5Min-

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Today was a day of getting closer to things, but never quite grasping them.

You know the days. Days which you work on things. You tidy up, or put a few things away, or write a few words, or get a few errands done. But nothing REALLY gets done, you just get a little bit closer to the end.

For me that meant getting together files for the Illicit Gains Series to be put into paper backs. I have the interior section done, now I just need to get the print covers finished so I can actually publish them. I just didn’t do it because I wanted to get a little writing done.

And I did do some writing. I am 9300 words into Ghostly Intentions, a short story. Well, a novella or novelette when I get done. Either way, it’s almost done. I have three little sections I am trying to complete, and I keep chipping away at it.

And I’m also trying to get my pins done for the convention. Oh, did I mention that? I’ll be giving away buttons when I go to RadCon this weekend 🙂

Alright, time to get to bed. And that’s my 5 minutes.

Write the Story You Want to See

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The latest controversy in the book world is JK Rowling and the lack of a gay character story line. She said Dumbledore was gay in a tweet, but he is not explicitly shown as gay in the new movie. Of course the new movie isn’t even out yet so we don’t know if it references it at all, or even if it’s relevant to the plot.

Of course people are upset because of representation or personal desires on how the story should go…and I have to say as a writer this worries me just a little.

Right now LGBT books are flying off the shelves pretty fast. If you watch booktube most of them will talk about books that are LGBT quite often, and go into detail about how it effects them emotionally or mentally. And that isn’t a bad thing. I would even say it’s good for those authors to get exposure to the people most likely to read their work. And it’s awesome that people are interested in this subject matter and have so many books to choose from.

The part that bothers me, and has always bothered me, is when rabid fans love a franchise so much that they want to force their ideals on the creator.

This is not an exclusive thing to (or a characteristic of) the LGBT community, or young adult fiction, or books even. This is usually a small, but vocal, subset of a much larger group. For ages we’ve had Disney fans pushing for changes to Disney characters. Or rabid Star Wars fans upset about the new movies. Or the backlash over the Witcher being all white characters.

It’s one thing for people to write an article about how they didn’t like it because x, y and z. It’s one thing to have fans write in or tweet or Facebook that they would love to see x, y and z. But it’s an entirely different story when people start attacking because “this thing I care about isn’t in your story”, or brigading, or stalking the author, or threatening her, or…. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Write your stories.

I started writing because I didn’t see characters like me. Meek young girls coming from an abusive past that made a new life for themselves. Girls who had their voices taken from them and fought like hell to get them back. Women who loved, and hated, and hurt over and over again…. And learned to stand on their own two feet.

I couldn’t find those stories so I started writing them.

And I started looking for them a little harder, in unlikely places. And I found them.

Vote with your dollar. Go buy LGBT stories from authors and find new franchises you like. You don’t have to force someone else to put something in their story that they feel doesn’t fit, or they can’t write, or they aren’t able to do justice, or they just don’t want to do. I don’t write erotica for that reason, and I’d ignore anyone that told me I had to write it, too. It doesn’t fit who I am. I haven’t published an LGBT character yet because I haven’t finished the story. But does that make my other stories less valid?

And if you still can’t find what you’re looking for… Write it. Draw it. Sculpt it. Put music to it. Do the art you want to see in the world, and love the art that is already there. You can love the other art for what it is instead of pushing it to be what you want. Or just walk away. After all, if it didn’t sell she wouldn’t be able to keep writing it.

Create Space vs KDP Print

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Yesterday I did something I’ve only dreamed of. I put up a print version of a book, hit publish, and ordered copies to be delivered to my door two days later. Two days from pressing publish to getting a book in my hand. That’s amazing….if it works.

I’ve been using CreateSpace for putting out print books for a while now. I’ve gotten to the point that I can format and compile a print book in a day or two. Once the actual print files (a pdf for the inside, and a wrap around cover for the outside) are created it takes a little tweeking, rearranging, and setting up to get them all compiled into a print file on CreateSpace. If you have a little practice this might take a few hours. For me, getting the cover exactly right was always the hardest part. Stretching it here, adjusting it there, and heaven forbid if I had to add a few pages in after hitting compile.

