Yassa: Genghis Khan's coming-of-age tale Gets an Overhaul

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! So sorry to be running late today, dental surgery. It was like dancing in the park with fairies at dusk. Yeah, not like that at all. Anyway, on to today's announcement! You know that beautiful historical fiction novel I wrote about dear Genghis Khan? Well, Yassa has gotten an overhaul and a gorgeous new cover. If you've read the book, you understand the significance of the black horse, and if you haven't read the book, why not? You should get to it. Paperbacks with the new cover, and the newly edited interior, will be out by the end of next week. I'll be removing the large type version as well.

Anyway, here's a gander at what's coming!

Title: Yassa: Genghis Khan's coming-of-age tale
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Historical Fiction Coming-of-Age
Length (print): 400 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $3.99  ~  Smashwords $3.99  ~  Paperback $7.99

Synopsis:
Temujin is the given name of one of the fiercest conquerors in history, Genghis Khan.

Before he became a Khan, he was just a man in love with a woman his best friend tried to steal.

Temujin tells his tale as a look over the life he's lived. He speaks of love, fear, friendship, and betrayal. What once was, can no longer be. Now, he questions his life and realizes the wrongs he committed. But it's too late to go back and fix them.

In this riveting portrayal of his story, you learn about Yassa law, the struggles young Temujin faced growing up, and how one decision changed his life, igniting a conquering of the greatest contiguous empire in history.

Isn't it funny how it all comes back to the love a man has for a woman?

I'd show you the full wrap, but I don't have it done yet. Go. Buy. Enjoy the hell out of it while your toes curl.

95% Fact, 5% fiction. Get to know Genghis and his story.

What do you think of the new cover?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Facts - Stranger than Fiction

Happy Thursday!!!! Wow, what a week! I've been busy gearing up for my blog party next week and have some amazing prizes for you guys to win! Be sure and come back every day to see what's new!

Today I'm going to spend some time doing a quick, "Did you know?" post for anyone who may not be familiar with the great man known as Genghis Khan. This is in honor of the book Yassa being on sale for the month of October both in Kindle (just $2.99) and paperback (just $7.99) formats. The paperback has had a beautiful re-work and the interior is to die for (screenshots after the post). I hope you all enjoy this post and that you learn a little, too.

The following are all facts that I based Yassa on. Yassa is a work of fiction steeped in factual history.

Did you know:

• Genghis Khan began life as a boy named Temujin.
• His father was poisoned when Temujin was just nine years old; forcing the child to step up and lead his people.
• In Mongolia, it was common for a young boy to live with his betrothed's family to learn the ways of their people for up to four years before the marriage.
• Temujin spent four years of his life in slavery, and his escape got him noticed by powerful men.
• Blonde girls were an anomaly but highly sought-after prizes (I could find nothing that said Borte was one of these but I read it happened and went with it).
• The Merkits stole Temujin's wife, Borte, just two weeks after they were married and his retribution made him a household name.
• Jamuka was Temujin's anda (brother in life) but no one knows why they had a falling-out (most assume it was over power).
• No one is sure if Temujin's first son, Jochi, was of his loin because of the timing of the child's birth (~ 9 mos after Borte was taken).
• In the span of just twenty-five years, Genghis Khan took over much of Mongolia; uniting the tribes under one banner.
• Genghis held the idea of loyalty above all else and wrote Yassa law based on it.
• He developed a new writing style and demanded it be used across all of Mongolia so writings could be understood by all.
• The cultivation of the Silk Road, made famous by Marco Polo, was done under the guidance of Genghis.
• He truly believed he spoke to God and was tolerant of all religious followings.

Genghis Khan was one of the great men from history. He did things others had only dreamed of.

If you want to learn more about Genghis, in a fun way, you can find out a lot of fact by reading my historical fiction novel. I stuck as closely as possible to the actual timeline of events and used many of the facts you see above to mold my character and get inside his head.

Now for a shot of the new interior of Yassa.

Smaller type, smaller format, better design, and less expensive for you, the reader. Go grab a copy and get your learning on!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Restricted Fonts

It's hump day, good people of the blogosphere! That means just two more days until the weekend arrives if you can make it over the hump. Can I get a, "YAY!"? Come on, you know you want to!

Today, I'm going to bombard you all with information to help get you through today if you happen to be formatting a book, e-book, or designing a cover. This post is all about restricted fonts.

Anyone know what a restricted font is? Do you know how to check if the font is restricted before you use it? I have your answers! Read on...

A restricted font is one that cannot be embedded in a file. It's restricted to use on your personal machine.

