Pesky Pronouns

Today I'm gonna talk about her. You know, she, him, it. Let's get to it.

A pronoun is a reference to the last person named in the text. If you use the word she after saying Abigale's mother, or her mother, whatever you put after the word she is referencing, not Abigale, but her mother.

Examples:

Abigale flew into her mother's arms and buried her head in the crook of her arm. This is incorrect. Even though it may sound okay in your head, it's wrong.

What you're saying is Abigale flew into her mother's arms and buried her mother's head in the crook of her mother's arm.

What you wanted to say is (and you have to reword or it sounds ridiculous): Louise's arms caught Abigale as she flew into them and buried her head. This is correct.

Now, if you have Abigale and Emmett both in the sentence, it's okay to use he and she because we know who the last gender named was.

Abigale and Emmett were walking through the woods at a good pace when she suddenly stopped and turned to him. She said, "Emmett, stop stepping on my shoes!" This is correct.

Let's throw another boy into the mix now.

Abigale, Emmett, and Mark were walking through the woods at a good pace when she suddenly stopped and turned to him. She said, "Emmett, stop stepping on my shoes!" This is incorrect. If she wanted to speak to Emmett, he either should have been listed last or the pronoun should have been them.

Am I confusing you yet? I thought I might be.

I have a simple trick to examine a sentence (you will thank me someday, I hope):

Wherever he, she, it, them, they, her, his, their, its, etc... appears, go back through the sentence and replace the pronoun with the name of the last person named. If it still reads the way you meant for it to, you are correct. If it doesn't, some rewording is in order.

If I used it on the example above with the three children, it would read like this:

Abigale, Emmett, and Mark were walking through the woods at a good pace when Abigale suddenly stopped and turned to Mark. Abigale said, "Emmett, stop stepping on my shoes!"

It reads wrong. She should be turning to Emmett. See how easy that was to find?

Now, there are times I misplace my pronouns (it's SOOOO easy to do!) but I thought I'd share a little bit of info and maybe a tip to help you in your personal editing journey. Many times, you'll find you have to reword a whole sentence to make it work with your pronouns. But take the time to do that. You won't be sorry.

Tomorrow, I'm participating in a blog hop about the next big thing. You'll get to hear about Mystic ~ Lily, and The Abigale Chronicles - Book Three (and see the cover! yay!). If you don't have a copy of Mystic ~ Bronya yet, you need to go pick one up! If you haven't read The Abigale Chronicles - Book One or Book Two with your kids yet, what are you waiting for? Those little beauties are just $1.99 on Kindle and just $5.99 for the paperbacks!

Thursday, I'm discussing  thoughts, flashbacks, and flashforwards and tips on not confusing your readers when you write those scenes. If you have a topic you'd like to see on Friday, let me know in the comments!

Did this help anyone or did I leave you more confused? What else would you like to see?

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

Jo

Passions

Happy Wednesday, people of the blogosphere! Passion is the topic of the day today. For authors, especially indie authors, passion is something we are allowed in great heaping spoonfuls. Why especially indie authors? Well, we don't have anyone telling us what we can and cannot write about. We don't have anyone saying, "If you write that, we won't publish it!"

Talk about freedom!

There are millions of books out there that have been published by indie authors. Why have I not heard more about books that make a difference in the way people think or see the world? We have the freedom to write whatever we want in our own voices.

I wrote Yassa because I was passionate about the untold love story between Genghis Khan and Borte. I wanted so badly to share that with the world. I had a reason to write it (not a monetary one) and it drove me to start and finish a wonderful piece of work.

I wrote The Abigale Chronicles series as a way to show children they could travel anywhere with a book and have great adventures through the written word. Why does that matter to me? Because I'm a reader and I've had those adventures through books myself. I want to encourage kids to read more. Reading and writing is the basis for all communication (even math).

I'm writing Mystic as a way to try and make a change. I am passionate about the overlying theme of the books: tolerance and acceptance of people no matter what their differences are. Gay rights and equality (Bronya) is a topic I believe strongly in because I see what some of my friends and cousins have gone through just trying to be happy with who they are despite the opinions of others. Seeing past a deformity or heinous appearance (Lily) is close to my heart because I knew some of those girls in high school and saw what people did to them (behind their backs and to their faces). Each of the women in my books have something unique about them that causes people to judge. I'm hoping to either cause just ONE person to stop and think with my words or show just ONE person that, even if they are different, they do have strength.