But it worked. CreateSpace also did something I loved. It let me order a proof for my boyfriend to put on his shelf. And it let me order printed books at cost so that I could give them away, resell them, or take them to signings.

When KDP print came out I decided to try it. The first thing on the front page when starting a print book was “you can not get printed proofs or at cost copies if you continue,” so I stopped and did the book in CreateSpace.

A few weeks ago I tried again because I had gotten an email from KDP saying proof copies and wholesale priced books were now available. I took the opportunity to create my first KDP print book.

The process was simple. All of the information from my KDP kindle edition was already linked to the book so I just had to choose a size, upload the file, and add a cover. The cover creator was the second change. It did not have all of the choices of the original CreateSpace, but it did have a very simple wrap style that allowed me to add an image to the front, and the back, and leave the spine a solid color. I chose to put an image on the front, and leave the spine and back black for this first edition. It will be easy enough to update that later on if I decide to.

KDP print has the same on screen proofing process as CreateSpace. If you know what you’re looking for you probably won’t even need a physical proof to fix things. I found a few errors and was able to fix them and reupload the inside file quickly. I did not have to change the inside drastically to update it, but it was a quick process of uploading the new file and just a minute before I could review it again. Once reviewed you can choose to order a print proof, or publish.

I did both. First, I wanted to experience the print proof process because this was a new thing. I also wanted to see the quality of the proofs. And I love supporting my boyfriend and his weird desire to have a proof of all my books (though it’s kind of cool to see old designs verses new designs of books, and my improvement.) I ordered a proof, then went back in and approved the book for publishing.

This is where the waiting happens. Generally with CreateSpace you push through the book then it tells you that it will be approved within a couple of days. Usually it takes a two to three days for CreateSpace to get back to me. Occasionally it has been 24 hours later. With KDP print it was just a few hours before they approved it. I assume this is because it’s still newer, and not as many people are publishing through there, but it was absolutely amazing to be able to publish a print book and order that same book before I went to bed!

The ordering process for KDP is where the biggest change is. With CreateSpace all you do is place an order, and it puts any orders into a shopping basket right inside CreateSpace. With KDP print orders you are taken back to the Amazon ordering site, and you order books directly from Amazon at the print only fee. You also can’t use your Amazon prime for these orders, which is expected. You’re getting your books at cost, so Amazon would be paying you to get books from them if they didn’t charge you shipping.

I did order a proof for my boyfriends shelf, and I ordered a stack of print copies for the table I will have at RadCon. I’m a bit nervous about ordering so many books sight unseen, but I am pretty confident it will arrive intact.

I’m very curious to see the books in person. I expect it will be the same quality of book since I’m ordering it from the same company, jut a different branch of it. Still, I’m surprised to see just how well I know the specifications of a print book, and what it should look like.

Anyway, this was not a five minute writing session, this was a lot longer than five minutes. If you have any questions please let me know, I am sure I didn’t answer everything here.

5min – Print

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Last night I finally started getting my print files together for Dragon’s Flame. I guess looking at the box of books I already had printed, and seeing that this one book is so obviously missing, It finally spurred me to get it done.

Also, I didn’t realize how blue my book covers were. All the books in the box have blue, or bluish black cover art with sparks of color. I need some variety in my life! And Dragon’s Flame is definitely a red cover. It stands out, it asks to be picked up and touched. And I love it!

At this point I’ve just decided to get everything set up for a print book. Might as well, the short stories are still long enough to be decent sized little books, and they are pretty cheep to get printed. Plus they are my favorite things to hand out. An actual book with a professional look to it instead of a pamphlet or business card. It’s $2 each to get them printed (if I do a bunch of them so shipping isn’t so expensive) so I can get a big handful of them and just hand them out at cons, or sit a stack of them in the library, or anywhere else people give away books.