But how do you know a font is restricted before you use it? Follow these step-by-step instructions for discovering if a font can be embedded before you use it in your file:

1. Open MS Word (I use 2007 so these instructions are for that version)
2. Click on the Acrobat tab at the top
3. Click on Preferences
4. Click on Advanced Settings
5. Select the folder icon for Fonts
6. Look under the section titled Embedding and find the font list
7. Scroll through and note the tiny icons on the left side of your fonts

• TT means it's a true type font.
• O means it's an apple (mac) font.
• If there's a lock icon there, that's a restricted font. You cannot embed those fonts. Make a list of them and avoid them like the plague when preparing a book or e-book.

Now, if you flatten your Photoshop file to a jpeg before you upload it, it will keep your font (even if restricted), but you can't use it to design the interior because it WILL NOT embed.

I hope this post helps you all to find and avoid those fonts that will give you hours of headaches if you use them.

On a happier note, I just released a smaller, less expensive version of Yassa in print! It's 11pt type and this book is only 5.5x8.5 (standard size). It's $10 less than the large print version and is just $7.99. You can find it here. Remember, the Yassa ebook is also on sale for the month of October for just $2.99, everywhere e-books are sold. For an easy link, click here.

Have you ever been pinged by the dreaded restricted font warning message?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Liebster Blog Award

Heather's Book Chatter was kind enough to nominate me for the Liebster Blog Award! This award is for bloggers with less than 200 followers. Here are the rules to receive the award:

1. Each person must post 11 random facts about themselves.
2. Answer 11 questions the tagger has given you and give 11 questions for the people you tagged.
3. Choose 11 people and mention them in your post
4. Tell them you've tagged them
5. Remember, no tag backs.

Part 1: 11 Random Facts

1. My favorite movie is White Christmas. I know it word-for-word and every lyric to every song.
2. I just turned 35.
3. I have given birth to 5 children - 4 boys and 1 girl.
4. It's very difficult for me to let it go when someone uses the wrong word in text or e-mail.
5. I do yoga. My favorite is Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown (yes, it's brutal).
6. I'm probably the most understanding person on the planet and am not fond of those that judge others.
7. I'm a bit of a coffee snob. I grew up in Louisiana drinking only Community coffee. That's all I like.
8. I am an amazing illustrator.
9. I remember learning to read when I was four.
10. I have an almost photographic memory.
11. I have 4 sisters and 3 brothers. I am the youngest.

Part 2: Answer 11 Questions

1. City or country?
Both. I live in the city now and love it but lived in the country (WAY in the country) for a long time and loved that, too!

2. What's your favorite part about blogging?
Putting my words, thoughts, and advice out there and having people read it and gain knowledge. I'm a hard advocate of learning.

3. What's your dream vacation spot?
Stratfordshire. If you don't know why, google it :)

4. What writer do you admire the most?
Oh my... Jane Austen? I read her book Pride and Prejudice at least once a year.

5. What's your favorite book of all-time?
The Chronicles of Narnia - all of them.

6. What's your favorite social networking site?
Twitter. I love the brevity of it.

7. How many books do you read on average per month?
2-3, depending on the length.

8. What book genre do you avoid the most?
I don't avoid much of anything, really. I read the back of shampoo bottles...

9. What's the last movie you watched?
Lockout. It was really good.

10. What's your favorite snack to have on hand when writing or reading?
COFFEE

11. What's the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
Treat it like a job, because that's what it is.



Part 3: My 11 Questions


1. Where did you grow up?
2. What is your earliest childhood memory?
3. How many pets have you had throughout your life? Names/Breeds?
4. What stirs your soul?
5. Do you have any other interests/talents beyond blogging?
6. If you could be trapped on a deserted island with any author (past or present) who would it be and why?
7. Are you an advocate for anything? If yes, what?
8. What's the most embarassing thing that's ever happened to you?
9. Why do you blog?
10. Where do you write?
11. How do you find your flow?

My 11 nominees:

Passionate Ramblings
The Hungry Freelancer
An Average Woman in a Superwoman World
Ramblin' With AM
Imagine! Create! Write!
throwing up in an IKEA bag
moonpreneur
Crystal Lee - Author
Melissa Writes
Ellie's Blog

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Fetters for the Fourth

Today, I am chained to my desk. Tonight, I am chained to my desk. I will prepare my non-fiction book for publication and write one volume of the Mystic series by the end of this month. My fetters grow ever heavier.

Some people take the 4th of July off, but a writer's work is never done. Some days I wish my book sales would pick up and give me a reason to keep writing. But then I remember, I don't write to make money (that would be an exercise in futility). I write because I have stories to tell and I want people to read them.

When someone says my book had a strong impact on them, I have been paid. I'm the richest person in the world when I make someone else smile or stop and think. That is why I write and it keeps me going every day. Well, that and The Best Boyfriend in the World.

I'm honestly the luckiest person on the planet. I have him, five great kids, a great mom, a wonderful little dog, and my virtual besties. I'm able to do what I love every day. I couldn't ask for more.