I have said it before, I'll say it again: THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD. I implore indie authors to try and make a difference through their words. For you, for me, for the whole human race. You have passion for something. Talk about it.

What topics are you passionate about? Are you afraid to write about it? Why?

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

Jo

Holiday Weekend and Triberr

Well, I went out of town for the holiday weekend, as I'm sure many people did, and my brain had a glorious chance to reset itself. I am raring to go on Mystic ~ Shelia and The Abigale Chronicles - Book Three. I can't wait to get back to writing. Looks like a 10am start for me today. Ah well, catching up on e-mails is the fun part, right?

On another note, I checked out a new service called Triberr. I have a few first impressions that I'd like to share:

1. Their UI is difficult to navigate and leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
2. I loved the idea behind the service but, once I got into it knee-deep, I'm a bit disenchanted.
3. They use a currency they call "bones" and you need them to join other tribes. Once again, it all comes down to spending money. Why would I do that if I have a free blog and an RSS feed already? Hmmmm?
4. When I read about their service, I was eager to try it out. It didn't take me long to get lost in the muck. Please understand, I'm a very VERY savvy internet and service user. This was like: I'm supposed to click where for what?
5. Triberr wanted permission to post on my FB wall and update my Twitter feed. I am always hesitant when giving access to my stuff by any app, much less one I know very little about.

So, there you have my first impressions. I'm gonna give them a shot and will update you all later on what I find.

If you entered the contest on my blog for a copy of Soul Sisters, please visit here to see if you won. Thanks to everyone who participated!!

My giveaway for a copy of Mystic ~ Bronya over on Goodreads is now over. If you entered that one, please go see if you'll be getting a copy in your mailbox anytime soon. Thanks to the 775 people who requested it. I am humbled and honored by your zeal.

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

Jo

Meeting the Characters

This week I'm planning to take a page from other blogs I've seen and do open interviews with the main characters in my books.

Better yet, I'm going to allow my readers to participate in said interviews! How am I going to do that, you ask? Great question! It's easy. I'll give you a list of characters here with their scheduled day to appear. You ask questions and give me your links either on today's post or the post on the day of the interview. I will answer them during the interview and give you a mention and shout out for asking (with links to your stuff).

How frikkin' cool is that?

So, without further ado, here are the characters you will see appearing on my blog this week:

Tuesday: Genghis Khan from Yassa (grown up)
Wednesday: Kutula from Yassa
Thursday: Abigale from The Abigale Chronicles
Friday: Bronya from Mystic ~ Bronya

If there is anyone else you would like to see interviewed, leave me a message. I have enough characters to fill at least nine posts. Here is a list of other people in my books:

Yassa: Borte, Jelme, Bo'orchu, Jamuka
The Abigale Chronicles: Emmett, Kristy, Ada
Mystic series: Markaza, Lily, Shelia

If you want to hear from any of these characters, feel free to ask! I'm hoping we can have some fun with this!

Don't forget, Mystic ~ Bronya is available now at Amazon for just $3.99 (and there's a preview of Lily in the back).

Enter the contest on Goodreads to win a free copy of Mystic ~ Bronya!! The link is right up there on the sidebar.

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

Jo

Publishers vs. Agents

So I heard this rumor that publishers are now treating indie titles as the slush pile. If this is true, agents beware!

From my understanding, a literary agent makes money by getting authors signed with publishing houses. If we're skipping the middle man (the agent) what does that mean for them? Are they going to lose their places in society as gurus with the inside track on a publishing house?

I don't know many indies that didn't try to go the traditional route before self-publishing. If their book happens to hit the ebook market and become a best-seller, and the author is then picked up by a publishing house, what happened to the agent's commission? It's gone. There is none.

We all have jobs in the publishing industry; an author's is to write, a cover artist's is to design, an agent's is to sell a work to a publishing house, an editor's is to make sure all the Is are dotted and all the Ts are crossed, and a publishing house's is to get that book into print and sell it to distributors.

