My Favorite Books on Writing

There are so many books on writing out there, and most of them profess to be "#1" or "the best" or "the must-have authority." The problem is that not all of us approach writing the same way. I have mentioned this before in a few other posts.

Anyway, today I will share a few of the books that have been helpful to me while writing and navigating the world of publishing.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

Most of the time when I see writers, editors, agents, etc. post about good books on the craft of writing, Stephen King's book seems to be on the list. And it is a great book. In fact, a great deal of my acceptance over not being an immediate success is on account of reading this. The first half is little snippets from King's own writing career, detailing his process, his many rejections, and his dedication over the years. Then in the second half, while still giving us little memoir snippets, King talks about what you need to do to become a writer.

I love it. One of the first things he says is that to be a writer you need to do two things: read a lot and write a lot. So many in the industry say the same thing, so it is one of a handful of comments/advice I actually believe whole-heartedly. And don't just read in your genre; read everything you can get your hands on. Poetry, non-fiction, western, historical fiction, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, young adult...it'll give you a greater understanding on how to write your own stories.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg

I took a couple different creative writing courses in college so my next few books are actually from those classes, but they have been helpful in their own ways. Natalie Goldberg has a sort of zen like approach to the whole process. In some ways, like King's On Writing, this book has personal experience and little memoir-like snippets. 

The chapters are all relatively short, a couple of pages typically, and Goldberg mentions early on that you can read this book from cover-to-cover, or you can just jump around to whatever topic is relevant to you in that moment. It isn't necessarily a how-to guide, but each segment does make you think about your writing, whether it is showing instead of telling, being specific with details, your writing space, why you write, etc. 

What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers by Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter

Okay, so this one really is a sort-of how-to book. I still haven't made it through the whole book, but we covered a lot of it during my creative writing class, and it is pretty helpful. There are a number of parts to this book and in each part there are several chapters highlighting a different component relevant to the part. 

For example, one part is called "A Writer's Tools." Within that part there are chapters on timing and pacing, showing and telling, transitions, titles, etc. In each chapter it will talk a little bit about the chapter's topic, and then it will have a writing exercise. Most of the time Bernays and Painter also include a student example from what they've amassed from teaching this over the years. 

In school we actually had a creativity notebook where we had to jot down things. I would often pick chapters from both Writing Down the Bones and What If? and either write my own ponderings about it or actually attempt the exercise. It was helpful to me and in some ways pushed me to try different styles or methods, which can certainly improve your writing overall.

Gotham Writers' Workshop Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing School

Okay, so this one is another how-to styled book that my class used for the advanced fiction writing class. Like What If? it has various chapters and exercises throughout the book, configured to help you think about all the components of your fiction writing. If I had to pick which one I liked more, I would go with What If? but the Gotham Writers' Workshop book really is set up as if you were doing a workshop of your very own.

It runs through characters, plot, POV, description, dialogue, setting, voice, theme, revision, and the business of writing, so it covers a lot of ground and gives a lot of information. And though I've never tried it, GWW does hold online courses/lectures/workshops that you can pay for. If they're anything like this book, they are probably pretty helpful.

No Plot? No Problem! A Low-Stress High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty

Finally, I always seem to come back around to NaNoWriMo when it comes to posts about writing and inspiration and motivation. I first read No Plot? No Problem! several years ago and it helped me prep for participation in NaNo. 

Chris Baty is an amusing writer, and reading about the history of NaNo and getting advice for dealing with the awesome chaos that is writing a book in a month is fabulous. The second half of the book especially breaks down NaNoWriMo week-by-week and discusses the feelings and pitfalls that tend to accompany each week. This all comes with the knowledge Baty has accumulated from his many years with NaNo (and he would know since he founded it back in 1999). 

In 2014 they came out with an updated and revised version of the book. I need to get that version and see what bonus goodies are between the covers, but for now, let's just say that I highly highly recommend this book and participating in NaNoWriMo in general.

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Those have been some of the biggest helps to me, though there are many more writing books I own and possibly could have mentioned. Of course there are a myriad of other books out there and I'm sure there are more I should read. If you know of any, let me know in the comments.

Procrastination, Perfectionism, and Pressure - Writer Pitfalls

Wow...can you believe that it's already been 2015 for a whole week? And it's been pretty darn cold where I am, which means it's the perfect weather to curl up on the couch or in bed and read a good book.

However, today I'm going to talk about some of those pitfalls that I've learned can be quite common for writers. They are especially relevant to me as I have been putting off the release of my second book for the past five months. I'm really trying to get it finished and out in the world, but I never imagined how much more difficult it would be to complete the second book while promoting the first on social media.

Anyway...first major pitfall, which is really a hazard for anyone regardless of career path/hobby/etc...procrastination. You know that vortex of lost time known as Facebook and Twitter, or YouTube, or any other site that keeps you from accomplishing any goals you may set? Yeah, we all do it. I spend a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. Part of me knows that it is just me keeping up with readers, reviewers, book bloggers, and other authors, but I realize that it is mostly me just distracting myself from doing any real work.

So then the question becomes...how do you avoid falling into that black hole of social media? Well, I've tried just turning off the Wi-Fi on my laptop, but it only takes one press of a key to turn it back on. During NaNoWriMo, I did a trial run of an app I've heard other authors mention multiple times, Freedom (https://macfreedom.com/). It is a very handy program. You set a time for how long you would like to stay off the Internet and Freedom actually makes it to where you cannot get Internet access until that time goal is met. Now, you can cut that short by restarting your computer, but who wants to go through that hassle? My problem is that when I'm running Freedom, I can still pick up my smart phone and log in there. But, overall I think Freedom is probably worth the $10.

