Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Cover Reveal - Pariah by Casey L. Bond

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you're all excited about tomorrow being Friday and the weekend to come. I know I am. A break is very badly needed by me. Such exciting things going on, I'm feeling like I'm about to jump up and dance the salsa. If you recall, there's a giveaway going on here for a chance to win an e-copy of Keepers of Arden (The Brothers Volume 1) by L. K. Evans, and today I have a cover reveal for Pariah by Casey L. Bond! I can't wait for you all to see this cover. You're going to flip out!

Ready? Let's get going!

Pariah
The New Covenant Series
by Casey L. Bond

Synopsis:
What are the things that you need most in life—the things you crave? Solara longs for freedom. Having been raised under the Kingdom’s lock and key since the age of two, she wants to see the world. Upon turning seventeen and receiving no mark from the Lord, she believes freedom is finally within her grasp.

Unfortunately, she is wrong. The Kingdom has been fooled. She is marked by an angel of light and one of the fallen dark ones. Solara is God’s chosen, and with her birth, the new covenant made with mankind is made manifest.

Solara also longs for love, strong enough to last a lifetime, and beyond. Riven loves her. But is one of the fallen prophesied to betray the chosen. Can she trust him? Love him? Prophesy states that she is the key. The fate of humanity rests with her decision. She alone will determine whether the doors of Heaven or the gates of Hell open upon the Earth.

But how can a normal girl, who has been raised with no knowledge of either side, make such a decision? And how can she turn away from finally tasting those things she has craved for so long.

For fun, here's the full wrap cover:

Everyone say, "Oooooooooooh!"

Isn't it gorgeous?

Now, if you want to add Pariah to your Goodreads TBR list, go here:

Pariah on Goodreads

If you'd like to check out Pariah's Pinterest board, check it out here:

Pariah on Pinterest

While you're hanging around here, why not check out Casey and give her a follow on social media?

Website
Facebook
@authorcaseybond


Or, you can check out other books by Casey L. Bond: Winter Shadows, Devil Creek, Reap (3.17.14)

Tomorrow, I'll be putting up my review for The Bestiarum Vocabulum. You want to come back for that one!

What do you think of the cover?

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

Jo

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Keepers of Arden The Brothers Volume One Re-release and Giveaway

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring to you an awesome re-release and a wonderful giveaway. If you recall, a few weeks ago I wrote a review of Keepers of Arden. Well, the author is re-releasing it and INDIE Books Gone Wild is doing a giveaway promotion! That's right, you'll have a chance to win one of two e-copies of the book. I hope you all have a clicking finger ready to go! I'm gonna start with information about the book, then move on to the Rafflecopter widget. Enjoy!

Title: Keepers of Arden (The Brothers Vol. 1)
Author: L. K. Evans
Genre: Fantasy & Sorcery
Length (print): Approx 459 Pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis:
"Slowly, year by year, day by day, hour by hour, the evil grew stronger while he grew weaker. It found ways around his shield, and, even as he sat in the sun on a beautiful spring day, he could feel the tiny nibbles
the evil bit off from his soul."

This is just the beginning of the Laybryth brothers' journey, to not only rid the lands of Arden of a vile evil, but for one brother to save the other from the darkness that lives within him.



Believe me, it's awesome. I read it and loved it, then the author let me do the proofread on it and I loved it again!

Enter away, readers! Here's your Rafflecopter widget:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck!

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

Jo

Monday, February 24, 2014

Dialogue Traps to Avoid and How to Fix Them

Happy Monday, everyone! I do hope you all had a fabulous weekend and are raring to go for the week ahead. Today, I'd like to talk a little bit about dialogue traps many authors fall into and how you can pull yourself from the quagmire of quicksand that's sucking you down. These are things I find in many of the books I edit, and the author usually does a little head slap once I point out what's going wrong. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going! Be sure and check out the link to some dialogue exercises near the end of this post.


One of my most popular posts, He Said, She Said, Who Said What?, goes into ways to keep the local vernacular true to the characters. It uses extremes, but I did it to make a point.

Let's expand upon that and talk about how to keep the speech true to humans.

In I, Zombie, I used dialogue to help pull the reader into the culture. Some people enjoyed it, some didn't. However, it's true to the location and that's what I was after. Bronya, book one of the Mystic series, is also set in Southern Louisiana, but I chose not to use the local dialect. I both loved and hated that aspect of the book, but it's a choice an author has to make.

Note what I said there: Choice. It's up to you how your characters will speak, but the key to doing anything well is consistency. I know, there's that word yet again! Remember when I talked about creating a style guide for your novel? If your characters are gonna talk a certain way, be sure you're consistent. Your style guide will help you (and your editor) do that.