But I do sometimes. I admit it. I wish I could think my books into existence, I wish I didn't wear my heart on my sleeve, and I wish for peace in my soul. But, I think if any of those things truly changed, I would not be able to write. I type and think about what happens next, feel very deeply everything that is said to me, and have chaos in my soul (making me a tortured artist). Escape in my words is all that keeps me sane.

You writers know how I feel.

Happy 4th of July, everyone.

Don't forget to watch my blog for the announcement of the first couple of FREE days for The Abigale Chronicles - Book Two. I won't post it anywhere else. Let's see how many of you are excited about it.

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Surprise!

There's still time to join the Author Blog Challenge! If you haven't, just do it. Moving right along to today's prompt... 

What has been the biggest surprise about writing/publishing your book? What has been the most enjoyable or most memorable aspect?

My biggest surprise was all the different formats that were wanted by all the different e-book publishers. Why can there not be consistency? Geeze Louise!

I love that Amazon has started to crack down on allowing public works publishing. It clears the market for real books. When I heard that, I did an Emeril Lagassi style, "BAM!" in my head.

Take that, you profiteers of other people's work!

I have enjoyed the people I have gotten to know through my networking efforts. There are some great folks in the publishing world. Many of them can be found here. Yes, that's The Author Blog Challenge participant link. So what if I invited my friends to join as well?

I never realized what a wonderful community writers have formed around the globe. How great is it that I can talk to Ashley Howland in Australia, Lisa Cherry in the UK, and meet people from the US as well? I adore intelligent discussion and giving people a new way to look at things that they may not have considered. A number of them have returned and given back as good as they have gotten.

I enjoy talking with writers because they are almost always open to new ideas and constructive feedback.

I enjoy talking with artists because they have a different view of the world we live in and take the time to paint or draw it.

I enjoy talking with most people on most topics as long as their thoughts are original and not pulled from the main-stream way of thinking.

Many of the people I now know, I would not have met without networking or voicing of my own, rather skewed opinion of the world. I wouldn't trade it.

Since this post is short, I am going to take today to share with you all some of my photography and illustrations. I hope you enjoy the eye candy.

Illustrations shown large, original photograph in icon. First is colored pencil on black canson drawing paper. Second is india ink on hot press illustration board.

In tandem with today's post comes an interview with Ashley Howland, author of Ghostnapped! Tomorrow will be my review of the book.

That's all for today, folks, Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

I Wanna Be Like Mike!

Not really. I don't play basketball. :) Oh, man!! Asking me this is like asking a crack addict what kind of rock they prefer...

Who is your favorite literary character? With which literary character do you most relate?

Day five in the 28 Day Author Blog Challenge, here I go...

Laura, not a fair question! I have so many! I'll list five. Without further ado (or adon't):

1. Jane Bennett from Pride and Prejudice - Ms. Jane is such an unassuming character who always has a kind word for everyone. She refuses to see the flaws people have and never talks about anyone behind their back. I think she would say of a rattlesnake, "It does not bite you because it chooses to; it bites you because it must."

2. Sam Gamgee from LOTR - Oh, man. What can I say about Sam? He is the ideal friend that always has your back no matter what you say to him or how you treat him. Sam knows Frodo doesn't mean what he says. When Sam sneaks and follows his friend, the chips fall and Sam is there, as he should be. I want a friend like Sam.

3. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter - I love how bookish she is and how her smarts make her the target for derision. She isn't gorgeous, nor is she painted that way, but she has a certain something that sets her apart; I like to think it's her penchant for reading. She is a friend to the end who understands how Harry feels because she oftentimes feels the same way. People are jealous because she makes them look small.

4. Myra Rutledge from Weekend Warriors - She's an older lady with spunk. I mean, come on, she learns to pole-dance for crying out loud! When she's angry, she seethes and wants revenge. I love that she takes justice into her own hands when her daughter is murdered. Myra makes me punch the air every time she comes up with a plan that is both vicious and clever. She reminds me of my mom...

5. Kitty from A Dog Called Kitty - Okay, so I'm cheating a little bit here but this book is one of my favorites and when the end happened, I cried like a little girl. I fell in love with that smart little dog while reading this book and his antics have stayed on in my heart throughout my whole life. Oftentimes, I recall the author's description of Kitty's reaction when he ate some jalapeno peppers and it still makes me smile. What a great dog.

Is it strange that only two of those characters came from a favorite author? I read Pride and Prejudice any time I don't have a new book around. It's just a great story.

Which character do I identify with the most? Hermione. I see so much of myself in her and it scares me a little. It's like J.K. got into my head somehow, pulled Hermione right out, and slapped her down on paper.

Now on to other things! If you missed it, Yassa released yesterday! Go get your copy now. That's an order a suggestion.