Mostly I think avoiding procrastination comes down to just forcing yourself to put your butt in the chair and just do whatever you need to, whether that is homework, finishing a novel, or some other important task.

The next pitfall to a writer is perfectionism. I know I'm guilty of this, and I've met several other writers who mention this as well. When you've been working on the same novel for a decade because you keep writing and re-writing scenes, you may have fallen prey to the notion that your book will never be properly finished. And guess what? It never will be, but you can finish it and it can still be a great book. I have read so many blogs and Facebook posts from published authors who talk about the desire to go back and edit a novel one last time, even despite the fact that it was published a couple years earlier and people seem to like it. We will always think that it could use one more editing pass, but sooner or later we have to just let that idea go.

I'm running into this issue with Project Death: Revelation. Thanos is such a difficult character and narrator to begin with, and I feel this obligation to do his book justice. Not only that, I want it to be a good sequel, and I want my readers to like it as well. It causes me to over-think my scenes and the various plot threads. This is not helped by the fact that Thanos's story is both prequel and sequel. I not only have to think about how Thanos became Death and how he learned to deal with his new position, but I also have to worry about the events in the present with Tamesis, the Reapers, and the issues with the Resurrectors. It is a lot to process and in some ways I fear that the book will seem rushed...so I keep procrastinating on the actual writing and instead just ponder and percolate on the next scenes I should write.

How do we avoid this bottomless pit of perfectionism? Personally I try to convince myself that it is November whenever I sit down to write, because NaNoWriMo has a way of making me just write, without thinking of if the phrasing is perfect or if I'm using proper spelling and grammar. That is what editing is for, after all. When I manage to succeed at that task, then I set a deadline for editing and hope that everything flows from "Once Upon A Time" to "Happily Ever After" (so to speak, anyway. I'm not actually writing a fairy tale).

Finally, there is the pitfall of pressure, and this is the one I am most guilty of. I never expected to get the responses from readers like I have from my first book. I have a handful of ladies at work who ask me about once a week or so when my next book will be out. Suddenly I understand what it is like for some of my favorite authors when we finish a book the day it's released and question why we have to wait for a whole year for the next one. It takes a lot of time to write a book and edit it, and sometimes I think we readers forget that.

With a first book there is very little pressure. Nobody is expecting the release, and you can take your time. But once that first one is out in the wild, all of a sudden you have to keep up with a schedule for the next book and at the same time you have to start planning for the one after that.

Then, add on top of all that having a job to actually pay the bills and then whatever personal pressures you have at home (work, school, loans, whatever...) and suddenly you have so much pressure that all you want to do is escape into the land of social media procrastination.

See, these pitfalls feed into one another. You procrastinate because you want perfection on account of the pressure to finish the next book, which then leads to more procrastination. It is a vicious cycle.

We just have to work hard to drag ourselves out of the depths and get the work done.

So, get a community of other writers to support and motivate you, as long as you do the same for them. Let's get the words written, let go of the idea of perfection, and instead of feeling pressure to get the work done, enjoy the experience. Hopefully.

Okay, I'm off to write some more words on this novel. Thanks so much for stopping by.

It's Resolution Time!

Wow...look at that. It's the first day of 2015 and I already have a post for the blog. I feel proud of that all important statement. The beginning of the year is known to be a time where people make resolutions they intend to keep (and typically end up giving up on within the first month). I'm hoping that won't happen with me this year, but I make no promises.

Anyway, while I could try and promise to make healthier food choices or to exercise more, I think I'll still with resolutions that may be a bit more attainable for me. My goals this year are focused on writing and on reading, and I'm really hoping to stick to them.

Okay...so here we go.

Writing goals

Write every day.

Two blog posts a week--a writing update (hopefully on Tuesdays) and a book review (on Fridays)

Get Project Death: Revelation published ASAP in January 2015.

Write Project Death: Redemption in February and March

My Camp NaNoWriMo project for this year is Souls Unknowing.

Finally, if all goes well, my NaNoWriMo 2015 project in November is to start on the final Project Death book, Project Death: Restoration

Reading goals

I read 83 books in 2012, 130 books in 2013, and 92 books in 2014. Considering that, I think a realistic goal would be to shoot for 75 books, mostly because I want to have more of a focus on my writing this year.

Also, I want to try and include more poetry in my reading habits in 2015. Since graduating college I have read a lot less poetry, and some of it is so beautiful and powerful that it sticks with you and can certainly help to inspire the writing muse, much in the same way that music does.

Editing/Publishing goals

I'd like to have Project Death: Redemption edited in between Camp NaNoWriMo sessions so it can be released in the summer.

Then in the fall I can turn my attention to editing Souls Unknowing, which I will hopefully be able to publish at the end of the year.

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Well...there we go...my goals/resolutions for 2015. Let's see if I can actually stay on track and accomplish these tasks.

The Tools of the Trade AKA Writer Resources

A common question I have found from hanging out with others who also happen to be writers is what they use for writing. Among my friends we use a wide range of tools, from books and blogs, to paper/pen and computer, and then there's the question of software. Much like last week when I spoke of the various opinions on writing to music, there is an insanely diverse response to what a person will use for writing.

Me, I am quite eclectic in what I use. I typically always have some sort of notebook or something with me, just in case an idea strikes when I am nowhere near my laptop. I also am not really picky about what writing utensil I use. Sometimes I prefer a pencil, while other times I really want to use a purple gel pen. A lot of times it really depends on the story.

For example, in the case of my Bound duology (Soul-Bound and Free-Born), the story starts in a 6" x 9" notebook being written in pencil. Then, after writing each chapter or two, I will transfer it to my laptop. Then, with my Cursed Gifts Saga (starting with The Life and Death of a Seer) each book is written utilizing a different color of gel pen--Seer is green, Healer is blue, Empath is red, and Witch is purple.