Now, a few things to keep in mind when characters are speaking to one another:
  • You don't always have to use a dialogue tag (said, mumbled, asked, answered, etc...), an action tag (Sabrina put her feet up on the couch, Luke took a long drink of his coffee, Pig plopped his big, round bottom down, etc...) will work as well.
  • There's no need to name the character the one speaking is talking to unless: There are more than two characters in the room and he/she is speaking to someone out of the group specifically, or there's no action tag like: Pig looked at Sabrina.
  • When a character uses another character's name in speech, it sounds like a lecture or like one is lording their superiority over the other. Think about how you speak and when you use someone's name.
  • We speak in contractions unless we're speaking formally (old English, Historically, etc...). Use them. It'll help. Remember to practice writing in contractions everywhere, not just in your novels. If a character doesn't use contractions, be consistent and don't ever use them. One day, you'll thank me. *wink*
  • Watching the rename will help with pronouns. Time for an example! 

If we know Pig and Luke are having a discussion, it might go like this: 
Pig looked at Luke. "So, you're saying I didn't need to sit?"
He answered, "That's exactly what I'm saying."
His tail uncurled and his ears drooped. "I thought I was being good."
This is wrong, wrong, wrong. It creates a pronoun problem. Either you have to rename Pig (which gets irritating to readers if it's done too often) or remove Luke. We know who Pig is talking to because the scene has been set.

How about: 
Pig looked up. "So, you're saying I didn't need to sit?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
His tail uncurled and his ears drooped. "I thought I was being good."
Note that Pig was the last male named so the pronoun his is used correctly. There was no need to rename Pig or worry that we couldn't use the pronoun his after we named Luke.

Please, know your action tags and your dialogue tags. Here's a post that will help with that. Some get commas and others get periods. Be sure you're varying what you use. Dingle said, Pig said, Sabrina said, Luke said, Howey said, Dog said, gets redundant and boring after a while. If it's obvious who said it, leave it alone. If you must give a name, use an action tag now and then.

Are you ready to practice flexing your dialogue muscles? Here's the fifth post in a series with links to the previous four: Dialogue Exercises. There are fifteen practice scenarios for you to use. Have some fun, okay?

Did you know these loose rules? Do the examples above help at all?

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

Jo

Friday, February 21, 2014

I, Zombie Soundtrack

Happy, happy Friday, everyone! I hope you all have something awesome planned for the weekend! In order to kick your weekend off the right way, I've compiled a little soundtrack for the book I, Zombie. These are the songs I've heard that made me think of the story (or songs others told me were brought to mind as they read). When possible, I used the videos with lyrics so you can read along if you choose to do so. I'll give a short explaination of why I used each one after. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the videos below and the sound of music!

#1: Zombie by The Cranberries



This may seem like an obvious choice, but really listen to the lyrics. If you've read the book and this song doesn't make you cry, I don't know what to say...

#2 Let Her Go by Passenger



Again, seems like an obvious choice given the nature of Trixie and Jack's relationship. But he didn't know he loved her 'til he let her go...

#3 Dust to Dust by The Civil Wars



Takes one to know one? Thank you for the recommendation, Casey L. Bond! I listened to this and bawled my eyes out...

#4 I Need a Hero by Bonnie Tyler



The epitome of Jack.

#5 Bring Me to Life by Evanescence



Oh my... It's that scene! You know of what I speak if you've read the book. If not, pick it up, listen to the music after you've read it. Heartbreaking, no? *grin*

Okay, so if you don't have a copy of I, Zombie yet, you can snag one over on Amazon (for Kindle) for just $3.99. It's sitting at 4.3 stars on 31 reviews, so it's doing pretty well! Get yours here.

I hope you all enjoyed this little foray into the world of I, Zombie and what music speaks to the author (and why).

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

Jo

Thursday, February 20, 2014

What Kind of Editor do You Need?

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! I missed my post yesterday! But, it's all good because I'm caught up with work and back to one hundred percent. Kids are back in school, there's no snow days causing my internet to malfunction (you wouldn't believe how slow it is when the whole neighborhood is home and online!), and I'm back in my office after being run out by the cold. So nice! Anyway, today we're gonna talk about the different kinds of editors and how to decide which one is right for you. So, grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

You've written a novel! Yay! Good for you. Now you have this manuscript you don't know what to do with. Well, first things first. You need to do at least four rounds of edits on it yourself. Start by following the steps listed here and the tips on what to look for here. Once you're done with that, then you'll be ready to start looking for an editor. But there are so many to choose from. Hopefully, this list will help you choose the right kind for your novel. Heck, you may think you need more than one. Allow me to open your eyes to a fabulous secret! But, that's on down the page. Keep reading!