You can find it at the links listed on the top of this blog. Just choose your version and click for a look. If you choose Smashwords, at the back of the book there is a code for a free copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One at Smashwords.

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Reading for Deep Impact

Writing prompt 4! These are difficult to answer sometimes...

How do the things you read impact your writing? What do you love to read? What do you avoid reading at all costs? How would your writing change if you read more of the things you typically avoid?

What I love to read impacts my writing in a profound way, certainly. But I read everything I can get my hands on so my style hasn't been affected in a major way by one or the other. My readings impact my mind instead. I find it easier to build in a twist or for my brain to play mental ping-pong with settings, characters, and sensory descriptions because I know what so many others have done before me.

I absolutely love fiction but am not opposed to reading non-fiction when the mood strikes or I find something I want to learn more about. Yassa required that I read a lot of historical books and white papers in order to fully grasp the timeline and life progression of Temujin (Genghis Khan). What I learned, I embedded in the story. While much of it is fiction, most of it is fact.

Writers have a different thought process than a typical reader. Ohhhh, I can feel your blood pressure rising because of that statement! Allow me to explain, please? A reader may become immersed in a book and feel, just as writers do, but what sets a writer apart is that we aren't just feeling. We subconsciously analyze the text and pick up new phrases as we read along. We pay attention to the nuances that most readers may miss. I read a text word-for-freaking-word and notice when something is misplaced or misspelled.

I am a writer, I care about the text, the pages, and what I take away from the story.

My sister is a reader, and she consumes books more quickly than I do. I barely have time to get to know the character in a book before she's done and has moved on to the next book. She reads fast. Does that mean she isn't fully immersed in the story? No. It means the story doesn't tickle within her that certain something that it tickles inside a writer. A good critic reads the way she does.

If I read more encyclopedia entries, I think my writing would grow flat and uninteresting; too factual for a reader of fiction.

Let me give you a for-instance: 

Wikipedia entry: Genghis Khan (/ˈɡɛŋɡɪs ˈkɑːn/ or /ˈdʒɛŋɡɪs ˈkɑːn/,^[4][5] Mongol: [tʃiŋɡɪs xaːŋ] ( listen); 1162? – August 1227), born Temujin, was the founder and Great Khan (emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death.

That is verbatim.

Me: Genghis Khan was a powerful Mongolian ruler with a small stature and a big head. He was born around 1162 and named Temujin; but the plain name didn't stop him from conquering an entire continent. No, it only fueled his desire to be the greatest Khan to ever live. When he died in 1227, his Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous empire in history.

That's how my head works and too much non-fiction would inevitably kill my inner writer :)

Time to get off that and get on this :)

TODAY, Yassa released to KDP, NOOK, Smashwords, and CreateSpace!!!! I'm so happy that it's out there and done. I have been immersed in the book since January of this year. It feels good to finally get it finished. If you do nothing else, go check out the cover art. Watercolor illustration done by yours truly!

You can find it by following these links:

Amazon (digital)
NOOK (digital)
Smashwords (digital)

I have donated a copy for this blog challenge so remember to blog every day for your chance to win. I'm doing a giveaway of the print edition on Goodreads as well. A few interviews are scheduled to hit the web over the month of June and the giveaway is running in tandem with those.

So, follow me and enjoy those great promotions! A super secret fact (that's no so secret once I publish this blog) is: in the back of Yassa, on the Smashwords edition, there will be a coupon good for a FREE copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One. Two books for the price of one! You can't beat that!

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Wearing A Heart

When you ship your manuscript off to an editor, friend, or beta reader, you sit on pins and needles until it makes its way back home. Some writers fear the tearing apart of their work and some are rewarded for those fears.

I'm going to give some advice to anyone that will listen:

Get your heart off your sleeve.

Realize that when people rip you apart, they are helping you. EVERY comment on your work is helpful, even if it says, "This is total shit." Sure, it's shocking and it may cause you to widen your eyes, pull back your ears, and tilt your head down a little, but don't fly off the handle and cry. If you do that, you're only defeating yourself.

When someone leaves a comment like this one:

I have always loved XXX's writing! I have been reading his work for 35 years. That said, this book/story changed my opinion that he could never write a bad book. I could not believe how this story ended. It read like a story a 10 year old would write. I turned back and forth between the last 2 pages 3-4 times thinking I had somehow skipped pages. After reading XXX and XXX this year, I was left feeling like I had wasted the hour it took to read this book.

Listen to it. Think about why the person felt that way. Be objective about your own work. I know it's hard but it can only help you in the long run. If people leave a lot of comments like the one above, something is wrong.

BTW, the author that got that comment is HIGHLY renowned. It had a 1 star rating with it. He is wildly successful and has sold billions of books. The moral of the story? We all create a turd now and then. Do you think he quit writing? Nope.

If you are someone who can't take criticism, you're in the wrong career.