Really, I’ve been wanting to do this for a while…but the truth is I’m taking my writing career a little more serious in general. I asked to be on panels at Radcon, and I’m going to be on 6 of them. I’m also getting a table at Radcon where I can sell some books for the first time ever. I’m also doing more to get m name out there. All the little things others have been doing, and I never really took that seriously because I don’t like marketing. I don’t like putting myself out there, I’d rather just throw my books out into the wild and hope people notice them. It doesn’t work very well, so I’m going to have to grow up a little and take some more responsibility for my work.

And that’s my five.  Also, here’s my itinerary for radcon!

5min – Time

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A while ago I started doing five minute writing sessions almost every day. It was a moment I could take to write my thoughts, and let out a little bit of the stuff inside my head keeping me from writing.

While I was doing it I found it very helpful to keep my mind on writing. I wrote more on my novel back then because I took those five minutes in the morning to recenter myself.

I think it’s time to start doing those five minute writings again. I have been a bit lax with my writing lately. Not as bad as before, but still, not as much as I’d like. I have so many ideas, so many wonderful short stories waiting to be told, and novels waiting to be completed. They’ll never get done if I don’t buckle down and do them.

So…here’s day one again. Back to basics. Five minutes to talk about writing, or art, or the upcoming conventions. Anything that is on my mind.

Today was our date night. Gregg and I go to D&D each Wednesday and play a table top game with our friends. It hasn’t been as consistent as usual because our dungeon master just had a baby, and babies require a lot of attention. But we squeeze in a night here and there when we have the chance.

Tonight was a slow session since it was more role playing then actually fighting. But that’s okay, sometimes you have to have the back story in order to progress the story and get tot he jucie parts. Sometimes you have to poke your nose into unusual places, and see if you can find any clues, or else you’ll never know what you’re missing out on.

Writing is like that. You might be in the middle of a big story and one day your characters might poke their nose into a place you didn’t expect, and low and behold there is something amazing there. Something that shifts, or expands, or even changes the plot. The corners can be interesting. Or distracting. It’s up the the writer to figure out which.

And that’s my five.

Review:Cloverfield

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I am going to admit that I love the Cloverfield series right here. I like how they blend different genres and styles. The first one had a found footage feel with a Godzilla origin. The second had a thriller/horror vibe with an alien invasion, and the third has a science fiction action adventure and lost in space feel. And yet all work together in the same universe. As a story creator myself, I LOVE THIS!

Now, I admit there are a lot of plot holes, and some big science aspects that really miss the mark, especially in the third one. Still, I enjoyed the actual story. I liked what they did with the main character. I like the mystery of what’s happening. And I think it fits in this…universe…?

For a non spoiler review: Don’t go into this expecting the best picture you ever saw. That’s not what this is. Don’t go into it expecting Godzilla monsters. That isn’t what this is. Don’t go into it expecting hard sci-fi with absolutely flawless science to back up what’s happening on screen. That is DEFINITELY not what this is.

What you should expect is a survival adventure on a space station slowly falling apart. And it does an okay job of being that, as well as expanding upon the universe of Cloverfield a bit. There are some good special effects, some interesting character moments, and as a survival space movie it is good.

If you’re trying to bridge the gap between Cloverfield and 10 Cloverfield Lane then you might get annoyed. Don’t watch it for that.

Now, for the spoilery stuff. You’ve been warned:

Continue reading →

Clowns

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Gregg patted my foot when getting in bed tonight.

“Yep, I’m still here,” I said.

“Well where else would you go?”he asked.

“I don’t know, the circus? I could be a clown. The sad clown.”

“Nobody likes clowns,” he said.

“Well I didn’t say I’d be a good clown.”

“Is that why their sad clowns?” he asked. “Because nobody likes them?”

“Maybe,” I said.

Or maybe they just wear their sadness on their sleeve too make others laugh so their sadness could be good for something. I didn’t say that last bit out loud. I’m not sure why clowns are sad, I just know my introvert self would not be a good one.

Almost time….

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It’s almost time to publish the next book, a novella. It’s an adventure in a haunted house. A little horror-esk, a little fantasy, with pleanty of magic and a lot of character exploration. It’s also open for more stories later on down the road. It was a good one to write while I’m still working on the next one in the Half Blood Sorceress series.

