singing sounds of sparks blasting away from the impacts?

What about the sizzle of the blacksmith’s sweat as it drops from his forehead onto the molten metal?

Or the scrunching of thick leather in the blacksmith’s apron as he moves and twists?

Look again at the picture and picture yourself in the scene. Close your eyes and experience the blacksmith working. What do you hear?

Hopefully, your mind allowed you to embrace the setting in a unique way. Maybe you heard the roar of the fire just outside the picture, or the screeching of metal as the blacksmith readjusts his grip on the hot metal using the tongs.

Did you hear an assistant chattering in the background? Or music playing on an old radio?

If you didn’t hear any of these things, don’t worry. It takes practice. But the more you open your mind to the reality of the sound around you, the more you will be able to describe it in your manuscript and pull your reader further into your story.

Take one last look at the image and write in the comments something unique that you can “hear” in the setting, that you didn’t already hear the first two times.

Categories
Free Your Mind LifeStyle

Bright Future Ahead

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][bquote type=”tagline” prk_in=”I have given no small attention to that not unvexed subject, the skin of the whale. I have had controversies about it with experienced whalemen afloat, and learned naturalists ashore. My original opinion remains unchanged.”][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
LifeStyle Untold Stories

Getting Things Right

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”38″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][prkwp_spacer size=”12″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
Uncategorized

Publishing Free Passes?

The publishing industry doesn’t give any free passes. Ever opportunity, conversation, meeting, email, and phone call has a price. Nothing is free for anyone.

What is the price? Time.

Time is the most valuable currency that a writer, publisher, editor, or agent has to give. Those emails, phone calls, etc. also have a finite price tag. Someone is on the clock somewhere, but those dollars are not as precious as time.

When a writer meets with an agent or editor at a conference, it takes time away from that persons other tasks, family life, and/or work schedule.

When an author pitches an agent, it takes time. Every moment that agent spends looking over your submission is a slice of time they cannot devote to another task or project.

Writers need to honor the value of other people’s time. Make it work for you and not against you. Don’t prod, prompt, or pester an editor or agent for more time. Be prepared to utilize every moment you have to connect. Treat time like a commodity.

One of the most frustrating things for an editor or agent is to spend time reviewing submissions that are unprepared, not suitable for the agency or publisher, or ill-crafted. They can’t get that time back and it will cause your name to have a negative association with those persons.

Instead, take time to ensure you submit only adequate work that is well suited for your potential agent or editor. Don’t waste their time.

Remember also how limited time is and refuse the yearning to email the agent or editor for a detailed response or critique. That is not the role of an agent or editor and your lack of knowledge could be considered disrespectful of their time. Make sure to thank the agent or editor for the time he or she committed to your project and share that you look forward to submitting more projects in the future, if and when you have a project appropriate for their agency or publishing house.

Every conversation, contact, or email leaves a mark. The mark you want to leave is one of a respectful writer who understands the industry and respects peoples valuable time.

Categories
Free Your Mind LifeStyle

Back For Good

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][bquote type=”tagline” prk_in=”I have given no small attention to that not unvexed subject, the skin of the whale. I have had controversies about it with experienced whalemen afloat, and learned naturalists ashore. My original opinion remains unchanged.”][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
LifeStyle Untold Stories

Staying Somehow Patient

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”38″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][prkwp_spacer size=”12″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
Uncategorized

Platform vs. Writing Ability

As a literary agent, I routinely get asked which is more important platform or the quality of the writing?

For writers who are looking to get published, this is an important question to debate. It may be the most important question.

The correct answer is not as easy as it may seem. The winner of this important debate between platform and writing ability can change more frequently than the tide. For the purposes of this post, I will look at this great debate from a traditional publishing perspective as it pertains to unpublished authors. For self-publishers, a third-party candidate weighs into the equation—marketing/networking.

Unpublished Authors

I have looked at a great number of submissions from first-time/unpublished authors and wanted to scream because their work was sooo good, but they had zero platform. Zilch, nada, nothing.