But wait! Indie authors do all of the above on their own (except for the cover/interior design and editing in most cases). If they get picked up by a publisher, they do it on their own.

Where does that leave the agent?

Things I don't know:

1. Are agents allowed to choose an indie title and offer representation?
2. Do they watch the market for successful indie published titles and consider it?
3. Is there an agent out there that does this?
4. Why wouldn't they (what are the drawbacks)?

It seems to me that agents may become superfluous if they aren't proactively changing with the market. That's a major loss in revenue for them. Think about super successful indies like Amanda Hocking and what her book may have done for an agent. Did she submit her manuscript and get rejected? Is that agent now kicking him or herself in the ass?

Question for you indies out there: Did you submit your manuscript to an agent? Multiple agents? Did you get rejected? What are your sales like now?

I'm a curious person by nature. Humor me, please?

I have great news! Mystic ~ Bronya, the first book in my Mystic series, releases tomorrow! The print version is already available for sale but the "official" release date is August 21, 2012. Keep your eyes here for the link when it goes live for Kindle and KDP Select. Don't forget to enter the Goodreads giveaway (see the widget on the side of my blogger blog) starting tomorrow for your chance at a printed, signed copy! I'm giving away TWO!

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

Jo

Goodreads Giveaway Mystic ~ Bronya

Keep your eyes open for the Goodreads giveaway that will start Tuesday and run for two weeks. I'm giving away TWO printed, signed copies of Mystic ~ Bronya. As usual, I will put the widget on my blogger blog for the duration. A special preview of Mystic ~ Lily is in the back!

If you can't wait two weeks to read it, you'll be able to pick it up on Amazon Tuesday, August 21, 2012 for the wonderful price of just $3.99. A printed version is gonna cost you a little more, but it'll be worth the $8.99, I promise. Here's a link to my Amazon author page: amazon.com/author/jomichaels

This series, as I've said, has some strong language but is dealing with a strong topic. Tolerance is a big deal to me and I hope to see this series helps you to open your eyes to the damage words can do when hurled at someone with hate behind them.

Love your fellow man. A good mantra to live by.

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

Jo

Tough Cookies

Some days, I struggle with what to write here. Today, I'm giving you all a taste of what my new series Mystic is about, and what message I'm trying to convey by writing it. Disclaimer: This is my author's note from the book. It will appear in every copy. People need to understand my message. If I make a difference in just one person, I'll feel like I did my job as an author.

Without further ado:

I see our world falling apart with hate. I’m not a person who preaches there should be no war or we should share in free love. What I am is someone who understands just because one person is different from another, it doesn’t make them less than human and doesn’t make them less deserving of my acceptance. I don’t hate or judge because I wouldn’t like to be hated or judged myself.

Everyone makes choices. Every single person on the planet is different in their own way. I choose my religion and my beliefs. There are some things I didn’t choose. Those things are what make me different from you, and what make you different from the person next to you.

Maybe you’ve made a choice I don’t believe in or that goes against my strong values. I’m going to try to understand you either way. No one told me it was up to me to shove my beliefs or values down your throat. So, for example, if you’re a Christian person and I’m an Atheist or Agnostic, would you want me to tell you you’re wrong for being a Christian? No. You’d want me to understand and realize your choices aren’t mine and you’re free to do and believe what you want. You’d want me to leave you alone so you can practice your beliefs with security and safety.

I wish for nothing more than a world where people understand the Golden Rule and actually live by it. As you read my Mystic series, try to understand what hate does when brought down upon the head of someone who is different or who makes choices other than what you might have made. Try to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. Learn how hate can grow and be nearly impossible to stop. Study how to be accepting to those who didn’t choose the path you did. Discover their reasoning instead of casting them off. I promise you, they are struggling anyway. Don’t make their struggle more difficult than it already is.

WSTW (Women Save the World) is not a real company as of the date of this book’s publication. I wish it were. We all have strength in us and the only way we’re going to be able to battle hatred is when we quit hating each other and ourselves. Hate manifests just like the creature in this series. Start looking around and you’ll see it, too.

