Saddle Up Saloon; Blog Blusterin’

Ranch hands Kid and Pal have opened up their saloon at Carrot Ranch to any blogger who wants to come by and leave their linked 9-word tag line to their own site. Those who took the challenge to describe or define their blog in 99, 59 then 9 words have found the exercise to be productive, helping them to reflect and to clarify for themselves and their followers what they are all about. Come by the Saddle Up Saloon where it’s all about you!

Case Study: The Mandalorian

C. S. Boyack has a terrific post on Story Empire today! Check out Case Study: The Mandalorian for a detailed explanation of how much you can learn from film and tv to make your writing stronger. I’m filing this one away for future reference. You might want to do so, as well. And as always, please consider passing this along on social media so others can benefit, too. Thanks, and thanks to Craig for an entertaining, simple to understand writing lesson. 🙂

coldhandboyack's avatarStory Empire

Hi gang! Craig here with you today. Every once in a while I like to pick something apart for the sake of a writing study. I always use film because more people are likely to have seen what I’m discussing.

I’ve never done this with a television series before, so we’ll see how it goes because there is no end in sight. I was feeling bad during lockdown, because I hadn’t binge watched anything, so I rewatched The Mandalorian. If this post is going to spoil something for you, stop here.

This series is eight episodes long, so far. That means every episode is 12.5% of the total. Keep this in mind as we go along.

There are two immediate lessons that come to mind for authors. First, don’t drown the audience in back story. Second, hold some things back.

We don’t follow Mando from childhood and learn all about…

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Attention Dresdenphiles, Everywhere! Only 7 More Weeks Until #PeaceTalks Arrives!

Happy Tewe’s Day, Everybody! Guess what? We’re another week closer to the release of the long-awaited and greatly anticipated Peace Talks, Book 16 of the Dresden Files series! Yep, only seven more weeks to go, and my doesn’t the time just fly by? Yeah. Like a kid waiting for Christmas morning! Tick …….. tock.   Tick …….. tock. You get the idea. BUT, we are closer, so for that I’m going to be grateful. And I’m going to share some things with you that interested me. Hope you’ll enjoy them, too.

First, I thought maybe it would be appropriate to talk about the man who created Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, Wizard Extraordinaire. That would be Jim Butcher, of course. I will admit that over the last six years, I’ve given serious thought to tracking Jim Butcher down and smacking him with a pizza so old and stale, even Toot-Toot the fairy wouldn’t touch it. However, I am too much in awe of his prodigious writing talent to do such a thing. Instead, I gnashed my teeth and bit my nails in silence, waiting, waiting, waiting for the day he would send forth the 16th installment of my favorite series of all time.  And finally, that day is drawing near!

For those of you who haven’t read his work, or followed his blog,
or seen him at a signing, this is what Jim Butcher looks like:

Or  maybe it’s more like this?

Unless, of course, it’s really more along these lines?

Hmmm. A man of many faces.
Well, one thing for sure,
Harry Dresden is obviously his alter-ego.
They could be twins separated at birth! See?
Here, he poses with a wizardly weapon,
and his
genuine Foo Dog, Mouse!

INTERESTING STUFF

Butcher wrote the first book in The Dresden Files—about a professional wizard, named Harry Dresden, in modern-day Chicagoas an exercise for a writing course in 1996 at the age of 25. Storm Front, the first novel in The Dresden Files, was picked up by Roc/Penguin Books for publishing. It was released as a paperback in April  2000Fool Moon followed nine months later on January 1, 2001, and the third book, Grave Peril, was published in September 2001. Thereafter, the release schedule slowed, with Summer Knight appearing on September 3, 2002. The fifth and sixth books, Death Masks and Blood Rites, appeared in August 2003 and 2004, respectively.  

For several years, you could pretty much count on a new Dresden Files book every year or so, until Skin Game (#15) was released in 2014. Then the drought began. Yes, I know there were graphic novels being written, and short stories (most of which are absolutely fantastic) appearing in various anthologies, and loads of other things going on in his life. (He is also the author of the Codex Alera series, a fantasy I quite enjoyed, and The Aeronaut’s Windlass, Book 1 of a new fantasy series that I hope will be continued.)

And those are all great things. BUT.  Harry disappeared for a very long time. I thought perhaps–unbeknownst to his fans–my favorite wizard had been yanked into the Nevernever and left there to wander lost and lonely as a cloud until the end of days! Happily, as we now know, he’s back! Thus my series of posts wherein the countdown of the weeks continues and I dance around all excited, while generally acting like a looney tunes.

~~~

On that note, I’m moving along to share a new meme I made this week. Hope you enjoy it. It’s one of my favorite pictures and quotes, out of many!

 

AND  HERE ARE A FEW MORE MEMES
FOUND FLOATING AROUND THE INTERNET.

 

 

 

Welp, that’s it for today, folks! I’ll be back next Tuesday with a brand new countdown update, more images and characters, and anything else I can think of you might enjoy! Hope to see you then!  