No website. No Twitter. Not even Facebook.

Sure these are extreme examples, but I can’t sell books written by authors who have no platform. It’s very difficult to sell books by authors with a small platform—many times near impossible.

If you have an excellent book and no platform, some agent may be able to sell your book, but your success rate will be low and that path will be paved with a lot of rejection.

Writing is a Business

You have to remember, your book is your business. It’s a marketable and sellable product. To sell your book you need to have influence enough to convince potential buyers to purchase your product. And you have to understand that a real-world business with no influence doesn’t get sales, because it has no platform.

If you owned a small business with no buyer influence, would you risk going on the television show Shark Tank and attempting to get billionaire investors?

No of course not.

Those billionaires would tell you that you had no proof of concept. No sales potential.

It’s the same way with most publishers. They want to see that the book has sales potential to an audience or fan base that you are already connected with. Maybe through speaking, YouTube, instructional classes, blogging, etc. and at the bare minimum they want to see that you understand platform and you are actively working on growing your writer’s platform.

As an unpublished writer, if you want to sell your manuscript to a traditional publisher, you need to spend 60%+ of your time and effort building your platform. If it’s not your passion, learn to love it. Learn to make platform-building part of your passion.

There is only one winner in the debate between platform and writing ability as it pertains to an unpublished author—platform.

What percentage of your writing time do you spend working on platform? How can you make platform your passion?

Categories
Free Your Mind LifeStyle

Going With The Flow

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][bquote type=”tagline” prk_in=”I have given no small attention to that not unvexed subject, the skin of the whale. I have had controversies about it with experienced whalemen afloat, and learned naturalists ashore. My original opinion remains unchanged.”][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
LifeStyle Untold Stories

The Right Vybe

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”38″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][prkwp_spacer size=”12″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
Free Your Mind LifeStyle

Weekend In Barcelona

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][bquote type=”tagline” prk_in=”I have given no small attention to that not unvexed subject, the skin of the whale. I have had controversies about it with experienced whalemen afloat, and learned naturalists ashore. My original opinion remains unchanged.”][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
The Blue Seal Awards

Blue Seal Awards – Writing Contest (Open for entries July 1st 2016)

Almost An Author (A3) is excited to announce its writing contest. The Blue Seal Awards for Internet Writing Excellence.

We are offering 2 contests:

1) Blogs

2) Internet Articles

About the Award:

The Blue Seal Award recognizes excellent internet-based writing. As one of the most popular forms of writing, Almost An Author desires to recognize important and powerful writing crafted by new and/or aspiring authors.

How To Enter:

To enter, please send:

1) A one-page cover letter with your blogs’s title, your name, and the focus/purpose of your blog.

3) A link to your blog and/or your article as an attachment.

4) If you have a Facebook and/or Twitter account “like” or “follow” Almost An Author’s accounts.

  1. https://www.facebook.com/AlmostAnAuthor
  2. www.twitter.com/a3forme

5) Send your entry to editor@almostanauthor.com with “Blue Seal Award – Blog” or  “Blue Seal Award – Article” in the subject line by September 1, 2016.

6) Pay your contest fee of $10/entry. Paypal button is located at the end of this post for your convenience.

All entries will be subscribed to our newsletter/subscriber lists, but you may unsubscribe at any time.

Any questions? Ask Editor at editor@almostanauthor.com

The Blue Seal Award for Blogs

Th Blue Seal Award for Blogs is given to a blogger that shows excellence in content and has a fresh and unique perspective on their chosen topic(s).