I’m sure I’m living in a fantasy land, wishing for all of the above; but I am a writer, after all, and if I cannot find solace in my words, I fear there may be nothing left to hope for. What a sad ending that would be…

Pick up a copy of Mystic ~ Bronya when it releases on Tuesday, August 21, 2012. Read it. Come back here and tell me how you felt about what happens to Bronya.

Have you ever been put down for your choices or ridiculed? Did you change your beliefs or did it just make you angry? What did you do in response?

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

Jo

Tough Scenes and Emotional Therapy

Yesterday, I wrote a difficult scene for Mystic ~ Lily and the residual horror of it has yet to vacate my mind. When I spoke with Sandi on Monday, she asked me what the most difficult part of writing is. Listen to the interview here. This is it. I find it very hard to get over the emotional baggage my writing sometimes leaves behind.

Why is that?

Because, like most writers, I experience what my characters do. I am in their shoes or watching the scene through their eyes. It's this situation that I discussed last week on my post about author empathy.

I have to tell you, 9-11 had a serious impact on me. I felt it for months afterward. All those people dying, screaming, running, etc... Then, the people in the US flooded hospitals to donate blood. I felt the pride, too.

I will say it again, writers that cannot feel, cannot write. I believe that with every iota of my being. In order to properly convey love on the page, we have to be able to understand what it means to love. That's not to say we have to fall in love ourselves (though that helps), but we do need to be able to empathize with others and feel what they do. When we must convey pain, it should be something we have felt; if not through our own struggles, then someone we identified with. It's necessary to feel the emotions flowing through our fingers onto the page.

It makes it difficult to move on after writing a particularly difficult scene.

In Yassa, I crafted a scene where Temujin is exacting revenge on some men who stole his wife and sold her at auction. He slaughters their whole families. I shuddered, I got angry, and I felt his satisfaction when he tortured the man who bought her.

Those feelings lingered for days and only faded with time.

So, my question to you writers out there (AND you readers) is this: When you read or write a very emotional scene, do you take those feelings with you? If so, how do you shake them off after?

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

Jo

Branding for Authors Top 5 Reasons to Brand

Any of you that interact with me on Twitter, FaceBook or those who follow my blog, have most likely noticed a recent change in the appearance of my presence.

I have branded. My color scheme is harmonious through all platforms and my logo is clearly visible. If you've read The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book you'll realize branding is something I tout as being very important. Why?

1. Instant Recognition. This may not seem important to a lot of people but you should take it into consideration. This applies especially if you have a common name. I want to know the John Smith I found is the author I'm looking for and not someone with the same name who just happens to be a construction worker.
2. Harmony. Your colors should be pleasing to the eye and your logo should compliment them. You want people to look at your page and think Wow. That looks really nice!
3. Decisions Made Easy. When you mail an official letter or send an e-mail your look and colors will match that of your branding. Never again will you have to choose a color scheme! Plus, how cool is it that your logo can go on t-shirts and mugs and such?
4. Stationary. Your business card will take on a whole new life and so will your letterhead. Bonus, you can put your logo on bookmarks, on the corners of your printed books, and even on the corners of posters and such!
5. Displaying Personality. You have the chance to tell people a lot about yourself in zero words. When someone sees your logo and/or blog, they're gonna have an instant idea of your personality. Your logo and colors should reflect upon who you are and put it out there to the world.

Now, that's just five reasons you should brand yourself as an author. I'm sure you can name many more. Why did you brand? Why not?

If you need tips on branding and ideas on choosing a color scheme, find out all you need to know in The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book. It's pocket change on kindle, just $2.99. I priced it as such so struggling indies have a place they can turn without breaking the bank.

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

Jo

I'm Gonna Fire You Up

Mystic ~ Bronya is edited and ready to roll off the presses after some formatting. It's a novelette of just over 17,000 words so it shouldn't take you long to get through it. What I'm hoping, however, is that you do read it and you do take something away from it.