First up, we have the Developmental Editor.
These guys will check your plot, structure, and flow. They'll make sure you don't have holes in your story and ensure your facts are kept straight. Yeah, they're the ones doing all the research and making copious notes on long, yellow legal pads. They're the right choice if you aren't sure about your novel's storyline, character building, or facts.

Next, I give you the Beta Reader.
These folks are fans of your genre and know what they're looking for in a story. Giving them a questionnaire to answer will help them give you much needed feedback. Commonly, a beta reader is used before you go through a ton of editing, but huge errors will have them complaining that you need to write your story better.

On to the Copy Editor.
These folks check facts, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. They do exactly what their title implies: edit the copy. They won't be looking for what the Developmental Editor looks for. There will be no plot, storyline, or character development checking. They live and breathe the written line.

Now, the Proofreader.
Your proofreader is NOT your editor. They exist to find those little, niggling errors missed by your editor (and yourself). Their whole purpose in life is to make sure your copy is clean and error free after the editing is done. It shouldn't take them as long as it did your editor because they should be able to skim your work to find what was missed.

Next up is the Content Editor.
They live and breathe plot, characters, voice, and setting. These folks don't give a hoot about your grammar, punctuation, spelling, or otherwise. All they care about is the story and making sure you aren't jumping tenses, head-hopping, or meandering off the storyline.

Bet you're freaking out right about now, huh? I suppose you can see how you could need more than one of these folks for your novel and how it would behoove you to have them all in your corner. Well, that leads me to the last (but certainly not least) type of editor on the list. This is the fabulous secret I mentioned earlier. Your secret weapon.

I give you the Line Editor.
These folks do it all. They check facts, grammar, punctuation, POV, plot, characterization, flow, tension, storyline, word count, redundancy, tenses, and every other manner of novel content. It should take them a long time to edit your novel. They don't play around and a lot of writers become dismayed by the amount of feedback given by a Line Editor.

Line Editors will cost you a little bit more. But, that's understandable, right? They're a one-stop shop. This is the service we provide at INDIE Books Gone Wild. We check it all. Your MS will have so many comments, you'll think you died and went to heaven. Plus, we hire one of our own to do your proofread after your edits are complete (yeah, it's included in the cost of editing). That's just good business.

Which one do you need? I'm sure by now you're foaming at the mouth. You already know. Indie authors should expect to use a Line Editor and then a Proofreader. ***Warning! If your proofreader gets your MS and it's obvious it hasn't been edited, they'll send it back to you (and will have every right to do so). So be sure you've used an Editor before you contact a Proofreader.***

Most importantly, be sure you know about your editor; no matter what kind you use. Vet them. Do the work to find out if they're worth it. Don't get snowed. Refer to Monday's post and Tuesday's post to know what to ask, what to expect, and what to look for in your contract. This is SO important. I won't take it personally if you don't use IBGW. I just want you to be careful and know what you're getting into.

I can't stress it enough. Watch your back because you're all you have. There's no big publishing house that's gonna do it for you unless you're traditionally published.

Questions? Comments? Pop them in below and I'll answer everything I can. If you have an editor you'd like vetted, feel free to shoot me an e-mail and I'll do everything in my power to check them out for you. Let's not use the comments section for that, okay?

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

Jo

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Contract Considerations

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Well, the kids are back in school and not a moment too soon. While I enjoy having the little nose-miners at home, it's not productive to have them pulling at my skirts while I'm trying to work. I've been busier than a one-armed paper-hanger! Anywho, today we're gonna talk about contracts! I know you're all super excited about that. I'll tell you what to expect, what to avoid, and what you should be looking for. Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!


Yesterday, I talked about finding a good editor and what you should be looking for when you vet them. If you missed that post, take a look at it here. Tomorrow, we'll talk a little about the different kinds of editors. But, for today, let's discuss the contract. This applies to proofreading, editing, and any other service you have done by an outside source (book design, cover design, etc...).

What you should expect:
  • A contract outlining exactly what your editor will do for you.
  • Dates things are due back to you.
  • The ability to read over the contract before you're expected to sign it.
  • Clauses that prevent you from defaming your editor (and your editor from defaming you).
  • A very straightforward clause that releases your editor from any claim to your work.
  • Something that says your editor is allowed to refuse your work at any time.
  • An out clause for you that states the contract is allowed to be terminated if you choose to do so and at what point it becomes null and void.
  • An informational page that details the book to be worked on.
  • Something stating when payments are due and when the contract is settled.
  • A clause that states you're required to display the editor's name on the copyright page (this is pretty standard).

