On the First Day of Christmas…

December 14, 2014 / Jenny / 1 Comment

I will be posting one of these every day for the next 12 days! Our 12 Days of Christmas Reader Appreciation event has launched! The first author playing Santa today is a favorite, and you’ll definitely want to check out what she’s offering.

There’s still time to join us over on Facebook for the event. Every day another author will be putting gifts under the tree just for you, and you don’t want to miss out. Tell your book-loving friends and family, and please feel free to share the event with everyone you know.

Have you found Book Goodies yet?

December 12, 2014 / Deborah Jay / Debby Lush / 2 Comments

Book Goodies for authors

Yes, it’s yet another avenue for getting your work out there – you know the advice, be everywhere!

And its fun to do too. It’s taken a while, but my author interview on the site just went live, and you can do one too, or even a podcast if you feel so inclined.

http://bookgoodies.com/interview-with-author-deborah-jay/

Here’s a little snippet:

What inspires you to write?
Inspiration is the wrong word for me – I have a wildly overactive imagination that simply demands an outlet.
If I’m not writing, I’m daydreaming, and I really love to share my stories with other people.

Tell us about your writing process.
My process is evolving all the time. I began as an out-and-out pantser, starting with an idea and running with it; by far the most fun as I get to watch the story unfold for the first time, just like a reader.
Unfortunately (for me) these days, as I’m writing series and handling multiple on-going plot strands, I have to do at least an outline before I set off, otherwise it would become so tangled and mired with tangential plots and dead end ideas that editing it into some form of readable book would be too time consuming.
At this time, I outline on post-it notes stuck on a big board, just putting down major plot points and character arcs, and once I have a firm starting point, I set off. The ending is a little more fluid in terms of detail, although I do know roughly where I’m going.
Character sketches are my latest distraction; I know a fair bit about my main characters before I start, but sometimes one of my minor characters suddenly decides to transmute into a major player, and then I have to sit down and detail their back story before I can continue – essential if they are to interact with plausible motivations.

What are you waiting for? Give it a go – you never know where your next reader might find you 😀

Are You Guys Sharing?

December 10, 2014 / Marcia Meara / Leave a comment

Just a reminder that sharing the wonderful posts here is what will help this site grow, providing us with…even MORE wonderful posts! Please reblog, Tweet, or FB…or all three…when you can. It’s what Writers Helping Writers is all about, and all the buttons you need are directly below each post, on both the main page, and on the comments page. Tell the world about us by sharing our fabulous content!

Here’s a sample tweet I just sent out:

#TheWriteStuff – Aimee Easterling: Preparing for the post-Christmas rush: http://wp.me/p55nCI-b9 via @#marciameara

As you can see, I added a “hashtag The Write Stuff” mention, plus the poster’s name. But even without any alterations, your tweets and reblogs and Facebook posts will help us build the site. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

It’s Teaser Tuesday Again!

December 9, 2014 / Jenny / 7 Comments

I love sharing these with you guys. I think because throwing these teasers together each week has actually been one of my favorite parts about promoting this book. Finding the right quotes and moments to go with the right images, it’s so much fun. I hope you enjoy this week’s teaser!

Siren is now available for pre-order: Amazon US, Canada, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Japan, India (coming soon), Brazil, Mexico and Australia.

For signed paperback pre-orders, follow the link to the Siren main page on my website.

Preparing for the post-Christmas rush

December 9, 2014December 9, 2014 / Aimee Easterling / 6 Comments

With my newest release at the copy editor, I’ve been spending a few days cleaning up my backlist in preparation for the post-Christmas kindle craze. Here’s what I’m doing:

Updating keywords. Supercharge your Kindle Sales is the best book I’ve found so far on this topic.

Cleaning up blurbs. Gotta Read It! is really helping me get a handle on writing blurbs that sell books.

Checking on back matter. I’m busy adding buy links to all of the titles I mention in the back of my books and am checking to make sure my email-list call-to-action is also clear and easy to follow.

Changing out covers. All of my covers were originally homemade, so I’m spending a bit getting replacement covers for a few titles that needed it the most. For example, take a look at my new cover for Bloodling Wolf to the right.

Planning a sale. I’m running a free period for a couple of my books the week before Christmas, hoping they’ll get in the public eye and be higher in the rankings once they go back to the paid store. I’m also thinking of a countdown deal right after Christmas, although I suspect everyone else will be doing the same, so that might not be a realistic time to try to move up the rankings.

I’d be curious to hear from others. What do you typically do to put your best foot forward for the Christmas season?

Even when making stuff up, honesty is still the best policy for writers

December 9, 2014 / Ned's Blog / 9 Comments

By Ned Hickson
Being a humor columnist, I am often asked:

“Where do you get this stuff?”
“How did you even think of that?”
“Do you just make this [censored] up?
“Isn’t marijuana legal in Oregon?”

The answer to all of those questions is a definitive “Yes,” particularly on Ballot Measure 5. However, each of the first three include an important addendum that reads as follows:

“While the consumption of humor shall be made available to everyone regardless of race, color, creed or whatever they happen to be eating that may unintentionally exit a nostril, the distributor of said humor is required to provide a basic standard of truthfulness, therefore guaranteeing consumers a more pure grade of laughter. At least until they try passing mixed-berry yogurt through their nose.” Continue reading →

It’s Time I Introduced Myself

December 4, 2014 / Callum McLaughlin / 10 Comments

Having followed this blog for a while now, I know what a great community it is, but for reasons I won’t even attempt to make an excuse for, I haven’t actually posted here yet. So, I thought where better to start than with something of an introduction to my writing, since a mutual love of the written word is what unites us all.