Rules and Guidelines:

  1. Any writer who has a blog that contains new content at least twice a month.
  2. Please submit your entry to editor@almostanauthor.com
  3. All entries must be accompanied by a one-page cover letter explaining the focus and purpose of your blog.
  4. Please include a link to your blog in your entry email, and also in your cover letter.
  5. Entries must be received by September 1, 2016.
  6. Finalists and Winners will be announced by October 1, 2016.
  7. Winners will be announced by October 1, 2016.
  8. Top entries will receive the Blue Seal Award for Blogs.
    1. Award will come as a .png/.jpeg wax seal which you may display on your blog.
    2. Finalists will be given the opportunity to become a regular contributor at www.almostanauthor.com

[bctt tweet=”The Blue Seal Award for Blogs #blogcontest #blogger #writecontest #writingcontest” via=”no”]

The Blue Seal Award for Web Articles

Th Blue Seal Award for Web Articles is given to a writer that shows excellence in content and has a fresh and unique perspective on their chosen topic(s).

Rules and Guidelines:

  1. Any writer who has written a blog or web article.
  2. Entry articles can be any length, but 300-600 words is preferred.
  3. Please submit your entry to editor@almostanauthor.com
  4. All entries must be accompanied by a one-page cover letter.
  5. Entries must be submitted as an email attachment.
  6. If you have a blog, please include a link to it in your entry email, and also in your cover letter.
  7. Entries must be received by September 1, 2016.
  8. Finalists and Winners will be announced by October 1, 2016.
  9. Top entries will receive the Blue Seal Award for Web Article Writing.
    1. Award will come as a .png/.jpeg wax seal which you may display on your blog.
    2. Finalists will be given the opportunity to become a regular contributor at www.almostanauthor.com
[bctt tweet="The Blue Seal Award for Web Articles #blogcontest #blogger #writecontest #writingcontest" via="no"]

Blue Seal Awards Entries

Email your submission(s) to editor@almostanauthor.com and pay your contest fee online below.


Number of Entries
Please list your entries:



Categories
Tour

Blog Tour – Torry Martin

[author title=”Torry Martin” image=”http://www.almostanauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Torry-in-New-York.jpg”]Torry Martin is an award-winning actor, screenwriter, and comedian. He is also the co-author of “Of Moose and Men” written with Doug Peterson and published by Harvest House Publishing. He has 8 books of comedy sketches published by Lillenas Drama Publishing and is also the creator of the character of Wooton Basset for Focus on the Family’s “Adventures in Odyssey.” Martin has written 11 full feature length scripts with co-writer Marshal Younger, including the comedies “The Boonies”, “Helen of Troy, TN”, “Heaven Bound” and “The Matchbreaker”.  His most recent acting roles were in the Taylor Swift parody of “The Office”, Hallmark’s “The Ultimate Legacy”, and the feature films “Heaven Bound”, “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone”, “The Matchbreaker,” “Skid” and “Mountain Top”.[/author]

What is your latest book?

My latest book is called “Of Moose and Men” and was co-written with the brilliant and talented Doug Peterson. (He makes me sound smart! Not an easy feat, mind you!) It’s published by Harvest House Publishing and available on Amazon.com and at Christian bookstores nationwide.MooseMen Cover(1)

I’ve also written two screenplays that have been produced and will be out later this year. Both screenplays were written with my screenwriting partner Marshal Younger. (Without a doubt one of the best screenwriters I know and a gem of a guy!) We met almost 20 years ago while writing together for “Adventures in Odyssey” produced by Focus on the Family. The films are called “Heaven Bound” which is a faith-based comedy and stars Michael Joiner from “The Grace Card”, Nancy Stafford from TV’s “Matlock” and Danny Vinson from “Walk the Line”. The other film is a mainstream romantic comedy called “The Matchbreaker” and stars Christina Grimmie from “The Voice”.

Blog Tour Questions

Why do you write what you do?

Well that’s an odd question. Why does anyone write what they do? I guess the simple answer is that these are stories that I simply must “get out” of me so I can move on to the next one. Kind of clearing the arteries for more I guess. The message is always what’s most important to me but I prefer that the message appear as almost an afterthought that is clouded with a great story and of course, comedy. I also always have to have comedy involved. That’s just a natural with me.

What are you currently writing?