What you should avoid:
  • Anything stating the editor has claim to any part of your manuscript once work is completed.
  • An editor who doesn't use a contract (this is HUGE).
  • A feeling of unease. If your editor seems shady, listen to your gut.
  • Anyone who doesn't answer you in a timely manner.
  • Someone who changes the price on you EVER. Once you get the job quote, that's what should be on the contract.
  • An editor who's known to slander other authors.
  • Someone who doesn't give you a final, signed copy of your contract.

What you should be looking for:
  • Someone who has lots of references and is well spoken of.
  • An editor who has a backlog of books they've worked on you can check out/read.
  • A person you feel you can trust once you've talked with them.
  • Someone with a good knowledge of the English language (yeah, go read their blog).
  • A copy of the contract as soon as your inquiry is responded to so you have time to look it over.
  • Everything should be spelled out in black and white on your contract. It should include:
  1. Prices (fees section)
  2. Dates things are due (goes in the services section)
  3. Termination details
  4. A detailed list of what you're going to get for your money (services section)
  5. Slander clauses that go both ways
  6. A release of claim by the editor to any part of the work's copyright (ownership of work)
  7. Your editor's full name and address
  8. Details about the book (title, genre, word count, author, format)
  9. A spelling out of all prices (watch out for editing contracts that only contain numbers - these can be changed)
  10. Something that releases the editor of guarantees (sales, etc...)
  11. A clause detailing how the editor won't talk about your work to any third party
  12. Non-transfer clause (this is so the editor can't send the work to anyone else to be completed)
  13. Something detailing how additional changes will be handled (outside what's agreed upon in this contract)

If you read your contract and it's full of legalese, be sure your editor/proofreader/designer answers all your questions in full before you sign. Don't go into anything not understanding exactly what it is you're getting (or signing).

If you find an editor who doesn't use a contract, run away. Please.

I hope this helps you all in some way.

If you have contract questions, pop them into the comments or shoot me an e-mail. I'll be happy to answer anything.

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

Jo

Monday, February 17, 2014

Editors - Good vs Evil

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! I realize you were all probably looking forward to meeting Ms. Allison Pensy today, but I made a last minute decision to push everyone back to the dates they were originally given for their interviews. Ms. Pensy will be here in 2 weeks. I'm super duper busy this week and want to give Allison's interview the attention all my other guests' have gotten. So, today I'm going to talk about editors instead. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Over at IBGW, we do a lot for our authors. Not only do we take a book and help it be all that it can be; we also throw a team of editors at it while we're working it and into the promotional stuff once the book goes live. Our authors become like our family members. When the books we work on go live, we watch them like hawks. One thing can be said about every IBGW book: There are no technical flaws in the writing (unless the author rejects some of the changes that are suggested). While people may not love the story between the covers, they can't complain about the grammar.

Our mission: To have the IBGW mark/name represent quality. We want to make it known that if you pick up a book, flip to the copyright page, and see our name there, you can buy the book with confidence.

When you're looking for an editor for your novel, be sure you're in sync with your editor and that they have a proven track record of turning out quality work. How can you be sure? Here are a few tips:
  • Be sure you know which style guide your editor uses and you agree with the rules between the pages (your edit will turn into a headache if you don't). Also, be sure your editor has a style guide they reference and has it listed on their about me page. Anyone who doesn't follow a style guide is going to have trouble giving your book the proper consistency.
  • Ask your editor what books they've edited in the past. Check those books out on Amazon and Goodreads. See what reviewers are saying.
  • Make sure your editor isn't the proofreader on your work. Once you've been through two rounds of edits (or three) your editor is as close to the work as you are and begins to miss things.
  • Is your editor an author? Read their work. Read the reviews on their work. Yeah, it matters.
  • Perhaps most importantly, be sure your editor has a contract and they let you read over it and ask questions before you're expected to sign.
I give you these tips because I'm a reader and Indie author as well as an editor. I can't even begin to say how angry I get when I know a fellow author paid someone a lot of money to have an edit done, and I still find a book full of errors. No, no, no! One or two are common (even in traditionally published books). Those I can ignore.

A good editor will be available to answer your questions about the changes after the work is done. They'll be able to explain any changes made to your novel and why those were done.

Please, for the love of all that's good, vet your editor like you would your child's date. Don't hand over your money willy-nilly.

A good editor won't be cheap. Understand that and be okay with it. Remember the old adage: You get what you pay for. It's as true today as it was when it was coined.

Oh, and don't hire more than one editor to work on your book at once. It shows a lack of confidence in your choice. While you may think it's a good idea, if the person finds out, they may refuse to work with you in the future. Too many chefs in the kitchen makes for an unstable soup.

I hope this post saves someone from a headache.

Tomorrow, we're gonna talk about contracts and what you should be looking for.

Questions? Comment? Epitaphs? Post them below!

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

Jo