For as long as there have been people who create, there have been people who do not like the creations. I'm reminded of a Mel Brooks film - History of the World Part I - where there is a caveman drawing on a wall and another comes up, takes a look, scratches his chin, and pees on the artwork. Everyone else in the room cave liked it so why does that one critic get all the attention? Because he had a negative reaction.

Whatever you do, DON'T let the words of ONE person bruise your ego.

Now, if you get a LOT of those comments, you need to stop and ask yourself why people are saying what they are saying. So what if you worked for a year on your book? Something is wrong with it and you need to figure out what that something is. Fix it in your next book.

If you don't believe in yourself, how are you going to get other people to believe in you? NEVER give up if it's something you TRULY want.

I know it hurts but, eventually, you'll become numb to it. You NEED to hear each and every opinion. Don't take it to heart, take it to mind.

That's all for today, folks!! Don't forget!! Yassa releases in just THREE days!! June 4th!! BE EXCITED!! I am!! Hell, if it only sells ONE copy, that's one more than I had today :)

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Blogging About Blogging

I just signed up to participate in the 28 day Author Blog Challenge that is going to run the month of June. It made me laugh when I decided to blog about the challenge today because I'm blogging about blogging. Just struck me as funny.

Anyway, for all you published, unpublished, crazy, or aspiring writers out there, you should join the group. Find the details here and WRITE ON!!

A blog is a terrible thing to waste. Keeping up with it poses more challenges than I'm willing to admit (wait, did I just admit it...?) but I love doing it. I have knowledge and techniques that I can share with others who are trying to do the same thing I am and, who knows, it might make it easier on all of them if I just take the time to share.

I am excited that Yassa will release on the 4th and you should be too! It's a WONDERFUL read that will make you laugh, cry, get angry, and fall in love.

Good news: It releases just 2 days into the challenge so I should have plenty of time on my hands to blog it on out. I am looking forward to it!

The Abigale Chronicles - Book Two releases end of July and I am hoping to either have Mystic - The Artist or Player ready for release sometime in September. Lots of exciting things happening around here in Jo Michaels Land so stay tuned!

A note to everyone who plans to purchase Yassa, there will be a coupon code good for three months for a FREE copy of Abigale Book One in the back.

That's all for today, folks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Design Lesson Number 4 - Fonts

I see so many people make the basic mistake of combining more than two fonts for a book cover or using two different serif or sans-serif fonts on the cover of their book.

There's a reason you shouldn't do that: it looks like a mistake.

Even if it was intentional, it still looks like a mistake. If you use more than one font or hand-lettering plus a font, stick to ONE serif and ONE sans-serif.

What's a serif? Well, that's why I give you nice folks examples :)

Examples:

These are serifs

Well, now you know. Serif fonts can look eerily similar. There are other fonts too: Script and Specialty fonts that should also not be used in combination with more than one of the same.

Please, choose a MAXIMUM of TWO fonts for any project and stick with them. Avoid, at all costs, FREE fonts. The quality SUCKS on most of them and in the rights, you will usually find that they are not licensed to be used in projects for distribution. You could be sued. Same with photographs. Be very very careful and read the rights to the image you're buying.

Remember, we don't want our covers to look DIY.

I hope this helps in some small way. That was the four lessons of the week. Next week, back to writing!!

If any of you would like to have this information made available in a book, leave a comment and I will see what I can do. Of course it would be free, Silly!! :)

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Design Lesson Number 3 - Color Spaces

RGB and CMYK - What's the difference?

A lot, actually. When you send something to a printer, it needs to be designed in CMYK because that's a 4 color process standard. If you design in RGB and send it away, they will convert it to CMYK before they print it. You can get some UGLY and unwanted results.

You can change the mode in Photoshop by going to Image>Mode>CMYK Do this BEFORE you start designing. I am going to give examples below of what the change can do to specific colors.

Above, you see on the left the colors chosen in RGB color mode. On the right, you will see those SAME colors in CMYK. Beware the change!! If you always design in CMYK, you will never be disappointed with your results.

Colors that are most heavily affected by the change are: greens, blues, yellows, and oranges. Reds get dulled down as well but not quite as badly as the others unless it's a BRIGHT red.

So, start your design in CMYK and let your imagination carry you from there. If you never EVER intend to print your book, RGB it up :)

That's all for today. Time to write!!

Follow me on twitter! @writejomichaels

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Design Lesson Number 2 - Printing

Today, I talk about printing. For you indie authors, you need to listen up just in case you decide to print on CreateSpace or another site and wish to DIY. Remember, our goal is to not make it look DIY.

Bleeds, safeties, and folds, here we come!