I’m about to start a new book that will be a sequel of sorts to “Of Moose and Men” and has a working title of “The Call of the Mild: Responding to the Lion’s Roar.” It’ll be about the experiences I’ll be having over the course of the next year and will be very organic in nature. Whatever God has in store for me is what I’ll write about, and so far- it’s promising to be a very busy year filled with travel to different continents where I’ll be making some films. Kind of hush-hush still for the next few weeks but announcements are forthcoming.

Marshal and I are also working on rewrites for the films “Helen of Troy, TN” and “The Boonies” which have both been optioned. We have three other films that have been optioned as of last week as well that we are working on rewrites for too. Those films are “The Little Wanderers”, “Mustang Summer” and “Riding Shotgun”. In addition to that, we wrote the first draft of “Touchdown on the Tundra” and are hoping to start “Amish Lessons” and “When Pigs Fly” next. Yesterday we started discussions about writing a musical for a company. Should be interesting! I also write monthly columns for “Clubhouse” magazine for Focus on the Family. Not bad for a guy who graduated high school with a “D” average and never took a writing class. I’m blessed to be able to work with talented writing partners though. I wouldn’t be anything at all if I wasn’t working with Marshal Younger and Doug Peterson. They both take a good story and make it great. I love collaborative writing and seeing how the stories evolve with my writing partners.

How does your work differ from other work in its genre?

Yikes! These are tough questions. I should probably have Marshal or Doug responding to them so I can sound smarter. I don’t know exactly how my stories differ from other works in their genre because I write in so many genres. Not just one. Romance, drama, comedy, faith based, mainstream, action, family, historical. I’m all over the place thanks to my chronic ADHD. (It really is a blessing!) I think what makes it unique though is that it’s not just my voice that people are hearing. Like I said, I work with writing partners so I tend to work in the third voice which is a combination of my voice, Marshal or Doug’s voice and then the third voice is the voice that we create together. I love the third voice because it’s infinitely better than our voices individually- particularly mine. I need a collaborator and would be lost without one.

How does your writing process work?

I usually come up with the big idea and the main story and basic character outlines. Then my writing partner and I break the screenplay down into 3 acts and place it all out on a bulletin board with index cards etc. Then after we have the story mapped out and the characters clearly defined, my writing partners take the index cards and write the first draft. Then they send it to me, I print it out, make notes all over the place, suggest dialogue changes etc and then…we Skype. We go through my notes together page by page and discuss whether they work or not and then- zoom. Off they go to start the next draft. This process repeats itself over and over and has gone up to 37 drafts for one project. That’s how many times we bounce it back and forth. Plus we have other writers and producers reading the drafts and suggesting notes for improvements as well. It’s very organic and very collaborative.

For “Of Moose and Men” we took several of my pre-existing comedy columns and made adjustments for them to fit into the book. Then for other sections, Doug would Skype me and interview me for the stories. He would record the conversations and then start on the chapters after we had decided previously which stories I wanted to tell and what the chapters would be about. Then again- we bounce it back and forth, I make notes, we discuss them and incorporate the ones we agree on and keep doing that as our process. Doug is really brilliant when it comes to finding the spiritual applications to the stories and articulating them well- he’s also a very funny guy. Marshal is also extremely funny and clever. Marshal has written hundreds of “Adventures in Odyssey” episodes and I can always tell which stories are his because they are always my favorite. They are always poignant, humorous, touching, and based in reality. He creates characters that are so real you can almost hear them breathing. I’m honored to be able to work with people as talented as Doug and Marshal. Oh and Rene Gutteridge too! I LOVE that woman! She is an amazing writer and I was honored to have her as part of the writing team on “Heaven Bound”. I also was cast in her film “Skid” that is based on the book of the same name. If you have never read her book “Boo”- oh my word- you are missing out! So funny! Rene did the novelization with Michelle Cox for the screenplay “Just 18 Summers” that Marshal and I wrote with Michelle. Still hoping that film gets produced so we can actually get paid for it. Yeesh. It’s hard knowing in the meantime that the novelization of your work is out there and you aren’t making a dime off it. Note to Screenwriters: ALWAYS keep yourself attached to the novelization rights to your work. It might be the only money you ever see and that is far better than the opposite of being money you NEVER see. Ugh. Lesson learned. Great story though!