Most of the time, when it comes to using notebooks, I prefer the ones that flip up rather than open sideways. This is so I don't end up having my hand run into the rings along the spine. Mostly I don't care about the size of the notebook, but I do seem to lean towards something that is about a 5" x 7" or a 6" by 9" because they fit quite well into my inner jacket pocket or my purse. I like travel size.

With the Souls Trilogy and the Project Death series, most of the work is done on the computer, with the occasional scene or chapter being written in a notebook. For a great many years I wrote in Microsoft Word, and it works quite well. I still use it when I'm formatting my books for publication, using a template I got from CreateSpace. But, now, I typically use Scrivener for all of my offline writing needs. Scrivener makes it easy for me to have my background research open and ready to go while working on chapters. I can look up character bio information, check my story board to make sure I am getting everything I need in a scene, and I can even set goals for a writing session or the book word count and see how well I am progressing with the novel. Plus, and this is probably the most important part of the Scrivener process, when I close Scrivener it automatically saves a backup of my files just in case something happens. Trust me, I did have a problem with my USB and my external hard drive which both contained copies of my novels and if it hadn't been for Scrivener I would have lost years of work.

One of my absolute favorite tools for writing can be found online, or you can purchase a desktop edition, and it really does help me with productivity by forcing me to focus on writing. I started using it several years ago during NaNoWriMo and it pushed me way over the top during word wars and write-ins. Write or Die is an online writing lab that prods you along by basically punishing you for stopping. You can set the grace period and the punishment, which can be as mild as a reminder that you need to be writing, to having to listen to an annoying sound until you start typing again, all the way up to kamikaze mode, which begins to delete your words if you pause for too long. I don't recommend kamikaze mode when trying to write a novel. That's a bit evil. But you can set either a time limit or a word count goal and then you just start writing. It's great. However, if you mute your computer then the negative punishment of sound effects really isn't all that effective. Also, you can exit out at any time, so there still is the possibility of procrastination. Write or Die also allows you to buy a desktop edition, for I believe $10. Oh, and I just checked the site and there have been a number of updates recently which changes the punishments and actually has given a reward system too that you can set yourself (such as getting a picture of a cute puppy after achieving a word count goal, etc.)

Speaking of Write or Die, there is a pseudo-similar online program that only uses positive reinforcement called Written? Kitten. You set a target like 100 words or 500 words, and after every 100/500 words you write, you get to see a new picture of a kitten. You know, if cute and cuddly is your thing. I personally prefer the threat of punishments via Write or Die.

There is also a really cool site that I've used a bit called 750words. It's pretty self-explanatory. The goal is to write 750 words a day. It will keep track of how quickly you write the words and how many times you pause. And you achieve a "score" similar to bowling (aka spares and strikes). Writing for so many days in a row or completing challenges, etc. earns you what is basically an online merit badge. It's a pretty cool system and is nice when I need a change from my typical writing patterns.

Have you had enough yet, lol? No? Okay, well another online resource I use is Yarny. Right now I am only using it for this librarian superhero novel idea that I only tend to work on when I encounter a serious block on another story. But, it is pretty cool. It has a few similarities to Scrivener, with the people/place/thing area, and you can divide what you're working on into snippets, whether for you that is chapters or scenes, whatever. You can also set a word count goal for the overall project and watch your progress bar increase as you write. I like it, but you have to be connected to the Internet to utilize it, so I prefer Scrivener or my Write or Die Desktop App.

One of my absolute favorite resources as a writer is one that I rely on a lot more after the failings of my USB drive and external hard drive three years ago. Dropbox is a cloud storage system, so as long as you can get yourself to a computer or a phone with access to the internet, you can open up your files. I have Dropbox on both of my laptops and on my cell phone, so I know that I have my files. Because of the technology crash, I also have a tendency to e-mail myself copies of my chapters and/or novels so I have extra backups. Call me paranoid, but I would rather not lose all of my hard work.

Sometimes I just want to get feedback on a story and I'd rather it not be from people I know, so I like to use Critique Circle. Many years ago I spent an incredible number of hours on fictionpress.com, both publishing and updating some of my novels, as well as reading and reviewing the works of others. But after FP got forums and people started doing more RPing than reviewing, the site stopped being as worthwhile for me. CC gets around that issue in a very simple way. To post a short story, a chapter of a novel, etc. it will cost you 3 credits. You earn credits by reviewing the writings of other people. The length of that person's chapter along with the length of your review will determine how many credits you earn. I love that, and have no problem spending time looking for things to read and review. I have actually found an author whose books I have gone on to purchase, and I read a couple of them first on CC.

The best digital writing resource I have ever used will always be and will continue to be NaNoWriMo. I discovered NaNo in November 2005 and started participating in 2006. Since then I have been able to focus on writing so many different novels and I always end the month with at least 50,000 words that I might not have been able to write otherwise. NaNo is amazing and I am so glad to be a part of the organization as an ML for my local region. I look forward to millions more words and countless more years of participating and honing my craft further as I continue to write, edit, and publish.

Well, there you go. It's sort of a long post, and it doesn't even begin to cover every writer resource out there (I didn't even get into the writing guide books I own), but hopefully it gives you an idea of some of the options out there, and gives you a little more insight into my crazy writing process.

A Look at Souls Unknowing

Today, I'm going to give you all a peek into my next novel, Souls Unknowing, which will be released February 28, 2014. It is the first of a three book series revolving around ghosts that I've been writing and editing for a long time.