My goal here is to show you what happens on the other side of the wall you're staring at. I will show you what it's like when someone ridicules you or tells you you're a heathen, grotesque, immoral, or that you brought everything that happened to you on yourself when you find yourself in circumstances beyond your control or understanding. This series is intended to let you see into the world of another person who may be different from you, and what the ultimate consequences of not stepping around that wall could be.

If you disagree with my message, that's your right. Many people will. That's okay. Bronya goes through some pretty tough times and experiences a lot in her short tale. Lily is struggling with different issues but they are just as difficult to stomach.

Mystic ~ Lily is currently sitting at just over 3,000 words that have made me cry, shake, get angry, and be sad. Her tale is a lot like Bronya's because Lily's choices also change her life and the people that surround her can't accept her anymore.

I consider myself lucky because I have a voice that speaks loudly and clearly and I'm not afraid to use it.

If you're a writer and you're reading this blog, I challenge you to write something you believe in with all your heart. Buck the consequences, get out there, and fire people up with your message. Books have shaped the world as we know it.

The pen is mightier than the sword. Use your pen and make a difference.

Everyone has an opinion. Yes, they are like assholes in that everyone has one but no one wants to hear them. Make people want to hear yours. Make them listen. Present your case in a compelling way. Show them something they don't already know or give them information they may not have been privy to before.

I double-dog dare you.

I can almost guarantee it'll be the best writing that's ever dripped from your fingertips onto a keyboard. You have passion, use it.

Now that I've gotten you all worked up and your brain going a million mph, I invite you to check out my interview posted over on the Chapter Book Challenge blog. Go give it a read and tell Becky I said, "Hello!"

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

Jo

Empathy in Spades

As you all know, the first book in my new series, Mystic, is due to release this month. I'm thinking sometime around August 21 but that could change depending on the amount of time it takes me to get it formatted and the back cover worked out for the print version. Keep your eyes here for the release announcement!

I've had my usual reader and my usual editor ripping me apart for the sake of everything that's good and forcing me, in their wisdom, to re-write a number of sections. Something that they've both said while reading my series has given me reason to pause and consider.

"I can see you and your struggles in this book."

I have wracked my brain to figure out why in the world they would say that. I've never had to struggle with coming out to my family and friends and I've never lost my looks due to a horrific accident. Then, like a lightning bolt thrown by the mighty Zeus, it hit me: I can put myself in someone's shoes and feel right along with them. As a writer, when I'm crafting a scene, I'm in the body and mindset of the character. I feel what they feel and allow my fingers to relay that to the page.

Writing is taxing, emotionally, some days because of this.

Sometimes, I have to pause and play the entire scene out in my head, thinking about what I would do next and how I would feel if I were experiencing what the character is going through.

Writers have empathy in spades. Writers tend to feel very deeply. Writers must identify.

If you all remember my post a while back about Writers that Cannot Feel... Cannot Write, you'll have an idea of what I'm talking about. We must be able to communicate those emotions effectively to the page. Remember my post about keeping a feelings bible? I practice what I preach and keep one myself. When I need a great sadness or a great fear to come across on the page, I delve into my feelings bible and come out with the mindset to empathize with my character. It gets easier to call on it when I need it with time.

But, I digress.

My point to all this rambling is, I know very few novel writers who are judgmental. They tend to accept you for exactly who you are. Writers listen as well as they talk. It's so rare to have people who are genuinely interested in our life story, when we come across them, we word vomit. It's a safe haven for venting. Sure, you may show up in a book at some point because you spilled the beans to an author, but your name will be changed. Hell, you might even acquire a super-power.

Journalists may be a whole different story. Just sayin'...

I read a post today over on Depression Cookies where Tia talks about meeting writers and how they feel like friends after just a short period of time. It has to be the empathy factor.

But when you tell your life story to someone who writes novels, or let loose with an admission of something you feel badly about doing, you're more likely to get a pat on the hand than a slap in the face. It's because they traveled with you during your tale; they felt what you felt. Hopefully, when your life shows up on the page of a book, other people feel it, too.

After all, that's our job, right?

Have you ever had someone tell you they felt very strongly what your character felt and could identify with them? How did that make you feel?