~~~

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 17th – 23rd May 2020 – Rainbow Fairies, Sound of Music, Books, Guests and Funnies

An extra-fantastic Weekly Round Up from Sally Cronin on her Smorgasbord blog today! Stop by and check it out. (Some really fun videos, too.) And then, if you would, please consider passing it along so others can enjoy it, too. Thanks so much, and thanks to Sally! Rock on, my friend! 🙂 ❤

Smorgasbord Book Reviews – #Fantasy #Paranormal – Viral Blues by C.S. Boyack

Looking for a fun and unusual read? Check out Sally Cronin’s review of C. S. Boyack’s Viral Blues on her Smorgasbord blog today. If the review and blurb don’t rouse your curiosity, I can’t imagine what would! And please consider passing this along on your social media so others can learn about it, too. Thanks, and thanks to Sally as well, because, you know … she ROCKS, and all. 😀 ❤

How to Publish with KDP: Part Nine

In her 9th post on How To Publish with KDP, Harmony Kent takes a close look at the sometimes intimidating KDP Dashboard. This is one of the most thorough and helpful posts I’ve seen explaining just what’s what on that page, I highly recommend stopping by Story Empire today to check it out, especially if you are new to self-publishing. And then, please consider passing it along so others can learn, too, thanks! And thanks to Harmony for a terrific and helpful series! 🙂 ❤

Harmony Kent's avatarStory Empire

Hello SErs. Harmony here.  As promised, here is  part nine in the post series dedicated to taking a step-by-step look at how to get your finished manuscript from your computer and on sale on Amazon in both ebook and paperback.

If you’d like to take a look back at the previous posts in this series, please click on the links at the end of this post.

So, here’s Part Nine: An overview of your KDP Dashboard.

So, after my last post ( HERE), you now have a KDP account set up. Today, we’re taking a look at what your KDP dashboard looks like, and what the different options offer. Below is an image of your dashboard area >

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the very top of the page, you will see four options … Your Account, which we looked at in part eight…

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Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – Author Updates -#Reviews – #Thriller Paulette Mahurin, #Fantasy Marcia Meara, #Mystery J. A. Newman

So excited to find my 4th Wake-Robin Ridge book, The Light, included in Sally Cronin’s Author Updates #Reviews post today, along with authors Paulette Mahurin and J. A. Newman. Hope you’ll stop by and check out the reviews and blurbs for all three of us, and help us spread the word by sharing the post with the Immediate World. I’m thrilled with what Deborah had to say about Rabbit’s latest adventures, and I now have two new-to-me writers to check out, as well. Thanks everyone, and thanks to Sally for all she does to promote her fellow writers. (You do know she ROCKS, right?) 😀 ❤

EIGHT, Count ‘Em, EIGHT More Weeks Until #PeaceTalks is Released!!

It’s getting closer, folks, and I’m getting more and more eager! Of course, you do realize if this book turns out to be lousy, I’ll be the most disappointed person on the planet! 😯 But Jim Butcher’s writing hasn’t let me down yet, even if I have been driven half mad by this long wait. (Can we say it all together, Boys and Girls? SIX YEARS!! Ahem. Thanks.)

My choice for Dresden Files character of the day is Michael Carpenter, a close and trusted friend of Harry Dresden. He is a devout Catholic, and a Knight of the Cross, who wields a mighty sword called Amoracchius. 

This is my favorite fan art representation of Michael, and it looks
pretty much exactly as I imagine him.

Michael’s own words give you a pretty good picture of who he is.

As you can see from the next two paintings,
Michael is a handy person to have on your team,
as Harry well knows and appreciates.

As the series progresses, Michael’s role in Harry’s life
grows in importance and scope, but rest assured,  he never
flinches from doing what he believes to be right.

 A FEW MICHAEL AND HARRY MOMENTS TO MAKE YOU SMILE
(With a teeny bit of mild “language.”)

The Gang’s All Here!
😀

That’s it for this week, folks, but not to worry. I’ll be back next Tuesday with another glimpse into the world of Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden–if the bridge don’t go, an’ the creek don’t rise, that is.  

ONE LAST WORD FROM HARRY.
REMEMBER:

Why Authors Should Read Reviews

Do you read reviews? Yours or those of other authors you’re planning to read? You should, and P. H. Solomon’s post on Story Empire today explains exactly why. Check it out to see what he has to say. It’s good stuff! Then consider passing it along, if you would, so others can learn from it as well. Thanks, and thanks to P. H. for reminding us how much we can learn from reviews. Great post! 🙂

P. H. Solomon's avatarStory Empire

Good morning, everyone, PH with you here today, wishing you a wonderful day. I don’t know how many times something serendipitous happens with you and then you gain a better perspective or find a better way to do something but it happens to me often. Recently, I came across an inconsequential blog post and, as I read it, I realized something very helpful.

man sitting on bench reading a book. Bench surrounded by tall grasses, sun shining, portion of lake visible in backgroundMany of us authors spend a lot of time seeking out reviews. After all, a review can be very helpful to readers and validate our books. A glowing four or five star review can also make your day we. Reviews can also be hard to generate but they are gold when received. Personally, I should probably do more to seek them from bloggers than I have. It’s something else to work at in my spare time, spare time being twist of words for me these days.

However…

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Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 10th – 16th May 2020 – Relationships, ABBA, Ink Fish, Italian Tomato Sauce, Books and Laughter

Yes, it’s time for another wonderful Weekly Round-Up from Sally Cronin at Smorgasbord blog! This one is really jam-packed with good stuff and friends old and new. And whatever you do, be sure to check out the videos! The one with the dogs and the baby kitten is amazing! Once you’ve enjoyed everything included this week, be sure to pass it along so others can as well, thanks. And thanks to Sally yet again for another super week full of goodies! (Should I say it, folks? Oh, why not! Sally, you ROCK!) 😀 ❤