What is a bleed? Bleed refers to the area around your artwork that is intended to be cut off. You want to make sure to extend any background color or other elements that you don't mind losing some of all the way to the edge of the template. MACHINES cut the book cover and they aren't as accurate as we'd like them to be sometimes. You will LOSE 1/4" of your artwork so your canvas needs to be 1/4" bigger (1/8" on all sides) than your final size. In other words, a 5.25x8 book needs to be designed at 5.50x8.25. Got it? Avoid bars (frames) that can be lost completely or cut wrong and be odd sizes.

Okay, you have that down. Now, what's a safety? Safety refers to the area that will not be touched by the machine even if it is 1/8" off. Your safety margins should go 1/8" INSIDE the CUT line (NOT the BLEED line). This gives you peace of mind that your words will still be intact when your book rolls off the presses. Be safe, not sorry.

Folds are self-explanatory. Remember that where the fold is, the safety should be 1/8" on EITHER side of that line. There is no guarantee that the paper will be cut just right and you need the flexibility of a schoochable fold. I love making up words...

On to the example!!!

This is what a standard template looks like. Take a minute and take it all in.

Tomorrow, we will discuss color space and WHY it MATTERS!

I hope you are all finding this informative.

Pop on over to:

Goodreads

and sign up for your chance at one of two free signed copies of The Abigale Chronicles! Giveaway ends May 29th! For those of you that prefer e-books, hop over to Smashwords and get a copy for just $1.99.

9am and time to write!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

All About Query Letters

Today, I post my query letter for a roundtable discussion that will take place via Rachel Horwitz ‏@rachelhwrites on twitter. Scurry on over there if you would like to participate!!


This is my pitch for Yassa:


***Updated***

Dear Ms. XXX,

When Temujin is ten, he murders one of his half-brothers in self-defense. That one act of brutality shows him the animal that lives inside his heart, sets into motion a string of events that bring a boy named Jamuka into his life, and gives Temujin the idea to write the law he calls Yassa. He marries his betrothed, Börte, only to have her kidnapped a week later by a rival tribe and sold at auction.

Yassa law states that, above all else, you are to be loyal to those you pledge yourself to. There is only one punishment for breaking Yassa law: death. Deep conflict arises between Temujin and Jamuka when they go to rescue the beautiful and fair Börte from the kidnappers because Jamuka sees her, falls in love, and decides to take her for his own. In a fit of fever, Jamuka attacks Börte and tries to force himself on her. Setting aside the law for the love of a friend, Temujin casts the man out instead of killing him.


Jamuka is bent on revenge for being cast out and is driven to win Börte at any cost. As a result, the two men are plunged into battle over power and a woman. Love drives the conquering of the greatest continuous empire in History in the hopes that the victor will win the affections of Börte, who is being driven mad with her own choice while the men are crossing swords. Only one man can succeed and become Genghis Khan.

Yassa is a completed 90,000 word historical fiction novel set in 18th Century Mongolia.

Thank you for taking the time to read my query.

Sincerely,

Jo Michaels

I appreciate all feedback.

That's all for today, folks!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Author Interviews are Fun!

I did an author interview with Jane Hanbury over at Booketta's Book Blog this week and I have to say, it was a lot of fun! I am rarely one to toot my own horn (a crux being an indie author) so talking about myself was difficult in a challenging type of way.

Jane asked me some difficult questions.

When in person, I can talk for hours about the story behind my historical fiction novel, Yassa. When asked to write out how I came up with the idea, I struggle. Not because I don't know, just because that question is hard to answer on paper. I know where the idea came from, but tooting my own horn about it is not something I am accustomed to doing.

I think I'm too humble. I love the story but I know it's not for everyone and I know there are people out there who will hate Temujin's wishy-washy personality. I just tried to make him human; because he is. We all make mistakes in life or do things we aren't proud of, so he is brought down a notch or two from almighty conqueror by having doubts about his relationship and reacting to situations in a way that's not acceptable.

There are people who will give me crap over Kutula and people who will argue that the story isn't quite true to History. I know that. It's fiction. I used my imagination.

There are people who will give me crap over Abigale and say that's not the way a 12 year old behaves. I know that, she's not an ordinary 12 year old. If she were, what a dull story it would be!

We write to spin tales for readers. If we didn't write, how dull would life be? Remember the movie, The Invention of Lying? It brings out a good point: without writers with imagination and the ability to tell a tale with some fiction in it, we would all be walking around dull, lifeless, BORING.

That's all for today. I am going to write the hell out of some books today!

If you haven't gotten your copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One, go get one now! It's great for young readers and has an element that will force them to stop and wonder what the heck is really going on.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

He Said, She Said, Who Said What?

As you can probably tell, today I am talking about that thing we all shy away from - Dialogue.

What makes excellent dialogue? Well, many things do. First and foremost is the genuine accents and use of words. Let's explore that first, mkay?