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

Jo

Mystic ~ Bronya: Tolerance and Hate

As promised, today you all get a deeper look into my Mystic series. It's six books in all with five novellas and a full-length novel at the end. I won't give away the ending, nor will I explain what the monster is an embodiment of but read on and become intrigued.

This is the synopsis for the first book in the series Bronya.

Bronya Thibodeaux is an eighteen-year-old senior at Houma High School whose life is about to be changed forever. She's always felt like an outcast, but thinks she may have found a friend when a strange, new girl named Markaza who has blue hair, a number of tattoos, and a strange way of dressing appears. She accepts Bronya for who she is and the two hit it off.

Markaza isn’t around long before she moves away. Bronya goes back to feeling lonely and different. Trouble arises when Bronya's love interest - a girl named Cecilia - is accidentally revealed to the entire student body. Bronya’s life choices make her a pariah in her small town. After getting thrown out of school, not being able to find a job, and being subjected to ridicule and cruel treatment, Bronya chooses to leave her old life behind forever when she receives a compelling invitation from a mysterious company named WSTW.

What Bronya doesn't know, is the mysterious company is owned by Markaza; a mystic who knows the end of the world is coming and is gathering together the only people who can stop the evil that's threatening to take over. Bronya is just the first. But going to New York is only a baby step toward her true journey. As Bronya races against the clock to unlock a power she never knew she had, Markaza races to collect the others: Lily, Sheila, Melody, and Coralie.

This is the synopsis for the second book in the series Lily.

Lily Conyers is a twenty-year-old who had it all going for her until a car crash left her with terrible scars, no modeling job, and an addiction to pain killers. When she meets a strange young woman named Markaza, Lily begins to re-build her life with encouragement from her new friend.

Problems arise when Lily leaves the safety of her apartment for the first time since her accident to venture back into the world she used to know. Her so-called friends shun her and her boyfriend recoils at the sight of her face; leaving her standing in the road alone - crying. She rushes home with thoughts of suicide only to find a letter on her step from a company called WSTW; promising her a new life.

Lily packs her bags, bids Markaza goodbye, and sets off for the city. But going to New York is only the first hurdle Lily must jump. She must learn to use the power inside herself to help defeat an evil that is threatening to destroy the world. Once there, she meets a girl named Bronya and the two help one another re-build what was so negligently broken.

As Lily is boarding the plane bound for New York, Markaza boards another headed to Tennessee so she can collect the next young woman on her list: Sheila.
_________________________________________________________________

As a note: I'm a person who speaks out against taking offense to anyone just because they make choices I don't. We're all human and we need to practice a little humanity. I know I want to be accepted just as I am so I'm accepting in return. I don't care what choices you make, I'm going to do my best to understand you and accept you for who you are. We all need to follow the Golden Rule and just stop allowing hate to live in our hearts.

Just because someone is different, doesn't mean they're bad or evil. The true evil, in my opinion, is the hate and judgment that's thrown around so freely.

Would you want to be judged because of your life choices? Guess what? No one else does either. I don't wish for free love or think there should be no war (sometimes it's necessary to protect what we hold dear, like freedom), what I do wish I could see is human beings stop fighting one another to conform. We're all different. If you shun everyone who is different from you, eventually you'll be all alone. Start looking at a person's heart instead of their life choices and I promise you, your quality of life will improve.

Countless men and women have died fighting for freedom. We show our disrespect for their sacrifice every time we put someone else down for their choices. This is AMERICA the BEAUTIFUL. Let's work harder to keep it the land of the FREE and show our appreciation for those that died for the cause, shall we?

I'm going to share something with you all now that I was ashamed to see happen. When you click on the link, go to the section labeled History and read the last paragraph. Can you believe these folks wanted to do this?

Link to Wiki article.

I started writing Mystic ~ Bronya a good while back (I always have a number of works going at once) and slated it for release this month. I couldn't think of a better time considering the hate I'm seeing spewed all over the news about Chik-Fil-A and what was said. It saddens me. I have faith in humanity as a general collective but, once in a while, I'm let down. This was one of those times.

When you pick it up, be sure and read my author's note. It might give you a new way of seeing the world. I'll do the cover reveal later in the week.

Watch my Amazon author page for the release of Mystic~Bronya.

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

Jo