Something has caused the spirits of Rolling Hills Preparatory School to grow extremely restless, and it is up to a small group of mediators to discover long buried secrets to prevent such a tragedy from occurring once more. 

Unfortunately there are a number of hurdles to overcome and there are more secrets than just what happened preceding the fire that destroyed the school fifty years earlier. 

Tru Martin struggles with accepting her true place as one who communicates with spirits, due to a desire for normalcy. Veteran mediators Megan, Allie, and Ian all seem to have different opinions on how to proceed with crossing over the spirits. And the arrival of another mediator who has a history with one person in particular may lead to the greatest shock of all. 

With time running out and graduation looming around the corner, can this friendship formed out of a shared ability survive all the secrets, spirits, and dangers, and solve a mystery before tragedy strikes again?

By the way, this current synopsis is not completely set in stone, so if you have any suggestions then feel free to comment on the blog, send me a Tweet @DanielleThamasa, find me on Facebook, or send me an e-mail to daniellethamasa@yahoo.com with the subject as Souls Unknowing synopsis.

I am working really hard to get this done and published for my current deadline. Thanks to everyone who has stuck by me through this writing and editing process and I hope you enjoy the finished product. Tru and the rest of the gang have been constant companions of mine since 2004 and living with people for that long makes you think of them as family. I care about basically all of my characters (there are a few villains that I would really like to just disappear, lol) and I sincerely hope that other people feel some sort of connection with them as well.

Okay, and just for those of you who are reading this and have stuck with it, how about a sneak preview of the prologue for Souls Unknowing?

Prologue: Let the Flames Begin, 1964

This place has always felt like a prison to me, with the bars on the windows and all of the rules and restrictions. Yet if I had known then what I know now, then perhaps a lot of this could have been prevented. Looking back it all should have been clear to me, each event and strange occurrence clearly revealed the tragedy that was to come as well as who was responsible. One thing is absolutely certain though: I will not let it happen again.

I am dead. That is the one absolute, the unchanging fact, and it is something I wish I could have known of in advance. There are so many things I never got to do, and so much I never could tell my family. But I am not the only one who died and I am certainly not the only one who feels trapped in this school, waiting and watching for something to change.

I can feel that the time is growing near and when the chance comes to me, I know I must do what I can to help, which seems ridiculous as no one can truly see me, hear me, touch me. It has been fifty years and even with all of the others like me, it feels quite lonely here. Watching all of the youth as they grow and make mistakes and figure out what is next for their futures is incredibly bittersweet. I remember when I was once that way, when the future held nothing but possibilities, when I was ready to graduate from high school and truly start my life.

Patton High School was once a glorious place, despite some of the outward appearances. If you simply looked at it from the road then it looked more like a juvenile correction facility, complete with bars over the windows, as if they expected some sort of danger or breakout attempt. I though it nothing more than a safety hazard and it was that point alone that led to the demise of so many of us that spring morning.

The day had started off like any other. I had been dropped off at the school by my father, my little brother following at my heels, acting more like a child than a freshman, but I suppose it had been a difficult first year of high school for him, and really, I thought of him as one of my best friends. Still, I had not said much to him that morning, instead lost in the thoughts of my looming graduation and what would happen when I moved away for college in the fall. Would my father and brother be fine on their own? I hoped so but most days I had my doubts.

We parted ways as I reached my locker. He had to walk all the way upstairs and to the other side of the building to reach the wing of freshman lockers and all I said to him was that I would see him at lunch. That never happened; I lost my brother that day and no matter how hard I have looked, I still have not managed to find him. If he somehow survived I would have known, I should have felt it or seen him at some point, but the void in my chest tells me that he too passed away in the tragedy of Patton High School.

It was during third period history that I started to think that something was off. The desk to my right was empty, a sight I had not witnessed in the whole four years of classes here. The young man who sat there had not missed a day, obsessively coming, even when ill. I had always thought it annoying, but now I was unsure what to think.

I supposed I was the only one who noticed his absence before the Mrs. Johnson took attendance. She had called out his name twice before the others started looking around. “Has anyone seen Trevor today?”

Not a single person answered, which wasn’t surprising. Trevor had no friends and most people avoided him. It had nothing to do with his appearance, his home, or his family, but because he was just a bit odd. He really enjoyed discussing different methods of warfare and weaponry and along with most other people, I found that to be quite unnerving.

After that awkward few moments, Mrs. Johnson finished up her attendance call and jumped straight into the lesson, continuing our discussion of World War II. I could not help but think that there would have been more back and forth conversation that period if Trevor had come to school. Then again, if he had, then he too would have been wandering these halls as a ghost.

I have made my peace with what I am, with my existence, though I still long for the future that was taken from me. The fire ruined all of it. It was at lunchtime that the pieces began to fall together. When some of the seniors tried to take their lunch out to the courtyard, they found the doors locked, or blocked.

They called out for the cafeteria monitors, who rushed over to the doors to help out. One pulled out keys, but whatever prevented the doors from opening was not simply a lock. As the chatter in the room grew louder, I found myself looking for my brother. He should have arrived to sit with me, but I could not see his face in the crowd of students.

I stood up and walked out into the hall, scanning back and forth, but aside from more and more students filing out to see what the commotion was, there was no sign of Logan anywhere. A shout came from down the hall, followed by several others. It took a few repetitions before I could tell what they were yelling…fire.

When the fire alarm started blaring, it became even more apparent that it was not a drill. Chaos followed in the next minutes, as students ran out of their classrooms and towards the nearest doors. I stood frozen for longer than I sometimes cared to admit to myself, thinking that maybe by not moving it would be proved as nothing more than a rather lucid nightmare. Then I finally moved, making my way to the nearest exit; I could find Logan when we were all outside. There was no way I would find him inside the school.