Fiction was my first love but poetry has really captured my attention recently (so much so I plan to release my first collection of poems early next year). I’ve been playing around with haikus in particular recently and just put together this short piece that seems quite appropriate for the season, which I’ve simply entitled Winter.

—

Crystalline in beauty,
one in a dance of many –
Welcome gentle snowflake

—

As for my fiction work, I’ve published two books thus far, both of which are thrillers. My debut, The Vessel, is a dystopian tale of a woman’s struggle to expose the truth behind a corrupt government in a desolate world. My newest release, False Awakening, tells of a teenager’s quest to recover her memories and readjust to life after waking in hospital with no recollection of what put her there. Below is a brief visual snippet from each that will hopefully set the tone and give you an idea of the feeling in each story.

False Awakening

The Vessel

If you’re interested, you can find more on my blog, Amazon UK page, Amazon US page, Twitter or Goodreads account. I always love to connect with more readers and writers so by all means come and say hello.

All that’s left for me to say is thank you for having me; thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I hope to see you all around much more in the future.

All the best,
Callum

A pack of wolves

December 4, 2014December 4, 2014 / Aimee Easterling / 4 Comments

Me: I’m here today with the cast of Pack Princess. We thought you might need a bit of a reminder on who’s who before diving into book two of the Wolf Rampant series. Terra, do you want to start us off?

Terra Wilder: Okay, if you really want me to. I’m Terra, and I’m pack leader of clan Wilder at the moment. And, um, I guess I’m the heroine too.

Wolf Young: You are the heroine. [Takes Terra’s hand.] I’m her mate, Wolf Young, although everyone who knows me calls me Wolfie. I run my own pack of slightly damaged werewolves.

Justin Young: Slightly damaged — that’s a joke! Halfies, meat, and misfits is what you have in that so-called pack of yours.

Me: Do I need to separate you two? [Justin gets up and stalks to the other end of the room, taking his folding chair with him.] Ooookay, I guess I do. Anyway, that was Justin, who’s Wolfie’s sibling and the leader of the pack that both brothers grew up in. How about we move to Cricket next?

Cricket Wilder: It was so nice of you to invite us all here, today, Aimee. Do you want some tea?

Me: [Mumbling under my breath] It’s always the nice ones that I lose control of. [Raising my voice so I can speak to the whole room.] No tea for me, thanks, Cricket, but do you mind introducing yourself?

Cricket Wilder: How silly of me! I’m Terra’s stepmother, and this great big wolf by my side is my husband, Chief Wilder, Terra’s father. He used to be in charge of clan Wilder. Now he just…um…consults.

Unnamed Uncle Wilder #1: Consults! Ha! I don’t see why we can’t go back to the good old days when men were men and…

Hawk: What my brother-in-law is trying to say is that some of us aren’t so keen on our new alpha. But we don’t all feel that way. I’m another one of Terra’s uncles, but I’m her mother’s brother, which makes me a bit less…um….[throwing a glance at his brother-in-law, then lowering his voice]…never mind….

Bev: Well, I’m Hawk’s sister, and the young man looking all doe-eyed beside me is my son David.

David: I…

Drew Walker: [Nudging his cousin sharply in the side.] Shut up, your mommy already introduced you. I’m Drew, Terra’s cousin. And you can see one of her other cousins, Milo, guarding the door. There are a slew of us running around…but I’m the best!

Wade: Right. So, that’s it for the Walkers for the moment, since we couldn’t cram any more of them into the room. I’m part of Wolfie’s pack, but I’ve been living here with Terra for a while to help keep things on more of an even keel. Wolfie calls me and my friends the yahoos. That includes [pointing to the next three shifters down the row] Glen, Blaze, and the beautiful Fen.

Fen: Don’t make me hit you.

Me: Okay, see, this is supposed to be a cordial introduction, not a pitched battle. Sarah, how about you tell us who you are next?

Sarah: You know, I really don’t think I should tell you who I am. But you can call me Trouble if you want to.

Dr. Dale Baker: You’re not really as much trouble as you think you are. But since I can tell that Aimee wants us to stay on track, I’ll introduce myself next. I’m Dale, Terra’s brother-in-law and the only human in the room….

Keith Baker: Well, except for Aimee, of course. Unless she’s a closet werewolf. Dum dum dum dum!

Me: Thanks, Keith. Way to get rumors started. That was Dale’s son and Terra’s nephew, for those of you who are keeping track at home. And, since we’re running out of time, I’ll just name the other pack leaders present quickly and let you go. The tall, older man is Thomas Bell, the youngster beside him is Gavin Griffin, and then Chad Walker is the third pack leader down the row. Beside Chad is his mate Camilla, who is also the daughter of the Reed pack leader and a distant cousin to Terra. And, on that note, I’ll let you get back to your regularly scheduled reading. Thanks for dropping by!

Cricket: Now, who wants cookies?

Keith: Oooh, I do! Unless they’re oatmeal. I hate oatmeal.

Wade: This would be a good time to fade to black….

Me: Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Pack Princess today! Oh, and yes, I’ll take a cookie, thanks.

[Fade to black]

Me again: The savvy reader will notice that I decided to try out preorders one more time. I’ll report back in about a month once I know whether a preorder in an established series makes more sense than a standalone preorder in a new genre. Thanks for reading!