Teenagers speak very differently from most adults. Unless your character is a grown woman who is trying very hard to fit in with a group of youngsters, she probably won't be using the words 'dude' or 'awesome' very often. Vernacular is also region specific. If a teen is from California, they will speak very differently than a teen from Louisiana.

Time for examples:

Heather is a teen from California having a conversation with a surfer on the beach.

"Catch a wave, Babe!" said Heather from the comfort of her towel on the sand.
When the surfer walked by, Heather's heart skipped a beat. He was gorgeous and she didn't know how else to break the ice.
"Tubular!" he said, waving.
Heather couldn't help herself and blurted out, "Is that like, pineapple sex wax I smell?"
"Hell yeah it is! Nothin' less than the best for my baby. That's like, pure ZOGS right there! You gonna ride the water today?"
"No. Not today. I'm like, feelin' bummy, you know?" Heather hated the ocean and was terrified of sharks but she didn't want him to know that.

June is a teen from Louisiana having a conversation with a surfer on the beach.

"Hey, nice surfboard!" said June from the comfort of her towel on the sand.
When the surfer walked by, June's heart skipped a beat. He was gorgeous and she didn't know how else to break the ice.
"Tubular!" he said, waving.
 June couldn't help herself and blurted out, "Come see! I wanna look at that board! What's 'tubular' mean?"
"Tubular. You know, like, in the tube? The water, Lady. The wave, you know? You gonna ride the water today?"
"Oh. No. Not today. I wanna lay here and get some sun, che." June hated the ocean and was terrified of sharks but she didn't want him to know that.

Now, from the first set of dialogue, you garner that the two understand one another and believe Heather is from California because of her easy way of speaking to the surfer. June is a little more awkward and doesn't seem to fit in. We know she's from somewhere else.

Let's do it again without the slang and see the results.

"Hey, nice surfboard!" said Marsha from the comfort of her towel on the sand.
When the surfer walked by, Marsha's heart skipped a beat. He was gorgeous and she didn't know how else to break the ice.
"Thanks!" he said, waving.
Marsha couldn't help herself and blurted out, "Can I see it?"
"Sure. I'm hoping to have a good time in the water today. Are you planning to surf at all?"
"No. Not today. I'm just laying in the sun today." Marsha hated the ocean and was terrified of sharks but she didn't want him to know that.

Not nearly as interesting, right?

Something else you can learn from the dialogue above is that it's not necessary to follow every line with he said, she said, or they said. You can communicate exactly who is speaking without dragging your reader down with unnecessary words. So you want your word count to be higher? Add chapters or paragraphs.

Remember that he, she, and they, refer to the last person named in the text. Mention the name often enough so your reader doesn't get confused (psssst, readers actually don't mind this).

That's all for today, folks. Remember to keep your eyes open for the release of Yassa on June 4, 2012!

If you haven't picked up your copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One, you should!! Free sampling at Smashwords and purchase for just $1.99!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Monkey Wrenches

Bring out the unexpected when you write. If you read your passage and have a good idea of what will happen next, flip it and make something else happen instead.

Readers don't like predictable. Predictable is boring.

If you have two people who are kissing and passionate, it may seem that they are about to make love. Why not have the police burst in instead? How about having one of them spontaneously burst into flames? I bet your reader won't be expecting that.

Why throw in a monkey wrench? It's what keeps your story moving and interesting. I use the technique in Yassa a number of times and my beta readers tell me it's a welcome surprise when the unexpected happens. They read about Jelme sitting with Kutula and some other friends and commenting on the harshness of color around the camp. How does Kutula teach Jelme to hold his tongue and be more polite?

What happens is the monkey wrench. You expect Kutula to grow angry and perhaps scold Jelme for being rude or maybe say something rude in return. But he doesn't do either of those things. What he does leaves a lasting impression on the youth about courtesy and proper manners and helps add an unexpected twist in the story.

This happens in life so why not in your story? You have a situation that you think will be perfect and something happens that you weren't expecting and messes it up. USE it in your fiction. We cannot expect the unexpected because then, by very definition, it would no longer BE unexpected.

Can we plan for emergencies? Yes. Is it the same thing? No. We look at what could happen and plan for that.

Example:

You have an emergency fund and/or insurance in case your car breaks down or a tree falls on your house, right? That's planning for something you would expect. What if an alien spacecraft comes to Earth and beams your house off the planet? Does your insurance cover that? I don't know. But it would certainly be unexpected.

You have an emergency fund and/or insurance in case your car breaks down or a tree falls on your house and a tree falls on your house. That was expected and planned for.

HUGE difference between the two. The first is the proverbial monkey wrench. Use your imagination. You're a writer because you can.

That's all for today!!

Don't forget to keep your eyes open for the release of Yassa on June 4, 2012!! If you read it for no other reason than to find out what Kutula did to Jelme, it'll be worth it!!