Yet when I reached the doors I found teachers and athletes alike shoving and groaning against the thick doors. It seemed that much like the doors in the cafeteria leading to the courtyard, these were blocked closed. The panic in those around me seemed to intensify with that realization. Their cries filled the air as thick dark smoke crept into the halls, beginning to obscure everything in sight.

I simply felt numb, detached from what was going on all around, as if I was watching it from outside my body. Where was Logan? I needed to find my brother, to make sure he was all right. The thought should have struck me then that none of us would be all right. We were trapped in the school as the smoke overtook everything and it became harder to breathe or think clearly.

The intensity of the heat down the south wing was what truly brought me into the reality of the situation. If the fire had started that way then it was the worst possible scenario. My mind latched onto the realization that the flames would soon reach the boiler room and that would cause an explosion, which would only make the fire stronger.

“Logan!” I yelled before choking on the smoke and falling into a coughing fit. I couldn’t draw in enough air to continue on with anything, nor could I see more than a few inches in front of my face. Dropping to the ground I hoped that would help with something, and it allowed me to draw in a few breaths but it would not last long.

My last thoughts as I heard a large boom from down the hall was that I had not been able to voice my concerns of the future with my brother.

Aside from all of the dead who linger in this place, there is one other fact that is without question: We were murdered and our killer is still out there.

Finding the Right Beginning

I started writing Souls Unknowing back in 2004, when I was a sophomore in high school, and after a considerable hiatus, I finished the novel in 2006. I enjoyed the story and the characters, but I knew that it would need a lot of work before it would be even remotely close to publishable. As the years passed and I learned more about my writing, I thought about what changes I needed to make if I wanted to really make SU shine.

One of the biggest issues was that I originally wrote the novel in third person present tense. I cringe even thinking about that decision now. But, another issue that had cropped up thanks to the input from several of my early stage readers back then was that the prologue seemed to be emotionally distant and several people suggested that I focus that prologue on just the experience and feelings of one of the soon-to-be ghosts.

I can honestly say that now, after re-writing the prologue, those people who made that suggestion were all geniuses. Not only did I focus it on one character, but it is told from her point of view and without ever mentioning her name, because that will become an important part of the later plots. I love the new prologue quite a bit.

However, I can also say that I don't exactly consider that prologue to be the start of the story. It is the start of the novel, but practically the entire story--aside from the prologue--takes place in the present day. The more I read the original draft, the more I sort of hated it. I had Tru and her brother Luke in a car with their dad as he drove them to their new boarding school. It felt dull and forced and like so many other books I'd read, where the story starts off with a character or characters arriving at school and settling in, blah blah blah.

When I tried to re-write that first chapter I kept running into issues with trying to start the story with a focus on Tru, and it never felt right. Eventually I just wrote the basic idea down and continued with the story, since I put myself on a personal deadline for getting the story re-written, polished, and released.

Today, at work, I was finally struck with the perfect idea to fix that beginning with Tru and from that point I could just feel the words bubbling up and ready to explode from me and onto the page. I can still have the focus on Tru, but utilize another important character from the story to do so. Instead of following as Tru settles into her room and meets people, I can instead have Ian basically observing what happens when this new girl arrives at school and the ripples it causes around everyone else. Plus, with Ian already being so knowledgeable and accepting of his gift to see and speak to ghosts, he can also already point out that Tru is gifted, which brings the paranormal aspect in just a little sooner.

The big question now will be just how much this new beginning will affect the rest of the novel. If it slips seamlessly into place then I should still be able to have Souls Unknowing out by the end of January. But, if it causes a couple other scenes and such to be moved around or edited in any way then it may push the publication day back just a bit. At the very latest (I swear), this novel will be out by February 28, 2014. In some ways that could be nice, because then you'll be able to enjoy Project Death: Revelation in June/July and then Souls Abandoned will be out Dec/Jan 2015.

A New Year of Writing, Editing, and Self-Publishing

2013 marked the year that I started publishing my novels. In the six months that Project Death: Resurrection has been out I have sold roughly 32 paperback copies and there have been 40 e-book downloads. While I can admit to wishing that the numbers were bigger, I still feel happy that some people have purchased my book and read it. All the verbal reviews I've received through my mom's friends have been positive, and there are a few lovely people who are begging me for the sequel--sorry, that won't be out until this summer. So, though I am hoping for more sales for this book/series, I am also looking forward to everything I have on my schedule for this year.

Souls Unknowing will be coming out toward the end of the month. It is a paranormal YA book revolving around a group of teens who can see and speak to ghosts. This is the first book in the trilogy, and in it there are many secrets/truths/mysteries to be solved. I will have a post solely about the book up very soon.

Then, after Souls Unknowing is released, I will be focusing my attention on finishing/editing Project Death: Revelation, the second book in the Project Death series. What I love about this book is that it is part prequel, part sequel, and you really do need to read the first book first. There have been some interesting times with working on this book because unlike the first book where Tamesis told the story, this one is told from the POV of Thanos, and he is a lot more reserved and controlled than Tam. Also, since he is not fond of talking about his past, he sometimes doesn't even want to tell his story to me and that occasionally makes progress quite slow. Still, I expect Project Death: Revelation to be out in June or July.

They haven't announced when the sessions of Camp NaNoWriMo will be this year (and they change every year-- July and August, then June and August, and then April and August) but lately my mind has been returning to a novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo back in 2007, and the characters are getting pushy again. I like the characters and certain points of the plot still work, but everything they have told me lately means that a great deal of the story needs to change, and that means a re-write is in order. So, just to give myself a bit of a breather from the two series I'm writing and publishing now, I'll spend the first session of Camp working on Bounty: A Hunter's Tale, which is actually the first of a seven book series that I am considering publishing after I've completed the Souls Trilogy.

After that I'll return to the world of Tru and her mediator friends and finish up Souls Abandoned, the second book in the trilogy that I'm hoping to have published in December or possibly next January. I have the story mostly written so now it's just about wrapping up everything in a way that makes you want to delve straight into the final book. It should be fun, especially since Souls Abandoned has evolved so much since I started working on it back in high school.

I have not yet decided what to work on for the second session of Camp NaNoWriMo. I guess that will depend on how I'm doing with my other projects. If I don't finish Bounty in the first session, I may work on it for the second session, but then again, I might need to focus on Souls Abandoned. I really won't have everything set in stone until I get closer to summertime.

Of course, if nothing else is immediately pressing for the second session of Camp, then I may bump my NaNo project up from November to Camp session 2, and start work on Project Death: Redemption since I need to have it finished and ready to go for summer 2015. What will be fun with Redemption is that is shows yet another side in the war between the Resurrectors and Death/Balance by following a young woman who died without a Resurrector to save her or a Reaper to guide her soul to the afterlife. The third book will also delve a little more into Addie's history, which I hadn't predicted when I started the series years ago. It has been amazing learning more about the characters and the world through this whole process.

So, that's all I can think of for now. The year of 2014 will be spent working on at least four novels, publishing two (maybe three), and setting myself up for hopefully even more book sales and fans and new experiences. I'll probably do the December book signing again in 2014 and with more books available I might be able to entice more people into my books. It would be pretty darn awesome. I'm even thinking about maybe trying to set up a book signing or something in the summer to celebrate the release of Revelation. We'll see what happens.

Farewell 2013 and Hello 2014

Well, this is the end of 2013, and that really means that it is time to focus on 2014 and the goals I have for the upcoming year. But before I really get into my 2014 plans, I should take a moment to look back over the past year and be grateful for everything that has happened.

It was a big year for me. I self-published my first novel, Project Death: Resurrection. Overall I think I've sold about 50 copies since July 1st, which considering I am a new and self-published author, I'll take that as a pretty good number so far. This is especially true since most of what I've sold has been paperback. Oh, but the e-book is on sale for FREE right now at Smashwords. There you can download the e-book in any format, from NOOK and Kindle, to Kobo, iBooks, Sony Reader, even PDF. This is a great deal that won't last long. I will be moving the price back to $1.99 on Saturday, January 4th.

All things considered, it was also a big year on the reading front for me. I just finished reading book #128 a few minutes ago and I'm debating about whether or not I can squeeze another book or two in before the year is up. This year I discovered some new to me authors who will now be on my auto-buy list and I devoured some new and amazing books from some of my old favorites. I'll probably write up a post about some of my favorite books in 2013 later.

Finally (and very briefly), I don't really talk a lot about my personal life because I consider that to be personal, but everything in my life has improved since August when my best friend in the world asked me to be his girlfriend. He supports my dreams of being an author and was surprisingly okay when I almost completely ignored him through the month of November while working on my NaNovel for NaNoWriMo.

Now, for the 2014 goals. Souls Unknowing will be out in January and I'll have more information about that soon. I am also predicting that it will be June or July when Project Death: Revelation is released. There are a couple of my novels that I set aside a few years ago that have recently begun to beg for attention again, so I may go back and either finish them or re-write them or just edit them, depending on the novel. However, since those side-projects are also usually the start to another series, I most likely won't publish them until after I've finished work with the Souls trilogy and the Project Death series.

I'm thinking that since I have a bit more writing on the schedule for the year that I'm going to have to lighten up a bit on my reading goal. My original goal for 2013 was 100 but then I bumped it up to 120. So, right now, my goal for 2014 is 75. Depending on how the writing goes, that may be increased, so we'll just see what happens.

My First Ever Book Signing

So, today is a pretty big day for me. I will participate in my first book signing ever of my published life. Have I gone to book signings to meet other authors and buy their books? Absolutely and I have a nice collection of autographed books because of it. But today I get to be one of those authors.

It is a huge step for me, especially considering that I started this journey with a pen name and some scribbled down story ideas, wanting to basically do nothing more than hide behind my computer. Truthfully I wanted to have some separation between my published life and my personal life, but now the more I look at that decision, the more I realize that it was fairly silly. Writing is my life and I love what I do. Yes, I have to hold another full time job to pay the bills because so far it isn't feasible to survive on about $100 every six months or so, but I still dream that someday I'll be able to make it to a part-time job only because writing will be getting me somewhere.

I'm still using my pen name. I love it and answer to it as easily as I do the name I was given at birth. I actually have friends who have gone to introduce me to someone they now and they say "This is Danielle." Trust me, that is perfectly fine with me. Of course, if you know me personally and want to use my birth name, then that's fine too. However, I am still going to try and maintain a slight veil of separation between my author persona and who I am the rest of the time. Right now I still don't feel like putting an author photo in my books, and if I do, you could almost guarantee that I will have my face partially obscured by a copy of my books or something similar. I don't like taking pictures of myself or having my picture taken. I think my smile looks awkward or entirely too goofy and an author photo is a professional thing and having a bad picture could reflect negatively on sales.

I think about these sorts of things all the time. Really, I do. And that might be why I'm a bit nervous for this book signing today. What happens if I get there and nobody wants to buy my book? I know of a few of my mom's friends who are coming there to see me, and the amusing thing is that they've all bought and read my book. The show of support for me and my dream is amazing and I am super grateful for it, but self-publishing (or any route of publication) is not easy and I can admit to still feeling like I've just taken a leap of faith and I'm waiting to see if I'll fly or fall. It's not exactly a pleasant sensation but I'm trying to hold on to my optimism about it all.