 

 

Also, for this weekend you can get The Ring and Potion Shop for free. Both are short stories, both about the misuse of magic. One is about a thief, and the other about a girl and a potion.

 

I also added another page above specifically for artwork. I’ve been doing a bit more of it, and I’m rather happy with what I’ve been doing. You can always check out what I’ve been up to on instagram. Gregg is even convincing me to put together a coloring book.

Being Crazy

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I started listening to Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson, also known as the Bloggess. I read her blog infrequently, and stalk her twitter posts more often. I bought the first book, and the second in hard back. I even read the first book, though the second book has been sitting on my shelf, unread, for a while.

So when I got a free credit from Audible I took a chance to go get the Furiously Happy. I liked the original, I just tend to listen to books more often then read them lately. I don’t often have quiet moments to sit and enjoy words on a page unless I’m writing them. That’s what happens when  you’re trying to write a series…time just disappears.

But I started listening to it, and realized it was far more fun to listen to than read anyway. Jenny Lawson is funny on paper, and hysterical speaking. The fact that she’s talking about her taxidermy collection, and trying to tie socks onto the cats so they can experience a waterbed to the fullest doesn’t hurt.

But she also talks about serious things, like her mental problems, depression, and self harm. I find myself saying “yes, I know that feeling” all too many times. Hiding in the bathroom crying? Check. Hurting yourself because the pain on the outside is better than the pain on the inside? No, I did the opposite. I turned off all the emotions so I couldn’t feel anything, which was probably worse in some ways (though I bet Jenny would disagree.)

Listening to her struggles with depression, and her desire to live life furiously happy is helpful to pulling me out of the darkness sometimes. It helps that she knows what I’ve been through, and she keeps smiling and making fun of it. She keeps gathering those ridiculous stories and sharing them with everyone else. And those ridiculous stories make me want to share some of mine.

But that’s HARD!

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I recently got an email from a young writer (young in her writing, I have no idea her actual age) and she described her writing to me in the same way I would describe mine. I write until I come to a hard part, jot down a little note, then skip to the next easy part to write. Anyone who is just trying to get their words down for the day has probably done this, or skipped that spot of dialog that didn’t quite work, or put down “battle scene with hero as the winner” or some such. I do this a lot for battle scenes because it takes me a while to puzzle through the moves to make it right.

The problem becomes, and this is me talking more about myself than anyone else because this is where I am in my writing… eventually you have to finish something or you have to admit this is just a project novel. Like that project car your dad had in the garage when you grew up. He kept it to tinker on, and play with, but never really got around to finishing it.

So here I am, 40, with hundreds, if not thousands of ideas in my idea journal, half written novels and partially written short stories, and only a small fraction of them finished. I keep putting aside the hard parts because… it’s HARD!

And damn right it’s hard. It’s hard because you’re writing something that is actually worth reading. Something with detail, and heart, meant to move people and get them to read. If it was easy then everyone would do it. If it was easy then there would be no value in it, but a book on a shelf has a value. People buy it and read it, then take their time to review it. If you expect people to spend time and money on your words then it should be good.

But there is good, and there is perfectionist. Finding that balancing point where you can actually finish stories, and get them out there in good order vrs tinkering on the story for years…that’s the edge that you walk.

Sometimes I do have to walk away from a story. Maybe it doesn’t work, or something isn’t quite fitting together right, so I put the story away and I work on something else. I’ve been working like this for years, and I have over a million words banked in my folders, waiting to be finished. (Here’s a picture, but this is not ALL of the stories I have started. The blue are published short stories and novels. Pink are finished, but not published. The rest plots, or started stories, but never finished.)

I have a whole shelf filled with tinker stories. I add a few words here and there, I might even binge through a few chapters on a novel, but finishing one isn’t easy. There’s always that point where it’s just hard, and I skip it.

I need to stop skipping it. I need to write down why it’s so hard and get my head back into the game. Last year was my worst word count in almost five years. That’s not acceptable, and neither is never finishing another novel.

So here’s to the hard parts! *Cheers!*