Anyway, sometimes I have to pinch myself when I think of the talented people that I get to write with. They are too good to be true!

Heaven Bound Poster art

Of Moose and Men   http://amzn.to/1VgahXa

Visit Torry at www.torrymartin.com

Twitter @torry_martin

Facebook: torrymartin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Uncategorized

Happy Easter!

Categories
Bestsellers

Bestselling Author Interview – Kathy

[author title=”Kathy Tyers” image=”http://www.almostanauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/K1.jpeg”]New York Times bestselling science fiction author Kathy Tyers has spent thirty-plus years writing and publishing fiction and nonfiction. As a freelance editor, she has seen her clients publish their books with major and smaller publishing houses, and independently, in both Christian and secular markets. Kathy strives to maintain each editing client’s individual voice while enhancing every book’s quality and readability. [/author]

Can you share a little about your recent book?

Kathy: My most recently published novel, Daystar, is the fifth and final book in the series that begins with Firebird. It’s a messiah-in-space novel, in which a long-awaited Savior looks nothing like the chosen people expect. I tried to portray the incarnation of the same God in a very different time and place, among a very different people—and to answer science fictional questions such as, “If there were instantaneous communication among all humans in all places, would there need to be a First Coming and a Second Coming?”

Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?

Kathy: I have written because it brings me joy. It seems to be part of what God created me to do. When there isn’t a story on my heart that I strongly want to write, I work as a freelance mentor/editor, because it also gives me joy to teach others what I’ve learned down the years.

How long have you been writing? And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract?

Kathy: I’ve been writing for 32 years, since 1983. My first book contract came in 1986, and my first novel was published by Bantam Books in 1987.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Kathy: It usually takes me at least 4 months to write a rough draft and 8 months to self-edit it.

What’s your writing work schedule like?

Kathy: That depends whether I’m writing rough draft or self-editing. Each phase has its own schedule. I find rough-drafting emotionally exhausting, and I can rarely do that more than 2 hours per day. If I’m self-editing, I need to remind myself to get up and move, stretch, eat, sleep, etc. That can consume me, because it’s amazing to watch that wretched rough draft—which is really just “outline plus dialogue”—start to stand up and sing.

Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?

Kathy: Maybe it’s the fact that I can hear my characters speaking before I can see them. Perhaps that’s due to my background in classical music (I play and teach flute).

What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?

Kathy: A young woman attending my church invited me to her baptism, saying she had decided to become a Christian after reading Firebird.

What has been your darkest moment(s)?

Kathy: There was a time when it was necessary, for the sake of my late first husband’s sobriety, to lay my writing career at the foot of the cross . I told the Lord that if he ever wanted me to write science fiction again, he was going to have to make it abundantly clear. He did that just a few months later—via Steve Laube!

Which of your books is your favorite?

Kathy: Either Wind and Shadow (#4 in the Firebird series) or Daystar, which I described above. I wrote Wind and Shadow as my arts thesis for a Masters degree in Christianity and the Arts, at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. Daystar finishes the series and won the ACFW’s Carol Award for Speculative Fiction in 2013.

Who is your favorite author to read?

Kathy: I have so many! Tolkien, Dorothy L. Sayers, James K.A. Smith, Iain Provan, Lois McMaster Bujold, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and did I mention Tolkien? The books are much better than the movies.

What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have listened to?

Kathy: You’ll reach a point in your writing career when it becomes difficult to read for fun. You will have polished your self-editing skills so well that you’re distracted by details that other readers just won’t notice—but it’s all right. You still will be able to read for the joy of the well-told tale.

What is the single greatest tool you believe a writer should have in his or her toolbox?

Kathy: The ability to select the right viewpoint for telling your story—omniscient or limited, first or third person, deep or shallow, past tense or present tense—and then to write the viewpoint well. That’s something I stress when I teach at writers conferences.

