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

Interview with Kutula from Yassa

Happy Wednesday, dear people of the blogosphere!! Today, I bring you Kutula from Yassa. He's a character I hear a lot of people fall in love with. If you haven't read Yassa, this is the week to do it. It's on sale at Amazon and Smashwords for just $3.99. ONE WEEK ONLY!!

Jo: Hello everyone! I’m so happy to present you with my guest for today’s interview: Kutula. Kutula was integral to the plot of Yassa and became one of Mr. Khan’s right-hand men. Let’s find out how! Hello, Kutula, how are you today?

Kutula: I’m great, Jo, how about you?

Jo: Doing fine. I’d like to start off with questions about Genghis. Are you okay with that?

Kutula: Nothing would make me happier. I love your hair, by the way.

Jo: (blushes) Well thank you (pats hairdo). Yours is fabulous too! Now, Kutula, how did you meet Genghis?

Kutula: When I met him, he was just a boy of ten, named Temujin, who had managed to kill many of the General’s men singlehandedly. I could tell Temujin was up to something – he is a clever one – so I played his little game and pretended to be weak myself. What struck me first was the lad’s looks. He was such a good-looking kid (Kutula smiles and looks a little dreamy).

Jo: Then what happened?

Kutula: (shakes his head a little) We put him in a cangue and took him away to our camp as a slave. He was a murderer and an outlaw. We had every right to claim him. But I did get to see him put on quite a show for the General first.

Jo: What’s a cangue?

Kutula: A cangue is two pieces of wood with holes for the head and hands that we fasten together with a lock on either end. A person can walk but they cannot escape because we also attach it to a rope. If they don’t move when the rope is pulled, they fall and oftentimes break their neck in the process. There are many men who lost the power of speech due to the damage the cangue did to their necks when they fell.

Jo: That sounds horrible (shudders). Was Temujin a good slave?

Kutula: He worked very hard, yes. But I hated to see his strong spirit in the hands of my people at the time. They were a brutal bunch.

Jo: I know you helped him escape and won your own freedom in the process. Could you tell us what really happened the night you let the boys go?

Kutula: I had been planning my own freedom for a very long time, you see. I belonged to the General. I was his concubine. He had bought me when I was just a boy of fifteen and ruled over me with an iron fist. I hated him. But my true love was a beautiful young man, around my age, with long, dark hair and thick, curly eyelashes that lived in a yurt near ours. My plan was to have most of the soldiers follow the boys, who I blamed for cutting the General’s throat, and let the rest of the slaves go so they could overthrow the men left behind. I took a risk, yes, but it was a risk worth taking. I watched those boys run until I couldn’t see them anymore, then I raised the alarm. When the men came to my yurt, I pretended to be upset over coming in and finding the General with his throat cut. I blamed it on Temujin and his friends: Jelme, Jamuka, and Bo’orchu. Those fool soldiers took off, knowing the rains were coming, in the hopes of catching those four boys. Even if they had returned, I would have had control of the camp and could have dispatched them easily with a wave of my hand.

Jo: Wow. That was one elaborate plan. You must have a good head on your shoulders.

Kutula: Of course I do. I may be feminine, but I am not stupid. It was decided that I would be in control of our tribe from that point forward.

Jo: I never meant to imply that you were. Sorry. I… (shuffles papers). You seem to be the backbone of the entire book. You help Temujin escape his slavery, help him by sending a recommendation to Wang Khan, and help him find a potential fiancé for his son, Jochi. How did you know what would happen in that situation?

Kutula: I had no idea what was going to happen. I thought Temujin would make the offer, Wang Khan would accept, and the two tribes would unite. What I got was a big mess of war.

Jo: (laughs) Sometimes what happens leaves us with a question of how in the hell we ended up in a situation. I found you very humorous in the book. You were one of my favorite characters. There was one incident, when Jelme insulted you, that I found particularly funny. Tell me, what made you punish Jelme the way you did rather than breaking his neck for his insult?