Go sample The Abigale Chronicles - Book One today from Smashwords! You won't be sorry that you did!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!!

Jo

Write What You Know

In my post on Bringing Truth to Fiction, I talk about writing what you know. You know how people react in specific situations based on personal experience or by talking to those who have experienced it themselves.

I implore you to also use places you have been in your writing. You know those places, have firsthand experience with them, and are familiar with the sights, sounds, and smells. Use it. It's very difficult to write about a place you have never experienced yourself. Sure, you can read about them and learn everything there is to know before you sit down to write, but it's just not the same.

Yassa was hard to write because I have never been to Mongolia. I don't know what it smells or feels like. I used my experiences with similar landscapes to draw on the feelings the characters had while in their environments. While not a perfect approach, it worked. I still wish I'd had on-site experience.

When I write about Louisiana in The Abigale Chronicles, I am able to describe her surroundings perfectly. As I write Player, I am able to describe the surroundings without a second thought. I have been to the places in my books and I have the knowledge to draw on. I believe some of the best writers are well traveled and draw upon their experiences in various places in order to craft compelling stories. Fantasy is the same way because it's all based in some kind of fact.

Things we learn by visiting a place rather that just studying or reading about it:
1. Plant life
2. How people look
3. The feeling of the place
4. Temperature
5. Animals
6. History
7. Smells
8. Sounds
Those are just the tip of the iceberg. We have feelings when we are in an environment that we may not have anywhere else. Think of it like this: You're in a Starbucks and you smell the coffee, feel the coziness, and are waited on by friendly staff. You're in a cafe and you smell the food, feel the era, and may or may not be waited on by a friendly server. Those are very different experiences. If you are writing about a Starbucks and have never been in one, you will likely miss the mark of how a Starbucks feels. People could tell you, sure, but they may leave something out that's important.

We can use our imaginations but they are limited by our experiences. So, get out there and experience things to use in your stories! Your writing will thank you later.

What kind of experiences do you use in your writing?

I know I'm late but I hit inspiration this morning and had to get it out. More news on that one later!

Remember! Yassa is due out June 5, 2012! Keep your eyes open because you do NOT want to miss that story!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

The Best Feeling!

When one of your beta readers comes up and asks you if you finished your book yet because they really want to know what happens next is the best feeling in the world next to being head-over-heels in love (which I am lucky enough to be! I love you, Babydoll!).

It's even more thrilling when that person says they didn't want to be pushy but considered e-mailing and asking you for the rest because they were getting antsy.

That happened to me today. I gave someone the first 21 chapters of Yassa and they said they were dying to know what was going to happen to Temujin, Borte, and Jamuka.

LOVE IT!!

Look for the release on June 5th on my Smashwords page. Don't forget to get your copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One on Smashwords today. Just $1.99!! It's a great young reader's book!!

Have you ever had that happen to you? How did it make you feel? What were the circumstances?

Sorry this is short today but I had to give my book some props, ya know?

Until next time, WRITE ON!!!

Jo

Night Writer

How many of you write into the wee hours of the morning? Why do you think you do that?

Is it the lack of distractions, the perfect alignment of all that day's events, or is it something else?

I have a theory!! Hear me out!

I think that people who are nocturnal have a different brain function from those who aren't. We think, feel, and see things in a different way. Besides being a little crazy because we are creatives, most of us are "normal" people.

Hey, if we're all crazy, at least we're together in that, too, right?

Your brain goes into maximum overdrive at night because you have been awake and alert all day. You have felt, experienced, and talked with people. You have quiet where you can think. Other people in the World are sound asleep and your phone isn't ringing with texts, e-mails, or calls.

It's that perfect moment of clarity that comes with darkness that we all crave.

I know writers that get up at 4am because their brain has had a chance to process the day before and their ideas flow from their dreams. I don't know many that can force it at a certain time of day though.

When the idea hits you, it feels like your brain will explode into a million pieces if you don't get the words out and it's SO difficult to just stop and say, "Okay, that's enough for today. I have other stuff to do."

It sometimes hits our relationships hard. Especially if that person is not a creative or if you have kids that get up at 7am to catch a bus.

When the muse is upon us, we MUST write. Most people get that visit at night (unfortunately). For you lucky folks who can write anytime, I envy you. Mine is a process. I must FEEL in order to write. This blog usually helps because it makes my brain begin to THINK about writing.

Now you know why I broach the topics I do. Welcome to my brain - watch out, it's a mess in here!!

What time do YOU write? Why?

Time to get moving. Coffee is calling my name. :)

Don't forget to pick up your copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One today for $1.99!! Watch for a promotion on Abigale when Yassa is released in June!!

Heads up: I will be doing an interview with the lovely Crystal Lee next month! We will be discussing her new series, Canopy. It's one killer set of stories!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo