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

Chatterbox

Good morning, Monday!

I usually don't like you but today you've left me with so much to be excited about. First off, my interview with Merlene Fawdry has been posted over on her blog In the Rough. Thank you for that. Here's a snap of the interview (you'll have to go see her to read the rest):

What writing group/s do you belong to?

I belong to the Indie Author Critique Group on FaceBook. It’s a closed group so authors can feel comfortable ranting or asking openly about things they may not want readers to hear them say. I’m the moderator and an active participant there. I also belong to the Children’s Authors and Illustrators group on FaceBook (another closed group).

What is the structure of this writing group?

It’s an online group where members can go and ask one another for reviews or critique on various components of their books (covers, writing, editing, marketing, etc...). Oddly enough, we’re also a bit of a support group for one another. I find people posting when they’re down and others stepping in to offer words of encouragement and support.

Is this writing group associated with a state or national organisation?

No.

Does this group have affiliations with peak writing associated bodies?

No.

How many members does this writing group have?

There are currently 30 members of IAC and most are pretty active. I’m rather selective about who I approve. CA&I has 1,000+ members.

Does the writing group have a clearly defined goal in writing?

No. If we have a Work In Progress we’d like feedback for...

And you'll have to go to In the Rough to read the rest!! You rock, Merlene!!

Sorry, Monday, but that's just the way it is. I can't be usurping on her idea for my own content!

The second thing I have to look forward to today is my radio interview with Sandi Tuttle over on An Average Woman in a Superwoman World. We go live at 9am Eastern time so you need to go tune in to catch us. You won't be available at 9? That's cool. You can go listen to the archives.

Here's the link to tune in: JO AND SANDI ~ DOUBLE TROUBLE

Sandi is awesome. Don't forget to leave her some love!

Don't forget, Mystic ~ Bronya releases in print and for Kindle in just ONE week! Keep your eyes open for that one!

Well, that's all for today, Monday! See you next week! For everyone else, I'll see you all tomorrow! Until then, 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