How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?

Kathy: My first novel, Firebird, was rejected just twice and then published by Bantam Books. After that, there were quite a few years during which I was able to sell everything I had written. Now, with the publishing industry in flux—and a new desire to write in a different genre—it sometimes feels like I’m back to square one. Either that, or I’m being nudged in a new direction. I’ve been the “Mommy” of so many books that I’m finding a new kind of joy in being a “midwife” for my editing clients’ books.

 

 

Kathy’s Books:

Enclave Publishing: Firebird, Fusion Fire, Crown of Fire, Wind and Shadow, Daystar

Star Wars novels: Truce at Bakura, New Jedi Order: Balance Point

eBooks, Greenbrier Books: Shivering World, One Mind’s Eye, Crystal Witness

 

Categories
Fresh Voices Writing Contest

Fresh Voices Contest – Short Story Finalists and Winner

Congratulations to our finalists in Short Story!

Fox Quest – Sarah Zuehkle

A Child And A Nightlight – Heidi Melo

A Family for Christmas – Anna Henderson (WINNER)

Categories
Fresh Voices Writing Contest

Fresh Voices Contest – Novel and Non-fiction Combined Categories

Congratulations to our finalists in Novel and Non-fiction!

Dreaming of Darkness – PJ Lightning

The Least of These – Kathleen Neely (WINNER)

The Stone Cottage – Sandra Merville Hart

Categories
Fresh Voices Writing Contest

Fresh Voices Contest – Novella Winner

Congratulations to our Novella Category Winner!

Carol of the Rooms – Diana Leagh Matthews

Play On, Jordan – Iola Goulton (WINNER)

Categories
Fresh Voices Writing Contest

Fresh Voices Article Contest Finalists and Winner

Congratulations to our Article Category Finalists and Winner!

We Can’t Go Back – Curt Lovelace

Suffering Is For A Lot Of Things – Sandra Lovelace

Football, Fireworks, and a Big Green Piano – Leigh Ann Thomas (WINNER)

Categories
Fresh Voices Writing Contest

Fresh Voices Devotions Contest Finalists and Winner

Congratulations to our Devotion Category Finalists and Winner!

Red Chair Moments – April White

A Christmas Carp – Sandra Lovelace

Sealed With Love – Sheryl Baker

Dying To Self – Leigh Powers (WINNER)

Categories
Fresh Voices Writing Contest

Fresh Voices Poetry Contest Finalists

Congratulations to our Poetry Finalists and Winner!

Heather Lamm

Jennifer Grizzle

Al Lim

Meredith Hutton (WINNER)

Categories
Contests Fresh Voices Writing Contest

Fresh Voices Flash Fiction Contest Finalists

Congratulations to our Flash Fiction Finalists and Winner!

 

Elusive Forgiveness by Sheryl Baker

To the Old Sod by Curt Lovelace

An Honorable Estate by Leigh Ann Thomas (WINNER)

Categories
Tour

Blog Tour Stop – Lisa Belcastro

[author title=”Lisa Belcastro” image=”http://www.almostanauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/lisa_belcastro-439×320.jpg”]Lisa Belcastro lives with her family on Martha’s Vineyard. She loves time with her family and friends, running, gardening, outdoor activities, cooking, chocolate, reading, traveling, a healthy dose of adventure, and her cat, Ben, who keeps her company while she creates fictional lives for the numerous characters living inside her head. Lisa runs as an ambassador for TEAM 413 (www.team413.org), and has completed a marathon (26.2 miles) in all fifty states. Lisa’s stories are set on the Vineyard amidst the magnificence of the ocean, the beauty of sandy beaches, rolling hills, and ancient cliffs, as well as the people and events that make the Island so very unique. When she’s not at her desk, Lisa is living in paradise, volunteering at her daughter’s school, serving in her church community, planting and weeding her numerous gardens, training to run the Walt Disney World Dopey Challenge in January 2016, walking the beach looking for sea glass, or enjoying a great meal while she pens the cuisine column for Vineyard Style Magazine.[/author]

What is the title of your book?