Kutula: (laughs) He was just a young thing and wasn’t thinking when he spoke. Besides, he was one of Temujin’s best friends; I’m not just the pretty boy who goes around killing people because they made me angry.

Jo: You helped young Temujin and older Genghis. How stunned were you when he was named Khan and changed his name?

Kutula: I was shocked that we accomplished exactly what we set out to do after the betrothal was denied. I was so proud of him. But, that man has some strange notions about loyalty. When that mess with Börte happened… I shouldn’t talk about that.

Jo: What? What happened?

Kutula: None of your business.

Jo: Ugh! Fine! You men are so frustrating. Okay, another question then: Do you believe Genghis spoke to God?

Kutula: I don’t know if he did or if he didn’t. But, I can tell you he knew things no normal person could possibly know.

Jo: Well, that’s all the time we have for today. Thank you, Kutula, for giving us your time today.

Kutula: Thank you for having me.

If you have any questions you'd like to ask Kutula, feel free to put them in the comments and I'll add them to the post.

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

Jo

Interviewing Genghis Khan

Trundling along through the Author Blog Challenge. And now, for a new prompt:

Describe the research process for your book. Did you interview people? Travel? How prominent a role did the Internet play? If you didn’t do new research, how did you learn what you needed to know to write your book? 

I sure wish I could have interviewed Genghis Khan! That would have been cool. Of course, there's the ruthless killer thing... oh! and the language barrier thing... But I think we could have gotten past all that and become great friends! I'm sure the dude had a wicked sense of humor, too.

Seriously, research for my book included reading Genghis Khan by John Man. He had been to Mongolia and studied the man and the customs. It was a very informative book. I also got a lot of articles through the library at my college; then held on to them for the last eight years. Yes, I am a nerd. So what? So is Bill Gates. Food for thought there!

Wikipedia articles are actually based off a lot of Man's book, so they didn't tell me much that I didn't already know.

I read and consumed and notated and read some more. Finally, I looked at myself in the mirror and said, "Jo, seriously? You know enough. Go write your book!" And I did.

What has always fascinated me about Genghis Khan was his relationship with his wife. None of that is in the history books; it all came out of my head. I know when they met and can approximate when they were married but I had to do some serious swinging of dates to make it work the way I needed it to.

Check this out: at age nine, Temujin is taken by his father to meet Borte. Temujin's father is then murdered on the way home. Because the kid was the one chosen to take over, he had to go tell his people their lives were in his hands.

Can you imagine being ruled/governed by a nine-year-old? Yeah, well, neither could they. They left his family to the wolves. After that, it all goes downhill for the poor kid. He does end up marrying Borte, only to have her kidnapped about a week later (during their journey to Temujin's home) by a rival tribe and sold to another man as a wife. Talk about adding insult to injury! People wonder why he killed so much...

All of that is 100% truth. You learn his story in the book. I won't reveal any more here. If you want to find out, you gotta read Yassa. I thought Genghis was this big, burly guy who couldn't care less for human life or his family. I was wrong. He is one of the most interesting characters I have ever researched. I put him up there with Queen Elizabeth I. She intrigued me as well.

All of the relationship stuff in the book (my story is character driven) comes from my relationship with my boyfriend. I put myself in Temujin's shoes and pictured how I would react/feel if I went through what he did. So, I guess you could say my own relationship gave me a lot of the information I needed to write Yassa.

Enough of my ramblings! You should go check out the book. Here is the link to my bibliography on a page on this blog. Enjoy it!

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

Yippie Ki Yay!

After a weekend of laying on the beach in Florida with the love of my life, I have SO much more in my stash of wonderful things to use in my writings.

Smells, experiences, and tastes are all slamming around inside my head. I am eager to work on my journal of experiences so I'll have something to pull from later with no need to rely on memory alone. While my memory is great now, I don't know if it'll be so great in 20 years.

I posted a while back on reasons for keeping a journal like that when I wrote Write What You Know. I had never been to lay on a beach in Florida or ridden on/driven a Waverunner before this past weekend and the experience left me with a lot of impressions.