Why? Because the readers I have accumulated so far are absolutely amazing people. A few of them have brought me to tears with their words of how much they loved reading my book and how moved they were by the story. Hearing how desperately they want the next book is also extremely touching and motivating.

The doors for the signing open in three and a half hours. Whether this is successful or not, I at least know that I've taken another step forward and had another experience I couldn't have had if I hadn't published my book back in July. Basically, I'm just going to try and enjoy the roller coaster ride of being an author. It's been wild and amazing and difficult and exhilarating so far. Let's see what happens next.

Get Project Death: Resurrection for FREE

Yes, that's right...for a short time only you can get my first book, Project Death: Resurrection absolutely free, and in any e-format you'd like. This deal will go until October 9th via my Smashwords page. You can find Resurrection here. When you go to check out, just use coupon code MJ69X. 

That being said, my first book at retail price is only $1.99 and is available in most e-book formats. You can find it for NOOK, Kobo, iBooks, Sony Reader, etc. The Kindle version is still only available through Smashwords, probably because Amazon is backlogged with cataloging all the new e-books, but it is available for you Kindle owners. 

Or, if you'd like a paperback copy, that option is available as well. Amazon has it for $8.96, and you can get it from CreateSpace for $9.95.  

Finally, just in case you forgot, or you never knew, here is the cover and synopsis for Project Death: Resurrection. 

Tamesis always thought that she knew her destiny and she was determined to be the absolute best Resurrector there was.

But, Fate had different plans. On her first heal, Tamesis runs into two mysterious men, and one of them changes everything for her.

Tamesis cannot stop thinking and dreaming about him. Then, when the work of the Resurrectors is threatened, the man returns and sets Tamesis on a path that opposes everything she was raised to believe.

Something has twisted the beliefs of the Resurrectors, causing them to stray from their path and become extremists. They were supposed to save those who still had noble work to do, but instead insist that everyone deserves to live until old age. 

Now she needs to accept the role she was destined to have, that of the Angel of Death, healing those she can and reaping the souls of those who must die. 

Her new position makes her a valuable player in a war that has gone on for centuries, between Resurrectors and those who protect the Balance of Life and Death. It is a dangerous place as the war heats up, threatening to throw everything into chaos.

Have a great day everyone!

Vote for the Project Death: Revelation Cover

Okay everyone, I said that I would allow you guys to vote for which cover will be on Project Death: Revelation next year. That being said, I think the winner is probably fairly obvious. I know which one I like. The photo editing took a lot of time and I had to change a lot from what I envisioned in my mind so it would look a lot better. Anyway, this post is going up today, August 5th. Post your comments on which cover you prefer by August 9th, and the winner will be officially posted on my Goodreads account and on here, with the full summary, etc.

Here is Option #1:

And here's Option #2:

Well, I guess that is all for now. Remember to comment on this post, telling me Option #1 or Option #2 by August 9th.

My Published Book and Goodreads Author Status

So, Project Death: Resurrection has been out for a week now. I wish I could say that the excitement of holding a copy of my book was diminishing the tiniest bit so I could actually focus on writing the next book, but so far, it is still amazingly surreal to pick up that 5" by 8" bound collection of 276 pages. I probably stare at them more than I should, but hey, it is something I have been dreaming of doing for the past 13-14 years.

I still really love this cover. I took it at one of my local cemeteries and it is a really cool statue, even without me removing the color from the image. I haven't seen it myself, but at night, her eyes glow, which is a really cool creepy factor. For the Project Death series, I plan on all of the covers being cemetery pictures, from the paperback of Resurrection that is currently available on Amazon and CreateSpace, to the ebook version that I am currently working on since I have to reformat everything.

The most exciting announcement about this series, aside from the fact that the first book is available now, is that I am planning on releasing a special edition of the books, which will be available from Barnes & Noble. The special edition of Resurrection will actually have a bonus short story, as well as the first chapter from Revelation, the second book in the series.

I am hoping to be able to reformat the whole manuscript per Smashwords criteria in the next couple of weeks so I can get the ebook out soon. In the past week I have sold one copy of my book, and I am honestly thinking that is mostly because there is not an ebook version available yet.

It will happen soon, I promise.

Okay, so once again, I will say that the book is available on Amazon for $9.45 and on CreateSpace for $9.95. When I have the ebook available, it will be $3.99, and the Barnes & Noble special edition will most likely be $11.95, depending on what costs are taken out by B&N's PubIt! program.

My dream has come true by having my book published, and I am absolutely thrilled to have sold it to one person already. Now I just have to keep spreading the word and hoping that other people find interest in the books.

Oh, and I almost forgot, I am also on Goodreads now (with an author profile and everything). You can add Project Death: Resurrection to your to-read list there. Thanks for following my blog through all of my book reviews, my rambling about my writing process, and my constant talk on the road to publication. If you think that my book sounds interesting, hey, I would be thrilled if you would buy a copy. If it doesn't hit your fancy but you think a friend might like it, then by all means, spread the word. And if you are a book blogger/reviewer and you would like to read/review my book, shoot me a message via Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads. I do have PDFs I could send you in exchange for an honest review. That would be awesome.

Book Publishing Excitement

Okay, so I have written posts before about my critique partner (CP) and how we have both been helping each other with finishing and editing our respective novels so we can use our CreateSpace coupons from NaNoWriMo to publish. Well, she finished hers before me and her book is now available from the CreateSpace eStore, and Amazon (paperback and Kindle).

I have discussed it with her and we are going to plan some time to have a little interview about the book and her writing process, etc. to be posted here on my blog. In the meantime, I'd just like to say that I am extremely proud of her, and here are the links to the various places you can buy her book, Farther Side of Away.

CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/4192170?ref=1147694&utm_id=6026

Amazon (paperback): http://www.amazon.com/Farther-Side-Away-Signy-Cullen/dp/1484847423/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371755067&sr=8-1&keywords=Farther+Side+of+Away

Amazon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Farther-Side-of-Away-ebook/dp/B00DHY2UJU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1371754525&sr=1-1&keywords=Farther+Side+of+Away

More Info on Project Death: Resurrection

Okay, so I've talked about my novel, Project Death: Resurrection, on here quite a bit, but it has been a while since I've really been able to give any sort of update. That is mostly because of my currently rather hectic work life and the fact that I spend a lot of time basically helping my parents to babysit my grandmother. Now, I'm not saying that as if I'm complaining because I love my grandmother, but I do feel guilty if I'm sitting with her and I pull out a notebook or my laptop to try and get some writing work done.

Anyway, here we are almost halfway through the month of June. What this means (aside from the start of Camp NaNoWriMo growing steadily nearer) is that my CreateSpace code is close to expiring, which basically means that I need to step up my game just a little bit. I've created a nice schedule and, if everything goes as planned, Project Death: Resurrection will be released at the end of the month.

In light of that fact I have decided to once again tell you all about the book and all the information I've basically been tinkering with behind the scenes these past few weeks/months.

This is the front cover of the paperback version and the only cover for what will eventually be the e-book version as well. Once I have the paperback released I'll be focusing most of my attention on Camp NaNoWriMo in July, so it's likely that I won't be able to get around to the novel interior reformatting for the e-book version until August. Which means that for a month to two months my book will only be available in paperback.

Now, I've been doing some playing around with the price point and trying to figure out what would be reasonable for the readers/consumers while also giving me even a tiny profit. CreateSpace has a couple different options when it comes to distribution: standard and expanded. The standard distribution is free to the author and includes having your book available via Amazon.com, the CreateSpace eStore, and the option to go ebook for Kindle. That's nice and all, but I am also a huge supporter of Barnes & Noble and it would be nice to have my book available there too. Looking into the expanded distribution, it is a $25 fee to utilize, but may actually be more beneficial in the long run. 

What is Expanded Distribution?
Expanded Distribution offers you the opportunity to access a larger audience through more online retailers, bookstores, libraries, academic institutions, and distributors within the United States. Expanded Distribution will also improve discoverability of your book across all the channels. Regardless of whether or not you include your title in Expanded Distribution, all CreateSpace titles can be distributed through the Amazon.com, Amazon Europe and eStore channels.
How does it work?
Most online retailers, bookstores, and libraries find books through purchasing relationships with large distributors. If your book is not listed with these distributors, some retailers may not be able to buy your book, even if a customer specifically requests your title. Through Expanded Distribution you can distribute and make your title available for order (this does not guarantee that your book will actually be ordered) through the following channels:

• Bookstores and Online Retailers - make your book available to online and offline retailers such as Barnes & Noble and to distributors such as Ingram and NACSCORP.

• Libraries and Academic Institutions - make your book available through Baker & Taylor to libraries and academic institutions.

• CreateSpace Direct - make your book available to certified resellers through our wholesale website.

I think this would work a lot better for me, but with expanded distribution and its cost, it makes it a little more difficult to make a profit. I was doing some tinkering and some looking at prices for comparably sized books to mine and originally I thought for the paperback that $9.95 would be reasonable, and it would be a really decent profit margin using standard distribution, but with expanded distribution I would actually be losing roughly $0.50 for every book. I moved the price up to $10.95 and that negative profit on expanded distribution moved up to a loss of about $0.10 for every book, but a price of $11.95 would yield me about $0.33 profit from each book. I really would have preferred to stick with $9.95 but if I go with expanded distribution so my book is available in more places then I have to be mindful of how that affects everything else.

However, when I reformat for ebook, I'm hoping that I can really lower that price for the readers while still being profitable for me. I plan on utilizing Smashwords for the ebook process so I can have my book formatted for NOOK, Kindle, Kobo, Sony Reader, iBooks, etc. because I want as many people as possible to be able to find my book in a format that works for them. I'll have to do a little more research and tinkering, but as of right now I'm thinking that for Project Death: Resurrection the ebook price will most likely be $3.99 or $4.99.

Okay, enough talk of the dollars and cents and all that sort of stuff. I know I've posted it before, but once again, here is the back-cover summary for Project Death: Resurrection:

Tamesis always thought that she knew her destiny and she was determined to be the absolute best Resurrector there was. 

But, Fate had different plans. On her first heal, Tamesis runs into two mysterious men, and one of them changes everything for her.

Tamesis cannot stop thinking and dreaming about him. Then, when the work of the Resurrectors is threatened, the man returns and sets Tamesis on a path that opposes everything she was raised to believe.

Something has twisted the beliefs of the Resurrectors, causing them to stray from their path and become extremists. They were supposed to save those who still had noble work to do, but instead insist that everyone deserves to live until old age. 

Now she needs to accept the role she was destined to have, that of the Angel of Death, healing those she can and reaping the souls of those who must die. 

Her new position makes her a valuable player in a war that has gone on for centuries, between Resurrectors and those who protect the Balance of Life and Death. It is a dangerous place as the war heats up, threatening to throw everything into chaos.

 Oh, and I'm also planning on having a couple of giveaways for my book, most likely on Goodreads. The Goodreads giveaway books will be pretty special because they will be signed, and who knows, but that could be worth something someday. I mean, come on, I can dream, right? I so can't wait to have a copy of my book in my hands. I'll have more information about where you can buy the book if you're interested here in a few weeks.