A Shenandoah Family Christmas

What is it about?

Disease, freezing temperatures, and the Revolutionary War bring bitter reality to the Reed home in December 1777. Captain Benjamin Reed is ordered to sail a supply shipment south to General George Washington. Days before Shenandoah’s scheduled departure, Ben’s first mate succumbs to smallpox.

Rebecca Reed had never feared the dreaded disease until her one-year-old daughter Felicity breaks out in the telltale rash. In the cold, dark days of Advent, Rebecca, Ben, and the Reed family wait in prayerful hope as Felicity fights for her life and they wonder who could be next.

With the rest of the family at risk, they decide to obtain the forbidden cowpox vaccine. Ben’s brother Jonah, his uncle Isaiah, and Shenandoah’s cook Adam Greene venture off in search of the outlawed vaccine. A blizzard hits. A tree crashes. Jonah crumbles to the ground. A woman with the face of an angel aids Jonah, but is it too late? And where are Adam and Isaiah?

As the death toll rises throughout the Colonies, the Reed family prays for more than one Christmas miracle.

Why do you write what you do?

I write both historical fiction and contemporary fiction. Growing up outside of Boston, I’m an avid history fan of the American Revolutionary War time period. When I began writing my first novel, Shenandoah Nights, I knew I wanted to have part of the story set during the War. I can spent hours, or days, immersed in research. A research trip to Boston is an extra-special treat, especially walking the Freedom Trail again and climbing aboard the USS Constitution.


All of my novels are set in part or in whole on Martha’s Vineyard. I love the Vineyard. I summered here for years, and then ten years ago I decided to stay on. My contemporary novels are very Vineyard, with my characters walking, swimming, fishing, dining and living just as my family and friends do. When I’m writing in present day, I get so caught up in the story that I occasionally forget that I my character was the one who went to the grocery store, not me, and I’d better get there if we want dinner. At times my family was less than amused. 😉

What are you currently working on?

I have three books for 2016 — Audition for Love, which is the second book in my Possible Dreams trilogy. I’m having a blast with this one. I’ve got a Broadway star on Island for a month as she’s starring in a summer theatre production. She meets an attorney, also from New York City and also on vacation. They have nothing in common and absolutely no interest in each other. At least that’s what they keep telling themselves.


The next book, Shenandoah Song, is the sixth installment in the Winds of Change series. Set in 1778, Shenandoah Song tells the love story of Jonah and Ava, who were minor characters in A Shenandoah Family Christmas. I absolutely LOVE Jonah and Ava.
I’ll also have a Christmas novella next November, but I haven’t decided which series will be represented in the novella. I guess it will depend which characters I’m missing the most. Right now I’m leaning toward Ryan, Laurel, and Gracie for A Dream for Love.

How does your work differ from other work in its genre?

My stories are set on Martha’s Vineyard. I think I’m the only faith-based author writing inspirational  novels on Island. Whether you’ve visited the Island or want to visit, my books will give you a true taste of what life is really like on Martha’s Vineyard. It’s not all presidents and movie stars. I portray the “real” everyday life, with a romance, history, adventure, and a happily ever afters.

How does your writing process work?

I wish I could tell you that I plan every chapter, and make copious amounts of wonderful detailed notes. I don’t. I picture the story in my head, jot down a page or two of notes so I don’t forget, and then I start writing. If I have to break for research, then I’ll do a quick notion of my thoughts about where the story should be going.  So far, this method works best for me.


At the end of each writing day, I print out the pages that I’ve written. I bring them to the gym the next morning, and edit while I’m running on the treadmill or elliptical. It might sound crazy, but I have my best ideas while running.

Social Media and Blog:

www.lisabelcastro.com

www.facebook.com/belcastrolisa

www.twitter.com/VineyardRomance

Amazon Link: http://amzn.com/B01789P77Q