1. Waverunners slam into the water when you hit bumps and it feels like your bones are being smashed together.
2. Seafood tastes very different when you eat it near the water it came out of. There's more of a taste of the ocean and not so much a metallic taste or a blandness that comes from being in a can or being frozen and shipped inland.
3. Jumping into a swimming pool after swimming in salt water makes you feel heavier, like you strapped rocks on your feet.
4. There is no sight quite like sand dunes projecting from the ocean while a breeze teases your face to put you totally at ease.
5. Mother nature ROCKS.

I have also discovered that I love the smell of the sea. I don't know if that stems from growing up in Louisiana or from something that is lodged deeper within myself but I know I'm gonna try to figure it out.

My new series titled Mystic has a character from Florida in it. I am very grateful for the experience this weekend brought to my writing.

Remember to get your copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One by following either of the links at the top of this blog. Yassa is due out in just ONE week!! BE EXCITED! You've never heard a story like this one!!

That's all for today. Tomorrow, we will discuss something deeper.

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

Best Practice

A blog is good writing practice. If you do it every day, it can also serve as a warmup before you begin writing in earnest. If you are a fan of short stories or not, write them.

Your writing will be at its best when you are feeling. It doesn't matter what you're writing about, just write it. Describe the way you feel, what you smell, what you see. Use all your senses. A good example is this post. Feeling and writing about it are parts of inviting your reader into your character's soul. It's part of drawing them in and making them care and identify with the person in the story.

It goes back to my post about Writers that Cannot Feel, Cannot Write. If you are a snail, you probably shouldn't be writing in the first place, right? Plus, that slimy trail you leave on the paper isn't very attractive...

So write your blog when you feel strongly about something. If it's something you read in the news and you're angry, write about it. You have a voice, use it. After all, that's why we write, right?

If you haven't gotten The Abigale Chronicles - Book One yet, go get it now. At $1.99, it's one heck of a deal! Abigale is about to embark on a new and exciting adventure! Book Two will be out in July, 2012!!

Remember to look for Yassa in June, 2012!! Editing away, I am.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!!

Jo

Readers and Reviewers Running Rampant

Readers. Are they really as picky and fickle as we believe them to be? You betcha.

There's more to it than that though. If you tell a reader a great story they will come back. Most readers will forgive errors in syntax if they aren't detrimental to the story itself. It doesn't matter if it's mystery, suspense, romance, erotica, or a twenty word picture book. If the story is good, people will keep reading.

Reviewers are a different breed in and of themselves. They will ding you for the syntax errors.

But, reviewers are also readers and if your story is good, you will gain points as long as the errors in your writing don't screw with their flow. People will review your book and post their thoughts. Guess what? There's not a single thing you can do about it except sit back and pray they like it.

Before you release your book, find someone who is a reader that will read it for you. Find someone who is good at dialogue and have them read it for you. Then, look for someone who is conscious of tenses and POV and let THEM read it. When all three of these people agree, you have something that will fly with 99% of readers. If you have the money, hire an editor and skip the above. As indie authors, most of us don't have that kind of cash hanging out in a drawer so we have to work together.

Build your network. If you take, you need to give. Don't expect someone to read all your stuff and get nothing in return. Other indie authors are not your competition and they want to see you succeed just as badly as you do. I got into a discussion with another indie author on a blog's comment section and made a friend. Her name is Crystal Lee and her blog is a most excellent read. She is a writer of sci-fi romance and historical fiction and her books have a flavor all their own.

I hold a degree in Graphic Design. Crystal is most excellent at editing. What do you think we're trading?

So get out there and talk to other indie authors!!! Many of them have skills you wouldn't believe and most are willing to help you out - for a return favor.

How did you meet the people in your network?

That's all for today, folks. I hope this post gets you out there, talking to other indie authors and discovering their talents beyond writing - psssst, they ALL have them.

Don't forget, Yassa is due out in JUNE! If you missed your chance to get a free copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One, don't worry! It's available on Smashwords for just $1.99!! Go get one!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo